'Dead in the Family' Gives Readers More Sookie, But Little Plot

To say I was excited to read Charlaine Harris's newest Sookie Stackhouse novel would be like saying the Sears Tower is kind of tall. It is, and I was. (Notice the past tense -- "was." Not "am.") Dead in the Family is the tenth installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series (not including the Sookie universe set of short stories published recently), better known as the True Blood books. I first came to the series as a TB fan who wanted more. I couldn't believe I'd never heard of a mystery series set in Louisiana, as both southern lit and mysteries are favorite genres of mine. More than likely, its supernatural characters kept it under my radar. "Supernatural" or "vampires" is never a word I've used when searching for new book titles.

After watching season one of the hit HBO television show, however, I wanted to know everything there was to know about Sookie Stackhouse and her friends (and enemies) in small-town Bon Temps, Louisiana. And so I breezed through the first eight books with record speed (think weeks, not months). Thankfully, Harris's next novel Dead and Gone was released just as I finished the first eight books, and so I was able to read it in order and quickly. Then I had to wait for the short story collection. I was wholly unimpressed with it; there wasn't really anything wrong with it, it just wasn't... Well. Enough.

Flash forward to May 2010 and the release of the next real Sookie novel, Dead in the Family. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it; it waited in my Amazon.com cart for months, just so I would remember the date it was published. I bought it a couple of weeks ago, and read it last week. And... I was horribly disappointed. I read it primarily because I have this need to know where a series (especially one I have read every other book in) is going next. I still really like Sookie; her character and her quirks are one of the only saving graces of this novel. The plot leaves much to be desired. Nothing really happens. Sure, Eric Northman factors in, but after several books detailing their relationship, I have to be honest and say I'm over it. Sookie needs some new meat, and I don't mean that figuratively -- it becomes quite literal when the body of her love interest is thousands of years old.

Harris treats the entire book as a follow-up for several old plots: Sookie continues to recuperate from the injuries garnered by fairies in Dead and Gone. Fallout from the Fae War continues to also play a part in the action (or non-action, in this case). There is minimal discussion about her brother Jason's life after the death of his wife. And Eric's maker comes, re-hashing a tired plot involving the ins and outs of the vampire maker/child relationship (which Harris much better illustrated in Book#3 Club Dead's plot involving Vampire Bill and his maker Lorena). Harris also brings back the wolfpack and Alcide, but not enough for it to make things interesting.

All in all, there was way too much dwelling on the past, way too little forward-action in the plot, and no new interesting characters to speak of. Bottom line? Read it if you're a die-hard fan who can't get enough of Sookie and friends. Skip it if you've never read a Southern Vampire Mystery series novel before. But no matter whether you read it or not, be sure to tune in June 13 for the HBO season three premiere of True Blood. It should be loosely based on Book#3 Club Dead (if the past two seasons are any indication of a pattern, they've produced one season per book), which was one of the best novels in the series.

A True Blood Season 3 trailer to convince you:

My Big Fat What-I-Read-On-My-Road-Trip Post

Last Thursday morning, my boyfriend & I left bright and early to go on a weekend road trip. We had been invited by his brother & sister-in-law to stay at a cabin an hour or two south of Atlanta, Georgia, so that was our first destination. We made a couple of stops along the way -- notably, I spent some time in the new McKay Used Books store in Chattanooga. I visited their old building probably once a week during my college years at UT Chattanooga, but I hadn't been to their new store location until this weekend. Very nice, and almost an exact replica of their Knoxville location.

I picked up several new books, including a paperback copy of Joshilyn Jackson's first novel gods in Alabama. I read it years ago, but wanted to re-read it before the release date of Jackson's newest novel Backseat Saints (you can read my original review here, but look for an upcoming double book review/ comparison coming on Saint's release date in June). I had one at home, but couldn't resist picking it up to take with me to read on vacation. I also bought Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, which has been reviewed on many book blogs and which my favorite high school librarian recently told me I had to read. Also bought at McKay's: Cleaving by Julie & Julia author Julie Powell, Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown: Notes From a Single Girl's Closet by Adena Halpern, and The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (who also wrote Comfort Food, which I loved).

