Retro Review: Succubus in the City (2008)

Nina Harper

Piatkus (2008)

ISBN: 978 0 7499 2922 0

With paranormal fiction all the rage, it’s no wonder that authors decide it’s a good idea to cross fandoms. Well, kind of. Succubus in the City is pretty much Sex in the City, with demons. Much of the book is given over to discussions of how wonderful it is to be young and good-looking in New York City, particularly if you’re a demon, and happen to be one of Satan’s best friends, and while this works to a certain extent, I wanted to see more story than setting, and was left wanting in the end.

Lily, our main character, is one of Satan’s favourite girls, a succubus whose only duty is to have sex with men of sin (just about anyone really) and send them to hell. However, for whatever reason, Satan’s minions also hold down day jobs – in Lily’s case, a prime position with a fashion magazine – and not only do their paranormal duties, but work in the real world as well. Sure, there’s perks to both jobs, but really? Why would several thousand year old demons want to work two jobs? I’m pretty sure it was for the shoes, but I digress. Lily’s many centuries of sex working have finally waned in their appeal, and she now yearns for the love and companionship of a human man, and a “real life” along with it. Unfortunately for her, the details of her contract with Satan mean that she can only be released from service if someone who knows her true nature truly loves her. Not likely, right?

Lily and her girlfriends find themselves embroiled in a situation where it seems their demon natures will be exposed, and Lily is set to work to find out where the situation stems from. Amongst it all, she meets private investigator Nathan Coleman, and Lily begins to fantasise about a possible true love. But Nathan may not be everything he appears, and Lily must discover the truth about his background, and about how much he really knows.

I’m not a fan of Sex in the City – I don’t think I’ve even seen one full episode of the show, and that may be why Succubus in the City really didn’t appeal to me. The endless name dropping of places and brands, and the motions associated with shopping and eating out filled up more of the book than the core of the story itself, to the point where I was left completely unsatisfied by the ending. The book is marketed as a standalone novel (no mention of series anywhere on the cover or endpapers), but the story is incomplete and thus must be part of a series, which is frustrating for the reader. However, others may enjoy the character of New York, and if you’re looking for something more chick lit than paranormal, this might suit you.

Retro Review: The Blue Bloods

Melissa de la Cruz

Books 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Blue Bloods series

Blue Bloods

Masquerade

Revelations

The Van Alen Legacy

(all published in Australia in 2010 by Atom)

In Melissa de la Cruz’s world, vampires are the “Blue Bloods” of high society. Reincarnated by a blood creation process, only 400 vampires exist, not always at the same time, and they are part of a complex Heaven and fallen angels scenario from millennia past. Two are even archangels, who descended by choice to watch over those who fell. Cruz has at the heart of her story the young Blue Bloods of this generation, who are maturing, recovering their memories of previous lives, and re-discovering their powers. Mimi and Jack Force, rich, gorgeous and powerful, are two of the next generation Blue Bloods, but there are others, and some of them, like Schuyler Van Alen, are different to those who came before.

Blue Bloods, the first book of the series, introduces us to a world of the super rich elite, peopled by vampires who call themselves Blue Bloods. While these vampires do require human (Red Blood) blood, they generally don’t terrorise or kill them, living hidden in plain sight as the rich and famous of their world. Schuyler Van Alen is part of this world, but feels isolated from it – her family’s fortunes have waned over the decades, which means while Schuyler is still schooled at the elite Duchesne school, she doesn’t command the respect of her wealthier peers and doesn’t try to fit in. When a student is killed however, Schuyler finds out she is more a part of the elite crowd than she could ever have imagined. With an unknown threat to all the young vampires, Schuyler finds herself at the heart of the hunt for the murderer, and on the front line of danger.

This first book sets up a somewhat different vampire scenario. The vaguely defined incarnation process is fairly mystical and while it makes sense in terms of how Cruz discusses it, the actual mechanics are pretty hazy, and Cruz often strays from her premise in terms of characterisation, which can be frustrating. And while this premise is distinct from the usual angsty teen vamp fare, the set up for the series itself is not unique – the Vampire Beach series by Alex Duval is a very similar set up, with vampires that exist as the top echelon of society, who quite happily live in the sun and who co-exist relatively peacefully with humans.

