daedelys -
I thought that this was a pretty good story. I had actually started watching the series first (even though I've had the first 6 of these books on my shelf for well over a year now--what can I say, lots of books to read! ;P) but figured I'd better get in gear because I HAD to know what was going to happen (generally) in the show and I have little to no patience sometimes. :) I actually like that I had seen a few episodes first because it made it a lot easier to visualize what the characters looked like and such since the author does a mediocre job of describing everyone and I just feel the characters are a little under-developed. (I guess I love those authors who tell you the littlest twitch someone has so you can see what they're doing in your head.)
It's a light read but will probably disappoint those into the darker vamp books, especially since parts of it remind me of series by other authors that have been out longer. The story does get better as it goes on, which could be a result of the author becoming more comfortable with her characters and such, but it did start out a bit slow.
It's a light read but will probably disappoint those into the darker vamp books, especially since parts of it remind me of series by other authors that have been out longer. The story does get better as it goes on, which could be a result of the author becoming more comfortable with her characters and such, but it did start out a bit slow.
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
There's honestly nothing exceptionally literary about DEAD UNTIL DARK: it reads like many other poorly written pulp fiction mystery series. What makes it so popular, however, is its appeal to the secret dark sides of ourselves--the part of our minds that longs to read about vampires, stalker-like brooding male love interests, and heaps of lust and romance.
The characters are rather unbelievable in their predicaments, static until they are suddenly declared in a particular state of mind for the sake of plot and entertainment. There is an uneven development of romantic interest between Sookie and Bill, and much is left unexplained in Sookie's relationships with various people in her life.
However, I enjoyed DEAD UNTIL DARK much the same way I enjoy stupid, brain-numbing movies about characters I'll never be able to empathize with: because I can't relate to them, and instead am able to sit back and observe them through a microscope without their being able to object. I didn't feel close to any of the characters, and so I was able to secretly enjoy their dramas and love triangles and whirlwind emotions. And when you think about it that way, it's actually quite an enjoyable story. Despite the lackluster writing, I was unable to put it down, and had to read it straight through.
Definitely not quality vampire literature--turn to authors like Richelle Mead for that--but as pleasurable as watching MTV with a bowl of the most fattening ice cream in your lap.
The characters are rather unbelievable in their predicaments, static until they are suddenly declared in a particular state of mind for the sake of plot and entertainment. There is an uneven development of romantic interest between Sookie and Bill, and much is left unexplained in Sookie's relationships with various people in her life.
However, I enjoyed DEAD UNTIL DARK much the same way I enjoy stupid, brain-numbing movies about characters I'll never be able to empathize with: because I can't relate to them, and instead am able to sit back and observe them through a microscope without their being able to object. I didn't feel close to any of the characters, and so I was able to secretly enjoy their dramas and love triangles and whirlwind emotions. And when you think about it that way, it's actually quite an enjoyable story. Despite the lackluster writing, I was unable to put it down, and had to read it straight through.
Definitely not quality vampire literature--turn to authors like Richelle Mead for that--but as pleasurable as watching MTV with a bowl of the most fattening ice cream in your lap.
Nicole R. (Tumbleweed) -
I loved this book. It was my first sookie book and I was thrunit in less than 2 days!
