The Southern Vampire Mysteries - Charlaine Harris

I finished all of Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mysteries books in December. Well, all of the books that she has published to date. After enjoying the HBO series TrueBlood, I realized I needed to read the books upon which the television show was based. I have posted a bit about my fascination with TrueBlood. I find the television show strangely addicting, with quirky characters and an interesting spin on vampire lore. I was not sure what I would find in the books about Sookie Stackhouse.

Well, the books were even more addictive than the television series! Luckily, I bought the first seven books in a bundle for my Ereader on my phone: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, and Altogether Dead. So I obsessively read one book after another in any free time I had. I read through lunches, in waiting rooms, during my daughter’s karate classes, and after they went to bed. I probably read all seven in a few days! Then after I finished book seven I went through withdrawal, until I located a copy of Book 8: From Dead to Worse, as an audio book for free download from my local library. (And that was interesting, I am not sure I would have liked it as much if I hadn’t already read the first seven. I just did not care for the voice of the person reading the book and she made Sookie seem trashier and less intelligent somehow.) However, now I am depressed, with no more books to obsessively read until the ninth book comes out in May, Dead and Gone. Although I did read the first chapter at Charlaine Harris’s website: http://www.charlaineharris.com/deadandgone.html

The series is a first-person account of Sookie Stackhouse's life as a barmaid and telepath in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The series is full of quirky characters, the most interesting is always Sookie, herself. Sookie is a telepath and her ability to read minds leads her on some fascinating and scary adventures and we learn throughout the books about all the various kinds of supernatural (or “supes”) beings that inhabit the human world. In addition to the vampires, there are shapeshifters of various types, faeries, and more. The twists and turns of navigating the supernatural world when you are human is pretty fascinating and Charlaine Harris must have a fantastic imagination and creative mind. In spite of the interesting supernatural characters, Sookie is by far the most fascinating character. You would think an uneducated Southern White barmaid to be pretty boring, but Sookie is intelligent, loyal, strong, passionate, and very human. She makes mistakes but ultimately does amazing things. I love characters with real feelings and flaws who triumph in the end. I would recommend this series to anyone unreservedly.

True Blood Revisited

So I have been trying to catch up on my DVR'd episodes of True Blood. It is not for lack of interest. It is just a bit difficult to find time to watch when you really can't have your kids in the room.

I still find myself intrigued by the show. I want to hate it. So many of the characters are depraved. But again, everyone is so decidedly complex. The vampires are pretty horrific except for Bill, but then most of the humans are pretty sadistic too. I think I like it for the complex characters and the unpredictability. I can usually anticipate most shows' story lines. I like being surprised. I have to say most of the episode ending cliff hangers surprise me and keep me anticipating the next episode.

I was thinking that the series had a lot in common with the Twilight vampire books. They do have some superficial similarities, but the characters seem drastically different. Although I heard True Blood is also based on a series of books and I wonder how close the television series is to the books. I am not convinced the upcoming Twilight movie will do the book justice. They never do. Perhaps True Blood is more influenced by HBO than the books? I guess I might have to check out the books.

More TrueBlood

I am wanting to dislike this show. I already have too many shows I am slightly addicted to and feel the need to DVR on a regular basis. The summer always frees up some of my time and helps my separate a bit from my obsessions so I don't spend so much time watching television after the kids go to sleep. However, episode 2 and I still find myself sucked in!

Again, some of the visuals were kind of graphic for me (I mean they grossed me out!). I had no need to watch anyone actually drink blood or lick an open head wound. However, I find myself being sucked into the courtship of Sookie and Bill. I also find myself interested in the supporting characters too. Does anyone fear for Sookie's brother's life while he is tied to the bed and his lover is at work? I am also wondering about the cliffhanger and the scenes from next episode. Bill seems more like a loaner than a guy with a bunch of crazy vampire friends. So who are his house guests and why is Sookie always being attacked?

True Blood

I watched the first episode of Trueblood last night on HBO. HBO already has a pretty good reputation for compelling television series and I have to admit like a lot of people I seem to be a sucker (no pun intended) for a good vampire story. I am not sure why we are so intrigued by a vampire tale. I know mine dates back to Anne Rice and her vampire series (thanks to my friend Erica who started that particular addiction). I recently read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. So when I heard HBO had a new vampire series, I set it up to record on the DVR. My addiction to the DVR should be a good blog post in itself!

Once again, I feel conflicted over my review. I must admit it was a seductive pleasure. The story and characters were compelling, even the tiny glimpses of the lead vampire, Bill. Sookie, played by Anna Paquin, was very likeable. I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue from her best friend in her interactions with people (she clearly said the things most people only think and never say out loud). I am usually a book fiend, but have never read the books this series is based on and it was fascinating to follow the back history (i.e., the invention of synthetic blood allowing vampires to live among us with no supposed threat yet ongoing suspicion and bigotry). All of this even more interesting because it is set in the South with its own long-standing history of bigotry and suspicion.

As I type all of this, I must admit I am hooked and cannot wait to see the next episode (which is only heightened by the cliffhanger of Sookie being brutally beaten at the end of the episode and curiosity over what Bill, the vampire will do when he interrupts this violence). I guess I am not so conflicted. The only true conflict I feel is over my own discomfort with the graphic violence and sex throughout the episode (although usually a common occurrence in the HBO series I have watched in the past). Sex and violence, especially together, are difficult to watch without feeling strange, even in the privacy of your own home. I feel embarrassed to feel that way, but also think that might be a good thing. I am not sure anyone should feel blasé with sex and violence.