Customer Reviews
sigh.... - By: Aysea, 13 Sep 2008 
These books used to be fun, snappy, full of genuine character concerns for the lead, Anita, which did not boil down to simply, sex. They used to have actual plot. God knows I've kept trying, but this could be the one that means I just can't be bothered with Anita Blake anymore. Danse Marcabe was the worst of the recent bunch but this one is just plain dull. Anita used to have a job, there used to be the interest of a mystery to solve. Now it's just wheel on the next sexual partner & LKH simply arranges the rest of the story around it like so much limp set dressing. It saddens me to feel that these books are now just one big Mary-Sue exercise. Perhaps they always were, but at least we got some story for our pains. Blood Noir is just a low rent soap opera with endless sex thrown in. Up to 'Blue Moon', it's worth reading the series. Of the recent ones, only 'Obsidian Buterfly' is worth your time. And these UK book covers are totally & utterly dreadful.
Blood Noir - By: vamp lover, 06 Sep 2008 
A huge fan of the 'Anita Blake' series,Hamilton did a fab job as usual.My only comment that keeps this from 5star rating was that Anita was not as gutsy,leaning toward timid for her.But I am sure she will be back with renewed oomph.Can't see why people who have a problem with sex scenes would read an Anita Blake book this far into the series,the ardeur aint going way.I love the sex scenes,have no issue if the author is acting out her fantasies-good for her.If you are uptight about sexin books don't read the later books,but I enjoy the way Hamilton writes about sex,no silly words(velvet sheath etc)like the romance novels,just good fantasy fun.I love the series & long may Anita carry on!Keep them coming Laurell!
Better than recent offerings but still... - By: Stardust, 06 Jul 2008 
I very nearly didn't read this book. Although the last offering was a slight improvement to recent books, it was still awful compared to the first nine books. So I got it out from my local library & I'm glad I read it. It's the best one she's written since Obsidian Butterfly, for starters it had a recognisable plot. But it's still no where near as good as Laurell K hamilton used to be.
It feels as though you're reading a draft of the book a lot of the time. I kept having the urge to write 'this paragraph needs more detail', or 'feels unfinished'. It was a welcome change from recent works where she went into unnecessary detail about every little thing you didn't care about. Though there is still odd moments like that, as usual it's the pondering moments about her many relationships. It's not needed. Whenever yet another character starts agonising about sex with Anita & it's meanings or sulking because they don't feel special as she's openly having sex with 13 other people regularly. It's dull. It's reads like a therapy session. If your going to insist on making sex such a dominant part of the series, at least let the characters do it with a songin their heart. Then at least it would be enjoyable erotica. But everyone whines too much. Especially Anita.
Everyone else has already expanded about how sex over dominates the series now & how there are just too many relationships ongoing for it to be taken seriously, so I'm not going to go into thatin massive detail. However, I am going to say that the ardeur has more than had it's day. It's getting the way of what was a good character & it is certainly gettingin the way of any decent plot. In this book it almost felt like Anita kept having to get the sex out of the way so they could get on with other things.
I know some people have put these flaws down to it being a long running series, but there are plently of authors still managing to maintain the quality & the fun, Jim Butcher being my favourite.
Ultimately Anita either needs to learn to stay out of bed, or Laurell K Hamilton needs to just put this series to bed.
LKH back to form if not top yet! - By: Perdimia, 18 Jun 2008 Having read the entire series, I will admit that some (namely last 3) have been full of sex & more sex, with not much plot line
However when I saw this one I picked it up eagerly, & read itin one sitting.
LKH is back to much better form with this one. The plot moves on with Marmee Noir, & we see insights into Anita's & other's characters. It is good to see Anita continuing to grow up as the series progresses, & whilst somethings are explained, new twists continue to appear.
If you have lost heart over the last couple of books, regain much of it with this one.
Lost the plot? - By: Jane Lawrence, 15 Jun 2008 Oh, Laurell. I enjoyed your earlier books so much, but whatever happened to the storylines? The charismatic characters? No murders to solve? No searching among the dead for truths? This great series has just morphed into a catalogue of Anita's sexual romps with the different charactersin the name of assuaging the ardeur, & this latest - I hesitate to call it a story - is almost an insult to us regular fans & a bitter disappointment. The problem with Jason's look-alike cousin is not even resolved,in fact we never get to confront him, so he remains a kind of mythical character from Jason's past. LKH may be a money-spinner for the publishing house, but for her sake & that of her readers, they really ought to exercise more editorial control & say if a book needs more work done on it, like including a gripping plot.
