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Thursday, August 18, 2011

Living Dead In Dallas- Book 2

I know that I mentioned in my first post about the Sookie books that you should not read these if you are not current on the Sookie Stackhouse books or the True Blood episodes.  The same Disclaimer applies here, there may be spoilers!  Now on to the juicy topics of 
Book 2
 Living Dead In Dallas served as somewhat of a preamble to the Vampire politics, we learn a little more when Eric sends Sookie to help in Dallas.  It is also introduction to another breed of "Supe,"  the Maenad, and the Fellowship of the Sun. Bill and Sookie grew closer but Eric and Sookie seemed to as well. We got our first glimpse of Eric's more human qualities and a few more characters were introduced.

Lafayette - We actually met Lafayette, Merlotte's cook, in the last book. He was friendly with Sookie, though they only had a couple of interactions and it was always fairly light conversation. I was having a hard time deciding if he should be mentioned in the previous post because he is one of the main characters in  True Blood and just a small part in the book. I decided to wait and figured he would be more predominate in this book.  I remembered that Lafayette is killed in one of  the books and it was in one of the first few I'd read, though I wasn't sure which. I did not realize that only 8 pages in he would be found dead in Andy Bellefleur's car. Sookie spends the majority of this book trying to solve Lafayette's murder, getting Andy off the hook. However, she goes out of her way to make sure everyone knows its because she was Lafayette's friend and thats the purpose behind her efforts.  Through Sookies detective work we find out that Lafayette was involved in some kind of weird sex circle. They begin to hit him and he threatens to out everyone so they kill him. This is where the book differs from the show a lot, Lafayette still (in season 4) has a pretty big role. It is Eggs,Tara Thornton's love interest that is killed. - But before we get too confusing, I'll save that for the show reviews.
Tara Thronton - One of Sookies closest and only friends from high school. Sookie hangs out with her, Eggs, and another friend JB at a football game making Bill jealous after he is seen with Portia.  Tara and Eggs are also at the cabin in the woods.
The Bellefleurs- Come to think of it, Andy and the rest of the Bellefleurs don't really have their own plot  lines in the books but are definitely worth mentioning as they are in all the books, I think.  Well at least most of the books. The Bellefleurs are not fans of Vampires and at the end of the book Bill discovers that Andy and Portia are great grandchildren to him. While in True Blood, season 4, Bill just makes this discovery.
     Terry- Andy's cousin is a little crazy (post war symptoms) and likes to keep to himself. From time to time he helps Sookie out, she is of the impression he is just generally a nice guy. He also stands in for Sam working the bar when Sam needs help. In True Blood he marries Arlene, I cannot remember if that takes place in the books but I will confirm it when I reach that point, by the end of book 2, he is not with Arlene
     Portia- Andy's sister, uses Bill to try to get an invite to the sex club. She thinks that if she gets in she can get to the bottom of the murder of Lafayette and clear Andy's name. She is still repulsed and a little scared of the idea of being with a Vampire and they never actually have relations, they are just seen in public a few times. In True Blood, season 4, they have more of an intense relationship. Portia wants Bill but Bill finds out about the family ties and backs out.
   Andy- We met Andy in the last book, I believe he is in every book and most of the episodes. I have a tendency to write him off as unimportant but I think its just because Sookie kind of plants the image of a bit of a Barney Fife cop.  So, this book starts with Andy drunk (interestingly, in True Blood, Andy's addiction is V not alcohol) in Merlottes, Portia comes to take him home where her aversion to vampires is made known when Bill tried to help her get Andy to the car.  Andy's car is left in the parking lot which is exactly where Sookie finds Lafayette dead the next morning.  At this point Charlaine introduces Holly the waitress as she comes onto the scene.
Holly - A "blunt, straight forward" waitress at Merlottes with a son. Sookie gets along with Holly but they are not great friends. I feel like its important to mention her now because in Season 4 of True Blood Holly plays a large role with the Wiccans. In Holly's introduction to us from Sookies, she mentions Holly previously had a relationship with Andy. In season 4, her and Andy appear to be developing a relationship.
Callisto the Maenad- A crazy creature that lives in the wild. She thrives of pride, sex, and drunkenness. She badly injures, almost to the point of death, Sookie to send a message to Eric. She is responsible for the chaos in the woods the night at the sex party. Eric and Bill have to burn that cabin to clean up after her. She has what appears to be a sexual relationship with Sam for the short time she is "visiting" Bon Temps, but they don't go into a whole lot of detail.  In True Blood, Sam ends up killing her but, in the book she just moves on to the next location.
Dr. Ludwig - Sookie and the Supe Dr. Sookie calls her a dwarf. She appears a couple more times in the books.
Barry- The other telepath that Sookie meets. He appears in the stories some time later too. He also helps Sookie realize she can send messages as well. In the book she sends Barry a message while she is locked in the basement at the Fellowship to tell Bill where to find her.
The Fellowship of the Sun- The "Church" against Vampires. Believe all Vampires should meet true death.  In book 2 they are planning a lock in for church members so at dawn they can let the two vampires they have meet the sun in a huge ceremony. A member from the Church also tries to kidnap Sookie upon arrival at the airport in Dallas.
     Steve Newlin - runs the Fellowship, and a bit creepy, I must say.
     Sarah Newlin-  Steve's wife. When Sookie makes her escape with the shifter, Sarah tries to get Sookie back by causing a car accident. She tries to haul Sookie from the car claiming to be her sister.
Godfrey- The Vampire who saves Sookie at the Fellowship of the Sun. He is there to meet true death. He volunteered himself to the church for the ceremony.  I believe he is Eric's maker in True Blood.  He is not in the books. 
Farell- the Vampire that is kidnapped but Godfrey and the Fellowship to be a part of Godfrey's ceremony. Steve's plan is to tie Sookie to him so that she will burn too.
Stan Davis- The lead Vampire there in Dallas. He contacted Eric to enlist Sookie's help tracking Farell through the minds of the workers at the bar. He later calls Bill back to Dallas to settle up some debt with the shifters who helped Sookie escape the grasp of the fellowship.

A few more plot points
-Sookie hears Stan's thoughts when she is first introduced to him. She still does not tell anyone.

- At Stans house during Farells welcome home party, the Fellowship makes another attack on the Vampires. Eric is shot in the shoulder and tricks Sookie into taking the bullet out with her teeth ingesting some of his blood.
- After the trip to Dallas Bill and Sookie take a small break, thats where Portia comes in and the football game with Tara, Eggs, and JB
- While Bill is out of town in Dallas dealing with the shifters and Stan, Sookie enlists Eric's protection at the sex party in the woods. We see a bit of a more human side to Eric and also see more of the attraction Eric has to Sookie.


Well that about wraps book 2... Club Dead anyone?


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