The 9th book in the Sookie Stackhouse series
by Charlaine Harris is "Dead and Gone". This is the continuing story of barmaid telepathic Sookie Stackhouse and all the supernatural beings in her life - including her fairy prince great-great grandfather Nial, all the vampires, the weres and shapeshifters like her boss Sam. First I will give my review, then at the end of the post some thoughts about this series and its future.
Back Blurb: "For Sookie Stackhouse, the day to day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest, She's blood-bound to the leader of the vamps, a friend to the local were pack, works for a man who is shifter, and has a brother who is a were-panther…
But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious seductive creatures-and they don't even know about the weres.
Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.
At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who-human or otherwise-did the deed.
But what she doesn't realize is that there is a far greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings--older, more powerful and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves-- is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too human pawn in their battle…"
*WARNING: Spoilers*
This book (as all the others) takes place where the last one left off. Sookie still has two house guests, her friend Amelia the talented witch and elderly Octavia an older witch, both Hurricane Katrina refugees. And vampire Viking Eric fans will not be disappointed in this book - lots of Eric and some steamy scenes to keep us all happy.
The book starts out with the werewolves and shapeshifters "coming out of the closet" as the saying goes. They go public like the vampires did a few years earlier and let the whole world know that they are not myths, but very much real and living among humans in peace. This rocks the world of most of Bon Temps' citizens and others around the globe, but some take it with a sort of predicated expectation after having gotten used to vampires being real. Some become violent and it's those violent ones who get this book going.
Someone butchers Jason's werepanther cheating wife and crucifies her on a cross in Sam Merlottes' bar parking lot - and she was pregnant.
This sets off a mystery to be solved and a chain of violence. Sookie's ex friend and co-worker Arlene is now a member of the fanatical fundamentalist church 'Fellowship of the Sun' that has worked diligently to kill, threaten and rid the world of vampires and vampire supporters- like Sookie. This movement doesn't take well to finding out vampires aren't the only supernatural beings out there. And some of its members plot to sacrifice Sookie as an example to the world. These people aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but they are dangerous as Sookie already knows from earlier experience in previous books.
Sookie's got other problems. She's become very bonded with Eric - so much so that she needs him and wants him and they can feel each others feelings. Like if one of them is in danger the other knows it. Also, Eric can locate her because he's fed off her blood so often (Boring Dud Bill can do this too). In the previous book Sookie knew Eric was in danger and ended up saving his undead life and that of the new undead King Felipe - thus putting him in her debt, a debt she was going to need to call in. Sookie had done a lot of favors for many supernatural beings, and in this book, when her life is in more danger than ever before, she was calling in on all those favors to help keep her alive.
The danger...the fairies have gone to war and Sookie being the great great granddaughter of the fairy prince Niall made her a target to be eliminated. There are a few attempts on her life, but Sookie manages to come out on top - even killing a fairy with her gardening trowel - iron is an effective tool against faires- as is lemons. Killing off a fairy enrages the fairy who are at war with her great great grandfather Niall and efforts to kill Sookie are doubled.
Sookie seeks help from Eric (who sends her Bubba- I LOVE Bubba!) to guard her at night, and Alcide the werewolf whom also owes Sookie sends her Tray, who happens to be dating Sookie's friend and house guest Amelia. Tray will guard Sookie by day, and Bubba by night.
While that's happening, Eric opens up to Sookie about his past as a Viking, a husband and a father. He reveals things to her that she never knew and he also tricks her into becoming his 'wife' in the vampire tradition. Sam, Sookie's boss who has had a crush on Sookie since book one, is NOT pleased to hear this. He takes it very hard. Eric is superb in all this and very pleased to have Sookie as his wife. He claims her as his several times in the book, making it clear no supe can touch her or even approach her without his permission. Sookie and Eric once again share a bed and each others blood, bringing them even closer together and more strongly bonded than ever before. Eric is thrilled with the way things are, and even wants Sookie to move into his house. Something he's never done with anyone but Pam, his second in charge and vampire he created years ago. Eric is really charming and a delight to read in this book as he opens up and really shows how vulnerable he is to his feelings for Sookie.
Boring Bill is still giving moon-eyes from the sidelines since Sookie dumped him after she found out he was sent by the vampire queen and ordered to seduce Sookie. Bill took Sookie's virginity because he was order to. He said he fell love with her- maybe he did, but he had been deceptive and lying from the start (unforgivable in my book which is why I can't stand him). He was an excellent liar and completely betrayed Sookie. Bill probably would never have confessed that on his own, but Eric forced Bill to tell Sookie the truth so that she would know everything and be able to make her own choices. Sookie did, she ditched Boring Bill and after some time landed right in sexy Eric's bed.
