Sorry Tem, but I love it :). Pushes all the right buttons for me.
What I really like is that in some parts you have super-powered Anita and yet in others she's almost a vulnerable as a human being. She's one scary bitch with some serious fire power, but she's not superwoman. The problem I always had with superman was that he was invulnerable and that made hurt/comfort a bitch (Kryptonite always seemed a cop out some how), but Anita is still vulnerable - that's a hard balance to maintain, but I think LHK does it admirably.
I like the bringing together of the lycanthrope communities, it was about time. It really is silly to be continually fighting each other when actually giving each other a hand from time to time would keep things going much more smoothly. It was also interesting to see a non-predatorial lycanthrope again.
I actually almost liked Richard again in this, I feel sorry for him now, rather than wanting to give him a kick up the arse. Poor chap's in melt down, and I think when he comes out the other side he'll be much better for it.
Micah, oh Micah - such a sweetie, and so practical. I know he had alterior motives, but when it came down to it he stood by Anita. The whole mystical connection thing made me grin like a loon, hopeless romantic that I am and it nice to see Anita with a man who's quite happy with the way she is.
Jean-Claude - he finally told Anita straight what she'd done to him with her high moral ground. Well done J-C! He seems to understand Anita better than she understands herself at times, but he needs to stop protecting her from the truth. She has responisibilites now, and I think he's finally realised that he can't coddle her anymore. He's such a sexy moster :).
Asher - half the time I want to bundle him up in a hug and tell him everything will be alright, and the next I think he's the sexiest monster in the vamp camp. Anita really needs to get over her whole problem with men sleeping with men, or even the menage a trois. She's got two gorgeous vamps willing to do obscene things to her, at the same time, and she says no! Is she insane?
Jason wasn't in it so much, but he was his usual wonderful self when he did appear.
Nathaniel - sigh; I just love him to pieces. His character has developed so much by the time we see him in this one, and I love how he is dependent and yet learning how to be more his own person as well. He is a fantastic support to Anita, even though she doesn't seem to see it most of the time. He's always there, which is something she needs as much as the strength of the other men in her life.
I really liked this book. The whole preternatural scene was beautifully expanded with all the political macinations; the intricacies of the pard were so well laid out, as were the intricacies of the pack. Narcissa was very interesting, and the throw away bit about being a hemaphrodite was brilliant - LKH knows her animals.
The only thing I didn't really like was Chimera. Orlando King seemed almost a throw away character. There were not enough hints and links throughout the book to make him real for me. It was almost as if he was thrown in at the end to be the big bad, rather than being wound through the whole things properly. Don't get me wrong, he was a decent bad guy, but there wasn't enough of him.
