Stand Alone/Series: Originally a series of 8 comic magazines. I am reviewing all issues, combined in one volume as per the cover above.

Summary: In Marvel 1602, award-winning writer Neil Gaiman and artist Andy Kubert present a unique vision of the Marvel universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th-century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yet subtly different in this new time. Marvel 1602 combines classic Marvel action and adventure with the historically accurate setting of Queen Elizabeth’s reign to create a unique series unlike any other published by Marvel Comics.

Marvel 1602 is a series of comic books published by Marvel in 2003 in 8 single issues which were later combined into one single volume. The premise of the story is that a bunch of Superheroes and Villains from the Marvel Universe (The X Men, Nicholas Fury, Spider Man, Dr Doom, etc) have been adapted to the 17th Century, Elizabethan times.

I bought the Graphic Novel not only because it is written by Neil Gaiman but also because it sounded too cool not to. The prospect of having Marvel characters mingled with historical figures such as Queen Elizabeth and King James in a different time period, was exciting and sounded like pure fun. And so there was I: thinking I was going to play a game of “Let’s Pretend the Marvel Superheroes were born in Elizabethan times” and nothing else.

Oh Ana. You fool. You really should know better by now.

The whole thing caught me completely unawares and I went from “Hey, this is fun” to “Hey, this is genius”.

It all begins in 1602 and Sir Nicholas Fury is Queen Elizabeth’s chief intelligence officer, responsible for Shielding (hee) her from any menace. He is aware that something perilous is brewing in the horizon and is worried.

The Queen’s Physician, Doctor Strange (an alchemist and magician ) also feels that something is approaching but can not quite tell what – but he knows that it has something to do with a treasure that the last of the Knights Templars is bringing to England.

Elizabeth then orders Sir Nicholas and his apprentice Peter Parquagh (yes, the Elizabethan counterpart of Peter Parker, aka spider-man – in this version he is nothing but a boy and has no powers) to get the Templars’ treasure, which is believed to be a weapon.

Sir Fury then sends one his associates to meet the Templar’s envoy en route and secure the weapon ahead of him. This associate of his is no other than the blind Matthew Murdoch (which we know as the Daredevil in the modern world), musician and undercover agent who departs to the continent to meet the Old Man – the one that is carrying the weapon.

But he is betrayed by Natasha the woman that had been accompanying him in his mission and who is working for Count Otto Von Doom, ruler of Latveria. Von Doom has mysterious dealings with unseen prisoners in his castle and is concocting a master plan to rule the world. Muwahahaha.

Meanwhile all over the world strange things are happening, the freaky weather worries people and rumors of the end of the world are spreading.

In other parts of the world, real historical figure Virginia Dare, first person to have ever been born in the Americas in the Roanoke Colony is on her way to England with her Indian companion Rojahz,

whilst in Spain, the Holy Inquisition growns strong with High Spanish Inquisidor Enrique capturing and killing the witchbreed – the name that mutants go by in this alternate universe

An Angel in the clutches of Inquisition

But one Carlos Javier has created a boarding school to keep the witchbreed safe and where his students learn to fight and protect themselves:

All of these seemly unrelated plotlines at first appear to concur with my first impression on how this would only be a “what if the Marvel heroes…” but soon it becomes clear to us and to the characters that the world they live in is in danger, something is causing the freaky weather and the strange happenings, the universe is about to be destroyed and all of these heroes have been somehow misplaced in time and were born 400 years earlier that they were supposed to!

And so they must come together to try to figure out what exactly is going on. Who is enemy and who is friend? And as the plot unfolds, I was so engrossed in the story, trying to figure out who is who as some of the characters are not what they seem. A couple of the superheroes or supervillains are not easily recognizable at first sight and one particular revelation had me screaming at the pages and Dear Partner rushing into the room thinking the house was on fire. (I tried to explain what was going on but only managed to get “The Look” . But I digress).

I realize that this review is rather choppy and cryptic – but if I said more or explained the plot better I would be robbing you of the pleasure of seeing things come into place before your eyes.

Marvel 1602 was extremely fun to read and I enjoyed myself immensely. My one peeve? That Wolverine was not included in the fun too. So not fair.

Notable quotes/ Parts: HA! The explanation to WHY and HOW these things are happening in 1602 is brilliant!

Verdict: a perfect mixture of the coolness of the Marvel Universe with historical facts and with the usual brilliance of Neil Gaiman’s imaginative tales and fantastic artwork. A must read. A word of caution : your enjoyment level will certainly be higher if you know your Marvel superheroes.

Rating: 9, Damn Near Perfection. It may not have the depth that we have come to expect from Gaiman – as for example in the Sandman books, but the fun factor totally makes up for it.

The Sandman is a series of comic books originally published by DC Comics in a monthly magazine format, between 1989 and 1996. There were 75 issues which have been rounded up and turned into 10 Graphic Novels (and more recently into 4 collection volumes called Absolute Sandman). Written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by an assortment of artists and with covers and design by the Great and Amazing David McKean, The Sandman is a truly incredible piece of literature that has been critically acclaimed, glorified by intellectuals and devoured by yours truly.

Yeah, ok. But what is it about?

Basically it is about The Sandman, one of the Endless, also known as Dream, Lord Morpheus and Oneiros. It starts in Preludes and Nocturnes –Volume 1, with the story of how he has been captured by an occultist sect who wished to capture his sister, Death and kept him a prisoner for about 70 years. It follows his escape, revenge, and his search for the tools that empower him. In his absence, the realm of dreams has been disrupted and he must bring things back to balance; To capture escapee nightmares and dreams, to rebuild his castle and in this journey of his he comes to examine his actions through time and to finally know himself.

It could be summarized as The Life and Tribulations of Dream of the Endless.

Or, when it comes down do it, the whole thing can be described in 15 words as it was by Neil Gaiman himself:

“The Lord of Dreams learns that one must change or dies, and makes his decision” .

And that is pretty much it, except that this journey is a complex and multi-layered one, as it should be – A Hero’s Journey.

Destiny is the oldest. He is apparently blind but some think he is nothing but vision. He is bound to the book of Word. We hardly see Destiny in The Sandman but when he does make an appearance, life-changing decisions are made. “Destiny leaves no footprints. He casts no shadows”.

The Sandman is indeed a masterful collection. There are several storylines, with short stories scattered through the series which appear, at first, to be unrelated . It is not until the final instalments that you start to realise that everything is related, everything is moving towards a climax and ultimately it is all related to Dream’s journey.

I have said that we could call The Sandman, the Life and Tribulations of Dream of the Endless and this is true…to a point. Because it is so much more than that – it is an intelligent take about life, the universe and everything. Neil Gaiman manages to incorporate everything you can think of in his story: his own take on religion for example at how Gods have been created by the human being’s imagination and how they fade away when forgotten ( a theme that seems to be close to his heart and one that he expands in American Gods). Or to bring to the story Fallen Angels and Demons.

