SPOILER ALERT -- ALL CHARLAINE HARRIS BOOKS ARE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.

For those of you who enjoy the work of Charlaine Harris, I am starting this thread to discuss the lastest in the Sookie Stackhouse series - Dead Reckoning (Book 11), which was released on May 4th. Please feel free to discuss all the SS books, which are quite different from the HBO series, True Blood, and in my opinion much more interesting.

I was fortunate to be number one on the hold queue at my local library for DR and wasted no time reading it. I enjoyed DR, but felt it left too many open ends even though it provided good insight into Sookie's heritage. Sookie has been exposed to violence for so long that it seems odd that she suddenly has an aversion to blood towards the end of book. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but if you date vampires, and weres for that matter, you are bound to be see lots of bloody battles. I am a bit confused on how the blood bond works. I thought that once bitten, one is bonded to that vampire. If that is the case, wouldn't Sookie be rebonded to Eric at the end of the book when she gives him blood. I obviously have forgotten something in the equation. Please enlighten me.

I love Bubba, but hate how he keeps getting exploited, given his fractured mental state. I was also happy to find Bill featured more prominently in DR than he has been in the past few books. I have always felt he lost Sookie to Eric, who was no better and had his own motives for seeking her as his partner. In my heart of hearts, I feel Sookie belongs with Bill.

I could go on and on, but would rather know everyone else's thoughts about DR.

I was also first on the library request list for DR and finished it by Thursday (it would likely have been by Wednesday if I didn't have a sick child this week - fortunately, she's better now).

I'm too tired at the moment to post anything coherent, but I was very happy to see this thread since I know there are several CH fans here and I will be back to discuss when I have a more functional brain.

ABL, I hope your little one is feeling better. I look forward to reading your thoughts about DR?

Thanks Lady Jayne. She's fine and went back to school today after missing 4 days last week.

I've been trying to keep up with the one Spoiler thread on CH's site and it hasn't been easy. You can pop over there for lots of discussion if you are interested. Here is the link: http://charlaineharris.master.com/texis ... =4061d6053.

Anyway, to respond to some of the issues you brought up:


Sookie has always been more bothered by the death of humans than of vampires and at least a few humans died in the fight scene. Also, while she shared the blood bond with Eric, she seemed to take on a little of his ruthlessness and he seemed to take on a bit of her humanity. Now that the bond is broken (which I think is a good thing so that she knows her feelings are her own), I think she is feeling more human guilt/empathy/disgust/etc. The reason the bond hasn't come back is that it involves exchanging blood during a short period and Sookie hasn't taken any of Eric's blood. They can have a tie if one takes blood from the other (particularly if the vampire takes the human's blood), but that's not nearly as strong as a bond.

I also felt bad for Bubba being exploited, but I can see that it seemed like the best plan to accomplish their goal of killing Victor. And, really, all they asked him to do was sing, which he does occasionally. I thought Terry was exploited somewhat more (and had a heartbreakingly strong reaction ).

I was glad to see more of Bill and I loved his scenes (especially the waking up repeatedly to find a naked Sookie with him ), but I've always felt that Sam was the one for Sookie. And, I actually felt like that was supported even more in this book. Some people find that idea boring, but considering the guy once transformed into a lion to protect her, I can't quite see how he could be considered boring. And, she's been moving into a more partnership type of role in the bar by filling out insurance forms and giving him a loan to tide him over. I think they'd be great together and they could be happy as a couple, running the bar and potentially having children which she can't do with any of the vampires.

I really enjoyed seeing Mr. Catalliades and was glad to get the explanation for how Sookie got her telepathy. I really do like that demon lawyer and his niece Diantha, who unfortunately didn't show up in this book.

And, I'm not sorry for Sookie to be done with the Pelts.

Good to hear that your daughter is feeling better, Audiobooklover.

I had forgotten about the two-way blood bond and how that worked, I thought Amelia's charms had all been for nothing. Speaking of her spells, I wonder why the fairies wanted to re-do hers, really? I know they felt theirs were superior to hers, but I am worried about their motives.

Ditto on being happy the Pelt's are out of Sookie's life, one more danger out of the way, hopefully. I wonder just how big that opening into the fae world is, and thought maybe Niall would answer Sookie's questions, somehow. The book was good, and left a great cliffhanger (what will Sookie do with her fairy gift?) but I also felt like it was just a filler until the next book comes out - I wanted much more to happen.

Loved seeing Bubba had more of a role in this book, too, but it makes me sad to see that he gets sad - thinking of him singing Jailhouse Rock after his great ballads was a melancholy scene. Time to get out my "Elvis' Greatest hits" cd!

I'm not sure who she'll wind up with, but it seems that this book definitely moved her away from the vamp and Were worlds. I wonder if she'll wind up with a human? She seemed to take note of Colton a few times, in this book...

