Character driven with enemies from the past

I found my joy again in reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels in Dead Reckoning. As with many longer series the early books had a lot of new stuff to fascinate, then came a dip in originality and in quality. It was just more of the same. It is still more of the same but the story is more character driven which I enjoy.

Sookie and her boyfriend Eric is exploring ‘going steady’ which is a new experience for the both of them. It generates many small situations that amused me.

The fallout from the shifters revelation continues in this novel. Early on there is a firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where Sookie works. She catches a glimpse of the perpetrator before taking cover. She soon realizes that there is more to her investigation than shifter-haters.

They also have to deal with the king’s henchman Victor. He is out to get Eric and all the people around him, Sookie included. It is endearing the way Pam and Eric tries to keep Sookie out of it to ‘protect’ her. Like that ever is going to work. This is where Sookies personal journey comes into play. She has to face some hard facts about herself and her relationship before it is over and Eric is … let us say consistent.

Pam is the character I most enjoyed. She becomes more her own here.

Did I mention Bubba is back?

I liked and enjoyed this lightweight entertainment that is Southern Vampires. It is very character driven so be warned if you don’t go for that kind of thing. The plot is the weakest part, it is partly inconsistent with earlier books. I mostly enjoyed being with the characters for a while though.

There are quite a few unresolved threads for future books at the end. I hope Charlaine Harris continues on this trend but we need more plot in the next volume. I recommend Dead Reckoning to fans of True Blood and Southern Vampires if you like character driven stories.

Book Information

Dead Reckoning (True Blood 12) by Charlaine Harris (Gollancz 2011) – Amazon US | UK

With her knack for being in trouble’s way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his “child” Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows…

 

Episode 3.12 – Evil Is Going On

There is no dying in silence with these vampires. Godric comes as some help-Messiahs preaching peace and forgiveness in bad Swedish. But it is pretty cool anyway. Eric and Russell are the two most interesting vampires in this series. What are the odds on the network killing them both off? Yeah. Let’s see how they are going to solve this conundrum.

Slap number one. “You fucking betrayed me, again!”. Bill is having girlfriend trouble. “You don’t own me” she says as she walks out to save the crispy Viking. Russell has to do a “I will eat your babies” before Sookie finds her power and propels him into the building next over. She then drags Eric into the shade. And that is just before the intro.

Meanwhile in a slightly more downbeat part of town Tara is watching a Vampire Rights debate on TV. She turns it off in disgust. She then has a doormat discussion with Sam involving barking in your sleep and repression. “There is a reason I bark in the night”. “Don’t tell me you are a werewolf”. “No I am not”.”Thank God! I have enough supernatural shit in my life”. “I am a shape shifter”. Those are big eyes you have there Tara. Are your eyebrows naturally that high? First pile of bricks coming up.

Eric is suffering from a severe case of sunstroke, which I sure can happen if you spend a thousand years out of the sun and then decide to tan-up. He wants them to bring Russell inside too. Pam is crisp “Eric, do the world a favor and let that little fuck fry”.  While they guys compare fangs Sookie takes a chain and runs outside. Russell is a bit beyond well done while she drags him inside.

Sam is having trouble with his ‘girlfriend’ too. Seems she expect a guy to say he is a shape shifter before he goes to bed with her. Tara wants a reboot. I would be careful with what I wished for if I were you, girlfriend. You are from a magic family.

Mr Russell doesn’t seem fit for pole dancing but they chain him to one anyway before going down to sleep. They leave Sookie to watch over him. Bill wants to stay but she can’t stand to look in any of their sorry faces. Shoo! You creepy cold freaks.

Old lean guy is riding chief of Police Andy about their V epidemic and then a sea of DEA jackets appear just as Jason walks in. He is here to stop the raid. Andy drags him away and let it slip that they will go in today. Jason freaks and leaves to warn them.

Tara freaks and leaves Sam’s house only to have flash backs to Egg and Mott’s deaths.