Possible SPOILERS for books 2-4 follow!

In Masquerade, Schuyler is desperately trying to find her grandfather, missing for decades, after her grandmother was killed by the Silver Blood. The Committee still have their heads in the sand, refusing to believe the Silver Blood has returned, so Schuyler, accompanied only by her human friend and Conduit, Oliver, is in Venice on her hunt. The mystery of her mother’s condition, alongside the uncertainty of her feelings for Oliver and Jack, and her concern over the ongoing Silver Blood threat, teases out threads of storyline that both continue from the first book and lead further into the next.

The third book, Revelations, finds Schuyler even more deeply involved in her relationships with both Jack and Oliver. Her new friendship with Bliss has seen her pitted even further against Mimi, who is at once jealous and dismissive of Schuyler. With her grandfather, Lawrence, out of the country on Committee business, and Schuyler trapped under the control of Mimi and Jack’s father, Charles Force, events charge along, and danger is ever present, in many different forms.

None of the books so far are completely self-contained – events continue from one book to the next, and while each has a big climactic event at the end, resolution is seldom the outcome. In an unusual move for this type of series, book four, The Van Alen Legacy, opens twelve months after the events of Revelations. Schuyler and Oliver are in France, on the run from what’s left of the Committee, who think Schuyler is responsible for the death of her grandfather. We also get a far more intimate point of view from both Bliss and Mimi, who have had their own life changes in the twelve months since the narrative left off. This book really finishes off the story arc, although there’s certainly room for more books to follow. I felt there were some continuity issues in this book, but nothing that couldn’t be glossed over without much thought. The resolution of the storyline was rather satisfying, and felt worth the time investment of the four books.

As I mentioned earlier, Cruz seems to stray somewhat from the premise she has established of how her vampires exist at times. This can get kind of creepy, particularly the incestuous nature of some of the relationships, which impacted on my enjoyment of the story – the “ew” factor tends to do that! It is explained, but it’s still icky, and having finished the first four books, I still can’t really find a reason that it has to be that way. Perhaps it’s supposed to increase the relationship tensions, but it doesn’t need to be included for the tension to be heightened. It may not impact the reading of others as it did me, but it was one aspect that consistently dropped me out of the story with the need for a brain-clean!

Having said that, I was surprised how quickly I powered through these four books – while I might complain about the lack of autonomy of each book, it did mean I picked up the next book immediately on finishing the one before, because I found myself invested in the characters. I think there are some faults with the writing and way the premise is presented, but it is still fairly compelling reading! The Blue Bloods series is presumably aimed at young adults (very little, if any, swearing, sex scenes are pretty much fade to black and few and far between, violence is not too graphic) although the incest aspect may turn some libraries off. A solid read though, and one of the more attention catching additions to the genre I’ve read.

Retro Review: The Southern Vampire Mysteries #6, #7, #9, #10, #11, #12

Definitely Dead

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2006)

ISBN:9780575078918

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #6

Vampires, werewolves, witches, kidnapping, murder and a sassy heroine. Hmmmm, sound familiar? Perhaps, but while supernatural romances and vampire hunters/detectives/lovers seem to be a dime a dozen these days, that doesn’t stop them from being both entertaining and a fun read.

Definitely Dead is Charlaine Harris’s sixth novel adventure with protagonist Sookie Stackhouse at the helm, although Sookie (and the world Harris has created) has appeared in short fiction as well. I have not read any of the previous Sookie novels, although I have encountered her in the short form. For the sixth in a series, Definitely Dead is possibly a little overcrowded with characters. Some clearly have a backstory and others may be setting up for future adventures, but the overall effect is just a tad confusing.

Harris diverges somewhat from the norm in these types of stories in that while Sookie is not your average human (she can read minds – not vampires though), her brother is a shapeshifter and she consorts with all manner of supernatural creatures, she is not a superhero. She is, in fact, a barmaid. In a small town. Not your usual heroine in these sorts of books.

Comparisons to high profile authors in the genre are inevitable, but Harris stands up well. The plot is sound, if a little meandering at times, and the Sookie character has solid depths. There is a sexual undertone to some of the novel, but it is not overt, nor does it take over the story as sometimes seems to happen in other supernatural adventure/romances.

