Book Review - Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark is the book True Blood (HBO) is based on. It's actually the first in a long series.

It was good. Satisfactory. I don't understand the cult following, but the book kept me reading and it was never dull. Still, it was missing pieces that would've made a more comprehensive story.

1. Sookie is a telepath that can read minds. But she works as a waitress in a bar in rural Louisiana. How is she not the richest person on the planet? She'd make an amazing con artist. Or if she wants to stay legal, hire out her services for $2,000 an hour. Damn woman, think.

2. I was digging the romance between her and the vampire Bill, but they got together too fast. They were a couple for most of the book. I guess I like it drawn out a little more. If they had drawn it out a little more, I would've like to see her choose between the vampire and her boss, Sam. I was starting to root for Sam.

3.  With 3-4 women dead in one small town, that usually draws the attention of the FBI or the state troopers. And if everyone knows that Sookie can read minds,  you'd think the local sheriff would be after her to help. No, not the case. Instead he sat in the bar for a week thinking horrible thoughts in his mind to provoke a reaction out of her. When he got the proof that she could read minds, he went on his merry way. Nothing ever came out of that.

4. I won't tell you who the murderer is, but I'm not giving anything away by saying it was a hate crime. Which is stupid because that's the murderer's only motivation? Hate? Even hate comes from somewhere and I would've liked to know the murderer's background.

5. Sookie really isn't consistent as a character. She can read minds, but always gets into life threatening trouble. She didn't know people were waiting for her in the parking lot to beat her up? Really? And if she could read minds all her life, what's with the naivete? You'd think knowing what people thought all the time would give her a more realistic view of the world. I don't feel the author really thought through all the consequences of giving her character paranormal abilities.

If you can look past all that, it's a decent read. I had some trouble accepting Sookie, so I will probably skip the rest of the series and the TV show.