Yet Another Two-fer

I was visiting family this weekend, so I didn't have time to write. Here is what I read:

Book Info:  The Killing Dance by Laurell K Hamilton. Published by Ace Books in 1997

Here Hamilton has incorporated all aspects of Anita's life into one story plot. Anita is dating both Jean-Claude and Richard, and since each man is a major player in is preternatural community, Anita becomes involved in each of those communities as well.  Jean-Claude brings a sick vampire to visit Anita in hopes of her healing him. This is the first time we see Anita in the healer role. She is quite often the protecter and savior, but this is the first real opportunity for her to be more.

Richard is still battling for the Alpha role of his pack and is trying to keep Anita out of it. Here we get a chance to see why Richard frustrates Anita so much. Anita doesn't trust anyone to keep her safe but herself. Therefore, withholding information that could get her killed is yet another breach of her trust. If you are trying to protect her it means you don't think she can handle herself. If you aren't trying to protect her you are hiding secrets. It might not be very fair, but in a world where everyone around you is a million times stronger, I can understand her need to know everything. You can't be prepared for what you don't know. To top that off, I think she fears that the current leader will use her against Richard in some way, and Anita hates to be used by anyone, but especially when she is used to harm someone she cares for. Richard also still has the naiveté to believe that everyone is inherently good; that a world of vampires and shape-shifters can live without violence. Though Anita encourages the loss of such innocence, she is still saddened by it.

Edward shows up when he is contacted for a hit on Anita. While I am still not sure that Edward understands friendship, I do believe he has friendly feelings towards Anita. Even if it is only because he "gets to kill more people guarding [Anita]" (19).

Why would someone want to kill Anita? Well, doesn't everyone? It sure seems that she pisses off more people then she befriends. As usual the plot line twists and turns so you don't know your rear-end from your elbow by the time everything unfolds. What you do know is that, though she loves Richard, she is not going to end up with him in the way everyone hoped. There will be no white picket fence and happily ever after for that couple. Anita makes her choice. Though, the choice is the result of her not being able to handle Richard in all his glory, she still makes the choice. Oh... and we get our first sex scene in this book.... Dear me.

A small subplot with huge consequences is that of Raina and Gabriel. These two are bad, so bad that I would almost call them evil. Gabriel and Raina set it up so Anita gets to be the star of yet another snuff film. Which means that Anita ends up killing both of them to save her self, as well as Richard and Jean-Claude. She doesn't understand the consequences of these actions right away, but they do have some longstanding effects.

I really enjoyed this book but there were a few minor issues that frustrated me. As before they are detail things, but where in book 1 and 2 I was more forgiving, this is book 6. By now, Hamilton should have a better grasp on some things and her editor should be catching others. For example, Anita and Richard end up at a dinner party hosted by her friend Catherine. Anita says this is Catherine's first party since her wedding. Unfortunately, Anita's first date with Richard was to be a halloween costume party hosted by Catherine in The Circus of the Damned. Anita and Richard might not have been able to attend, but Catherine still had a party before this dinner party. Like the car issue in Circus of the Damned they need to get a handle on the details of their own stories.

I still enjoyed it, but unlike my first reading of these books, I don't get pulled into the story. That doesn't mean I will stop reading them.

Book Info: Burnt Offerings by Laurell K Hamilton. Published by Ace Books in 1998.

Anita is now sleeping with Jean Claude, and Richard is avoiding her as much as possible. Anita was declared lupa of the were-wolves (sort of female leader) but Richard has cut her out of the pack by not including her. Richard has also left for the summer to work on his master's degree. He leaves Sylvie in charge of the pack in his absence.
Unfortunately, the big baddies come to town. We get to meet some of the Vampire Council and learn a bit more about vampire politics. Along with the Council comes a few key players: The Master of Beasts, who calls all the were-animals to him. Only Rafael and Sylvie refuse to give up their respective packs. Elizabeth gives up the leopards and there are disastrous results. Torture seems to be the weapon of choice and all of the animals suffer. We also get to meet Asher. Asher and Jean-Claude were once part of a triumverate (similar to Richard, Anita, and Jean-Claude) and the outcome was horrible. Asher holds a grudge against Jean-Claude.
All of this is playing against the backdrop of a city in flames. Vampire and shifter businesses all over the city are being burned in an effort to cleanse the city. It is the re-creation of an incident from centuries ago.

This book is better written then The Killing Dance, though it doesn't seem as intense. The important plot points are that:

1. Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard have a great deal of power, yet they can't work together
2. The were-leopards have been left on their own because Anita killed their protector. Therefore Anita takes on the role. 
3. We meet Nathaniel.
4. The wolves are forced to respect Anita because she is willing to kill and die for them. 
5. Raina is not truly gone, and she gets off on torturing Anita emotionally and mentally.
6. Anita's human friends are questioning her. Both Dolph and Ronnie do not approve of her lifestyle.
7. Anita is stil questioning herself. The fear that she has become a monster is always on her mind.

I think number 7 is one of the long lasting themes of these novels. We will see it in almost every book. Some have complained that Anita needs to get over her self doubt, but for me I can understand it. Anita's upbringing would cause her to question herself and her actions. 

Also the introduction of Nathaniel is an important one. With Nathaniel's appearance the books take a turn. At the author signing I went to last month, Laurell K. talked about how Nathaniel came about. She explained that she had read an article about a man who was a submissive to the extent that he required a dominant. When his dominant died he disappeared. No one knows what happened to him. Laurell K incorporated a way for her to save this man in fiction. But by doing so, she introduced an entire culture to Anita. One that would have to be learned in order to completely save Nathaniel. From here on out, the themes of the books change. Though she still doubts herself, Anita takes a more sexual role in the books then ever before. 

I have finished the next book but don't have time to write it up. Maybe tomorrow.