For instance, In The Season of Mists, The Sandman Volume 4, Dream must journey to Hell to free Nada, his ex-lover which he has condemned to an eternity of suffering for refusing living with him (yes, I told you he could be cruel) and by doing so, he must face Lucifer Morningstar, which in this re-imagining is someone who has been taking care of hell and is sick of it. It is one of the most amazing characters in the series (and one that has generated a spin-off for himself). One that is not the black and white devil we have come to know from many other tales, but one that is utterly simpathetic and provocative and in the most beautiful shade of grey.

Lucifer Morningstar

Speaking of intellectually stimulating, there are other details that are mind-blowing in their minutia. For example, The Dreaming, the realm that Dream rules is inhabited by all sorts of characters that are not only alive in history but also that have come to symbolise traits that human beings have, or dreams and nightmares that are common. In that sense, Cain and Abel, who live there and play a major role in the series and who re-enact regularly the assassination of Abel are clearly the archetypical incarnations of the first murder. Eve, the first mother also inhabit the realm as does The Corinthian , the nightmare that Dream created to embody the darkness of the human beings. The lengths that Neil Gaiman went with this is truly almost astonishing– the use of archetypes in the real of Dreams reminds me of Carl G. Jung’s theory of the Collective Unconscious, the holder of the experiences of our race – it belongs to everyone and to no-one as does the dreaming.

Cain and Abel

Ok, ok. Humm, what else can I tell you about the Sandman? The story is mostly set in present days but there are several excursions into the past – after all Dream is a being countless years old. We see him in Shakespearean times, Ancient Rome, US circa 19th century and France during the Revolution. There is one particular story that ties in with Greek Mythology as Neil Gaiman retells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice incorporating Dream into it, as Orpheus father (in Fables and Reflections, The Sandman volume 6) . Again, something that is seemingly random and pleasantly offered to one’s amusement but which proves to be Important with capital I.

There are also several short stories and one in special is pure magic. In Dream Country, The Sandman, volume 3 , there is one short where Dream asks Shakespeare and his troupe to perform a Midsummer’s Night Dream to a most special audience – Queen Titania and Lord Auberon and their elves. The story won the World Fantasy Award in 1991 for Best Short Fiction and it was such an uproar that in the next day the rules of the competition were changed so that comic books could never win it again.

Not only the short story is amazing there is once again a small detail, one single happening, almost imperceptible, and yet it has serious repercussions and is one of the most important moments in the story and 400 years later will matter so much it will be part of the outcome of the whole freaking series.

And what about free will? The fact that one of the Endless is Destiny and that it seems to know everything also raises interesting questions as to whether the characters truly have free will or not- was everything predicted from the beginning? Is there really possible hope for freedom for the Endless? Or for any of the other players?

But I am afraid I may be boring you to death.

But if you don’t care about any of this, mythology, psychology, philosophy, it is bound to be something here for you. There is humour, action, horror, love. Crossovers with other DC characters: Superman, Batman, Constantine.

And the text itself is pure magic. The illustrations are awesome and convey the story perfectly.

And there are the interactions between Dream and Death that are pure fun.

In Preludes and Nocturnes after regaining his tools of office , Dream is sulking because he doesn’t know what to do next. Death shows up and tells him how it is:

Verdict :

I highly recommend it. It is not only an amazingly profound piece of literature but also an incredible work of art. This may surprise you as at the end of the day, it IS a series of comic books but one that has brought the medium to a high standard. Each of the new volumes start with an introduction by a famous author (including one Stephen King) and one of them says “If this is not literature, nothing is”.

If you do give it a go, I would follow the order that they were published as you will then follow the story from the very beginning to the very end. It may not appear that you are following one story but trust me, everything has a reason and purpose even if at first some things appear to be random. Most characters and storylines are revisited at some point during the series and in the end, it comes together perfectly.

You will laugh, you will cry, you will amaze yourself with the amount of knowledge that the author has (which goes from all sorts of Mythology from all over the world, to philosophy, psychology, horror, etc) but most of all you WILL fall in love one way or another with The Sandman, Lord Morpheus, Dream of the Endless. It may not start with the first volume, but just you wait.

After months in the making and much re-scheduling and scheming involved, we proudly announce our Neil Gaiman Appreciation Week – it starts tomorrow, Monday 30th June and for the entire week we will be basking ourselves in the Glorious and Stupendous World of Neil Gaiman.

Summary: On the heels of Hell and Earth…Kit Marley, playwright and spy in the service of Queen Elizabeth, has been murdered. His true gift to Her Majesty was his way with words, crafting plays infused with a subtle magic that maintained her rule. He performed this task on behalf of the Prometheus Club, a secret society of nobles engaged in battle against sorcerers determined to destroy England. Assuming Marley’s role is William Shakespeare— but he is unable to create the magic needed to hold the Queen’s enemies at bay.Resurrected by enchantment in Faerie, Marley is England’s only hope. But before he can assist Will in the art of magic, he must uncover the traitor among the Prometheans responsible for his death…

Linnea Sinclair is THE author in the growing genre that is Science Fiction Romance. After reading so many glowing reviews of her work across the blogosphere, we took the plunge and simultaneously dug into Gabriel’s Ghost…and we loved it!

After obsessively reading through Linnea’s backlist, a kindly extraterrestrial gifted us with an ARC for her upcoming new release, Shades of Dark…and Ana and I decided it was time to get this marvelous author to speak with us and share her words of wisdom!

And so, without further ado, we present to you our Chat with the marvelous Linnea Sinclair!

The Book Smugglers: First and foremost, thanks for taking the time to “chat” with us!

Linnea: The pleasure is all mine! Just bear with me as I have a brand new ergonomic keyboard—rather bizarre looking and it’s taking a bit of getting used to.

The Book Smugglers: It took you 34 days to write Gabriel’s Ghost; how long did it take you to write Shades of Dark?

Linnea: Different times, different world. I wrote GG in 2000 and at that time was only small press published with no serious contractual pressures. I was younger, thinner and definitely not menopausal. As some of you know, 2007 was a year in which I was hit by a car and a few months later my father died. It was an eventful and stressful year and, as we’re still caring for my elderly mother, things have not substantially un-stressed. And the car accident and resulting shoulder and arm injuries are why I just today bought one of those wacky ergonomic keyboards and likely will buy that No-Stress mouse. Suffice it to say I’ve lost feeling from my right ear to my right wrist, and the good days are becoming less, and the painful days more.

Oh, and did I add the arthritis deforming my hands?

I’m a trip, no? And you all wonder (well, no, you don’t) why you all always find me at the bar at writer cons, sucking down gin and tonics. With two limes, please. It’s the Vitamin C.

At any rate, SHADES took me a lot longer to write. I just checked my document files and it looks as if I began really writing it (not just playing with plot lines or world building) around late July 2007 and sent the final manuscript to my editor just before the Christmas holidays in December 2007. Keep in mind at that time ZOMBIE was hitting the shelves so I was also hip deep in promo on that book at that time.

Nope, not thirty four days. I doubt I’ll ever see that luxury again. But I remember it and it was exhilarating.

The Book Smugglers: The next book in this same universe is called Hope’s Folly and the protagonist is Philip, Chaz’s ex-husband. Can you tell us a bit more about the book? Will Chaz and Sully make an appearance or do you intend to carry on with their story in a fourth book *big, pleading eyes* ?

