Review: After Dead - What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse (2013)

This review is about the coda, After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse, by Charlaine Harris. It marks the end of the bestselling Southern Vampire series.

Dead Ever After marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels—a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show True Blood. It also stoked a hunger that will never die…a hunger to know what happened next.

With characters arranged alphabetically—from the Ancient Pythoness to Bethany Zanelli—bestselling author Charlaine Harris takes fans into the future of their favorite residents of Bon Temps and environs. You’ll learn how Michele and Jason’s marriage fared, what happened to Sookie’s cousin Hunter, and whether Tara and JB’s twins grew up to be solid citizens.

This coda provides the answers to your lingering questions—including details of Sookie’s own happily-ever-after…

The book will feature extensive interior art by acclaimed Sookie artist Lisa Desimini, including a Sookieverse Alphabet, color endpapers, and several full-page black and white interior illustrations.

While I appreciate that Harris provided closure in this book for avid fans, it still disappointed me that the series had to end in this matter. I have read this series since my senior year of high school (I am currently a graduate student in a doctoral program!) I have enjoyed the adventures of Sookie with the supernatural in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Since 2001, the Southern Vampire series started with such fanfare and potential, but unfortunately it should have ended around Dead and Gone. Due to extreme popularity and unwise decision, Harris dragged the storyline where Sookie's life became dull and bizarre. When Sookie ended her relationship with vampire master Eric, that's when the series lost its luster and purpose. The faerie saga in the last four novels did not help Harris because it lacked the suspense and action that were prominent in the beginning of the series.

At some point, I wanted Sookie to be simply happy and satisfied with her life. So what happened to Sookie after Dead Ever After? [Major spoilers alert] Sookie and Sam get married. Sookie gives birth to four children: Neal, Jennings, Adele and Jillian Tara being the "bonus baby." Sookie was also visited by Desmond Cataliades each time she gave birth so he could inspect the children to see if any one of them had the "spark." Only Sookie's son Jennings is given the gift of telepathy. All four children grow up with great tolerance towards supernatural creatures. Desmond Cataliades assured Sookie that after the current generation of Stackhouse children, there would be no telepathy anymore in their family. Sookie and Sam continued to tend Merlotte's until they retired.

Despite her supernatural adventures with vampires, wreewolves, faerie, witches, and demons (oh my!), Sookie ends up with a normal life (one she wholeheartedly deserved). You can say that she learned her lesson -- although she isn't a normal human, supernatural politics can cause too much drama and grief! Despite this series' downfall, After Dead provided the needed closure for fans who stayed loyal to this series.

Review: Dead Ever After (Southern Vampire #13)

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie---and could destroy her heart...

Dead Ever After, by Charlaine Harris, is the thirteenth and final novel in the Southern Vampire novel series. After using the cluviel dor to raise Sam Merlotte from the dead, both Sookie and Sam are finding it hard to concentrate on the bar business, Merlotte's, and speaking to each other. When a former barmaid, Arlene, returns to Merlotte's for her old job, Sookie has no qualms about rejecting her offer. Sookie wonders how did Arlene leave jail so early for plotting her death. Meanwhile, Sookie's relationship with former vampire boyfriend, Eric Northman, is in limbo when his Creator bequest him to the queen of Oklahoma. Suddenly, vampires (except for her protective neighbor, Bill), keep their distance and cold silence. When Sookie realizes she must give up her marriage to Eric, she is shocked and devastated.

When Arlene is murdered, evidence planted at the scene of the crime points to Sookie. Although the evidence is weak and she maintains her innocence, she is released on bail. With the help of her demon, wiccan, and vampire friends, she must discover the truth about Arlene's reappearance and murder. All she knows is that two mysterious men from out-of-town have a major grudge with her. They want to seek vengeance for the past and what she did to their lives.

