Dead Ever After – Synopsis for the Final Sookie?
November 16, 2012 in Dead Ever After - Book 13, Sookie Stackhouse
An astute Sookieverse reader emailed me in the dead of the night with an interesting little find from the Rising Shadow book blog. Those of you who were around last year will recall that they had the first unofficial synopsis for Deadlocked.
This synopsis is by no means official, but if past experiences serve as a guide, it’s probably more or less correct. Any changes will just give less away.
Sookie finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.
Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.
But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough…
We learned from Charlaine a few months back that Arlene would appear in the final instalment. Sookie’s being arrested would also tie in neatly with comments in that interview about Sookie’s friends rallying around and things “looking very, very bad” for her.
So…seems legit?
I know there’ll be widespread panic about Eric keeping his distance, and Sookie’s “devastation” on discovering his reasons. Sure, this is meant to look like Eric capitulated to Freyda’s demands and went through with the marriage…which is why I’m pretty sure that’s NOT what happens. You don’t sell books by being that obvious, I’m afraid. Along with the final line (which could be a veiled reference to Eric, but could also just as easily relate to Bill), I’m calling it as one big ole trollin’. Who knows, there’s still time for Bill to show his true colours. Just sayin’.
AND SOMEONE’S GONNA DIE. DUN-DUN-DUN-DHUHHHN. Any takers on that one? It feels like a major character to me.
So what do you think? Let us know below!
Image: alexanderskarsgasm
I am thinking red herring as well for that last line. I am not worried. My guess on who gets killed, Sam is a no brainer to me. There are consequences to using the CD and this is the one IMO. I believe Sam was meant to die in DL.
I think Sam is going to have to pay the piper for the cluviel dor too, but I wonder how Sookie could possibly be tied to murdering him? That’s why I don’t think it’s him (though he’s not safe by any means…just not sure this death is his)?
You are right, her being tied to murdering him does not make sense. Then again a lot of things that happen to Sookie don’t make sense. It could be something that Freida is behind. Sam is definitely going to end up biting it in the end though.
I think Sook actually has a motive for killing Sam. The other half of the bar? She would be the full owner. But somehow I suspect it will be Arlene and she will be a suspect because of the bad blood between them.
I immediately thought Arlene, too, because of the bad blood and her turning Arlene away. Like maybe Arlene does something sneaky dirty to Sookie then ends up dead.
First, if Arlene is the one that dies then to the police it would seem logical that Sookie is the one that killed her. Arlene did try to kill her so, yeah. But in the end it’s someone we’d all least expect, hopefully its not someone we like.
As for Eric and Sookie. We all know Eric was uber pissed off cause Sookie didn’t use the Cluviel Dor on him. She used it to save Sam. So I bet eric hooks up with Freida and I BET Sook and Sam hook up too. Much as I hate to say it. We all know that Sookie loves Sam and Sam loves Sookie, its totally obvious.
I wonder if Hunter pops up in Dead Ever After. He so adorable.
And Sibyl_Vane I highly doubt Sookie want FULL ownership of Merlotte’s.
@ We all know that Sookie loves Sam and SAm loves Sookie.
Yes Sam loves Sookie for more than a friend and Sookie only loves him as a friend. I think that much has been made clear so many times by Sookie and in so many ways. Her inner thoughts tell us that. I would not say Eric was uber pissed off at her for using the CD on Sam either. The truth of the matter is we do not know what Eric was thinking and feeling. Eric knows what the CD is and he could be thinking and jumping to the same conclusion that most everyone else has jumped too and that is the Sookie loves Sam. I think people are putting way too much stock into the fact that the CD is a love token. While it might be a love token, it was also mentioned that it works for all kinds of love, motherly, sisterly, brotherly, etc.
You said it yourself – “it’s totally obvious”.
Which is why the scenario you describe ain’t gonna happen.
I’m DONE talking about Sam / Sookie, or Sookie and Bill (for a long time now
), Sookie and or… wtw, or even Sookie and Eric, if people don’t know how a writer invested in his own history for 13 books, increasing the obstacles that “seem insuperable” to keep readers interested, how she developed the relationship of two characters (SOOKIE AND Eric btw). yawn. See you in 5 months.
I really thinks she hooks up with Sam as well. She has been expressing a small want for children, and a good man ( and she has called Samnthat many times). She also still harbors sexual feelings for him, and they seem to work well together. I also think Arelene is going to be the one to die.
I’ve seen no evidence that Sookie “harbors sexual feelings” for Sam since they shared a hot kiss back in DAAD – 7 books ago. In all the most recent books, she refers to him as “my friend”, “my boss”, and “my best friend”. Sam has been friend-zoned.
I have not seen anu evidence of this ‘harboring’ sexual feelings for Sam. I think he has safely been in the friend category for the last couple of books. Which is why the conversation of the cluvial dor being used on him was going to be delicate because she does not love him in that manner. It was evident in ‘Small-town Wedding that he was just a friend as well. I have not really had the feeling that Sookie really wants to have a child either, it is not a ‘must have’ for her. She worries about the reading minds thing being inherited and knowing everything about her childs thoughts. That was how I always read her thoughts to be on the matter.
I reckon Sam was meant to die then in DL. Sookie interfered and saved him with magic, and fate will catch up with him and he will die in DE, but by accident, or natural event like falling tree branch, not murder. There’s always consequences………. And Sookie will have learnt another savage lesson.
As for Eric, I reckon they are tossing us barrels of red herrings.
I agree with it being Sam. There is a reason that Adele did not use the CD and it could be because the Fae are twisty and deceptive, much like Clovache said about the vamps. I think it’s “Final Destination” for old Sammy boy….
Pat
Yep. Adele could have used it to save people, but that wise lady didn’t.
I think the murder will be Jason…because Alcide told Sookie that bitten weres don’t live very long (reference: Club Dead book)…and then blamed on her.
I think the murder will be Jason…because Alcide told Sookie that bitten weres don’t live very long (reference: Club Dead book)…and then blamed on her.
Also, two previous books mention a 2nd prodigy of Eric, which we know is female. She will probably come to play in the final book series.
Miss Harris has already let the reader’s know that Eric’s other child’s name is Karin, she is blonde, and that yes, she will be in the final book.
I don’t think Sam will die. He’s too important to Sookie in the books to die. It would be like having Eric die. She’s NOT interested in him romantically, but he’s her best friend and confidant. Without him she’d be lost. Furthermore why are we so convinced that the consequences os Sookie using the CD are negative for either Sookie or Sam? What Mr C said is “Any series of events you alter by magic can have unexpected repersussions in history” (DL, pg 273). To me that means that everything that happens after changes, not that any one individual will be affected. Also, nothing major may happen since he said “can happen” not “will happen”. Killing off the person whose life was saved by it as a consequence doesn’t make sense to me and a waste of rare magic.
Am I the only one that’s ever questioned Sam’s claim of being romantically interested in Sookie? Yes, they both have kissed and he’s felt lust for her as she for him before but neither of them took it further. AND Sam has never shown this perceived shyness he claimed in the beginning about telling Sookie how he felt with any of the other women he’s gone out with. He conveniently started persuing Sookie after Bill did. To me (and I’m re-readnig all the books now) it seemed as a ploy to try and protect Sookie from vampires because he knew what they would do with her. So I guess what I’m saying is that the romantic disinterest is mutual.
I agree that neither Sookie or Sam have indicated any great passion for the other, and that’s why that HEA would fall as flat as a leftover glass of champagne.
They are each other’s “safe” option. How dynamic is that?
Such a fitting analogy for this time of year
Furthermore why are we so convinced that the consequences os Sookie using the CD are negative for either Sookie or Sam? What Mr C said is “Any series of events you alter by magic can have unexpected repersussions in history” (DL, pg 273). To me that means that everything that happens after changes, not that any one individual will be affected.
I agree with you in that reading the text would leave this really quite open ended – you’re right in that it doesn’t state that the repercussions would be positive or negative. I think the speculation about negative outcomes from the use of the CD comes from an interview CH gave when she was doing the publicity rounds for Deadlocked – in which she said that there would be “consequences” for the use of the CD. The word “consequences” is a little different in meaning to the word “repercussion”, and tends to have a negative implication, I think.
