The Killing Dance, by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Killing Dance, by Laurell K. Hamilton
Book 6 - Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series
Reviewed by Ciara
As with most of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books so far, the sixth instalment opens with Anita in her office, with a client. This
client is a little unusual though. It’s a vampire, rotting away and decomposing because he went “vegetarian”, so to speak, to please a human lover (take that
Edward!). His human servant, also a necromancer, thinks that by combining his powers with Anita’s, they could cure Sabin.
Anita agrees to help, but all that quickly gets swept under the carpet when she discovers some anonymous man has put a hit out on her. Edward, everyone’s favourite psychopathic assassin, is back in this book, to help save Anita from the nasty hit men. And no, Edward hasn’t gone soft. He was offered the contract, but turned it down because he would get to kill more people protecting Anita than hunting her. What’s not to love about him? Of course, these are not the only plots in the book. This is Laurell K. Hamilton, after all, the master of delicately weaving intricate plots together.
While trying not to be killed by hit men, Anita is also trying to sort out her relationship with Richard, who proposed to her, but won’t marry her until she
sees him change for the first time. As well as that, he’s facing a pretty big threat of his own within the pack. Marcus, the current leader, or Ulfric, is sadistic and cruel to his pack members. Richard want to out him, but the only way to do that is to fight to the death. Anita, of course, thinks it’s the right thing to do. Richard, of course, thinks he would lose too much of himself in killing Marcus. And so goes the argument.
The Killing Dance is an important book in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series because it introduces the first real elements of erotic fiction into Laurell K.Hamilton’s work. The book is a turning point in the series because it introduces a lot more erotic fiction. However, that comes at the cost of a lot of the detective fiction, the investigations and the crimes that made the first five books so compelling.
I don’t see why Laurell K. Hamilton couldn’t include both. After all, preternatural experts on retainer to the police are allowed have sex. Fans
of the series seem massively divided on this point. Personally, I love sex. I just feel that sometimes, Laurell K. Hamilton lets it get in the way of a good
plot and fabulous writing. However, in this book, the balance is just about perfect. The plots weave together intricately, and are perfectly paced.
Laurell K. Hamilton never lets the reader get bored by dialogue or overwhelmed by action. There is definitely something for all paranormal fans in this book.
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