Dead Locked – Sookie #12 is done
July 31, 2011 in Deadlocked - Book 12
Book 12 is done, and we have a working title.
As of last night, Sookie 12, now known as DEADLOCKED, is DONE!
Of course, that’s a relative term. I’ll have to do more work on it as it’s read by various editors and my agent.
But 90% of the work on it is over, thank goodness.
I’ll bet you a million bucks that Dead Locked won’t be the final name of the book – I’m feeling the concept, but it seems too confrontational for a Sookie title.
At any rate, you can bet this one ends with the Eric/Freyda situation all up in our grill.
This title is giving me the impression that the major themes of the book will not be resolved by the end making it in a sense a two parter if you get my drift. The other books all ended with the major plot points resolved and just the ongoing themes carrying forward. Or have I just been influenced too much by the Harry Potter finale?
So yeah if Freyda is the main theme then it won’t be sorted by the end but maybe everyone will be on the same page as to what needs doing.
Yes I agree…god this is going to be the longest 2 years EVER in our lives. I to have a feeling with the essence of the title it will be more of a “to be continued” ending, till Sookie 13.
The title puts me in mind of a dead end. Or of 2 mountain goats going at each other, slamming into each other with resounding force. I dont know, lol. Obviously, the either is not backing down, and if she does have Sookie, watch out. Here comes the Northman!
That title does sound like it’s all about the Eric/Fredya predicament
I have a feeling Charlaine has just one story that she divided into two last books and in that view I don’t think there will be an actually ending in this book, I think the book will just end on a convenient point with an implied ‘to be continued’.
Right. And then we will be salivating for book thirteen for a year.
I think it might end on Sookie and Eric deadlocked over where their relationship goes from the circumstances of what happens in this book.
I figure this is what will happen in book 12 anyways so you might be on to something, Tracy.
It could also include some sort of vampire/fairy/human standoff with Sookie caught in the middle. I’m sure we haven’t heard the last from Claude or even Niall.
Yeah, I’m not wild about the title either but it’s the proposed title for the final book that I really hate. But it’s early yet.
By virtue of the fact that she refuses to give Sookie her HEA until the last book, makes the last two books two-parters. Man, I would love her to do it this book so the last book is a stand alone. It would be so much more satisfying.
Deadlocked… sounds like “wedlock”
*gulp*
OMG, Serena. For once I hope you are wrong on this one. I do not want to see Eric married to QOK. The next year and a half are going to be stressful for us SVM fans.
I’m getting nervous about this book. I don’t want to see Eric have to marry and sleep with Freyda and I for onr will be extremely upser if this occurs. It will taint Eric/Sook’es relationship. Just think if the books ended at 10 it would be done now and be wouldn’t havr 2 more years of torture over these books.
Oh crap Selena, thats a scarily likely interpretation. I am certain we will be tortured right to the end of this series, though I am hoping for a logical (and prepared for) realistic Eric&Sookie HEA. Which isn’t a bad thing, but oh dear god, the angst!
Do you think there will be any kind of parallel situation with Eric/Sookie/Freyda that was shown with QSA/Hadley/Peter, but hopefully with a much better outcome? All these trials and tribulations they go through in the books have to teach them a thing or two, right?
The reason why Sookie’s HEA will not be resolved until Book 13 could be because that situation carries over to the final book. As in circumstances keeping them apart, not E/S’s desire to commit to each other.
Ooh, here’s another title that might fit: “Til Death Do Us Part.”
maybe sookie will use her fairy wish to turn eric human… thus they live happyily ever after… what else could she use the wish as?
CH has said that vampires can’t be turned human in her world.
Besides, Eric loves being a vampire. He wouldn’t be too happy with that outcome I wouldn’t think!
i read in a thread posted by CH that sookie gets kidnapped. could be the reasoning behind the name of the book.
I’m a bookie at heart too SVB. I love taking a break and getting some book Sook news. But dead locked? I’m nervous!
I thought these books were mysteries, not romances. Seems the romance has become the main theme. We are assuming it relates to their relationship and the Freyda component, but perhaps it relates to something completely different.
Actually I don’t believe that for one moment. The title refers to the relationship, which will be left up in the air at the end of 12, to be resolved one way or the other in 13. Maybe with a smooth, green, compact shaped thing.
I wish that Eric and Sookie would just be settled into their relationship ans have the last book focus on mystery and not will she choose to stay with Eric? CH said that worked for other books. It will annoy me if Sookie doesn’t make the final decision on Eric until towards the end of the last book. Your right Millarca CH always says these are mysteries and not romance novels yet clearly there is s good bit of focus on the romantic aspect.
Yeah, not a whole lotta mystery lately.
If I were Sookie I would use the CD to turn Eric into a human if that’s possible but that won’t happen because CH doesn’t want a white picket fence HEA for Sookie.
Not possible in the CH world.
And that would be the end of their relationship. Sookie cannot be with someone she can hear with her telepathy.
John, Eric loves being a vampire so he would resent Sookie if she turned him human. Yes, Eric loves Sookie but he still doesn’t like or care about most humans. He would be an easier target and would not be able to protect Sookie as well or Pam for that matter. Eric would feel weak without his vampire strength. If Sookie loves Eric she needs to love Eric as a vampire and turning him would change a big part of who Eric is. I wish Sookie/Eric could have a beautiful baby but I know that won’t happen either. Sookie would miss vampire Eric if she turned him human. It wouldn’t work because Sookie would be able to hear Eric’s thought and that is why she cannpt be with a human.
Sookie can’t make decision who she going to pick as her HEA at the end of the book.
If CH throws some other suitor in last minute I will bbe upset. I think E/S fans have been toyed with enough.
