There's a vampire craze sweeping the nation, at least when it comes to reading material. Of course, there's the original vampire novel, Bram Stoker's "Dracula." Somebody, please tell me if I'm wrong in saying that Stoker's novel was the first about vampires. It may not have been, for all I know, but it surely is one of the definitive sources for all the vampire literature that followed its publication in 1897.
Vampire stories abound for the young adult set, and the "Twilight" series penned by Stephanie Meyer crossed the library shelf for teen readers and was embraced and consumed equally by adults. I noticed lots of pre-teens reading the series, as well.
Vampire novels were popular before "Twilight" hit the scenes, and I admit it: I like vampires, ghosts, and other things that go bump in the night. Even bats are ok, as long as they stay in the story and don't flit about my room. So I took my librarian's word for it that I should try the Laurell K. Hamilton series featuring her vampire executioner, Anita Blake. Naturally, at the library, the entire series was not available all at once. So I started with book 3, and worked my way around what was available on the shelf - still haven't gotten book 1, but I'll get there, eventually.
I found the series in the "general fiction" section of my local library. If you shop for it at your local bookstore, you'll want to check "science fiction/fantasy." There are a few reasons for this, but bear with me, here.
First, I like Anita Blake. She's a no-nonsense, Dirty Harry in female form kind of woman. She's armed and dangerous, knows how to lock and load, and she deals with some pretty creepy . . . creeps. Ghouls, the living dead - well, she is sometimes called upon to raise the dead for various reasons, some of them considered legal in Blake's world - werewolves, wereleopards, were-anythings - any supernatural creature or being you can imagine. She has a background story that is pretty interesting, and I think it would be good to have . . . dare I say it . . . less sex in the novels and more . . . introspection? storyline about Anita? . . . something? But, that's just my opinion. Blake is not a one-dimensional character.
The books are written with a wry, dark sense of humor. If Janet Evanovich's bounty hunter character Stephanie Plum ("One for the Money," and others) were a bit darker in humor and dealt with the supernatural, and were less - loveably bumbling? - she might be a lot like Hamilton's Anita Blake.
If the reader can buy into the idea of a world where vampires and other supernatural creatures might have legal rights, and can mingle with the regular humans sometimes without repercussions, then you've bought into the fictional elements of the story. Contemplating the issues that come up in the novels regarding the preternatural beings can give the reader lots of food for thought about our own policies and politics, but that's for another time.
The fantasy parts come next.
Due to forces beyond her control (spoiler alert), Anita Blake finds herself in love with not only a werewolf (mild-mannered middle school teacher by day, Richard) but also being pursued by a vampire (Jean-Claude). Through other forces beyond her control, and there are always those to contend with throughout the series,Anita becomes a succubus (a female demon supposed to have sex with a man while he sleeps - except Anita isn't a demon, and then men are definitely not sleeping when she has sex with them). The odd part about all this (as if it isn't odd enough already) is the need to feed this new "power" strikes Anita at any time of day or night, and when it strikes, she has to have sex right now, and it may not always matter which guy is available.
As Anita collects lovers, she also starts to collect otherworldy powers to go along with her ability to raise the dead.
So, here's the fantasy.
Anita has umpteen lovers now. Richard (werewolf), Jean-Claude (vampire), Asher (vampire), Micah (wereleopard), Nathaniel (werewolf), and a few others whose names I can't recall off the top of my head.
I won't bother trying to explain the were-animals or vampire bits. Suffice it to say that all the men in Anita's life are, of course, buff to the extreme and each represents some facet of what all of us women out there would like in the ideal, perfect man. Aside from never being able to be in broad daylight for any length of time, or having to avoid full moons, of course.
Hey, I did say you'd find the novels in the science fiction/fantasy section, right?
They're all employed, they're all handsome and ripped to the extreme, they all know how to fight and defend themselves and others (admit it: which of you out there has wondered at one point or another if a man would bloody someone else to defend your honor?) and of course, they all are pretty hot in the sack, too.
Richard is the teacher. He's smart, sensitive, whiny, full of doubts.
Jean-Claude is a few centuries old, suave, handsome, willing to wait for Anita because heck - he's waited a few centuries, what's a few more? He swings both ways, making a nice threesome with Asher, another centuries old vampire with his own batch of insecurities which Anita manages to handle nicely.
Micah is the perfect man. He agrees with nearly everything Anita says and does, and if he doesn't agree, he manages to work things around until Anita sees his point of view and thinks it's her own idea.
Let me remind you that I did point out this is science fiction/fantasy.
Nathanial is the man-wife everybody wants. He's totally domestic - cooks, cleans, and works as a stripper. You can work out whatever that's supposed to mean on your own. Oh, and two of the guys share a house with Anita.
Anyway, as I progressed through this series, there was less going on about Anita slaying vampires (now that she loves one or four or however many) or dealing with suspenseful creepy graveyard stuff and a whole lot more going on about which guy or guys she's going to have sex with next.
This, I learn, after recommending this series to a friend, saying, "Your teenage daughter might like this, it's about vampires."
Oh dear. Here I made a recommendation after reading just one book.
Well, teenagers may find them vastly educational, covering topics that they won't hear about in the district-approved sexual education curriculum.
For adult readers, forge ahead if this is your kind of thing. The Anita Blake series isn't much different from the ordinary bodice-ripping romance novel, except there aren't any lusty pirates swashbuckling around. It does contain the usual plot twists, suspense, mystery, and there is a creep-factor.
You'll definitely know it's fantasy when you read, though. After all, how many men do you know who would willingly have sex with one woman when there are other men present? In the bed? How many would willingly share the only woman in their lives with other men, and not feel threatened? Except for Richard, who wants Anita to himself, but that ain't gonna happen any time soon. How many women (realistically) would truthfully have all these hot guys at their disposal any time of night or day?
Well, I did say you'd find the novels in science fiction/fantasy, didn't I? Oh, I guess I did.
Hamilton has another series she pens, with the main character being a fairy named Meredith Gentry. I picked up #2 in this set, and here's the first couple of sentences:
"Moonlight silvered the room, painting the bed in a hundred shades of grey, white, and black. The two men in the bed were deeply asleep. So deeply that when I crawled out from between them, they barely stirred.."(page 1, 'A Caress of Twilight').
Yikes. I guess this series will likely be more about the sex than about . . . plot? Otherworldly realms? I don't know - I haven't gotten past the first paragraph yet.
I'll let you know if I do.
The Blake & Gentry series are definitely an escape from ordinary life, and if you like your romance spiced with lots of heavy breathing and a dash of supernatural fantasy and suspense, then you'll probably enjoy reading Hamilton's novels.
I'd give them 3 preternatural neck bites out of 5. You can choose which creature bites you. Just be sure your tetenus vaccine is current.
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