Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris, Book No.12 in the Sookie Stackhouse Trueblood series
9 May 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Charlaine Harris, Deadlocked, Sookie Stackhouse, Trueblood
Just finished reading Deadlocked. No.12 in the Sookie Stackhouse series of books. I have enjoyed this series of books, they’ve been good fun, there’s been plenty of action, romance and paranormals and it’s just felt like a lovely indulgent reading experience. I must say however that No.12 was not my favourite by a long stretch of the imagination.
In this book Sookie and Eric’s relationship takes a bit of a nosedive – not helped by the fact that Sookie finds Eric red handed drinking blood from a woman who not long after appears to be dead on his front lawn. There are as usual a number of threads going on in this story, things taking place in the fey world, Niall returns briefly. Sam and Janalynn are still dating but everything isn’t quite as it should be. Political intrigue and posturing in the vampire world and kidnapping and potential tortures taking place.
I wouldn’t say that this book is bad but just that I didn’t love it. Basically we have a litle bit of this and that in terms of most of the supes involved in the series but there feels like very little in terms of a real story. Sookie has definitely lost her mojo and we don’t see her usual humour bubbling on the surface. There is a lot of reflection about relationships and we seem to be having the way paved for a final decision by Sookie which seems to be fairly clear (to me at least) at this stage.
Having said that, it was a really quick and easy read, but it definitely lulled in the middle and I could have put the book down at that point and probably not had much incentive to pick it back up.
I think what we have here really is a setter-upper type of novel. It feels like this story is being used to tie up loose ends and set us up for the next book.
Hopefully the next one will return to form and bring us back the Sookie we’ve all come to enjoy reading about.
So, I didn’t think this was the best read ever. It doesn’t really feel as though Ms Harris enjoyed writing this one somehow so maybe she’s ready to finally conclude Sookie’s story. It won’t put me off reading the next book however. At the end of the day we’re 12 books down the line here – I think I can definitely forgive this blip and I want to see what the conclusion will bring.
Deadlocked
Books and travelling with Lynn 
I’ve read that Harris plans to end the series soon. Could the series be overstaying its welcome?
I think a number of people are anticipating the end of the series – I’m not sure if it is or not. The thing is it’s been a good enjoyable set of books to read and really it probably could go on for longer without any problem, but this one was not so good and it felt like Harris has lost the will to write any more about Sookie so maybe she’s getting ready to wind it down. It definitely had a feel of leading us in a certain direction as well so that the conclusion wouldn’t be too much of a shock to some of the more die-hard fans!
Lynn 😀
I read all the books – well, besides this one – of the series and am a fan, even though it’s clear that it’s the kind of books that are easily forgotten. I’ll still read this one and sometimes one needs and easy-read. At least seeing the reactions I won’t be expecting too much from this one.
I’ve really enjoyed this series to be honest. Okay, they’re probably not going to be classics but they’re fun and easy. This one has definitely lost it’s sparkle somehow. I will continue and read to the end because I’m sorted of invested in the characters now. I get the impression we’re being quite heavily steering in this one so perhaps the end is near!
Lynn 😀
i’m not usually interested in long running series, but this one just sounds like light fun reading. and the HBO version sure was a lot of fun!
Yes, the HBO version was (ahem) fun! I had no idea this series would go on so long when I started! I might have had a rethink otherwise.
Lynn 😀
12 books so far…I don’t think I’ve read a series with that many…oh wait I used to read Sue Grafton. Now I am trying to remember which letter I stopped on. I hate getting old.
12 books – mere bagatelle, Morganville Vampires is going to go to 15 at least! Let’s just say that i did have a bit of a ‘thing’ back in the day for the vampire stories – but, they did become a little bit much. Of course, when I started both of these series I had NO idea of how long they would run and I keep just reading another, and another, and another, eventually I think we’ll reach the end. Hopefully they won’t go into triple figures. I defo won’t last the course of time if they do.
Lynn 😀