Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 11)
So…I know. I’ve been whining about the direction the last two to three books have taken in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Despite my pouting, we all know I’m dying to read the next one, and the details were released last week. Hey! Where was I when all of this was happening? Oh right…I was dreaming about turkey π
So here are the details I was able to amass. I’m also adding extra stuff about her novellas that will also be released shortly, and anything else relevant to the progressionΒ of the series. Got more info? Let me know and I’ll add it here.
The Synopsis:
With her knack for being in troubleβs way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotteβs, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit β and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she canβt βreadβ vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his βchildβ Pam well β and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human β and that there is a new Queen on the board . . .
- The next Sookie Stackhouse book will be called Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 11)Β and will be released on May 3, 2011
- All of the full length Sookie books always come out in May.
- As per ImmortalDreaming.comΒ there was only one spoiler at the San Diego Comic-Con this year. Eric wants her to become a Vampire (next logical step) but Sookie refuses. Charlaine confirms that Sookie will never become a vampire.
- During aΒ recentΒ interview with the Philadelphia Examiner, Charlaine stated that sheΒ is contracted to write up to book #13. Not sure if she’s wrapping it up then, or if she will continue. Read more from this interview on TrueBloodnet.com. She does however, know how it will end.
- The Sookie Stackhouse CompanionΒ was coming out February 1st 2011 (but Charlaine mentions it has been pushed back to the fall?). It will include a Novella featuring “Quinn”, and this story willΒ be important and relevant toΒ theΒ progression ofΒ the series. It will be about his whereabouts after the takeover and his punishment. Charlaine Harris stated on her Facebook pageΒ (thanks to Daemonsbooks for pointing that out – how did I miss that?):
The Sookie Companion is for everyone who loves the series. It will have character synapses, book synapses, an interview with Alan Ball, one with me, and an original novella called βSmall Town Wedding.β
Then after further research, I found that she also mentions on another Facebook update:
For those of you who mentioned Quinn: THE SOOKIE COMPANION, on the shelves next February, featires an original novella about Sookie and Sam going to Sam’s brother’s wedding. Quinn is also in the story.
Charlaine Harris has a forumΒ (which is really interesting btw – some great details on the past books that we may have overlooked) and thanks to theΒ Sookieverse BlogΒ (and also an Amazon Sookie discussion that I found, which also frequently references the Sookieverse BlogΒ we have a clearer list ofΒ some of the more interesting posts regarding the future of the series, such as:
- Sookie could potentially extend her life magically, but won’t, however Sookie likes her paranormal life and will stay in the supernatural community.
- She isn’t certain when Sookie willΒ realize whoΒ HEA (happily ever after) is, might be on the last book, might be before.
- There of course will be fairies in the future books (and a half-elf in book #11)
- The blood bond will eventually be broken between Eric and Sookie, and it has been mentioned a few times that Charlaine Harris appears to regret introducing the blood bond (it has caused her grief). Personally, I LOVE it. They are connected so deeply on all levels, but this intense connections is also causing so much turmoil between them in regards to the veracity of their feelings towards each other. Oh well…
- Barry (the other pyschic) will be back.
Little “update” – 12/2/10 (the images ofΒ the gorgeous Eric that I was telling you about)!
Ok so did I get everything? OH WAIT!!! I want everyone to check out the Sookieverse Blog because she has the finest rendition of Eric that I’ve ever seen (on her main header/banner). The PERFECT example of how I truly see Eric.Β Alexander SkarsgΓ₯rd as EricΒ (for sure) but with the longer flowing hair (and not that yucky wig hair either). Oh and that look of pureΒ hot butΒ bad vampire on his face. Perfectly captured.Β OH YES. This to me,Β is Eric.
So Tina from Sookieverse gave me some tidbits on the background of her banner. She too, loves the longer-haired Eric, and when she decied to change the look of her site,Β she made a request for those, artistically inclined to show themselves. One of her very own readers (Kittrose)Β offered up some of her beautiful artwork. But there was one piece that KittroseΒ had not yet displayed. This Eric. Long-haired, intoxicatingly gorgeous, Eric. AndΒ Tina was floored (as I obviously was when I came across it this week). So here he is, in all of his glory (and the beautiful banner that makes up the Sookieverse look – two combined pieces of art created this magical scene). Cool huh!?
