True Blood Vs Southern Vampire Mysteries: A show and book discussion

[StayClassySD]

While the show deviated from the books long ago minus some characters being in both it makes me wonder if the show would have been better if it had stuck closer to its literary counterpart. Agree? Disagree?

What book characters do you wish had made it on to the show and what show characters do you wish were in the books?

[cosmic1]

My personal preference would have been for the writers to stick to the major plot points in the books.  The writers could have taken some latitude with smaller details, but they went so off the rails starting with season 2, that I think they really did a disservice to Charlaine's books.  I liked the mystery part of her books that they seemed to dispense with in the show. 

 

I do like that they retained Lafayette's character and his relationship with Jesus was great.  The show would not have been the same without him.  I hate what they did with the Tara character and I would have liked to see her follow the book story line as a successful business woman, happily married with adorable twins.

 

 I would have enjoyed seeing the fae uncle (Dermott?) of Sookie and Jason too - the one who looked just like Jason, plus their cousin Claude.  I don't know that I really liked what they did with the fae realm in the show. 

[StayClassySD]

I thought Claude was in the show at that fairy club in the middle of that field? I wish he and Claudine had bigger parts. I'm still annoyed over the way Eric's amnesia played out on the show and that we didn't get the book 4 shower scene.

[cosmic1]

You are right, StayClassySD.  In the books, Claude played such a large role and I didn't like what they did with him in the series.

 

I don't like what they did with the Eric amnesia either.   I wanted much more nekkid Eric!  LOL.

[StayClassySD]

Speaking of the 4th book compared to the 4th season I wasn't a fan of Marnie. Her book counterpart Hallow was more intimidating as the plots villan.

[joelene]

I did like the fifth (I think?) book a lot, the one with the vampire conference hotel blown to bits Sophie-Ann loses her legs plot, so that would have been infinetly better than the absolutely dreadful season 5. I liked child book-Sophie-Ann better than her show counterpart. I could've seen someone like Elle Fanning playing her back in those seasons.

I think I stopped reading before Claude became a big deal (if he indeed did) in the books but I too was miffed they didn't do anything with him in the show. I was looking forward to gay model strip club Claude, dammit!

Don't mind they left out the Panther Man.

Was Nan Flanagan in the books? If not she was a great, great invention (and actress bless you, Jessica Tuck). Still the character I'm most pissed they killed off.

Edited June 23, 2014 by joelene

[ChlcGirl]

God .. where to start?  OK - Things I dislike about TB vs. the Books:

*  Book Sookie was so much more likeable than TB Sookie.  Bookie was a strong practical woman and you really got a sense of how much she cared for the people in her life.  TB Sookie is just completely self involved and is always going off on ridiculous tangents that get people in trouble.

* In True Blood, they just CANNOT STOP GOING BACK TO THE SOOKIE/BILL WELL.  In the books, I loved how Sookie acknowledged that Bill would always have a piece of her heart and she would care about him as a friend, but that they had no business being a couple ever again.  OF COURSE.  HE FUCKING RAPED HER, LIED TO HER REPEATEDLY, RAN OUT ON HER AND WAS GENERALLY A SHIT HEEL. 

*  The show absolutely annihilated the awesome character of Calvin.  He was probably my favorite secondary character because he was such a great guy.  TB made him some horrible hillbilly.  Ditto with Tara - book Tara was pretty cool.  And as much as I like TB Pam, I enjoyed Book Pam as well because of her friendship with Sookie.

*  The entire fourth book/season was an unmitigated disaster, which was terribly sad because it was one of my favorite books.  I agree with a poster above that said that Hallow was much scarier than stupid Marnie.  And do not even get me started on how they screwed up Amnesia Eric.

*  Sookie NEVER WORKS in the show!  In the books she interacts with everyone in town through work.

*  Sam and all his nonsense.  Jesus.  He has the WORST taste in women and WHY can he never be without one??

*  Poor Claudine in the show.  She was kick-ass in the books and the show ruined her like almost every other character.

 

Things I like about TB vs. the Books:

*  Lafayette lived!! And is fucking amazing.

*  The inclusion of Jessica.  'Nuff said.

*  Andy plays a bigger (and funnier) part ... though you can put his fairy liason as a great, big NEGATIVE.

*  Arlene isn't the evil bitch she ended up in the books.

*  I love seeing Eric naked.  Rawr.

