Dead Reckoning

Charlaine Harris -- Dont do it -- ending the Sookie/Eric relationship would be a MISTAKE! Ive read Charlaine Harris for years, first with Lily Bard (healthy relationship with Jack), Harper Connelly (the relationship in this series is just creepy), and then back to the original Aurora Teagarden series (gratuitous killing off of Martin stopped my reading of the series -- are you kidding me? why would you kill him off, the relationship was good for both people and the killing off served no purpose). **spoiler alert** Now, to the subject of Sookie and Eric. Yes, the relationship is complicated, but all relationships worth having are. Eric has been there from the beginning with Sookies best interests at heart (unlike Bill or Quinn). The best friend (Sam) rarely makes it as the love interest in the end (it rarely happens in real life, and shouldnt happen in fiction -- this is settling, not love); if the relationship with Sam was going to work, it already would have. Alcide or Calvin didnt get far enough to even be a part of the discussion. And, bringing in a white knight this far into the series is just a cop-out. So my issue -- why all the foreshadowing that Sookies and Erics relationship is doomed (to be honest, it feels a lot like the foreshadowing done for Aurora and Martin). Looking back -- this relationship has a history of 11 books -- even during her time with Bill and Quinn, Eric was in the background providing Sookie support that the others could/would not. Yes, there are issues -- as anyone who is trying to balance a real job with a relationship know (note that Eric has been the only guy in Sookies life that had a real job and real responsibilities) and all the times where Sookie/Eric have had issues have been when other responsibilities have had an impact (please, being chained in silver is a pretty good reason for not riding to the rescue.....). Ways forward which would be fulfilling for the reader: 1. Sookie and Eric should learn from breaking the bond that the feelings between them are real; once they come to this realization, then put the bond back in place with both of their consents 2. Use the fairie token (which must be used for personal reasons, not world peace) to ask that she and Eric make the right decisions for long term happiness for them both -- this is a mature wish which sadly may be beyond Sookies (and Charlaines) capability.... 3. Have Felipe appoint Eric as regent for Lousiana (a regent is needed now) -- this would give Felipe/Eric reason to negate the Queen of Oklahomas claim; Eric would need to depend on Sookie further in his role, and this would require Sookie to grow up and realize her life is never going back to being a simple as it was, but must grow in order to be an equal partner in the relationship (this requires her to accept responsibility). As far as addressing Sookies longevity -- the other foreshadowing occurring is the hint that as long as Sookie spends time around other fairies, she becomes more fairie. Fairies have extremely long lives and therefore, she can be with Eric without ever changing to vampire. This fits with both her desires and the ability to use her gift to best advantage to support the mature needs of the couple. What Sookie has had with others has been lust. What she has with Eric is a complicated relationship based upon love. I, for one, would want the relationship that is worth something in the long run. So, is Sookie going to run scared? Or is she going to grow up? Hopefully, Charlaine will not disappoint us.

Like some others have said I wont give a synopsis since it has already been done. I liked this one much better than the last one (which I thought didnt do anything to further the story, cost too much, and was a bit dull) with all that said I think that Charlaine Harris is a wonderful author and I love her ability to capture human emtion on paper. When Sookie discovers the reason behind Pam and Erics disagreements my heart was completely broken. I could feel the way she felt by Harris descriptions alone, and even though I went to bed with a heavy heart after reading it I still say 4 stars. I hope that in the future Sookie is gifted with at least one true friend who put her above all others and isnt using her to further their own purposes.

