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The Killing Dance (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, #6)

Laurell K. Hamilton

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Jan 01, 2008 mlady_rebecca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction__speculative, troupe__mindlink_mates, fictional_series__traditional, read_more_than_once, author__laurell_k_hamilton__ab, characters__vamps, characters__lycanthropes_shifters, genre__urban_fantasy, 2002, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Spoilers through the later books in the series, not just this book.

On my first read of this book, I came away with the impression "longest foreplay ever". I don't understand those who look at the early books and don't see that building sexual tension. It was there from the first time we saw Jean-Claude on stage. It was so satisfying to see it finally realized. And that it was awkward and messy and so very real.

I came into the series with one big spoiler. I knew Anita would eventually be involve Spoilers through the later books in the series, not just this book.

On my first read of this book, I came away with the impression "longest foreplay ever". I don't understand those who look at the early books and don't see that building sexual tension. It was there from the first time we saw Jean-Claude on stage. It was so satisfying to see it finally realized. And that it was awkward and messy and so very real.

I came into the series with one big spoiler. I knew Anita would eventually be involved with both Jean-Claude and Richard. I knew that not from gossip, but from reading "Obsidian Butterfly" before realizing it was a book in the middle of a long series. I've said before it's probably my least favorite of the books (OB, that is), but it was also the only one that I could have read "first" without totally getting lost or spoiling too much.

So, to me, Jean-Claude winning Anita's heart didn't mean Richard lost it. Poor idealistic Richard. Tied forever to two very practical, very pragmatic individuals. Could you have possibly found a worse way to pull Anita that last inch into your world?

Let's see, vampire marks willingly taken. Granted, it was life and death, but it wasn't so long ago that Anita would have preferred death. And our first chance to see another triumverate in action, revealed just a bit too late to be useful. Too bad about Cassandra. She had real potential.

So many things in this book. I love Anita protecting Stephen like that. Her first time cuddling/sleeping with the terminally furry. Another instance "how far things have changed" when looking back from the perspective of having read through "Blood Noir". I also love the morning after scene, and Anita seeing how many lycanthropes she already considered friends or more.

A less that pleasant introduction to Damian and Gregory. Strange to see how those relationships flipped later on. Going from Anita being willing to kill them, to being willing to kill to protect them.

Ok, time for the cast thing:

Vamps: Jean-Claude, Damian, Liv, Robert; plus the first mention of Asher - seeing his portrait
Werewolves: Richard, Jason, Stephen, Raina, Marcus, Irving, Silvie, Jamill (another one who flipped from enemy to friend)
Wereleopards: Gabriel, Gregory
Wererats: Rafael
Humans: Edward, Dolph, Zerbroski, Catherine, Monica

Overall, one of the better books in the series. So much going on. Such a fast paced race through the action.

(Reviewed 05/07/2009). ...more

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Jun 22, 2010 Pat aka Tygyr rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: july10-challenge, kindle, reread, paranormal, romance, 2014-books

I am rereading the Anita Blake series and paying special attention to the changes in Anita and what causes them.
Someone has put out a hit on Anita. Edward was offered the job. He calls Anita and tells her to be safe until he can get to town and play bodyguard. Anita is dating Richard a werewolf. He could be pack leader, but he would have to kill the current one. He has beaten Marcus in a couple of fights, but Richard would not kill him. Raina is Marcus' mate. She wants power and money. She is ma I am rereading the Anita Blake series and paying special attention to the changes in Anita and what causes them.
Someone has put out a hit on Anita. Edward was offered the job. He calls Anita and tells her to be safe until he can get to town and play bodyguard. Anita is dating Richard a werewolf. He could be pack leader, but he would have to kill the current one. He has beaten Marcus in a couple of fights, but Richard would not kill him. Raina is Marcus' mate. She wants power and money. She is making porn movies, some of them snuff films. Gabriel is the leader of the Wereleopards and he is pimping out his "pard" and forcing them to be in the movies. A human woman is usually part of a ménage a trois with Gabriel raping her, torturing her, and killing her. He is one sicko cat. He has a lot in common with Raina, except she is a wolf.
Anita is dating both Richard and Jean Claude - Master of the City of St. Louis and vampire. He promises Richard the power to defeat and kill Marcus if he will become Jean Claude's wolf to call and accept his marks. Anita agrees to be marked and they become a triumvirate of power.
Marcus at Raina's urging kidnaps Richard and Jean Claude. She wants them dead. It turns out Raina put the hit out on Anita, assuming that if Anita were dead, Richard would be to deep in grief to try and take out Marcus at the full moon.
At Edward's insistence, Anita moves into the Circus of the Damned - Jean Claude's business and home. She is betrayed and ends up in Raina and Gabriel's evil clutches and the next human star for their snuff film.
Can Anita save herself? Will Richard and Jean Claude survive? Can anyone defeat Raina and her sadistic hold on not only the wereleopards but also her own wolves that she should be protecting.
In this book, Anita faces death. She becomes involved with not only Jean Claude's world of vampires, Richard's werewolf world, Edward's assassin group, but also the wereleopard's. Richard is an early version of Anita, he does not want to kill. Anita has killed so many at this point in her career as the Executioner of Vampires, that she is much quicker to kill those she deems deserves it. Richard does not like that about her, and she in turn does not like that he can't kill to better his pack. Jean Claude and Richard are jealous of each other and each want Anita for their own. She chooses one over the other in this book. ...more

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