“Any series of events you alter by magic can have unexpected repersussions in history” (DL, pg 273)
This is similar to statements made in books (or movies) about time travel. It’s the ripple effect. Because you alter one event in the present, it ripples back through history with unexpected changes (consequences, repercussions) in order to lead to the point of change and forward into history as well because you have changed the course of events.
People assume this must mean repercussions for love but it can be anything. The bottom line is that Sam should have only had so long on this earth to influence the things around him but now he will be influencing the future. In order for Sam to influence the future, events in the past must change so that they lead up to the point of everything he influences. Those are the consequences/repercussions of altering things.
How deep CH will go with that in 300 pp is yet to be seen, but that really isn’t much time to play that out in any kind of depth. Needless to say, something will happen. It should be around the kind of changes that would have meant Sam would never have been at that gathering to be killed or standing where he was.
The interesting counterpoint is what would have happened if Sookie had used it to influence her relationship with Eric. We only think about QOK, but let’s say Sookie had wished that Eric didn’t have to abide by the contract to marry QOK. The unexpected repercussion could be that his history is changed so that Appius is not his maker (does not meet him on that road). That could mean Eric never became a vampire so he never met Sookie. Or, it could mean another vampire made him and his whole history would be altered as a result. This is why Cataliades warned her about the use. He wanted her to be aware that the wish would have unforeseen consequences and she should really think about it before she used it (which she did not).
The interesting thing to me is that Eric wanted her to use it at all. I would have expected Eric to understand the consequences of something like that. If he wanted Sookie to wish for anything I would think it would be that they could be together forever.
Well, if we follow that line of thinking; then Sam wouldn’t be in the position to get hurt, so he & Sookie wouldn’t have been there. Which means that none of the things that led up to them being there would have happened, or they would have happened differently. I don’t see how CH can redo everything in one book. But, if Sookie and Eric were never together it would explain the Fangtasia vampires being distant. Bill seems to be trying to die for Sookie…so maybe he’s the one we lose. I wish Bill would get something. He was compelled to go to Lorena…he couldn’t help it. He also had no choice about being with her in whatever way she demanded. But if that’s true how was he able to with hold Sookie’s name the whole time he was trapped? Hmmm. And the thing about Sam…well Sookie HAS said on more than one occasion that Sam has been the subject of many of her sexual fantasies, she feels bad about that because he’s her boss. But she’s part owner now:) Only a few more hours til we find out!
I think she is going to end up with Sam. With how close they are getting and her saving him, along with her major role in the bar these days. They have always had something there. He is a shifter, so she can live with him. And she’s always wanted kids so this gives her that chance. I think they are going to end up together and spend happily ever after running the bar.
Hmmmmmm… so far.. I’m calm.. I think….
Did I need this today, or what! It was a rough one but this has happened cheer me up!
My initial reaction to the murder was that it’s Sam but then I thought about the cover and the animals behind her. If Sam’s going to bite, and I think he will, it will be after she is probably cleared of the murder. A shocking murder in Bon Temps that could possibly be blamed on Sookie… hmm… I’m stumped.
I think it might be Arlene.
After all, Sookie sure has motive there.
She does have motive and I am sure that someone like Freida would have found out about her history with Arlene and be able to frame Sookie to get her out of the way. One could say that she could just kill Sookie but she knows she would not get anywhere with Eric if she were to do that. As far as the marriage goes, Eric has to have some kind of plan. When has he never not has some kind of plan?
Yep. I was guessing Arlene until I got to you post. Arlene makes the most sense.
I’d put money on Arlene being the victim. Seems like Sookie will have motif and I think CH seems reluctant to kill off main characters…or at least the ones that she views as being well liked. It’ll be a supporting character and probably a “baddie.” I don’t think she’d save Sam to kill him off, though I think that’s be a great twist, I don’t see her doing it.
Well, nowhere does it say that only one character dies. I suspect Quinn dies (according to the cover of the book, his tail shows, but not his face), but whether or not Sookie is charged with his death…who knows! It does seem more likely for Sam to die, although he (in doggie form) appears to be ok on the cover.
I suspect that Eric *does* marry Freyda, and, according again to the book cover, Sookie basically ends up alone. The “bats” are flying off to the left, and Sookie is left standing in the middle all alone. Eric choosing to dump Sookie and marry Freyda is the only reason I can think of for them to treat Sookie so badly after all she’s done for them.
I would not say that are treating her badly, just staying away and keeping their distance and there has to be a reason for that. I can’t see this being the end of Eric and Sookie, especially so abruptly as the synopsis appears to have it be.
I really, REALLY hope it’s not the end of Eric and Sookie, but from the clues on the cover of the book (and the vampires being cold and distant to her, and the reason why devastating her), I have to mentally gear myself up for them not having their HEA.
I’m sorely tempted to be a whiny baby and NOT buy the book if reviews tell me they don’t end up together.
dont worry … will be Eric and Sookie, many think as you, buy the book only after known the end (including me, I confess, I never did it for any book! I swear!) would not be very … *ahem* lucrative, dont you think?
Why would Quinn die? Come on.
Eric choosing to dump Sookie? Don’t think so. I bet he’s pissed about the CD (I still am, but for entirely different reasons, of course), but he’ll get over it.
I’m going for Arlene to be murdered – why mention her otherwise?
My main concern – the distinct lack of Eric & Sookie time that it seems to be hinting at.
I need Eric on the page – on lots of pages!
Well, there might be a lack of Eric and Sookie time on the page, but with the multiple POVs we’ve been promised in this book, we might still get some Eric time. It would be nice to know what he’s thinking directly, rather than always being filtered through Sookie.
I would love for there to be some Eric POV in this book, even if it’s just a little bit!
Thank you so much for posting this!! Agree that there are some red herrings in this synopsis. Same thing happened last year. Taking it all with a grain of salt. The last book will be bittersweet for me. So many possibilities for the ‘murder’ victim. Arlene could be a good one and yes Sookie would be looked at as having a motive. Sam might also have to pay the price for having the Cluviel d’or used for him. Maybe one of the Hotshot residents meets their maker. Could the murder victim be a vampire? (would they try a human for that?) Freyda would be one I hope is taken out. Thanks again for posting this.
To me Dead “ever after” implies the true (final death, so that must be a vampire. I hate to say it but I think Eric will die. This is really far-feched I know but I think he won’t take the marriage and someone tries to kill Sookie so Eric will honor the marriage contract with Oklahoma vamp queen (maybe she glamours a human to do it)and Eric kills them. That is why there isn’t enough evidence to convict Sookie. Maybe his boss gives Eric the final death because he won’t do as he says.
After Eric is gone I think Sookie marries someone else (Sam, her cousin’s ex-husband or even a new character I juct don’t think she willmarry a supe) and these books are her memoirs–she is looking back at her great love and adventures as a young womqn in them.
CH has said that Eric survives the series. I think that Arlene is the death. The bad blood between them is why Sookie will be suspect.
humm … Sam is a “supe” too
I can’t see Sookie marrying anyone she could “read” – the stress of knowing every secret or casual passing thought going through her partner’s mind would be too painful and stressful for Sookie and she knows it, considering what she’s gone through in her life because of her “gift”.
But she can’t read vamps…mmmm…and I agree, Eric has always had a plan – here’s hoping ! It would make sense if the murder victim was Arlene because of their past history…maybe…lol
Who says Sookie has to get married? Is there no happiness outside of marriage?
I hate these synopsis and I love them at the same time.
They always scare the hell out of me and when I read the I’m like “Whay the heck did they say that in the synopsis and almost caused me an aneurysm when it’s not even that big a deal.” I’m sure DEA will be one of those times too, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Especially when we don’t have a teaser chapter for Christmas this year (boo hoo!).
Arlene, Arlene, please, let her be dead.
“He [Eric] and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence”. To be honest I didn’t expect an “Sookie married Eric and they had a bunch of little fanged babies” exactly, but I guess this shouldn’t worry us one bit. Does it smell like red herring in here?
Really??? No Christmas present from Charlaine? I told my husband that was all I wanted. When did CH say no?
A month or two ago. I can’t say it was unexpected, it’s the final book after all. They know we’re going to buy it regardless.