CK, I haven’t read any of CH’s other books so I don’t know if there is a precedent or not, but it would seem incredibly unlikely, not to mention an undermining of the main characters’ journey throughout the last 11 books, to introduce a new suitor for Sookie at this stage in the game.
C.K.- When I met CH at a book signing, I asked her specifically: will sookie end up romantically with simone we haven’t even met yet? Because I had just read an online rumor that she would. She looked thrown for a loop and said no. I got the impression she right that was ridiculous and would be really bad story telling.
Bah! Stupid auto correct! Someone, not simone. Sorry!
She’s said a number of times now that there will be no new suitors. This is something I definitely don’t worry about
I think Sookie got a bit too close to Bill in DR. He’s always come across as a bit of a stalker to me and I’m sure he would love to give Sookie a shoulder to cry on. If I were her I’d question all his motives where she is concerned.
I hated that whole hidy hole scene it was completely uneccesary and made no sense what so ever. I think Bill knew Judith was outside listening to their conversation. He didn’t have enough balls to break up with her so he used Sookie to do it. He had pity sex with Judith too. I just think book Bill doesn’t treat women in a respectful manner.
I hated this scene too. It just felt like a really forced way for Sookie to be naked with Bill again. It was weird.
Yay! Good news. I am not worried for now. I can’t wait to read the new book. I always read them in one day. And I thought the last one was very good. Could have done with less Sam, but it reaffirmed what I’ve always thought about E/S. They are meant to be.
If only Alan Ball had the same point of view as you ;/
A couple of ideas for deadlocked both involved bringing up the following two matters to a summit for solution:
1) Eric trying to get out his contact to Freyda by filing a “complain” at a summit. In this case Felipe has made Eric King of La which would give him the authority to do this.
2) Felipe sues Eric for the death of Victor and it is looking for restitution. I think in this case Eric would need the support of Freyda to gain some traction.
The title makes me think of a jury being dead locked of course.
Poor Eric. The viking vamp just can’t catch a break. After all these problems, if he doesn’t get the girl in the end – namely Sookie – I think I will bury my books forever!
I’m re-reading the Eric parts from book 1-11. He has lost some of his carefree-fun loving ways….I hope that comes back soon…and he’s been a constant for Sookie through all the books even from book 1…I hope they end up happily together somehow.
Is that the only reason you are reading series is because of Eric. I am reading it because I enjoy what Sookie adventure is.
Aaaaaaaah can’t wait for this one!
Go fight for your man Sookie!
I almost wrote “our” man first :p
sooooooooo much time wasted with bill compton don’t you think?
I feel confident CH is going to resolve the Freyda storyline in Book 12. The last book will be there to finish up plot lines from other points and cement the E/S relationship. Eric and Sookie have only been officially together for 6 months. It’s still the very early part of their relationship which is bound to be rocky, despite them having knowing each other for over 2 years.
Sookie’s come a long way in that brief time. Lest we not forget, Sookie already “fought for her man” with Bill in “Club Dead.” Bill willingly left her for Lorena and lied to her about it, saying he was going to Seattle. So she already lost that battle. When a guy willingly leaves for another woman (Lorena), she (Sookie) has already lost. Pursuing – particularly when Sookie has no power in the matter (human in the vamp world, no power or money) would be foolish and sad.
This is the time for Eric to prove himself and how much he really wants to be with Sookie. Is he really going to try his utmost to fight his maker’s wishes and Freyda? That’s something I can’t wait to see in Book 12. He still has his slave mentality when it comes to Appius. After so many years of being forced and compelled to do whatever his maker says, no matter what, now is the first time he has complete free will to make a decision. And it seems pretty clear that’s something he’s still coming to terms with. This is the time where he has a choice – he can choose to fight against Freyda and his maker to be with Sookie, or he can do what his maker wants and go to Oklahoma.
If he should choose Oklahoma (which I don’t think he will), don’t expect a big showdown between Sookie and Fredya (read: Lorena) because it won’t happen. Sookie would lose and she would be taking a step backward. She is leaving this choice for Eric alone to make. If he chooses OK, she’s already lost and Sookie knows that. She will not grovel/fight for a man’s affections.
Well, I’m not sure that she is going to just leave Eric alone to decide. That’s certainly what Bill suggested she do. And she may take that advice. But I certainy didn’t feel, at the end of DR, that I knew how Sookie was going to handle the QOK situation.
By “alone” I don’t mean that she’s not going to talk to him about it. But she can’t force his choice. He’s going to pick what he wants in the end. But she’s not going to go listing reasons or running to Tulsa or going off on all the reasons this is a bad idea and so on. Eric knows already what Sookie can offer him. He knows what Freyda can offer him. Ultimately, Eric is alone in the decision he makes.
And I think he really doesn’t have many choices left. He’s waiting on word from Felipe, which he felt was his last resort. He can’t just say “no” and have that be the end of it.
I think Pam wanted Sookie told because she wants Sookie to be involved. It was Sookie’s plan, after all, that they ended up following to solve their Victor problem.
JMO, of course. And let’s not forget about the cluviel dor.
Eric really is using that as excuse so he does not make the difficult choice at all because he wants someone else to make it for him.
Eric can’t wait for someone else to make the decision and it really up to Eric to tell the Queen that he not going to marry her.
Pam is the best. If Bill had a Pam then Jackson could have been totally avoided. Pam is the one that forced Eric to tell her about OK. Otherwise, Sookie would never have known and Eric would have left her in the dark just like Bill did.
Pam does want Sookie to be involved and make the best decision. She does the same when the 3 of them come to her house to tell her about Bill. Eric wanted to leave her in the dark about Lorena then too.
