18 Apr 2009

What I'm reading: Charlaine Harris

I've been twittering about this since last night and had quite a few questions what I was on about: Charlaine Harris!

I've been reading the Sookie Stackhouse vampire series books, aka the Southern Vampire series. The series is about a human telepathic waitress, Sookie, who works in a Louisina bar. The story revolves around her experience with vampires, shapeshifters and other supernatural creatures. If this is sounding familiar, you might have seen the HBO TV show based off the series, True Blood. I have also started watching the TV show and am enjoying it immensely. Great actors (Anna Paquin stars as Sookie), great scriptwriting, dry humor and a "redneck" Southern drawl make for a winning combination.

What I noticed after starting to read the first book in the series, Dead Until Dark, is that Twilight seems to have completely ripped off key elements from Charlaine Harris' books! Harris' first book was released before Twilight, so I get the feeling that Stephenie Meyer was heavily influenced by this series, even though she claims not to have read any vampire books before starting on Twilight. Yeah right. Some of the key elements are very transparent: the mortal heroine falls in love with a vampire, the concept of shapeshifters, and the entire Jacob/Edward relationship seems to be heavily inspired by the Bill/Sam relationship from Harris' books. Very suspicious to say the least.

Charlaine Harris' series is definitely geared more towards an adult audience, which is also reflected in the True Blood TV series, which includes raunchy but often comical sex scenes, some gore, and mature content. For anyone who felt slightly too old for Twilight but wants to read another vampire series, try out this series by Charlaine Harris. I was told on Twitter that a new book in the series is expected to be released this summer!

Charlaine Harris' series for sale on Amazon

24 comments:

  1. ooh I just heard about this today, I was looking at Leesha's twitter and she had a pic about "Dead until Dark" and thought it looked interesting, and now you have this post! Do you like it so far? How's the writing, better than Meyer (please please please say yes).

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  2. Anonymous1:27 am

    I plan to read that series next. I am currently reading The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Like the Sookie Stackhouse series, this series in geared towards adults. I am hoping to find something that continues my Twilight buzz. Krystel

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  3. Thanks for this! Will definately check out this series, I love my Vampires lol!
    It's funny me and my Mum were watching series one of Roswell the other day and the similarities there are huge, the whole forbidden love thing! She even has the theme tune on the playlist for twilight!

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  4. Wow...that's something. I was thinking about how much I like Twilight...so I know I'll love the True Blood book series for sure. I too feel a little too old for Twilight but it's like a guilty pleasure for me! :) Thanks for the post!

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  5. This sounds interesting, I will defo check it out on my next visit to Chapters... Thanks for sharing!

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  6. i loved this series better than twilight! and true blood is such a great show..though i still think the books are better. i would recommend reading them all because they are all fantastic. =]

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  7. I'm about to start book 2 Living Dead In Dallas and so far I'm enjoying both the books and TV show immensely!

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  8. I am readign the entire series before the series premieres on 6/19 season 2...the books and the show are really really good:) Highly recommend!!

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  9. Audrey4:39 am

    I will definitely check this out. :)

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  10. Oh man, being telepathic is a super power I'd kill to have! Thank you so much for the book/show review! I'd definitely check them out!

    BTW, thank you for the thoughtful comment you left on my blog. It made me feel a lot better. MUAH!

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  11. Good stuff, eh?

    Twilight also took a lot from the Anita Blake vampire series by Laurell K. Hamilton. I can't believe she didn't read that before writing Twilight...there are so many things that are similar. Even the name Esme is in there somewhere...

    But if you like the Southern Vampire series...check out the Anita Blake...it's MUCH more adult orientated...more gore, sex...the like. And they are cheesy as hell...but I like 'em.

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  12. I loved the Sookie Books, I read them all and I just finished the Harper Connelly Series.. Very good as well!

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  13. Anonymous7:44 am

    Wow ive soo been wanting to read these books, im in line after my friends done with her copies lol, ive only seen one episode but i loved it!! by the way i've started blogging too...CHECK OUT MY BLOG AT LALAXLOCA.BLOGSPOT.COM

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  14. I really love the Sookie Stackhouse series....I have read most of them....They are great....I am currently reading the Anita Blake series which are pretty good....

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  15. Yeah, actually ist kinda very true, that Meyer took the idea for her Twilight from Sookie- Series and i agree, that Bill is much more man than Edward would ever be- but in my opinion its really terribly bad written and Sookie does not convince me : she always says she is kinda innocent and insecure and on the next page she describes herself as sexbomb with biggest boobs ever...and she kinda makes out with Bill, Sam, Eric and whatever...positive thing about the book is though that it includes sex- but its discusting to think that he bites her nearly each time they are together - i am sure, each woman would not be happy about that fact..lol

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  16. Anonymous9:44 am

    @PheonixArts, I agree that some books in the SVM series are more poorly written than others (don't get me started on book 7) but compared to Stephenie Meyers writing, these are far more superior.

    I like Sookie and while I'm fully convinced of her character, I find her to be really judgmental. On the one hand, I like that she has some personality faults. On the other hand, it makes me view her as stuck up. Either way, the complexity of her character and the fact that she's pretty much a walking contradiction make her much more interesting than Bella could ever be.

    *btw, I know u weren't comparing her to Bella, I just wanted to give my 2 cents :)

    Anyhow, I've read the better part of the AB series and I find it pretty trashy...just wasn't for me I suppose. But I do appreciate it and I'm glad that it's out there. I do love Anita's character. The more strong women in vampire lore the better!

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  17. I agree, I haven't read any of the books but I have been watching the HBO series True Blood and after I saw the first few shows I thought "Wow this is like Twilight, but for adults"

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  18. Thanks a lot I'm going to try and get my hands on these books :)

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  19. I am a HUGE fan of these books! I'm currently on book number sever, Definately Dead. I think they're very well written and extremely captivating. I can't seem to put them down long enough to have a 'real' life. : )

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  20. Hi Julia! thanks for posting this up! When I saw the series on HBO I thought the story was from Twilight..but since this book came out before Twilight, I guess Twilight was based from this :(

    I'll check the books out if it is available here in my country..I hope her writing skills is good :)

    NOTE: I like the acting of the actors in the True Blood TV series than the main actors in the Twilight movie haha..way way better :)

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  21. Ankita4:27 am

    Hey

    Thanks so so much for telling me about this series. I finished all the books in 15 days. even read the 9th one. They are great. Much much better than twilight series. Mature, interesting and HOT. so who is ur fav, eric or bill or any other one??? Mine is Eric...Viking...:))))

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  22. Amanda10:49 pm

    I have read all of the Sookie Stackhouse novels and am so anxious to find out who she will end up with that it's killing me!!! They are way way better than Twilight and have a lot more action and suspense in them than alot of other books. I read all 9 books in 2 weeks and still can't get enough of them. I am really really excited to see season two of Trueblood!!

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  23. Anonymous1:54 am

    I have watched true blood and I love it. However, I can not stand the novels. They are poorly written.

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  24. I read the whole saga.. I still do, since books are still coming out (10th came out this year and already read it). I'm a hughe Sookie fan, though my first and true love is Anne Rice

    Twilight is a desgrace!!

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