Yes, it looks like there will be lack of Eric at the beginning of the book which has already made me yawn at the prospect. Anyway, if Sookie was devastated to hear why he and his vampires were distancing himself from her, it only means that she still loved him, and if Eric was missing for a large part of the book whilst he’s central to arguably the book’s most pivotal plot, i think the other’s POV which promised by CH is gonna be his.
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I think it would be a pathetic turn of events if Arlene is the one who dies. Who cares if she dies? It’s been a long time since a good character has bit the dust. I grieved over Gran. I grieved over Claudine. Hell, I hurt over Dawson and Maria Star Cooper. But when was the last time any character of worth has been lost?
I’ll admit I’ve been TERRIFIED that Eric would die in the last book. But judging from that synopsis, that won’t be the case.
Heh, maybe it will be Bill. That would be GREAT.
I think Eric is keeping his distance at the beginning of the book because he’s still mad about the CD being used on Sam, perhaps? Or because he is protecting Sookie from Freyda, maybe? And…maybe he’s keeping his distance at the beginning not necessarily for a significant portion of the book. Who knows.
Agreed with VampGirl, even when spot on, the synopses usually seem to highlight insignificant parts of the story. Or just the parts of the story that show up in the first chapter or two.
Still not panicking. I refuse to panic until I’ve read the last page of the book, and by then there won’t be any point.
I kind of agree with Jenerica above about Arlene’s possible demise being a let-down. That’s just not a big shocker to me, and I don’t think it would have much impact…..even within Bon Temps. She’s a bigoted criminal. I would be much more shocked if Sookie were framed for the murder of Sam, or even Terry or Andy. Perhaps even Pam.
Our poor girl’s going to have one hell of a time – but as doom-n-gloomy as that synopsis “could” be interpreted, I’m confident she and Eric will find a way to make it happen. I also agree that he last line sounds like Bill in an Eric-suit.
However it all goes down, it’s going to be an exciting ride!
I’m sure that Arlene is going to be the one to bite it. I’m figuring that her ex, Whit, is the culprit. He is the one who has her killed because she testified against him to get out of jail.
Eric being distant is no surprise. He’s usually like that when his heart is on the line and he was hurt by her use of the CD. I think that he will marry Freyda, which will make him unattainable and that will devastate Sookie. It will also make him more attractive because Sookie knows that he doesn’t love Freyda. In the end, Eric and Sookie will reunite for the HEA. The End.
The best part of this synopsis is . . . no other love interests are even mentioned. #vikingscores *\o/*
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I’m guessing Eric and the vamps are keeping their distance because he was summoned OK and he takes his entourage to try to figure out a solution. Eric never tells her what’s going on to protect her. She’ll only hear that he’s gone to Freyda’s court and jump to conclusions because she always does that where Eric is concerned. So I am SO not concerned. They can’t be together in the beginning of this book. They have to fight through the book to be together or it won’t be that satisfying an ending.
I think the death of Arlene will cause a stir in Bon Temps. We might not like her but she IS a mainstay in the community. I can’t think of another character with enough weight that could die rock Bon Temps unless it’s Bud. I don’t see it being Andy and what motive could Sookie be blamed with to have killed Terry. I’m going to stick with Arlene.
And shocking could just as easily mean the manner of the death, not necessarily that people loved the victim. Case in point: Crystal Norris.
If you ask me i’ll say that Eric will treat Sookie badly or even dump her or maybe even asking her to get a divorce (which is as simple as a human one like CH said….and if she said it i think it’s for a reason..) but simply because he has a plan. YOU KNOW IT. It’s Eric we’re talking about. After 12 books we should know better
I’m not really that concerned, after all the romance books i read i’m used to it LOL
Oh but Mony….these AREN’T ROMANCES!!!
SILLY ME!!!! Here i thought that the ‘suitors war’ had a reason to exist… *snorts*
Yeah it could easily be Arlene, why bring her back even? So random.
But I’m willing to toss my money on some side character no1curr about
okay that really screams Arlenealthough also someone of Maxine’s caliber and then Sookie probably gets caught red handed with someone’s secret pumpkin pie recipe or whatever. *snore*The plot just looks really threadbare at this point. I expect the Eric related stuff will be something involving marriage with Freyda and the Northman crew having to act a certain way just to convince Sookie just to convince Freyda and of course Sookie freaks out about it and then something something happens, Sookie makes a remark about Sam’s hair, yadayada, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
It’s so beyond time to put this series to bed.
I have to agree with some of the threadbare plot, it is time to end, you could have described the entire book on this paragraph …
“Sookie makes a remark about Sam’s hair, yadayada, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.” LMAO!!!
Well…after all these are the times Sookie needs to prove what she’s really made of
Serena, I hope you’re wrong, but look at it this way: if we didn’t know DEA was the last book, is there anything in this synopsis that would make anyone want to buy it?
I hope we don’t get l0 pages of a murder investigation, 200 pages of trips to the library or the QuikMart, then 10 pages of boom-boom-boom… THE END.
GET OUT OF MY BRAIN, SERENA.
Maybe the FOTS are behind Arlene’s death? They are framing Sookie for the murder to get revenge on her for helping the vamps and damaging their name – good way to get at the vamps as well. That would make it worth reading for me and tie up loose ends regarding them. The whole FOTS subplot just died away throughout the series.
Since the murder is shocking and rocks BT, I’m thinking it’s more likely to be Sam or another major character. Arlene doesn’t seem shocking and any evidence that Sookie did it would more likely be seen as strong, not weak, given Sookie’s built-in motive. Sam may be murdered and last seen with Sookie (at Merlotte’s or his place), but the evidence weak.
The “what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood.” could refer to the true murderer being a resident who is perhaps anti-shifter/vamp? Reigniting and amping up the already volatile tension between humans and supes.
As for the Eric and vamp stuff … sounds like he marries Freida (I agree – he MUST have a plan) and perhaps in his new role or in trade with her, institutes a persona non grata dictate on Sookie from the vampire world to protect her. Devastation could be her learning about the marriage. “What passes for love is never enough” could be (hopefully,finally) Eric realizing he has to capitulate to Sookie’s human sensibilities to truly be with her, and Sookie realizing the same in terms of Eric.
One thing we’ve seen a lot with ES is that sloooooowly and with a LOT of interrupted conversations and frustrating lack of communication, each book they tend to get a little closer to the compromises they are each having to make to be together. Just how far from each of their own worlds they have to go to meet in the middle. I’ll be heartbroken if they can’t make it, but I think the work has been there … just realllllly dragged out!
Forgot to mention that “cold silence” from the vamps at large sounds like less Pam/Sookie time, too, and likely a sad scene with Pam rebuffing Sookie’s attempts to see or talk to her.
I saw the cluviel dor moment in DL as another Gone with the Wind reference. Though I might be alone in that.
Kinda felt like when Scarlet is consoling Ashley at the end and Rhett can’t bear to witness it and leaves.
Scarlett could be with Ashley in the end if she wanted but she realises she doesn’t love him like that and finally comes to her senses and runs into the fog after Rhett. I’m hoping Sookie does the same. She could be with Sam now and that would pass for love “in Bon Temps” but is it enough for Sookie now…enough for who she’s become throughout the books?
I dunno, just my thoughts. I just hope Eric doesn’t do the, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” bit in the end but would I hold it against him if he did…uh, probably not.
I think you are onto something, Willow. Usually, the synopsis has something from each of the storylines,
Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. QUINN? Does Quinn lie to Sookie about something?
What passes for justice is more spilled blood. ALCIDE? Alcide is always meting out justice. Maybe, he’s the suitor who is killed.
And what passes for love is never enough…. SAM – no explanation needed;)
I was miffed when I saw the tiger’s tail on the cover ’cause I was sure I read CH say if Quinn came back it would be in a short story. Really thought (hoped) he was done as a character in the main story…so yeah, I’m assuming I’d he’s there it’s as a puppet of Felipe.
Also, on the new book cover he seems to be cowering, though I do tend to read too much into those damn covers.
And here i thought the meaning of ‘what passes for love is never enough’ is that what both Sookie and Eric deemed enough of proving their love for each other, deemed enough of self sacrifice, were not enough to save their relationship. Eric got to have the balls to throw over his King and defy his Maker, while Sookie got to be brave enough to fight the epitome of her insecurities, the beautiful, rich, and powerful Freyda.