*  I almost forgot!!!  Thank you True Blood, for sparing me from the Pelts (Parents and Sandra) and Quinn (he was soooooo boring)

I did like the fifth (I think?) book a lot, the one with the vampire conference hotel blown to bits Sophie-Ann loses her legs, plot, so that would have been infinetly better than the absolutely dreadful season 5. I liked child book-Sophie-Ann better than her show counterpart. I could've seen someone like Elle Fanning playing her back in those seasons.

I think I stopped reading before Claude became a big deal (if he indeed did) in the books but I too was miffed they didn't do anything with him in the books. I was looking forward to gay model strip club Claude, dammit!

Don't mind they left out the Panther Man.

Was Nan Flanagan in the books? If not she was a great, great invention. Still the character I'm most pissed they killed off.

I believe the hotel blowing up was the 7th book - All Together Dead.  You are right - book Sophie-Ann was awesome.  I also would have liked to have seen the actor who played Godric as Andre.  He was ALWAYS how I pictured Andre.

Edited June 23, 2014 by ChlcGirl

[joelene]

 

*  The show absolutely annihilated the awesome character of Calvin.  He was probably my favorite secondary character because he was such a great guy.  TB made him some horrible hillbilly.  Ditto with Tara - book Tara was pretty cool.  And as much as I like TB Pam, I enjoyed Book Pam as well because of her friendship with Sookie.

 

Agreed. They missed the mark with the werewolfs in general. So much more interesting in the books! Pam is a character I think succeeds in both medium. I'm glad to have both uppity friendly Pam from the books and bitchy hater Pam from the show. I don't even remember Tara from the books.

 

 

 

*  Lafayette lived!! And is fucking amazing.

*  The inclusion of Jessica.  'Nuff said.

*  Andy plays a bigger (and funnier) part ... though you can put his fairy liason as a great, big NEGATIVE.

*  Arlene isn't the evil bitch she ended up in the books.

 

Yes, yes, yes and yes!

 

 

I believe the hotel blowing up was the 7th book - All Together Dead.  You are right - book Sophie-Ann was awesome.  I also would have liked to have seen the actor who played Godric as Andre.  He was ALWAYS how I pictured Andre.

 

Jesus, was it already the seventh book? How many books are there? I think the last one I read was the one where Sookie and Eric marries, Arlene is revealed to be an even bigger monster than we knew, and Jasons closeted gay friend is killed? Was that even the same book? 

And totally agree about Andre! Spot on Allan Hyde!

Edited June 23, 2014 by joelene

[StayClassySD]

Book Tara wasn't around much and she married JB DuRone. I also didn't like that show Sookie's telepathy was due to her fairy nature. And I think that TB missed the mark by saying Jason didn't have any fairy in him because I think in the books it was stated that his good looks were what he inherited since fae were all beautiful people.

[ChlcGirl]

Agreed. They missed the mark with the werewolfs in general. So much more interesting in the books! Pam is a character I think succeeds in both medium. I'm glad to have both uppity friendly Pam from the books and bitchy hater Pam from the show. I don't even remember Tara from the books.

 

 

Yes, yes, yes and yes!

 

 

Jesus, was it already the seventh book? How many books are there? I think the last one I read was the one where Sookie and Eric marries, Arlene is revealed to be an even bigger monster than we knew, and Jasons closeted gay friend is killed? Was that even the same book? 

And totally agree about Andre! Spot on Allan Hyde!

 

If memory serves, there were 13 in the series.  If you made it to Eric and Sookie marrying then you ALMOST hit the end (Book 9)!  Bravo you for stopping before things got REALLY dreadful.  I know it is hard to believe, but the last two or three were horrible, horrible dreck.  Just painful.  I only read them because I am obsessive that way - if I start a series I need to finish the damn series come hell or high water, no matter what.

 

And yes - all those things happened in the same book.  It was also the one where Jason's wife Crystal (!!!) is killed :D

 

I think ... the tenth one (Dead in the Family) was the last one I liked, and "liked" may be too strong a word.

Edited June 23, 2014 by ChlcGirl

[cosmic1]

StayClassySD, I completely forgot about Bookie's (tm Chlcgirl) telepathy being a gift from Mr. Catalaides (or however that was spelled).  I actually miss him and his niece from the books.  Agree about Jason's way with the ladies being his part of the fae gift.  They should have explained that in True Blood. 

