Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good overall.
Review: This was a pretty good book overall with a sound plot and good characters. Although there were some sections that I thought was a bit racy and bordering on pornographic, this series is not for the faint of heart so I accept it as part of the author's vision. I'm aware that there are those who are not satisfied with the book, that's their opinion. I can only suggest that if you are a fan of Anita Blake, read the book yourself and form your own judgements not based on what you as the reader want to happen, but the logical progression of the character.
Rating: 
Summary: why they call them "fan"atics
Review: Not the best book in the series, but still 5 stars. The plot turns did come as kind of a surprise to me, but this is only because when Hamilton began writing the book, the spoilers were that the triumvirate of Richard, JC, and Anita would come together. However, things change, and this did not happen, but for those who realize that this is just one book in the series, Hamilton has set up a bunch of future plots with this one book: how richard will get his head together, lycanthrope relations in St. Louis, what powers JC and Richard will get from Tri, what it means for Anita to be part of JC's line.There are some very abusive as well as highly praising reviews for this book, and if a reader new to the series is conflicted by the varying information, all you have to do is realize that there are over 400 reviews for this book. The series has that much of a following, and in such a following you get the good, the bad, and in some cases, the horribly ugly. In this book, Anita gets new powers that turn her into a succubus. Yes, this is at conflicts with her personality, but it is a hunger, just like a vampire's need for blood and a lycanthrope's need to hunt. If you understand these other hungers, you will understand Anita's actions. Understanding why Hamilton chose to take the series in this direction is up to you. The reviews that blame Anita for the consequences of her hunger are like people who blame the rape victim for being raped. IMO, those would be the reviews to be avoided. To determine if you want this book you will have to sort through the crazy, "fan"atic reviews. If you want good ones, whether they give NiC 1 star or 5 stars, are to find the ones that analyze why and how HAMILTON wrote the book, not the ones that give the main character ANITA BLAKE responsibility for everything that goes on in the series. Those would be the weird ones. I gave it 5 stars because Anita finally has an epiphany in her jeep that vampires are human too. I've been waiting for 5 years to have her realize that. I thought that Hamilton made Anita blame herself too much for Richard's craziness, and his bipolar personality made the plot hard to understand in some places. I thought that what this book needed was to be 100 pages longer, which would have allowed it to space out the action a little more, and given it more of a solid conclusion. The whispy, prettily written conclusion seemed more in the style of her other series, Meredith Gentry, than the solid conclusions of Anita Blake, which really need the set conclusion because it is an open ended series. It is dangerous and sexy, and I love the character Anita. She isn't afraid to say what she wants or what she thinks, even when everyone else is against her. I think that reading Hamilton's work has made me realize what I was missing in other books with female lead characters: someone with a backbone, someone kind of macho. And Anita always saves day.
Rating:
Summary: I beg to differ!
Review: I loved this book - what more can I say?! I did not have trouble getting through it and am actually starving for more. I can't wait til the new book is released. I am happy that Anita finally got out of the Jean Claude/Richard love triangle. Even though I personally felt Richard was the better choice - maybe I'm just prejudiced against vamps. Anyway, Anita was destined to become a darker character and Richard was obviously not so I'm pleased with the storyline twist of adding Micah to the trio. I also loved that Anita didn't end up becoming a lycanthrope after all. Having her be human and still have all of these powers is going to be very interesting. I would have hated to have her lose Dolph because she was a wereleopard. Overall, THUMBS UP!
Rating: 
Summary: Total Disappointment
Review: I've been a fan of Hamilton since 1994, but this book was such a disappointment. The plot was non existent, and Anita isn't tough, she's just annoying. There are lots of scenes in which it looks like she's just trying to prove how strong she is, but really is just pathetic. All the sex in the book is unexpected...it is a sharp contrast to Anita's earlier personality. It's understood if you want to gather more readers with a more provacative heroine, but this is ridiculous. If I'd wanted to read a porno, I would have picked up another book. Do not read unless you want to be disappointed! I hope Hamilton will change her writing. I'm still going to read the next book b/c I'm such a big fan of Anita, but I'm praying that it doesn't drag the reader into another gutter.
Rating: 
Summary: a devoted fan
Review: I was slightly disappointed. The basic storyline was not bad though. Some of the were animals turn up missing, leaving Anita to attempt to unite all spieces inorder to apprehend the culprit. I do have to admit that I was actually shocked that she takes on yet another man in her life, which for those who have been keeping up with the novels makes a total of 3. Anita is an all together stong and brilliant character. She has come a long way and has devloped into profoundly intoxicating and powerful character. Each novel seems to be a transition for Anita, becoming more powerful at every turn.