I have to say that Quinn was my favorite of dollies love interests. I never saw her and Eric lasting or her and bill getting back together or even her and Sam becoming more (though if that happens iwont be surprised). I always wanted her to get back with Quinn. And maybe I’m reading too much into the cover but sookie appears to be looking over her shoulder in his direction. Hey a girl can hope. But her and Eric in my opinion have run their course
Hmm, I’m thinking it’s Arlene that was murdered, that’s why Sookie is a suspect. Maybe Arlene said or did something to make Sookie so mad. We know she’s got a temper and I’m very confident Bill kill Arlene. He said he love her and willing to do anything for her or make a body for her. In his misguided loyalty and love he kills Arlene thinking that’s what Sookie really wish and it causes such backlash that FOTS sympatisers started to attack all supernatural, hence lots of spilled blood. I don’t think it’s Sam that died. As for Sookie devastated by the news of her vampires, it could be Eric and Co get punished for the Victor fiasco. I don’t think Eric would go willingly, they would have to silver him. These two are so stubborn, unwilling to just give in first. What’s wrong in calling Eric once in while huh Sookie?
First off, a big thank you to SVB for getting us the goods quick like!
This is the Go-To-place for all things Sookie! *hugs*
I’m also hoping for a lot of Eric/Sookie page time. I would definitely be disappointed otherwise. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to get in Eric’s head through an alternate POV from him. *fingers crossed*
I think we are supposed to worry and fret over this synopsis just like we have done in years past. Oh the angst. Sigh.
The bottom line is that Sookie loves Eric. And Eric loves Sookie. PERIOD.
That is not going to change in the final book.
Team Eric and Sookie all the way! <3
I agree, we are meant to worry. Sookie & Eric are the main draw after all. Somehow I’m still perfectly calm – must be the last few yrs have finally taught me something. Just hoping the cold silence doesn’t last toooo long because I’d really like some decent E/S page time too. *sigh*
And yes, big thanks to SVB. I’ve been dying for some DEA news!!
Thanks for posting this synopsis, SVB.
It would make sense if Arlene was the “shocking” murder victim, but it would also make sense if she were the one framing Sookie for someone else’s murder. Also, as other have pointed out, “shocking” might not be in reference to the centrality of the character, but perhaps to other characteristics of the murder; for example, it would be shocking if the victim was one of Arlene’s kids, or if the victim was JB Du Rone or Jane Bodehouse or Bud Dearborn found dead on the Stackhouse property. Still be pretty shocking. (Pleasepleaseplease don’t let the victim be Jason! I have really grown to love the old galoot.) I do like the theory, mentioned by one of the poster above, that the victim could be Bill, however!
One more thing, slightly off topic but maybe not really…… throughout the series, I have been waiting for Sookie’s sporadic ability to read vampire minds to come into play. Unless I am forgetting something, it hasn’t yet. I can’t remember if it was the second or third book in which Sookie has the startling experience of dipping into a vampire mind, but if my memory is serving me, the only vampire she’s ever been able to mindread was Eric. (Please do correct me if I’m mistaken about this.) That, to me, seems like a significant detail that by all rights should resurface and be addressed in this final installment, when presumably all loose ends will be tied up. Just a little something that’s been on my mind since, oh, about 2004 or so
She reads Stan’s mind as well.m:)
And the vamp at the trial at the summit.
Well, I admit to disappointment after reading this synopsis. I hope it isn’t accurate. The last 2 books have left me wanting for the sizzle and zing that was Eric and Sookie. They didn’t have that extra something that got me hooked on this series and if this last book is going to try and sell me on something other than Eric/Sookie, I will very VERY upset. That being the case this series should have ended at the 10 books and went out on a good note rather than dragging it out, separating the 2 characters that made it special and just wringing more money out of me. The synopsis, if really true has taken all the angst out of the wait and will make it easy for this ho-hum sounding ending to what was a very sharp and witty series. I will wait and hear from others and if Eric is as absent from this book as he’s been in the last 2, no thanks!
Thanks for posting this, it’s a real treat but feels a bit bitter sweet… it looks like Sookie/Eric interaction will be more towards the end of the book and I really hope they are not referring to her and Eric when they say ‘what passes for love is never enough’…I’ll burn all my books if this ends bad.
I think the reason for his silence may not necessarily be that he went off to marry Freyda…maybe he refused and was taken by Felipe …that would be devastating too…or maybe he agreed – but with a great plan in mind, as mentioned before- he’ll mange to free himself and come back to Sookie just in time.
I think Arelene will set Sookie up …I like the idea that it could be Sam who gets killed but it would be way too early to kill him off at the beginning…it could be any of her friends… Quinn will be a big disappointment for her again and hopefully Bill will die as he was meant to in DAG. Didn’t we read that Sookie will face a trial??? So does it mean that her investigation won’t be successful to clear herself. Maybe this is when all the drama will happen…all her friends will gather up to help. I wonder how will Eric fit into that…
So long until May!
I can only hope the big death is Bill. A girl can dream can’t she?? He’s gotten incrementally worse since his non-death in DAG. Just die already. Otherwise, re the synopsis, I have my happy hat on. My ticket to Sookie’s HEA is a one way ticket on the GP. I can’t see any other VIABLE, RELATABLE, MEANINGFUL end to the HEA arc. The vamps cold silence sounds like a major angst arc involving QOK/FDC, with the usual E&S non-communication shenanigans. I can’t wait for this book. The series desperately needs to end (should have at DITF), and I desperately need to move on from it. Thats not to say I’m not looking forward to it, I am, but its time to put Sookie and Eric to bed. Preferrably with each other
I’d enjoy it if the death was Bill, but yeah… unlikely. You just know it’ll be Arlene or someone even less relevant LOL. He could still die in the course of the book tough…
Other than that, I agree with every word. The whole thing just desperately needs to end, I just hope it’s a reasonably satisfying book (and I mean all-around, not just in the Sookie/ Eric sense).
The only thing better would be for TB to also end with season 6, because looking at the monstruosity it’s become makes me sad, and as long as it’s there I just can’t help looking from time to time.
It makes no sense to save Sam with the CD and then immediately turn around and kill him. I think Eric will be married and that’s what devastates her. This ties into love is not enough blurb. Arlene is the death since Sookie would appear to have a motive. I think FDC pushes Eric into the marriage as his punishment for killing Victor. Perhaps FDC threatens Pam.
Eric and Sookie have been drifting apart for several books, all the while she’s been getting closer to Sam, his family, and Merlotte’s. The writing is on the wall. I hate it, but it’s painfully obvious.
The fandom has been saying it’s obvious for books but I disagree. I’ve never been more certain that it’s Eric.
Me too KCS. I think there’s no really evidence it’ll be Sam in the books but our own paranoia IMHO.
It’s very cliché really, when all seems to go to hell you just know something will happen that will reunite the hero with his heroine.
Beside, Sookie and Eric are very much like Liz & Darcy and even the whole marriage with Freyda is very P&P.
I fully expect a solution probably in the last 2-3 pages of the book.
Me Three Mony! LOL! Sam is WAY too obvious a choice. And I also expect E&S reunion at the very end of the book.
Me too KCScout. Sookie has been saying for books and books that it’s Eric she loves – and I believe her. This notion that Sookie is somehow in love with Sam unbeknownst to her is poppycock. (I love that word!)
The only writing on my wall is about Sookie and Eric.
Also, there was the perfect set up for an “epiphany” moment in DL when she uses the CD to save Sam’s life. Does she have any revelations when contemplating his possible death? Does the shock of almost losing him finally bring her deep buried feelings to the surface?
Nope.Nada. On the way home they talk about… Eric.
IDK, maybe it’s because I’m one of those who don’t even see that much substance in their friendship, but the idea of a Sam ending has always seemed absolutely implausible to me.
