Let the Squeeing Commence
Yay I read Deadlocked! I haven't gotten my print copy yet, but it's waiting at the post office. I have both electronic versions - ebook and audio. I always like to listen to the audio version on the train going to work - I get major travel sickness, so the audio version helps me to speculate instead of vomit. It's the PMR way. Speaking of work, I ( Read more... )
Oh, there was such good stuff laid down in that angst.
It gives me hope, but based on what I saw on forums because of spoilers, the hate is heavy for them in me right now. I am so heartily sick of Eric getting a pass on everything, and Sookie carrying the can. I confess - I liked Bill as of DITF again. He was funny in that one, and I always find funny people more forgiveable.
I just loved both hang ups on Eric. That's exactly what she needs to do - if he won't play nice, then she needs to let him know she won't take his shit. He has a lot of shit to dish out. That should put a stop to his shenanigans.
I'm always hesitant about spoilers, because people are unreliable. But Mr. Cataliades is a demon, and thus Fae, and could fit under that umbrella. It does seem that the fairies are gone for good.
My children are annoying about things like food. Damn teenage boys. They won't let me devote all my time to Sookie Stackhouse. Already there are cries of "How many copies do you need of one book???!!?" from my eldest. But I've copied down your questions, and they'll give me a starting point on what to answer with specificity. :D
Yeah, but she never comes to Brisbane (which is one of the smaller capital cities). If I tried to go to Sydney just for her, I probably both wouldn't get time off, and those children would commit me as obsessed CH stalker. I did speak to her personally once on her website - she's a nice lady.
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Sooo, here's a few more questions I've been pondering:
Will Eric do what AE said he would for Sookie? Does Eric have the cajones to give up his sheriffdom and get a 'real' job, perhaps, a job in real estate just like in that dream Sookie had? Will Sookie factor into FdC's punishment of Eric? Will Eric escape FdC's punishment by fleeing to OK? And, yeah, what in the world does FdC and the QoOk have to discuss, since she's one of the sharks eyeing his territory? Why was Eric's voice hoarse after the tense meeting with the two royals? Why'd Eric take Thalia to that meeting, and not Pam? Will Pam be thrown under the bus and shipped to OK to save Sookie and Eric's relationship?
Ok, I'll stop there....for now! Please forgive me, but I've been busting at the seams to discuss DL for darn near two weeks now, so I'm kinda dizzy and giddy. :D
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AE is short for Amnesiac Eric. You know, that dude who said a whole bunch of shit Eric Northman would never say or think, or does he?
Just a reminder of what he done said -
“We could go back to your house. I can stay with you always. We can know each other’s bodies in every way, night after night. I could love you.” His nostrils flared, and he looked suddenly proud. “I could work. You would not be poor. I would help you.” “Sounds like a marriage,” I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. But my voice was too shaky. “Yes,” he said.
...And is this Sookie flippin' the script on Eric?
“Sookie, if I turn down this opportunity, Felipe will punish both of us. Our lives will not be worth living.” “Then we’ll leave,” I said quietly. “We’ll go somewhere else. You’ll work for some other king or queen. I’ll find a job.”
Ahhh, hope springs eternal. LOL
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But, I also think she felt more than a little pain that he isn't even willing to consider giving up his position and everything he's built up for himself, as well. He says, he couldn't tear her away from her life. That sounds rather noble of him, but Eric always has dual motives.
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I think that it's more his expectation that he doesn't have to fight hard, and partly his conviction about Appius. It drives her nuts to hear about how some dead guy wanted him to do something. She hated Appius when he was alive, and now he's still screwing Eric from the grave - metaphorically of course. I think it frustrates her that Eric won't just cut the cord. I also think that she suspects that that excuse is hiding his true feelings.
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No - Eric will never pony up on the promises he made while he was cursed. Ever. It wasn't in his nature to just dump all that stuff - and Sookie knew it.
And I'm going to save all the other questions for future posts, since they require a holistic look. :D
No - bust away. That's what this post is for - my busting, and everyone else's busting. :D :D
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Secondly, I just wanted to say that DL rocked. I’ve always loved Sookie, but I love her even more now. I think she’s more mature and more in tune with what’s important to her. I was so proud of her throughout this book and I completely empathized with her heartache. When she hurt, I hurt. Also, I respect all the choices she made. Of course she had to use the CD to save Sam. I loved that she did that. I’m also thrilled that it’s gone, so that Eric can no longer use it as his get out of jail free card. The whole book I just wanted to yell at him, “Dude, you’re a Viking warrior, start acting like it!” No more being “practical”. I want to see heads a-rolling, preferably Felipe’s, that coffee table ruining MFer. Also, Freyda cannot win. She’s a creep just like Marnie. Anyone who tries to coerce anyone else into being their money-making love slave is a creep. Besides, she would have killed Sookie if she hadn’t sent her flying out of her house. Good one, Sook!
Thirdly, (and this is where I get pouty) the only thing that confuses me is why you think it’s out of the question that Eric will fulfill the promises he made while he had amnesia? And I’m not asking this to be combative, I just don’t see why not. But go ahead, break my heart and tell me why I’m wrong.;)
This was Eric’s first promise: "When this witch is defeated, I would bring you to my side. I will share everything I have with you. Every vampire who owes me fealty will honor you.”
And after he regained his memory Eric made Sookie is human wife (albeit by underhanded means and for dubious motives). But still, that counts as bringing Sookie to his side. Or at least, I’m sure that in Eric’s mind it does.
Then once they were vamp-married, he asked her to live with him more than once. He’s insinuated several times that if she needed/wanted money she could have it. In Deadlocked, Sookie seemed to regard his house and his furniture as partly hers. That should count as sharing what he has with her.
