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<P>Simplicity <BR>
<P><I> Sophira F. Sipayzo</I>
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      <P align=right>[ <a href="about.html">about</a> | <a href="love.html">love</a> | <a href="quotes.html">quotes</a> | <a href="poetry.html">poetry</a> | <a href="wicca.html">wicca</a> | <a href="names.html">names</a> | <a href="keeper.html">keeperships</a> | <a href="links.html">links</a> | <a href="linkto.html">link to moi</a> ]
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<P>In this case, when I think of love and what I love I think first of Anita Blake, Jean-Claude, Asher, and the books that they appear in, all written by Laurell K. Hamilton. Hamilton is a New Yorks Times best selling author and she deserves that accolade. The series, called the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter book series, consists (so far) of eleven books, with a 12th book to come out October of 2004. My first experience with the books was The Killing Dance. I don't remember how I got a hold of it, but I remember that the weekend after I read the book I demanded that my mother drive me to the bookstore down the street. I spent close to 60 dollars, maybe more than that, to buy one copy of every book in the series. Then I asked if there would be another book coming out by this author, in this series, and if so when? When Narcissus in Chains came out I bought it the second day it was released, and I succeeded in snatching up the last copy that the bookstore had. The second day and their entire first shipment was gone.</P>
<P>The first book, and I recommend you read the books in order to better appreciate them, is Guilty Pleasures. Believe it or not this book contains no sex. Although, the sexual tension is thick and the action is never lacking. Guilty Pleasures is 266 pages in the paperback edition that I own and it is a fairly difficult book to read compared to, say, the newspaper. (The average newspaper is rated at a 6th grade reading level. I would say that Guilty Pleasures is at least a 9th grade level book.</P>
<P>The books become more wordy and much longer as they continue. The rest of the books, in order, are The Laughing Corpse (293 pages), Circus of the Damned (329 pages), The Lunatic Cafe (369 pages), Bloody Bones (370 pages), The Killing Dance (387 pages), Burnt Offerings (392 pages), Blue Moon (??? pages), Obsidian Butterfly (585 pages), Narcissus in Chains (630 pages), and finally Cerulean Sins (405 pages**). Since I only own the hardback copy of Cerulean Sins I don't know how many pages the paperback edition has. For the other books I've mentioned the pages given are from the paperback copies, not the hardback.</P>
<P>Incubus Dreams (??? pages) will come out Oct 2004, and until then I can only give you the link to Laurell K. Hailton's website, and if you check out Anita's Log you'll see a few spoilers for the book. <a href="http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/">Laurell K. Hamilton</a>: <a href="http://www.eridine.com/blog/">Anita's Log</a>.</P>
<P>Now that you know the what, I'll tell you the why. I love the books for three reasons. The first being Anita Blake, the main character. Anita is unique. She is very knightly. Anita is loyal, tenderhearted, ruthless, naive, young, world-weary, and a hundred other things. You might notice that some of these adjectives are contradictory. Well, so is she. She's a paradox, one you grow to love dearly very early on. Be prepared, when you read these books, to fall in love. You will care about Anita. She will become a person to you, a friend, and I do not think many people will regret meeting her.</P>
<P>I mentioned three reasons, didn't I? Well, the second thing I love about these books is Anita's relationship with Jean-Claude. Most of you will assume that because I say "relationship" I mean that Jean-Claude is Anita's boyfriend. Well, you're wrong... and in a way I suppose you're right. "One thing I could always depend on was Jean-Claude. Pain in the ass that he was, he always seemed to be there. Dependable in his own twisted way." (331, TKD) To really understand the two of them and the complexities of their relationship you have to read the books, but then that's the point isn't it?</P>
<P>The third reason, the most recent and most addicting reason, is Asher. "I knew who Asher was, but only by reputation. Asher and his human servant, Julianna had traveled with Jean-Claude across Europe for a couple of decades. They'd been a menage a trois, the closest thing Jean-Claude had had to a family since he became a vampire. Jean-Claude had been called away to his dying mother's bedside. Asher and Julianna had been taken by the Church. Read witvh-hunters." So that makes Asher the ex-boyfriend of Jean-Claude. Menage a trois is French, by the by, for a three way relationship. The three of them loved each other, so much so that when Julianna was burned as a witch and Asher horribly tortured and scarred while Jean-Claude was away their love for each other turned to such hatred that it had nearly destroyed three people: Anita, Jean-Claude, and Asher. Asher is perhaps the most complex character of them all and we do not get to delve very deeply into his complexities until Cerulean Sins. As a fan of Asher, first and foremost of Asher, I have to say that I am desperately hoping for more. This is a very intoxicating vampire.</P>
<P>I think if I give anything more away then I will be giving away too much. I hope very much that anyone who reads this review of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter book series will try to pick up a copy of either Guilty Pleasures, The Killing Dance, Burnt Offerings, Cerulean Sins, or all four, and give the book series a try. The series is very much worth the time it takes to read it. You won't be able to help yourself.</P>
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