Then lunch at Panera Bread in Atlanta. So good, and seriously? Why can't we get one of these in my town? We're not so big, but we are a university town & on the interstate to boot. We also made a stop (my first time ever) at Trader Joe's in Atlanta, which was everything I thought it would be (and more!). We're definitely going to be making a run to the Nashville location once a month or so for some staples.

My plan for the weekend was to lay in the sun, relax, and read, read, read. In the car, I listened to Patricia Cornwell's At Risk. I am a huge Cornwell fan, having read every Kay Scarpetta novel and every Andy Brazil novel. It would make sense for me to really like the Win Garano series, too, right? Well, I didn't. I listened to the entire thing, so I made it through, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Cornwell's other books. Originally published in serial form in the NY Times Magazine, the novella focuses on Massachusetts State Police investigator Win Garano. His boss, a female district attorney for Boston, orders him to look into a cold case in Tennessee with the hope that solving it will help her political career. When an act of violence stops them both in their tracks, Win begins questioning her motives. I found the characters much less sympathetic than Cornwell's other protagonists. Due to its short length, it was also difficult to really get into the plot, as things happen quickly and without much development. At Risk was recently made into a Lifetime Television movie, which I may watch simply to see the novella come to life.

When we arrived at the (absolutely beautiful) cabin on a private lake, I read Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Alabama in less than 24 hours. It was phenomenal the second time around, and you'll be able to read my thoughts on it in my post June 8th about it and Backseat Saints.

The next novel in my Kathy Reichs's Tempe Brennan series quest was Bones to Ashes, and so I delved into its pages as I laid on the beach on Hilton Head Island and then as Brent fished off the pier on Tybee Island. We decided that since we were so close to the coast (about 4 hours from the cabin), we would regret it if we didn't spend at least one night at the beach. So we visited the beach on HHI at Folly Field, stayed the night on Hilton Head (and visited the oh-so-fun Salty Dog & had our pictures made on their webcam) and then the beach on Tybee Island the next day. In this tenth novel in the series, Tempe is back in Montreal for the summer. When a police officer is found with a skeleton as a morbid collector's item, Tempe begins examining it and pondering the disappearance forty years ago of her childhood friend Evangeline. Reichs also continues the on-again-off-again romance between Tempe and Canadian police investigator Andrew Ryan. Reichs sneaks in another appearance by Tempe's crazy sister Harry, which makes the novel all the more enjoyable. Definitely a good inclusion for the series, and Reichs also involves leprosy in the plot. Very interesting, and with historically accurate information.

Since arriving home last night, I've begun Charlaine Harris's newest Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead in the Family, which came in an order from Amazon while we were gone over the weekend. It's definitely getting me in the mood for True Blood season 3 in June! I'm currently listening to Tess Gerritsen's Body Double on my iPod, so posts about those two will be coming soon.

'A Touch of Dead' Brings Readers Up to Speed on Sookie Stackhouse & Friends

Charlaine Harris's short story compilation A Touch of Dead is nothing new-- new stories, that is. All of these Sookie Stackhouse stories have been published elsewhere before, but never together in one volume. It is a short collection of only five stories -- it took me maybe an hour or two to complete it. But it offers some deeper meaning to both the character that is Sookie and to other characters introduced into the series in various Southern Vampire novels.

In "Lucky", we learn a bit more about both Sookie's wiccan friend Amelia and her insurance agent Gary, who appear in other books. In "Dracula Night", we get further looks at vampire sheriff Eric Northman, his second-in-command Pam, and werepanther leader Calvin. Harris adds to the fairy family in "Fairy Dust", as we learn about kinfolk of Sookie's "guardian angel" (or fairy, as the case may be) Claudine. In "Gift Wrap", Sookie receives a special Christmas gift that may or may not be related to Alcide and the werewolves or to her great-grandfather, a fairy himself. And in "One Word Answer" readers are given a new angle on Sookie's cousin Hadley who, although dead, factors importantly into several books towards the end of the series.

