Customer Reviews

Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7

5 star:		(684)
4 star:		(115)
3 star:		(31)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This past year I began a reading project of the major vampire novels and stories, from John Polidori's THE VAMPYRE to Bram Stoker's DRACULA to Richard Matheson's I AM LEGEND to Theodore Sturgeon's SOME OF YOUR BLOOD to more recent works. I had previously read various novels, including the Anita Blake series, which started promisingly but not only never lived up to its initial promise but regressed to embarrassingly awful pornography. In August of this year I decided to read Charlaine Harris's vampire series, which was originally known as The Southern Vampire Mysteries but eventually became better known as the Sookie Stackhouse Novels.

Now, this is where the story gets odd. Completely independently of my reading project I had heard about and planned on watching Alan Ball's new series TRUE BLOOD. I was a huge fan of SIX FEET UNDER and was anxious to see how he would handle a series dealing with vampires. A few days after I had ordered the first four Sookie Stackhouse novels I learn to my great shock that Ball's new series was based on the very same novels. It is the most serendipitous coincidence in my life as a reader.

Because so many people have become aware of these books as a result of the TV series, a word about the differences between the two is in order. There are both definite similarities and some sharp differences between the two. The books focus much more on Sookie and less on the lives of the supporting characters, not surprising given that Sookie is the narrator in the novels. Sookie's narrative voice is for me one of the joys of the books and I miss that very personal perspective when I watch the TV series. The books are also far less sexual than the series, though there are several sex scenes (though it never descends to the pure porn found in the Anita Blake books). The series differs sharply from the books when it deals with characters other than Sookie. For instance, Tara in the books is a minor (and white) character. Jason plays a far smaller role. Just about everything touching Tara and Jason cannot be found in the novels. Sam and Tara are not involved. Without giving spoilers, Lafayette cannot be regarded as an important character in the books. On the other hand, Eric is as important as the other three main characters in the books, Sookie, Bill, and Sam. Still, based on all but the last 2 or 3 episodes of Season One of the TV show, Sookie's story there is pretty close to that is the first novel in the sequence.

The one huge advantage of the novels over the series is that there is just so much more that happens. Season One of the series corresponds to the first novel in the sequence. I expect that the TV show will begin to diverge from the novels in the second season. So I see no reason for anyone who enjoys the show not to plunge in and enjoy a whole string of new adventures in the life of Sookie Stackhouse, barmaid and telepath. What has delighted me is how consistently superb the novels are. I felt the second novel in the series, DEAD AND LIVING IN DALLAS, was a bit less entertaining than the second book, but all the rest in the sequence were increasingly excellent. And they all mesh to tell a unified story. One novel ends and the next picks up the story perhaps as little as two or three weeks later.

The novels also introduce new and more interesting supernatural characters. The Anita Blake novels did this as well, but I felt that that series was increasingly less successful. Both series introduce weres (were wolves, were tigers, were panthers, and others), witches, vampires from other locales, and fairies. But throughout it all Sookie remains both an innocent and an explorer.

All in all, this is one of the most enjoyable long series of novels that I know. My only real disappointment is that a date has not yet been announced for the next and ninth novel in the series. Charlaine Harris (who lives in the southern part of my native state of Arkansas) has a couple of other series and 2009 apparently is devoted to those. My hope is that perhaps the success of the TV show will cause Ms. Harris to revise her plans and bring out another Sookie Stackhouse sooner rather than later.

I will add that on some boards many fans of the books don't like Anna Paquin as Sookie. I do. She isn't quite the way the books describe Sookie, being slender and not at all voluptuous, whereas in the books Sookie is constantly described as curvy and very chesty. But I think Anna Paquin gets a lot of the spirit of Sookie. She feels in her performance very much like someone who has been traumatized by hearing the thoughts of others.

If you are a fan of TRUE BLOOD, you should definitely read these. I actually prefer the books to the TV show, though I like the show as well. But if you haven't watched the show, but enjoy well written book on supernatural themes, you should read these anyway. In the recent tradition of revisionist accounts of vampires, this is one of the best.

First off - if you are interested in the True Blood series on HBO - get these books and get this set. I was STRONGLY recommended to read these books after talking about the show by a friend who read them when they first came out. So I did...purchased one at a time. Boy do I wish I would have bought the set right off and then get the additional books later for I would have saved a bit of money and had a great way to keep all the books together and in great shape. Nevertheless, the books and show ARE different and yet both are worthy of reading/watching if you are into this genre of books. I have enjoyed both for various reasons, but for the books, I truly enjoy the narrative of Sookie through all her trials and tribulations of interacting with "special" characters. This is not a wannabe Anita Blake type of series, but very unique, exciting and often lighthearted...definitely not as dark! Harris has written these books in such a way to really draw one into them, sometimes even identifying with human emotions that is sometimes unexpected. Now I have all the paperbacks, without the boxed set container (sad), and am awaiting the next book in the series.

Plus I will continue to watch the show, knowing on what it is based and that I should not expect the same thing as I read in the books...yet knowing the same "flavor" will be retained. That makes for good reading and for good TV/movie adaptation.