I see the event in DL(the CD) as a mean to eliminate Sam a suitor. I remember Sam always says that Eric is dangerous, she’s stupid for marrying him and bla, bla, bla. Well now he can’t say that can he? In DL, Eric is in trouble because of his association with Sookie and Sookie to Sam. I’ve always find Sam asking Sookie to be his girlfriend to his brother’s wedding to be tactless and announcing her attendance in a supe forum, sounds like him bragging or sending a message to Quinn. This doesn’t sound like good suitor material or even a good friend. I don’t know why Sookie didn’t question this or CH is just running out of time or all these questions will be answered in the last book or not.
I agree that the fact that the tomatoes, symbolizing health and domestic happiness, are directly above Sam-as-dog on the cover of the book gives me cause to believe that you may be right, as much as I hate to admit it.
It makes perfect sense for Sam to be killed off as a consequence of the CD being used, he was meant to die and you cannot cheat death for long. I don’t get where it Sam is the ‘obvious’ choice because it is not obvious at all. Sookie has said many many times in different ways that she only views Sam a friend and how much she values that friendship.
What you see as Sookie getting closer to Sam and his family, I see as her making a way for herself and her future. In STW, she made it really clear that she only loved Sam as friend. She was not comfortable with the fact that they thought Sookie and Sam were an item. She did not want to give that impression. If it was about her loving Sam in the same manner she loves Eric, it would have been shown to us and it has not. There has been no set up for Sookie and Sam to ‘all of a sudden’ be in love. Sookie would give it all up and leave Bon Temps to be with Eric, she even said it in DL. She mirrored the words he spoke in DTTW. IMO, that does not speak of someone who has gotten closer to another man.
You’re absolutely correct! Sookie is ready to live her home that she loves deeply and ready to basically give up her life to just stay with Eric. DTTW and DL were perfect mirrors IMO.
LEAVE not live! Ops* *shameface*
It rubs me the wrong way this theory that Sookie would suddenly realise that she’s in love with Sam. Are we that fickle that we fell in and out of love that easily? I’m offended and so will Sookie. It took her a long time to get over Bill and she’s not even sure she’s in love with him. This passionate love she felt for Eric would not just go away just like that. On another note, I don’t feel that passionate about this book anymore. I just want it to be over already.
Me too. The prolonged angst and the lessening Eric’s page time really make me unexcited. Moreover, i don’t like how CH belittles our supports for Eric and how the last two books has opened the door for Eric’s nay sayers to celebrate Eric and Sookie’s failing relationship and made even the most neutral readers think it is the best for Sookie to give up on Eric.
Book after book Sookie has kept Sam firmly in the friend zone. Sookie meeting Sam’s family didn’t even make into the main series, that’s how significant it was to her story. Sorry, I just don’t see it. It’s Eric Sookie wants, OK is just another obstacle put in their way to overcome like all the rest.
Is that you Renee? See my comment at the bottom of the page.
Different AP.
Well, not sure what to think about this but I’m not worried yet.
Usually this kind of reviews tend to be full of red herrings and they never address the main plots of the books (actually, if I’ve only read the reviews in the backside of the books I would’ve never read one single book of SVM, really…they are not very tempting or interesting, I can’t remember any of this reviews as accurate to what happen in the books -more likely, they mentioned things that occur in the early chapters mixed with some cryptical bit of the end, and that’s all-)
About the main BT character dead, yeah…could be Arlene (very dissappointing cause who cares about Arlene?) but it makes sense to Sookie being blamed as guilty for this.
The vampires taking cold distance from Sookie and when she realizes why she feels devastated: I think probably Eric went to OK without telling Sookie and he ordered all the vampires to keep their distance from her until he comes back (stupid plan, but it’s 100% Eric, he thinks this would’be the best for Sookie at that moment…). She will think the worse, that Eric went willingly to OK. Maybe Karin will be part of Eric’s plan, or not, and he’ll return to Sookie at the very end of the book… (but IDK what will be Sookie’s response to this, after all the grieving she’s being through)
Sam will face the consequences of the CD, but I don’t think he’ll be killed…maybe he wouldn’t be a shapeshifter anymore, or he looses is family, his bussiness or something like that.
So far, I’m calm. I’m sure this will not be a Sookie/Eric book, it will be like DL or worst in that aspect…but I’m confident about the end (if is not Sookie/Eric, it will be Sookie alone but in good terms with Eric…SAM? I don’t think so… )
What would be the point in introducing Karin to us in the last book if she wasn’t important to the plot? I think SVB was totally correct when she said the QOK doesn’t necessarily need Eric, just someone like him. Usually when the vamps stay away from Sookie it is to protect her…possibly from deCastro since Eric told Sookie they would be punished for Victor’s death. Also, he doesn’t want anyone to know that the bond has been broken as that fact makes it more difficult for him to protect her. I wonder if she no longer smells like “his” since the bond is gone and they haven’t exchanged blood since then that we know of. That would be reason enough to keep her away from the vampires. I really want Sookie and Eric to still be together at the end, but if she has to be alone, so be it.
I wonder if Karin is brought in for something as insignificant as running the bar while Eric is in OK. That would be a letdown. But makes sense nonetheless.
oh…I hope not! it would be a big disappointment!
Hahahaha…maybe the CD makes Sam live…but as a Collie…LMAOROTF, if that’s what CH does to Sam!
Wow. The powers that be, really have a sense of humor and if we’re meant to sweat it out, mission accomplished!
Mixed emotions when I read this synopsis. First, some disappointment. Another murder? That was last books plot. Eric being distant? The last 2 books theme. But also some excitement. Excitement for things to be wrapped up for us in Sookieverse and for us to finally get our HEA.
I try to not let these synopsis throw me off what I know is true; it’s Eric and Sookie. Always has been, always will be.
Actually Margaux all the books are mysteries, the series is called “The Southern Vampire Mysteries” (Rene, book 1; Laffy, book 2; where’s Bill, book 3; where’s Jason book 4, who’s shooting the weres, book 5; what happened to Hadley/Sophie Anne’s bracelets book 6; who’s planting the bombs, book 7; who’s killing weres, book 8; Crystal, book 9; who left the dead were buried in her woods, book 10; who bombed Merlottes, book 11; and who killed the girl on Eric’s front lawn, book 12). All of Charlaine’s series are murder mystery books. I was sort of disappointed when she started veering into the “romance” bit. I would have preferred Eric, Sookie and Bill as Supernatural PI’s with Sookie and Eric ending up together, of course, but still continuing on as a team.
I know the series name, my point was I just wish we had something new and I agree with the others who said Sookie’s time is up.
I don’t expect Eric and Sookie fluff to fill all the pages, I just hope for some
sometimes I think CH should rethink the mystery theme of his books (granted: I haven’t read any of his other books), but I always thought its mysteries too weak, I doubt she sold more books Sookie just because they wanted to read more their mysteries, and not because of Eric and Sookie, until book 7, were interesting, after this bit: “who killed who” only became repetitive. is as a series has a main theme: Sookie’s life (with or without romance) and the peripheral mystery. I disagree for example of book 4, never a book series was so worried about romance, and the “mystery” or adventure was the main fight with the witches and the development of more Eric in Sookie’s life. I’d love a book as the 7 (my favorite) or the 8. Eric and Sookie neither were together in this book and I was pleased with the interaction between them, even though at the time she was with Quinn. I want more time Eric and Sookie on the page DEA, and I’m not talking about sex or fluff or wtw., Even if they fight, will more interesting than having them having almost NONE interaction in the book and only get together in the end for their likely happy ending. JMHO.
I love the comment marion is the last one I read and it warms my heart!
I have not read the book 12 but many of your comments are interesting .. notament someone who speaks of gran who did not use the cluviel gold .. in fact why she did not use while linda his daughter was dying of cancer. Yet when MC told sookie she could with the CD save the life of a person?
I have a question by cons it may seem silly .. I did not read the 12 but why FDC would approve the marriage of eric with OK it would have no power over him and he would lose a valuable asset pour sa region?
sorry for my bad english!!!!
@nanou13 – As it stands right now, we don’t know where Felipe lies with the marriage. That looks to be a big part of DEA.
I would imagine Gran wouldn’t use the CD for Linda because she didn’t (or didn’t want to) believe in the magic. She was a good southern Christian, after all.
Not to mention MC warned that anyone using the CD should REALLY think of the consequences before doing such a thing. Sookie used it in a moment of panic. I doubt she would have used it on Sam if he were slowly dying of cancer.
