Danse Macabre (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 14)

I started out reading the Anita Blake series through Bookcrossing. The first few novels had some poor writing, but decent enough plots. I figured Laurell K. Hamilton just needed to mature a bit in her writing style. The writing itself did improve, however, the plots never quite made it. Another possible drawback for myself is, I'm not sure I'm reading these in order any more.

I quickly got sick of the power boosts Anita kept having. They seemed to die down for a bit and we got some decent crime-style novels, without the gratuitous sex. Now, maybe because fans asked for the sex to at least move the plot along, every scene is a sex scene and it is so that Anita can get another power boost. Honestly, the first 500 pages of this book is simply one sex scene after another. I'm not sure there was an actual plot to this book. It was more like a train-of-thought express for Anita. That's pretty much how I felt about the novel, Micah, too.

Unfortunately, these books have become the level of books by Nora Roberts for me. I read them a couple times per year, if that, for mindless reading. I don't mind the sex, and I don't even mind the story. If I'm not looking for anything other than a mindless book, then I can't be disappointed. I still may roll my eyes every time there's a power boost, but I can move with it.

Another curious part of these novels is that Blake references things that happened outside the realm of the novels. This is fine, except sometimes they are things that make it so that what is happening in the novel can happen. Seems like she leaves all the plot moving scenes out of the novel. It could be I am reading these out of order, hence the disjointed-ness of it. But, I recall thinking the same thing rather early on between books 2 and 3.

As for the sex being a part of the plot, frankly, I can't tell the difference between Anita and Merry anymore. They started out different, but they seem to be much the same character now.

Probably the only good thing I have to say is that I like that there is some drawing along, over-arcing plot to Anita Blake. We have Marmee Noir waking, and obviously that's going to be the big baddee eventually. And, it seems like Anita and Belle will have to actually meet one of these novels. Hopefully, it will be more involved than the whole ballet plot for this novel.

Hamilton is struggling to wrap up her books. I felt left a little hanging and not sure what happened. Her "so that's what happened" at the end of this book felt a little like a slap in the middle of actually getting to the point of the book. Or at least what we all were waiting for since the beginning.

While this is a highly negative review, I really did enjoy the opportunity to read the book. I certainly was due for some mindless reading anyway.