If he does say no – since his maker’s dead, he might have that right – or not, he can bump it up to a vampire court and see what happens. We might see it if there is another summit in the works.
Eric has to make the choice what the most important to him is it vampires business or Sookie.
Why would any woman fight for someone when the guy puts them side to marry someone else?
The only good advice Bill made is it’s up to Eric to make the decision.
I think that Eric already made his choice. He wants to be with Sookie has to decide if she wants to be with Eric or not. Really, they both need to handle this situation together. They are married and a marrige is a partnership. I don’t think Bill’s advice was the best. Eric has been trying to handle the situation by himself and that hasn’t been working out so well. Sookie is good at thinking outside of the box so she might be able to come up with a plan. Two heads are better than one (add Pam too).
Good post and I agree with you.
Not to sound rude, but…didn’t we already read his choice in book 11 when he said he tried to get rid of this arrangement Appius made? Isn’t this why he didn’t tell Sookie? Because he thought he could have a free exit w/out get her worried?
Because i find myself confused why he’ll have to make a choice since he already did and now everything is in Felipe’s hands.
This is how i took it at least.
He thought that the maker was dead then he free. Eric has to make a choice and a decision and it’s not up to Sookie.
Eric can tell the Queen to take hike and he not going to marry her and Queen can is sue him and he goes to court. Eric has to be the man enough and not blame the maker like Bill did and that is getting old. If Eric gives in and does marry the Queen, Eric becomes very weak character and he would not be good enough for Sookie.
Eric will make the decision that fits what he really what most important to Eric vampire policy or Sookie. We will find out what Eric vales the most is it Sookie or his career. We are going to find out what Sookie values the most in her life and that will suite her it could be Eric, Sam, Quinn, and Alcide.
He already made a choice in book 11 and it was very clear, there’s nothng else he can do about Freyda, He can also hope that Felipe will help him since he killed a big threat like Victor.
only* not also
Then Eric should go to OK and marry the Queen and Sookie will find someone that willing and would risk everything to be with her and she will feel the same way about her HEA.
If Felipe rescues Eric from marry the Queen it would be very boring story and I don’t want Felipe doing it. Eric has to make the choices is Sookie worth breaking the vampire culture rules or marry the queen to please his late master. Eric can do it if he really want to do it instead of making excuses like Bill does. I want Eric to fight the system to be with the woman he truly loves not cave in and marry the Queen.
CH is letting us know what Eric is and what is important to him.
Totally disagree here sorry. As i said he already made his choice and it was abvious, we actually it’s written,
Eric really has not made a choice at all and he not putt much effort in it. Sookie does not know what Eric going to do will he choose her or will he choose the Queen.
Pam right that Sookie should look out for herself because no one else except her good friend Pam.
It’s not really that clear. We have only a few snippets of what Eric says on the situation. He had Victor as an impediment before but he doesn’t now, that’s certainly true. However, he several big decisions to make. Does he acquiesce to the desires of his late maker or not? He can fight with everything he has against it but it doesn’t read to me like he’s doing that. He’s making phone calls and dodging phone calls. That hardly reads as a full effort. Now, however, he can make the argument without Victor, he would be needed to stabilize Louisiana. Felipe doesn’t have enough vampires to keep away Arizona and Oklahoma without help, and with Eric’s assistance, LA could be bringing in a lot of money again soon and more vampires would enter the state. He could attempt to placate OK by giving her Eric, but whose to say that she won’t make an attempt for the state after she’s got Eric?
If Eric goes to OK, he would be giving up Sookie as well as his freedom as OK’s consort. He would be like Talbot on TB. Eric doesn’t like that too much. So really, does he not want to be with OK because he’d lose his freedom/power/dominion or because he’d lose Sookie? Or both? Which one is more important to him? That is not made clear at all in the book. Though I expect it will be in 12.
Sherry,
I agree with you totally.
I think Eric made his choice along time ago. I feel that Sookie is the one who has to make the choice is she going to fight for Eric and accept all of him the good and the bad or is she going to walk away? Sookie is the one who gets the final say since Eric is sure of what he wants. Eric was so sure of them as a couple before they even were a couple. Eric needs reassurance too. I agree with Mony.
Eric still engage to the Queen and he has not broken the engagement. Eric told Sookie that he might have to put her side. I would not call that a choice at all and Bill is right that Sookie should let Eric make the decision about the Queen.
Sookie should go solve the problem what Claude and his gang is after to get her mind off Eric’s problems.
I strongly think that Eric doesn’t feel like Sookie is completely in the relationship. She was always talking down about their marriage, and he was very resentful about it when he was explaining about the whole betrothal. He doubts her love for him I think, and it seems she doubts him a bit too. I hope that this next book will make them realize they are both in it to win it. Haha. I think it is harder for Eric, when he doubts that Sookie is really even in love with him.
Pam probably doesn’t want to get dragged into that life either, even though she has the choice to leave Eric if she wants. I think she is giving Sookie a chance to realize that she needs to step up and show Eric that she is willing to stick to him no matter what. Book 11 felt like they were pretty much breaking up, what with all of the dischord they had between them. I hope that Sookie can use the CD to maybe wish away this issue for Eric, or something like this.
There will obviously be more about Claude, because they have built up over and over about how he must have something up his sleeve, and how the riffraff at Hooligans would kill for the CD. I am just curious as to how she will write the Fae now, it seems we have had a lot of Fae! One thing I often worry about, is Sookie is always saying she wants things to be normal and peaceful again, it makes me wonder if she will back out of the Eric stuff because she has had enough trouble and such. Mr. Cataliades did mention that she was meant to do some great and amazing things in her life, because she has the spark. Excited to see how it goes!
it seems to me CH was trying to remake the Lorena & Billy situation.. since Sookie went off & ran off to fight for a man in CD & kill for a man already ( a man that didnt want to be with a certain women).. CH is breaking this trend with Sook in book 12.. which is a good thing IMO..
i mean how many times does Sook need to save a dude from a women that he doesnt want to be with?? too cliché & CH writes Billy & Eric opposites since the start of the books..