 

I think if the showrunners had stuck with the major plot points, we would have a completely different show and the subsequent seasons would have been as popular as Season 1. 

[ChlcGirl]

StayClassySD, I completely forgot about Bookie's (tm Chlcgirl) telepathy being a gift from Mr. Catalaides (or however that was spelled).  I actually miss him and his niece from the books.  Agree about Jason's way with the ladies being his part of the fae gift.  They should have explained that in True Blood. 

 

I think if the showrunners had stuck with the major plot points, we would have a completely different show and the subsequent seasons would have been as popular as Season 1. 

 

Yes!  Mr. Catalaides and Diantha were great and would have been a great addition.  The more I read this thread and think about it, the more disappointed I am that they DIDN'T follow the books a little closer.

[joelene]

 

 

If memory serves, there were 13 in the series.  If you made it to Eric and Sookie marrying then you ALMOST hit the end (Book 9)!  Bravo you for stopping before things got REALLY dreadful.  I know it is hard to believe, but the last two or three were horrible, horrible dreck.  Just painful.  I only read them because I am obsessive that way - if I start a series I need to finish the damn series come hell or high water, no matter what.

And yes - all those things happened in the same book.  It was also the one where Jason's wife Crystal (!!!) is killed :D

I think ... the tenth one (Dead in the Family) was the last one I liked, and "liked" may be too strong a word.

 

Hah! You've kind of made me want to read the rest now, just to see how terrible it actually gets. And yes, right, Crystal is strung up on a cross or somesuch, right? I barely remember how she is in the books either. Wasn't she also kind of horrible, kinda like Debbie? That makes me think of were-Jason, how that would adapt to TV. Since it's all from Sookie's POV did that ever really get developed that much in the books? When all that went on in the show I don't think I cared either way. It's probably for the best he never did turn were since those people were so awful.

Edited June 23, 2014 by joelene

[ChlcGirl]

They are all in paperback now, yeah?  I'd say, if you find them used in a Goodwill or some such, go ahead and buy them and revel in the shit that was the last quarter of the story.  If you spend more than $2 on any of the last four books you will rue the money spent!

 

Crystal wasn't as much of a psychopath as Debbie was, just terminally trashy and a cheater.  I never liked her though.

 

Yes, they explored Jason's werepanther-ness in the books.  He really liked being one in the books, though it was always mentioned that he wished he could have been a full panther, instead of a panther/man hybrid.  Mostly because full panthers were so gorgeous and powerful - we are talking Jason after all!

[StayClassySD]

I liked Evan Rachel Wood as Sophie Anne but man I really wish they hadn't messed with her the way they did because book SA played a bigger part with Rhodes etc. I wanted to see that on screen. I also liked show Godric even though book Godric was different and not Eric's maker.

[Athena]

I recently finally read the last two books and it was difficult. I avoided it because of the decline of quality in the books with the fairy arc but mostly with how strained the relationship between Eric and Bookie became towards the end. It started with the creepy Eric's maker arc. I think that was the beginning of the end.

I called the end pairing really on and didn't believe Harris when she kept hemming and hawing about who the end game. It was very anticlimactic for me as a result.

These books were never super literature but it did feel like the series should have ended at book ten or so. Harris was grasping at straws toward the end.

[questionfear]

I concur with everyone who wishes the vamp conference at Rhodes had been a plotline. It would have been perfect as a way to extend the show-set most of the season at the conference, and you can unfold a number of side stories and mysteries and lay out storylines for later without any heavy lifting. They could have skipped the entire crazy Authority mess by moving that whole story as a subplot of the Rhodes conference...

[Insomnia]

I for one am glad Lafayette didn't die. Killing Jesus was a crime. And I like the addition of Jessica. She and Bill go well together. And Ginger.

 

I'm glad TV Bill wasn't a computer nerd and his apparent special power was instead mimicry, although he only did it the once.

 

I like the changes they did the the Maenid storyline, though I would have liked the end of the book ending EXCEPT for the Sam's dream after. That needs to stay in somehow.

 

Really didn't like the changes to Tara, or Hotshot. I DO like that Alcide isn't as much as an asshole that he is in the books.

 

Glad they didn't do the whole Pelt family thing as that just stretched out WAY too long. Though could say the same about show Debbie.

 

I hope Sam will change into a Lion, because that was awesome.