Linnea: Hope’s Folly is still in progress but as of right now, I don’t see Chaz and Sully having a huge physical presence in the book though their presence is very much felt. The semi-official back cover/promo blurb is:

I absolutely fell in love with Philip while writing Shades. Moreso than Sully? Umm, can’t, shouldn’t answer that. They’re two different kinds of heroes. Sully grips my heart. Philip makes me melt. Philip, like Admiral “Mack” Makarian in An Accidental Goddess and Theo in Zombie Blues, is a good-guy kind of hero. One I think it substantially lacking in paranormal and SF romances. The tortured hellion, the reformed rake, we have dozens of those in romance. But the “Boy Scout” who’s kept his nose clean and been honourable and upright, and yet had his heart trashed, we don’t have a plethora of those. I wasn’t sure I’d write another one after Mack but then came Theo and now here’s Philip. That’s not to say these good boys aren’t capable of kicking serious ass or being nastily devious when need be. It’s that their basic influences are different than the usual Alpha Bad Boys (which I also love).

Philip, who is long used to being in command, is going to get seriously emotionally broadsided in Hope’s Folly. That’s the really fun part. I think the bad boys are used to looking for someone trying to pull the rug out from under them. The good guys, they’re so naive and unsuspecting. It’s just a joy to spend time with Philip and Rya. Theirs is a May-December romance, by the way.

For those not interested in the romance aspect, Folly is going to be an intense action-packed novel of the good guys trying to do right in spite of impossible odds. You have an underfunded rag-tag space fleet trying to come to grips with an impending major invasion. “Flying by the seat of your pants” will be the norm here. There will also be lots of tense, interpersonal “workplace” politics and some unsuspected treachery. I think the book will work well on both the romance and SF levels.

And, oh, there’s a cat in Hope’s Folly. I made the cat a male but he’s based on my cat, Fat Tammy the Slut, who was a whopping 20+ pounder with an equally as large attitude. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge (kicking serious ass as she did so) at the age of twenty-three a few years ago. She was quite a feline.

The Book Smugglers: After our review of Gabriel’s Ghost, you mentioned that in your first version, you killed Ren! Are there any other characters that you have granted a reprieve?

Linnea: To date, no, but quite a few have surprised me by their appearance in the book or by a role larger than I thought they’d have. Philip (Gabriel’s Ghost) Guthrie is the first that comes to mind in that. I had no clue Chaz had an ex-husband (minor spoiler to those who’ve not read GG) nor the larger role he’d play. And Kip’s role and reaction to Jorie in The Down Home Zombie Blues was larger than I’d anticipated.

Games of Command I’ve been writing or messing around with for so many years that it was more of a matter of just letting the characters out on the playing field. Speaking of dark, the original “book 2” which comprised the latter part of GOC had a very dark element. That was nixed by my agent and my editor.

The Book Smugglers: You have been a journalist and a Private Detective, but now are a bestselling, groundbreaking author in the fast growing science fiction romance genre. What made you change career paths and decide to become a writer?

Linnea: Wow, thanks for the bestselling! I don’t know if I’m quite there yet but we’re trying. Groundbreaking, well, that requires a nod to authors Susan Grant, Robin D. Owens, Jacqueline Lichtenberg and a few others.

I never really changed career paths. I’ve always written and much of what comprises my stories is the same as the Trek fan fic I wrote almost thirty years ago. I hammered out my first completed novel—Wintertide—when I was in my late 20s, and used a standard non-electric typewriter. But before that I wrote several “action adventure space opera romance” novels and novellas—none finished—but one became Finders Keepers (RITA award finalist). I wrote stories all through high school. The earliest story I remember writing was Le Petite Chat, about a little girl and her cat on a tropical island. I wrote it when I was about four.

The Book Smugglers: We have read, reviewed and loved Gabriel’s Ghost, Shades of Dark, An Accidental Goddess and The Down Home Zombie Blues here at The Book Smugglers. Part of the reason are the wonderful strong heroes and heroines you create. If you had to pick one character, who is your ‘favorite’? (yes we are eeeevil like that!)

Linnea: Very eeevil. For guys it would be a toss up between Sully, Kel-Paten and Philip Guthrie. For gals it would be Sass, no question. We won’t go into why. Oh best overall favourite would be Tank the Furzel. Daq cat made me say so.

The Book Smugglers: What is your usual writing process like? Can you describe a day at work for us?

Linnea: My days at works lately have been anything but normal. We just built a summer cottage on a golf course in Ohio, which is where I’m sitting now. My usual abode is in Naples, FL. My general productive writing day (haven’t had many of those lately) would start around 10AM, going through emails and attending to the business end of writing, because at that part of the day the husband is home and if he’s home I can’t do the creative part of writing (because it’s hard to concentrate on character and such when the husband is asking, Honey, where’s my green golf shirt?). Once he leaves, if there’s no pressing business (and don’t think for a minute that an author doesn’t have a goodly amount of business), I’ll go over the previous days’ work and try to pick up where I left off or play with some advance plotting. My very best times to write are at night, from about 10pm to 3am. But life—and the husband—don’t always permit that.

When it’s crunch time, and it always comes to that, then I just barricade myself in my office and warn the husband to enter at his own peril. I’ll basically write non-stop for several days. The last four or six chapters of Games of Command were written in about three days straight, no sleep. Just caffeine. Honest. That’s the way it often goes.

I need to get back into some kind of writing routine but since early 2007, life has been throwing curveballs at me.

The Book Smugglers: You’ve mentioned that you subscribe to certain writing techniques, in particular Dwight V Swain’s Techniques of the Selling Writer and to Jack Bickham. How much of an impact do these techniques have on your writing? Would you recommend any certain techniques/teachings to new/aspiring writers?

Linnea: Swain’s Techniques had a huge impact on my writing. It made me focus on the engine of the novel, the reason people read. Swain says “readers read to experience tension” which is another way of saying what Jacqueline Lichtenberg does, “Conflict is the essence of story.” Swain also teaches “it’s the author’s job to manipulate the emotions of the reader.”

When you combine all those, you get a strong sense of the impact of your words, your characters, your plot, you setting. I’d never quite considered that element before—I’d always enjoyed reading and very much enjoyed creating stories for my own amusement but I’d never sat down and really focused on WHY certain scenes of my stories, or of those I read, really grabbed me.

That defined it and when I defined it, I knew I could utilize it. It’s like suddenly realizing the reason the coffee is nicely sweet is because someone added spoonfuls of sugar. So when you want sweet, you add sugar. Deceptively simple but if you’d never known WHY before, the concept can be elusive.

I recommend Swain in all the classes and workshops I teach, both online and at national conventions. From Swain, go to Bickham, Browne & King (Self Editing For Fiction Writers) and Dixon. I have a nice list of helpful books on my website in Writing Tips.

http://www.linneasinclair.com/writing.html

The Book Smugglers: Could you share with us the story of how your first novel got published?