Finally Sook as the tragic hero allows the dude to get out of a sticky suituation with another women.. **roll eye’s**
at this point i really would perfer Eric to become King.. & if that means giving up Sook as a possible girly wife i will be okay with the idea IMO…
because Eric always looks at the long term & not short term of situations in the books.. in TB he seems just as niave as Book Sookie does to me..
Eric told Sookie that he does not want to be King and if he marry the Queen he would not be king of anything but just like Talbot on True Blood. Eric would be a house wife to the Queen. Eric would stable of blood donors and lots of women to have sex while he marry to the Queen. Eric benefits by marry the Queen but why would a Queen want with a sheriff?
If Eric picks Sookie, Eric can’t cheat on Sookie or he loose her big time. Eric still can feed on plenty of fangbangers. Sookie not rich and Eric and Sookie would have short term relationship.
If Eric ever becomes King, Eric would put himself more danger and he would put the people that he cares about in danger too.
CH is creating this parallel to show growth in both Sookie and Eric’s characters.
Finally Sook as the tragic hero allows the dude to get out of a sticky suituation with another women.. **roll eye’s**
I don’t consider it eye roll worthy when Sookie is looking at this with her experience from the Bill/Lorena situation. She did something young a naive in going after Bill when he left her for Lorena. Now Sookie has learned and is making a more informed decision. She’s not going to go after Eric if he willingly chooses Oklahoma. That would be pointless and bring her a step backward in her personal growth. Like I mentioned above, she can’t force him into choosing her. Eric knows what OK offers and he knows what Sookie offers. It has nothing to do with Sookie allowing Eric to get out of a sticky situation with another woman. Eric choosing Sookie in this situation shows major growth for him. Eric loves having power and having is freedom. He loves fun and having control of his corner of the world. Oklahoma could offer him all of that even though he wouldn’t be “Free” in the strictest sense of the world for the duration of the contract. By choosing Sookie, Eric can be seen as growing to the point where money and power are no longer the only things that matter to him. For him, choosing OK would be a step backward. For Sookie, choosing to run after Eric for choosing OK would be a step backward.
I think that made sense. Am I repeating myself? Oh, well.
I don’t think Eric will be king unless it’s an absolute last resort. He doesn’t want to be king because he likes surviving more. Being king would paint him a target. Though I think he’d take it begrudgingly if there was no other way to guarantee his safety.
Sherry
I agree with you and great post.
Um excuse me, but what choice Eric has if Felipe has no intention to break the arrangment? He could kill Felipe, well maybe he will since i’m sure he will be King.
It’s not his choice, that is very clear in the book, he said pretty well and CH wrote pretty well.
He said it that he tried to get rid of it. If this was his intention, to get with OK why bother to find a free pass from this arrangement?
He should have said “See ya Sook, now i can have power”.
He didn’t. He made a choice “I swear to you Sookie that since the moment i knew of this arrangment i tried to get rid of it.. I thougt with Appius’s death it was over” (not the exact quote)
What he has to choose? ‘Couse i’m really confused.
it is eye roll worthy to me since Quinn is in Books as well.. & Sook already looked at a man & his “Baggage” as a issue to be with him..
so once agian nothing new under the sun on TB or CH in the books.. & in fact Eric has been already chasing Sook as a mate since book 1 while she was already with another man.. & the fact that Sook never took the marriage serious in the books between Eric & herself.. so it’s not ridiculous to me that Sook in book 12 will choose to allow Eric to “PICK” her YET agian over a situation as he has already done in many books…
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with popular opinion here. Eric has made his choice, he wants Sookie. He’s never been on the fence about that….he’s wanted her for 11 books now. Sookie is the one who has had doubts about Eric…she is ALWAYS questioning her relationship with Eric. She’s been harder on him than any other suitor IMO.
“Sookie, I swear to you that since I received that letter, I have done EVERYTHING I could to STOP this. I have pleaded that Ocella’s death should cancel the arrangement, I have said that I’m happy where I am; I have even put forward our marraige as a bar.”
“I have appealed to Felipe, but I haven’t heard from him. Oklahoma is one of the rulers eyeing his throne. He may want to placate her.”
I think Sookie will step up to the plate and help Eric out of this situation, once she confronts the fact that she IS worthy of Eric’s love. I believe CH has made it blantantly clear that Sookie’s self-esteem is rather low in regards to Eric’s affection. Book after book, we are confronted with Sookie’s doubts about Eric loving her and sticking with her for the long haul.
Yep…Sook is gonna kill that Queen (and sadly, I don’t mean Billy Boy.)
” Eric has made his choice, he wants Sookie. ” – seriously it’s written in the book. I don’t know why he should choose when he already did.
Agree with every word VJ!
Eric might want Sookie but he has not make decision what he going to do either marry the queen or marry Sookie and gives up a lot of vampire policies. We really don’t know what more important to Eric is to power or is it Sookie.
Sookie knows that it’s not Eric fault getting in the misses but he has to make the choice and Sookie agree what ever decision he makes.
Eric has no problems marry the Queen because he history of arrange marriage in his past.
I don’t want to see Felipe or Eric’s new boss make the decision and I want to see Eric fight or tell the Queen that he not going to marry her and he willing to give up a lot to be with Sookie.
