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| From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 8) |  | Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace
Category: Book
Buy New: $7.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  158 reviews
Sales Rank: 103147
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
ISBN: 0441017010
EAN: 9780441017010
ASIN: 0441017010
Publication Date: March 31, 2009 (In 223 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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| Customer Reviews: Read 153 more reviews...
 Death and Destruction, but Life Goes On in Bon Temps! August 20, 2008
Sookie continues to deal with vampires and their hunters, with weres and her troublesome brother, with deadly supernatural politics that mere humans shouldn't easily survive. But the one thing Sookie is, is a survivor. After the big explosion in the last book that took out many an immortal and powerful vamp, Sookie is back at home in Bon Temps, LA, working at Merlotte's Bar for her friend and boss, Sam, and worrying about nothing more than the double wedding of her friend Halleigh and Portia Bellefleur. Of course, nothing is simple, particularly in tiny Bon Temps. At the wedding Sookie bumps into two strange strangers... one a vamp from out of town and another... she is not sure what, other than that he's older and beautiful and can seem to hide himself from vamps as well as humans.
But soon, trouble aplenty intrudes--with a were war brewing (someone is killing Alcide's supporters off, and Sookie finds herself in the middle of it). Then there is upheaval in the vamp world, wherein many vamps go to dust, again with Sookie in the middle. Few enough were left running about after the hotel explosion, but that doesn't keep a vamp war from breaking out. And Sookie finds out why her boyfriend, weretiger Quinn, has been mysteriously absent since she last saw him after the explosion.
Lots of crazy, but episodic adventure, lots of ends tied up, and lots more things opening up... Sookie discovers some distant relatives. And her love-life is as unsettled as ever.
I continue to be fascinated by Sookie's adventures. They are moving and funny and strange and horrific--and complex as things can get in a small town where the events outside can easily intrude. Sookie's concerns are her friends and family and doing the right thing as well as just having some fun... and looking for a boyfriend who can put her in the prime spot in his life. It's not as easy as it seems! But Sookie continues to try and manage, even as hotels explode and the world tries to cope with supernaturals-gone-public and the dangerous world still kept hidden from the public.
This is definitely one of the stronger books in the series, both getting back to Sookie's roots and yet still concerning her ties to the vamps and weres. If you're a fan of the series---and you certainly SHOULD be!--you will enjoy this book.
One of the best of the series August 17, 2008
Life threatening and life changing events happen in this newest mystery. Sookie finds herself in the middle of two wars. The werewolf war that she mediates and the vampire war with an unpleasant surprise about who is helping the Las Vegas vampires to take over the Louisiana empire. She also finds new relatives to help make up for her disappointment with her brother. Lots of changes happen in a short period of time during this book. Very exciting!
 Mixed Feelings. August 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book gave me some hope for the Sookie/Eric eventual happily ever after. These two belong together, and I really hope it happens. I'm glad to see some things about their storyline partially resolved in this book, and I'm thrilled about the guy she dumped. He was hot and all, but something about him was just too white bread for me. He had kind of a "Riley" feel (Buffy reference) that was highly icky for me.
One thing that does puzzle me about this book, and I'm not quite sure how to take it. There is no climax. There's just a lot of stuff that happens. At various points in the story new problems are introduced in the various situations Sookie finds herself involved in. And as the story goes on, those situations get resolved one by one.
The story hangs together, it's cohesive, and all the threads get resolved, it's just, there is no one scene that is the top scene. There is just a string of mini-climaxes, and then an ending. And the ending, though cool and intriguing, doesn't have much to do with the rest of the book.
So I'm not really sure how to deal with that. I'm left with this bizarre feeling that I'm not sure if we've missed something, or if it should have been bigger somewhere. Or if I feel the ending is satisfying or not. I'm not sure because there was no definite point at which I felt like "we won." Or whatever you're supposed to feel when the heroine's journey has come to an end in a particular novel.
I am happy about the developments in the Sookie/Eric situation. And I hate Bill slightly less, though I swear if that vampire tries to come between Eric and Sookie I'll stop reading.
I'm in it for the Sookie/Eric pairing and that's where my loyalties end. As soon as the books stop delivering at least a hopeful Eric/Sookie relationship, I'm out. Though from reading other reviews on this issue, I know there is a pretty big fan contingent that agrees with me.
wrapping up loose ends August 11, 2008
I've been a fan from the first, and I have to say I was pretty happy with this book. I feel that Harris is MAYBE getting back on track with this series. The past couple books have slowly been wrapping up the millions of storylines this series has been dragging behind it - kind of like Jacob in A Christmas Carol. I'm hopeful that we've seen the last of Alcide and the gang, along with the werepanthers and a lot of the extras that went along with those gangs. If I were sookie I think I'd get my Grandpa to kill them all! At least this one really spotlighted Sookie, because the books had really started to be about everyone else except her. And while I kind of liked Quinn my hope is that in the end she ends up with Sam, because he is the only one who cares about her just for herself and not for what she can do for them. Go Sam!