It is incredible that I have read this novel series for almost twelve years. This paranormal mystery and romance series carried me through high and low points in high school, college, and graduate school (wow!). Sookie was the protagonist and primary reason why I kept reading these novels all these years -- her personality is quirky and basic common-sense with a Southern twist. Since I have relatives in the rural South, I can relate to the cuisine and culture of Sookie's universe. Harris created a world of vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters, fairies, wiccans and witches, humans, and telepaths living together with their own strengths and weaknesses. The beings wanted to mainstream with the human culture so that hopefully everyone will eventually accept them as equal citizens. It also saddens me that there will be no more Sookie Stackhouse novels after Dead Ever After.

I hope that Harris continue to write short stories and novellas about Sookie's adventures. At the end, I am pleased with her Sookie's final decision. Now in her late 20s (time does fly!), she realizes that vampires and fae can be such troublesome beings. In Dead Until Dark, she was a curious and naive telepath who wanted to try something different, someone whom she could not read their thoughts. Now, she has matured into a smart, pragmatic, and humble woman who knows what she desires and what to avoid. (Spoiler alert!) Sookie definitely deserved someone without drama and baggage (Go Sam!).

While all good things must come to an end, I thought this was the right time to end the series. It has been on a downard spiral since Dead in the Family. It became apparent later in the series that Harris was losing ideas and creating story arcs that became too complicated to follow. Sookie's life became more endangered as she has to survive attacks from vampires, fairies, werewolves, and humans. These evil plots also put a strain on her relationship with Eric. It was only a matter of time before their relationship would be doomed (much to many fans' dismay). Given Sookie's personality, once the damage has been done, there is no turning back -- she simply has to move on and live her life. She continuously insist that she doesn't want to become a vampire (and for good reason when it is revealed in Dead Ever After). She becomes content with her telepathic gift and wants to manage the bar business with Sam. No one knows what her future entails but maybe her supernatural drama will lessen once and for all. I don't think the final book deserved all the negative reviews (I wasn't a major Eric fan given his alpha-male and strategic personality), but it was the right call for Harris to end the series at this particular time.

Stay tune for the coda, After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse (expected Halloween 2013). It will provide the answers to your lingering questions—including details of Sookie’s own happily-ever-after. In the meantime, I will continue to watch more Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO series, True Blood. While the television adaptation differs from the novel version, it is still entertaining and provoking. The sixth season will resume in June, 16 2013.

Review: Deadlocked (Southern Vampire #12)

It's vampire politics as usual around the town of Bon Temps, but never before have they hit so close to Sookie's heart.

Deadlocked, by Charlaine Harris, is the twelfth novel in the Southern Vampire series. The events of Dead Reckoning—particularly the death of the despicable but powerful vampire Victor—have consequences for part-fairy Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire friends. When Sookie’s vampire husband, Eric Northman, summons her to his Shreveport home to welcome his guest, King Felipe de Castro and his entourage, she is shocked to find Eric feeding on another (younger!) woman in his bedroom.

Later, someone contacts the police when the woman Eric fed from turns up dead with a broken neck on his front lawn, putting Eric and Felipe’s entourage under suspicion.
With the help of ex-boyfriend Bill Compton, Sookie is determined to to clear Eric’s name. Meanwhile, Sookie learns more about the magical item her late grandmother left behind for her—the cluvier dor. Legends say that this treasure is the last of its kind on earth and whoever possesses it can grant the owner’s true wishes. She must also try to keep the local fae under control after her kin, Claude and Niall, return to the land of Faery. Someone knows the cluvier dor exist, and is willing to murder in order to obtain it.

The police are on Sookie’s trail, and won’t leave her alone unless someone finds the cause of the woman’s untimely death. Sookie must navigate the complicated hierarchies of werewolf, vampire and fairy politics if she wants to survive another case. Fate also puts her on another test when she must decide what kind of life she truly desires. As loyalties realign and betrayals are unmasked, Harris sets the stage for the final mystery.

Harris created another wonderful mystery that unravels more secrets and reveals the true insidious nature of the supernatural community in Louisiana. While no one likes Sookie getting snagged into cases that have often endangered her safety, I have learned more about Sookie's desires and concerns than in any previous novels. Surprisingly, there is little romance and sexual prowess in the novel, but it was not missed since Sookie had to keep herself out of jail. Readers will also be shocked to learn whom she uses the cluvier dor to save. I also believe the incidents in Deadlocked became the ultimate turning point in determining how Sookie and her supernatural friends will proceed in the final showdown.