 

I wish Book Pam and TV Pam could have a baby, the result would be snarkingly awesome just smoosh them together in an awesome Pam chimera. But I sometimes felt Pam and Sam were really the only super friends Sookie had, even though she was surrounded by it. And at least Pam was always honest about things. Fuck a zombie!

 

Not a fan of The Authority. Not a fan of the vampire marriage in the books.

 

Not a fan of the TV Fairy stuff. Magical fairy vagina indeed. Just... everything about it.

 

I agree book Witches (with the exception of Amelia) were scarier than Marnie. Thank fuck they didn't include Amelia. Don't really like Luna or what they did to Sam's family.

 

And also, while I wasn't a fan of season 4, since I'm re-watching right now, I am grateful for Eric draining Sookie's Fairy Godmother, and paying in the water and the nakedness that accompanied it. I for one think neither of them needed to stop making those sounds.

 

I'll be over here wading in the shallow end.

[Slue Foot Sue]

Was very happy to not see Bubba in the show. Probably the absolute worst character in the books.

[fliptopbox]

So what did happen to Sookie/Bill/Bon Temps at the end of the last book? I tried reading the first couple books in the series but was so unbelievably bored I couldn't continue. I just don't like Harris' writing style.

 

Also someone mentioned the final season is going to be shortened...does that mean another 10 episode run, or even shorter than that?

[GaT]

So what did happen to Sookie/Bill/Bon Temps at the end of the last book? I tried reading the first couple books in the series but was so unbelievably bored I couldn't continue. I just don't like Harris' writing style.

The last book was so bad, Charlene Harris acquired a whole lot of haters. Since this thread is also about the books, I'm not going to spoiler this. Sookie ends up married to Sam, & Bill is treated like a good neighbor instead of someone she was once romantically involved with.

[Insomnia]

In the books she ended up with Sam.

 

I think that's literally all that really happened. It was all just filler as everything had been pretty much tied up since book 10 or 11. There was new stuff, but it was still old stuff, if that makes sense. It's like flipping through the channels and catching glimpses of former characters, in a shoe-horned in hodge-podge.

 

Eric is pissed at her for not using the magical only use once EVER thingy on him, and leaves because Eric is a vampire and therefore an asshole, and with Eric goes Pam. He claims he doesn't want to do it, but really does sweet dick all to stop it, and pins his dreams on the dues ex machina of the cluviel dor Alceide isn't as much of an asshole anymore but still is. Bill and Sookie are friends but they are just okay. Even Amelia and Quinn sort of just pass through as part of the memory parade. I think somewhere in there, Sookie gets accused of murder, but there isn't evidence so she investigates it.

 

That's one thing I have to give for the TV show over the books; they realized how ridiculous the show was getting and decided to end it on a higher note than it would probably be at dragging it on for a few more years like the books.

 

Sookie and Sam ride off into the sunset to run Merlott's and have babies. It was a done deal by the first chapter that's what was going to happen. The last book really could have been just a short story to finish things off.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Insomnia

[Athena]

So what did happen to Sookie/Bill/Bon Temps at the end of the last book? I tried reading the first couple books in the series but was so unbelievably bored I couldn't continue. I just don't like Harris' writing style.

 

Also someone mentioned the final season is going to be shortened...does that mean another 10 episode run, or even shorter than that?

 

Ten episodes.

 

Sam and Sookie don't get married and even Sookie isn't sure if they will be together forevah, but for all intents purposes, that's the end game.

 

The book series basically died a slow, painful death. The last book was contrived and full of cameos of previous characters. Eric and Pam do leave, but he is barely in the book. Eric is shackled into a two centuries contract marriage with a Queen in another state because of his horrible maker and he is an asshole who wants power blah blah blah. Eric does make a deal that no vampire harms Sookie. A lot of minor characters from ages ago try to kill Sookie again.

[RedheadZombie]

I broke my shoulder a few years back, and began reading the books to pass the time.  I stopped in the midst of the were-tiger one.  It was just a little overload of men worshiping Sookie.  The fairie blood explained the vampire attraction, but why all the weres?  Also, Sookie was an innocent little virgin in the beginning because she read all the nasty thoughts of the men she dated.  That's one of the reasons she was so drawn to Bill.  So why that stopped bothering her with Alcide, et al, I don't know.