As for FdC and losing Eric to QoO. Well, it seems to me that all vamps take the whole maker/child thing pretty seriously. He would pretty much be risking a war with OK if he stepped in and tried to interfere with Appius’s arrangement.
I will be very disappointed if there aren’t some serious consequences from Sookie’s use of the CD in this final book. There were several references from Mr. C about Sookie being so cautious of its use, and to think “once, twice and three times” before doing so because it “can change the course of history”. With all that buildup, SOMETHING related to the use of the CD needs to happen in this last book. She literally did not think twice before using it on Sam and now I am curious to know what will change from that. I don’t want the plotline to drop off the radar.
Mark my words, if in this final book the CD use somehow magically alters the course of the last several years and changes the way Sookie feels about Sam, and ta da, they love each other, I will burn my books. No joke.
Maybe using the CD changes the way Eric feels about her. Maybe that is why she is devastated…because she realizes SHE has caused the end of their relationship. That would suck. And I’d join you in the book burning party.
Charlaine has said a few times since DL was released that there will be consequences for the use of the CD, so we know that we haven’t heard the last of this yet. The CD’s magic worked on Sam, so I can’t see that it can change Sookie’s feelings within the rules that Charlaine has already laid out for it in the text. I think it’s more likely that there will be consequences for Sam – beyond saying that no one really gets to cheat death (Death always gets his due), I couldn’t even begin to speculate about what those consequences might be!
I think Karin will have a big reason in why the vamps are keeping their distance from Sookie. I think Eric will go to OK to try and end this arrangement once and for all, and Sookie will fear the worst.
I think the death is Arlene, too, and I for one am glad that Arlene is back. LOL I thought it was weird that whole storyline was just seemingly dropped. It could, however, be Quinn, since we don’t see his face in the cover, and we know that he didn’t get his happily ever after with the tiger woman after all. Having Quinn killed would not be a great tragedy since he’s not going to be allowed to be around his child for years anyway. I’d prefer it be Quinn rather than Arlene because I like the idea of Arlene living out a miserable life instead, because surely no one else deserves it more.
As for the justice and blood thing, surely a were thing. Whoever killed the victim that Sookie got set up for must meet their own set of were justice. I’m going to Alcide, Mustafa or his friend that Sookie saved in DL as being the one who delivers that justice.
I’m most likely wrong but my guesses in parenthesis
But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.(Sookie and Eric have not spoken and she learns he is in Oklahoma.)
Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime. But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail.(my vote is Arlene but if it were a vampire say Bill, evidence would be hard to come by)
Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough… ( This reenforces that it could be Bill as the truths could further disillusion her regarding Bill and quick but wrong justice will result in an innocents death and her love for Bill was never enough to overcome the lies.)( but if it is Arlene she might learn Rene has escaped and killed Arlene but framed her.Rene could fall to a vigilante and Rene’s love for Arlene was not enough to save her, I still think Eric finds a more suitable mate for the QOK and returns to be with Sookie.)
Wow, sorry I’m late to the soiree. To speculate from the subject theme here, I believe ” the blood spilt ”
belongs to Arlene. I guess the bitch really wants revenge, so Ms Charlene is finally giving closure to
her character. Readers need not look to askance why Ms Harris would leave her out of any future
references. It’s only a tidbit, and without much to go on for the cold shoulder from the Vampires.
I cannot wait until Eric has his say when he confronts our miss Stackhouse, with no future
installments on the horizon, we will know then ,with certainty, his goal for them as a couple…….
or not. AND , Our heroine Sookie, her conscious decision to move forward, with or without her
longtime friends.
So I decided to re-read all the sookie books in preparation for next years big finale. Like many of you I was disappointed with the lack of Eric ( the vampire god) Northman in the last couple of books, but reading them again , I must admit-I liked them better than I did first read. I really, really want Eric and Sookie to end up together! In fact in a perfect world and in my wildest dreams, I would like Sookie to end up pregnant to Eric. I know this has been stated as a can not be done kind of thing, but Sookie and Eric are unique! Maybe some of her Fae blood could have unexpected results in regards to his so called dead sperm????. What is clear though through the series is that Sookie would love to have children and I hope she gets her wish! Another thing that is clear to me is that Eric is her soul mate ‘he just gets her’ ( Said Sookie even while she was with bill at the time)- he instinctually understands her, so I think he will forgive and understand about the CD thing. Eric is the only Vampire that she sometimes can get a snippet of mind reading from- this is stated a few times in the early books, so there is something more to that me thinks. She has realised that Sam is her best friend, so I doubt that they will suddenly fall in love even though the last books ending sort of hinted that. But she loves him as a friend and nothing more. I believe Vampire Bill will bite the dust in this one, she has resolved her feelings towards him and has said that despite some tender feelings towards him that the Love door is shut and she can never picture being with him again.
Another thing, I have a feeling Claudine will return as an Angel and that her dying to protect Sookie and sacrificing the life of her unborn child earn’t her, her Angel wings and maybe, just maybe she makes something seemingly impossible- possible. Also, what was the significance of Sookie making her will ??????? Anyway, I will be a sad girl when this series ends, I have loved this world and the characters that live in it and will be sorry to close the door on them. I know some of you are over it already, but- I will miss Sookie and Eric very much. Anyway- sorry for the really long post!!!!!! ERIC BETTER HAVE A TRICK OR TWO UP HIS SLEAVE!
oh I was mistaken, she did get a glimpse into Stan Davis’s head once, but I’m sure in a later book sookie stated that the only vampire she’d been able to mind read albeit briefly was Erics and also, I am positive that Maxine Fortenberry was Hoyts grandmother in an early book and later described as his mother?- I know completely irrelevant – just saying….
CH has definitely had a number of continuity errors over the years, which she would readily admit.
She also read Henrik’s mind at the trial in Rhodes. She claimed that she got the info from his lawyer, but it was actually Henrik.
CH posted this on her site today (11/20) in response to a query if there was a synopsis yet:
3610 Maker 2012-11-20 08:29
That’s delightful to hear. There is a synapsis (sic), mageric, that was somehow scalped from my publisher’s in-house catalog . . . and it’ll be up here on the board sooner or later.
Charlaine Harris
I’d say that is confirmation that the synopsis is accurate.
I’d say this is accurate too. Not that i doubted it because SVB is trustful site
But of course.
So I went back to the forums and in the thread about this book, there were several guesses about Sookie being arrested/in jail….therefore necessitating the need for other POVs esp newsletters etc…
Also remember the bit about her having to account for past crimes?
Things are tying in. Just curious as to why they are sticking with May this time around. They could release it before Christmas and make it part of the gift giving – no ?
May, may, may…..
There’s several ways CH can take this. I’m hoping this book actually concentrates on the mystery, but I don’t think so at this point. Despite what CH says, her books aren’t mysteries, they are romances. That’s where she puts the emphasis. You could even argue supernatural novels over mysteries. The mysteries are never more than a plot device to move Sookie’s relationships forward or out. Any real mystery novel has a mystery at its focus with the main character only serving to drive the mystery forward. That is why they can be a series because the character development takes forever since the narrator/sleuth is not the main focus.
Back to DEA and where this can go based on what’s here and what we’ve seen so far:
“Sookie finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed.”
I think Sookie, as part owner, is going to get in Arlene’s face and let her have it. I think there’ll be a scene.
“But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.”
I think what is going on and has been going on is a double cross. I think Eric and FdC are conspiring to take down Freyda so FdC can gain another state. I think that’s the price for forgiving Victor’s death. FdC has nothing to gain from Eric going to QOK, in fact it makes her more of a threat. He doesn’t care about killing women because he took out SA to expand. Eric only wants to be a big fish in a small pond so he’ll be satisfied running something for FdC whether it’s LA or OK. But, I think the deal will be that Eric and crew (and btw, Eric’s vampires include Bill and always have) will need to be cold and distant to Sookie to make her believe that the marriage is going ahead or Freyda will smell a rat. I think that is going to be the devastation. Sookie will think he’s deserted her. He may also do it to keep her safe until he can get rid of the threat.
