Harris, Charlaine: All Together Dead
All Together Dead
Writer: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 323
THIS IS IT! It's not the FINAL book in the series, but seeing that the FINAL book in the series is in hardcover, I'll just wait for the paperback. So for those of you who've been loathing this series of reviews, you may now breathe a sigh of relief. I'm done. Granted, I might sneak in a Harris short story or two, but you'll forgive me that, right?
The premise: book seven focuses on the ever-talked about vampire summit that Sookie's forced to attend. Paid, of course, but she'd rather not go, especially since her fairy godmother gives her dire warnings that something BAD will happen. When Sookie arrives, there's a platter of bad to focus on: the Fellowship of the Sun is protesting outside the vampire hotel, the Louisiana Queen is getting tried for the murder of her husband (and Sookie knows she didn't do it), and on a more personal level, Quinn and Eric keep competing for her affections. Too bad for Sookie that the REAL bad doesn't show itself until it's too late...
Spoilers, yo.
After reading Definitely Dead, I was more than a little worried about this title. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about. This book is a solid installment, and it had the added interest of dealing with the aftermath of Katerina, which was pretty fascinating. You wouldn't think a hurricane would upset a vampire's world, but oh, it can. And it did.
I really liked how the subplots fit together in this book. Everything felt a little more natural. We get an update on the status of the big Bellefleur wedding, we check in with how Sookie's doing with her new roomie, Amelia (who I really like, btw), and we finally see Jason get hitched to a pregnant Crystal, something Sookie isn't all that happy with, but she wants the best for her brother. Sookie and Quinn take their relationship to the next step as well, and in this book, I'm warming up to them as a couple.
I was amused to see Sookie trying to completely abjure Bill from her life, though it got annoying when she referred to him as Nameless. Her interaction with Eric felt a little off until they finally reached the summit, and I have to admit, I enjoyed their time together in this book too. Right now, I won't be surprised if it comes down to Eric or Quinn, but I'm not sure what to make of a Quinn/Sookie future, especially with how the book ended.
The main plot was pretty good, though deceptively simple in how quickly it wrapped up. Rather, we think it happens quickly when the main plaintiff against the Queen (have I mentioned I like her? I've decided I like her) ends up murdered. Unfortunately, there's a survivor who brings forth the suit, but the results of the trial were pretty fascinating in that Sookie's starting to be able to read vampire minds, though it's not very consistent, which makes me wonder about the rules of that little upgrade. I also really liked the very real threat of the Fellowship of the Sun. They were pretty horrible in Living Dead in Dallas, but I liked seeing it taken to the next level, though I figured out pretty fast something was UP as soon as the mysterious suitcase showed up, and once I started giving Jason serious consideration. None of that surprised me. The actual explosions and escape attempts were pretty darn gripping too, and I loved how Sookie went to Eric and Pam and never even THOUGHT of Bill. That says a lot, especially when she happens upon him in the wreckage and he says he knew she'd come for him. Sorry Bill, that was an accident, but Sookie's not going to let you burn.
To be honest, the weakest part of the plot was Andre; rather, Sookie's reaction to his demand. Granted, I can see how she'd be peeved over the whole blood thing, even if Eric did step in as a willing substitute, but Sookie believing that Andre was a threat to her, I just never believed it, so I found his subsequent murder to be unnecessary. Let's face it, all Sookie would have to do is have a sit-down with the Queen and talk, and I think Andre would've left Sookie alone forever and ever amen. And let's face it, aside from trying to force her to drink his blood, what'd he do? Imply she had no future, that she was a slave to the vampires' will? Sorry, but that's just not fact, and Sookie didn't have to accept it as such. A more real threat to her future was the moment when she and Barry use their telepathy to locate living bodies and the rescuers want their names and info for future use. It reminded me of the moment in Dead as a Doornail when Sookie used her power to locate Holly's son, and Andy started getting BIG IDEAS. It's a wrenching moment, because who doesn't want to do something good, but giving herself completely to such a clause would erase her as a human being, erase her future, and I understand Sookie's need to keep quiet.
Of course, there's a lot of little moments through-out the series where I just don't get Sookie's train of thought or Harris deliberately keeps me out of it. Sometimes, I feel the characters think/talk around an issue and I'm supposed to get it, but I don't (like Sookie's realization that it was the Queen responsible for the Alabama party's deaths--what is it she feels obliged to do? Something was hinted at, but I don't know what); other times, the logic just doesn't make sense, as in the case of Andre. This may be a ME thing rather than a general reader thing, so who knows. I like Sookie as a narrator for the most part (I would've had to in order to keep reading the series), but I don't entirely trust her judgment. Sookie also can be really stubborn for no reason, which goes back to me not getting what I'm supposed to.
On the whole, there's that flaw in the series, at least from my POV. But there's also an overwhelming number of characters that I have to keep up with. If I were reading these books a year apart, I might die from confusion. It's not the main characters that trip me up obviously, but all the little ones. The names I should recognize but don't or the ones I do but can't for the life of me put into a context. Another flaw is that the mysteries are pretty inconsistent and not always well-executed. Some are too easy to figure out, others are just inconsequential.
But overall, it's an enjoyable series. Popcorn reading, fluff, whatever you want to call it. It's fun and familiar in a good way, and I've got to tip my hat to Harris for being able to entertain me with vampires for seven books in a row. That's amazing, because I tire so of vampires in general. But Harris's vampires feel a little more human than most, despite their disdain for humanity. I can't quite put my finger on what she does that doesn't rub me the wrong way, but I look at Pam, who's one of my favorite characters, and I just know that Harris vampires aren't annoying. Some of them are, but the ones that count aren't, and that's important.
My Rating
Worth the Cash: I was really pleased with this installment, especially since I found books five and six to be weak and lacking. I don't know what it is about Harris's vampires that doesn't push my annoyance button (vampires usually bore the snot out of me), but she's kept me entertained, and that's no small feat. The central mysteries in this book get a wee bit convoluted once everything gets pieced together, but on the whole, it was a pretty solid book, plot-wise. Character-wise, Sookie had a couple moments where I wanted to roll my eyes or I simply didn't get what her deal was, but it's a good read. When book eight, From Dead to Worse is released in paperback, I'll definitely pick it up. Harris isn't my FAVORITE urban fantasy out there (that honor goes to Carrie Vaughn and Jeaniene Frost), but her work is enjoyable, good popcorn reading. If you're an urban fantasy fan, especially a fan of vampires, you don't want to ignore Harris's work. But I would suggest you start at the beginning, Dead Until Dark. If you like it well enough, keep on reading, because Harris really doesn't stick to a formula when it comes to the mysteries or the romance, and you're never sure what you're going to get from book to book, and that's a good thing.
Next up:
The Summer Tree (The Fionavar Tapestry, Book 1) by Guy Gavriel Kay