I have to admit Anne Rice was my first love for her excellent rendition of vampire mythology, then I was introduced into the world of Laurell Hamilton. Anne Rice is still #2 on my list, but Anita stole my heart, and that enigmatic Edward. I am antisapating the release of Cerulean Sins in 4/03. I currently own all 10 of the Anita Blake novels and recommend every one. I would also like to suggest A Kiss of Shadows for those who might have an intrest in the world of Sidhe or fey (faerie). This is a darkly erotic,spellbinding and entertaining adult novel which continues into a second installment titled A Caress of Twlight.
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Rating: 
Summary: What is Hamilton Doing?
Review: I am a HUGE Anita Blake fan, but I was pretty turned off to this book. Its main topic seemed to be how many men does Anita need in her bed. I don't read the series for her sexual escapades with any male that is in the room with her and I didn't quite buy the reasons for this need in this one. I hope Hamilton's next book is more like the earlier books and that JC remains the top guy in the series. If Narcissus is a preview of what's ahead, I am jumping off this train NOW!
Rating:
Summary: A Dark Brooding Book
Review: This is the first of Ms Hamilton's books that I have read and I will warn anyone wanting to read this book first that it is not a good idea. There is a lot of history that is constantly refered to in the book. Although she does do a good job to filling in the blanks so a first time read is not completely lost. The next thing is that I am not sure I want to read how the romance between Richard, Jean-Claude, and Anita develops when it ends so badly in this book. The writing is very good, but this is not for the faith of heart. There are scenes of violence and killing and the BDSM underworld. The villian is completely unredeemable. You are glad when he is killed. Richard need to grow up and realize that there is nothing that will make him human again. I think if I were Anita I would have kicked his ... and told him what a jerk he was. Anita also needs to get past her good girl background and get on with her life. She has gone through to much that her attitudes seem more harping than conviction. Will I read any future books? I'm not sure.
Rating:
Summary: Too good to be true!
Review: I loved this book! The writing it is as always amazing! The stories fast, addictive, and interduces many new and interesting charactors! This book was all I'd hoped for it to be, the story line was new and different and leaves you dying for the next book (will april never come?). If you've read the other books then you can't miss this one. I've read a lot of reviews complaining that the book was to involved with sex but it works with the story and isn't some random thing. Sex is something that tends to be part of Anita's life and adding it to the story was obvious, its just the way it was added is something you wouldn't think of. Personally that adds to the story for me, anyway this book is worth reading, I personally have read it over and over.
Rating:
Summary: Almost better than Anne Rice
Review: I have read all of the Anita Blake series in one month. Ms. Hamilton's writing is excellent!
I have only read Anne Rice's vampire books before and when I found Ms. Hamilton's I didn't think they'd be very good. However, I was wrong. I'd put her in the same category as Anne Rice.
She has the ability to draw her readers in to each one of her novels and it is a nice change from the Vampire Chronicles. She puts enough of the details into her writings that they almost put you there with Anita.
I never thought of reading any writings from other writings except Anne Rice, however, Ms. Hamiltons' book are excellent!
I couldn't put any of the books down until I'd finished them and was ready to go onto the next.
I hope she keeps up the series.
Rating:
Summary: In chains and sinking
Review: Unfortunately, the only reason I kept reading after the first half was the vague hope that we would see a spectacular end to Anita Blake. Continuing the trend of the latter half of the series, Anita continues to expand her deity-like powers with no cost -except a daily need for sex. Speaking of sex, that's most of the book. Only, say, 100 of the book's 420 pages cover Narcissus or the bad guys; the remainder uncovers Anita's love life. The secondary characters are reduced to bed-warmers or pathetic, manic-depressive wrecks whose problems, if they can be solved, can only be solved by Anita Blake. The initial books were interesting because the personal problems were ones to which readers could relate (even if Jean-Claude and Richard were either other-wordly sexy or GQ-handsome, readers can relate to a love triangle), and the professional problems (a murder here, a murder there) weren't so difficult that readers couldn't believe that most of the specialized groups of necromancers/vampire slayers/bounty hunters/cops could've solved the problems - Anita just got there first. In the latter books, only Anita has the power, the some-what contradictory benefits of being a frothing psychotic and a good Christian, and brains to fix all the problems.
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