Obsidian Butterfly

Rating:
Summary: Left me wanting
Review: I enjoyed the Science Fiction Book Club because I had enjoyed Laurel's books so much and wanted to own the complete set. The level and type of violence differed in each. The characters were fully developed and interesting to read about. The concentration on the "supernatural" and Anita's rapidly developing talents are the keys to the books success.

OB was advertised as an Edward book and to an extent it was. I found the new "monsters" unique. But, this book left me wanting ? I'm not sure what. I did learn that Edward is somewhat human and has some bizarre friends. Another reviewer specifically mentioned Olaf but I don't think we were given enough insight into him. Yes we knew his background but that's all.

With each book Anita's talents mutated and were enhance in some way. In OB they remained the same. OB feel short. It didn't offer anything that would make you buy another Laurel book if this had been the first one you read.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book but was somewhat disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Don't knock it...
Review: I just finished reading this book for the second time and I still found it fascinating.

First of all, the absence of Anita's friends is crucial to the overall story. In the previous novel, Ronnie, her best friend, was questioning their friendship because of the violence.

Also, anyone who has been in a "three-way" relationship (I haven't personally, but I have friends who have) will know that it's not easy to make a choice. Anita's taking a break from the boys is what normally happens in real life.

As for the missing preternatural friends, well, when you break up with someone, their friends are no longer your friends.

So overall, in the relationship aspect, this reflects real life. I found it believable and much needed for a story like this.

I loved the character development of Edward and Anita. Their relationship has changed forever and that is an exciting development. I can't wait to see where their relationship will go next.

As for Anita, her character has seen so much gore and violence. She already taken leaps that she thought she never would. It makes me wonder how the author will top this novel.

Someone said that the storyline of Anita entering a vampire's lair was getting old. Well, the books are in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. What do you expect?

Rating:
Summary: Anita at her best
Review: While this has been called an "Edward book", I think it's really an "Anita Book", and I really like Anita. I like her courage, independence, and sarcastic wit. We do learn more about Edward; he is no longer a 1-dimensional person, but comes into the light of the real world and becomes much more interesting because of it. There is also plenty of action, a little too much gore, and an interesting new monster. Yes, I missed Jean-Claude (there is only one dream scene with him), but I was very grateful for a break from Richard.

Rating:
Summary: Too cool! Laurell K. Hamilton gets better and better!
Review: I have been a fan of Anita Blake since I read her first book Guilty Pleasures back in 1994. This newest offering, OB, is quite similiar in style and content to the first three books in the series (which I like!) before the entanglements withthe men in her life, Jean-Claude and Richard, got so complicated. For you J-C fans, you'll be happy to know that there are some itty bitty (blink and you miss them) scenes with him in here (Anita connecting with him psychically, again!) but there is NO Richard. Sorry werewolf fans. The rest of Anita's friends are missing here, too, with the obvious exception of Edward. Edward is my favorite character in the series, and if he's yours too--you may not like what Laurell does with him in this book! Warning! Laurell also introduces two very interesting new characters, Iztpapalotl (translation: Obsidian Butterfly--hence the title of the book) an Aztec vampire who owns a nightclub named after herself and thinks she is a bona fide goddess, and Olaf, a psycho serial rapist/killer who... well, I won't spoil it for you but I will say that he's very interesting. All in all, if your favorite element of the Anita Blake series is the romance element, you may not enjoy this book as much as her later offerings (i.e., The Killing Dance, Blue Moon, etc). If you love Anita's caustic wit, the violence, the action, and supernatural elements--it's all here and boy is it ever! I can't wait for LKH's Queen of the fey series to come out and there's a teaser for that (Kiss of Shadows--September 2000) in the back of Obsidian Butterfly.