That's very good news about your daughter, audiobooklover.

I stopped by the library today to put my name on the list for Dead Reckoning. Just on an off chance, I checked the New Releases shelves, and lucky for me, there was a copy, so I get to start it tonight.

NE Mom, I was hoping that Sookie and Sam would finally stand a chance (once Jannalynn is out of the way, hopefully in Book 12). Their chemistry has always lingered in the background in each of the books and by the end of Book 11, they seem to be closer than ever.

Dallis, let us know what you think as soon as you finish DR.

I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts once you've read it, Dallis.

I don't think Sookie would end up with a human guy because there is still the telepathy issue. But, I think it could work with Sam because shifters are harder to read than humans and Sam is quite good at blocking her out if he wants to. I think she is definitely moving away from vampires and I can't quite see her wanting to spend the rest of her life with a fairy (or other fae), but I think a were or shifter could still be a good possibility.

I'm not quite sure about the wards (Amelia's vs fairy/elf wards), but Amelia's seemed to protect Sookie pretty well, so I hope the elf ones prove to be as effective. I'm curious about what the fae gathering at Hooligan's are planning because it certainly seems like Claude had something going on.

And, I thought this book finished off some open questions (deaths of Sandra and Victor, answer to how Sookie got her telepathy, info about Gran and Fintan's relationship), but of course there are still other things to wonder about. I hope to reread it before I have to return it to the library because reading on CH's site has shown me how many details I missed/already forgot.

ETA: Forgot to say the blood bond was ended in this book in my list of finishing open issues.

I agree, Lady Jayne-prior to this book I was firmly on Team Eric, but after reading this book I am coming around to the idea that she and Sam are more well suited to one another instead of a human because of the telepathy issue, as ABL mentioned. I don't think Sam and Jannalynn are well matched-maybe she'll wind up with Alcide, eventually?


He sure did, didn't he? He and Dermot's travels to and from Hooligan's are suspicious - and it seems like Dermot's similarities to Jason (except for the pointy ears!) got mentioned many times. Wonder what's in store for those two and if they'll be mentioned in more of the storyline in the next book. It seemed like they made a good start at relating to one another, planning the new room in Sookie's attic.

Speaking of the resemblance between Jason and Dermot, isn't it strange that Jason is almost completely absent in DR except for one brief scene? Also, I have a suspicion that the cluviel dor will end up in the wrong hands.

I noticed Jason's absence too. I suspect that was more an issue of too much else going on than anything sinister. I hope he ends up staying with Michelle because she seems to be good for him.

I'm worried about what might happen with the cluviel dor also. I wonder if just anyone can use it, or if only fairies, or only people in Adele's/Sookie's family or something can make it work. Ms. Harris has said that Sookie will use it sometime before the series ends (there are 2 more books to come), so obviously if someone else gets it, Sookie will get it back. My guess is that she'll use it in the last book because it's likely to be a big plot point and one that seems to fit with the end of a series. We'll see over the next two years, though.

For all the Charlaine Harris fans here, I thought you would enjoy seeing some images from her book signing today in the New York Public Library's Bryant Park Reading Rood. I was surprised to see how petite CH is, but must say she was delightful and so down to earth. She mentioned that she will not be introducing any new fantasy species in the Sookie Stackhouse series as she is winding down the series.

Enjoy the pictures:

I haven't read the last book yet but just finished Dead in the Family and I just didn't care for it. There really wasn't much to it for me. No real conflict until the end and I didn't like the flow. Did anyone else have that experience?

TINK, I enjoyed the Sookie series immensely, but I really felt like she phoned in Dead in the Family. There were so many opportunities to build on her characters, especially Sookie's relationship with Claude, but I felt like the ball was dropped. I was a little hesitant about reading Dead Reckoning, and I definitely didn't buy it this time, after going out first thing the day it hit the shelves to get my copy. I was lucky to get a copy at the library, and I have to say I enjoyed it. It wasn't as riveting as the other books, but it was a far cry better than DITF, at least in my opinion. We learn some interesting facts about Sookie, and it left me eager to read the next book in the series.

Lady Jayne, thanks for the info from the book signing. Interesting, no new supes. Boy, she's introduced a lot of them. She has such an imagination. I don't see a link to the pictures though.

Lady Jayne - Lucky you getting to go see CH in the park. Thanks for the pics.

I enjoy the books. I admit that it took me a little while to get through DR, but I really think that was a function of what else was going on in my life and not the book itself. I know other people who didn't like DitF as much and that's understandable. Sookie wasn't herself (which I thought was quite reasonable after her experience at the end of D&G) and the structure at the beginning was different and stuff. But, I enjoyed them all in their own ways. I am looking forward to the last two books and the answers they will (hopefully!) reveal.