Hoyt is taking his car to work but he is a bit surprised to meet mommy, Summer and his guidance councilor from school there. I am sure I would too, Hoyt. Their intervention is hilarious. Summer is reading her lines from a paper clearly prepared by his mother. Hoyt gets the last word and walks away, disinherited by his poor mother. Good for you Hoyt. I thought Summer faked it all the way but she seems distraught.

Lafayette sees Sam with bloodied hands when he unlocks the doors to Merlotte. “Cross me and you are a dead man”. Is it a precognition or is it something Sam has done before? Sams psycho brother robbed the place during the night but Sam doesn’t know that yet.

Mr Russell is complaining over the lack of service at Fangtasia but Sookie is not particularly impressed. I have not heard the expression  ”Your words is worth as much as sits on a turtle” before, is that local? After a long haggle over different items like his house, whether to kill or not kill one or two vampires sleeping in the basement and five million dollars they seems to have come to an agreement. “What do I have to do?”. “Release me!”. “No” she says and continues to read the paper nonchalantly. In that moment I love Sookie with all my heart. Russell turns to threats. When he becomes nasty she picks up Talbot in his crystal bowl. She smiles as she pours him into the garbage grinder while Russell curses her in multiple languages. That is unnecessary cruelty and she laughs gleefully too while Russell moans and holds his head. I know that felt good but winding up a 3000 year old vampire you are going to let live might not be beneficiary to long time survival.

Jason and Crystal arrive to warn the Norris clan. Calvin is not happy to see Jason there and tell him so. Jason rants back about them being dirty, poor and in need of dental care when a boy returns with a can of gasoline. ”Here you go uncle daddy Calvin”. Priceless.  Crystal’s ex boyfriend stops the old chief with a bullet. He is high on V.

Sam is out driving his car when he comes across a crying Terry. Or so we thought, he say he is happy but his face say something else. Tommy’s digs looks like shit; Sam has no idea what Tommy did last night but pile of brick number two just arrived.

Lean old DEA guy leave for the raid while Phil continues to threat the clan. Phil leaves with Crystal as hostage and Jason in charge of the village. Jason seems to grow with the role.

This is a day of unwanted revelations for Tara. She walks in on her mother and reverend dressing after an interrupted session of humping. That is big eyes number two; I think she is a bit more nauseated this time though. The mother daughter talk afterwards is interesting. Her mother believes she will be a minister’s wife. Tara is a bit more skeptical.  Then she looks at her mommy, hugs her and wish her luck. That’s the moment I realize what Tara is about to do.

Sam is about to find out about Tommy’s night job. He howls in anger as he does. Arleen hopes Sam will not be mean to her again but Lafayette sees the father of her child strangling her. Someone is having emerging powers. Lafayette calls Jesus freaking out over what he sees.

Come night Alcide arrives at Fangtasia. Sookie is very happy to see him, very happy. She is a bit disappointed that he wasn’t there because he suddenly became telepathic and arrived to rescue her. Instead Eric called him there. Seems Debbie has gone missing. They talks sweetly to one another. “I dreamt about you”. Russell make a face and look up the ceiling disgusted.  That’s when the vampire squad walks in. Sookie and Alcide eye fuck each other as Eric eloquently put it while Eric drags the king to the truck. Sookie rescind all the vampires’ invitations to her home before leaving.

Pam is being sassy with Eric, that’s a new one. “Don’t bring that thing back inside this bar”.

Andy is about to drink some V when lean old guy returns with a cuffed Jason. Lean old guy leaves muttering something about hillbillies. Andy and Jason have a falling out after that.

Lafayette is freaking out and he freaks out more when Jesus tells him he is a witch a Bruh. Lala, Tara got nothing on you. Big eyes number three. But brother Tara might need you tonight, she is having a stare down with a pair of scissors. Oh no, she cuts her hair instead. I mean, that’s good. Tara meets Sookie on the way out. I have read the books so I know what I am expecting right now. They hang out as friends again for the first time in a long time before Tara leave for Merlotte. She needs to see Lafayette about something. Hmm, I still think she is planing what I thought she was, that looked like a final goodbye to me.