Kudos to the many reviewers that have already stated many of the problems that we all seem to agree upon: continuity, character changes, unbelievability, etc. I will try not to go into detail on those problems that have already been discussed. This series started out with an abundance of promise and quickly became a favorite of this genre of readers. However, as is with many series of this length, CH seemed to simply lose steam, or interest, in actually keeping the quality of this series at the level it began. And then came this last book.... Obvioulsy, as I stated above, many reviewers have pointed out continuity problems. CH begins to introduce some explanations that just couldnt possibly be true, based upon the previous 10 books. If you want to know specifics, just read a few other reviews. Also, she seems to be trying to change characters personalities, motives, and demeanor to be totally contradictory to what we have read so far, which is confusing, frustrating, and generally unwelcome. ***SPOILERS*** It took how many books to finally get Eric and Sookie together? How many more books to keep them together? But it takes only one book to throw all that we have accepted and embraced about Eric and Sookie to the wolves. Up until this book, Sookie has come to understand and accept Erics shortcomings more and more, while Eric has learned to better express his feelings for Sookie and generally not be quite as big of an egotistical jerk. (I said not quite as big, but still very Eric). Suddenly, in this book, Sookie finds herself resenting Eric for the changes in her life and brooding on the things that have been present the whole relationship, things that she has accepted, and she doesnt really begin this until 1/3 way through the book. Also, Eric begins to have a total personality shift, even going so far as to attack Sookie, in a totally unbelievable and disappointing reaction to her dislike of the murder they just committed. Ridiculous. In the last few books, Sookie seems to be morphing into a whiny, indecisive, hypocritical, selfish, and impatient woman, which is really contradictory to how she was developed in the first half of these books. Personally, Im happy if Sooks happy, when it comes to her love life, but I think its about time to leave the girl alone. I liked Bill, and then we learned that he cheated on her and later that he had an ulterior motive the whole time. I liked Alcide, and then we learned that he also had ulterior motives, yet still Sookie lets him continue to use her while he fluctuates on deciding if he really wants and likes her or not. I liked Quinn, and then we learned that he picked an ungrateful family over Sookie and subsequently betrayed her. I liked Eric, a la memory loss, until he regained his memory. Then, they finally have a decently stable relationship, until this book undermines what we have learned. Bill is now the man who obviously loves her best, Alcide is still a toss-up though not a front-runner, Eric is obviously on the way out, and I can only imagine the close, bonding relationship developing between Sam and Sookie is now going to be the newest love triangle. Please. Im not really that excited about the prospect. Next thing you know, Sookie will be considering a relationship with her new fairy uncle.....ew[...] Seriously, I wouldnt put that past CH, since she already took the opportunity to introduce that idea through the mouth of Sam while he and Sookie talked about all things fairy in the truck. Also, enough with the constant impending doom. Its not enough to have one major plot twist and mystery to be solved in the story, now we have to have 4 and 5 in one book. Its exhausting. IMO, after the Vampire Summitt twist, the books just got to be too much. I dont need to be totally immersed in constant upheaval, betrayal, mystery, and deceit to enjoy a book. I hope CH really takes some time to THINK about past books and what has happened and actually get back to the writing we all initially loved before the very near end of the series.

I probably shouldnt review yet because Im sooo disappointed and upset with this book. I always felt that this series should have been left to be written and wrapped up in 10 books rather than given the extra 3 to the series so that it would go out on a high note. This book confirms that for me. I felt for most of the first half that it was a rehash of the other books. Like nothing was happening. I think I was spoiled rotten by the first 6-8 books which were so brilliant and innovative. The second half was more exciting but I really disliked the twists Charlaine has added. Too many characters were out of character - even the sex was out of character! I cannot say more without adding spoilers and its too soon after the release of the book to add spoilers to reviews (IMO). I really dislike how Sookie is changing. Where is the strong, witty Sookie I love? This new whiny victimized Sookie is a bit too much like TV-Sookie for my liking. Very disappointing. I will most likely read the next book when it comes out next year but I doubt Ill be pre-ordering. That said, the book is still okay and some of our favourite characters like Bubba and Bill are in it a lot. OT - So is Claude- I hope they find someone handsome to play Claude on TB- Claudine wasnt exactly stunning.