I noticed many readers felt disappointed with the last few novels in this series. Is it starting to wane? Yes, but this is appropriate. Harris has entertained me with the world of Sookie Stackhouse for over ten years! Her books have inspired the HBO hit television series, True Blood. All good things have to come to an end at some point. Sookie is not only getting older but is also becoming wiser as she learns how to navigate the complicated politics of the supernatural community. She starts to consider her own happiness for the right reasons, and it is time that she makes a decision on whom she chooses as her companion. The conclusion in Deadlocked reveals what lies ahead for her as she starts to realize deep down her own true feelings. Therefore, while I am not totally happy about this series drawing its final curtain next year, the timing makes perfect sense with regards to Sookie's character.

Stay tuned for the final novel in the Southern Vampire series, Dead Ever After.

Final Thirteenth Sookie Stackhouse Novel Revealed

Charlaine Harris, author of the bestselling Southern Vampire novels, has announced that the thirteenth and final novel, Dead Ever After, will hit bookstores in May 2013.

Harris, whose bestselling books about vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings in the small southern town of Bon Temps was made into the popular True Blood television series, has previously hinted that she was planning to bring the story to a close. But she made the definitive announcement on her Facebook page yesterday, telling readers that the 13th and final Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead Ever After, would be on sale next May. She immediately drew more than 5,000 "likes" and hundreds of comments from her fans, from: "Say it ain't so!" to "How can you do that to us!"

"I don't have anything left to tell. After the last book, I'll have said everything I have to say about Sookie," Harris said last week. "Really, I think it would be doing readers a disservice to continue writing a character when my heart wasn't in it. I've loved writing Sookie, but if you see the end of the road, you see the end of the road."

It's sad news for fans, but all book series eventually come to an end. I think Harris is making the right call, considering that the quality of writing has dropped in the last three books. I hope the final book wraps up everything nicely.

True Blood, the HBO TV series, is based on the Southern Vampire novels.

True Blood Season 5 Resumes June 10, 2012

The text below is from imdb.com and dailydead.com:

It was expected that True Blood‘s fifth season would return this June, but HBO has now officially announced the date of the season 5 premiere episode:

“The 12-episode fifth season of True Blood will kick off Sunday, June 10 at 9:00 p.m. (Et/Pt). Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, this Emmy®-nominated hit drama series was created by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy®-winning series “Six Feet Under.” The show follows waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård).”

It has been previously revealed that this season will deal with supernatural elements and will also focus on the Vampire Authority.

Review: Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11)

It's spring time in Bon Temps, and for telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse, the season will turn out to be one full of secrets--secrets that will bring major changes in her life...

Dead Reckoning, by Charlaine Haris, is the eleventh novel in the Southern Vampire files. Set in contemporary rural Louisiana, the two-natured have introduced themselves to the world like the vampires earlier in the series. News spread around the town of Bon Temps that Sam Merlotte is a shapeshifter. Sookie is working her shift in Merlotte's when the bar is firebombed, and it doesn't look like the bomber was human. To make matters worse, an old enemy from the past is out for her blood and revenge.

Meanwhile, tension between her vampire lover/husband Eric Northman and his progeny Pam rises when their boss, Victor, is taking over the state of Louisiana. Sookie's great-uncle, Dermot, a handsome fae who eerily resembles her brother Jason needs, temporary shelter, and Sookie uncovers a hidden secret left from her grandmother that holds clues to her telepathic abilities. Caught in complicated political matters of vampire society and fearing for her own survival, the peaceful life Sookie is wishing for seems like a distant dream.

When I first begn this series almost a decade ago, I thought the plot was original and the characters were interesting. However, as others have noticed in the past two years, the storyline of the Southern Vampire series is starting to drag. While I understand the supernatural world is very complicated, I think Harris is running out of innovative ideas. This has left her fan base very disappointed.

