Most of the Anita Blakes fall into a standard formula-not that’s there anything wrong with that-but Blood Noir does not fit the normal pattern. Oh there is sex galore, Blood Noir starts off with Anita having sex with two of her Sweeties before we get to any kind of plot or story at all. But then, Anita Blake, US Marshall, Vampire Executioner, Human Servant to Jean Claude The Master Vampire of St. Louis-and holder of countless other titles, has never been a subtle character. I like that about her.
Blood Noir is another book, like Micah, that fills more like a fleshed out chapter than a real novel. As with all of the Anita Blake books we are given hints that Anita Blake is a Demi-God in the process of waking, but after 16 books she is not all that much closer to being a God than she was when she started. I like these books and will continue to read them, but like LOST, it would be nice if something that made sense would happen once in a while and at least lean toward an ending.
Harlequin had Anita Blake being a fairly good girl, she didn’t have sex with anything until well into the story, but the sex she did have was with Kings that drained everyone in their line of power. In Blood Noir Anita is coming a bit more into her own power, she has upped her power once again and added more animals to her panwere menagerie. Anita, Jean Claude, and Richard are all becoming gods at the same time-and Jean Claude is the only one with any experience on the god front-and not enough to really know what is happening to them.
The over reaching story arc is about Mommy Noir, the Mother of All Darkness. I will give Laurell K Hamilton kudos for her names, all the countless packs and tribes and groups have great names, as do the many members of those groups who come in and out, and in and out of Anita’s life. Marme Noir is a God herself, so it only makes sense that our three heroes will have to ascend Mt Olympus to do battle with her.
The story in Blood Noir is about Jason and a trip to see his dying father-where we discover that Jason’s family tree doesn’t branch and he is a near twin with everyone in his home town. Well, everyone except his family, for this reason among others, his dying father pretty much hates him. He takes Anita with him to prove to the old man that he straight, but the family doesn’t buy it.
There is a bit of normal family drama about the wayward son returning and the story wanders around everyone mistaking Jason for one of the Summerland Twins, who he bears an uncanny resemblance to. In the mist of fun and games with Jason and a bevy of near clones-Mommy Noir attacks Anita.
One of the odd things about the Anita Blake books is how the sex scenes are handled-there is never a cut to the next morning-we just watch as they do all the interesting and occasionally dangerous things that Anita Blake’s sex life demands. So when we skip the graphic details of her oversized lovers and her g-spot orgasms and jump to Anita Blake waking up the next morning, we know something is up. Mommy Noir has been at work.
There is some serious metaphysical business and a bit of mistake identity business with Jason and the Summerlands. Anita finds her anger and puts it to good use-the bad guys seldom have a good time when they meet Anita Blake.
And in the end, the minor issues are solved, and they are minor, even though they involve death and near death experiences-because just about everything with Anita Blake is a death or near death experience-and the larger issues are left hanging with ever more questions marks behind them. Blood Noir was a good read and I like that Laurell K Hamilton is ramping up the power levels. I missed Edward, but then I think Ed should have his own series of books where he can teach us all how to use flame throwers and phosphorus grenades.