At a construction site in another part of town two vampires case Russell in concrete and silver chains. Then Bill turns the table on Eric and dispose of him in the concrete too. He orders Pam put to death in Eric’s voice before he runs away.

In yet another part of town Hoyt is bringing baby-vamp Jessica home. That was a sweet scene, why the sinister music and that doll on the floor? Switching over to mama Hoyt at the gun store buying hardware. That is one mean lady.

Bill is invited in and starts to explain what he has done to Sookie. I ended Russell. Good! I ended Eric too. Why? He tasted you. He is creeping me out. He is about to go after the queen when Eric comes knocking. Okay, he almost unhinges the door but he can’t enter. Eric tells Sookie the sordid truth about how Bill had two men beat hear to an inchof her life the first night they meet only to feed her his blood. Eric looks good in concrete by the way, angry but good. Sookie rescind Bill’s invitation and he lands on the lawn. “I want my phone back”. Sookie bang the door on both of them.

Switching back to Merlotte’s and Tara passing it by after a short stop to look around.

Pam cleans up good after a cement bath. Eric’s comment on her killing the vamp Bill sent to kill her. “Great, now I am down one assassin”. Pam’s reply is great “I have zero tolerance for that shit”. Eric only looks at her with sad eyes and a tilted head.

On another road Tommy is walking along as some headlights turns to him, it is Sam. After a short hunt and a brotherly talk Tommy walks off and Sam’s gun goes of in his general direction. Is True Blood building up to one of those cliffhangers? Say it ain’t so.

Sookie is sad but then something changes and she runs out. We switch over to Bill’s where there is a knock on the door. It is the Queen. I thought it was Sookie. The Queen is her usual snotty self until Bill admits he brought her there under false pretenses. Sookie arrive at the graveyard while they are doing the matrix. She sits by her grandmother’s grave complaining about being all alone when Claudine calls her name. “You are not alone, come with us.” They light their light, touch hands and are gone. Scene and End.

That was different, not exactly as I expected. So we have the first True Blood cross season cliffhanger. Nine months to see the end of this, thats rough man. The season has been great and the ending was everything we have come to expect from True Blood. I am a bit unhappy with the final episode it was not as great as I expected. I miss a feeling of accomplishment and cohesion. It was not a bad episode but far from the best this season. Maybe my expectations was way to high.

I love you True Blood! Until we meet again!

 

Last Week

Eric got arrested by the Authority and Russell ripped the spine out of a TV anchorman in revenge. He is now the most hunted man in America. Sookie and Bill had a speed-hiatus, Sam almost killed Norris and Franklin Mott died shot by Jason, may his Jelly rest in a small handmade hole in the ground.

This Week

There was a lot of rat to smell this episode that I hardly know where to begin. I admire the way the True Blood team switch characters around from bad to good and uncertain while keeping it all coherent and plausible. Eric Northman is a formidable Yo-yo in that respect and now Sam entered the spin too. Who could have imagines his dark past as a betrayed cat, sorry dog burglar.

Jesus and Lala were also spinning, spinning on V and going all ‘Wizard’s Apprentice’ on us doing a ‘Christmas Past’ with them visiting all their voodoo grandparents and giggling, especially giggling. That is together with Holly the nosy wiccan witch a good setup for next season that is going to be about witches according to the spoiler fairies.

Any episode with Jessica in it is a good episode and here she is tossing dogs around and feeding Hoyt her blood so it is all good folks. It was hard to see Hoyt turn down Summer’s seduction though, not!

Bill and Sookie’s actors might have gotten married in real life but here they have trust issues and Sookie kissed the Northman, just before he threw her into the dungeon. Classy Eric, you got style like no man alive.

