Archive for Sookie Stackhouse Books
Great Fantasy Book Short Stories - Unusual Suspects
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A variety of celebrated authors have joined together once again for a sequel to the much enjoyed Powers of Detection (6ME2WDWKRBMX). Together they have written twelve original stories of mystery and suspense in the fantasy worlds we love so much. The characters are wonderfully written and fully drawn out. Sit back, get comfortable and prepare for a whirlwind journey around the world.
In “Lucky”, by Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse has once again found herself involved in a rather sticky situation. Asked by an acquaintance to investigate recent break-ins at his office, Sookie and a friend readily agree not expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen. Spells, missing luck and the occasional vampire tangle the heroine up in a magical web of disaster.
Vampires, werewolves, zombies and an assortment of other famed supernatural creatures roam the streets of Las Vegas in “Bogieman”, by Carole Nelson Douglas. It is 2013 and nothing is the same in the world. Delilah Street, a paranormal investigator, is accustomed to challenging jobs where she has to deal with the abnormal. When she’s hired to investigate the murder of Sam Spade she realizes that this case is more unusual than even she is accustomed to.
In “Looks are Deceiving” a dwarf is hunting for whatever or whoever killed a Duke. Although the Duke isn’t dead yet (only cursed) it’s a race against the clock to find the person responsible for his current state. This enjoyable story by Michael A. Stackpole takes place in a traditional fantasy world and twists and turns keep the reader engaged.
In “The House of Seven Spirits” Erica is a writer who needs a little inspiration. When she rents a home for the summer she looks forward to the solitude. When she moves in she realizes she won’t get a moments peace to write; not with the seven “spirited” roommates she ends up sharing the small house with. Sharon Shinn contributes is a wonderfully well written story with excellent characters that stay with you long after the last page is turned.
Alf has to find his daughter. She has gone missing and her mother is at a loss as to where she might be. Alf teams up with a stranger and together they look for the lost girl. “Glamour” by Mike Doogan is an amusing tale of surprise’s that will have you laughing before it’s over.
In “Spellbound” no one is ever safe when a witch leaves loves spells lying in wait. Gwynn may be an apprentice to a great and wonderful wizard but she has her hands full trying to investigate the strange occurrences at her school and keep her boss away from the infatuated witch and her pesky love charms. Suspense, romance and spell casting make this a stand-out story by Donna Andrews.
This science fiction story “The Duh Vice” by Michael Armstrong portrays a future world where wasting energy is a punishable crime. An officer investigates a resource-wasting violation and captures the guilty offender. Things go downhill from there. This is an interesting and disturbing look at what the future may hold.
It’s not unthinkable to assume Santa has a life after the big night, but where exactly does he go? “Weight of the World” by John Straley takes us into the mind of the big elf and we see what happens when murder surrounds him.
In “Illumination” by Laura Anne Gilman, when Bonnie goes searching for her missing father, things become difficult and convoluted. An encounter with a cave dragon becomes an enlightening moment for Bonnie and allows her to discover truths both past and future.
In “The House” by Laurie R. King a class project has a group of students investigating and researching a creepy old house on the outskirts of town. Although it’s isolated and foreboding they’re not deterred. But when one of them goes missing they must all bond together to unravel the mystery.
With “Appetite for Murder” Simon R. Green takes us into the Nightside, a dark and depraved city. There we meet Sam, a supernatural detective, who’s seen and done it all. However when he’s asked to investigate a serial killer who’s stalking the streets hunting down the innocent he knows many lives are at risk. With a sensual and sexy heroine sidekick, Sam investigates a case that will shock and thrill.
Women’s rights, mystery and magic are all combined in “A Woman’s Work”, a story of supernatural intrigue written by Dana Stabenow. A female team, Seer and Sword are commissioned by the king to look into the death of a royal heir. This fast-paced action-filled story takes place on the Island Kingdom of Pylos where things quickly go astray.
Overall, this is a good collection of fantasy short stories that introduced me to several new authors!
