Monday, July 9, 2007

Dead Until Dark

Charlaine Harris introduces the world to a new reality with Dead Until Dark. The first of the Southern Vampire series, Ms. Harris tells us about how Vampires have always been all around us, but thanks to a Japanese creation of synthetic blood now they can come out of the coffin, so to speak. With that one detail readers are whisked away into the world of Sookie Stackhouse and the small town of Bon Temps, LA.



With the first novel of a series a writer has to throw a lot of information at readers while still gaining their attention and interest in the characters. Setting up a environment, a world so similar to the "real world" with only one or two differences could be glossed over, but that's not what happens. Instead readers are shown (instead of just told) the dangers to both vampires and humans. Along the way you meet Bill the Vampire, Sam Merlote - Sookie's boss and occasional star of fantasies, her womanizing brother Jason, and a cast of characters that you enjoy visiting in other books in the series. Sookie is a reluctant sleuth, but she is a brave one. She sets out to figure out who's causing a series of murders in Bon Temps with only the smallest hesitation. Her humor and outlook on life are fun additions to the story and will keep you coming back to the series.



Two books down, thirteen more to go before September 1st.

2 comments:

www.yestoknow.com said...

This was such a long, hot summer here in North Carolina that a friend of mine referred to all of us as Southern Vampires as we blocked out the sun with shades pulled and only begun to stir at night after the sun went down...I can't wait to tell her about this book series. Thanks!
Tony
yestoknow.com

Chauna Wall said...

There is a dark side to all the sun we get here and if you can look beyond the pastels and pink you'll find us southern vampires in the midst. Tony referred me to your site and I look forward to reading your series.

Another link you may find interesting is www.unknownhinson.com. "Transylvannia meets Nashville" or what I coined as gothabilly.
Let me know what you think!
dancinbarefoot@blogspot