I do have a couple of complaints. As previously noted, there seem to be too many characters in play for the scope of the story, and many feel quite superfluous; the author seems to try a little too hard for some of the characterization (the character of Quinn, for example, is quite blank to me, because he seems like somewhat of an amalgam); and some subplots seemed completely unnecessary. To illustrate the point, in the first part of the novel, Sookie assists in the search for a schoolboy, and finds him using her mind reading talent. While this serves to demonstrate her unusual power and its negative effect on her life, the interlude itself leant nothing to the main plot, and felt almost tacked on, fluffing or padding to expand the word count. The same demonstration could easily have been given with a similar event that actually moved the story forward, with much greater impact and less intrusiveness.

Overall however, Definitely Dead is not a bad read if you like this genre. It doesn’t quite have the power and breadth of Anita Blake (Laurell K Hamilton), the fun of Riley Jensen (Keri Arthur), or the grit of Jaz Parks (Jennifer Rardin), but it is a nice addition to the trope nonetheless. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for the next one (and the previous ones too!).

All Together Dead

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2007)

ISBN: 9780575083912

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #7

All Together Dead continues the ongoing adventures of psychic sensitive barmaid Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie has come up in the paranormal world somewhat in recent times, and is now acting as an advisor to the vampire queen Sophie-Anne, in delicate dealings among the vampire rulers. Twining into the story real world events like Hurricane Katrina, and its effects on the vampire world’s economics, Harris pulls us into the twisted politics of the supernatural inhabitants of her world, and explores challenging issues such as domestic terrorism, all within the confines of a well-paced and clever read.

I enjoyed this book much more than the previous in the series. The massive cast seemed more manageable in this one, and I wasn’t constantly grasping around for information on yet another character. However, it was very interesting to see that Harris was not afraid to dramatically dispose of key players in the story in ways the reader does not see coming – that’s one way to reduce your growing character list!

The plot was tighter and more believable, within the strictures of the supernatural, and I enjoyed the evolving relationships between Sookie (and I need to add that this ridiculous name is one of my main complaints about this series!) and her men. Having said that, some of the plot devices felt a little contrived and it wasn’t always possible to completely immerse in the story. I thought the planting of the baggage and coffins was particularly contrived and obvious, but in the overall scheme, it was a minor niggle.

Harris has carved her niche in the plethora of paranormal series writing, with a strong heroine who is coping as best she can with her own abilities and the interest they create with her supernatural neighbours. I’ve found the Sookie Stackhouse stories (both short and long form) to be a little uneven in quality, but All Together Dead holds up very well against the current crop of paranormals. It’s not ideal to read without knowledge of the prior books, but once the book gets into the action, it can stand. Harris deserves consideration by readers of the genre, and fans of Hamilton, Briggs, Kessler and the like will be pleased they picked up the book.

Dead and Gone 

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2009)

ISBN: 978 0575 085510

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #9

It was a surreal experience, reading Dead and Gone after inhaling almost two full seasons of the television series True Blood, which is based on these Sookie Stackhouse books. I’ve never been a huge fan of the Sookie books, although I’ve now worked my way through them all, but I’m in absolute lust with True Blood, and I wondered how this would affect my enjoyment of the latest book.

From an objective standpoint, I think this is better than the previous book, and if I’d reread some of the earlier ones instead of this book, perhaps my interest would have been stronger. But with the events of the books having moved so far on from those depicted in the show, particularly in terms of characters and relationships, it had no positive impact on my reading. The ever changing “politics” and relationships in the series gets a bit tiresome – can’t poor Sookie just enjoy one relationship? Having said that, this book does have a pretty decent plot though, and I enjoyed reading it.

In Dead and Gone, the weres follow the lead of the vampires and “come out” as a supernatural race. What follows is a series of hate crimes against them, and Sookie finds herself caught up in a murder investigation. But hate crimes are the least of her problems, as Sookie’s own supernatural heritage sees her become a target for an even more powerful race – Fairy.

