I miss the real Anita, have you seen her?
351581
I absolutely loved this series when it began. Anita was strong, the characters vivid, the dialogue witty, the action non-stop and the stories were entertaining.

This book was utterly disappointing. Throughout the last several books, Anita has turned into a selfish, whiney brat who has to be the center of attention.

The book could have been 300 pages or less. I nearly quit reading when the first OVER 200 pages was nothing more than a phonecall from Edward and pages upon pages of explaining the details and nuances of the plethora of relationships, arguments, explanations of why minor characters don't respect certain characters, and pretty much just over-explaining and justifying the poly lifestyle. It was honestly boring and extremely difficult to continue reading.

Not to mention that the characters that used to be so vivid and different have lost their individuality. With the exception of their descriptions, you could actually drop any character into any role and it would make no difference.

I think this may have been my last purchase of an LKH novel. I have been a loyal reader of this series, but when the story takes a back seat to the explanations and justification of the life choices, it isn't worth it. I have been hoping for a return to the adventure, the occasional steamy sex scene, the humor and wit but the last several books have shown that the plot train is now so far off the track it has turned into an ATV. Read at your own risk.
2061428
The series is getting a plot back, however the problem is now that Anita is out of the bedroom, Laurell does not seem to know what to do with her.  There are so many distractions and it seems like the book encompasses only a couple days of the character's lives.  Why does Anita get the first mask and not Jean Claude?  That never gets answered satisfactorily.  Laurell, please re-read your first books, bring back the kick butt Anita that we know and love.

If you are looking for more murder, mystery, and magic, that was Anita this is not it.
1001539
I have read all of the Anita Blake books.  I have watched them go from what amounted to detective fiction all the way to erotica, then back again.

For me, the last few books have returned to the earlier style, with Anita now as a Federal Marshal hunting the bad guys.  I love the stories, and I love the characters.  I can agree that perhaps this one had a little too much detail about her guys' appearance, but that's liveable.

As to the sex, I just skip over it--if you like it, read it, if not, it's not essential to the plot.

I really enjoyed this one.  I like the interaction between Anita and Micah's family, between Edward and Anita, and Anita and Nicky.  I like that the ardeur is more and more about love and less and less about lust.

And I even enjoyed the zombies.

Folks, Laurell doesn't pretend to write great literature.  But in the urban fiction/horror/fantasy genre, noone writes better.  I read a lot of authors in this group, yet I wait with bated breath for the new Anita Blake books.  There's a reason they come out in the summer; they are escapist novels.  Why do so many of the readers feel it necessary to deconstruct every iota of the books?  Did the 583 or so pages entertain you and make you forget your humdrum life?  If so, the book's a success.

Doesn't an author have the right to write what she chooses?  Of course!  So if you don't like the books anymore, don't read them!

Just let the rest of us enjoy them without so much carrying on!!
2706388
I love LKH's Anita Blake Series but this one dissapointed me. In this book Anita instead of  find out who or what commited the crime/murder and why? She focus more into who she will do and how? There is a lot of pages for a story which span is like 2 to 4 days and also how she wrap it all up on the last chapters is dissapointing. I think there is a lot of pages wasted on the sex issues, it is not that Im squeamish about the sex stuff is because for me, sometimes less is more.
4210000
Laurell K. Hamilton has given us an original standalone novella, "Micah", which continues the on going sage of Anita Blake. Let me first start off by saying that calling Micah a "book" is a stretch of the imagination. Officially, it contains 245 pages, but don't be fooled because this "little tale" is conveniently stretch by employing a larger than normal font, double spaces, an extremely wide margin and several blank pages between each chapter.

In this novella, Larry Kirkland, a fellow Federal Marshall, animator, and vampire executioner, makes a desperate call to Anita. His wife has just gone into labor five months into her pregnancy and Larry needs Anita to fill in for him. Larry was hired by the F.B.I to raise a witness, but now he can't go. Apparently, the F.B.I doesn't want just any animator to raise this witness, they need a Federal Marshall. Now last minute, Anita has to jump on a plane to Philadelphia.

Sounds lovely doesn't it.  Anita going off to Philadelphia to do some actually work for a change. Unfortunately, Anita has to bring along some added baggage - Micah, who she drags along with her wherever she goes and constantly leans on for an emotional crutch.

Her professional reputation comes into question. Seems she's no longer regarded as the hard-as-nails, feisty Vampire Executioner, but a sluttish whore who'll sleep with anyone and every "thing".  Anita blows off the criticism as nothing but false lies spread by "jealous hatters" who didn't get to sleep with her.

After reading the previous installments "Narcissus in Chains", "Cerulean Sin" and "Incubus Dreams", this new novella "Micah" is no different.  All hope has faded that the series will ever have a crime or plot that wouldn't be over shadowed by the boring sex, the ardeur, and Anita's annoying personal angst and inner turmoil.

Sure to excite one-handed readers everywhere, Micah contains a twenty-five-page sex scene.  I kid you not!  The tedious drawn out scene takes up two chapters of a twelve-chapter book. Apparently, Ms Hamilton has misplaced her thesaurus as she bombards us with a repetitive laundry list of her catch phrases.  In the one sex scene, the word "tight" was used 12 times,  "Wet" was used 9 times and "F- Me" was use 7 times. Micah is just another book with gratuitous long-winded sex and with no point.