Remember that she’s often commented that in a lot of ways he’s old fashioned (ancient) and that he lives as if he’s in the old world. He also needed a wife so he could go a viking. He has plotted with Sookie in the past and included her but this is very personal to her and if he thinks its better for the surprise battle for her to be in the dark, I don’t think he’ll care. He didn’t want to tell her in the first place.
I also think he’s calling in Karin on the presumption that he’s calling his other child for the wedding, but in fact he’s calling her for backup for the big fight.
Just like before, I think FdC will hide on the sidelines so he can disavow all knowledge if it goes badly.
Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.
But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail.
Arlene seems the obvious choice, but maybe too obvious. That’s never stopped CH before so I’m going with Arlene. (I do believe Eric will keep tabs on this from afar like he always does and I’m hoping this time we get his POV.)
Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie.
I think this is several things. I think that Bud Dearborn is going to be revealed to be the one behind it all the whole time.
And I believe that she’ll find out that Bill’s been lying about Eric. Remember that he told her that Eric would choose her over OK because she was just as attractive? It was a little while later he told her that Eric would choose the power over Sookie. I think he’s lying hoping to get her back. And I believe he’s lying because he knows Eric has something up his sleeve.
I also believe she’s going to find out that Eric wasn’t spying on her the whole time and that Dermot was spelled into thinking that the same way he thought other things – because of Claude. I think Claude was just up to mischief and trying to get her to not use the CD for Eric.
What passes for justice is more spilled blood.
I think that when she finds out who killed Arlene, there will be blood with the shifters and humans.
I also think this refers to OK and the justice Eric will face over Victor and OK. I think this is why we see only Quinn’s tail. Remember that Quinn is always the mediator in battles. I think he’s going to bite the dust.
This is something Sookie always struggled with so it’s fitting that she should have to come to grips with it in the end.
And what passes for love is never enough…
To me this is about all her relationships. Sam may still die or he may have changed due to the use of the CD (she was warned) and so love wasn’t enough to really “save” him.
Jason may not love her enough to stand up for her or help her over Arlene.
Her great grandfather may not love her enough to come back and save her.
Sam, Alcide and Quinn may not have enough love to take her side at first.
I believe Bill will be revealed to be all talk of love and that talk is not enough – she needs to be shown love. Something he was not good at (see also giving money away while she was worried about paying bills, leaving her for another woman on his own accord and leaving Eric to make the financial settlement). I honestly think Bill will come out a traitor and too much was made of the “who loves Sookie the most speeches.” That is definitely a “passes as love” thing.
I also think that Sookie is going to learn that just wanting Eric to love her enough to tell OK no was not enough – he has to take action to neutralize her first. Just loving someone enough to say no isn’t enough to keep someone safe and she should know that by now.
And I think Eric is going to learn that just wanting Sookie to love him enough to use the CD is not enough. There are consequences to that use and it would have hurt him. He can’t just think Sookie can love this away for him – he has to do something to diffuse this. Love can’t fix this – he needs all of his Eric Viking battle knowledge and business knowledge to win this one and keep everyone safe. That is what he does best and love is not enough to change that.
I still say Eric is the HEA. She’s never had a close encounter with Sam let alone several over the books that would have led her to a change of heart. She has been team Eric since book 4 whether she’s realized it or not. Just look at how she got Eric and Pam out and didn’t make sure Quinn got out. She called him???? Sorry, it didn’t convince me. She really had to work to get Eric and Pam out of there. She didn’t even think about Bill. She got Eric and Pam out. She got out her lover and his child. I still think even in book 3 she’d gone over. How many times was she in bed with Eric and letting him touch her? She left with him in the end. She waited in the trunk for him to come save her. I think she needed to finish things off with Bill but she was already going Eric’s way even then. Quinn was nothing but prolonging it (please the reason she left Quinn was pathetic). As for Bill, no way do you come back from having the male romantic lead rape the lead female character. This isn’t the 70′s or 80′s and that rape scene never changed into seduction. It was brutal and painful to even read. I’m just surprised Sookie didn’t cut Bill off totally. I guess she couldn’t face that her first love did that.
CH has done nothing but follow the Eric and Sookie path for the majority of the series. She doesn’t have enough time to change it now in one book. It’s either Eric, she’s alone or she is looking back on this period of her life from some future state. (It can even be that the CD has altered things and the vamps no longer know her but that’d be hard to pull off in books as short as hers.)
I think the mystery is the romance. She is married to Eric and we are discussing who she will end up with.
To me the murder sounds pretty straight forward – Arlene dies. It is the question of whom is really behind it and why that is the main focus. I think the FOTS are behind the murder. For one, they are out to get Sookie. She knows this as well – all the way back in Book 5 she talks about how much of a motive they would have to get her. Since then she’s stopped a FOTS bombing PLUS helped out Sam’s family AND was on tv showing her support. Sarah was at the wedding to witness Sookie’s participation. Both Steve and Sarah are in hiding.
They know Sookie is telepathic and lives in Louisiana. They seem to have an understanding of the the Vampire Hieratchy works, and Sookie’s relationship with Eric is no secret.
Secondly, they know how important she is to both Vamps and Weres/Shifters. If Luna could find out where Sookie lived by the little info she had to go on, so could they. It wouldn’t be far fetched that they use Arlene as bait, without Arlene knowing it. I think the “spilled blood” refence refers to Sookie’s supernatural friends comming to her rescue/help.
Thirdly, they could see this as an opportunity to attack both the vamps and weres/shifters. They would know she’s dating a high profile vampire witch only adds more fuel to the fire.
The reference to “what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice…” I think referns to the residents of Bon Temps. The police force was already prejudiced and corrupt to begin with. Bud never agreed with Sookie’s choices of partners and was all together suspicious of her. Alcee Beck took brides and didn’t really like Sookie. He also has doesn’t like vamps. I think there will be a divide among the residents as to whom will support and condemn Sookie. There may even be tampering of evidence in some form. For some reason, I don’t think Andy would back stab Sookie.
Those are my thoughts. I’m not getting into the Eric situation.
@Samara
I certainly hope CH doesn’t pull in things only addressed in short stories outside the book series. It really annoyed me that she did that with the wedding then referred to it as if we knew had read the story. I for one didn’t even know about the story and no where did it reference where you could read about the wedding. If it is that important to the series, it should be in the books or at least have a reference pointing the reader to it. If she uses something from that story as a critical piece to this mystery, I’m not going to be a happy reader at all. JMHO
Other than that, what you have makes complete sense and would be a great mystery for the ending. I could only wish it would be the main focus of the last book.
The wedding reference was just a small part of the big pictur, I mentioned it because Sookie is again seen supporting a group they protest. FOTS were even metioned in DL – throwing paint on Fangtasia, blaming the vamps for the killing of that girl. I don’t think it’s over with them and it may never be. But I just felt that the whole FOTS subplot died out and I was left wondering what happened to them and I think it would be a great way to tie up that loose end. I don’t think Charlaine Harris bringing them up again is by coincidence. At the end of LDID Bill’s speech about the FOTS sounded like foreshadowing.
That’s just what I think.
loving all this food for thought, but I still think that Claudine reappears as the Angel she hoped to be and somehow impacts the story line. wasn’t there some mention of a character thought to be deceased returning? I am a little worried about the significance of Sookie making her will though and I still hope that she gets her wish to be a mother ( maybe Claudine assists in her getting pregnant to Eric) Angels have been known to do this in the past! hmmmmmmmmm……… but I agree, she either ends up with Eric or alone and Sookie deserves to be happy after all the pain and heartache she has experienced. Please let it be the HEA she deserves.
Eric has human descendants. It’s always possible that Niall would bring a doppleganger to Sookie so she can have a child. Look what happened with Adele. There’s also Amelia to consider. Who is to say that if a child is what Sookie really wants that Amelia can’t send her back to meet Eric when he is still human and on the road back from meeting his future wife (wouldn’t that be too ironic considering QOK)? This is a supernatural story and if Sookie would just embrace her supernatural side, all things would be possible. I’ve always thought Sookie’s biggest problem was Sookie. She’s said many times she can’t be with a human man. She knows she is different and the humans around her don’t really accept her. She is also aware of the supernaturals around her. Yet Sookie’s biggest problem with all of the supernaturals is when they show their supernatural sides. She is even apprehensive when she sees it in Sam. I don’t think this has to do with them as much as it has to do with Sookie not being able to accept that side of herself. She’s still very much the little girl at school being picked on and rejected because she’s different. Deep down there is a side of Sookie that wants to be normal still and until she accepts who she is, she will never be happy with anyone else – no matter what they are. That’s why love is never enough for her.