 

When I realized that book Tara was white and not related to Lafayette, I lost all interest in her.  And book Jason was a selfish asshole.  So I definitely appreciate the show versions of those characters.  And of course I'm grateful Lafayette lived past book one.

 

I also appreciate the show cutting back on all the Hot Shot crap.  That was just awful.

 

One thing that stuck out during the witch season, I think they combined a couple of characters into one.  Marnie was the nice witch that Sookie became friends with, and in the show she was the leader of the coven who's body was taken over by ..... whoever.

[GaT]

 

The book series basically died a slow, painful death. The last book was contrived and full of cameos of previous characters. Eric and Pam do leave, but he is barely in the book. Eric is shackled into a two centuries contract marriage with a Queen in another state because of his horrible maker and he is an asshole who wants power blah blah blah. Eric does make a deal that no vampire harms Sookie. A lot of minor characters from ages ago try to kill Sookie again.

Pam doesn't leave, she becomes the new sheriff, taking over from Eric.

 

Edited: Oh yeah, I just remembered that Eric has another daughter that we never heard about but who shows up in the last book for no reason I can think of.

Edited June 25, 2014 by GaT

[Athena]

Oh right, she doesn't leave, but her and Sookie have a sort of "See you around" ending. They aren't exactly the type to go on girlfriend dates, but I hope they hang out.

 

I think the other daughter is there to A) Protect Sookie and B) Remind Sookie that Eric has a type: blonde, fierce, and fighting women. That is the point in the books where Sookie starts to realize that Eric always intended to make her.

 

ETA: I forgot that Harris published "After Dead" #13.5 which I refuse to read, but looked on Good Reads for the summaries: Sookie and Sam get married and have four kids. Eric becomes attached to his arranged wife. Bill becomes King of Louisiana. The GR reviews are really bitter. It's quite funny and sad that I also read all 13 books and some of those short stories.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Athena

[Insomnia]

Morbid curiosity requires I now read this.

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Athena, you may just have gained a nemesis.

[GaT]

Oh right, she doesn't leave, but her and Sookie have a sort of "See you around" ending. They aren't exactly the type to go on girlfriend dates, but I hope they hang out.

 

I think the other daughter is there to A) Protect Sookie and B) Remind Sookie that Eric has a type: blonde, fierce, and fighting women. That is the point in the books where Sookie starts to realize that Eric always intended to make her.

 

ETA: I forgot that Harris published "After Dead" #13.5 which I refuse to read, but looked on Good Reads for the summaries: Sookie and Sam get married and have four kids. Eric becomes attached to his arranged wife. Bill becomes King of Louisiana. The GR reviews are really bitter. It's quite funny and sad that I also read all 13 books and some of those short stories.

I waited for the reviews on Amazon & then decided not to read After Dead because it has a 1 1/2 star rating. People really hate it. Charlene Harris also seems to hate her fans, because she apparently tweeted all sorts of nasty tweets to people. It didn't help her book.

[Athena]

Morbid curiosity requires I now read this.

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Athena, you may just have gained a nemesis.

 

Will you have picture of me that you carry? As your nemesis, I counsel you to not buy it; a lot of people complained about that actually. It's not really a novel so much as page after page of short summaries of what happens to these characters.

 

If you do read it, please give a your report.

 

 

I waited for the reviews on Amazon & then decided not to read After Dead because it has a 1 1/2 star rating. People really hate it. Charlene Harris also seems to hate her fans, because she apparently tweeted all sorts of nasty tweets to people. It didn't help her book.

 

That's sad. I know she was doing it for the money, but no need to be nasty to the people who've supported you for years. She really was not giving any effort to it at the end.

[Insomnia]

Oh I won't buy it. My curiosity demands I read or see everything to conclusion, but I don't have to own it. (I actually have a fancy library thing! I'm not insane, so far as I'm aware.)

 

I hope, however there isn't a requirement that I be sober for the reading or the report.

 

As for the picture, who's to say I already don't have one? I'm just trying to figure out to say Athena in one syllable.

[Athena]

I waited for the reviews on Amazon & then decided not to read After Dead because it has a 1 1/2 star rating. People really hate it. Charlene Harris also seems to hate her fans, because she apparently tweeted all sorts of nasty tweets to people. It didn't help her book.

 

I looked up this controversy when my friend asked me about the last book. Apparently when Dead Ever After was released, it was leaked a few days prior causing many fans to go crazy and threatening and sending hate email and tweets to Harris. In which case, I feel bad for her because even though I dislike how the books ended, no author deserves that.

