Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 13)
by Laurell K. Hamilton
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Book Reviews of Micah (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 13)
Book Review: warning: romance novella disguised as action book
Summary: 2 Stars
I've been hooked on LKH's Anita Blake series since I picked up the first book on a whim last year and I now own everything she has in print to date. As much as the first 5 or so books were fantastic, these last few have been decidedly lacking and veering away from where the series started.
In this book Anita gets called out of town on an overnight animating case and Micah accompanies her so she may feed the ardeur. Micah and Anita quickly realize that this is the first time they will be alone together without anybody else acting as an emotional buffer. Emotional drama ensues, they fight, they have make-up sex (two chapters worth in a 12 chapter book that is double spaced and has 3 empty pages in between each chapter). I don't know about anybody else, but I got waaaaayyyy too much information about the size and girth of Micah's, ahem, **hands and feet** and the sex scene ends up being obligitory rather than sensual or having any meaning.
The premise of an animating case is dismissed into the background so quickly that it becomes clear that it is to be just the backdrop to learn more about Micah's past. After the hotel scene, Anita makes her animating gig, which goes awry and Anita gets knocked out. When she comes to, others fill her in on what occured and the story is wrapped up in short order.
If you were hoping for a Micah story to rival the in depth exploration of Edward in "Obsidian Butterfly" you're gonna be disappointed! Essentially, we find out how Micah became a lycanthrope, was emotionally abused by an ex-girlfriend in college, and get a little better insight into his makeup. If you are really hooked on the series (like I am) you'll appreciate knowing more about Micah, but folks, wait and buy the book used for cheap or borrow it from a friend, because it sure wasn't worth the price of a full length novel! You'll finish it in under a couple of hours.
Book Review: Satisfying novelette, with some shortcomings
Summary: 3 Stars
In "Micah", Anita Blake flies to Philadelphia to fill in for Larry Kirkland, and raise a zombie in his stead. Accompanying her is Micah Callahan, present to feed the ardeur which Anita still can't control. Personal and professional complications ensue.
This novelette strikes a pleasing balance between action adventure, character development, and eroticism. While the word count is short (and the covers padded with a 30 page teaser of "Danse Macabre") the story is exactly as long as it needs to be. It was a delight to read a new Anita Blake tale crisply told, with an unrushed and rounded conclusion.
That said, niggles prevent me from giving this volume a higher rating. Having read all of Ms. Hamilton's fiction, I'm used to the inevitable spelling, syntax and word use errors that plague her work. In fairness, there used to be editors to take care of such lacunae on behalf of authors. Besides, that's not what prevents this story from soaring.
What keeps it earthbound, at least for me, is the title character himself. Micah has been a cipher, and Ms. Hamilton attempts to remedy that by providing a backstory for him. Spotlighting the character gives him illumination without adding any warmth. Not only do I not care about Micah the way Anita does, I still can't even understand why she feels so strongly attracted. On that level, the novelette fails.
Other readers who currently enjoy this series more than I do might say, with some justification, the fault is my own. I cannot commit to Anita's new interlocking triumvirates until the author attempts to resolves the troubled original one, or even hints she will ever do so. I am old fashioned enough to expect fiction to have neater endings than real life.
That said, "Micah" is a well told snippet that fits between the folds of Ms. Hamilton's larger stories.
Book Review: A spare chapter wrapped up as a novel!
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm bl**dy dissapointed with Hamilton's latest Installment in the Anita Blake series.
I really enjoyed the early books in the series, some great characters, action, nice background etc. With her latest books, especially Incubus Dreams, the plot has gone, replaced with sex, descriptive sex, a bit more sex for good measure and Anita bailing everyone out of trouble again.
I hoped Micah would provide a chance to get to know a character that has become integral to her 'Story', but we know very little about. Sadly, I was proven wrong, the 'Short'(Less than 3hrs of reading taking your time) novel mentions his history in brief, while he himself plays a very secondary role again.
