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Loading... From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 8) (edition 2009)by Charlaine Harris
 fyrefly98 | Dec 8, 2009 | 
Oddly enough, I had poor expectations when I started reading this book due to the negative reviews on Amazon, plus the lackluster writing of the previous book. Most of the complaints seem to deal with the fact that there was no single event to tie the entire book together. Instead, we are treated to various mini crises interspersed with the tying up of the various plot points that have been remaining in the series. However, I found that to the contrary, these sequence of events actually made the story much more interesting, as the thing that ties all these events together is Sookie herself, giving her a chance to develop her character further through various situations. Basically, this gives more of a 'slice-of-life' feeling to the book which I highly enjoyed. In addition, with alot of the remaining loose ends being tied, this book feels like a major turning point in the series, if not a transition. If there was one quibble though, I guess it had to do with the abruptness with which she broke off her relationship with Quinn. I thought it (and he) deserved a better send off, instead of the 1 to 2 pages devoted to it. (  ) timothyl33 | Jan 31, 2012 | Allibaba77 | Dec 28, 2011 | So, I love this series, & this one was fun as always, but it did seem to be mostly "the latest episode"--I missed the sense of an internal story arc. Still...I'll keep reading! (  ) lhortonludwig | Dec 11, 2011 | Well... I liked it in that the story filled in some gaps and had some loose ends from other books wrapped up but - and it's a big but - nothing important actually happens in this book. Sure, there are a couple scenes where "fights" occur, but they are short and not-suspenseful, and are wrapped up as soon as they occur so you're left wondering, what is the rest of the book going to be about now that X is resolved? And what was the rest of the book about? Another "fight" that is immediately resolved, then another that is also immediately resolved. A bit of suspense and wondering "what's next" would have been nice. It's like a series of short stories/vignettes about Sookie were pieced together to make one novel. It's okay as a filler between books, but I wouldn't have read it if I hadn't already read the first 7 and also planned to read the next ones. ( ) crazybatcow | Dec 6, 2011 | So far, this has been my least favorite of the S.S. Series. Nothing really seems to happen, and I feel like I was just reading portion of what should have been a bigger book. Anit-climatic would be the way I would describe this book from the series. ( ) AshleyLeighB | Dec 1, 2011 | When a Were war is brewing, you know that Sookie will get in trouble. Double that when it is followed by a vampire war. As usual, Sookie gets suck right in when she also as to deal with familial issue regarding the marriage of Jason to Crystal. Her work at Merlotte, and her relationship with Quinn. Her bond with Eric will help her and make her ponder where she stand with him. She also introduced to new relatives. ( ) ct.bergeron | Oct 31, 2011 | This is for me not quite a four star book because I don't think it's a standout in the series. The first was magical in the way it set up Harris' loopy world where a vampire can go into a bar and order "True Blood" and the third had an ending that made me Go Sookie! The fourth book with vampire Eric Northman showing a different side of his nature is a highlight for me among the books, and the seventh with its vampire summit was arguably the best and most imaginative book to date. Not that this book didn't have it's moments. Sookie's voice is always fun to read--down to earth and common sensical even in the midst of the deeply weird, which only enhances the humor. I happen to love Sookie's roommate Amelia and the whole subplot with her and Bob was often funny. Vampire Pam is one of my favorite characters with a sense of humor somewhere between quirky and warped. And in this one between a werewolf war and a vampire coup and betrayals from nearest and dearest what this stands out for is what Sookie gains in family. A powerful fairy great-grandfather for one in Niall Brigant--and more. That more left me closing the book with a smile. (  ) LisaMariaClark | Oct 11, 2011 | From Dead to Worse is the eighth book of the Sookie Stackhouse Novels (Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris. NadineM | Oct 9, 2011 | There was a lot going on here- honestly, I kept saying to myself "Well that's wrapped up, what's going to happen next- there are still pages left, so there must be something else?" It was a lot, and it finally caught me up to half a dozen events that I knew about from later books. It still wasn't my favorite of the series- I like Sookie to have a love interest and not just people trying to kill her. ( ) t1bnotown | Oct 2, 2011 | From Dead to Worse is the eighth book of the Sookie Stackhouse Novels (Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris. Plot: Sookie has returned home from the vampire convention where her life is quickly turned upside down when Eric facilitates a meeting between her and her great-grandfather Niall, a fairy prince. He explains her heritage and promises to help her whenever she needs it. Not only that, but Quinn has been missing since the convention and Sookie not only gets drawn further into the vampire politics but gets also involved in attacks on the Shreveport Weres. I did not like this book which made it pretty easy to stop reading the series after this one (I needed a break anyway). Maybe I’ll pick the books up again after a little while, but for the moment I couldn’t care less. Read more on my blog: http://kalafudra.