 

One of the things that bugged me about ending of the books was that Bookie had regressed. Yes, she went through a lot and it would impact her view of the world, but for me, Sookie in the books was this normal girl living in extraordinary circumstances. She was never that smart, but she cared about her friends, her family and very loyal in general. She was optimistic, but by the end of the books, she still hated her ability. I feel her character growth had stunted and she became a bit more like TV Sookie. That's why the ending was a bit "there" for me.

[GaT]

 

I looked up this controversy when my friend asked me about the last book. Apparently when Dead Ever After was released, it was leaked a few days prior causing many fans to go crazy and threatening and sending hate email and tweets to Harris. In which case, I feel bad for her because even though I dislike how the books ended, no author deserves that.

I'm not on Twitter so I've never seen them, but from what I've heard, the nasty tweets were nothing new for Harris. She's known for being really rude to people. I think that's why people are willing to be so rude to her, they're just acting the way she has.

[fliptopbox]

This After Dead book seems like the only other one of the series that I would consider buying. I know there's no way I'll ever read the whole series (nor do I really want to, the first 2 were boring) so a book of short little vignettes about what each character is up to after the fact would be right up my alley. But I can understand why her die hard fans would be pissy over it.

[Athena]

This After Dead book seems like the only other one of the series that I would consider buying. I know there's no way I'll ever read the whole series (nor do I really want to, the first 2 were boring) so a book of short little vignettes about what each character is up to after the fact would be right up my alley. But I can understand why her die hard fans would be pissy over it.

 

One of the reviews I read on GoodReads said that if the chapters and pages were properly formatted, it would be eleven pages. The reviews for the book are properly snarky.

[roctavia]

One of the reviews I read on GoodReads said that if the chapters and pages were properly formatted, it would be eleven pages. The reviews for the book are properly snarky.

 

 

You can find a pdf of it floating around somewhere... or stop at a book store and look up the people you like and be done with it :P

 

Aside from the main characters- Sookie, Sam, Eric, Pam, Bill and maybe a few others... most of the characters got a sentence or less. For example :  X person ( I can't remember who) died in a car accident.

 

Some of them were big downers- people dying or getting divorced... which I suppose is reflective of real life and how it sucks.

 

But I wouldn't say it was the worst thing ever, not if you went in with the right expectations. It's not a novel or even a short story, so if people were expecting that, then surely they'd be disappointed.

 

I thought it was fine for what it was- almost like an appendix of endings for the characters.

 

But I'm sure plenty of people were also pissed off by her choices of how people's stories ended, namely Sookie and Eric... but given how she ended the final book, Sookie's marriage and kids made sense, as did Eric getting along in his new life just fine.

[Athena]

@Jjrmt I'm done with the series, but It doesn't seem good to shell $10 for an appendix. The reviews for the book are funny though because of the outrage from some fans.

[roctavia]

@Jjrmt I'm done with the series, but It doesn't seem good to shell $10 for an appendix. The reviews for the book are funny though because of the outrage from some fans.

 

 

Oh, I agree... it's not worth the money... so I suppose I'd have been more annoyed if I'd bought it instead of just flipping through it and sticking it back on the shelf. But it was nothing lost for me- I've never been all that invested in the book characters anyway...

 

Goodreads is always entertaining... some folks will get bent out of shape for just about anything.

[GaT]

@Jjrmt I'm done with the series, but It doesn't seem good to shell $10 for an appendix. The reviews for the book are funny though because of the outrage from some fans.

I think the Kindle readers were even more outraged by the price, it was almost $10.00 too.

[Athena]

I replied earlier about how I found the end ship of Sam/Sookie anticlimactic. When I started the books, it seemed to me that Sam was going to be Sookie's end game. Harris said for years that she didn't know. I thought it was BS. Sam was the most logical choice with the way she set up Sookie. As a shifter, Sookie couldn't hear that well. They clearly cared for each other and Sam had a crush or was in love with her partially. It was clear to me that the series would not end with Sookie being turned. She loved the sun, wanted children, and most of all, a normal life. I actually liked this aspect about early Bookie. I made my peace with the idea of the end game.