Talking about style. Jason and Tara make out and then he tells her he killed Eggs her beloved serial killer boyfriend just after she says “I can count on you”. Another Jason classic of the more sad sort. And then he gets a naked panther in the bedroom. Mama! That’s where we leave him until next episode.

The big bad Russell finds a male prostitute lookalike for Talbot and shows he is a little disconnected from our reality before staking the poor guy. “It was good that we got to say good bye Talbot.” and end.

I wonder how they are going to wrap all this up in two episodes.

Said and done

I hope you rot in hell you psycho pizza shit (Tara)

Them dumb fuckers is a whole new dimension of trash (Lafayette)

Bla, bla, Vampire emergency, bla (Pam)

You are too busy signing wills and making out with the solution, instead of using her. (Pam)

It is not respect when all your employees think you are a psychopath (Sam)

Inside the Episode

HBO Recap

Postmortem

Next Episode

True Blood 3.11 – Fresh Blood (HBO)

Bill tries to earn back Sookie’s trust, but ends up bringing her face-to-face with fresh dangers. Knowing he’s no physical match for the King, Eric tempts Russell with the “ultimate vampire dream.” Jason tries to wrap his head around Crystal’s revelation. Sam embraces his dark side, alienating everyone except Tara. Hoyt and Jessica take their romance to the next level; with Holly’s help, Arlene puts her future in the hands of a goddess; post V-trip, Lafayette struggles with new demons.

This is the last episode before the season finale so I expect crazy fast pace and twisted action.

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Last Week

Russell and Debbie tries to take Sookie and then when all was lost Russell had to fly like a superman when Eric staked Talbot. Then Sookie and Bill have reunion sex.

This Week

True Blood continues in the same insane tempo as last week.

Eric has just returned when the V-Feds rounds him up for questioning concerning a certain Magistrate who has gone missing. The feds are seriously outfitted and the whole thing reminds a bit about Blade. Eric spills his beans about the whole thing to the Authorities. They put him on ice so they can decide what to do about him and Russell especially now when there is about to be a vote on Vampire Rights.

Russel was not particularly sane to begin with but now he really goes around the bend. He shows up with Talbot in a crystal jar on a roof overlooking Fangtasia. He gets a little upset when he sees the V-Feds ‘protecting’ Fangtasia so he decides to get even with Everyone. As the high representative leaves in her limousine he appears on her television ripping the backbone out of the anchor person. He then has a little talk about vampire superiority before he turns it over to the weather girl. That’s about it.

There is more?

Okay you know Bill and Sookie? They are on again with some steamy sex in the shower and a body to dispose. Sorry I forgot to mention it when I violated you yesterday.

Normal couples don’t do this, Bill Compton

You nailed it in one Sookie.

Keeping a file on the woman you love is creepy

But I only wanted to protect you and find out why Eric was so interested in you, Bill replies. Do vampires dream of faeries? Bill does, and he gets a bit hands on on Claudine to but she flashes him right back. Then they talk. Now Bill knows what Sookie is but we don’t get to hear it this week.

And Sookie’s cousin turns up with her son and reveal she got involved with the vampire queen and she is the reason they are interested in Sookie. She told them about Sookie’s ability and now she is afraid her son has it to. Sookie has a short telepatic exchange with the bemused kid before the cousin drags him away to people she knows to protect him.

Lafayette and Jesus are really sweet together, but not much happens except some pda.

Tommy has slight attitude problems but Sam is riding it out (putting it inside). So what if he must go out in the middle of the night and tell his brother to keep the woman he fucks quiet and let the other tenants sleep.

Jessica is in this episode and it seems like she and Hoyt might get back together again. If Tommy could keep out of it.