Linnea: There are actually two stories: the story of my first small press sale and the story of my getting an agent who would then sell my books to a major NY publisher. The first happened strictly through submitting to small press houses that indicated they were open to submissions. Nothing glamorous in the recounting. I subbed Wintertide to several—I don’t even remember who anymore, and LTDBooks of Canada contacted me with an offer about two weeks later.

The NY story is better. I’d been small press published for about four years and was sitting in the bar (fancy that) at a Romantic Times BOOKlover’s Convention with Robin D. Owens. Robin asked who my agent was, I said I didn’t have one, Robin whipped out her cell phone and left a message for her agent (Deidre Knight) to look at my stuff. I sent my stuff to Deidre when I got home, Deidre loved it but wasn’t acquiring BUT recommended an agent friend who was (Kristin Nelson). I sent it to Kristin with Deidre’s recommendation, Kristin read it, offered a contract and about four months later we had an offer and contract from Bantam. That was nothing short of miraculous.

The Book Smugglers: Katie(babs) (Ramblings on Romance) in a recent post brought to our attention an article from the Boston Globe about how writers suffer the pressure to publish at least one book per year. Do you feel this kind of pressure from your publishers? If so, how do you respond to that?

Linnea: The pressure in commercial genre fiction, especially romance, is to produce at LEAST three books a year if not more. Most authors I know, including Susan Grant and Robin Owens, are churning out three or more. And Susan flies 747s trans-Pacific for a major airline.

My first two contracts with Bantam were three book contracts. My agent and I bumped this last contract down to two books because quite honestly my health is suffering. I feel terribly guilty about doing only two, yes.

There is a real pressure to keep the pipeline filled, to keep your name out in front of fans. It’s part of the job. Part of it, yes, is competition. If you don’t have a book to fill that slot, the publisher will find someone who does. But it’s not so much that the publisher will drop you, as you fear fans will forget you. You have to keep the “buzz” going.

Eons ago I used to dream of basking in the glory of the day your book is release. The reality is that the days my books are released I’m usually up to my patootie in writing and late on deadline, and am barely aware that my next book is now on the shelves.

The Book Smugglers: As Science Fiction Romance is a genre still in its early stages (but is gaining more and more of a readership each day), could you share some of your influences as to why you chose to write in this genre?

Linnea: My biggest influence—no secret, that—is CJ Cherryh. While Cherryh doesn’t pen romance per se, she does pen phenomenal alien cultures and action adventure and space opera and there is, at times, a strong relationship subplot (Bren Cameron and Jago in her Foreigner series). Why I chose to write SFR is that for as much as I adore Cherryh’s SF—and I do, hands down—I missed the relationship parts. I love an HEA. I require an HEA and I found myself writing the “missing scenes” of SF books I read.

So then I decided to just go ahead and write the whole damned book.

The Book Smugglers: What are you reading right now? (And edits/revisions don’t count!)

Linnea: Let’s see, today it was a list of things I needed from Home Depot, including a lamp finial. My past two weeks, since we closed on the cottage, has been a series of lists from light bulbs to finials to curtain rods to towels to wine. Can’t forget the wine. I do have two of Marianne de Pierres books here with me in Ohio but by the time night rolls around, I’ve been too exhausted to read. My TBR pile also holds Sherrilyn Kenyon, Bonnie Vanak and Laurie R King. But I have to finish writing Hope’s Folly first.

I did have the pleasure of reading Susan Grant’s Moonstruck in its final phase as a beta reader for her, and it’s one helluva terrific book. I also beta-read Lisa Shearin’s Magic Lost series and that’s another set of books I can fully recommend.

One of the downsides of being an author is that reading for pleasure is a busman’s holiday—you just don’t get that much of a chance to do so. The upside is that you get to beta-read for some of the best in the business. That’s the real fun part.

Daq cat just sat down in front of the computer monitor. It’s time for mommy to get some sleep, he says…

Winner of the prestigious national book award, the RITA, science fiction romance author Linnea Sinclair has become a name synonymous for high-action, emotionally intense, character-driven novels. Reviewers note that Sinclair’s novels “have the wow-factor in spades,” earning her accolades from both the science fiction and romance communities. Sinclair’s current releases are GAMES OF COMMAND (PEARL Award winner and RITA finalist) and THE DOWN HOME ZOMBIE BLUES (PEARL Award Honorable Mention), with SHADES OF DARK on the shelves in late July 2008.

A former news reporter and retired private detective, Sinclair resides in Naples, Florida (winters) and Columbus, Ohio (summers) along with her husband, Robert Bernadino, and their two thoroughly spoiled cats. Readers can find her perched on the third barstool from the left in her Intergalactic Bar and Grille at www.linneasinclair.com

The Book Smugglers would like to thank Linnea for taking the time to chat with us!

And in closing of our Long Weekend with Linnea Sinclair, we have ONE copy of Shades of Dark to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment by Saturday midnight! We will announce the lucky winners on Sunday. Good Luck!

Title: Shades of Dark

Author: Linnea Sinclair

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Stand alone or series: Sequel to Gabriel’s Ghost; this installment marks book 2 in a series set in the GG universe

**THIS IS NOT A STAND ALONE BOOK! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ GABRIEL’S GHOST**

Summary: (from Bantam Dell)
Before her court-martial, Captain Chasidah “Chaz” Bergren was the pride of the Sixth Fleet. Now she’s a fugitive from the “justice” of a corrupt Empire. Along with her lover, the former monk, mercenary, and telepath Gabriel Ross Sullivan, Chaz hoped to leave the past light-years behind–until the news of her brother Thad’s arrest and upcoming execution for treason. It’s a ploy by Sully’s cousin Hayden Burke to force them out of hiding and it works.

With a killer targeting human females and a renegade gen lab breeding jukor war machines, Chaz and Sully already had their hands full of treachery, betrayal–not to mention each other. Throw in Chaz’s Imperial ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and a Kyi-Ragkiril mentor out to seduce Sully and not just loyalties but lives are at stake. For when Sully makes a fateful choice changing their relationship forever, Chaz must also choose–between what duty demands and what her heart tells her she must do.

Why did we read this book: We recently did a joint review for Gabriel’s Ghost and absolutely loved it. (And since then we’ve done a joint review on The Down Home Zombie Blues and An Accidental Goddess)Needless to say, when this ARC fell into our laps we were chomping at the bit!

Review:

First Impressions

Thea: I was taken completely by surprise when I read Gabriel’s Ghost and when we heard that there was a sequel, continuing the adventures of Chaz and Sully, we were ecstatic! And, I am happy to report that Shades of Dark does not disappoint. This book is a whole lot darker than its predecessor (or any of the books I have read by Linnea), and the stakes are higher–naturally, as the conclusion of GG followed Chaz, Sully and Ren as they departed the destroyed Jukor lab in Mortal Peril. Instead of dallying around with preliminaries, Chaz is thrown right back into the fray here as a fugitive captain at the top of the Empire’s most wanted list–and her brother, Thad, is the bait. Not only is the ongoing political wheeling plot top-notch, but even more importantly, the relationship between Chaz and Sully is painstakingly written. The repurcussions of the kyi-bond between the couple are examined at length here, and there are some BIG shocking surprises (I’ll try not to give anything away). If I had any complaints about Linnea’s other works, it was how they ended with every loose end tied neatly in a pretty bow–which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But in Shades of Dark, I applaud the nitty-gritty choices in terms of plot and character development. The story is still resolved nicely, but without needing to be pretty or cookie-cutter. Me likey, in a big way!