I would have liked to see Harris include all of the Sookie-universe stories, starring Sookie or not, in this volume; however, at this in-between-books stage, I'll take what I can get! I enjoyed every last word from Harris's Southern Vampire series; all I ask for is more. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series, Dead in the Family, to be published in May. Until then, you take what you can get, and what you can get is this collection of Sookie stories. Savor it to the last bloody drop.

If you dare to take a peek (for now, I'm trying to save it until I can read the whole thing!), here is the first chapter of the latest novel, available for your reading pleasure from the author's website.

There's More to Sookie Stackhouse Than True Blood

While hanging out with friends last night, I realized that I haven't written about Charlaine Harris & her oh-so-fabulous Sookie Stackhouse series. Many may know them as the "True Blood" books, but let me assure you -- they are much more than just HBO's hit series True Blood lets on. That said, let me also state very clearly that True Blood is fantastic. It's sexy and smart and keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat exciting. And some of the characters and storylines are the same. But True Blood and the Sookie Stackhouse series are not one and the same.

The realization of what I had left out came to me last night because we were mid-discussion on all topics Sookie.

"But does she ever get with that hot wolf guy?" one friend asked.

"What ever happens to that other mind reader she met?" another said.

"Jason is so hot," sighed another. (She was talking about the series, not the books.)

As they squabbled over who had which copy and who was ready for book #5, (two people at once, causing somewhat of a problem -- one may have to go buy it rather than borrow from the community pile!) I thought about Sookie and friends, and it made me wonder why exactly we're all so infatuated with them.

I've never liked vampires (at least, prior to True Blood and Twilight). I haven't read any Anne Rice novels. I've never even watched Interview With a Vampire or the old-school version of Dracula. But for some reason True Blood caught my eye last season, and I've been addicted ever since. Let me also issue a disclaimer here and say that I like Stephenie Meyer and Twilight. But I'll let you in on a secret.... I like Sookie Stackhouse better.

After much conversation on the topic of Twilight vs. True Blood, I've decided that I like TB better because it's a tad bit more grown-up. Twilight is all teen angst and puppy love. True Blood is something entirely different. It's multi-layered (well, there ARE nine books). There are main plotlines and side plotlines. There are sub-plotlines within sub-plotlines. New characters are introduced in each book, and Harris usually carries them over to the next book and the next. And... they are grown ups. Let's face it. Twilight is interesting and all -- vampires sparkle in the sunlight. They play softball during thunderstorms so that mortals can't hear the enormous crack of the bat hitting ball. Twilight is the realm of the romantic vampire. So romantic, in fact, that Bella and Edward can hardly kiss before he has to stop her. And Bella wants to become a vampire. Sookie? Now way. She and Bill (and others, later) definitely kiss. As much as they want. And more. Sookie (and others) and bitten multiple times. Blood runs in Bon Temps. Vampires are scary and brutal, and unlike Bella, Sookie Stackhouse wants none of what Harris' vampires have to face.

So why should you read the books instead of simply watching HBO? The novels are different from the series because Harris has so much more freedom than HBO does. HBO without freedom might seem like an odd statement -- after all, they're known for being independent in their programming, and to some degree that is absolutely true. TB could never play on major networks such as NBC or CBS. The WB's Vampire Diaries debuting in the fall will probably be a milder show than TB. But HBO, with all its freedom, still has to cater to its audience. And that simply might not include all of the things Harris has written about in the series. HBO has to streamline the plot, for one thing. They have to produce separate episodes which both tell their own story and fit into the entire season. The difference in format alone makes the television show different from the novels. The number of characters who are examined is also different. While in the books, Harris has the freedom to give background on every waitress in Merlotte's, in TB producer Alan Ball is faced with giving the viewer just what they need to know to make the show make sense. It would take hours to create even a chapter of a novel on screen if every detail was shared with the viewer.

My final opinion? Watch True Blood. Read the Twilight series. But buy the Sookie Stackhouse books. Your friends will want to borrow them, and you'll want to thumb through them as new episodes of TB appear on HBO so that you can compare book to television.