Sookie Stackhouse Books in Order
Posted by: | CommentsHere are all of the Sookie Stackhouse books in the Southern Vampire Mystery series starting with the most recent:
#9
Title: Dead and Gone
Description: The shifter community comes “out of the closet” to the world; a shifter is killed outside Merlotte’s; a new vampire king wants to use Sookie to his advantage. Check price
#8
Title: From Dead to Worse
Description: Sookie tries to help the vampire queen of Louisiana and ends up being targeted for murder; a werewolf war is brewing; we learn some secrets about Sookie’s background. Check price
#7
Title: All Together Dead
Description: Sookie attends a vampire summit and dead bodies start piling up; Sookie spends time with hunky Quinn; Sookie attends an hilarious vampire wedding. Check prices
#6
Title: Definitely Dead
Description: Sookie travels to New Orleans to close the apartment of a recently deceased relative; we learn the real reason for Bill’s betrayal; we learn more about Sookie’s heritage. Check price
#5
Title: Dead As a Doornail
Description: Someone is killing members of the local shifter community; Sookie gets pulled into Alcide’s werewolf pack politics; fingers point at Sookie regarding the recent disappearance of a female shifter. Check price
#4
Title: Dead To The World
Description: Eric loses his memory and temporarily moves in with Sookie (yum); Jason is kidnapped; a group of dark witches comes to town. Check price
#3
Title: Club Dead
Description: Bill disappears and Sookie sets out to find him; Sookie meets the hunky werewolf Alcide; Bubba, our golden-voiced vampire crooner, helps Sookie; Sookie learns that Bill has betrayed her. Check price
#2
Title: Living Dead In Dallas
Description: Sookie gets called to Dallas to help locate a missing vampire; we’re introduced to the radical group The Fellowship of the Sun; Sookie almost loses her life. Check price
#1
Title: Dead Until Dark
Description: We meet: Sookie, a telepathic waitress; Bill Compton, a sexy vampire; Sam Merlotte, Sookie’s boss who has a secret; and Jason, Sookie’s womanizing brother. Check prices
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Sookie Stackhouse Book 9 - Dead and Gone
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In Sookie’s world vampires co-exist with the human race. They “came out of the closet” several years ago and demonstrated their ability to live amongst mankind, due in part to the development of a synthetic blood substitute.
In Dead and Gone the werewolf/shifter community decides to follow suit. After all, they’re closer to “normal” than vampires right? They can withstand the sun, they’re warm-blooded, their skin isn’t pale, and they can eat real food. Who cares if they grow fur and howl at the moon every few weeks?
They decide to reveal themselves to the world on national television by having one of their kind turn furry during a live broadcast. Their unveiling is met with mixed reviews; some question whether other supernatural races exist whereas others applaud their honesty and willingness to trust that the human race will embrace their diversities. Overall, people seem to be taking the announcement fairly well.
Until a were is brutally murdered and placed in the Merlotte parking lot.
With Sookie, when it rains it pours: the recent were murder has Jason once again on the prime suspect list; two of Sam’s relatives are brutally attacked and Sookie has to take over managing Merlotte’s; a new vampire king is interested in using Sookie to his advantage; and her fae relatives are at war with a faction of human-hating faeries that want to kill Sookie because of her half-fae heritage.
So it’s no wonder that Dead and Gone shows us a more reflective Sookie, one who wonders about some of the choices she’s made in life. Sookie realizes that although she’s still a caring person, she’s also become somewhat hardened and jaded because of the numerous life-and-death situations she’s dealt with. Before she knew much about the supernatural world her life consisted of going to work, shielding herself from other people’s thoughts, and looking after her home.
Her increased awareness of the supernatural community has come at a price: she’s lost several loved ones and acquaintances; she’s been targeted by a serial killer; she’s been kidnapped by religious fanatics; her house has been set on fire; and she’s been violently attacked by monstrous creatures more times than she cares to remember. Sookie keeps plugging along because that’s her nature, but in Dead and Gone she’s much more cautious about the decisions she makes.
Dead and Gone is a writing coup for Charlaine Harris. Several loose ends are wrapped up in this book and unfortunately, at least one character from previous books is killed however the storyline kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The character development is superb, the pacing is quick, and the suspense is, well, downright suspenseful. I used to think that Book #4, Dead To The World was my favorite in the series but it’s been usurped by this entry. If you love well-written urban fantasy with a bit of humor and adventure thrown in you’ll thoroughly enjoy Dead and Gone.
Dead and Gone is available from online retailers and booksellers.
Also, check out the entire collection of Sookie Stackhouse Books in Order.