I like Anita Blake. I like her hard-as-nails-but-admits-she's-afraid attitude. Her comments are continually and consistently funny. And, Jean-Claude? A charmer. I do have to say that I enjoy the Southern Vampire mysteries more. Not only are the "main" characters intriguing, but the town is interesting too (besides, who can compete with a thousand year old Viking vampire? So far, Erik's way ahead of Jean-Claude in the mysterious intrigue department). Perhaps I just haven't read these long enough, but there seems to be a greater sense of community in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books that is somewhat lacking here. I don't know why that should be important in a genre like this, but it is.
In this book, I enjoyed the exchanges with the Master Vampire more than in Anita Blake's introduction to the vampire genre. Jean-Claude's character was more filled out in this second novel. For all of his vampiric danger, the fact that Anita amuses Jean-Claude and makes him laugh (when he least expects it) endears him to me. I've resisted reading these for a long time. I haven't wanted to admit that I like "vampire" books, but who am I kidding?! They are a "guilty pleasure" as long as there is some humor with the gore. I'm still a bit baffled that I can find this genre such a treat, but even a Gaskell purist can't read British social novels all the time!
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