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Title: Living Dead in Dallas (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 2)
ISBN: 0441009239
Author:
Charlaine Harris
Publicate Date: 2002-03-26
Publish: 2002-03-26
List Price: $7.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Mass Market Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.89
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.85
Amazon Merchant Price: $7.99
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| Customer Review: |
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1: I'd like my time (and money) back, please.
After hearing much praise being heaped on the author and this series, and being a fan of the earlier Anita Blake novels, I decided to give this book a try. Bad mistake on my part.
I'm not sure what other reviewers have seen in this book, but I found it poorly written, utterly unimpressive and Charlaine's prose a little ... odd. (Perhaps a too-charitable word for dialogue like ... "I don't have enough experience with the different characteristics of the many strains of Asians to tell you where he came from originally." Like, wow. Strains of viruses, sure. But Asians?)
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2: A Slow Southern Simmering Boil
(4.5 stars) A girlfriend turned me onto these books and I absolutely loved the first! The idea of vampires going "mainstream" and seeking a publicly acknowledged place in the world seemed so unique, and it's all told through the eyes of a sassy little Louisiana waitress named Sookie, who happens to have the gift of reading other people's minds. It's a wonderfully fun concept and Charlaine Harris does a great job of storytelling.
I had a little trouble getting into "Living Dead in Dallas" because one of my favorite supporting characters was found murdered in the first few pages. But once I decided to take the ride, I buckled up with Sookie and went on the hunt for the murderer.
The story veers mightily from that first mystery since Sookie gets swept up in vampire politics, not to mention having her life threatened by a mystical creature in the woods. Once she hits Dallas, though, the story zooms! I was so caught up in the suspense that I expected the book to end mid-way through, but then I remembered that she had to go back to Bon Temps, Louisiana to solve the first mystery that had started the whole thing! Once back home, Sookie asks the head vampire Eric to help her do some under-cover work to find her coworker's murderer. Well, let me tell you, read carefully through here because I almost missed who did it! But boy, what a BIG FINISH! A bit gory and shellshocky, but it is a novel of both "horror and humor" after all. Can't wait to read the next one!
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3: gave it a second chance
I read the first book of this popular series several years ago, but was underwhelmed. But so many people who usually share my reading tastes love this series, that I thought I'd give the series a second chance.
Sookie Stackhouse is a telepathic cocktail waitress. There's a lot going on in this book. Her friend and coworker is murdered; she's sent to Dallas to help solve the disappearance of a vampire (by telepathically reading the human witnesses); she's attacked by a maenad with a message for the local vampire boss; she's imprisoned by a group of anti-vampire fanatics; befriends some shapeshifters; and attends a kinky sex party.
The politics of the various preternatural communities was interesting, and I enjoyed the intrigue and solving the mysteries, but there was just too much unrelated stuff going on. I'd have liked it better if the various threads connected more, or if a couple of them were saved for the next book.
More than that, though, is that I wasn't really involved in the story--it was interesting, from a distance. That's it: I was as interested in the book itself as I would have been if someone had simply related the plot to me. In other words, I didn't connect with the characters.
Some of that is because of the character of Sookie herself. I don't like her. She seems kind of dumb, and proud of being dumb, and in addition to that, she's self-pitying. On top of that, she's opinionated and bossy.
But at least I gave the series another shot. I won't be looking for the next book--I've got too much in the TBR pile and on the must-buy list as it is.
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4: Sookie gets more Dallas "nightlife" than she bargains for
Sookie, telepathic Louisiana barmaid dating Vampire Bill and first seen in Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse), has a really bad day at work when she discovers a murdered coworker in Merlotte's parking lot. Then, an angry maenad turns her into a human messageboard for Eric, ancient Viking vampire, almost killing her in the process. Sookie and Bill are then assigned to work with the Dallas vampires. A member of their nest has gone missing, and there are strong suspicions that kidnapping and treason are at play.
Sookie, a lifelong telepath, is gradually coming to grips with acknowledging her "disability" and uses it to a greater effect in this book. Harris's descriptions of Sookie's abilities are fascinating. Unfortunately, Sookie's hot romance with the undead Bill goes from sizzle to fizzle for a large part of the book. Sookie's faithfulness to Bill is tested as she is approached by her shapeshifting boss Sam, the gorgeous vampire elder Eric, and a Bill who seems to have left her for Portia Bellefleur.
The second book in the Southern Vampires series, this one seemed more disjointed and held less erotic thrills than the first. There are at least two major stories happening, but one is largely ignored until the last chapter or two, and it felt out of place, as though it should have been developed into a separate book. There are also several improbable shootouts and run-ins with crazy cults (one plot point in particular mirrored vampire detective show Blood Ties episode Heart of Fire almost point-by-point). Also, Sookie frequently states that she is "uneducated," but at times her character comes off sounding like a university professor, implausible given her background.
It was still an enjoyable read, but lacked some of the magic of Dead Until Dark, where Harris explored in greater detail her brand of vampire lore, shapeshifters, and vampire culture. Living Dead In Dallas seemed designed to shock rather than titillate; there were numerous graphic sex scenes, near-rape, and several violent scenes. I didn't enjoy it as much as Dead Until Dark, but at least it was entertaining in parts (and set in my state of Texas!).
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5: Loved it!
This book was so much better than the first one. I began to really care about the characters in this installment and Sookie didn't seem as detached (emotionally) when upsetting events happened. Her mind reading skills have been sharpened. The mystery was also more exciting in this book than the last one and I loved the introduction of the Fellowship. The story lay out did seem a little strange however-in the beginning we are introduced to one mystery - the resolution of which is thrown in at the end of the book - and the middle of the book consists of a completely different story line. But all in all it was very entertaining and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
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