Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #407973 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-06
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Synopsis
It was the middle of November. I was supposed to be out jogging but was at my breakfast table instead, talking about men, sex, werewolves, vampires and that thing that most unmarried but sexually active women fear most...She should be concentrating on a dangerous situation: the ardeur, the sexual power that flows between Anita and Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City and Richard, the volatile werewolf who loves her passionately, is reaching new levels, perhaps evolving into something entirely new. It seems to be choosing new lovers for Anita, acting with a will of its own. The unexpected effect of this is that Jean-Claude's own powers as a Master Vampire has grown to new levels - and Richard, always unpredictable, is changing too. However as the days pass Anita finds herself less interested in vampire politics than in an ancient, more ordinary dread she shares with women down the ages; she may be pregnant. And if she is, whether the father is a vampire, a werewolf or someone else entirely, she knows full well that being a Federal Marshall, known for raising the dead and executing vampires, is no way to bring up a baby...

Customer Reviews

A little long, but a very good read
This was the first Anita Blake/ Hamilton book I read so I did find some of it a bit confusing, but on the whole I really enjoyed it.The whole world of vampires, lycanthropes etc is very erotic anyway, so for me a vampire novel must have a good dose of sex.

Now that I've read the first three novels I can see where the criticisms of other reviewers have come from because there certainly isn't the same amount of action (except sexual) in this book. But then after the first 3 books I started to find the whole vampire-hunting, zombie-raising thing a bit samey, and wished there had been a few sex scenes to raise the temperature a bit.

I did enjoy the whole interplay of characters in this book. I love Anita's relationship with both Micah and Nathaniel, and having now also read Incubus Dreams and Micah I have started reading the series in order and can't wait to get to the books where she meets both of them for the first time.

Anyway, I have only given the book 4 stars because I did find some of the descriptions a bit long and found myself wanting to skip forward at times, but couldn't because, not having read previous books, I didn't know enough history to ensure I wasn't missing a vital piece of information. Now I'm reading the books in order I will re-read this book at some point and hopefully it will make more sense.

OK bored now
It comes to something when the fanfic becomes better in plot, characterisation and writing style than the original. The early books were great. Now they're just an excuse for a shagathon. This wouldn't be a problem if LKH could write good sex but holy hell she's awful.

Utterly dire.

I hate them all
Anita has become a bullying elitist whore, who literally cannot survive more than a few hours without partaking in a gang bang. When she isn't having sex with every vampire or were availed she is shouting and demeaning others for implying she might be a tad on the slutty side. All the men are fawning pandering wimps who sole objective in life is to worship Anita. They crowd around her but are often afraid to speak in case they offend her. All the women are catty insolent madams.

I knew the series has taken a turn for the worse and I picked up this one expecting to skim read the sex and just keep up with the plot just in case LKH decides to ever write a decent book again. I should have saved myself the hassle. About 95% of the book is sex. The book looks like it is starting OK when two powerful masters of the city arrive. But while meeting powerful vamps in previous books was gripping and scary, now they are just wet and totally non-threatening. One turns up with his wife and kids for Anita to have sex with, and the other brings his pet were-lions, again for Anita to have sex with. Then about 20 chapters are set aside for a massive sex fest. Anita then takes a short break to go to the hospital for a pregnancy test (very sensible). But far from just popping in, the visit looks more like a visit by the pope. Anita has a massive entourage, rooms are cleared for her and we are told junior doctors are literally fighting each other to be in the same room with her. There is one completely ridiculous scene where doctors are ordered away for daring to so much as mutter a sound out of place in front of her holiness while a awestruck female doctor is permitted to touch Anita and its all described as if she building up to touch the true-cross.

Back from the hospital Anita hurriedly gets on with another gangbang for another 20 chapters. Then with about 5 chapters left we head out to a Vampire Theatre presentation. Finally I'm thinking to myself, some plot! Powerful Vamps appear and try their power on Anita and the tension is building nicely, but of course Anita can only sit through the first act before having to run outside to have another group sex session in the limo. Back inside with about 2 chapters left we confront maybe the most powerful vampire she has met to date, who turns out to as wet as a tea-bag and seems more afraid of Anita then the other way around. But of course she can only last about 5 minutes through the meeting before ordering the guests out so she can have another romp. The end.

There is more plot in the blurb then in the book. It's actually ten times worse than the last book and that's saying something. Anita is totally unlikeable, and every other character is bland and weak.