Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 11)
by Laurell K. Hamilton
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Book Summary Information
Author: Laurell K. HamiltonEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-08-31
ISBN: 0515136816
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Jove
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780515136814
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 11)
Book Review: Thrills, Chills, Laughs, & Anita, et al., At Their Best!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Cerulean Sins" is the eleventh book in Laurell Hamilton's "Anita Blake Vampire Hunter" series. These are amazing novels, but I want to emphasize that the degree of enjoyment one gets from them depends on a level of familiarity with Anita Blake and cohorts. These are not stand-alone books. Author Hamilton has developed her characters over a period of eleven-plus years, and one should read at least a few of her early works, beginning with "Guilty Pleasures," before tackling "Cerulean Sins." Action-packed and plot driven though the books may be, knowledge of the characters, and their growth, is essential for maximum appreciation.
"Narcissus In Chains," the novel prior to this one, was a pivotal point in the series, where some tension, built over a long period, was relieved and crucial decisions were made concerning the direction of Ms. Blake's life. Anita achieved the level of master necromancer, enhanced her status as human servant to Jean-Claude, and acquired a vampire servant of her very own, Damian. She has also become Bolverk of the Thronnos Rokke Clan, Nimir-Ra, (with her own Nimira-Raj - Micah), of the Blooddrinkers Pard, and a lycanthrope politician, of sorts. Anita, Jean-Claude, the Vampire Master, and Werewolf Ulfric, Richard Zeeman, finally married their forces and have become a triumvirate, powerfully tied to one another. Anita merged her blood and her being with two extremely vital creatures, for whom blood lust and sex are major motivators. The two preternaturals took on a touch of Anita's humanity in this exchange, and she, in turn, has become more otherworldly - her sexuality included - especially the part inherited from Jean-Claude. He has within him elements of an incubus, and is able to feed off sexual energy. Anita now has this same capacity and need, called the "ardeur." She is not able to control this drive yet and needs to have a trusted man around to allow her to feed when the urge overcomes her. Needless to say, the concept of monogamy is kaput, at least for the time being. She also possesses an inner-beast, as does Richard. Her ability to deal with an overabundance of additional superhuman features is just another stage in her development. Laurell Hamilton has made a courageous decision to take her protagonist over the dangerous terrain she now travels. She is definitely pushing the envelope. This is a crossroads for Blake fans, as well as for Ms. Blake. Ultimately Anita had to deal with making a decision about Jean-Claude and Richard, and either accept her growing preternaturalism, the merger and its consequences, or look for another career.
"Cerulean Sins" begins in a relatively low-keyed manner. Leo Harlan, a new client whose job description reads "assassin" meets with Anita and hires her to raise a dead ancestor for genealogical purposes. Hah! That same evening she has cemetery duty, to reanimate a man thought to have been a suicide. For insurance purposes, Anita needs to interview the corpse with a judge, insurance agent, former wife, and various others as witnesses to determine whether the family is entitled to receive insurance money. Vampire Asher, second-in-command to Jean-Claude, arrives as the zombie-raising ceremony is concluding. A major emergency has arisen - so what else is new?
Belle Mort, the 2000 year-old fountainhead, "le sourdre de sang," of Jean-Claude's and Asher's bloodline, and member of the all powerful Council of Vampires, had scheduled a visit to St. Louis for three months in the future. The Master of the City, and everyone connected to him, are responsible for wining, dining, (she thrives on blood, sex and fear), and doing everything possible for La Belle Mort and her entourage. Displeasing her could mean death or serious long-term torture. However, no one is allowed to harm this Queen of vamps - no matter what she does. She is their mother and their liege lady. Mussette, one of her lieutenants, has arrived early, on purpose, to wreck havoc. Mussette has some unreasonable demands, (of course), including the return of Asher to Europe and La Belle's lair. The only way he can be saved is for him to become the third member of a menage which includes Anita and Jean-Claude. Hmmm. What will Anita, the former Miss Priss decide?
On another front, a series of hideous murders are being committed in St. Louis, and although Anita has been called to work the case, her longtime mentor and former dear friend Lt. Dolph Storr, seems to hate her for her intimate contact with the preternatural set, especially the vampires. Then problems arise with Richard, and the allegiance of his werewolves, whose back-up is especially needed during the visit of Belle Morte and Mussette. The action is totally non-stop, as are the multitude of conflicts and dilemmas Anita must confront in her personal life.
Laurell Hamilton is one of the best storytellers around. I have now read eleven Anita books, and I rarely read series novels. The plots are spectacular. The labyrinthine vampire and lycanthrope politics makes US election brouhahas look like child's play. The characters are some of the most fascinating and complex that I have encountered in fantasy fiction. They have all grown and changed tremendously since book #1. The author's humor is often dark, but hilarious. I can't wait to read "Incubus Dreams," the 12th and last published Anita Blake novel. On the other hand, I am reluctant to begin it, because the 13th book won't be out until 2006. I highly recommend "Cerulean Sins," and every other book in this extraordinary collection.
JANA
Summary of Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 11)
Vampire hunter Anita Blake learns what it's like to be at the new end of a centuries-old bloodline-and just how far she'll let herself get pushed around.
Laurell K. Hamilton's legions of eager fans will be pleased to see Cerulean Sins), the eleventh novel in her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, which is set on an alternate Earth where magic works and vampires and werewolves are real. When a sinister stranger tries to hire the magically potent Anita Blake to raise the dead, she finds herself embroiled in the search for a vicious, supernatural serial killer, and also in the clandestine international politics of the vampires. And as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in cruel plots and counterplots, her tangled personal life only becomes more demanding, more wrenching, and more erotically fraught.
With ten previous books in the Anita Blake series, Cerulean Sins is not the place to start. Though author Hamilton artfully reveals the backstory in small doses, the numerous returning characters and the complex history will overwhelm most newcomers (and even the most devoted fans may find that the backfilling slows the pace). Also, the characters frequently stand around talking and psychoanalyzing one another, which makes for static stretches unlikely to hold a new reader's attention. Newcomers should start with the first book, Guilty Pleasures. --Cynthia Ward
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