When I read C.H., I often find myself exhausted from Sookies adventures. I appreciate the crazy ride you go on and yet she takes you back to earth with cleaning the kitchen. I love love C.H. and I love this series. I can only briefly describe the excitement when I realized it was May 3. I arrived home from work, giddy, because I knew this book was on my Kindle. I read it until it was finished and found myself set up for the next book. Once again, I will have to wait a year to find out what happens next. Regardless of sequence, history, etc., this is a necessary chapter in Sookies adventures and if you need your fix, you better come and get it. The reason for my title? I seriously think someone told her to balance out Sookies life happenings with Sookies adventure and I felt that pull in her writing. Who ever told her that piece of advice needs to not do so in the future. I found myself looking for the counter balance of adventure and it made me crazy. Maybe I am.... C.H. needs to let herself write. Die hards will go along with adventure no matter how tired it may make our brains. So yeah, when you wait a year for a book, you expect it to be the moon and stars, but I think just like several books in this series, you have to let this one take you to the next. What do I hope for? Not Sam as the MAN in her life. BORING. Do I hope that she finds her ultimate romance with a vampire - YES. Do I hope that shell one day has to become one? Why not? But I am not writing this book and either way, it all turns out as Sookies life and I am a happy spectator. C.H. opened my eyes to a lot of fantastic reading. If you are into the series, you have to read this book. VERY important stuff happens.

What I liked best about Dead Reckoning is that Harris has written another one. But I found this one to be disappointing because none of the plot lines were very well fleshed out. Theres a problem, it is resolved or cast aside, and a new one developed immediately. None of the characters has the increasing dimension we have grown to love, so that those of us who were lucky enough to read previous books were forced to fill in the blanks ourselves, and surmise what the characters mean or feel. Just as we were about to root for a character, such as Eric, we are left bereft, with less justification to want him around. And Bills passion seems almost sedate. In the past Harris has slowly brought Pam to life, as it were, by showing her sense of humor and her girlfriend moments. But Harris was unable to make us empathize with her dilemmas and her quirky charm and grief was missing as well as Harriss ability to make us care anout her problems. In the past, all of the male romantic figures have evolved, become a little selfless, but this time even Bill comes off as less sympathetic. Perhaps Harris took her last critics of book 10 as soft porn a bit too seriously. There is no passion here. It is a pity, but I am eternally grateful that Alan Ball took this and put his own stamp on it. Except for the cable season with the Maenad, which was chaotic and a bit ridiculous compared to Harriss treatment, I am giving this bare bones edition a two star rating more out of what Harris has done before, and in hopes she can pull it off again. I regret paying so much for the book. I was so hopeful it would be better than the last. My advice to all you Trueblood junkies is to get a good discount on it, and shop for some backup authors. This is a thin quick read; more of something which was framed in than built methodically. How I miss the earlier ones. (1-9) Here is hoping Charlaine can bring the series back to life with #12!

Well, For starters I generally dont do book reviews, I think Im mostly doing this because Ive been reading some of the reviews and I think they may scare readers away. For starters some of what Ive read here is correct there were some back story issues, continuity errors, and some out of character moments. Thats all true. some of these I can let go of because I know when a series gets this long things are going to be forgotten. The out of character moments were probably a bigger issue for me. Im totally team Eric/Sookie and I actually like when I see the softer side of Eric it reminds me of DTTW Eric. And I didnt expect him to be his funny happy go lucky self in this book with all that was bearing down on him but at moments the way he was with Sookie, particularly that bite at the end was very troubling for me because through 10 books hes never harmed her so this bothered me alot and I hope its not CH trying to turn readers against him after such a build up of his and Sookies romance. That being said Im not as convinced as some that this is the end of Eric and Sookie, At least I hope not I feel like their story has been build up for the last 8 books. I hope Sookie fights for her vamp and doesnt just let Oklahoma have him. I think in this book Sookie realizes shes not nor is she ever going to be the good christian she believes she needs to be. Sookie at times has an issue with trying to fit the mold of normal, as if anyone really knows of normal? The faeries are going to be a problem in one or both of the last books. Dermot and Claude are up to something but we dont know what. Sookie is now in the possession of a fairy token (CD) that grants her a wish, alot of people seem to think shell use it to go back in time and never have met Bill......That still presents problems however, Sophie anne would still have known about Sookie, Niall would still be her GGF and The Bombing in Rhodes would not have been prevented in which case Eric, Bill, Pam and alot of other vampires and humans would have lost their life. I cant see Sookie letting that be. Nor do I think that would make her safe. Alot of people see Sam being maneuvered into position for the HEA....Funny this was the one book I saw him more in a BFF role than ever. Course I dont have a clue where CH is going with things She may haul him in at the last minute as the HEA.....Hope Not, that goes against what Ive been reading thus far. All and All I liked this book just a few things to nit pick about but I will continue the series and hope it ends the way Id like :)

