Book 25 - Crimson Death - Vampire Hunter

Once you get away from the relationship angst and get to the plot you are in the last quarter of the book. I keep hoping that the series could go back to what the first six books were like and am sadly disappointed. Magic, murder and mayhem have taken a back seat to any real plot which is a shame. The writing isn't poor it just isn't exciting...

This series has severely declined in quality. Although I started reading this series for the vampire hunting and serious badass quality of the main characters, I don't have a problem with the sex scenes. Indeed, I enjoy the hot & steamy, even the poly-amory and BDSM stuff because I feel like I've learned a lot about a culture I would not have researched on my own... but not when it constitutes 75% of the book. I miss the old days when it was vampire-hunting and being the Executioner - I really loved the 25% of the book that was about her adventure in Ireland, but the relationship stuff just got old and tired. I may not continue the series after this book, which makes me sad because I really liked them.

I agree with many of the other reviewers that the series has lost its focus as much as Anita has lost her kick-assness There is a decent 300 page book lurking in here but way too much filler which is repeated and repeated again. Which leads me to crux of my critique. This book needs an better editor. And editor should keep the author on focus prevent them from meandering into indulgent writing and a good editor would have caught the fact night would not be falling in St. Louis while it was day in Ireland. Ireland is ahead of St. Louis timezone wise and considering Anita seems to have been in Ireland for an endless day - there is no way Jean Claude could be waking up during any of this. It's just one of the many narration errors (or laziness) that made me pause and thing go back and check that I didn't miss something. I do that too often, I stop reading.

I've read Anita Blake books from the beginning. The early books were great. I've stuck with the series hoping to reach the conclusion. I'm ok with the sex, multiple partners, and open sexuality. I am worn out on the beating of the dead horse of the emotional stuff. Every kiss, touch and thought requires an entire conversation on how everyone is coping. However, Anita's new acceptance of herself and others is better. I struggle through the beginning of this book. It got better once Anita reached Ireland, and it was great to see Edward in the story. This book by far is lesser than other books in the series.

Very disappointed with this book, it drones on and on about nothing. They finally get to Ireland about 3/4 into the book then drones on more about seating assignments and personalities. I have been a big fan up to this point but feel taken advantage of with my purchase. Sadly, I'm done.

I absolutely loved this series when it began. Anita was strong, the characters vivid, the dialogue witty, the action non-stop and the stories were entertaining.

This book was utterly disappointing. Throughout the last several books, Anita has turned into a selfish, whiney brat who has to be the center of attention.

The book could have been 300 pages or less. I nearly quit reading when the first OVER 200 pages was nothing more than a phonecall from Edward and pages upon pages of explaining the details and nuances of the plethora of relationships, arguments, explanations of why minor characters don't respect certain characters, and pretty much just over-explaining and justifying the poly lifestyle. It was honestly boring and extremely difficult to continue reading.

Not to mention that the characters that used to be so vivid and different have lost their individuality. With the exception of their descriptions, you could actually drop any character into any role and it would make no difference.

I think this may have been my last purchase of an LKH novel. I have been a loyal reader of this series, but when the story takes a back seat to the explanations and justification of the life choices, it isn't worth it. I have been hoping for a return to the adventure, the occasional steamy sex scene, the humor and wit but the last several books have shown that the plot train is now so far off the track it has turned into an ATV. Read at your own risk.

I absolutely loved this series when it began. Anita was strong, the characters vivid, the dialogue witty, the action non-stop and the stories were entertaining.

This book was utterly disappointing. Throughout the last several books, Anita has turned into a selfish, whiney brat who has to be the center of attention.

The book could have been 300 pages or less. I nearly quit reading when the first OVER 200 pages was nothing more than a phonecall from Edward and pages upon pages of explaining the details and nuances of the plethora of relationships, arguments, explanations of why minor characters don't respect certain characters, and pretty much just over-explaining and justifying the poly lifestyle. It was honestly boring and extremely difficult to continue reading.

Not to mention that the characters that used to be so vivid and different have lost their individuality. With the exception of their descriptions, you could actually drop any character into any role and it would make no difference.

I think this may have been my last purchase of an LKH novel. I have been a loyal reader of this series, but when the story takes a back seat to the explanations and justification of the life choices, it isn't worth it. I have been hoping for a return to the adventure, the occasional steamy sex scene, the humor and wit but the last several books have shown that the plot train is now so far off the track it has turned into an ATV. Read at your own risk.

What a loss! I have been following this series for years. Rereading the books to the point that I have collected most of the titles in hardcover for my library.
Anita has lost her confidence and self awareness, questioning every emotion. Asher was previously the character that caused conflict but by the end of the book my dislike for Nathaniel had reached the "I hope Moroven kills him" level. Selfish, self absorbed and not held accountable for forcing himself on others.
After such a lomg wait, I had so hoped for more or at least to still like the primary characters.