Check out more of Kittrose’s True BloodΒ work on DeviantArt
Check out the full reading order guide for this series: Charlaine Harris β Southern Vampire Mysteries Reading Order:
The hot dangerous looking Eric – that’s hot.
Oh yeah, much better.
Come on book 11 – let’s see where this train is headed. I like the blood bond and I really like how he tricked her into becoming his “wife”. I hope she doesn’t do anything stupid with them….like bring Bill back.
Somewhere in all that reading I read that while Bill and her will always be close, they won’t be able to have that same kind of relationship anymore…(or did I dream that?)
More tidbits – she knows how it will end, but “getting” there is how she will play with the series. Depending on enthusiasm (hers, and ours), will determine how long it takes for her to get to the last book.
Oh yes, and something about Sookie will gets lots of sex once she finds her HEA, and will be very enthusiastic…? heheheh Okayyyy…?? What? Are her and Eric not very enthusiastic that way, right now?
I just don’t know what to say after your info. It’s sad that she won’t be with Eric.(I assume this because of him wanting to be a vampire and she refuses)I swear I stuck with the series because of Eric and Pam. I was surprised to hear Quinn would be included in further books.I was happy to hear she wouldn’t be with Bill again.So happy that story line is done.I also loved the blood bond and it was funny how he tricked her into marrying him. Let’s hope Eric’s her HEA.Thanks for the info.
Wait wait wait!! It might still be Eric…okay..where did I see someone else quoting something that Charlaine said about Eric and his (or was it Sookie’s unusual situation with her HEA)? Okay lemme find it, and I will put it here.
Ok… so on that Amazon discussion that I linked to, a little further down, one of the users says:
“CH has said Sookie will find love albeit complicated love (paraphrasing) for her HEA.”
Now of course I hope to find that direct CH quote, but a lot of times these “tidbits” are gathered from those who have attended book signings, and such, so who knows where it is?
Anyway, why I think Eric could still *possibly* be her HEA is for the very fact that Charlaine is breaking their blood bond.
With all of Sookie’s “issues” regarding the blood bond (her suspicion that their feelings might not be “real”), she could never completely devote herself to him as a HEA.
Soooo…the only way to fix that problem for Sookie, and to alleviate her concerns, is to break their bond, and see if they are still as attached and in love…
So maybe the blood bond break is necessary for them to move forward, considering Sookie’s reservations about Eric (still, after all this time together).
Suggestions?
Sookie: “Even if i’m going to die, don’t turn me. I would hate that more that anything”
Eric” “I agree to that. No matter how much I may want to keep you.”β
From Book #9 – Dead and Gone
HE PROMISED HER.
I think that the blood bond being broken would give her the true feeling aspect, but I would hope once she agrees to stay with him they revive it or something. I mean that is how they keep tabs on her safety. Really, honestly Sookie is ALWAYS getting her ass kicked by some other paranormal.
The only ? I have about Eric being her HEA and her not turning – how is that going to pan out when she is old and grey and he is still Viking Sex on a Stick?
Right!!!
I always assumed that now that she knows about her Fae blood, that somehow it would prolong her life (and that’s why we could go with the whole “Eric and Sookie forever even though she’s not a vampire” thing)….
But then..Charlaine said that Sookie could potentially extend her life magically, but wonβt.
WHY?? Oh come on! What’s the point? heheheh
– here she is – discovering her powers, and probably has the potential now to truly be one of them (by her OWN blood) and yet…she won’t.
*hrmph*
I wonder if CH is tired of Sookie?
Did selling the rights to HBO give her that, well, well, eff the books attitude? I mean she added in the last book that the entire bar was singing along to Jace Everett’s “Bad Things” – this song is not popular on the radio but it IS the theme song for the show True Blood.
I am hoping this next book brings us back to old school devious mastermind (who can’t help loving Sookie) Eric the Northman.
I still want them to end up together…….