MADreads

I’m swooning over a Civil War vampire…

October 7th, 2008 Molly - Central

and his name is Bill Compton. Such a shame that he is already in love with the coolest girl, Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic waitress extraordinaire at Merlotte’s Bar and Grill in Bon Temps, Louisiana. And that he is dead and all that. But what a gentleman! Such excellent manners!

I was first introduced to Bill and Sookie on HBO’s new series True Blood. Total addict that I am, I had to go back and watch all of the in-demand extras interviewing the cast and crew, producer and creator. When author Charlaine Harris appeared, I thought, hey, I know her. I’ve heard of that series! Why haven’t I been reading these books? I do not know. I’ve read all the Twilight books and the Southern Vampire series that begins with Dead until Dark is funnier, smarter and a lot sexier. So I am reading the series now.

Dead until Dark covers all of the episodes I’ve seen thus far (that’s 4) of the HBO series. Sookie is a pretty waitress at a bar in Northern Louisiana who is unable to date because her telepathy ruins all chances for romance. She lives with her liberal granny and the Vampire Rights Act is currently in Congress. The vampires have been “out of the coffin” for a couple of years, thanks to a synthetic blood drink that the Japanese have created called Tru Blood. By consuming this drink, the vamps no longer need to feast on humans, and hypothetically, everyone can co-exist in peace. Of course, there are some bumps in the road. Vampire blood (V-Juice) is the hottest drug since crystal meth and when the vamps aren’t preying on humans (trust me, they’re still preying on humans) the humans are preying on the vamps.

Good and bad are present in both the mortal and immortal realms and it’s hard to know who to trust. Even though Bill scares Sookie, she is drawn to him and lets down her guard bit by bit. Their relationship is complicated but romantic, and I am definitely rooting for them.

The television series has me totally hooked, but it is only on for one hour a week and I need more. Simultaneously reading Bill and Sookie’s story really prolongs the entertainment for me. And the best thing about reading the books - I have seven more to look forward to!

Entry Filed under: Fantasy, Mystery, Recreational Fiction, Romance