 

Like many other fans, I enjoyed the Eric/Sookie ship in the books, but as I read the series, I didn't know how they would end it and how she would get together with Sam. It was very rushed. The build up was not that great and Sam was a bit crazy after he Buffy-ed. It was like Harris realized that she had those two up quickly so she introduced Eric's forced marriage plot device plus the cluviel d'or. It would have been better for me for Sookie to break it off with Eric when she realized how bad life was with them together and just grow naturally closer to Sam. Then again, the series may have been more boring.

[annsterg]

I will just chime in to say that I hated the last book so very much that I could not force myself to finish it.

 

In True Blood, I have missed the Pam/Sookie friendship terribly and think it's a real gap/mistake.

[ChlcGirl]

Not finishing it was an incredibly smart decision on your part.  I can not even explain the rage it brought out in me.

[bobbyjoe]

Well, now we know that both the book and the series wrecked the Alcide character, though in different ways.  The books are worse for him in a way, as they totally humiliate the character, but the show finishes him in a remarkably stupid and anti-climactic way. 

 

Not finishing it was an incredibly smart decision on your part.  I can not even explain the rage it brought out in me.

 

ITA a million, billion times.  I hate, hate, hate the last few books in Harris' series (I could spend hours typing the word "hate" over and over again, if I really wanted to express my feelings about how badly she wrecked a once good series, ran over it a few times, pooped all over it, and then burned it to the ground).  Even the Sookie and Sam thing aside, where she leaves Eric is 8000% unforgiveable.   The "Eric gets HepV" thing on the show is dumb, but there's almost no way at this point the show can utterly destroy Eric the way that the books do.

 

I used to wish for more Claudine on the show, but now I say "Thank God" the show avoids a lot of Harris' fairy storyline.   Maybe the worst for me is that Harris takes a series that was once a pretty good metaphor for the GLBT rights movement ("coming out of the coffin" and all that) and (by ruining the Claude character maybe even worse than she ruins Alcide and Amelia) ends it with Sookie literally encouraging a gay bashing to escape from a tough situation.  To me, Harris just ended up coming across as something of a mindless bigot who, instead of understanding a minority movement, just exploited it to sell books for awhile, then didn't understand at all how turning your only remaining major gay character (Claude) into the raving, creepy villain of the last two books and then having Sookie encourage two homophobes to kill him for being gay might be a wee bit problematic. (Her depiction of race also becomes pretty vile in the last book-- I've noted elsewhere how Harris practically puts one of the only African-Americans in her book in blackface, running around saying things like "I got the HIV." Uggh).

 

In this way, I'm glad the series didn't make more of Claude than what's essentially a cameo. Maybe they sensed where Harris was going and wanted no part of it. In terms of LGBT representation, I'd much rather have Lafayette, who's still a fairly complex character in the context of the show, and at least, as of this writing, not in danger of Sookie suddenly wishing him gay-bashed to death (and using her fairy powers to play it up in some people's minds) so she can jump out of a car.

[StayClassySD]

I'm thankful the show didn't add Quinn. He was pointless in the books and the way he always said "babe" irked me. I do wonder what they would have done with Andre, Sophie Anne's progeny if he had made it to the show.

[ChlcGirl]

So yesterday I had some extra time and was craving a caramel frappucino, so I toddled off to my local Barnes & Noble to finally get around to reading After Dead and be done forever with this ultimately disappointing series.  AD was the only SVM book not available in the store.  Since it is summer and sometimes they set up special "beach read" displays I decided to see if there was a copy anywhere in the store.  When the clerk checked on the computer she was pretty shocked to see that After Dead is ONLY available as an ebook online or by special ordering it in (you have to pay in full before they will place the order as well).

 

I guess B&N is hip to NO ONE wanting to buy this POS outright :D

[Insomnia]

I can see it as only being an ebook online, but did you know there is an audiobook version of it too?

 

I figured it would be best for a drunken review.

[GaT]

Does anyone else find it strange how different show Arlene is from book Arlene? I don't even know why they kept the name Arlene on the show, especially with Sookie saving her life. Book Arlene goes to jail for trying to kill Sookie, they just should have made her a completely different character on the show. I kind of feel the same way about Tara, who is also completely different than book Tara. 

[RachelKM]

Does anyone else find it strange how different show Arlene is from book Arlene? I don't even know why they kept the name Arlene on the show, especially with Sookie saving her life. Book Arlene goes to jail for trying to kill Sookie, they just should have made her a completely different character on the show. I kind of feel the same way about Tara, who is also completely different than book Tara. 