Ana: I too, was surprised at how much I adored Gabriel’s Ghost – in fact, that was the book that turned me into a Linnea Sinclair fangirl – and when Shades of Dark fell on our laps I started to read it as soon as I could and was immediately catapulted back into Chaz and Sully’s world. As Thea says, Linnea Sinclair does not waste time in getting back on track where we left of in GG. But what strikes the most in this sequel is fact that whereas GG was a very romantic, light book with some hints of dark, this one is much more intense, tense and extreme – the title indeed so very appropriate. As the story progressed, I had my innards twisted at some of the plot turns and impressed with some very ballsy choices Linnea Sinclair made with this book. In the end, all turns out fine but not at all, in shades of pink.

On the Plot

Chasidah “Chaz” Bergren is a fugitive, and has been on the run for a while. A former fleet officer with an impeccable record, Chaz was set up to take the fall for a crime she did not commit. Busted out of prison by(supposedly dead) renegade space pirate Gabriel “Sully” Sullivan, Chaz has no choice but to grudgingly agree to help him on his mysterious mission. As it turns out, someone in power has been secretly breeding Jukors–monstrous, unconscionable killing machines–for personal gain…and has been abducting and forcibly impregnating Takas to accomplish these ends. Chaz and Sully manage to destroy a breeding lab at the end of Gabriel’s Ghost, while enlisting the aid of Chaz’s brother, Thad, to help spread word of this nefarious scheme, and hopefully put a stop to it.

Unfortunately for Chaz and Sully (and for poor Takan females in this universe), Thad is silenced and publically denounced–he is imprisoned (again under false charges) and faces an uncertain fate. All this, of course, is a ploy to get Chaz and Sully out of hiding–the stakes are raised even higher when Chaz & Thad’s father is threatened, and Chaz knows she only has a little time before Thad is forced to tell what he knows about the Jukors, and about Sully’s true nature as a Kyi-Ragkiril.

Meanwhile, things on the good ship Karn are not going so smoothly–Chaz realizes that there is a traitor in their midst after an exceptionally close call with another ship. Then, there’s the mess that must be dealt with once Sully is revealed as a true “mind-fucker”. And then, Chaz starts to notice that something is off with Gabriel. His kyi is more powerful than ever before, and Sully begins acting strangely. When they meet another kyi-ragkiril named Del, who offers brotherhood and mentorship to Sully, Chaz fears this new stranger and the effect he has on Gabriel.

Things come to a head, and Chaz is forced to make a powerful, shocking decision.

Thea: As I mentioned before, this is one book that does not waste time–right from the opening pages, action and peril resume immediately following the conclusion of Gabriel’s Ghost. There is a large amount of political intrigue and some complicated reasoning processes that appears in this book, although the primary storyline lies with the relationship between Chaz and Sully.

I love that the relationship between these two is hardly sunshine and rainbows and ponies–this is a real couple that undergoes real problems. Well, larger than life problems, seeing as Sully is a kyi-ragkiril with the ability to create matter from pure thought…but just because of their ky’sal bond does not mean that everything is harmonious between the couple. The focus of the book is on Chaz and Sully, and the changing nature of their relationship; there is much less emphasis on the Jukors and the conspiracy storyline–though it is an integral part of the novel and gives the characters a common goal to work towards.

Ana: This sequel is all about choices. The choices they have to make on how to fight the corrupted forces in the empire and whom they can really trust. Above all, it’s about the choice Sully has to make on what and who he truly is.

Gabriel’s Ghost was a unique book in the sense that it was narrated by the heroine, Chaz, but the story was about Sully. Shades of Dark , I felt was much more about Chaz and the choice she has to make as she learns more about Sully’s powers.

This is so hard. I would like to say more, but to give away spoilers on the plot would be unforgivable. I will just say that Linnea Sinclair sent the angst levels here to the roof.

I guess if I had to surmise the feelings that this book brought to me I could compare it with The Empire Strikes Back, which was also a darker sequel to a lighter movie. You know when the shit hits the fan and all hell breaks lose, Luke has to fight the tempting Dark Side of the Force whilst being trained by Yoda and then he learns horrible truths about his father, loses a freaking arm, and then Han Solo is frozen in Carbonite. You know that sickening feeling to your stomach? Yeah, that’s how I felt all the way through the end with Shades of Dark.

On the Characters

Thea: If Gabriel’s Ghost was all about Gabriel Sullivan, then Shades of Dark is all about Chaz. At least, it was for me. Like book 1, this installment is told from Chaz’s first person point of view, and focuses a great deal on her interpretations and judgments. I loved how levelheaded and CAPABLE Chaz was in the first book, and that only continues here. As Sully starts to push Chasidah away, she doesn’t run off in a huff and sulk about it—instead, she approaches her relationship with Sully the same way she approaches any other obstacle in her path: with her own acumen and dogged determination to make things work. Chaz is the antithesis of the Too-Stupid-To-Live heroine; she is believable as a highly capable spaceship captain, but also maintains a level of vulnerability that makes her a fully-fleshed out character. Her actions when Del appears to be a threat, when Sully makes certain decisions, and when everyone she loves is at risk are touching and had me gunning for Chaz the whole way. Of the Linnea Sinclair books I have read thus far, Chaz is certainly my favorite heroine. The filter of her thoughts and reactions felt very real, and held me captivated through this story. Just as her character is the glue that keeps everything together on board the Karn, Chaz’s narrative holds this story together beautifully.

And then, there’s Sully. Ah, wounded, beautiful, troubled hero figure Gabriel Sullivan. As I tend to “side with” the heroines (or whomever is narrating—usually a heroine) when I read, I have a bit of a hard time getting into some heroes. Reading about the noble, wounded hero who had a bad childhood but now has a heart of gold and can do no wrong doesn’t really float my boat. Thank goodness, however, Gabriel Sullivan does not fit under this boring vanilla label. Shades develops a different Sully who is dealing with some serious—SERIOUS—issues, and I have to applaud Linnea for her ballsy decisions in this book. Defying convention, Sully in this book makes mistakes. A LOT of mistakes. He makes some very bad decisions, and yet no excuses are offered for him. I don’t want to say much more about this, because I really do think there is a shocking turn of events that is best left as a surprise for readers, but suffice to say I was completely taken off-guard, and I applaud the author for this unexpected move!