I love Charlaine Harris and Sookie :) Im sad to sad to say I was not impressed with her latest addition to the series. After reading several reviews about the book and its mediocrity, I have to say I agree. To me the first half of the book was spent updating us as readers on the characters backgrounds and it was redundant. We have read 11 books in the series now, Charlaine. We dont need an update at the beginning of every book. And to make matters worse, the backstory ended up being spotty and inconsistent. On a positive note, Sookies Fae background and her relationship with her family seems like it will be an interesting part of the next book. It would be nice if Sookie could make up her mind about a mate and stick with it. Maybe shell find some Romeo from the Fae world and marry him. I was so excited to read the new Sookie book I pre-ordered it. Now I wish I would have waited for the paperback. I almost felt like Dead Reckoning was thrown together just to get a book out and I ended the story feeling unfulfilled. It seemed like she spent so much time elaborating on what happened during the last few books that she forgot to go in-depth with her plot line for her current book. I certainly hope the next Sookie book will be better!

I felt much the same way, but to a lesser extent, after reading the last book in the series. I loved the earlier books in the series, and in each of the early books, there was a clear, cohesive conflict that dominated that particular book, and was resolved by the end. In Dead to the World (one of my favorites of the series), we saw the whole conflict with the witches play out. By the end of that book, the witches had been defeated in a thrilling battle, and I was left feeling satisfied. There were of course minor plot lines left up in the air (Sookies romantic future, given the nature of her relationship with Eric during the course of the book, for example) which made me excited to read the next book, but there was nothing so huge left unresolved that I felt slighted. This book (as well as the last one), I cant really pick out any major conflict that the books deals with, and nothing is resolved by the end. I honestly cant even tell you what this one is about. Sookie cleans out her attic. She and Dermot grow closer. She and Eric are no longer vampire-married. Thats about it. Theres no story that unifies this book. Theres just a bunch of minor, disconnected events, which makes it a rather boring yet frustrating read. Also, how dense does Harris think we all are? Like others said, Im a little insulted. Nobody picks up the 11th book in a series and just reads it cold, with no background or previous knowledge (and if they did, they shouldnt), so theres no need to write like your readers are hearing about these characters for the first time in the 11th book of the series. I am so sick of reading the same things over and over in each book. By this point, we all know about fairies allergies to iron and lemons. We all know Dermot looks a heck of a lot like Jason, and we all remember the troubles this previously caused. And for petes sake, we certainly all know the whole store behind Elvis becoming a vampire... yet in every single book, Harris recounts all of this to us in vivid detail, as though this is certainly the first time we are hearing about any of it. Im not exaggerating when I say that half of the material that makes up this book is stuff Ive already read before. Enough is enough. Also, as others have mentioned, there are some pretty fierce continuity problems that make this book really difficult to enjoy, but that has been thoroughly discussed I believe. The only reason I keep reading these books is because I feel like Im in too deep now, and I cant just stop. Ive heard from others that Harris is contracted for 13 books in this series, and Ive also heard that she herself is ready to finish the series, so hopefully the next one will be the last one. Ive thoroughly enjoyed this series, but if Harris hasnt got her heart in this project any longer (and I think its obvious that she does not, based upon the declining quality of her work in recent years), then I wish she would quit writing these and just leave us with our fond memories.