I'm not certain that they intended such an extreme departure from BookArlene in the beginning since Season One Arlene was much more similar to the initial characterization of BookArlene.  BookArlene didn't immediately go off the deep end and Season One Arlene was pretty judgy and could have veered off in the same direction as the books.  My guess is they liked Arlene too much as well as Carrie Preston herself to loose her.

 

As for Tara, I completely agree.  The only thing BookTara and Tara had in common was crappy childhoods.  But BookTara was already a business woman in the first book and my recollection is that at the start of the book series Tara and Sookie had lost touch for a bit and sort of reconnected.  Were as on True Blood, they were joined at the hip forever. 

Edited July 16, 2014 by RachelKM

[anyanka323]

Starting around the time book 6 was published, Harris did a lot of fan events, signings and readings to promote the hardcover printing.  She did these events nationally through book 12.  When the final book was published, there were no events or appearances scheduled.  You would think that she'd want to bask in the affection of her loyal fans and readers as she promoted the final book in the series.  She knew that certain parts of her fanbase were going to be upset with the ending, which was to be expected.  I'd say that the Sookie/Eric fans were far more vocal and opinionated online than the Sookie/Sam fans.  I don't include Sookie/Bill for the books because that wasn't going to happen in the books, probably around book 5.  IRRC, Harris extended her contract with her publisher around the time book 9 was published - book 10 was last one in her deal.  It's my opinion, but she only did it because of the show's success.  She knew that she'd get more book sales if she extended her deal becasue I don't think she has a financial stake in the show. 

 

I'm pleased that the show made some significant changes from the books.  I'm thrilled that Lafayette survived and vastly prefer TV Arlene to book Arlene.  TV Bill is a more interesting and layered character than the one dimensional book version and appreciate the simplification of Eric's arc.  I'm going to add to the relief that there was no extended Pelt family plot and the complete omission of the Quinn character. 

[GaT]

Starting around the time book 6 was published, Harris did a lot of fan events, signings and readings to promote the hardcover printing.  She did these events nationally through book 12.  When the final book was published, there were no events or appearances scheduled.  You would think that she'd want to bask in the affection of her loyal fans and readers as she promoted the final book in the series.  She knew that certain parts of her fanbase were going to be upset with the ending, which was to be expected.  I'd say that the Sookie/Eric fans were far more vocal and opinionated online than the Sookie/Sam fans.  I don't include Sookie/Bill for the books because that wasn't going to happen in the books, probably around book 5.  IRRC, Harris extended her contract with her publisher around the time book 9 was published - book 10 was last one in her deal.  It's my opinion, but she only did it because of the show's success.  She knew that she'd get more book sales if she extended her deal becasue I don't think she has a financial stake in the show. 

 

I'm pleased that the show made some significant changes from the books.  I'm thrilled that Lafayette survived and vastly prefer TV Arlene to book Arlene.  TV Bill is a more interesting and layered character than the one dimensional book version and appreciate the simplification of Eric's arc.  I'm going to add to the relief that there was no extended Pelt family plot and the complete omission of the Quinn character. 

I'm one of the people who was vocal about hating the Sookie/Sam ending, but not because I wanted her to end up with Eric. My problem with it was that this happened in the last book of the series, without anything between them in all the other books. She could have started the romance way before the end, especially if that's how she planned it all along. Instead she had Sookie with Bill, Quinn, Alcide, & even had her marry Eric, & then at the very end....Sam. It was stupid, Harris was only in it for the money at that point, & wasn't even trying.

[Insomnia]

To be fair about the Marrying thing, it's not like Eric asked her. Just, "Bring me this thing but don't look at and then give it to me (when someone important is watching.)"

 

Are they gone?

 

Good. By the way, we're married now.

 

It was a dick move that only indicated (to me anyway) that Sookie and Eric wouldn't end up together, because boy oh boy would there have been complaints then. She wasn't even married against her will, she was married without her consent or knowledge. Not a way to end a romance.

 

Probably also why I didn't really like Amelia, she was constantly doing things like that too. I don't care how well intentioned she was, breaking the marriage against Sookie's wishes was just a dick move as well. But then again, I really didn't like her from the first time she let herself in the the apartment and pinched Sookie to wake her up. I don't care if she was the landlord or not, you just don't do things like that. (So glad she never made it in.)