Dead Until Dark
This is my second time through the Sookie Stackhouse books. I'm hoping to get through the first four before the 4th season of True Blood
premieres. Given that the premiere is still several weeks away and it
only takes a couple of days to read each of these books, that shouldn't
be a problem.
I got into these books because of the HBO series. I've been obsessed with vampires since I started watching Buffy in 6th grade. My mom fed this obsession with Anne Rice novels and old movies. The first silent film I ever saw was Nosferatu, which we rented because Eddie Izzard was in the modern spoof of it. Also classic vampires. So when True Blood premiered the summer after college when I was unemployed, I had to start watching. And when I found a box set of the first nine books on sale for $27 I couldn't not buy it.
The first season of the show stays much closer to the books than any of the other seasons. I maintain that the books are far better. To be fair, I always think the book is better than any TV or movie adaptation (the exception to this rule being V For Vendetta). Still, the TV series did some things that I like a lot. Let's go through this character by character.
Lafayette - I love how much the TV show fleshed out Lafayette's character. In the book he's not much more than a gay, short-order cook. Sookie admires him "because he conducted what had to be a tough life with verve and grace." Though he only appears briefly in the tenth chapter of the book, the TV series took that character description and created something marvelous. Lafayette is flamboyant and confident. He works hard at his job as a short-order cook and makes extra money on this side selling both drugs and his body. I love the larger part he plays in the TV show and am glad that, unlike in the books, he doesn't get killed off almost immediately
Tara - Tara doesn't actually show up until the second book, and I think I like her more in the books. She has her problems, but is generally successful and manages to pull her life together. Maybe this will eventually happen in the TV show. She was certainly more interesting in the TV show, though. I think she was best in the first few episodes. After that she becomes the resident damsel in distress.
Sam - The TV show doesn't change Sam too much (except for his mess of a backstory). He's a good friend and boss to Sookie. He's interested in her romantically, but always fails to make his move before some supernatural creature comes and sweeps her off her feet. In the book he seems more French or Cajun, constantly calling Sookie "cher". He doesn't quite have the accent to pull that off in the TV show, so maybe that's why they dropped that trait, but it's one I really liked. Oh well. Except for that he's basically the same guy. At least in the first season. I've heard rumors that Sookie will eventually end up with Sam (that seems to be the way things are going in the book), and I think this actually makes sense. They could be good together. I don't like where his character is going in the TV show, but he's far more stable and less mysterious in the books.
Rene - Oh Rene. In the books he was Arlene's second husband (of four), and they're back together because there are only so many options in Bon Temps. He went to school with Jason and Hoyt. He has roots and a history in the town. In the TV show, he's a newcomer with a fake Cajun accent. Well, he has a fake Cajun accent in the books, too, but only when he's drunk or joking around. The chain of events is basically the same, though I suppose the TV show version gives Sookie (and the audience) more hints that he's the killer.
Amy - Amy's arc is basically the same in the book and the TV series. She applies for a job at Merlotte's, sleeps with Jason, and is strangled to death. The difference is that what lasts for roughly three pages in the book gets stretched to several episodes of television. This is good, because she was a fun character played by a great actress. I almost wish she was in the book a bit more, and I'm glad the TV show took the opportunity to play with her character a bit.
Jason - Jason is a whole lot better in the books. I mean, he sleeps around just as much, but he's not nearly as stupid. And though he and Sookie have their issues, their relationship feels a lot stronger in the books. He can be an idiot, mostly because he rarely thinks about the consequences of having sex with a different girl every night, but he isn't stupid. He went to college, he manages several road crews (instead of working on one), and actually does a decent job maintaining his house. In the first season of the show, he's mostly in the wrong place at the wrong time sort of perpetually. But in the book, Rene is actively trying to frame him, so his constant trouble with the cops makes a bit more sense. This isn't to say he isn't entertaining in the TV show, but he seems like more of a person and less of a caricature in the books.
Jessica - This was an inspired addition on the part of Alan Ball. Jessica is nowhere to be found in the books. The first time I read the series, I kept waiting for her to appear. I didn't realize that she wasn't a Charlaine Harris creation until the sixth book or so. She just fits into the world so well. She has a great dynamic with Bill (and now Pam). Her relationship with Hoyt is wonderful. I was a little surprised when she didn't show up in Dead Until Dark, even knowing she wouldn't. Of course, this plays to a key plot point. In the book, Bill isn't forced to sire her as punishment for killing Longshadow because in the book Bill doesn't kill Longshadow. Eric does. Naturally, Eric doesn't report this incident to the magistrate. It's an interesting twist. The TV show is attempting to play up Bill's feelings for Sookie (which don't actually exist because he's just manipulating her to get her tasty fairy blood). Meanwhile, the books hint that Eric is the atypical vampire rather than Bill. Eric is willing to kill another vampire, whether out of revenge or to protect Sookie we don't know. But it's an interesting change to make.