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/from-dead-to-worse-charlaine-harris/ (  ) kalafudra | Oct 2, 2011 | Love love love these books! I have fallen in love with Eric! =) (  ) millett23 | Aug 31, 2011 | From Dead to Worse answered a lot of questions and wrapped up a lot of loose ends. This book answered the lingering questions about the weres, the vampires, Amelia & Bob, Jason & Crystal, and Quinn. Everything that's been going on kind of came to a close and you felt like you were moving onto a new chapter with everything. It was very well written, so that even though there was a lot of things going on, you didn't feel overwhelmed with information. Overall a very great and satisfying read. :) ( ) LilithMarie | Aug 28, 2011 | Ok I love every one of the books in this series! valerieowens | Aug 5, 2011 | Another good installment in this series. Sookie meets her great-grandfather, Niall, a fairy prince. There's lots of drama with weres and vampires, but no real romance or mystery like in other volumes. But that's okay; it's nice to see Sookie just living her life. All of these characters are really quite great. When I finished this book, I kept thinking about them while I read another book before picking up Dead and Gone. ( )1  jenreidreads | Jun 23, 2011 | I'd give this 3.5 stars.I didn't like this one as much as the past two. It just never seemed to come together as well-- there wasn't anything in particular wrong with it. I still enjoyed listening. ( ) ImBookingIt | Jun 6, 2011 | (I read the series from book 1-9 in a few days, all is a blur> I like the TV show, so I was expecting some of the same sassy feeling from the books. They started off light and funny, but gradually became darker and more unpleasant. This makes sense for the characters, especially Sookie as she becomes more worldly and understands more about the benefits and dangers of her powers. I was never a Bill fan, and Eric lost his, er, bite, after the memory loss book.I'll keep reading, but the glow is gone for me.) francescadefreitas | Apr 19, 2011 | Sookie meets a surprising relative, there is much Were and Vampire mayhem, and then at the end finds another relative. Just as I was starting to think these books are just one damn thing after another, this one ended with a real sense of closure, despite some of my favourite vampires having been disposed of. I'm looking forward to the next one with some trepidation. This would have been a good place to stop. Is the author going to make it worth continuing? ( ) Robertgreaves | Feb 20, 2011 | ARGH! Sookie, Eric, Sam, Quinn, Alcide, Calvin, and oh yeah... Bill..Can we have just one decent relationship for Sookie - just for a little while? Please?This book seemed to tie up a lot of loose ends - but the biggest one - Sookie's love life. I expect the next book to take us in a different direction... cause there's never enough supes 8-).Yes, I'm frustrated. I would like Sookie to be happy for a little more than a page or two.Pam is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. I hope she doesn't die anytime soon.A fast read (like all the books), and obviously I'm too far into the characters, so it's engrossing to a point. I don't know how much more of the stringing along I can take, though. Bill is the most frustrating of them all... Put up or shut up, man! ( ) robindejarnett | Feb 15, 2011 | Okay - so I made the mistake of reading a large number of these books all at once - the plot is a bit confusing, so I"m going to keep it short and to the point. This book starts shortly after the explosion of the pyramid hotel in Michigan. Sookie isn't sure what to beleive, who to trust, now that she's firmly entrenched in Vampire Politics. Whats worst, is that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing. At a wedding, she meets a few people. One is her great grandfather, the fairy and apparent Prince of the Fey and a mysterious vampire. Sookie has matured in this story - she is realizing that she gave away too much control and is trying to get some it back. I'm not sure if I liked how the vampire politics were handled - it seemed to easy. ( ) TheDivineOomba | Oct 24, 2010 | I really liked this eighth installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series, as it seemed to get back to Sookie living her life in Bon Temps. I sometimes find myself frustrated when Sookie becomes the target of a bunch of bad guys that she then needs protecting from. That's not to say there wasn't some of that in this book, and maybe I'm just growing immune to the lighter variety threats, but these felt less dangerous than some of the previous snares Sookie has been involved in. Thankfully, Quinn is out of the picture. Yes, I think he was a nice, protective diversion for Sookie, but I wasn't a huge fan and felt that he might be pretty short-lived as a romantic interest. Obviously, with a stronger connection to Eric that has been established over the course of the previous seven books, we know that he will probably be popping up a bit more. I can't say that will be a disappointment! Although there is a shifting of power going on in book eight, and there is a new king that Eric has to pander to, this book felt more about regrouping. With the big catastrophe in Rhodes, from the previous book, that left the paranormal community rocking (and many dead), and also the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, this