There was nothing wrong with this book as far as it goes – Harris writes a decent crime mystery, and her characters are generally interesting to read. My biggest issues with these books are the same as those I have with almost every long running series and are problems apparently inherent to paranormal fantasy. These are a) the cast of thousands that continues to grow in each subsequent story, and b) the ever changing powers of the characters and “rules” of the world. I find it very frustrating when characters’ powers amazingly grow in relation to whatever threat they currently face, and even more frustrating when established conventions of the world building are tossed out the door when it suits the author’s purpose.

It’s equally annoying, even as a series reader, when favourite characters are relegated to minor roles to allow for new “heroes” and when every single supporting character from the entire series seems to make a (usually unnecessary) appearance. Perhaps this is just a personal bugbear of mine, but these things detract from the plot in my opinion, and consequently knock me out of the story.

In the long run though, Dead and Gone is another good instalment in a clearly popular series, and long time fans will no doubt enjoy it. I would not recommend this book as a starting point for new readers – the beginning is the best place to start with Sookie.

Dead in the Family 

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2010)

ISBN: 978-0-575-08933-4

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #10

There are some series that really should end. I have enjoyed reading Sookie for a number of years, and I love the TV adaptation True Blood, but sadly, Sookie has jumped the shark. I’m pretty sure this occurred as soon as the fairy storyline was introduced, but regardless of when it happened, I wish Harris would gracefully retire her telepathic Southern Belle and her massive cast and move on to fresh pasture.

Sookie’s life is more complicated than ever, with her fairy cousin Claude insisting on moving in, her vampire boyfriend Eric having trouble with his sire, and the werewolves of Shreveport asking for favours. Add to that Sookie’s ex, Bill, needing help and the general malarkey that goes on in Bon Temps, Louisiana, and this book is packed with “stuff” happening.

The main problem I have with this book is that there is not a lot of cohesion to the plot. In addition, the characterisation of the main players has changed so significantly from the original outlines we met in the first books that they no longer have the appeal they once did. If the writing was tight and the story compelling, this wouldn’t really be an issue, but there’s very little suspense in the book, which means it’s easy to put down and hard to pick back up.

I also found that there was a significant piece of story missing. After the events of the previous book, Sookie was left very traumatised and understandably reluctant in terms of sexual relations. This changes in Dead in the Family, but the reasons are vague. If I hadn’t read the recent A Touch of Dead anthology of Sookie stories, in particular the disturbing story “Gift Wrap”, I would have had no idea about the reason for Sookie’s changing feelings. I think this is a major failing of the novel, and is unfair to readers who haven’t read the anthology. It might be a minor part of the story, but I don’t think it’s a good thing for authors to rely on readers having managed to get their hands on every other story and book they’ve written!

In all, Dead in the Family is readable, as Charlaine Harris always is, but I’m over the Sookie stories and the lack of driving plot. Fans of the series and the show will no doubt continue to want more, but I wouldn’t be going out of my way to read further.

Dead Reckoning

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2011)

ISBN: 978 0 575 09653 0

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #11

Mindreading human (sort of) Sookie Stackhouse is a magnet for trouble of the supernatural kind. Not only is her boyfriend a vampire, but she has all sorts of shapeshifters, fairies and other magical creatures harassing her regularly. It’s not just the supes though, because Sookie’s made some human enemies along the way as well, which never helps. This time, the action gets started when Sookie’s workplace, the bar of shapeshifter Sam Merlotte, is firebombed. Sookie mostly escapes injury, although that doesn’t stop vampire Eric Northam from insisting she get looked at by a hairdresser – yes, you read that right – providing a convenient introduction to the main story involving Eric and his “child” Pam. The book then lurches from plot point to plot point, labouring along without any real engagement of character or story before “climaxing” in the hurried and open-ended sort of way that has become the norm for this series.

If I sound a little cynical about the storyline of Dead Reckoning, that’s because I am. This series has undergone a revival in popularity thanks to the HBO television series adaption True Blood but unfortunately, it feels like Harris really should have wound it up by now. The books are quite long but very little forward momentum has been achieved in the past several novels. Sookie seems stagnant, and while Harris continues to throw new roadblocks in her path to happiness, there is little resolution of any kind, which makes the books seem kind of pointless.