****SPOILER ALERTS**** DO NOT READ BELOW IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW SOME OF WHAT HAPPENS IN DR!!!! In fairness, my first disclaimer should be that its possible that Ive allowed too many outside influences to color my perception of DR - awareness that CH said she hated creating the blood bond and that there will only be two more books,frustration over the kindle pricing, etc. With that out there, I must say that I liked DR but I didnt love it the way Ive loved some of the previous Sookie books. Maybe it was the way that it was laid out for us (or not) but part of me felt that Sookies back and forth emotions were tiresome. Quite frankly, she has been dealing with the do I want to live like this, do I want to be in this world, interacting with these people, or do I try and live a more normal life etc. since LDID and I thought that shed reached a certain point of peace with her journey a few books back. Thats not to say that the conversation was never to be revisited but it felt to me like she was experiencing this crossroads for the first time, rather than rehashing an old debate. Regarding the blood bond, I wasnt surprised that it was finally broken (again, I blame the outside influences) but I was more than a little irritated at the manner in which it was done and once again, I felt that Sookie was handling a situation like an amateur rather than someone who has been through a great deal of drama and come out the other side, wiser for those experiences. Her love/hate relationship with the blood bond was something that had been discussed for several books - but the actual decision to terminate it was done almost on a whim and I was disappointed to see it handled as such. In the end, as much as I wanted Victor gone, I didnt love how that was done either - there was a part of me that wanted a little more trash talking - there was almost too much silent manuevering for my taste. I felt like the Claude/Dermot angle was being built up to give more than it did in this book and assume this will be wrapped up in the next book(s). Glad that Sandra Pelt is out of the way but this seemed to come out of nowhere and I honestly couldve done without it in this book because it didnt seem to add anything. I love Sookie and Eric and while I understood that there was a pressing reason why things were not as theyve been in prior books, their overall chemistry was uncharacteristically flat in this book - and Im not talking about the sexual chemistry. One of the things Ive always liked about the two of them was that they got each other - all of sudden, they seemed to almost be strangers. Yes, the issue with Oklahoma is a BIG problem but again I was surprised that Eric (who is above all things practical and realistic) kept this from her as long as he did. It did not seem consistent with his character (even being in love for the first time in hundreds of years) that he wouldnt tell her about this sooner and let her know that he was doing his best to extricate himself from the situation. I dont like the fact that this is (seemingly) being used as the excuse to end this relationship as opposed to Sookie coming to a decision that as much as she loves Eric, it just cant work (as she did with Bill - unable to forgive his deceit and with Quinn - unable to deal with his baggage). As much as I want Sookie and Eric together, if theyre not going to be HEA, then lets man-up and end the relationship because one of the people in the relationship has decided that its best not to be in that relationship anymore, not because outside forces are pulling them apart. They love each other but the relationship is not perfect - he is high handed (and it drives her crazy), theres a lot of baggage associated with being married to a powerful vampire and obviously, its fatal flaw is the fact that she will continue to age while he will not. Even with all the love in the world, theres enough here for Sookie to decide that love aint enough and she has to let Eric go. I would prefer that to where the story seems to be headed. Ill keep reading and will mourn the end when it comes but I find that my enthusiasm has diminished just a bit and that makes me sad - it may be that when I pick DR up again in a couple of months, I will feel differently but Im not sure. This is just not one of the books that I could read over and over (like Club Dead or All Together Dead) or would want to revisit as part of re-reading the series. UPDATE: I am FURIOUS to see that Penguin has now dropped the price of DR to 12.99 ten days after offering it for $14.99 (and its probably because the reviews arent great) Dont get me wrong, Im used to the price of an item dropping but not this fast. I have learned my lesson, like others I will be waiting until the price of the last two books goes down to a price Im willing to pay without complaint. Unfortunately, Ive fallen out of love with the recent installment of this series so the over-eager enthusiasm that I felt in the past (which prompted me to pay the price regardless because I had to have it) is gone so I will exercise patience.