OK, so I ordered this set a few weeks back because I was trying to cure myself of the whole Twilight addiction. As I started the first book in the Sookie series I was beyond skeptical, and extremely judgmental. I compared everything to the Twilight series. However, by the time I completed the second book I was obsessively hooked. I proceeded to read the rest of the series, including books 8 and 9, in a matter of one week. I couldn't put them down! I can't believe I actually found a series that I enjoy better then Twilight! Absolutely addicting and stimulating.

Book one was fabulous, but the quality declines over the series. I had to stop at book five to read a few other good books because I got too annoyed at Sookie. For one, I get tired of the constant clothing descriptions. I don't care what everyone's wearing! Every once in a while wouldn't be so bad, but practically every time someone walks in the scene their outfit is described. Also, the way Sookie describes stiletto heals (blank-me shoes) is so out of character that it beats you over the head.
She seems much like a Mary Sue while she's in the supernatural world. All the supernatural men who aren't trying to kill Sookie are trying to get in her pants. I got back into the series but every book after the first led me to further disappointment. I've read the eighth, and will probably read the ninth, but I'm just looking for closure and not expecting as much entertainment as I got from the first.

These books are a bit like chocolate -- very pleasing, a treat rather than a square meal, but not to be over-indulged.

It's hard not to read one book after another when you have them all in front of you, but the author's writing 'quirks' tend to become noticable -- sections where nothing much happens, excessive clothing descriptions, a tendancy to psycho-babble, and a lot of mentions of Wal-mart.

It's better to space the books out, reading something else in between, and then return to Sookie with a cleansed palette :)

Bought this set (cheaper than buying them seperate, that's for sure!) so that I can get my True Blood fix while I'm waiting for the 2nd season on HBO. Obviously the show and the books are different (drastically sometimes), but the books are highly addictive!

I was on the hunt for vampire books/series after finishing the Twilight series. The Sookie Stachhouse books aren't like Twilight but they're definitely fantastic! I recommend these books to any paranormal fan. Great read!

First of all, I am not a huge fan of vampires, BUT, my husband got me hooked on the HBO series, and after the season finale, I ordered this box set from Amazon. I've read them all in just over a week.

There are lots of differences between the books and the HBO series, but that is usually the case and is expected. The books of course, give more detail, and the series has added in characters and situations that were not reflected in the books. If you enjoyed the series, you will LOVE the books.

I think the series and the books are both great, but If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the books.

What you should know before reading this: I've never seen True Blood as I don't have HBO. This is my critique ONLY for the books in this set.

I've realized there are two different types of vampire readers on this earth from reading the previous reviews: those who just want to read about vampires and those who want to feel something about the story of the vampires they're reading about.

If you just want to read about vampires, this is not 100% for you. True, it does contain vampire material, but the story itself centers around Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress in a little Louisiana bar known as Merlotte's. She is the main character, the vamps (and other strange, darker beings) are definitely background material.

Now, if you're someone who wants to feel something about the vampires you're reading about, this definitely will not happen. Again, mainly due to the fact that Sookie Stackhouse is the main character. Vamps go in and out of her life as fast as hair ties and bar aprons. Just when you get really settled into one, he's gone. On to the next. (Unlike Anne Rice, where a vampire is telling the story, which I personally find more compelling and rich.)

This is a very Whedonesque (Joss Whedon, folks) writing style. Main character never wins at love. Main love interests are nothing alike. Some readers will root for one, other readers will root for another. Just don't root too hard, they're not going to stay together. (Don't fret, the relationships don't have much emotion packed into any of them, so the split won't hurt when it occurs.)

My main problem with this series is Sookie Stackhouse. Maybe I just am one of those pretentious, snobby New Englanders, you say? Well, although I was born and raised in NY, I was born and raised UPSTATE. I lived in an old house, which was added onto, and we heated with wood. I still live in a place just like that. I have a lot of things in common with Sookie's humble story, but she's just not enough to keep my interest.

And by enough I mean, she's just nothing special. She's blonde, has a nice body, reads dumb books, and is a barmaid. Oh yeah, she has ESP, but she doesn't use it to any advantage at all, which makes it almost non-existent. So? With Buffy, you could say, yeah, she's the Slayer, I get it, but with Sookie, you can't help but ask yourself, "Why the heck do any of these guys want her?" You just don't get it. And when you're asking yourself why anyone would like the main character, you find yourself just not caring about the main character.

On the plus side, I know I'll read every book in the series, which I consider praise. This is why I gave it 3 stars. Some series, I read the first book and move on, but the author writes well enough to keep you wanting to know how it ends. I just hope it does end (hence only giving it a 3).

Okay, someone stick a stake in me already. I'm done!

I bought this set because I loved watching the 1st season of the "True Blood" series on HBO. I have enjoyed readling the set for the most part. Ms. Harris spins a lot of good stories throughout. I was distracted in each book by the poor editing. There are many punctuation errors throughout each book, wrong words or duplicate words, continuity problems (ie, Claudine is refered to as Claudia at one point; escape car in book 3 was a Lincoln but changes to a Cadillac when the story is recalled in book 4.)

On the positive side, I like the interactions between characters. I probably would not have bought the books or enjoyed reading them if I hadn't watched the series and been involved with the characters but I am hooked on the books as well. Just call me a fangbanger.