Sookie Stackhouse books

[iguanachocolate]

Originally Posted by Kao

I absolutely love this series and the mystery aspects in every book, but I have to admit that I'm not too happy with some of the events that occur in Dead and Gone.

neither am I. I was excited in the beginning, but then left [[so sad for Sookie - to be given family and then have it taken away so cruelly]]

[Google]

 

[liz_momof2]

Another big fan of the books (not so much of the tv show but learning to deal with it.)

I have read DAG as well and am another not thrilled with it.

I think a lot of my issues of DAG stem from the fact that everything takes place within a very short timeframe. Since the series is written in first person, we have always gotten Sookie's thoughts and processing of the events of her life. In DAG, everything that happens is within 3 or 4 days and we don't get that down time for Sookie to process and thus for us as viewers to process what happened.

I have faith that Charlaine realized this and even expected this to happen and will make the next book a refreshing bit of downtime for Sookie and company and therefore for her fans. If not, I will find myself deeply disappointed and probably not be as eager to buy the new ones on hardcover and just check them out from the library and purchase the softcovers the following year.

[paridy]

Hopefully the next book due out next May, will change things and get better. But ugh I hate cliffhangers like at the end of Dead and Gone.

[CaliLily]

I just finished Dead and Gone and to be honest, it was a little weird. It is one of those books that I am going to have to go and read again before I make up my mind about it. I do have to say that as the series progresses I am beginning to like Eric more and more. When he first appeared I couldn't stand his character. He seemed like a glorified Fabio.

Bubba is hillarious! At first I couldn't figure out who it was and when I did I just laughed.

[Kao]

I must say that I absolutely love Sookie and Eric together. They click in a way she and Bill never did, but it's very hard to say what direction things are going to go on with the way the last chapter went down. My guess is that there's going to be a whole new troupe of characters introduced in the next book.

I was more annoyed by certain continuity issues and characters that should have been utilized more kinda..being skipped over and (even worse) acting out of character...even Sookie. Quinn appeares, bitches at Sookie, then leaves. Sam's caught up in his own thing (which was understandable), and with Sookie being in danger why Alcide would send someone else to help out instead of coming himself was odd, to say the least.

[[ I'm really upset with what went down with Mel, Dawson and especially Claudette. She was one of my favorite supporting characters and her plot twist literally made me angry. I'm also not thrilled with Niall's decision at the end.

I know that it's customary for someone to die in each book, but I found Crystal's death especially distasteful. If anyone should have died it should have been Arlene...evil b****.]]

[paridy]

I was reading Charlaine's web site, it sounds like she is getting a little wearied of the Sookie Stackhouse series, sounds like she may be ready to end it although there will be a book 10 next May. Hopefully before she ends it, she resolves the Bill/Eric thing.

[liz_momof2]

I can't remember where I found it at but somewhere in her message boards on her website, she has stated that she has enough material for 3 more books. This was in addition to Dead and Gone. So I am guessing books 10 through 12. I don't see with all the questions left answered after #9 that she would be able to tie everything up in one more book.

[PWS]

Personally I've always thought she'd wind up with Sam. I haven't read D & G so can't comment on the progression of things with Eric there, but in the books up to that it is clear that Sookie isn't crazy about not knowing how much of her relationship with Eric is a "shared blood" thing and how much is a real relationship. Also, except maybe for when he had amnesia, Eric hasn't shown that Sookie "comes first"...that is, that he'd really risk his life for her, risk his position in the vampire world, etc. After all, she dumped Quinn solely because he had other family members he felt responsible for. And she dumped Bill because he "had" to do what his "parent/lover" wanted him to do...and he really did "have" to do it. She wants to be numero uno (so I guess she'll put Jason and the little mind reading cousin second/third to whoever she winds up with?), and while she recognizes that makes her more than a bit unreasonable and selfish I don't see that changing. I think if this were not a supernatural book we'd find a heroine who objects to a boyfriend who is behaving responsibly re his crazy mom and somewhat damaged sister not too "heroic", but Sookie gets cut some slack here. As an aside I must say I've found her reasons for dumping guys a bit shaky myself (yes, I can see why she was SO upset about finding out why Bill took up with her initially, but you'd think she'd see that he doesn't seem to be "under orders" any more--his creator is dead, the queen is dead, Eric certainly isn't urging him on....and when it came to Quinn it seemed like a plot device to let her get with Eric to me).

Sam, on the other hand, has taken some serious risks for her, always been there for her, and except for the maenad episode, been pretty much not involved with anyone else. Plus he seems to have no other relatives, be a nice down to earth guy, AND they could have kids together...the closest to the white picket fence fantasy that she periodically has that she can get. No kids with vamps unless they turn them.

[iguanachocolate]

Originally Posted by Kao

[[ I'm really upset with what went down with Mel, Dawson and especially Claudette. She was one of my favorite supporting characters and her plot twist literally made me angry. I'm also not thrilled with Niall's decision at the end.

]]

[[Oh, I will miss Claudette, that was just wrong. And I don't understand Niall's decision at all since the whole war was because he didn't want the other guy closing off the faery world from the human world. His decision makes no sense. ]]

I apologize for all the spoilers, but none of us want to give away the ending of the last book.

[Mike'sgirl]

I loved Dead and Gone, it is my favorite of this series (although I love her Harper Connelly series even more)!

I was sad a few times in this series and cried quite a bit at the end of Dead & Gone but life is full of challenges, and I know that character growth and development are essential in her books. If you have read any of Charlaine Harris other series, she always resolves her books nicely when she ends the series. I always feel a big hurrah (Lily Bard, Aurora Teagarden and soon we will have the end of Harper Connelly series) when her characters have evolved and reach that place where conclusion is with satisfaction.

I also recommend the books be read in succession, and those of you that have just discovered this author are fortunate to have so many books available to you. I've had to wait on so many of her books that I gobble it up as soon as it is out. If you don't want to pay full price on a book, please check your local library as Charlaine Harris is "hot" now and is the must have author. I have adopted her in the national "adopt an author" program, which means I pay for the books at the greatly reduced library price, am the first to read the book, then get to include the purchased price as a taxable donation at end of each year.
(If you can't walk by a book store or sale without buying something then I encourage you to consider adopting a favorite author through your library).