Eric - And now we may as well talk about Eric. He's not in the first book/season much. But he's definitely my favorite vampire. He's far more interesting than Bill and far more interested in Sookie as a person. It should be noted that when Rene attacks Sookie and she ends up in the hospital, Eric sends her flowers but Bill doesn't. Bill also goes two days without returning her phone call while she's lying in that hospital bed. Bill's a jerk. Eric's less of a jerk. And damn sexy. And a viking. Maybe I'm biased. I prefer Lestat to Louis and Spike to Angel. The free loving blonde vampire is always superior to the brooding brunette. At least in my opinion. Man, I can't wait for this season of True Blood. It should be suitably Eric heavy. We'll get to that with the fourth book, though.
Pam - Pam is actually quite similar in the books and TV show. And equally fabulous in both. She becomes more of a character later on.
Bill - Oh, Bill. I think his ulterior motives are a bit more obvious in the book. Although I could just actually be picking up on foreshadowing now that I know the future. With knowledge of how the blood bond to alter human emotions, I cringed every time Bill got Sookie to drink from him. She was playing directly into his cold, manipulative hands and couldn't even see it! I think he's better in the TV show, if only because Stephen Moyer does the Sookie growl/drawl (grawl?) so damn well.
Sookie - I think Sookie's character suffers for not being the narrator of the TV series. Not that this would have worked. It probably would have ruined a decent show. But the first-person narrative in the books gives us crucial insight into Sookie. She comes across as dumb, flighty, and crazy from an outside perspective, but it's mostly just her telepathy making it difficult to concentrate. She can't always follow conversations because she's also trying to block out everyone's thoughts. She didn't do well in school (though she did do well on tests) for the same reason. She does read a lot of books, and she reads people fairly well (naturally). She knows what she wants and is prepared to wait for it, or to walk away from something that isn't right. Also, in the books at least, she beats the everliving shit out of a man trying to murder her. In the TV show, both Bill and Sam arrive in the nick of time to save Sookie from Rene. But in the book, Bill is out of town and not answering his phone, Sam is at work, and the bodyguard Bill hired to protect Sookie has been drugged. Sookie takes a beating herself, suffering from several broken bones, but she also stabs Rene in the gut and lands him in the ICU. I'm still kind of mad they changed this for the TV show.
The Sookie Stackhouse books are a whole lot of fun in addition to being superior to the television adaptation. They're also incredibly quick reads. I'm as excited to re-read the next few as I am for the fourth season of True Blood to premiere. They better retain the shower scene (which we'll get to in the fourth book)
I got into these books because of the HBO series. I've been obsessed with vampires since I started watching Buffy in 6th grade. My mom fed this obsession with Anne Rice novels and old movies. The first silent film I ever saw was Nosferatu, which we rented because Eddie Izzard was in the modern spoof of it. Also classic vampires. So when True Blood premiered the summer after college when I was unemployed, I had to start watching. And when I found a box set of the first nine books on sale for $27 I couldn't not buy it.
The first season of the show stays much closer to the books than any of the other seasons. I maintain that the books are far better. To be fair, I always think the book is better than any TV or movie adaptation (the exception to this rule being V For Vendetta). Still, the TV series did some things that I like a lot. Let's go through this character by character.
Lafayette - I love how much the TV show fleshed out Lafayette's character. In the book he's not much more than a gay, short-order cook. Sookie admires him "because he conducted what had to be a tough life with verve and grace." Though he only appears briefly in the tenth chapter of the book, the TV series took that character description and created something marvelous. Lafayette is flamboyant and confident. He works hard at his job as a short-order cook and makes extra money on this side selling both drugs and his body. I love the larger part he plays in the TV show and am glad that, unlike in the books, he doesn't get killed off almost immediately
Tara - Tara doesn't actually show up until the second book, and I think I like her more in the books. She has her problems, but is generally successful and manages to pull her life together. Maybe this will eventually happen in the TV show. She was certainly more interesting in the TV show, though. I think she was best in the first few episodes. After that she becomes the resident damsel in distress.
Sam - The TV show doesn't change Sam too much (except for his mess of a backstory). He's a good friend and boss to Sookie. He's interested in her romantically, but always fails to make his move before some supernatural creature comes and sweeps her off her feet. In the book he seems more French or Cajun, constantly calling Sookie "cher". He doesn't quite have the accent to pull that off in the TV show, so maybe that's why they dropped that trait, but it's one I really liked. Oh well. Except for that he's basically the same guy. At least in the first season. I've heard rumors that Sookie will eventually end up with Sam (that seems to be the way things are going in the book), and I think this actually makes sense. They could be good together. I don't like where his character is going in the TV show, but he's far more stable and less mysterious in the books.
