Book #43

From Dead to Worse
by Charlaine Harris

Alas and alack, I have read my last Sookie book for another year, at least. I wonder how far this is going to go, this series. Since this is more of a life story than a fantasy epic, it really doesn't have to end until Sookie does -- and thanks to what we learned in this book about her ancestors and their longevity, it could be a very long while before that happens. Not that I think Charlaine Harris should keep writing these books for the rest of her life -- that's a little too You're-a-dirty-bird-bring-back-my-Misery for comfort, if you follow me -- but I do love these books.

This one followed suit. It brings to a close several storylines in Sookie's life, and it opens up several others -- not the least of which is that Sookie is single now, which was sad but necessary. The change in Louisiana's situation is also ripe with possibilities; I do enjoy how Harris refuses to abandon Sookie as the focus in order to go traipsing off into some tangent that shows the actual battles between supernaturals in loving detail, as most fantasy authors (Probably including me) would have done. If Sookie's not in the battle, we don't see it or hear anything but the results. And when she is in the battle -- too often for her own good, really, but that's the problem when you are a valuable commodity to bloodthirsty supernaturals, especially if your value lies in telling the truth from lies -- she is mostly concerned with saving her own skin, not with the gory things that may be happening around her. I must admit I had a great guy moment when Claudine shows up to protect Sookie during the Were fight and starts chucking Weres around. Especially the line, "Bring it on, fur ass!" That's something Toni would say in that circumstance.

Let's see: I still don't like Amelia very much, and I don't like her mentor much more, but I see in Octavia the end of the Amelia housemate situation, which is good. I was glad that Jason dealt Sookie the last straw, because I can't stand him or his trailer trash wife. I have no doubt that the FotS people in Merlotte's are going to come back to attack Sookie; I wonder if she's going to be the poster child for vamp-lovers, who are even worse than the vamps themselves because they are betraying their own kind. You know how that goes. These guys need white sheets and tall hats. I cannot wait until Sandra Pelt pushes it to a confrontation and somebody whacks her, once and for all; I have no doubt that the Pelts won't go away until they are all dead. I hope Tanya can redeem herself in some way, since Sam needs a girlfriend, and I don't think it will ever be Sookie. I can't wait to see how Alcide will try to ruin Sookie's life next. I hope Tara and JB actually last together; I think that is both very sweet and a good choice, for both of them. Oh, and I can't believe that Halleigh Bellefleur (She needs to change the spelling of her first name -- that's way too many l's and e's) actually asked Sookie to be a bridesmaid, and then change clothes and tend bar. Jesus Christ.

I can't wait for the next one.