Also in Shades we are introduced to the new character Del—like Ren, Del is a Stolorth. He also happens to be a very powerful Kyi-Ragkiril, who seems to have a private agenda in helping Sully and Chaz accomplish their goals. Dell is yet another brilliant, multi-dimensional character to add to Ms. Sinclair’s arsenal. While reading this, I never knew exactly where Dell stood—whether or not to love him or loathe him, especially with his questionable behavior towards the protagonists. Even at his most dastardly, untrustworthy apex, Dell’s actions feel entirely in context for this strong, straight-up character. **Side note: Ana, this is hard to write. I don’t want to spoil anyone for anything, so I apologize if this sounds very nebulous and non-specific!**

Then, there are the cast of secondary characters we were introduced to in Gabriel’s Ghost and who make a reprisal here. Chaz’s ex-husband, Lt. Philip Guthrie–Chaz’s “Guth” (and she is “Bergie” to him)–is a wonderful character that reappears here about halfway through the story. Linnea refrains from playing up the “jealous ex” card (which is nice in small doses, but was played already in Gabriel’s Ghost) and instead focuses on the deep friendship and companionship that these two share–and I thoroghly enjoyed every second of it! Other secondary characters, like Ren and Dorsie, are staples here too–but do not get nearly as much screen time as in the first book (Ren in particular)…which is just fine. With so much going on with Chaz, Sully, Dell and Philip, it’s highly understandable.

Ana: I agree with Thea: this book is all about Chaz and what she has to deal with. And it is a lot. She tries really hard to accept Sully in all his glory but Sully does not make it easy for her. He is still very much in love with her and nothing will ever change that but with the introduction of the new character, Del, in their lives, a lot of complications ensue in the form of a full phased Kyi-Ragkiril. Chaz’s first thought when shE meets Del is that he means trouble. Truer words were never spoken. It is through her eyes and her mind that we see the changes in Sully and I commiserated and sided with Chaz completely. She has to fight the intoxicating allure of extreme pleasure that she receives from the now different Sully– be it physical, psychological, metaphysical – which are addictive to her and most of all to Sully.

I also love how she is such a terrific captain and how she is capable to prioritise even in those moments where she is most emotionally vulnerable. I admire Chaz immensely.

As I said in the introduction, Linnea Sinclair is very courageous with the directions she took Sully but also on what she puts him through in the end. It would have been so easy to make him utterly incorruptible but he feels so much more real and human for actually being tempted and nearly succumbing to those temptations that being such a powerful being brings. The old adage is fully applicable here: power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Good thing for Sully that he has incredible, steady Chaz.

He goes through so much in this book. First the utter disgust with himself, then the necessity to dull his own senses with alcohol but when he meets Del, someone that is not only as powerful as he is but someone that is comfortable with the power, he finally believes he can then accept himself fully – but there are shades – dark shades and in that sense, Chaz is the luminous point that will guide him.

Del is indeed a brilliant secondary character that brought up unexpected feelings in me. Even though he was an utterly disturbing character that liked to play games which were deadly and disgusting, I couldn’t truly hate him because he was what he was. * Thea, I so get you mean, I don’t want to say more either – how to describe Del without giving away important clues? Impossible *

I loved Philip – he was steady and honourable and a good friend to Chaz and I can’t wait to read his own book.

But in the end, the book is really about Chaz and Sully.

Final Observations, Recommendations and Rating

Thea: I thoroghly enjoyed this sequel. Even though it is a continuation of Gabriel’s Ghost, Shades of Dark is a novel that holds its own ground as a truly captivating story. From what I’ve read of Linnea Sinclair, this strikes me as a very brave new direction, and I cannot wait to read more. The series will continue, but told from Philip Guthrie’s perspective, in a novel titled Hope’s Folly, out in Spring 2009. I cannot wait!

Ana: This to me, was a very uncomfortable read because I was not only, very tense whilst reading it but also because it touched very disturbing aspects of Sully’s power. It was so much darker than Gabriel’s Ghost – I was on the edge of my seat for most of the time. I guess I was very attuned with Chaz’s mind: I felt deep in my bones her fears, her disgust, her love and loyalty towards Sully. It is a good thing I had the memory of Sully from GG when we both fell in love with him to guide me through the difficult times as did Chaz. Very nicely played by Linnea Sinclair because even though this was a much darker read than Gabriel’s Ghost it was also satisfying for that very same reason.

A final note: If you love Sully as much as do I strongly recommend you to have a box of Kleenex ready. You will need it.

Notable Quotes/Parts:

Thea: The climax of the story, when Chaz has a truly knock-you-over-with-a-feather revelation, the ultimate showdown involving all of the major characters is incredible. It’s been a week or so since I’ve read it, and I’m STILL reeling.

Ana: Yes, definitely the climax was amazing, Thea. It has been over a month since I read it and I still feel butterflies in my tummy when I think about it.

Rating:

Thea: 8 Excellent – So excellent that I will probably buy the paperback version of the book to show my appreciation!

Ana: 8 Excellent – I highly recommend this and Gabriel’s Ghost to anyone. In fact , Shades of Dark will probably make my list of top 10 reads of 2008.

KATIE(BABS) FROM RAMBLINGS ON ROMANCE IS ALSO REVIEWING SHADES OF DARK TODAY! WILL WE AGREE OR DISAGREE THIS TIME? EN GARDE!

First, a bit of background…

The Fighting Fantasy books are a gamebook series–and yes, by ‘gamebook’ I mean the reader actively gets to participate in the story and make decisions as to where the plot goes next. As a younger kid, I was a huge fan of the Choose Your Own Adventure series (who wasn’t?!) and owned many different adventures. But then, one Christmas when I was 11 years old, my father gave me my very first Fighting Fantasy book, entitled Masks of Mayhem…

And I was hooked.

The Fighting Fantasy books were pretty popular and imitated throughout the ’80s–at least, according to wikipedia (I was 11 in the ’90s, plus I was living in Indonesia so I was in my own little bubble). Think of them as Choose Your Own Adventure…on crack. Basically how it works is, as in the CYOA books, the reader assumes the role of the main character, involved on some kind of mission. However, the FF books require dice and scratch paper. Before the game starts, you must roll the dice to determine your skill, stamina, and luck levels (in some of the books there are other factors too, but for the most part it’s just these three)–these are imperative to the gameplay story. To “fight” other characters/creatures encountered throughout the book, it’s a process involving rolling the dice, adding and subtracting points until either you or the other character/creature is dead. Similarly, there are sections to see if you are “lucky” or not (affecting the outcome of the plot line taken). Of course, I always ended up cheating like a mofo, saying I won fights when I actually lost, or choosing the ‘lucky’ route when I wasn’t lucky. So sue me. **Note: There were also a healthy amount of riddles (of the word and math variety) that are impossible to cheat on, so there!**

Perhaps the best thing about these books is that the plots were much more complex than CYOAs, but at the same time simple enough so that you could play alone (none of my middleschool girlfriends were much into this sort of thing, so getting a dungeons and dragons group going was pretty much out of the question).

On the fantasy aspect–these books have it in spades! Almost all of the FF stories take place in the same world, called Titan. Titan itself is split into three continents: Allansia (symbolic of America), the Old World (symbolic of Europe with many different states, and a history that focuses heavily on WWII and its aftermath–in this series called the “War of the Four Kingdoms”), and Khul (the dark land, with some Japanese references). Yes, a lot of the fantasy elements are accused of being stereotypical, or generic–but you gotta start somewhere right? And for young, middle-school aged me, this was a whole new world to discover.