Rene - Oh Rene. In the books he was Arlene's second husband (of four), and they're back together because there are only so many options in Bon Temps. He went to school with Jason and Hoyt. He has roots and a history in the town. In the TV show, he's a newcomer with a fake Cajun accent. Well, he has a fake Cajun accent in the books, too, but only when he's drunk or joking around. The chain of events is basically the same, though I suppose the TV show version gives Sookie (and the audience) more hints that he's the killer.
Amy - Amy's arc is basically the same in the book and the TV series. She applies for a job at Merlotte's, sleeps with Jason, and is strangled to death. The difference is that what lasts for roughly three pages in the book gets stretched to several episodes of television. This is good, because she was a fun character played by a great actress. I almost wish she was in the book a bit more, and I'm glad the TV show took the opportunity to play with her character a bit.
Jason - Jason is a whole lot better in the books. I mean, he sleeps around just as much, but he's not nearly as stupid. And though he and Sookie have their issues, their relationship feels a lot stronger in the books. He can be an idiot, mostly because he rarely thinks about the consequences of having sex with a different girl every night, but he isn't stupid. He went to college, he manages several road crews (instead of working on one), and actually does a decent job maintaining his house. In the first season of the show, he's mostly in the wrong place at the wrong time sort of perpetually. But in the book, Rene is actively trying to frame him, so his constant trouble with the cops makes a bit more sense. This isn't to say he isn't entertaining in the TV show, but he seems like more of a person and less of a caricature in the books.
Jessica - This was an inspired addition on the part of Alan Ball. Jessica is nowhere to be found in the books. The first time I read the series, I kept waiting for her to appear. I didn't realize that she wasn't a Charlaine Harris creation until the sixth book or so. She just fits into the world so well. She has a great dynamic with Bill (and now Pam). Her relationship with Hoyt is wonderful. I was a little surprised when she didn't show up in Dead Until Dark, even knowing she wouldn't. Of course, this plays to a key plot point. In the book, Bill isn't forced to sire her as punishment for killing Longshadow because in the book Bill doesn't kill Longshadow. Eric does. Naturally, Eric doesn't report this incident to the magistrate. It's an interesting twist. The TV show is attempting to play up Bill's feelings for Sookie (which don't actually exist because he's just manipulating her to get her tasty fairy blood). Meanwhile, the books hint that Eric is the atypical vampire rather than Bill. Eric is willing to kill another vampire, whether out of revenge or to protect Sookie we don't know. But it's an interesting change to make.
Eric - And now we may as well talk about Eric. He's not in the first book/season much. But he's definitely my favorite vampire. He's far more interesting than Bill and far more interested in Sookie as a person. It should be noted that when Rene attacks Sookie and she ends up in the hospital, Eric sends her flowers but Bill doesn't. Bill also goes two days without returning her phone call while she's lying in that hospital bed. Bill's a jerk. Eric's less of a jerk. And damn sexy. And a viking. Maybe I'm biased. I prefer Lestat to Louis and Spike to Angel. The free loving blonde vampire is always superior to the brooding brunette. At least in my opinion. Man, I can't wait for this season of True Blood. It should be suitably Eric heavy. We'll get to that with the fourth book, though.
Pam - Pam is actually quite similar in the books and TV show. And equally fabulous in both. She becomes more of a character later on.
Bill - Oh, Bill. I think his ulterior motives are a bit more obvious in the book. Although I could just actually be picking up on foreshadowing now that I know the future. With knowledge of how the blood bond to alter human emotions, I cringed every time Bill got Sookie to drink from him. She was playing directly into his cold, manipulative hands and couldn't even see it! I think he's better in the TV show, if only because Stephen Moyer does the Sookie growl/drawl (grawl?) so damn well.
Sookie - I think Sookie's character suffers for not being the narrator of the TV series. Not that this would have worked. It probably would have ruined a decent show. But the first-person narrative in the books gives us crucial insight into Sookie. She comes across as dumb, flighty, and crazy from an outside perspective, but it's mostly just her telepathy making it difficult to concentrate. She can't always follow conversations because she's also trying to block out everyone's thoughts. She didn't do well in school (though she did do well on tests) for the same reason. She does read a lot of books, and she reads people fairly well (naturally). She knows what she wants and is prepared to wait for it, or to walk away from something that isn't right. Also, in the books at least, she beats the everliving shit out of a man trying to murder her. In the TV show, both Bill and Sam arrive in the nick of time to save Sookie from Rene. But in the book, Bill is out of town and not answering his phone, Sam is at work, and the bodyguard Bill hired to protect Sookie has been drugged. Sookie takes a beating herself, suffering from several broken bones, but she also stabs Rene in the gut and lands him in the ICU. I'm still kind of mad they changed this for the TV show.
The Sookie Stackhouse books are a whole lot of fun in addition to being superior to the television adaptation. They're also incredibly quick reads. I'm as excited to re-read the next few as I am for the fourth season of True Blood to premiere. They better retain the shower scene (which we'll get to in the fourth book)
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