You seem to be under the impression that vampires have the same rights and choices that humans do. It has been shown in the books that vampire hierarchy, age and power rules all. I’m sure Eric wishes he could just say, “No, I will not marry you Queen of Oklahoma. Go bug some other 1000 year old viking sex god.” Vampires rules are much different than humans. To deny a Queen, especially without the support of your own King, is a death sentence…even to a 1000 year old vampire. As much as I’d like to believe that Eric is all powerful and capable of taking on the whole vampire world, in this instance…he needs some help.
Yes exactly, he will need help. He’s not like Bill with dramatics of ‘Ah wihl dah for yew Sookeh’. Eric knows that doing that he will leave Sookie alone and unprotected in the world. He can’t just say no! He will not get a slap on the wrist or stripped of his position as the sheriff. No, he will be executed.
Sookie can take care of herself and she does not need Eric to protect her. Sookie has rescue Eric plenty times.
If Eric marries the Queen, Sookie will be alright and does not need a man to protect her at all.
If Eric stays with Sookie, Sookie still can take care of herself without Eric protecting her.
CH had not say what the punishment would be at all and you are just speculating.
Eric could get big fine or his career could be ruin. Eric has to make the decision what worth fighting for and he really has not did much effort to get out of the wedding.
Either Eric makes a plan to get out of the missed or he cowardly marries the Queen.
Ummm, i’m sorry LLE
i wouldnt agree that Eric marries OK being a cowrad…
if Eric decides to marry OK it will be for Long term effect not short term IMO.. plus this is only book 12 & we still have book 13 the final book..
so if Eric marries OK & she miraculously dies out ( like so many of CH’s character’s) Eric will be KING.. & i will be proud to say “Hail Viking” !!
If Eric marries the Queen, Eric moves to OK and Sookie will never hear from him again. If the Queen die, Sookie would not take him back and he still would not be King.
Eric not going to marry the Queen because there will be a plan to dump the Queen and Sookie will help him to do it.
all CH has told us reader’s is that Eric & Sookie will make it to the end.. She didnt promise that they will be togather… ( unless i missed something)?? did she te.ll us that??
who cares if Eric marries OK.. Sookie hasent been taking the marriage serious since DAG ( book 9) & E/S been married since ATD ( book 7).. either she is going to take Eric as a serious spouse or she isnt… & frankly at this point i wouldnt care if Eric picks OK for whatever reason or circumstance will be presented to us in book 12..
Sookie needs to approach Eric with realistic commitment.. otherwise i feel CH created a wack Tragic Hero in this series of 13 books..
JMO, i’m still trying to figure out if Sookie is worth Eric’s time?? since he has been chasing this chick since DUD.. Eric has already proved he loved Sook since DUD, how many times does the dude need to prove his commitment or Love?? GMAFB …
CH say that the two characters that she will not kill off is Sookie and Eric. Mods even mention that does not mean Eric will be in every book.
I believe Eric is going to be in every books but does mean he’s Sookie’s HEA.
But Eric has been in every Book since book 1 ( DUD) to take Eric out of the books in the 2 remaing books will be STUPID IMO..
especially as much travelling as Sook does in the books.. **sigh**
GMAFB if CH does what you are suggesting LLE
i would have no reason to buy the last 2 books of the series IMO…
anyway, i just watched the “Garden Of Eden” sex scene on TB epi 6/ s4 & YES , it was beeter then the Graveyard sex scene in s1.. But REALLY ?? Garden Of Eden sex scene?? ROTFLMFAO !! a little cheesy IMO, but much better then Graveyard sex ..
Totally agree with this. it has made me think hard that maybe Eric is not Sookie’s HEA, if only because she doesn’t deserve her.
Sookie is the one who needs to step up to the plate here and make up her mind.
Sookie is not ready to settle down and the last book she will make of her mind whom going to be her HEA.
I don’t want Sookie fighting another woman just to win over a guy is a step back. Sookie that with Bill and Alcide.
“I made a great choice. You were my other great choice.”
Exactly, VikingJoy. Ultimately, it is Sookie’s choice since the stories are from her POV.
Right, Sookie is the protagonist.. & to be a feminist doesnt mean you go around saving a man from a women all the time who he doesnt want to be with.. on the other hand since Sook loves to get involved in other ppl’s problems it would be too cliché for her to save Eric from an unwanted women./. besides Sookie did that in CD with Billy & Lorena & she did that in DTTW with AE & Hallow…
so in book 12, Sook needs to either step up to the plate of being Eric’s WIFE ( which is something she has been avoiding & not accepting too, or she needs to decide to let him fix the problem ).. now if OK is the one responsible for kidnapping Sook in book 12 then of course she is involved.. But Eric should be the one to get out of this on his own.. besides since book 10 ( DITF) CH has been writing Eric way more soft & pussy like then he needs to be for a 1,000 yr. old vampire..
Maybe CH thinks she is making Sook look stronger as a character by making Eric look weaker as a character?? IDK, but the situation doesnt bode well with me.. i mean every since the Take Over Eric just appears as a baby with thoughts.. & that is how i looked at Sookie in the first half of the series ( SVM)..
all CH is doing is annoying the hell out of me…
I want Sookie to fight for Eric, using whatever methods are available to her. But first she has to get her shit together and decide she wants to be Eric’s wife. If she decides that’s what she wants, then it is only right that she does whatever he can to help him. She can’t just toss her hands up in the air and say, ‘It’s your problem’. Hell, no! If she accepts him as her husband, they are a team and must work together as team.
The obligation that has been imposed on Eric is one that he recognises and is trying to get out of in the ways that his culture, for want of a better word, allows him. But Sookie can bring a different perspective and use different methods, human and faery. I don’t think having Sookie help him out of this pickle would make him seem weak.