The good news is Sookie has uncovered a hidden family history, which means the end of this series is likely near. The next book should test Sookie's relationship with Eric. Will Eric follow orders and marry a vampire queen? Will Sookie return to Bill? How will Sookie find closure to her life? I think those answers will tie up this series nicely. Overall, I would rate this novel 3 stars out of five total.

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Southern Vampires series, Deadlocked.

New 11th Sookie Stackhouse Novel Available May 2011

The eleventh novel, Dead Reckoning, of the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series will be available for purchase on May 3, 2011. You can find more details about in Charlaine Harris' official website. Stay tuned for an official review of the book this summer! Remember, Season 4 of True Blood will also premiere on HBO in Summer 2011.

Review: A Touch of Dead - The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Short Stories

A Touch of Dead (2009) includes every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written by New York Times Bestselling author, Charlaine Harris, in one edition.

In Fairy Dust, Claude and Claudine seek Sookie's telepathic abilities to determine who murdered their sibling, Claudette.

In Dracula Night, The Area Five vampires celebrate the return of Count Dracula. While Sookie is invited to attend, there is an unexpected tasty surprise awaiting her.

In One Word Answer, Sookie receives startling news about her cousin's death, but she discovers the truth behind her murder.

In Lucky, Sookie teams up with Amelia to investigate who wants to tamper with Bon Teamps' most successful insurance agent.

In Gift Wrap, On Christmas Eve, Sookie receives a dangerous surprise and must set aside her depressing feelings to save a man's life.

I had never read any of the short stories prior to purchasing this book. However, it disappointed me for three reasons: 1) I thought there would be more than five short stories; 2) I realized Harris is not a good short story writer; and 3) the stories are arranged out-of-order. If you have not read all the Southern Vampire books, it will be difficult to pinpoint the time frame in reference to the series. Since this book is less than 200 pages, some of the stories ended abruptly. I did not have a favorite short story in A Touch of Dead; I thought the Blood Bank short story collection by Tanya Huff contained better substance. I only recommend this book to true die-hard Harris fans. Otherwise, you can easily read it in the library in three hours or less.

Stay tuned to the 12th novel in the Southern Vampire Series, Dead Reckoning.

Review: Dead in the Family (Southern Vampire #10)

Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbour (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton. In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favour, and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favour for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.

Dead in the Family, the tenth novel in the Southern Vampire series, takes place in contemporary Bon Temps, Lousiana. Her former roommate, Amelia, returns to New Orleans; her fairy cousin, Claude, moves in with her after the death of his sister, Claudette. After the Fairy War in the previous novel, Bill, Sookie's ex-vampire boyfriend, is recovering slowly from silver poisoning. Sookie takes it upon herself to find a missing kin to cure him. Alcide, leader of the local werewolves, asks Sookie for a favor to use her land for hunting. She discovers there are several dead bodies on her land, and someone not human has been trespassing in the woods.

Meanwhile, both Sookie and Eric confessed their love for each other and begin to take their relationship seriously. Before they can enjoy their time together, his maker, Appius Livius Ocella, appears with his new child/playmate, Alexei. His presence puts a strain on their relationship because Eric must heed to his maker's bidding. Then, Sookie develops ambivalent feelings for Eric once this new person and other important tasks enter her life. She still has not recovered fully from the Fairy War. Who is the dead body in her backyard? Why is the mystery person targeting her specifically? Sookie better watch her back carefully, because the deeper she dwells into the supernatural world, the harder it is to step back into the human world.

Before I begin my review, I was very excited to read this tenth addition in the Southern Vampire series. I love the character, Sookie Stackhouse, and her supernatural reality. I am also a huge fan of the True Blood series on HBO. When I heard that this book was officially released last month, I could not wait to continue reading more about Sookie's amazing journeys. The last novel impressed me with awe-inspiring suspense. If you a new visitor, please browse my previous reviews on this series under the "harris" label.