It’s not all bad – while the story was fairly slow, I did enjoy the sections where Sookie was acting as auntie to her cousin Hadley’s son (who has inherited Sookie’s own mind powers). This was a return to the strong relationships that helped make Harris so popular with the early novels. I was disappointed in the portrayal of Pam in the book though – she came across as such a weak character, when she’s always been smart, powerful and funny in the past. It seemed Harris was trying to show a softer side of Pam, but instead cut her fangs out, destroying what made her so much fun to read in the first place.

I know that Harris has a million fans who wait anxiously for each new instalment of the Sookie books, but sadly for me, this series jumped the shark a while back, pretty much when Harris introduced the fairy plotline. As with many such long running series’, profit and popularity have taken precedence over production and plot – Sookie, her cast of thousands, and the ever shifting sands on which they stalk should be retired to make way for new, fresher worlds, but while they still make money, it’s unlikely to happen.

Deadlocked

Charlaine Harris

Gollancz (2012)

ISBN: 978-0-575-09658-5

The Southern Vampire Mysteries #12

For me, the Sookie books are a bit of fairy floss; they are easy to digest, comfort reads that don’t ask too much of me, intellectually, and sometimes give a bit of sustenance (did my metaphor get lost? Ah well.) I have to say, I get a bit annoyed with the over the top-ness of them at times – I liked Sookie far more in the early books, when she wasn’t so embroiled, enamoured and empowered (by that, I mean empowered with supernatural power, not empowered as a woman, because that’s always been one of the GOOD things about her!). I keep reading the Sookie books, but I don’t adore them.

Deadlocked sees Sookie adjusting to the fact that all her friends are settling down, and still trying to come to grips with her relationship with Eric, and the other supernaturals around her. When an unexpected visit from the vampire King of Louisiana, Nevada and Arkansas ends in the death of an unknown girl, Sookie finds herself once again in the middle of a murder investigation, while at the same time dealing with her boss’s psycho girlfriend who wants to kill her, a bunch of displaced fairies who are struggling to find a place in the human world, and a rival for Eric’s affections. Just another day in Bon Temps really.

Once again, the thing I most take away from a Charlaine Harris book is the sense that the writer’s pacing is terribly off. So much of the novel is really quite plodding, then in the last couple of chapters, everything happens! I would prefer to see more plot progression throughout the story. However, this one had me close to tears a couple of times, which earned extra points.

I do wonder when Harris will decide to call it a day on Sookie. With the success of the True Blood series, which deviates quite significantly from the book series, and which is frequently a lot more exciting these days, surely the demand for new Sookie books can be pushed back, particularly as the cast of thousands has become so unwieldy, generally cluttering up and slowing down the flow of the story. I’m sure the income from each new book is nothing to be sneezed at, such is their popularity, but I wish Harris would wrap up in Bon Temps and move on to something fresh – because really, nothing ever changes here.

Retro Review: The Darkest Kiss / Moon Sworn

Keri Arthur

Piatkus (2008)

ISBN: 978 0749939250

Riley Jenson #6

There is a danger with an ongoing series that the magic of the earlier books will wear thin; the combination of characters and situations will become stale; the author will start to stretch the friendship with more and more outlandish and unbelievable events. Luckily, although The Darkest Kiss is the sixth book in the Riley Jenson Guardian sequence, Keri Arthur has not yet run out of fairy dust to sprinkle through the pages.

While Arthur follows somewhat down the path beaten by fellow paranormal author Laurell K Hamilton in amping up the sexual situations as the books progress, at the same time this author amps up the suspense and crime-solving aspects as well, nicely balancing the “otherness” of the story with a solid detective yarn.

For those who came late, Riley Jenson is a rare half breed in a world where the supernatural exist among us. She and her twin brother, Rhoan, are half vampire and half werewolf, a combination that gives them unusual powers. These powers assist them in their jobs as officers for the Directorate of Other Races, which often means acting as sanctioned assassins of rogue supernatural entities. Added to her natural talents, Riley was previously subjected to experimental drugs that caused emerging changes in her abilities and physiology, changes that no one can predict an outcome for. Riley is unique, even among supernatural creatures, and this uniqueness has its own costs.