Tara goes to group therapy and meets Merlot’s newest bartender there, Holly. Holly also comforts Arleene after Tommy was mean to her and there is talk about alternative means of dealing with an unwanted pregnancy. I think Holly is a [witch].[ And btw I think Lafayette also has magical powers]

Jason on the other hand has his hands full with Crystal. Her designated husband is there when he returns home and she has a real twisted way of getting him to attack Jason so she can whack him on the head. They tie him up real well at the roadside before calling the police. The next day when Jason walks in with Crystal in tow at the Police station, a woman is there crying. Her husband was called out last night but was almost killed. If you haven’t realized it before you should realize it now that Crystal’s folks are not ordinary folks. I won’t tell you now what they are, but if you read the books you should know.

Jason and Crystal don’t let that affect them to much what I can see. Crystal gets upset when Jason proudly tells her they are going to raid the place. By then they are in Merlot and Crystal’s daddy walks in and want to drag her ungrateful ass home. Jason tries to intervene but he gets beaten by… Sam who goes almost berserk beating the guy almost to pulp. Everyone in the place gets really quiet. Crystal leaves in the car that takes her daddy to the hospital while Jason stays.

Luckily he did because Mott is back with a wicked dialog and a wish to mourn Tara but Jason makes Vampire-Jello of him. “Shoot me all you want it’s not going to kill me” – BANG – “It will if I use wooden bullets”. Jason we love you.

Excellent episode, can I have another? Now Please!

Post mortem

Next Week

True Blood 3.10 – Smell a Rat (HBO).
A reluctant Bill warns Sookie about the dangers she will face. Jesus is intrigued by the mysterious qualities of V. Sam’s recent fit of rage triggers dark memories. Eric takes precautions and fulfills a wish; Arlene turns to Holly for help with a pressing problem; Jason deals with the unexpected, with both Tara and Crystal; Jessica is torn between Tommy and Hoyt. After communing with Talbot, Russell promises to extract vengeance on his enemies.

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Last Week

A lot of things happened last week, some characters checked out, some broke out and some went too far. Lorena became vampire Crème brûlée staked by Sookie and Alcide killed Cooter. Russell killed the Magistrate and married Sophie Ann which might very well be going too far but nowhere as far as Bill goes when he almost drains Sookie to death.

Tara and Sookie escape, Sookie meets the fairies. Sam breaks up a dogfight and takes his brother home. That about sums it up.

This Week

Break up and graphic reunion sex in the same episode wonder what is going to happen next time? This was an exciting episode, so many story lines on the brink of something now that I can’t wait on next episode. Russell and Debbie going after Sookie with Bill and Jessica fighting off the werewolves was very climactic, Bill really care for Jessica. She is such a hoot in every scene she is in and then she is saved by the bell when Eric Nordman stakes Talbot and Russell superman home. Debbie and Sookie really slugged it out there. That was no cat fight. Those girls hit hard.

So now Hoyt is on his way to Jessica while she munches on some werewolf alone in the wood. Russell is flying home. Jason takes his shotgun and threatens Crystal’s clan with the police unless they leave him alone. Is he going to be surprised when he learns the truth! Sookie and Bill do the aforementioned reunion thing. Jason is definitely getting his charm back. Tara’s dreams about Franklin don’t bode well for her but I can’t help it if I root for him to be undead again, he has been one of many highlights this season. It would be a pity to lose him.

Once again the people behind True Blood prove why they are the best on TV at the moment. Exquisite episode.

Said and done

  • Say Something, are you brain damaged (Jason)
  • They killed my Cooter (Debbie)

Post mortem

Next Week

True Blood 3.09 – Everything is Broken (HBO).
With the ratification of the Vampire Rights Amendment at hand, Nan Flanagan detours to Fangtasia to confront Eric about the Magister’s disappearance. A grief-stricken Russell vows revenge against his foes, vampire and human. Awakening from a slumber, Bill uncovers the truth about Sookie’s true identity. Jason gets unexpected help as he goes up against Felton and Calvin. Sam is distressed by Tommy’s attitude; Tara encounters a new ally and an old tormenter; Hadley introduces Sookie to a new family member; Arlene despairs about her future; Hoyt confronts his true feelings.

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