Rating:
Summary: Addictive
Review: Like all the books in the series, I thouroughly enjoyed reading this. I rather thought of it as a sort of return to Laurell's original style. However, though I was eager to read Edward's story, it wasn't at all what I expected, or maybe even hoped for. Several people have written in to say that they were disappointed with the revelations that are provided of Edward's life. I take some exception to that. Yeah, I did like the ruthless Edward better, but I think that this Edward is in some ways more cold. Laurell changes her characters throughout the novels, but I tend to like this treatment as it reflects "real life". Why should anyone remain the same? One thing I do wish? That Jason played more of a role in the novels.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not the best of the "Anitaverse".
Review: Fans of Ms. Hamilton are very familiar with the world that her character, Anita Blake, dwells in. It's our present day world, the only difference is that monsters, ie...Vampires, werewolves, zombies, are a natural part of everyday life. To say the "Anita" world is highly creative and immensely entertaining is an understatement. I couldn't read the series prior to this book fast enough.

This novel, however, I did not find as fasinating as the prior installments. Dealing more with Edward, one of Anita's human friends, the plot, though well developed, was not the gripping adventure that I'm used to seeing in her books. Also, I must point out that Edward is not one of my favorite characters. He is the least well defined, and also hard for me to learn to like, even though, in this book, he is a little less cold blooded.

I also have to say, being a fan of her prior stories, that I do miss the regular characters that normally bring humor, action and interest to storylines. Even though Anita is the main character, I'm a little more fond of some of the "monsters" than of Anita herself. I also happen to be a Jean-Claude fan, her main Vampire, and his absence in this book was keenly felt.

This book is an interesting read, but it is also quite violent. The other books have also been very violent, which I don't have an adversion to, as it normally fits well within the story. I think I just noticed the darker side in this book was thicker because the characters were less easy to like or understand.

For those who are familiar with the Anita universe, I would recommend reading this book. For those that are not, I would recommend starting with the earlier books to understand Anita and her world a little better.

Rating:
Summary: Great Story
Review: I loved the latest installment in the Anita Blake Series. In this book, Edward calls in his favor and now Anita must battle something that even Death fears. We learn so much about Edward in this book. He goes from being a mysterious killer to a real human being.

Also as a general note about all the books in the series, I love how the story never leaves Anita. In many other books by many other popular authors, there are sections that do not involve the main character. I HATE THAT! I am forced to flip through pages and pages that have nothing to do with what attracted me to the novel in the first place: the main character. In the Anita Blake Series, the story never leaves Anita. I can become completely involved in the story. The suspense centered around Anita is never interupted by a sudden focal shift.

I am sorry to be so wordy but I feel passionately about this and I love Laurell Hamilton for giving me what I've always wanted: an uninterrupted story.

Rating:
Summary: Good Enough
Review: Having waited so long for my latest Anita Blake "fix", I was happy to find some truly chilling monsters. Anita is as bitchy as ever, flexing her muscles and coming to terms with the monster she has become.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Ms. Hamilton has the uncanny ability to create monsters so vile that nothing in the reality is as frightening. DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WITH A NEWBORN!

I missed Jean-Claude and Richard, but the story did not suffer because of the absence. Edward and friends seem to fill the void well, and I expect to see Olaf again.

To sum up--I found it satisfying and a good, fast, read

Rating:
Summary: OK if you are a fan
Review: I am a fan; but I am disappointed in this last installment. Is nobody else getting tired of the formula? Anita and helpers walk into Vampire layer knowing that they will probably be killed; head vampire plays games with Anita and friends; Anita shows how tough she is.

It was down right scary the first time she did it several books ago, but I am ready for something else now.

I liked the story with Edward. It was good to get to know him a little.

Anita has definitely crossed the line into monsterdom now. She can not deny it. My favorite idea for a story would be to have some new executioner pop up who is just like Anita was in the first couple of books: good-guy, white hat, everything is black and white; very good at what she does. Instead of Anita going in to with her friends to another vampire's layer, I would like to see this new executioner come into Jean-Claude's layer and take on Anita with righteous indignation. Seems appropriate to me.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This book is so awesome...i love this series of books...keep up the good work Ms. Hamilton.