The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 15)
by Laurell K. Hamilton
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Book Summary Information
Author: Laurell K. HamiltonEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-06-05
ISBN: 0425217248
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Book Reviews of The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 15)
Book Review: A Murder and Mayhem Bookclub review
Summary: 3 Stars
As Anita Blake discovers more about her growing powers she becomes more uncertain about what life will hold for her. It is enough for now to draw her friends close and support those she loves who were once considered to be in the ranks of the enemy.
The vampire culture pre-dates her birth by many centuries, and it is no surprise that Anita's exploits and abilities have not escaped the attention of those outside her own city of St Louis. Even with her own vampire lover Jean-Claude being the Master of the City, Anita knows that this would not be protection enough if anyone were truly to wish her dead. Discovering the existence of the Harlequin, the ancient vampires that have policed their own kind for millennia is frightening, more so when she discovers the range of their influence. It seems, for now, that they wish to observe, as indicated by the delivery of a white mask. She learns that the Harlequin are required to act in certain manner, with any breaches being punishable by death. When fear and uncertainty strikes Anita, it's apparent that someone is abusing their powers. She has enough to deal with two sanctioned orders in her hands to execute rogue members of the newly formed Vampire church. Those that need her help are the ones least likely to ask, but this has never stopped Anita Blake before. It just requires a little more diplomacy and the help of some old and equally vicious friends.
No doubt about it, this series has moved far, far away from its beginnings. We've watched the character of Anita Blake evolve (if you accept this) from being the hunter of monsters to becoming one herself with few apologies offered for doing so. The reader can either accept this metamorphosis and continue to enjoy Ms Hamilton's very inventive fantasy writing or choke on the moral high ground with their cease and desist.
A strength of these novels has always been the well-established structure of Hamilton's alternate world with its rules and monster regulations. Accepting that vampires, werewolves and the like will act in a certain fashion and be governed by a certain set of rules is a given. THE HARLEQUIN, thankfully, spares the reader from as many multiple sex scenes as previous novels (which, in their gratuitous inclusion, bored more than entertained) and offers instead more a plot to delve into. Anita's character remains that of a survivor which while obviously having embraced some more of the dark side, remains strong and worthy of her own series. Pretty much all semblance of a normal life has been abandoned and there is very little "official" work being conducted by Anita or her various consorts. All thirteen previous Vampire Hunter novels have been read by this reviewer and it's something of a relief not to be barraged with an array of yet more beautiful young men that need to be catalogued into the memory. It's hard to bond with any of them when there's simply so many to remember. These novels required some serious trimming, and THE HARLEQUIN has managed to achieve this without any significant loss to the read.
There seems to be no end of possibilities to where this author can take her fantastical creations. It was once that Anita Blake represented the human element amongst the beautiful monsters but the shift from that to where she is placed in THE HARLEQUIN has killed that stance. Fans should continue to flock to these books for their vivid descriptions of all that's terribly beautiful and deliciously frightening.
Laurell K. Hamilton is the author of many best-selling works of fantasy including the urban faery series featuring Meredith Gentry.
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