Obsidian Butterfly

Rating:
Summary: Brava!
Review: I've been reading Laurel K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series since the first book, and she just keeps getting better. Her writing style, which was a little rough with the first books, has smoothed out. But one thing Hamilton has never had a problem with is creating absorbing and sympathetic characters -- even when they do the most appalling things. The only thing I didn't like about Obsidian Buterfly was the lack of Jean Claude and Robert. Still, it's definitely worth the money for the hardback. If you're a vampire fan, you really should treat yourself to this series.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the series
Review: One of my favorite things about the Anita Blake series is how rich Hamilton has made her alternate universe. Besides her absolutely wonderful heroine, there are so many supporting characters to fall in love with - Jean Claude, Asher, Jason, all of the wereleopards, just to name a few of my favorites. However, by the end of Blue Moon, there were such an overwhelming rush of characters vying for page space and such an emphasis on Anita's sex life, that I think the character of Anita herself was beginning to suffer for it.

I think that's why for me Obsidian Butterfly was so refreshing. Whereas the last three books especially (from the Killing Dance to Blue Moon) emphasized the romantic aspects of the series, this one got back down to exploring who Anita is as a character, not just where she stands in relation to the various studs who share her world. For that reason alone, I found it a more deeper, more satisfying read than Blue Moon, which bordered on the fringes of straight erotica.

It is now clear that Anita is a woman at her breaking point. She feels isolated and monstrous. She sees herself as duty-bound to choose one of two men - neither of which she seems too head-over-heels for at this point. There is one scene where she must do something typically Anita-like, i.e. gorey but necessary, which simultaneously makes a charming new love interest look at her with horror, and makes a serial killer fall in love. At the same time, the one man (Edward) who she has always though to be colder and more detached than her, turns out to have much more of a family life than she can ever expect. No wonder she feels monstrous and alone!

The rest of the series will be better for the revelations of OB, and I'm so glad the author was brave enough to put the "supporting cast" on hiatus for just this one book. I'll be glad to have them back, but now there is just so much more for the rest of the series to explore besides whether it will be the werewolf or the master. And despite my love of Jean-Claude, my greater love of Anita is now making me root for a dark horse third (maybe Asher?) to make Anita re-evaluate her position on the myth of true love and maybe actually help her to be *gasp* happy with herself.

Rating:
Summary: Edwardfest
Review: This was o.k., but not my favorite Laurel K. book. Edward's home life wasn't as cool as I had hoped, I missed the spicy trio action, and it didn't seem to have the same intensity that I associate with the rest of her writing. Ah well. She hasn't made me jump ship yet like Robert Jordan's last book did. I will still pick up the next in the series. However, I really wish she would write a sequel to Night Seer!

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put This One Down, Either...
Review: Some cursed person got me started on the Anita Blake books several months ago. I have read them all, and just got Obsidian Butterfly this past week. I couldn't put it down! I have heard some gripes about the editing, but it was no worse than usual...and Laurell Hamilton is in grand style with Anita and Edward in this romp! I am not sure what I think of Edward after this one, but if you are an Anita fan, you have to pick up Obsidian Butterfly!

Rating:
Summary: Gotta love Laurell
Review: Great, as usual. What else can you expect from her.

Rating:
Summary: Gratuious SEX & VIOLENCE... more please.
Review: In this latest Anita Blake book, we see a bit more into one of her "interesting" associate, Edward. He actually has a undercover-life which needs protection. He calls Anita, for favors owed. Making this a scary Myth vs Myth killers, the whole Aztec villian was intriguing, just when is justice paid, how long till the debt is complete? Loved the new sexy men, even while missing Jean-Claude & Richard. Maybe it's my own "wraped view" but after reading these books I get a case of the What If This IS a version of our Future? Will these "Creatures" come out of the closet, lobby for rights etc. Is it any more far fetched than what is going on right now? This was scary, fast paced, sexy,,, everything I want in my horror.

Rating:
Summary: Is the Anita Series Getting Stale?
Review: If Anita takes "you'd make a good man" comments as a compliment one more time I'll scream. The unending repetition of phrases gets wearing even on the most dedicated fan. However I liked the Edward bits. Now he's kinda cozy in a REAL sinister way.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book, Bad Printing Choice
Review: Obsidian Butterfly was another great book in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. I love how her world is just like ours only all the things that go bump in the night exist. Hamilton as usual delivers a horrifying, absorbing read with a strong three dimensional female character. I really liked the cover art on the book it is beautiful. But, it really ticks me off when publishers begin putting books out in hardback halfway through a series. Serious collectors who would appreciate the hardback want all the books in hard back and general readers want affordable books. It is very bad form to introduce the new format, what 7 books in a series. If this is the first Anita Blake book you have read however, run out and get them all. It is one of the best multi-genre series on the market.

Rating:
Summary: Problems and Confusion, but hanging in was worth it
Review: From general editorial errors such as repeated scenes, spelling errors and other problems, to the fact the plot could divided into two seperate but complete plots, it's a long story to follow, but it's woth hanging in there. The whole Edward/Ted Forrester plot was well done and finally gave us a peak behind Edward's cold mask. Inter-mixed with the plotline of the brutal serial murders, that as mentioned before, could have been broken down itno another book, made for a good read, provided you read it slowly, and maybe some scenes more than once to grasp it all.

While some complain about the lack of Jean-Claude, Richard and the rest of the gang, I belive that having them beyond her thoughts and the little mention of them 'in person' would have distracted from the main focas of the story. Besides, it balances out with being chocked full of Edward information.

Over all, a good book, just read carefully.

Rating:
Summary: Really good, but errors a problem
Review: I highly enjoyed the plot and character interactions in this book (though there could have been more Jean-Claude and Richard) but the large number of errors kept getting in the way of the reading. Scenes were repeated, names were mispelled. Where were the editors for this book?