Review: All Together Dead
All Together Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Ace Hardcover (May 1, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 0441014941 ISBN-13: 978-0441014941
Retail: $24.95
From Publishers Weekly
"Bestseller Harris mixes humorous Southern-fried fantasy with biting satirical commentary in her seventh novel to feature Sookie Stackhouse, the bubbly telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, La. (after 2006's Definitely Dead). Sookie attends an all-important central U.S. vamp summit on the shores of Lake Michigan as a "human geiger counter" for Sophie-Anne Leclerq, vampire queen of a Louisiana weakened by Katrina and who will be tried during the event for murdering her king. Sookie knows the queen is innocent, but she's hardly prepared for other shocking murders, not to mention protests by the Fellowship of the Sun, a right-wing antivampire movement. Her sleuthing skills, along with those of her new telepath friend, Barry the Bellboy, are put to the extreme test. Harris juggles a large cast, including several romantic contenders for Sookie's heart, with effortless exuberance. HBO's True Blood, based on this addictive series, is scheduled to begin its TV run this fall. 11-city author tour. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."
Oh where to start?
All Together Dead, the 7th Sookie book is set post Hurricane Katrina in which Vampire losses were as tragic as human. First and most importantly (at least to fans of the books lol) Bubba while not actually in this book, has survived the hurricane. However he is coping badly so he's been sent to Tennessee, the Nashville community of Vampires for a little TLC, we can only hope nobody takes him on a tour of Graceland! *wink* Anyway as true Charlaine Harris style, Sookie never has an easy road to go her family, friends and love life are always in some state of turmoil.
Most of this book is about Sookie's going to the Vampire summit/convention. After many years living paycheck to paycheck and with out insurance Sookie definitely has come to actually need the financial cushion thanks to her association with Vampires. An association that is a definite double edge sword, she needs savings because of frequent accidents both to her and her home, accidents attributed solely to her association with Vamps, so she works for the Vamps to get the money for the savings. At the Summit Sookie meets up with Barry, the young Bellboy we met briefly in I think, "Living Dead In Dallas". Barry is like Sookie, a human telepath and now working for the King of Texas in basically the same capacity as Sookie is for Queen Sophie-Anne, only on a full time basis.
Sookie's love life is definitely not taking a turn for the better. I have to say, while firmly rooting for Quinn to be the one to win Sookie's affections, I am sorely disappointed in the weretiger. His "secret", while not being something to brag about, after knowing some of the things she's done and endured since meeting paranormals, he should have trusted her and been the one to tell Sookie. And I feel distinct shades of Alcide in his treatment of Sookie after the incident with Andre and Eric. After Sookie makes herself extremely useful at the beginning of the Summit, Andre takes it upon himself to try to force Sookie to drink his blood, there by bonding (in other words control her, albeit in a limited fashion) her to the Queen by extension through him. Sookie cornered and realizing there is no way out is panicked at the thought of being forced or killed for refusing, when Eric happens upon the scene. After some discussion the best Eric can do for Sookie is to offer himself in place of Andre. While not an ideal solution, better the devil you know than the one you're creeped out by, so Sookie submits. Quinn discovers this at the end of the transfer and is beyond angry. Of course he is pissed more at Andre and Eric, but he also seems to hold Sookie responsible, as if some how she should have fended off the two Vampires on her own. By rebuffing, no matter how "gently" not just one but at least three overtures by Sookie towards him, I feel Quinn is blaming the victim for the crime, he now feels her bond to Eric is her doing. I thought him better than Alcide and wish Sookie would mention the similarity to him since he was so vocal about how Alcide was a jerk.
And Eric... just what is his deal anyway. I like Eric, especially when he fell in love with Sookie even though it was via amnesia. Shades of Spike maybe, but still I like him even after he went back to being Eric. That being said he is not for Sookie, the whole Vampire/human thing to start with. Sookie would not be happy as a vampire, at least in this stage of the game. I know he is drawn to her, for what ever reasons and I fear he will abuse his new connection with her. Things like this almost always go badly for Sookie.
I was happy, no not happy, more like relieved for Bill. I truly thought he would meet his untimely end in this book. I really felt it was over for him when Sookie realized she could not even attempt to save him, it too late and she had her hands full with Eric & Pam. I was happy that he survived, even though he was terribly injured and when Sookie found him she shielded him from the sun until help could cover him up. A long way to come from calling him "Nameless" since she abjured him. Not to say that some unfortunately do not survive the ending of the book, no one I would grieve over except maybe Diantha, who is technically missing and may still reappear. I hate to lose anyone who is even remotely in Sookie's camp.
This by far is the best of the series, but of course each new chapter in Sookie's life is bound to be better than the previous if for no other reason than the characters development. Some authors start to lose momentum after then 4 or 5th book in a series, not so in the Sookie books. Charlaine Harris writes such in-depth characters all around, not just the primary characters but the supporting cast as well, you truly want to find out what happens next. Will Quinn be the man Sookie needs him to be, will his disagreeable sister warm up to Sookie? Will Eric finally resolve his issues with Sookie, will Jason remain faithful to Crystal and if not, will he bail leaving Sookie to take his punishment? Will Amelia ever figure out how to turn Bob from a cat back into a Man, and more importantly what will Sookie do if Bubba comes for a visit and Bob is still a cat????? Ok you know I am not the only person who immediately though of Bubba when Bob became a cat. LOL
As before I urge anyone who is even remotely interested to put any/all of the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries right on the top of their TBR pile. Trust me they are worse than potato chips, you absolutely can not stop at one!