Very disappointing. This author used to know how to tell a gripping story. Now the books have devolved into detailed physical descriptions of all the characters, lots of discussion, and a tiny bit of action. I won't buy the hardbacks any more. Now I don't even want to buy the paperbacks.
There are many other authors in this genre who can still tell a story and make it fun.

Dear Laurell...I'm glad your personal life is happy except for losing your faithful dog, however, I'm done with your books. I've hung on through three hoping they would get better, but they seem to follow the same formula: cops who have a grudge against Anita and her lifestyle or that she's a woman cop, talking, talking, a lot of talking about how hard they train, managing multiple partners, Edward, annoying Asher, how good sex can be with pain and sometimes not, and Anita taking out the next biggest bad guy/girl vamp. Like Nathaniel and Micah and Jean Claude. Take care.

98% of the book is rambling that leads nowhere. Too much backtracking and explaining of characters and situations that have been established for 10+ books. The ending was too sudden, too jumbled, and anticlimactic.

Like other reviewers I have read all the books. Enjoyed Anita as a badass solving mysteries, killing bad guys - gaining "powers" which enhanced her skills. Her relationships have gotten so out of control, I can't keep track of who is who - too much teenage drama -not enough action.

So disappointed again in Ms Hamilton's latest book. I miss the edge-of-your-seat vampire slayer and necromancer adventures of Anita Blake. I've read the first 10 books over and over again, so I love the writer and the characters, but Crimson Death is very disappointing. I have to admit I'm only half way through it, but had to get this off my chest. So far they've discussed their sex lives and character flaws; how they came to be in St. Louis; and the powers all the shifters and vamps have acquired thru Anita. Rehashed from previous books so we all know the history of Anita's polyamorous group. Can we get to Ireland already? Maybe Ms. Hamilton should write novellas now. Anita gets the 9-1-1 phone call; confers with Edward; has some sexy time to power up; arm the troops; conduct some detective work and search out the awesome, ugly, gruesome villains; then engage in an epic battle scene. The End. I think this would be awesome and Laurell may enjoy her work a little bit more. I know I would.

Crimson Death: (Spoiler Alert – You have been warned)

The latest travesty in a long list of awful novels now written by Laurel K. Hamilton, and part of me wonders if we’d have still have the old, strong, vibrant Anita Blake as our heroine if the author had stayed married to her first husband. Be that as it may, we cannot change the past, but I keep hoping she’d change the future of her storyline, but seeing this latest book, I know we’re never going to get the old flavor and fun of the original characters back.

The book as others have stated didn’t really have a ‘bad’ person to defeat. I mean it did and it did, because where at the main antagonist in the story was Damien’s old master and creator, the way she was defeated wasn’t through sex as in many of the past books, but by just using ghosts this time and being a little more ‘evil’ than usual for Anita. We lose another favored character in Domino, but not even that was a surprise as the author has begun to weed out the characters she’s introduced but didn’t really fall in love with and neither did us readers.

The book was slow, flat, uninspiring, and as you read through page after page, you realize the author is starting to wind down the series to a conclusion. Maybe with the talk of the wedding and Anita agreeing she wants to get pregnant with Nathaniel’s baby; just as the author did for the Night Huntress Series of Bones & Cat. It appears a female character can’t be ‘whole’ without getting knocked up at least once and having a kid; as if a woman can’t be complete unless she’s a mother too. Insert eye roll and sigh as you like at this point.

The book is a lot of whining and relationship drama, like some supernatural version of “Housewives of America” and we don’t even get to Ireland until half way through the book in the first place and once we’re there it is page after page of people making Anita prove herself to the ‘males’ and prove that she’s better than they are and the better man and woman both; yes please insert eye roll here now if you did not do it earlier. And gag while you’re at it.

It is an uninspiring story, by an author is more into shoving her new dominant, submissive, lifestyle down our throats, and the sex scenes are not even fun to read anymore. There’s really no girl-on-girl action to peak interest, and it is merely alluded to with a little kissing here and there, but nothing fancy, and Ms. Hamilton even throws Asher back in the mix just to make us feel sick and want to throw up all over again over their constant whining, and---yes you guessed it----Richard is thrown in for extra nauseating bonuses.

Read the novel is you are like me and just loyal to the series, but don’t expect much, because you’re NOT going to get much if any at all from this story or the plot. That’s the bottom line I’m said to say. End of story.

It seems that whenever an author has a successful series, we eventually reach a point where each new book has a certain checklist of things to include that has to be tended to. Perhaps the prime example of this is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plumb series, where, after over 2 dozen books, the protagonist still hasn't taken a self defense class or bought bullets for her damn gun. Sad to say, but a lot of CRIMSON DEATH feels like Hamilton was working her way down the "things to put in each Anita Blake" checklist. I'm not going to list them... either you don't know what I mean in which case it doesn't really matter, or you know exactly what I mean because you've noticed the same thing.

In this book, I'd been looking forward for quite awhile for Anita's first trip out of the USA, but unfortunately it takes more than half the book to really get the ball rolling, and when it finally does it's just another trip out of town, really, and much less interesting than (for example) OBSIDIAN BUTTERFLY.