These are my all time favorites–Masks of Mayhem, Crypt of the Sorcerer, and Sword of the Samurai.

Masks of Mayhem

The original, and re-released covers

Another comparison of the old and new release covers (this was another of my old faves)

Ana: The minute I finished reading Living Dead in Dallas, which I loved, I wanted to carry on reading this series, non stop. When Thea green signalled us to go on Binge Alert I was giddy with anticipation. I started with a lot of good expectations for Club Dead and ended up a bit disappointment to tell you the truth. To start with , the main mystery has to with The–vampire-I-love-to-Hate Bill Comptom. The book starts and I am already enraged and aggravated from page 1. I could live with that of course, if things hadn’t gone from bad to worse with a plot I thought boring and unbelievable. Still, it is a Sookie book and very much enjoyable because of her. Oh and because that Norse god, the Enormous Blonde Viking vampire Eric Northman.

Thea So, we decided to go ahead and indulge ourselves with a Sookie Stackhouse binge after our shared love for books 1 and 2 in the series. And, in true Sookie style, Book 3 did not disappoint! Sookie’s rocky relationship with le asshole Bill takes a turn for the worse here, and even though Bill has betrayed Sookie on every level, she still loves him and needs to try to save his sorry ass. I found the overall mystery story entertaining and of the same (if not higher!) caliber as its predecessors, the characters were characteristically well developed, and really I couldn’t ask for more. Club Dead delivers just what I have come to expect from Sookie Stackhouse–a fun romp on the lighter side of the paranormal world, although this one is darker than the first two books.

On the Plot:

***WARNING: CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS***

Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton are having issues. Bill has been cold towards Sookie for the past weeks, working a lot on his computer. He asks for some time to work exclusively on this and informs Sookie that he is to leave town for a while in a special secret assignment for the vampire queen of Louisiana. (Yes, we learn in this book that the vampires have divided the US between them and instead of states there are kingdoms, which in turn, are divided in sections. )

When Eric Northman, chief of section 5, where Sookie’s town is located, comes by to tell her that Bill has gone MIA, Sookie is worried. But on top of that Eric brings other bad news: Bill was planning on leaving Sookie as he has become involved with another female vampire, his ex-lover. Oh, the ignominy.

Even though she is hurt and furious Sookie has no other choice but to go after Bill on Eric’s request. As a telepath she will be able to learn things that no one else can. They suspect Bill has been taken by the King of New Orleans who desperately wants the computer program he was working on – a program that lists all the known vampires in the world.

With her, as protection, is going Alcide Herveaux, a true Werewolf , a good, down-to-earth man and a fantastic respite from all vampires in her life. They become friends (and perhaps something more) and with his help, she goes about investigating Bill’s disappearance whilst coming across other dangers to their life.

When Sookie finally manages to find Bill, she will have to make a decision regarding their relationship and the life that she has been catapulted into.

Ana: Whereas I enjoyed the mystery plot in the two previous books, I felt the one in the this book was contrived and merely came as an excuse to separate Foul Bill and Sookie (not that there is anything wrong with that) . The whole premise felt flimsy to me. The thought that a King of Vampires, a race who have been trying to go mainstream and become respectable would chance a war against another Queen just to get a computer program that 1) they could have offered to buy 2) they could have got another of the numerous older vampires to research 3 ) any person with a modicum of computer skills could create as easily as Vile Bill – who let’s be honest here, doesn’t strike me as a computer genius to say the least. The other thing that got me really frustrated was the other problems Eric and Sookie ran into with the human gang members – why would they go to such a trouble to avenge a piece of scum and to get it on against vampire Eric? Humpf. Seriously? Plus wasn’t it way too easy for Sookie to save Just Let Him Die Bill like she did? I mean, if he was that important , shouldn’t he have been guarded more carefully?

I was sad to have Sookie away from Bon Temps and the small town feel of her life and her relations although I can easily see how this was part of what Charlaine Harris wanted for her heroine – for her to see the differences that meddling with Vampires brought to her life and how her new life compares to the old one.

I also felt that some of the things that made the world so enjoyeable and interesting were absent this time. I didn’t see any of the vampire mainstreaming issues or struggles to fit in. It was more the usual power rush of vampire politics between two factions that was awning for me.

Thea: Weeeeell, I have to disagree! I felt that this particular mystery story was of the same level as the other books, which is to say not mindblowing Agatha Christie-esque, but more along the lines of a Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew type of mystery story. And I happen to love Scooby and the Gang, and Nancy (Bess and George too).

First, I have to admit when I read of the “King of Mississippi” and the “Queen of Louisiana” I was slightly thrown. That sounds so…hokey. But it should be noted that even Sookie found this ludicrous and was battling laughter in the conversation as well! I started to think about it, and really it does make sense. Vampires here are a species that have been around for a long time. A Very Long Time. As such, the older, more powerful vampires probably would have classified themselves as Kings and Queens (I wonder if there is One King/Queen to Rule Them All? What would he/she be called? Supreme Highness?)–it’s egotistical enough to work. Also, the different divisions of the United States called ‘fiefs’ but recently changed to ‘Areas’ works in a strange sort of logic too (although I have to say that these fiefdoms would probably not be numbered, but instead given some archaic names…but I suppose for the sake of keeping things simple, this works). As to the power struggles between states (kingdoms?) and their monarchs…to me it makes sense. Vampires are aggressive predators, and they are very old and very powerful. A side effect of living forever most likely is boredom…and another effect would be power hunger. Thus, scuffles between the monarchs of different kingdoms doesn’t seem too far off to me–looking at human history (say any period in European history for a broad example), this is a common theme. Wars have been started over many a stupider thing than a computer database.

Second, on the vampire database thing…I understand Ana’s derision. The creation of a vampiric database of course would piss off immortal creatures that had until recently been in the closet. However, taking a census of all vampires again makes sense to me–governments have been doing this since back in the Babylonian days. Since I’ve been sticking with the European smiliarities, take for example the Domesday Book–the first census of England taken by William the Conqueror–collected in order to figure out how much land each inhabitant had, and thereby how much to tax them accordingly.

Granted, in this vampiric application, it seems the Queen of Louisiana has darker intentions by wanting to keep the information secret…but again, knowledge is power. We never really learn what the Queen is intending to do with this information, but I assume it has a higher purpose of power consolidation of some sort that will be explored at a later date. Bill, fool that he is, undertakes the job with voracity and clearly is the ‘fall guy’. Again, makes sense to me.

One final thing on the database compilation–yes this seems like something that wouldn’t be too hard to create. BUT, I loved that to the vampires–again, an ancient species–the internet is a cool new thing that allows them access to previously untappable information. The incorporation of the internet and Bill’s computer prowess seems funny to us humans, but I think rang very true for the vampires. I liked it!

What else can I say? The plot was well paced with a sufficiently executed mystery. In fact, one minor mystery (a dead dude shoved into a closet) does not get resolved until the last paragraph of the novel…and it had me grinning in delight. Really, well done.