book seemed more about seeing where all our characters were at and how they were doing. To me, this seemed like a slower-paced storyline that helped the reader retrace everything. I enjoyed this regrouping and appreciate the continued strength that Sookie goes on to show. Also, Sookie draws closer to family in this book, which adds an interesting twist to the story that had me reaching for book nine pretty quickly! If you haven't read this series, or started it and felt frustrated, I say continue on. Looking back, I struggled through books two through four. Once I got past that initial slump, I've been eager to find out what would happen in each book since! ( ) mjmbecky | Oct 18, 2010 | The last chapter redeemed this one...there was just too much and then not enough. But the end brought it back to Sookie and her 'disability'. ( ) melissarochelle | Sep 21, 2010 | In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Sookie and her entourage find themselves piecing together their lives. I am loving the series but beginning to realize reading the books back to back is not always a good thing. I know Sookie's story up to this point but can't remember which book is which! I enjoy the back stories as they are revealed, in this book Quinn's history catches up with him. Sookie is a lot stronger - she's no longer letting the sups tell her where and when to go. ( ) Cailin | Sep 18, 2010 | So, if I read book 7 in a few days, I read this one night in the bathtub. True, it probably took three hours and I sat there until I was shaking because the water was so cold, and obviously I didn't read every word. I think Kim Harrison has scarred me by killing off Rachel Morgan's vampire beau, because I can't help being convinced Eric is going to be "dusted," to use a term from Buffy. And that's probably why I had to read it so quickly. Made myself go through it again at a slower pace, and still loved it. Couldn't stand the idea I might be through with the existing books in the series, so the next day I went out and bought the book 9. Still in hardback, which hurt my wallet. Would have bought the collected short stories, also only available in hardcover, but it's not as readily available. Anyway, the things and rules of the Sookieverse get bigger and bigger. Starting to wonder what's not real in her world. Loved the elements on Eric's history, loved Sookie's being more independent, even from Jason. Still haven't started the next book, but had to take a break to read the last of The Hunger Games trilogy, and may read latest Kim Harrison first - This is typical, as I tend to delay reading things I really want to read, because once you read it, it's over and there's nothing to look forward to anymore. ( ) Jaie22 | Sep 17, 2010 | Another good read in the Sookie Stackhouse series. This time there are a few takeovers that Sookie is drawn into. First a fight between the Weres in Shreveport then a fight between the Vamps, as the King of Navada wants to take over Louisiana. It was easy to read and quite enjoyable. My only disappointment is Sookie and her relationships with men, I wish she could be more forgiving - or a bit more give and take. The men she has been involved with all come across as decent guys who have done something wrong. Bill for instance still loves her, Quinn is very upset with her, then theres Sam and of course Eric - who remembers their time together in this book. ( ) bhryk0 | Sep 12, 2010 | Glad that she got rid of Quinn. I found him a bit wrong. ( )1 stafinois | Sep 4, 2010 | |
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RatingAverage: (3.97)
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7
Review: This book is a bit of a conundrum for me. Its plotline is more scattered that any book since Living Dead in Dallas (my least favorite so far, primarily *because* of its fragmented nature.) And yet, I enjoyed it more than any book since Dead to the World (my favorite so far.) How can I reconcile that?
Maybe it's because while From Dead to Worse certainly was scattered, and strangely plotted (the big battle that I was expecting to be the climax occurred about halfway through the book), it wasn't scattered in the same *way* as Living Dead in Dallas. Instead of bringing up a bunch of elements that exist only for the purpose of a single book, From Dead to Worse draws elements from throughout the series, reviving and wrapping up plotlines from many books back, while introducing new elements that will take us into the books to come. I liked that the focus of the story has shifted back to Sookie and away from all supernatural politics all the time, and I enjoyed the fact that she got to spend some more time interacting with her hometown people as well as supes from far and wide.
But I think the real reason that I enjoyed it so much was that it was hugely, compulsively readable. The plot came in a lot of little disparate pieces, sure, but each of the pieces was so good and held my attention so well that on the day I picked it up, I stayed up into the small hours of the night because I didn't want to stop reading it, and the only reason I didn't stay up into the wee small hours to finish it was that pesky sense of responsibility telling me that I needed to get at least some sleep. Maybe it was just the right book for the right mood, but for whatever reason, it really worked for me. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: No way this will make sense if you haven't read the earlier books, but for Sookie fans, I'm pleased to report that this series doesn't show any signs of a slump in the later books. (