I am such a Charlaine Harris fangirl, but in all honesty I love her books, her writing style and her characters. Now what to do while I wait for the next Sookie chapter???? The next Harper Connelly book doesn't come out until September!!! AAARRGGGHHH
Anyway I give this book
Author: Charlaine Harris
Retail: $24.95
From Publishers Weekly
"Bestseller Harris mixes humorous Southern-fried fantasy with biting satirical commentary in her seventh novel to feature Sookie Stackhouse, the bubbly telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, La. (after 2006's Definitely Dead). Sookie attends an all-important central U.S. vamp summit on the shores of Lake Michigan as a "human geiger counter" for Sophie-Anne Leclerq, vampire queen of a Louisiana weakened by Katrina and who will be tried during the event for murdering her king. Sookie knows the queen is innocent, but she's hardly prepared for other shocking murders, not to mention protests by the Fellowship of the Sun, a right-wing antivampire movement. Her sleuthing skills, along with those of her new telepath friend, Barry the Bellboy, are put to the extreme test. Harris juggles a large cast, including several romantic contenders for Sookie's heart, with effortless exuberance. HBO's True Blood, based on this addictive series, is scheduled to begin its TV run this fall. 11-city author tour. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved."
Oh where to start?
All Together Dead, the 7th Sookie book is set post Hurricane Katrina in which Vampire losses were as tragic as human. First and most importantly (at least to fans of the books lol) Bubba while not actually in this book, has survived the hurricane. However he is coping badly so he's been sent to Tennessee, the Nashville community of Vampires for a little TLC, we can only hope nobody takes him on a tour of Graceland! *wink* Anyway as true Charlaine Harris style, Sookie never has an easy road to go her family, friends and love life are always in some state of turmoil.
Most of this book is about Sookie's going to the Vampire summit/convention. After many years living paycheck to paycheck and with out insurance Sookie definitely has come to actually need the financial cushion thanks to her association with Vampires. An association that is a definite double edge sword, she needs savings because of frequent accidents both to her and her home, accidents attributed solely to her association with Vamps, so she works for the Vamps to get the money for the savings. At the Summit Sookie meets up with Barry, the young Bellboy we met briefly in I think, "Living Dead In Dallas". Barry is like Sookie, a human telepath and now working for the King of Texas in basically the same capacity as Sookie is for Queen Sophie-Anne, only on a full time basis.
Sookie's love life is definitely not taking a turn for the better. I have to say, while firmly rooting for Quinn to be the one to win Sookie's affections, I am sorely disappointed in the weretiger. His "secret", while not being something to brag about, after knowing some of the things she's done and endured since meeting paranormals, he should have trusted her and been the one to tell Sookie. And I feel distinct shades of Alcide in his treatment of Sookie after the incident with Andre and Eric. After Sookie makes herself extremely useful at the beginning of the Summit, Andre takes it upon himself to try to force Sookie to drink his blood, there by bonding (in other words control her, albeit in a limited fashion) her to the Queen by extension through him. Sookie cornered and realizing there is no way out is panicked at the thought of being forced or killed for refusing, when Eric happens upon the scene. After some discussion the best Eric can do for Sookie is to offer himself in place of Andre. While not an ideal solution, better the devil you know than the one you're creeped out by, so Sookie submits. Quinn discovers this at the end of the transfer and is beyond angry. Of course he is pissed more at Andre and Eric, but he also seems to hold Sookie responsible, as if some how she should have fended off the two Vampires on her own. By rebuffing, no matter how "gently" not just one but at least three overtures by Sookie towards him, I feel Quinn is blaming the victim for the crime, he now feels her bond to Eric is her doing. I thought him better than Alcide and wish Sookie would mention the similarity to him since he was so vocal about how Alcide was a jerk.
And Eric... just what is his deal anyway. I like Eric, especially when he fell in love with Sookie even though it was via amnesia. Shades of Spike maybe, but still I like him even after he went back to being Eric. That being said he is not for Sookie, the whole Vampire/human thing to start with. Sookie would not be happy as a vampire, at least in this stage of the game. I know he is drawn to her, for what ever reasons and I fear he will abuse his new connection with her. Things like this almost always go badly for Sookie.
I was happy, no not happy, more like relieved for Bill. I truly thought he would meet his untimely end in this book. I really felt it was over for him when Sookie realized she could not even attempt to save him, it too late and she had her hands full with Eric & Pam. I was happy that he survived, even though he was terribly injured and when Sookie found him she shielded him from the sun until help could cover him up. A long way to come from calling him "Nameless" since she abjured him. Not to say that some unfortunately do not survive the ending of the book, no one I would grieve over except maybe Diantha, who is technically missing and may still reappear. I hate to lose anyone who is even remotely in Sookie's camp.
This by far is the best of the series, but of course each new chapter in Sookie's life is bound to be better than the previous if for no other reason than the characters development. Some authors start to lose momentum after then 4 or 5th book in a series, not so in the Sookie books. Charlaine Harris writes such in-depth characters all around, not just the primary characters but the supporting cast as well, you truly want to find out what happens next. Will Quinn be the man Sookie needs him to be, will his disagreeable sister warm up to Sookie? Will Eric finally resolve his issues with Sookie, will Jason remain faithful to Crystal and if not, will he bail leaving Sookie to take his punishment? Will Amelia ever figure out how to turn Bob from a cat back into a Man, and more importantly what will Sookie do if Bubba comes for a visit and Bob is still a cat????? Ok you know I am not the only person who immediately though of Bubba when Bob became a cat. LOL
As before I urge anyone who is even remotely interested to put any/all of the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries right on the top of their TBR pile. Trust me they are worse than potato chips, you absolutely can not stop at one!
I am such a Charlaine Harris fangirl, but in all honesty I love her books, her writing style and her characters. Now what to do while I wait for the next Sookie chapter???? The next Harper Connelly book doesn't come out until September!!! AAARRGGGHHH
Anyway I give this book