On the characters

Ana: Some character development for our Sookie. I like to her struggles between the small town church goer with her morals and principles having to go through so much on the darker side of the force. She has not only to do violence, to see violence, to eventually commit murder (even if to save her own life) and also to deal with feelings that all the men in her life bring up. She is a very strong woman who stands up to herself but who is also very much vulnerable. She has uncertain feelings about her life with Worthless Bill – always had had them, but in this book she listens to them. Specially the one that shows her how much he doesn’t take care of her: especially heartbreaking is to see how she struggles with her money issues and is at the same time proud of not asking for help and saddened that any help isn’t offered by Incredibly Selfish Bill. This balance between being strong and vulnerable is what is so alluring about Sookie to me: she is essentially a good person caught in a life that she doesn’t feel she belongs to but that now that she has seen it, I don’t think there is any turning back. Even if she just wants to be normal and simple Sookie, the waitress.

And speaking of her feelings or reactions to Bill, Alcide and Eric. I have some questions:

Thea, can you please explain to me like I am a 5 year old how come Sookie is so freaking horny all the time and on the verge of shagging all of them in any given point of the book? Is it because she spent the first 25 years of her life without close contact to any human male and now that she has found men that do not pose a threat to her mind, her body is awake and ready to party? Or does it happen because she has ingested vampire blood and vampire blood brings Teh Sex? Or am I just sulking and jealous?

Or is it because there is more to Sookie than we think and perhaps she is not JUST a human with telepathic powers? She does have a super heroine complex and seems to believe she can save everybody and that her body in unbreakable – even though she is quite aware of the fact that it isn’t?

Dastardly Bill – I am chuffed to bits that he is out of the picture now. Hopefully for ever? I have never liked him from book 1 and his actions in this book just prove I was right aaaaall along. So long, Despicable Bill you will NOT be missed.

Eric, he may be a vampire, he may have second intentions and not be entirely trustworthy but he is an Enormous Blonde Viking vampire who is always there to help Sookie when all the other men disappear when danger shows. He pays attention to what Sookie says and needs, like he is saving information for when as he puts it, she becomes his lover. He seems to believe it only a matter of time and I am praying that he is right. Charlaine Harris, what have you done? Why, why, when I find a heroine whose series I can follow just because of HER, you have to come up with a character like Eric Northman that makes my hero-wired brain forget all about Sookie and just read the story to get to the points he is in? WHY, Charlaine Harris, why?

I quite liked the character of Alcide, the Were that helps Sookie. I thought they had good chemistry and the fact that he was just (almost) a regular bloke, down to earth, someone who Sookie could see herself coming home to, was very sweet. I thought their more heated interactions spun from the fact that they both had relationships with people that were wholly unsuitable to them and they just wanted to see how it would be with normal, nice people for a change. I would like to see more of him. He may be a good thing for Sookie yet.

And how can I forget to mention the return of Bubba, the Vampire-who-cannot-be-named. That is such a quirky addition to the series.

Thea: In our last joint review, I mentioned that while Sookie is sweet as pie, she definitely has an edge and that I’d like to see some darker developments for her to grapple with. Well, that definitely was addressed here in Club Dead. No longer the innocent barmaid of the first book, Sookie has been forced into trying situations and has had to make some tough decisions. Book 3 strikes me as a major turning point for Sookie–in terms of her relationship with Bill, her relationship with vampires period, and coming to terms with the fact that her life will never ever be the same again. She steps up in a lot of ways, and loses some of her innocent vulnerability–but this progression feels natural, not forced or brash. Sookie’s spunk and her temper getting the better of her adds more dimension to her character, and keeps her clear of dreaded Mary Sue territory. Especially since she’s so very desireable to everyone, apparently. *Side note: Seriously, Ana–I really must get a look at Sookie’s boobs, since they seem to be so spectacularly coveted!*

I also had a slight problem with Sookie’s crazy horniness this book, but the way I took it was, she’s young and has just been introduced to sex. 26 years of repressed hormones and all that. I guess. Although…I do think there is more to Sookie than we know already. Ana, I think you are definitely on to something.

So far as Bill and Eric go…meh. I’m not a huge fan of Eric turning mushy and sentimental towards Sookie; I’d prefer to think that his attraction to her is because he thinks she’s hot (with great breasts, again with the breasts!) and a useful tool to have around with her telepathy, and I still think there’s something Bill and Eric know that the audience hasn’t discovered yet.

I loved the new addition of Alcide to the cast of regulars (Sookie’s getting her own harem of admirers). Why? Because he seems like a nice, normal (so far as werewolves go) guy that genuinely likes Sookie. Plus, he has a bit of Cajun Gambit to him that I can’t resist.

The further explanation and distinction between Werewolves (only they can be called ‘weres’) and Shifters, the politics of packs, how everyone works together in the supernatural world was nice. I like that Ms. Harris takes her time revealing bit by bit of her world, as opposed to a huge data dump in book 1.

Oh! And I almost forgot Bubba–how can you not love him? His secondary involvement in the story is a definite highlight for me.

Final Observations, Recommendations and Rating

Ana: This was my least favourite of the series so far, because I thought the plot was pardon my French, stupid and lacking the solidity that was present in the other mysteries. Although I can say that development of it was well done as usual, the story was easy to follow, with a good pace. I still had a great time reading it, because Sookie is a very likeable character. (even if some of her actions in this book were eye rolling). In fact, the characters, I think, are what make these books to me and because of them I will definitely carry on, even though this instalment was not all that.

Thea: Well, things were getting boring with Ana and I agreeing on everything anyways I found Club Dead to be my favorite so far in the series! I like the deepening color to Sookie’s world, and I love that Ms. Harris isn’t afraid to take some crazy chances with her storylines (writing about Vampire Kings and Queens isn’t going to appeal to everyone). I felt that Sookie’s darker change of character here was essential, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes from here!

Notable quotes/parts:

Ana: I am torn. There is the scene where Sookie has to drink Eric’s blood to cure herself which leads to a much much heated interaction between them and it ends with Eric saying: “I don’t like having feelings” *swoons* (Why, Charlaine Harris, why?).

But I will have to go with the one scene that made me so so happy.

Yippie-kay-yay, motherfucker! So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye, sucker!

Thea: I loved the ending revelation when Sookie figures out exactly what happened with the body in the closet–priceless! Buuut, I won’t quote that. Instead, here’s a short section of Sookie humor that had me giggling:

Rating:

Ana: 6, good but meh. I almost gave it a 5, but given how much I love the characters, I decided on a 6. Definitely not my favorite in the series. (but I will not quit the series, it’s way too good in general, I truly believe this one was a fluke). *P.S. After reading Thea’s wonderful input and insight on the whole Database thing, I may have changed my mind a bit on that part of the plot. I still hate that it’s all about Hateful Bill though.*

Thea: 7 Very Good – wavering between a 7 and an 8 though for me. I really enjoyed this one; I liked the depth of character, and the change in direction Ms. Harris took this book. It feels kind of transitory, so this is why I kept the rate at a 7. However, I am really excited to get into the next few in the series, and see where these plot seeds go!

Reading next: Yet another Sookie joint review: Dead to the World