This summer, viewers have been glued to their television sets every Sunday night to catch the newest episode of True Blood, the HBO series that has been created from Harris' book series. What has been slightly over looked by fans is that this summer also brought with it Dead and Gone, the newest addition to the Sookie Stackhouse novels. It is with this book that readers have many questions answered and even more created.
Holes in Eric's Memory
In Dead to the World, Eric Northman had his memory erased and Sookie found him running along a rural street towards her house. He had no idea who she was and neither of them had the answer as to why he was so far from Fangtasia. During a more warm, heartfelt moment between Eric and Sookie, he finally tells her that he does remember the time that they shared together and the he knows the reason why he was running to her house. As it turns out, the witch that had cursed him not only cursed him with memory loss, but had casted a spell that would make him flee to his heart's desire, only he would never get to know that he was with his love.
Sookie's Appeal to the Other World
Through Eric, Sookie is contacted by her great-grandfather. It is then revealed to her that he is the reason that she is part fairy. As Andre explains in an earlier book, it is the fairy blood tht draws the supernatural to her. It is revealed that her beloved grandmother slept with his son because her husband was unable to give her children. Sookie's great grandfather was banned from ever speaking to her by her grandfather as the fairy war had already begun and was targeting the half-human children of fairies. Her great grandfather waits until his son is dead, it is later revealed that he has been killed, before he reaches out to her.
The Aftermath of the Invasion of Louisiana
With Queen Sofie still recovering from the explosion from the last book, the King of Nevada invades, killing all of her servants expect for Bill and Eric, whom pledge themsleves to the new King. In an effort to protect Sookie and control her at the same time, Eric sends her a velvet package and gives her explicit directions that she needs to present it to him when she goes to Fangtasia to discuss business. Sookie is too preoccupied with work to open it and she blindly follows the instructions. The presentation of the gift before the King's men has symbolically married Sookie to Eric. No vampire can touch her, upon penalty of death.
The Cliffhanger
There is a lot of action in Dead and Gone, including a war between the fae, vampires and humans. In that aftermath, Sookie's great grandfather informs her that he is sealing off the world of the fae from the humans. No fairies will pass into the world, including him. In leaving, her tells her to go easy on the vampire, that he is a good man and that he loves her. He is gone before she can ask which vampire he refers to. Both vampires had come to her aid in the attacks against her family, and Bill had pledged his undying love to her, but exchanges between Eric and Sookie suggest that there has been much left off the page that will be explained in the future.
Readers will have to stay tune as Harris will be releasing A Touch of Dead in October 2009.
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris is available for purchase through Ace Hardcover with ISBN 0441017150.
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