@ Millarca,
i totaly agree with you actually…
But so far Sook hasent took responsibily of being Eric’s wife outside of it being her “protection”..
so this is the deal with me as a reader IMO.. either Sook decides to be Eric’s wife or she decides to let Eric take responsibility for his women issue at this time since she has been through it already in different books ( CD & DTTW).. & she claimed that she broke up with Quinn for “Baggage issues” in FDTW… who doesnt have “BAGGAGE ISSUES” IN THE BOOKS OR TB??
our dear Telepath has many “baggage issues” family with being molested, Stalker ex Boyfriend, Eric& her Fae Family& Jason ( at times actually , when she puts her nose in his business)..
@IATM
OK. I think I understand what you’re getting at now, and we are on the same page.
Sookie is definitely is a busy-body and sticks her nose in other people’s business all the time. It’s really not her business if she’s not his wife, so leave it alone and let him sort it out. Unless OK is responsible for kidnapping her, which, of course, makes it her business.
Totaly agree Millarca,
& that is my point really.. of course if OK is responsible for kidnapping our Telepath then of course Sookie is involved directly by that situation..
i’m curious though where Felipe fits into the mix?? because if Eric ( & i hope) becomes a King of Louisana Felipe needs to die out as well IMO.. & Eric IMO already foreshadowed Felipe’s demise in DITF..
Eric has to make the decision and Sookie has to accept Eric’s decision.
If Eric decides to marry the Queen, Sookie let Eric go and marry the Queen. If Eric decides not to marry the Queen, Sooke has to decided to fight to be together or just walk way.
Eric has to make the decision what more important to him keeping his word to his dead maker or Sookie. I hope it is Sookie being first for Eric.
I’ll be very disappointed if Sookie doesn’t fight for Eric, unless CH intends to give us some huge character changes in him to try to move reader affections away from him, Sookie’s love for him is what she values the most so she has to prove that. I know quite a few neutrals who were disappointed with Eric in DR, but I’m still not seeing anything major beginning that will dampen Sookie’s feelings for him. I’m hoping book 12 starts with them making up but I’m also expecting lots of S/E angst. I think when CH was asked about S/E relationship in her recent Q&A she basically said that will take up the final 2 books, so Eric isn’t fading away anywhere quietly. Sam’s becoming more and more of a worry for me. He is definitely the compromise HEA. CH has said that there will be more in the next book about the money Sookie gave him. I can see her possibly becoming a partner in Merlottes and thus getting rid of the boss/worker part of their relationship and making them an equal partnership. I’m not really sure with Sam – probably as I’ve never taken much notice of him – does he really love Jannalynn or is he just with her as he thinks he can’t have Sookie – maybe we’ll find out in May.
I actually felt more confident with DR then I thought I would. I still worry a little about Sam being that dark horse who creeps in last minute but really that would not make much sense to me. Why invest so much time in Eric and then do a 180 last minute and choose Sam? I know Sookie has called Sam a “friend” many times in DR and some in the short story so that is comforting but there is still that little bit of doubt. I think one time CH mentioned that Eric fans create things to worry about or something along those lines. LOL
I just hope the last book has humor in it. I don’t book 13 the final book to be all depressing. It would be nice if Sookie/Eric were solid by the beginning or middle of the book. I want to not have to worry about them as a couple in the last books and focus on them solving some mysteries but that’s probably just wishful thinking on my part.
Am I the only one who is still hanging onto the hope that she will get back with Bill??? That is the only reason I keep turning the page!
Probably the only one on this particular site, yes.
I have no desire to see a character I have loved for so long choose a vampire who raped her and betrayed her over Eric. I would rather see her with Sam….and that’s saying something.
At any rate I don’t worry about her choosing Bill. Given Charlaine Harris’ personal backstory, I can see hell freezing over before Sookie and Bill are the HEA. JMO.
i agree, i dont want to see Sookie return to Billy in the books.. i would settle for Sam ( as boring as i find Sammy rather then have Billy in Sookie’s life as a spouse).. Hell i’ll even deal with the Tiger & i cant stand Quinn .. maybe a Tommy, or Eggs or JB or Hoyt.. LMFAO, anyone other then Billy **snort**
“Given Charlaine Harris’ personal backstory”.
What do you mean, SVB?
I really hope her HEA will be Eric. It would be very dipapointing if it wasn’t the case.
Lu
I began to tell you what the Backstory was but found it hard to put into words, its easy to find out,Charlaine is open about it; however,you may find a reread of SVB’s comments helpful.
@Lu
Harris is a rape survivor. She was sexually assaulted by someone who broke into her house when she was at college.
I just can’t see any universe where Harris would put Sookie, who she loves dearly, with a man who raped her. There is no coming back from that, and I would think for someone who has experienced it herself, there would be *absolutely* no coming back.
I lose sleep over alot of stuff in these books but Bill isn’t one of them.
This is between Eric and Sam. Bill was a red herring.
i just gotta say SVB,
Sam is a loser ending as well.. & not worth much investment even if CH makes Eric an ass hole in these last 2 books.. i mean really the doggy get’s the girl at the end & Sookie has always been an animal lover anyway… Sam is a wee bit of a stalker as well since he was strolling around as Dean & sleeping on Sookie’s floor for 5 years before she found out that he was a shape shifter… CH would look like a Hypocrite if she ends the series with Sammy doggy boy over the Viking.. Sookie would be better off being alone..
Well she did leave sam with a lot of money just in case something happened to her. She cares a lot when he’s struggling with something. Maybe I shouldn’t read too much into it, but she does have a lot of trust in him. I personally don’t mind if she does end up with Sam, but I really hope it’s not bill. I had to swallow it in TB, I don’t think I can take another dose of bill sympathy/HEA in the book.
