[Waycos]

Has anyone read any of her book series? I just read a collection of her short stories, 'Strange Candy' and liked a few of them. The story with people running from cupids, Captain Housework, and the one of a normal woman marrying into a family of powerful wizards all had nice little twists, but "Here be Dragons" was great, and best described by the words of an editor that turned down the story, "after reading this, I felt unclean". I'd love to read some of her stuff if it's the same style. But the short stories that involved her characters from her book series (Anita Vampire Hunter) and her fantasy series were all a bit cheesy. the only story set in those worlds that I liked was the one set in the Anita series of a real estate agent, trying to sell a house in a world of demons, werewolves, and vampires, and the issues she must deal with. So does anyone know?

[Deadboy]

she has a created a great world and the 1st couple of the Anita Blake novels are great
then she turns rather blatantly to pronz novella's ..same world ..same characters ..just now its bang this and suck that .

which you know ..I am male ..I cant say its ..umm Terrible. but it seems a shame to take a very inventive world and make it a background for ..whats the term .. bodice rippers ?

anyway do yourself a favor get your significant other hooked on em .. then be somewhere nearby when they are reading them.

ps.
her other series is even quicker on the ..umm draw.

spoiler warning down below ..avert your eyes all who dont wanna know the "whole plot" "_)










whole plot = whoever gets pregnant 1st wins.
or ..If It Moves F_ck It.

[Waycos]

ehh.. I'll save my money then.

[Scarlet Speedster]

So after reading the little write up on Penny Arcade the other day about Anita Blake I just had to ask:

REALLY?

In case you are wondering, an excerpt:

Yes, it's a real series.

Presented here, without comment, are real things from the Wiki synopsis of same. They are real. Technically I think that makes these spoilers, but I hope that exposing you to small, inert portions of the series is something like an immunization. Imagine that each note presented here has a toothpick in it, and should be eaten in a single bite.

In the tenth book, Narcissus In Chains, Anita "develops the ardeur, a rare power seen only in vampires of Jean-Claude's bloodline, after Jean-Claude used it to "feed" through her. Although this power allows Anita to draw energy from lust, it also requires her to have sex multiple times per day, at least in its early stages."

Also in book ten, it's crucial to note that Anita "accepts ... her romantic relationship with Richard is finally over. She is still the Lupa of the Thronos Rokke clan, but also becomes its Bolverk."

A blood test at the end of book thirteen reveals that "whilst she is not a lycanthrope, she is a carrier of at least four types of the lycanthropy virus: wolf, leopard, lion, and one so far unidentified but potentially tiger."

In book fifteen, "Anita also leaves her former allies, the werelions, to potential death. At a point where Anita and many of her other allies were injured, she asks to have sex with the werelion Rex Joseph so that she could gain the power to heal without the Munin. The Rex refused because he is married and values being faithful to his wife. Also there were rumors spread about Anita by the lions she refused because they weren't powerful enough for her inner lion."

I always just assumed it was the kind of cliche, genre fiction that genre fans eat up because the majority have no taste. After reading that though, I may have to re-evaluate that opinion. This is something far worse, and far more pathetic.

[ForgottenCode]

Initially the series was alright. The first eh, maybe 3-4 books. After that, it became an all out Mary Sue sort of thing... and lost me as a fan. I read somewhere that all of the men in the books are based on people in LKH's life, and I guess she's screwing them through Anita. *shrugs*.

[Scarlet Speedster]

Maybe she's just doing it for the paychecks now, but I can't help but read those little tidbits and have extreme doubt of anything resembling talent coming from the same person.

[Deadboy]

she was really a pretty good author IMHO
and even if you can read around the pron there is a pretty good world there.

I really wish she would do another series in the Anita Blake world with a great deal less pron. and more story.

[Cuban_Baby]

You wouldn't happen to have a list of the titles of her books do you? I've been intested in them, but I haven't found a comprehensive list.

[KattenyaJen]

Only read the Anita Blake series (*sigh* yes I own most of them, up until the last few... Narcissus in Chains was the last one I really liked before yep, it started getting more and more revolved around sex than anything... But still. Laurell is one of my favorites....)

Guilty Pleasures
The Laughing Corpse
Circus of the Damned
The Lunatic Cafe
Bloody Bones
The Killing Dance
Burnt Offerings
Blue Moon
Obsidian Butterfly
Narcissus in Chains
Cerulean Sins
Incubus Dreams
Micah
Danse Macabre
The Harlequin
Blood Noir


I only have up to Micah, but don't know where almost any of them are. (friends pick them up and start reading, borrow, and don't return.)

Narcissus in Chains is what got me first hooked on her, but another favorite is Obsidian Butterfly.

Those also happen to be the only two I still have... So that could contribute to their favoritism.

But as I said, after Anita gets the ardeur, well, it really does start seeming more like prenatural literotica more than an actual story... *Sad*

But eh, I used to read harlequin and silhouette books all the time so I'll most likely still end up reading the last few....


her website:

http://www.laurellkh....org/index.html

This post has been edited by KattenyaJen: 09 June 2008 - 03:52 PM

[Cuban_Baby]

I'd read some excerpts, and I was really interested. Thanks for the list!

[KattenyaJen]

no problem, and its entirely possible you may like the kushiel's legacy series by Jaqueline Carey as well. Tis my other favorite.

Only read the first 4 books I believe, mainly the first 3, but still.

Intrigue, war, sex, love, power plays, emotion, and beautiful descriptions....

Kushiel's Dart
Kushiel's Chosen
Kushiel's Avatar
Kushiel's Scion
Kushiel's Justice
Kushiel's Mercy (coming sometime this year, unless its already out)

have yet to read the last two...

[Jaenne]

These books are based off of her life, for the most part. When she got rid of her husband, the main male love interest trained. Basically, like FC said, these books are Mary Sues. Read the first few, up to about Blue Moon and you'll be fine. She went down hill after that. I read a lot, so I feel like I have a good range on books, but her stuff has completely fallen out with what I like. Everything she writes now is like, "SEX!!!!" and poorly written sex at that. I've read better fanfiction than what she writes now.

In short: Read up to Blue Moon (maybe even just to Burnt Offerings) then pass these books up for a better series.

Kim Harrison's books have many of the same elements... and don't suck. Give them a try if you want books in a unique world.

[Waycos]

It's a shame, I think I mentioned based on the short stories she had some interesting idea's. The "Dragon" story being the best but even the Real Estate agent in the Anita Blake world was a pretty funny/interesting concept. I'll have to look up the Kim Harrison stuff.

[Phail]

I too really liked the books, especially the early ones with lots of death and gore and Edward. I realized I needed to stop reading her stuff when I bought the Dance Macabre book (the only one I actually own, the others being text files on my old fried computer), and not only was there more sex than plot development, but not a single person got shot, bleed profusely, or died. Hell, all they did was screw.

If you want a better version of what is generally the same kind of world, read the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. I enjoy his stuff much more, and they aren't porn!