Central to the strength of the novel is the rich characterization and pacy plot. Although Riley is growing in power and becoming more comfortable in her role with the Directorate, she still struggles with the issues her changes bring with them. Arthur handles this conflict well, developing it without descending into the whiney “poor me” attitude such heroines can be inflicted with in other such novels (not mentioning any names.). Riley accepts and embraces her nature, and while she may be frustrated with the situations it places her in, including those to do with relationships, she finds ways to deal with it.

Set against a modern-day Melbourne background, Keri Arthur avoids the parochialism that sometimes invades Australian-set stories, and instead offers an insight into the city without a colonialism accompaniment, which is as it should be in today’s world!

In this sixth book we come across a number of familiar characters from the previous books as Riley tracks not one but two supernatural serial killers. Characterisations are expanded and relationships rearranged during the course of the story, while Riley continues to come to terms with her changing ability and searches for the answer to her ongoing relationship concerns.

With the multitude of paranormal crime, romance and fantasy books being published at the moment, it’s a challenge for any author to produce a novel that grabs you, pulls you close and suspends your disbelief for over 300 pages. Arthur continues to achieve this feat in her sixth Riley Jenson venture, and I continue to look forward to the next instalment.

Keri Arthur

Piatkus (2010)

ISBN: 987-0-7499-4227-4

Riley Jenson #9

 

I’ve really enjoyed the Riley Jenson series. It’s been a year or two since I’ve picked one up for some reason, but I’m really glad to have got back into these books. Riley is a great character; Arthur has managed to keep her interesting without being overpowering (literally and figuratively) and the situations the books find her in are credible and well-crafted. It’s Australian urban fantasy at its best, and holds its own against the big overseas names in this genre impressively.

In this, the ninth episode of the Riley books (and the last, I think, although apparently there will be an offshoot series), Riley is wrestling with the decision of whether to quit her death-dealing job and concentrate on her family, or continue in a role she excels at. The forthcoming birth of babies that will tighten the ties between Riley and the men in her life, the loss of her soul mate, and the harsh toll that her job takes on her body, and those around her all make her question the way she lives. Then without warning, she loses it all, and is suddenly on her own, in a way that is baffling and strange. With none of her usual support mechanisms, Riley must figure out why she suddenly feels so strange in her life, and find the way home.

Riley is a fabulous character and Keri Arthur works the characters and story beautifully, crafting a detailed and plausible plot populated by appealing people. I’m impressed with the way this series has been sustained through nine books without losing momentum or becoming overdone., no easy thing to do. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read any of Keri Arthur’s other series novels, but now that Riley has wrapped up, I’ll be looking out for alternatives!

Retro Review: Fish Out Of Water (2008)

MaryJanice Davidson

Piatkus (2008)

ISBN: 9780749909079

The Mermaid Series #3

Book 1: Swimming Without A Net
Book 2: Sleeping With The Fishes
Book 3: Fish Out Of Water

Given that I am a fan of MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead books, I was amazed to discover she had written a mermaid trilogy and I didn’t know about it! Sure, vampires are far more prevalent in the paranormal genre than mermaids, but still, you’d think someone would have told me!

Fish Out Of Water is the third and final book of the Fred the mermaid trilogy. Not having read the others didn’t really impact on my reading of this one, although I imagine my emotional investment in some of the characters and the events happening to them would have been stronger if I had read the first two.

In this book half-human, half-mermaid Fredericka Bimm, media liaison to the merfolk – who have only recently “come out” to the land-dwelling humans – struggles to balance this role with her new engagement to the undersea Prince Artur and her friendships on land. Add to this strange merfolk disappearances, her own inadequacies as an undersea citizen, and her unresolved feelings for the lothario marine biologist Thomas, and Fred has a lot on her fins.

Davidson’s writing is as flippant and engaging as always. Irreverent banter between characters is a trademark of her style, and I enjoyed the quick pace of the story very much. Davidson manages to employ a lighthearted style without telling a shallow story, and is always highly readable.

While the novel did stand up to being read out of sequence, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series (Sleeping With The Fishes and Swimming Without A Net are the first two books – there is also a novella in the anthology “Dead Over Heels”). You will get more MaryJanice Davidson fun, and the sense of character will no doubt be better too. A thoroughly enjoyable, speedy read, and a great break from fat fantasy!