The book itself is thin in size, double spaced and blank pages between chapters. This would make a couple of intersting chapters in a main novel, not a seperate book in itself. The plot, and I use the term loosely, is very simple and in itself takes barely 8 pages to cover, and that is with it being padded out. The rest of the book is once again about Anita beating herself up over her hangups and of course the obligatory sex.
Dont get me wrong, I dont mind risque or overly descriptive writing, however Hamiltons latest books are mainly about sex and Anita saving the day against overwhelming odds, whilst discovering even greater levels of power. The plot does not even rate as second best, it just provides a very loose tie in.
I would recommend that you DONT buy Micah, it is not worth the price for so little book. I would advise you to borrow it or buy second hand.
The rest of the series is shaping up badly as of this momnent, perhaps Danse Macabre will be the 'rabbit out of the habit', with Hamilton suddenly springing the, 'And this is why everything is happening' solid plot and action, but I doubt it.
Book Review: How low can you go?
Summary: 1 Stars
Why Hamilton has so thoroughly sabotaged her books is beyond me to comprehend. I didn't used to get it why people were trashing the author and Blake because the first 7 or 8 books in the series are pretty good. I was reading a thriller with a supernatural element. Now the books have turned into something else entirely. It's just about sex and feelings and Anita Blake being angry all the time. I can't tell you how sick I am of her feeling angry over everything. She has basically one emotion outside of aroused. Anger. Oh wait, she can get irritated too, let's not forget that.
There is little or no story in her books anymore, it's just about sex. And the sex isn't so hot either. Yeah, I get it, Micah has a large member. Yeah, he looks nice.
Is there actually anyone that likes the Micah character? Raise your hand if you do. No hands? Not surprising.
He's flat and uninteresting and the author's weak attempts to make him interesting to us or alluring fail miserably.
This story is 4 scenes, whereof one is about sex of course. How the author got the publisher to print this story is unbelievable. Do they print everything she writes these days? Do they like that vapid dribble?
I don't know why I keep reading her books. They're a struggle to get through, it's all about sex, sex and talk about sex or what's even worse, their feelings towards this or this act or character. And I actually think that's worse cause the dialog has become painful to read. The writing is so hurried and unfinished. How much time does she spend on each book? Are they edited at all?
The author seems determined to completely destroy the old Anita. There is hardly any story left and little to nothing left of the old character and that is such a shame.
Please bring the old Anita back Laurell! I miss her!
Book Review: Best AB tale in quite some time
Summary: 4 Stars
... well, I'm probably exaggerating a bit with the ratings, but in contrast to _Incubus Dreams_, this is ... a masterpiece.
The book is 288 pages, the last 30-odd being a preview of Danse Macabre. And rather than the densely spaced tiny text, this is normal-sized text, double-spaced. It's like reading a Parker _Spenser_ novel -- and it reads nearly as fast. Short chapters -- even short sentences -- and, wonder of wonders, a plot that doesn't center on, or even consist primarily of (a) Anita having sex with people, (b) Anita learning she has new and terrible powers.
Well, there's a bit of that, but it's a continuation of the previous volume. But most of what we get is a straightforward story, with a limited cast (only some of whom we've met), much of which centers around animating a zombie for the FBI. There's sex, yeah, but that's just sort of a blip in the middle of things. We learn some interesting stuff about the titular character (and some goofy stuff as well, dealing with how he, like the majority of the men in Anita's life, is Extraordinarly Well-Endowed). We get some gunplay. We get some personal conflicts not having to do with vampiric or lycanthropic politics. And we get something that resembles the original novel in the whole series far more than the past several volumes.
I don't know if all of this was the result of Hamilton suddenly getting some editorial advice, having a contractual obligation to produce a book and limited time or inclination to do so, or if she just had only a short nubbin of a story idea and decided not to embellish it with ... well, the seemingly obligatory multiple sex scenes.
This novel (practically a novella) restores my faith in the series, at least to some degree. Decent (well, recommendable) stuff.