I have said it before that I feel like it would be settling if Sookie ended up with Sam. He would be the safe choice. I don’t think Sam deserves to be second best either.
I think Sookie is struggling between what she really wants (hopefully Eric) and what she thought she wanted according to society and her religious upbringing (the “white picket fence” and the ideal man). I like that Eric is not a conventional love interest. Eric is by no means perfect but I like him flaws and all.
Plus, Sookie read those letters from Gran and the choices that she made. I think those letters could serve as a lesson for Sookie.
My worries about Eric isn’t so much about the QOK, as it is with Eric having something to do with Nial knowing certain things about Sookie. Eric is the one that brought them together, thus begining the fairy war and whatever is about to become to happen to Sookie via the Fae. I hope like hell, that CH isn’t going to lead us into a similar Bill experience with Eric selling Sookie out to the fae. I found it a tad wierd in DR that Claude and Dermott tell Sook that Nial was keeping tabs on her via Eric. Now with CH revealing that a dead character may not be dead deal, I am wondering about Dermott possibly being Fintan. I mean, when Mr. C seen Dermott there were red flags everywhere. Why the mystery about Dermott concerning Mr. C? Just like Fintan taking over Earl, couldn’t Fintan be Dermott? Just a guess, but it seems like if she doesn’t want Eric and Sookie together at the end, she could just have Eric be a snake like Bill. It would SUCK majorly if she was to do this, but it was just a thought I had.
I am just worried about Niall period. I don’t trust that guy. I really don’t likey him that much after reading the short story “Gift Wrapped”. I was looking through the companion book. I got to the section that was “The Sookie Short Sotries and Related Material. CH said that she recieved letters of complaint from fans after they read “Gift Wrapped” (This was the story where Sookie was date raped by a fairy disguised as a wounded were courtesy of Niall). I found what CH said to be interesting, “I wrote the story to let the reader know something important about Niall.” Hmm… It is scary that fairies can just take advantage of Sookie via enchanting/fairy equivalent of glammer. In DR Sookie was having cloudy memories of that event and Sookie mentioned that she always felt like she was on the verge on knowing something about Niall but couldn’t put her finger on it.
However, I would not think that Eric would introduce Niall and Sookie if he really was up to trouble but I am on the fence about Niall. Actually, after reading DR the fae worried me in general. The fae are very eeire. Sookie said many “Thank You’s” to Claude too.
Sookie_wannabe, I also worry that CH will throw some twist in the end of the story that has us going WTF? I really do not believe this will be it. CH has invested so much time into Eric and building trust between Eric and Sookie. It would make zero sense to have Eric betrat Sookie. I do not believe that Eric would ever betray Sookie. Hope that makes you feel better. I do worry about Niall though.
I’m scared to death that she is going to make Eric “the bad guy” still. Just like Eric and Niall having Terry spy on Sook before her and Eric were even together. I know that she claims the short stories are differenet fromn the books, AND GOD I HOPE I’M WRONG, but in Sookie Stackhouse Companion her and Sam were AWFULLY close. I have this feeling that she will throw Eric under the bus at the last moment and pair up Sam and Sookie. If not she is leaving too many little bread clue crumbs that something is up with the Niall and Eric storyline. If she does this, it will KILL ME!
All this stuff with Sam and Sookie is misdirection, nothing else IMO. CH knows how to play her readers. A huge majority of them wants Sookie and Eric together and that’s because the story is written exactly to get this reaction, both if read “superficially” and if analyzed more deeply.
Now, at this point in the story Sam is the only true rival left for Eric, so of course she’s gonna amp up the ambiguity and the sense of a possible Sam-ending. I had predicted it was bound to happen way early in my reading of the series.
Notice how we know a great deal about Eric, both his good and his bad, how Sookie’s doubts about him have always been highlighted in the writing.
With Sam everything is downplayed. Sookie really doesn’t know much about him. She just accepts that he’s a “nice guy” and that’s it. Yet we DO get clues that there might be something more with Sam, but they get unnoticed because Sookie herself doesn’t think about it.
Sam’s character has never been really developed, he doesn’t do much to judge him on, outside of Sookie’s opinion. And we know she’s not necessarily the best judge of character.
All of this to say that I have a VERY strong feeling that there’s something going on with Sam, and I don’t think it’s good. Very few readers would expect it, but the clues are there if you look closer. If there’s gonna be a big OMG reveal about any character, it’s gonna be him. Mark my words.
I thought the whole database thing was really scetchy in DR. He never told Sookie about it before that could have come in handy. Sam seemed to be informed about the fae. He couldn’t have told Sookie some of this stuff sooner. I did get some weird vibes from Sam in DR.
Another reason Sam is not a good match for Sookie is that he always seems to date women who have harmed Sookie or who want to harm her like the maened, tanya?, and now Janalynne is jealous of Sookie.
Furthermore, Eric just gets Sookie but Sam, Bill, Quinn, and Alcide do not get her. In one book Sam told Sookie he wishes they could go back to the time before she started dating Bill. Sookie said she feels valuable being a part of the supe community.
Here is Peppermint Rose’s article on why Eric is Sookie’s HEA:
http://peppermintyrose.livejournal.com/53889.html
@ trixie, i like your take on the Sammy issue.. besides i’m not too fond of Sam the Shifter in the first place.. afterall, he was perpetrating Dean for 5 years before Sookie found out his true self.. **ring any bells** on another character that came into play & it took Sookie 6 books to find out the truth about him…
to me Sammy represents another Billy in disguise just as Quinn & Alcide do.. sometimes a girl has to go through the ruff before reaching her dimaond …
CH did say that she might have to move to Canada after the last book comes out because some fans will be upset. Seriously, why would CH invest so much time in making Eric a likable character only to rip him to shreds in the end? I know she could do it but it would not make any sense. I still have my doubts to so you are not alone Sookie_Wannabe. Mostly I think it will be Eric but there is still that shred of doubt.