As for character development, Micah continues to be a one dimensional, contrived and otherwise gutless wonder. Mr. Agreeable acts more like a Stepford Wife/ Husband rather any kind of believable life partner.  Least we forget, the author insists on parading and wagging his one "outstanding" trait in the readers face - his giant-sized manly endowment.  Micah has the biggest tool in the toolbox.  One particular boring scene delves into the challenges and problems faced by the overtly endowed.  The scene is very reminiscent of an Anita and Richard exchange from "Incubus Dreams" and this passage looks, not surprisingly, as if someone cut and pasted it in.  At least the names where changed where appropriate. Did Ms Hamilton have a lapse in thought or creativity and forgot she's waded through this over hyped subject before or does she plan on subjecting us to this conversation with each of her manly studs?

Ms Hamilton attempts to flesh out the two-dimensional Micah by tagging him a tragic past that he finally reveals to Anita. Nevertheless, even with the sad back-story on his past, we really don't see anything more of Micah than what we've seen in the last few books - a genuine lack of a personality. But hey, who needs a personality.  Apparently, if you've got a "big" tool, you've got more than enough to impress Anita these days.

Save your time and money and pass on this over-price short story. Because even after reading the book, the most memorable thing we learn about Micah; is the man has a "big" Willy. Nothing but "old news" folks!
452417
I miss her so much gone to soon but I still enjoy all of her music to the fullest no doubt
4470232
A joy to behold, the memories growing up watching this great lady and her guests were bought back again.  I remember sitting and watching her show every week, and laughing til my stomach ached.  Thank you, my dear friend.  You and your group were the best and finest comedians ever. You are missed even now.  Your performances will never be matched..
4828954
I have been a DEVOTED Anita follower since before book six came out. I have even at this point gone back and reread the entire series more than once because I just love it that much, but (isn't there always a but?) the last book before this one (Kiss the Dead) shook my faith in the series. The last three or four books had been shaky but Kiss the Dead made me not want to read this one. Boy am I glad I did! This book was everything I love about the series! There was death, zombies, killer rotting vamps, Edward, sex, Jean-Claude, sex, violence, more death, sex, Micah & Nathaniel...I could go on! It was bloody and gory with a healthy dose of mystery and although there was sex, it didn't dominate the book (not that I would have minded, btw), the plot did. It was strong and well worth the read.

I said this book should have been called "How Hamilton Got Her Groove Back" and I really mean it. I thought she had lost her passion and commitment to the characters and their development, but this book was just GREAT! (I feel like Tony the Tiger) If you are on the fence about the book based on the past few, give this one a chance, you won't be sorry. I know I wasn't and can't wait for next years. Maybe Anita will finally get that fourth mark. Here's hoping! ;-)
4934358
This cd set reveals a hoarse sounding Streisand that sings sincerely-but has finally lost that crystal siren of a voice. She sounds different as a mature live performer,and I kept longing to hear that sonic instrument that has lost it's primal power.
It is enjoyable and good-but not the songstress we once knew.
I'm suprised that the diva didn't play with the sonics more in the studio-and that is refreshing. She has allowed her human frailty to be exposed.
Yes she is a multi talented woman.
723401
Was bored with all the different games & would like to known more about what her life is like today
102311
I miss Joan it not the same. But I admit when you read it I hear it in Joan's voice.
371720
I am a former student of Dr. Leonard and her passion for those ladies shows in the book. She was a beloved professor and is dearly missed.
794321
I loved this book it gave me a great feeling inside I love Edme and Faolan and thought it was cool about there previous lives but Banja was my favorite when she was nice but a fierce fighter after Maundie came along  I was crying when she die an I was on a plane Atlanta to maluakee. Oh how I will miss this series
4938213
I anxiously awaited her books to come out over the years, each and every one since Small Sacrifices. After the last two books felt as if someone else had written them, I no longer bother. Too bad. She was a family favorite. Whether you're a true crime fan or not, her ability to develop the characters in her books and weave a family web is no longer evident.
185746
I was not happy with this outtake at all.  All it is is more sex like we need more sex with Anita. Don't get me wrong I love Anita and her boys but i really was hopeing for more than just sex out of this.
4090543
I've read them all.  The very good, the not so bad and the 'oh-my-freakin-good-your-kidding' in the Anita Blake series.  What drew me in was the way she wrote Anita in the first few, flawed for sure but determined, ballsy and trying to find her way and balance in the tightening vortex of her world, both corporeal and not. Got that. Check. Loved it.  The characters were rich and rounded, like Edward, Nathaniel, Micah. Jean Claude, Damien. And the villians just as juicy. Chemira, was priceless as was her cohort.  But sorry, Richard has just annoyed me from the get-go. Deal with it dude and just go on...please!  Then we, as readers, fell down the rabbit-hole of the 'arduer'.  While I'm digging the concept, I don't want pages and pages and...pages of it. I need plot as well.

But this book tries to crawl slowly out of that and brings the focus back on situations and a semblance of a plot.  The threat of the 'Harlequin' sent by the a council arrives in town, concerned by Anita's growing range of power, and the added essence of Marmee Noir hovering over all.  And as a plus we have Anita trying to finally clean up her social calendar, as it were, where the 'arduer' is concerned. Bravo.

It's muddled but much more satisfiying than the previous two. I can honestly say I'm looking forward to the next installment.
2785289
She's not as good as she used to be.  It's sad, because I read all of them.
Too much recap, too many peripheral characters that aren't very interesting.