Lastly, all the vampires sworn to Eric know they must respect Sookie. Pam, Thalia, Indira, Heidi, and Maxwell Lee sure do. I mean, Eric led his vampires into battle for Sookie in Dead and Gone. He didn’t tolerate Clancy’s protestations about dying on behalf of a human woman. In fact, Eric later said he was going to make it illegal to dislike Sookie. Remember, he told Bobby Burnham, what was what, just for thinking mean things about Sookie. From what I saw in DR, all the vampires who owe Eric fealty do honor Sookie. It’s the dickheads like Victor, Felipe, and Freyda who are out of his control who disrespect her.
I think Eric has at least tried to fulfill his first promise.
-MVL
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I think Eric's real problem is that he just hasn't had a break. No going home and not involving himself in the supe world, and the poor guy is a little silly, because he just does the same thing over again, expecting different results. He's gotta be forced into a corner to change himself. I am so pissed about that coffee table. Truly.
Lol - I'll break your heart then. Well, the bit about bringing her to his side is not really a promise - but it's sort of told from the point of view of his *very* old fashioned human values. In his time as a human, he would have brought a wife to his side, and done for her. That's not what modern Eric's understanding is. It's not as simple as just marrying her - the old way of using "bring you to my side" is all about sheltering her under his protection, and she never works again, never goes anywhere without his escorts.
As for vampires owing her fealty - this, again, is an old fashioned value. Getting Clancy to bestow his allegiance on a human? Or Thalia? That's not going to happen even if Eric forces them to play along. We see in a nutshell what happens when Eric embarrasses Bobby that way - any vampire would just kill the hell out of Sookie instead of putting up with that shit. So Eric wouldn't do it to his vampires. Humans like Bobby - sure - but not to Clancy, who was openly disrespectful to Sookie. Eric needs to maintain power and loyalty.
As for sharing - well, no one has a relationship *without* sharing. But the problem is that there's a whole bunch Eric openly says he's not sharing with her. He hasn't signed her on as part owner of Fangtasia, or given her the deed to his house, or anything like that. As for information - well, there's a wealth of stuff he's not sharing with her.
The problem with his promises is that Eric was thinking - at the time - like a 10th century Viking chieftain, who had honourable, brave warriors as his men, rather than a ruthless head vampire who owns a tourist bar in Shreveport and has a lot of less-than-honourable guys who aren't interested in making nice to his woman. A lot of that original Eric has changed from that time, by force of practicality.
But...I don't think Sookie would have really liked that old fashioned idea when it's actually played out. Being able to go to work, go and see her friends, have a life without asking permission doesn't look so nice from the inside. Begging money from your husband is not so nice from the inside. While it's a beautiful dream, I think Sookie wouldn't like being sheltered. She *already* bucks up at that idea already.
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In my opinion, the reason Eric has not fulfilled his second promise is because he’s diluted himself into thinking he can have it all; the power that comes with his demanding/time-consuming/dangerous job and the wife he loves so much. However, I’d like to think, and maybe I’m the one who is diluted here, that when faced with actually losing Sookie, Eric will wake up. He’ll realize that he has to fight for her, and not just fight but also make sacrifices for her. It’s only fair since Sookie has made sacrifices to be with him. She told him she wished he was a regular vampire and that’s where promise two comes in. If this ever happened it would be awesome. That’s the happy ending Sookie has wanted. I really want her to have it.
Also, promise #2 would be great for Eric, if only he had the sense to realize it. Because I don’t think Eric cares so much about having tons of power. Sure, he gets a kick out of being the boss, but really I think he mostly wants to be in a situation where he has control over his own life. If he really was as power hungry as some think he is, then why doesn’t he want to be King? IMO, what Freyda said was true, he’s a big fish in a little pond and he only has the illusion of power. Eric is not free at all. He could very well be the most constrained character in the entire series. If he doesn’t fight back against FdC and the QoO, I don’t believe he’ll ever be free or truly happy. Basically, I’m hoping that all the sh!t that’s gone down will be the kick in the pants that Eric needs to make promise #2 happen.
-MVL
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-MVL
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Amnesia Eric was trying to do something good for Sookie - but it was framed in terms he would understand. He knew nothing of the political dangers of the vampire world. He hadn't been beaten down, and he didn't understand that this is not the thing modern women want. Like when he asked her why Jason wasn't taking care of her.
I think that when it comes down to it - Eric's original promises force one or the other of them to give up what makes them happy. Yes, Sookie could wish that Eric give up whatever will make her happiest, but he'd be all hangdog, hanging around the farmhouse mooching around bored. I don't think *she'd* want him so unhappy like that. She loves him. Just like she couldn't make Quinn give up his mother, she'll balance Eric's need to be in the thick of things with her need to feel safe.
While I agree that Eric's current life is not free at all, Freyda is being disingenuous. There is *no* truly free vampire. Felipe is beholden to his underlings - as Sookie called him to account over Victor, even though Eric inferred it by his actions. Felipe is in turn beholden to other places like zone boards, to see if he can take over states.
Conversely - the other end of the spectrum - Maxwell Lee. He is beholden to Eric, and putting time into a bar he doesn't much like. He's not really free either. Luckily for Maxwell, he has a boss like Eric, but Eric may not be so lucky.
If Eric were to opt out of politics, he'd still be required to do *something* for his Sheriff. Bill didn't get off scot free in DUD because he wasn't political - political power - being Investigator - actually gave his leverage to keep Eric off his back. As long as he's with Sookie, as long as he himself is a good fighter, he'll be required to do something for someone.
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