One day, Sookie finds Tray very sick - he's been poisoned and it's not looking very good for him. The fairies are out in full force and they want Sookie - first to torture her, then to kill her. These fairies are way more violent and blood thirsty than any of the vampires I've seen so far in this series. They thrive and thrill on the violence and pain of others. Not at all like Sookie's fairy cousins Claudine and Claude - who could be lethal if needed, but mostly they loved living among humans and working for a living. Claudine wasn't just Sookie's fairy cousin, she was also her sort of fairy godmother and has saved Sookie's life on many occasions. They got along very well and enjoyed a close friendship too.
When Sookie's day guard Tray is poisoned and leaves her, she is captured by two demented fairies who spend hours torturing her. They stab her, choke her, bite her and slowly give her as much pain as they can without killing her. They like her suffering and want to draw it out for as long as they can. When Sookie thinks she's about to die because she can't take anymore, rescue arrives in the forms of Bill and Niall. But Bill finds himself poisoned by the evil fairies silver tipped teeth and he nearly looses his undead life (damn!).
When Eric finds Sookie near dead being treated in a supe clinic he's enraged and determined to keep her alive. He once again feeds her his blood to help her heal and she must heal fast because the fairies are on their way as all out war has broken lose and one side is going to die. Bill is near death - his second death, and so is werewolf Tray who was tortured after being poisoned. Eric is feeding Sookie his blood and must drink True Blood to keep up his own strength for the battle to come. And it is a violent battle with everyone sustaining more injuries and a few deaths that I won't reveal (one was really hard to take).
The book ends with Sookie and Niall saying goodbye for good and his parting words about 'a vampire who really loves Sookie' - but does he mean Eric or Boring Bill? There are loose ends for the next books like the angry fairy Dermot who looks like Jason and can't be found. Is he still after Sookie? The door to the fairy world is being closed for good and those left on earth will never be able to leave - who will stay and who will leave for good? And what about Hunter? Sookie's cousin Hadley's son who is a telepath like Sookie - that story is coming soon. Who really loves Sookie? Eric or Bill? What about Sam? Lots of things left for future books to reveal and I can't wait.
Another easy 5 stars out of 5.
***
My Sookie Stackhouse thoughts...
That's my review, now here are my thoughts on the future of this series and it's characters. OK, my biggest theory is also my biggest worry for this series. I think Eric is going to have to die. I love Eric, but the bond is too much for Sookie and the only way she will ever be free is for Eric to die. I'm going to hate this book should my prediction come true.
Also, while I really can't stand Bill, I think the author is going to go full circle with his character and have him end up as Sookie's hero and the last vampire standing.
What I would like, is actually for Sam to win Sookie's heart in the end and Boring Bill to die. Sam is a shapeshifting human and could actually give Sookie a good life, marriage, children, be in the sun with her (she loves the sun) etc. (something no vampire can do). He's been a good friend, Sookie depends on him, trusts him, likes him and they get along very well. Plus, he's adored her from the get go and wants to protect her. In my opinion, she's got a better hope for the future with Sam than anyone else - including Eric should he live (which I doubt *sniff*).
My second worry is that Amelia is going to die too. That the 'Fellowship of the Sun' is going to have an all out war with all the supes and their supporters and Amelia won't make it. I believe this because I have a strong feeling the author is really going to go FULL circle back to where it all started with Sookie alone in the house, a vampire living next door, selfish Jason doing his own thing and Sam still wanting her.
I hope Bubba (the undead Elvis) will survive, I think he will. I think Calvin will die, but Alcide will make it and once again be in Sookie's debt. I think Eric will die and Pam will be lost without him and leave the area (*sniff* I love vampire Pam).
I think the small town of Bon Temp will come through for Sookie and take her side against the 'Fellowship of the Sun' - because I really think they are going to hunt her down in Bon Temps and there will be one big final 'war' in which I hope to see the FOtS go down in flames with the supes and their supporters winning in the end. Sookie has been considered 'strange' and 'odd' by the Bon Temps folks all her life, I think the book will end with them finally totally accepting her and standing by her.
Besides Eric dying, the death I would take the hardest would be Sam's. I am hoping he makes it and Sookie finally looks at him the way he looks at her and together they start a new life together in Bon Temps. I just don't see any future for Sookie with any vampire.
So those are my thoughts, now I'd love to hear everyone elses! Where do you think the story will go? Who will live? Who will die? Who will win Sookie in the end?
Disturbing...