However, this book disappointed me. I wanted to enjoy it like the previous novels, but the storyline did not flow well. Some parts of the plot felt haphazardly written. Characters that I thought would receive more attention (e.g., her nephew) were only mentioned in two chapters and never heard from again. The appearance of a famous historical figure also felt strange because it happened so abruptly and I never felt as though I understood the character's background. Lastly, there were so many subplots in this novel that I wonder how does Sookie manage to live her own life!

Overall, I had mixed feelings about this novel. I thought it could have been written better with fewer characters and side stories. The new characters did not amaze me; their portrayal was short-lived. The entire plot became difficult later for me to follow on several occasions. I also lacked the compulsion to continue reading. Harris disappointed me in a major way with this story.

Stay tuned for the eleventh book in the Southern Vampire series, Dead Reckoning.

10th Sookie Stackhouse Novel May 2010; New Short Stories Book, A Touch of Dead

New York Times Best-selling author, Charlaine Harris, will have a new book (A Touch of Dead) of previously published Sookie Stackhouse stories available for purchase on October 6, 2009. You may also pre-order on Amazon.com.

Borders.com also has an exclusive online True Blood essay and Sookie Stackhouse Q&A with the author on their website.

Updated February 2010: The tenth Southern Vampires novel will be available on May, 4 2010. The title is Dead in the Family.

Review: Dead and Gone (Southern Vampire #9)

For Sookie Stackhouse, the day-to-day activities of the vampire and Were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest. She's blood blound to the leader of the vamps, is a friend to the local Were pack, works for a man who is a shifter, and has a brother who is a werepanther...

...The Weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world.

At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a werepanther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows who--human or otherwise--did the deed.

But what she doesn't realize is that there is a much greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings--older, more powerful, and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves--is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too-human pawn in their battle...

Dead and Gone, by New York Times Bestselling author Charlaine Harris, is the ninth installment in the Sookie Stackhouse ~Southern Vampire~ series. The shapeshifters -- werewolves and other shifters -- decide to come out and let the world know of their existence after the vampires successfully made their transition into the human world. Sam, the owner of Merlotte's Bar, is a shapeshifter and so are Tray and Alcide (Weres). Sookie Stackhouse, the brave and pragmatic protagonist-female heroine, finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly supernatural civil war. Diantha, the half-demon niece of Mr. Cataliades, warns her that some fairies want her dead because of her connection to fairy prince and great-grandfather, Niall. Meanwhile, two FBI agents visit Sookie's home to question how she and Barry the bellhop were able to intuitively find survivors in the horrific Pyramid of Gizeh explosion. Unwilling to expose her telepathic gift, she does her best to sway them away from the truth. When a werepanther is found dead and crucified outside Merlotte's Bar, the whole community is shaken with fear and disgust. Her common sense and straightforward personality that had protected her through many supernatural cases and battles are pushed to the limit in this novel.

Sookie discovers how human (and vulnerable) she truly is in Dead and Gone. Very bad things happen: she experiences torture, betrayal, and loss. She tries to do her best as situations become increasingly more dangerous and complicated in the supernatural world. The average reader thinks fairies are kind, moral, and happy. In Harris' supernatural world, the fairies are darker and more powerful; they do not mind bringing chaos and destruction to the human world. This novel is very violent, and readers would wonder if the main characters will survive this war. It's that intense and scary.

When no one is there to save her, she endures physical torture beyond imagination. When she cannot trust her longtime friends, and finds herself seeking refuge within the supernatural community. She finally learns the truth about the death of her parents, and witnesses another loss of family. At this point, she stands at a crossroads that involves life-changing opportunities. Dead and Gone ends with a clever cliffhanger that would make many fans anxious and hopeful. Sookie learns that no one -- not even Eric, Bill, or Quinn -- can guarantee her safety and happiness. Nevertheless, she is gradually maturing into a woman who knows what she wants in life. I was definitely looking forward to this novel, and Harris delivers another exceptional and thrilling chapter to Sookie's increasingly complex world. We will learn what Sookie decides in the next novel.

Stay tuned for the next novel in the Southern Vampires series, Dead in the Family.

Don't forget that the second season of True Blood begins Sunday, June 14 at 9:00pm EST on HBO.