I didn’t really see the Eric looking out for Sookie as a bad thing. I don’t see it as the same exact thing as Bill procuring Sookie for QSA. I don’t like that Eric was glammering Terry but I do think that Eric wanted to protect Sookie. I think Eric was the one who asked Niall to send for Claudine. I need to read DR again I have not read it since May.
As far as the Companion book goes, I thought Sam was the one getting a little to comfortable with their arrangment at times not so much Sookie (not surprising). Also, Sam’s family thought that she really was his girlfriend so therewas that too. I really don’t think Sookie seemed interested in Sam in a romantic way. Sookie even felt bad for Janalynne. Sam really was a jerk to Janalynne. Sookie even made it clear to Quinn that she is in love with Eric and he is not forcing her to be with him. Some things did bother me a little like Sookie kissing Sam even if it was for his mothers benefit.
I am going to try to be optimistic going into book 12. Key word “try”.
Did you read peppermintroses article called “Two Peas in a Pod” about why she thinks Eric is Sookie’s HEA? The article made me feel better.
or TB rants and Raves blog post about Eric and Sookie: End Game. It’s in three posts.
Here is the link to Part I:
http://tbrantsandraves.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/sookie-and-eric-end-game-part-1/
I tend to agree with TB rants and raves blog. Sookie loves Eric even without the blood bond. I know that there has to be some friction between them to keep us guessing too. As much as I hate to say it, I just can’t help but think that ending of Dead Reckoning was a turning point between them. Sookie seems to be so critical of Eric and that worries me. She doesn’t seem to realize how far Eric goes to protect her. She will have to come to terms with the fact that Eric does have a savage side because HE HAS TO in order for them BOTH to survive. I just hope she realizes that she too, has quite the savage side even though she means well. We all do. It’s more natural than she understands really. I think that everything points to Eric for Sooks HEA. I just wonder if she can accept him for who he is? I really hope that Charlaine doesn’t turn Erics “watching out” for Sook via Terry a bad thing. It only concerns me because I worry that Niall and the fae is going to be a downfall for Sookie. Something strange is going on with them. Since Eric was the one who brough Niall into her life, it gives me more cause for concern. My main concern is her possibly using the Cluviel Dor to wipe away any memory or trace of her from the vampire community, as to start over. I just can’t wait til May, so I can stop all the different scenerios from messing with my head! LOL!
I don’t think the Terry thing will be anymore than the revelation it was in DR. Sookie wasn’t even upset when she found out. And it showed yet another similarity between she and Eric, as she turned around and used Bubba in her plan to get Victor, much like Eric used Terry, a weaker person, to watch Sookie.
And actually, although Eric introduced Sookie to Niall, it was at Niall’s request. Niall had also been using Terry, as well as Eric, to keep tabs on Sookie. And again, something she might have been upset about in the past, but not anymore. She has changed, an her expectations and understanding of the supernatural world has changed as well.
I agree that something is up with the fae. My current theory is that the fae and part fae left behind want Niall to reopen the portals, and Sookie might be the key, so to speak. Niall would probably not ignore Sookie, so they may try to use her to force Niall’s hand. Or Sookie might ask Niall for help with the Freyda situation. Regardless, CH confirmed we will see Niall in book 12, and I’m looking forward to it.
I remain stubbornly optimistic about Sookie and Eric being the end game. There’s a reason for the QOK dilemma, and it isn’t to move Eric to a new state. The two of them will have to fight for what they want – each other.
That’s something interesting – that Sookie would ask Niall to help with QOK. I keep changing my mind about Niall, for some reason I really like him as a character so I would love him to come to Sookie’s aid, but I do feel, like a lot of readers, that there is more to come with the fae and it won’t all be good. I’m hoping QOK is going to be like the first Mrs Rochester in Jane Eyre (and dead by the end of the novel).
It’s dangerous, though, right? To ask a fairy for a favor would probably be huge. So I’m torn – Sookie may not want to be indebted to a fairy, and involving a fairy in vampire business might be seriously dangerous – and something Eric wouldn’t like. But Sookie is also high-handed, and might make the decision without asking Eric first. We shall see.
I like the QOK/Mrs. Rochester comparison.
Is it May yet?
We know Niall is coming back and at present Sookie can’t contact him (I don’t think) so he’s coming back for his own reason. Maybe he’ll choose to stick his nose in if he sees Sookie unhappy over QOK (like he gave her a certain Christmas present) maybe he’ll help out and she’ll never know.
Mrs Rochester was a secret that Rochester kept from Jane and she didn’t find out about until late on and as Charlaine is a big fan of that book I’m hoping she’s drawing from that. Also don’t forget that old favorite couple – Elizabeth and Darcy. Wasn’t he set up to marry his cousin by his nasty old aunt? Darcy didn’t let us down so hopefully Eric can follow his lead.
After reading DR, I was more concerned about the fae and what they were up to than Eric and Sookie’s relationship. I just think DR showed how far Eric and Sookie have come but at the same time showcased the problems they have in their relationship (like some communication issues).
I don’t think Sookie would use the CD to wipe out Eric’s memory that would be a betrayal. It would just create more problems. Sookie us a part of the supe world with or with out Eric. Sookie is part supe. I have no idea what’s going on with that CD. I worry that it is a pandora’s box.