Louisiana Blues August 7, 2008
31 out of 31 found this review helpful
From Dead to Worse (2008) is the eighth fantasy novel in the Southern Vampire series, following All Together Dead. In the previous volume, Sookie Stackhouse finally realized what was going on and organized an evacuation party from the human workers. Cecile set off the fire alarm and other humans started downstairs.
Sookie managed to get Erik Northman up and the two of them got Pam into her coffin and then pushed it out the window. Sookie told the EMTs how to handle the vampires and then acted as a spotter for the rescue teams. Then she found Andre buried under some rubble.
In this novel, just about everybody in town is present for the double wedding of Portia Bellefleur to Glen Vick and Halleigh Robinson to Andy Bellefleur. The ceremony has been scheduled after dark so that the vampires can attend. The Weres are represented by Calvin Norris and Tanya Grissom. Sookie is not very pleased to see Tanya again.
Sookie was invited as a guest, but both Sam Merlotte and herself are working the bar since the intended bartender was injured in an auto accident. Then one of Halleigh's bridesmaids is taken to the hospital and Sookie is asked to fill in for her. Sookie rushes upstairs and changes out of her barmaid outfit.
The bridesmaid dress is a little tight and the shoes are a half size too small. Luckily she won't have to rush around while wearing them. Getting downstairs to the garden is going to be the worst part.
The wedding goes well and the two couples are married without any mishaps (except for the missing bartender and bridesmaid). The photographer takes pictures of Halleigh's bridesmaids first so that Sookie can get back to work. She quickly changes clothes and her toes sigh with relief.
As Sookie is handing out drinks, she meets an oriental vampire who says that he is called Jonathan since his real name is not pronounceable by most people. She notices a Nevada driver license in his billfold as he leaves a tip. He bows to her and she bows back.
Sookie also notices an older man at the edge of the woods. He sees her looking at him and steps forward as he gazes back at her. When he comes forward, all the vampires look his way simultaneously, bow slightly, and then go back their ongoing conversations. The man looks withered, but beautiful.
Sam asks Sookie about Tanya Grissom as they work the bar. Sam has gotten the impression that Sookie doesn't like Tanya. Of course, he is correct; Sookie had some bad experiences with Tanya when she was hired by the Van Pelt family. But Sookie knows that Sam likes Tanya and doesn't feel quite right about spreading her prejudices to her boss.
When Sookie gets home, Amelia Broadway is waiting at the kitchen table to hear about the wedding. She is living with Sookie, but is not really a member of the local social circle and was not invited to the wedding. Amelia also has something else to discuss with Sookie. Her father -- a rich contractor in New Orleans -- wishes to visit Amelia and wants to meet Sookie.
In this story, Copley Carmichael tries to act as like a good old boy, but Amelia's father is obviously used to being a local power broker. Amelia loves the old man, but is also afraid of him. She just can't say no to him.
Eric calls Sookie and asks her to go out with him for a dinner meeting. It is not a date, for Eric intends to escort her to the meeting and then wait outside until she is done. Sookie finds that the lovely, but withered, man is waiting for her. She soon finds out that he is a Fairy prince and also her great-grandfather.
Amelia's witch mentor shows up at the house to speak with her errant student. Amelia has been avoiding Octavia Fant since Bob Jessup was turned into a cat during some exotic sex with Amelia. Of course, Amelia is really not eager to face Octavia and admit that she still hasn't been able to reverse the transformation.
Alcide Herveaux calls Sookie to ask for a favor. One his fellow Weres has been murdered and he would like Amelia to perform an ectoplasmic reconstruction of the killing. Octavia goes along to help Amelia with the spell.
This tale soon has Sookie facing attempts to murder her. On two separate occasions, an unknown Were tries to kill her and no one knows why. Alcide believes that Patrick Furnan -- the new packmaster -- is responsible for the murders and murder attempts.
Sookie blames these troubles on Hurricane Katrina. All Louisiana has been disrupted by the storm. The vampire hierarchy in the state has been greatly weakened and even the werewolves are having problems.
Then there are Sookie's personal problems. Jason is having troubles with his wife Crystal and is not handling it well; Tanya is not helping the situation. Arlene is still hanging around with the local Fellowship of the Sun group and now hates Sookie. Bill Compton is still professing love for her and Eric is still trying to find out what happened when he lost his memory.
The story has some depressing times and moments of pure terror, with occasional flashes of joy. It is just one thing after another in the life of Sookie Stackhouse. Enjoy!
Highly recommended for Harris fans and anyone else who enjoys tales of telepathic disabilities, preternatural creatures, and tangled romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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