Living Dead in Dallas

4/5

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris has Sookie and Bill head to Dallas under contract to find a missing vampire. Sookie just has one condition, the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans involved not be harmed. But they end up finding more than they were looking for when Sookie learns about Godric. Unlike the tv version, Godric is not a good being. He is self-aware enough that he knows he needs to die to protect people. More specifically, he needs to protect little boys from him. But when Sookie is kidnapped by the Fellowship of Sun, and about to be rapped, he steps in and kills her attacker, and then is convinced to let her go. An undercover shifter comes to her rescue to get her out and the vampires don't just owe Sookie anymore.

Sookie returns to the sheriff of Dallas and tells him everything that happens, he hands out the punishments to fit the crime after his vampire friend is safe. But then the church attacks and kills some of the humans in the sheriff's home, causing chaos to ensure. Back at home, Sookie returns to find no one has caught Lafayette's murderer, so Sookie ends up going to a sex party with Eric to listen in to some thoughts to figure it out.

“Yes,” I said, almost squeaking in my anxiety. In for a penny, in for a pound. “And. . . do you think you could pretend to be gay?” There was a long silence. “What time do I need to be there?” Eric asked softly. “Um. Nine-thirty? So I can brief you?” “Nine-thirty at your house.” “I am carrying the phone back,” Pam informed me. “What did you say to Eric? He is shaking his head back and forth with his eyes shut.” “Is he laughing, even a little bit?” “Not that I can tell,” Pam said.  (72%)

The maenad that was in town shows up with Sam in toe and helps kill the humans involved in Lafayette's murder. It was a giant change from the hell she brings in the tv version, making me kind of like the book version, even if she did attack Sookie. 

I forgot to mention before, but I've seen every episode of True Blood, and own seasons 1-5. So going into this series, I was a little nervous because True Blood got weird after a while. I'm hoping the stories stay good in the books since there's 13 of them though. Going into Living Dead in Dallas I thought it was going to follow the storyline of the show, and while it did, it also diverged from a couple of main points. I really didn't like the maenad in the tv show, but the book version I enjoyed a lot better. She actually had a purpose and she wasn't over used. I was sad to have Godric be an awful being though as I really liked him as Eric's maker in the tv show, but I'm glad he still got the ending that was needed and Sookie was there with him when it happened. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it makes me want to buy the series. 

Favorite Quotes:

"You on the other hand, are a sweet little éclair on the outside and a pit bull on the inside." (6%) Loved that analogy, super cute!

"Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me." (12%). Eric is so sassy, I love it. 

Apologies had better be either heartfelt or elaborate, and since Eric didn't have a heart to feel (or at least I hadn't noticed it so far) he might as well distract me with words. (12%)

The last thing I registered was Eric's face moving closer, and it seemed to me he winked. (13%) 

"Naiads are water and dryads are trees, right? So why a maenad, out there in the woods? Weren't maenads just women driven mad by the god Bacchus?" "Sookie, you have unexpected depths," Eric said, after an appreciable pause. I didn't tell him I'd learned that from reading a mystery. Let him think I read ancient Greek literature in the original language. It couldn't hurt. (15%)

Maybe there really were fairies at the bottom of the garden, a phrase I remembered from a song my grandmother had sung when she hung out the clothes on the line. (19%) Lots and lots of foreshadowing was happening. 

People fidget. They are compelled to look engaged in an activity, or purposeful. Vampires can just occupy space without feeling obliged to justify it. (24%)

I would rather be underestimated than overrated any day. Besides, what real difference did it make? (29%)

“I tell you, I am her sister, and she is just drunk,” Polly was telling someone. “I am not. I demand to have a sobriety test right now,” I said, in as dignified a voice as I could manage, considering that I was shocked silly and hanging upside down. “Call the police immediately, please, and an ambulance.” Though Sarah began spluttering, a heavy male voice said, “Lady, doesn’t sound like she wants you around. Sounds like she’s got some good points.” A man’s face appeared in the window. He was kneeling and bent sideways to see in. “I’ve called nine-one-one,” the heavy voice said. He was disheveled and stubbly and I thought he was beautiful. “Please stay here till they come,” I begged. “I will,” he promised, and his face vanished. There were more voices now. Sarah and Polly were getting shrill. They’d hit our car. Several people had witnessed it. Them claiming to be sisters or whatever didn’t go over well with this crowd. Also, I gathered, they had two Fellowship males with them who were being less than endearing. “Then we’ll just go,” Polly said, fury in her voice. “No, you won’t,” said my wonderful belligerent male. “You gotta trade insurance with them, anyway.” “That’s right,” said a much younger male voice. “You just don’t want to pay for getting their car fixed. And what if they’re hurt? Don’t you have to pay their hospital?” (52%) I LOVED that guy that was sticking up for the girls after Polly ran them off the road.