Susan Hated Literature

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Although the title of this review page refers to the entire series I haven’t actually read them all, I have, however, read 5 in the past week. Guess I’ll have to comment on just them.
[EDIT- have since read many more, so the review continues in Part II]

If I had to summarise these books I would by saying that they are chick-horror. Light reading like chick-lit books, bits of horror thrown in, but in reality they are more about the protagonist than the horrors she faces. Unlike horror stories by King etc where it is more a story of how the evil/monster is defeated, or what havoc they cause. Hamilton does address these issues, but there is also a strong emphasis on Anita Blake and her life.

That isn’t a bad thing per se, I’d probably make similar comments about Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. But I don’t rate this series of books as high as Armstrong’s. For one thing the characters are not as well drawn. They come into the story to hurry the plot along, then fade away without comment when their job is played, often without a mention again.

And then there is the issue of the Nikes.
Every chapter, it seems, features the fact that Anita wears Nikes. Sometimes they are white (not a good idea to wear to crime scenes), sometimes they are black, they often seem to have blue swooshes. But really, I couldn’t give a damn. It’d be fine by me if Hamilton had mentioned it once or twice, then, if she wanted to say look my hero wears footwear suitable for running and fighting, she could say runners, or sneakers. Whatever the generic term is in the US. But OMG by the end of The Killing Dance I was ready to scream when I saw Nike in the type.

Overall though these books are very readable. They move quickly, and the plot kept my interest and I came to understand (I think) Anita’s motivations. And I will probably read the others in the series, either from the library or if on special offer though, I won’t be shelling out full price to buy them.

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