As many others have said, Laurell's books have been amazing up until the last two. Too much sex/description if the characters and not enough action as previous books. Please go back to more action and less ploy and stuff. Hard to finish this book. Sorry

I’ve been a Anita Blake fan since the beginning she was a kickass take names person and the stories were full of mystery and action with a suitable amount of romance or relationship mixed in. Lately the books seem to focus on more of the relationship does he love me does she love me who is going to to be our next partner in the group that the mystery and action that made the books so popular to begin with. This book started out promising but then suddenly it was was more a romance love torn novel with a dash of action. Anita went from the confident kick ass heroine to a unsure lost in the angst girl we have now. Bring back the kick ass take names Anita we lived and lose some of the angst that seem to fill the books lately. When I saw it was going to be Anita and Edward I had high hope for a taste of the older books and started racing through the book but the story soon got mired down in her self doubts relationship drama that has pulled down the series.

This novel is an illustration of the author's burnout and personal conflicts over trying to continue to write two overly popular and long series anymore (Anita Blake's and Meredith Gentry's); as well as weakening the strong female lead by trying to impose too many of the author's own issues (polyamory, psych issues, rape-culture, the stereotypical 'let's make a baby' angst). All of which goes against the carefully crafted authenticity of a real-life 'black ops' veteran, which Anita had become to fans, especially in the last 4 novels. In short, the first half of the novel needs severe editing (excessive, weak dialogue, typos, etc), the second half is a blatant but poorly executed attempt to combine both series' plots, and the finale is rushed, anticlimactic and without real substance or satisfaction. This novel contributed nothing to the series overall, cheapened several characters, and reduced the 'true' Anita Blake. The two stars are for the only high points of this novel: making deeper the supporting characters of Edward, Peter, Nicky and a few others.

While I realize that there was some character-building and groundwork being laid in the first 400 pages, I felt that much of it could have been edited with the important bits interspersed in between action. I know there is always a lot of dialogue, but I felt like this story didn't really start for 400 pages. There were scenes with action in those pages, but they kind of got lost. I was near panic thinking they were going to miss the flight until I remembered that it was a private jet. During the climax where Anita's life hung in the balance and her communication cut off from everyone, I wanted to know what Jean Claire's reaction would be and how he would feel about the loss of one of their guards. If his fiance suddenly fell off the radar, I would think he would be emotional. It's always good to see Edward, and I enjoy the explanations about crime investigations, weapons, and battle techniques that give merit to the story. Maybe it's just me, but I felt like something happened in the early part of the story with Damien and Nathaniel being able to eclipse Anita that wasn't really explored. I am wondering if this will be discussed later? For example, when Damien said he didn't have to obey her and when Nathaniel rolled her. There was no explanation of this and what it indicated for their triumvirate.

Initially, the Anita Blake series started as the kind of urban fantasy I can really get into. Strong female protagonist - check, witty dialogue, conflict and action. It's now devolved into a soap opera of impossible sex and so many relationship foils that the plot lines have become so murky and almost uninteresting. It used to be, here's an interesting character who has interesting powers and tries to do good. Anita was like an x-man, feared and hated for being a necromancer but trying to do good with her powers and the second point was - she has interesting relationships. Now it so much emotional crap with her harem of dudes, the action is non-existent. I've started skimming through chunks of this book and I cannot seem to get to Ireland to figure out what is happening over there. I have been so disappointed with the last, I don't know. I think when the Harlequin were introduced was the last time I burned the midnight oil to finish a book in this series in one night. But I keep coming back because I keep thinking there will be a spark of what brought me to this series. Ugh.

I started this series a long time ago and remember falling in love with the characters. When I found another book , I was disappointed. Why ? Too much talking , dissecting, questioning and whining ! Feelings and why don't you want me -isms ! Not enough action ! Basically went thru 3/4 of the book to finally, FINALLY get to the point and have some action. For a person who is an executioner , all she does it talk!

Dont waste your money.. I keep hoping the author will get her sh*** together and go back to writing interesting, well written books that actually have a plot and make sense.. I love Edward and he is a washed out faxscimile of. Himself and Jean Claud is non existant.. What characters are in the book are wither boring or bland.. avidly waited and preordered this book.. Not worth the money

I am so very disappointed with this series. I loved to look into her dark and sexy world of wereanimals and vampires. Ms Hamilton used to have wonderful, twisty plots, but now there's just a lot of angsty talk about how formerly bad ass Marshal Anita is handling the various members of her polyamory living arrangement. I was halfway through the book before any real action occurred! If I wanted to read a thesis on how to have a polyamory lifestyle, I'd buy that. I suppose Ms. Hamilton's own exploration of the realities of these relationships drives the endless soul searching, but as I am happily monogamous, all this talk just becomes annoying.

This was an extremely long book recapping Anita's relationships and how they related to her previous adventures. Oh a very short story of the terrifying woman who shall not be name was added at the last minute.