Oh hell yes…Spot on analysis of the inner Sookie. Talks a lot of tolerance, but can be extremely INtolerant of other supes’ ways
In the last 3 books there’s no doubt that bill is playing Sookie emotionally. To me everything out of bill’s mouth is the epitome of sly, twisty, and hurtful to Sookie. He still wants control over Sookie and is doing everything he can to undermine her trust and love for Eric. In DL he came out and told her he wanted to turn her, be her maker. That went over with dead silence from Sookie, so he quickly amended what he said. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t working for Freyda or Felipe and has been promised Sookie as his reward.
I do think there will be a major betrayal from bill and I hope he dies for it. I really want Sookie to stake the bastard.
Maybe bill kills Sam, he’s always been jealous of Sam. In book 5 DAAD he attacked Sam when Sam’s leg was broken, because he walked in on Sookie and Sam kissing, this was after he knew Sookie and Eric had been lovers in book 4. bill may think Sookie’s use of the CD is proof of her love for Sam and sends him into a killing rage. (something he could never accomplish with a vampire as old as Eric)
I don’t think the death of Arlene is a major enough character or respected enough in town to cause a major disturbance to the people of Bon Tempe. Sam would be, he contributes to the town. The CD is a double edged sword too? I do believe Arlene could be a cats paw for FOTS and can see her as a vicious mouth piece…pointing her finger at Sookie. I can see the FOTS trying to use the death of Sam to turn the sup’s against the vamps or to get rid of Sookie and in the end having it backfire on them. It would be an easy way for CH to tie them off.
The death would have to be someone important enough in the sup community to generate the need for a blood debt. Sam fits that need. Sookie is known for helping all sups, so it’s about time they finally stand behind her. Also the whole were pack saw her save Sam. (but that may not be admissible as evidence in a human court of law?)
Maybe the vamps remain quiet because they know it was bill? Felipe want to keep his money earner? I still believe that bill was involved in the death of Kim Roe, how could he not have smelled Jannalynn, if she was the killer? He was outside guarding the house and bill has an excellent sense of smell or was he part of the plot to pin it on Eric and working with Claude and Jannalynn? Did Felipe order bill to do it? That wrap up on Kim’s death was at best poorly done, but I believe CH did that on purpose.
CRAP…I didn’t know we weren’t going to get a pre-christmas taste? Damn…May is a long way off!
“To me everything out of bill’s mouth is the epitome of sly, twisty, and hurtful to Sookie.” That’s because thats all that Bill is. In my perfect world, he’d meet the TD in DEA.
We can only hope
One question I have that I did not see here in this thread.
Who benefits most by getting Sookie out of the way?
If Eric used his marriage to Sookie to get out of a marriage with OK. OK would know, through royal circles, of Sookie, her telepathy and her association with Eric. Perhaps OK plots to set up Sookie for murder to clear the way for her marriage to Eric?
I don’t believe OK would set up Sookie. Sookie is too valuable as a telepath and if anything, OK would want Sookie AND Eric. If she managed to get Sookie, Eric AND Bill, she would get a significant chunk of FdC’s power. If however she were to set Sookie up for murder, I believe FdC would be very upset – not because he’s promised to protect Sookie for saving his life, but because he’d lose an advantage over other vampires.
I still believe that Eric has something planned with FdC to overthrow OK. At the wedding most of her higher ups will be gathered and it is the perfect vulnerable moment for FdC to strike. That gains him the state and the oil. It frees Eric of the contract. It has to be done just right so that FdC can say he still has dominion over Eric (which may revert back if OK dies) and can lay claim to OK, the state, because all heirs are dead. He did it to SA to get LA and AK so I don’t see why he wouldn’t do it to get OK. He needs that money for LA to rebuild it.
As for Bill, I can definitely see him going in with OK to get Sookie back. I don’t trust anything out of his mouth. What he said about Eric and Niall completely contradicted what Niall told Sookie himself. He contradicted himself about OK within pages. And I still don’t believe Dermot was a reliable source about Eric. His mind was completely messed up by Claude who had plenty of motive to break Sookies love for Eric. He wanted the whatever was in Sookie’s house and Eric would have been a powerful enemy if he had tried to go up against Sookie to get it. He needed Eric out of the way, but he couldn’t do it directly, so he got Dermot to tell her Eric was spying on her. That by the way contradicted what Niall told her earlier, which was that he knew Eric for hundreds of years, had him watching her and asked him to bring her to him. He even told her Eric wouldn’t agree to that unless he knew why. He told her that Eric did not know she was related to him. He also told her that Eric wasn’t a bad man, he loved her and that she was his one weakness. He even tested Eric by telling him about the CD which Eric neither took or forced her to use. Eric might have gotten frustrated because Sookie wanted him to risk his life by refusing OK but she wasn’t willing to use the CD to do it, but he never even directly said he knew she had it and thought she should offer it. She figured that out on her own.
I still smell a rat with Bill. He’s as twisty as Claude and look what trusting Claude got her.
I’m pretty much down with whatever happens but I will be sorely disappointed if we get hardly any Eric in this book since it will be the last time EVER to read anything new about Eric Northman.
Am I the only reader who thinks Sophie-Ann is not dead???
I question this because Seabert survived the take-over from FdC. It’s implied that Victor was lying the night of the coupe when he told Eric that his Queen was dead. I do believe Quinn killed Andre, because Eric told Sookie that the Queen was healing but was hampered by her grief for Andre. The Bert’s were never very smart, just big and powerful and were perfect for QSA’s body guards. However they were also her children and she had the ability to communicate telepathically with them. I think Seabert got the queen away and hid her until she re-grew her legs.
Seabert would never have left Sophie-Ann’s side, (alive or dead) unless she told him to. I think QSA sent Seabert to check up on Eric and he got wind (via Victor?) that FdC was with Eric? Not being smart, Seabert would have attacked both Eric and deCastro as any right minded Saxon warrior of limited brains would do. Sookie got him first.
Eric liked Sophie-Ann and they had an understanding to leave Eric in peace in his little corner of Louisiana. Eric is a really smart vamp and he must have wondered and questioned the Queen’s death after Seabert’s attack? Hell I’m just a reader and I sure do! Also Mr.C may know about the Queen and has had a part in her recovery and that’s why he’s being chased? Maybe that’s a no-no for demons or part demons to be involved in Vamp politics? Maybe Niall let Eric know QSA was alive in that last little talk they had? (we as readers were not informed of what Niall said)
If Queen Sophie-Ann (with legs) shows up to clean up FdC…I will be one satisfied reader. Eric’s sworn Queen supersedes anything FdC can order him to do with Oklahoma.
Maybe the silence from her vampire friends are the Louisiana Vamps planning to turn the tables on FdC?
Sophie-Ann liked Sookie. She made Andre apologize to Sookie (unheard of in the vamp world) a mere human, for trying to force a blood bond on her.
CH really developed QSA into a very likable character, giving her a background very similar to things Sookie as a woman has endured. (I loved that SA was taking her shoes off, or looking for them…lol) I can believe with QSA back in power Eric and Sookie would have a chance of a HEA.
In ‘All Together Dead’ (one of my favorite books) I really came to like the Queen and so did Sookie. I so want FdC to bite the dust as in finally dead along with bill.
Sure would wrap up on a great note….I’ve got my fingers crossed.
I saw Twilight last night and it made me miss Sookie so much. I don’t know why everyone wants Sookie to get married and have kids ( I am married and have 2 kids) I feel like people think that is the only way for her to be happy and I think that is lame. This place is just about the only one with readers who don’t think that way.
Here is another thing I have been thinking about. I think the mystery of the SVM books is trying to figure out the mystery that is romantic love. Bill is the teenage idea I’d love that Edward is.
I think CH is trying to say something about what it is to be in and adult long lasting relationship which is why she will end up with Eric.
I agree that the SVM series is about Sookie figuring out the mystery of love. She spends an inordinate amount of time on the subjects as the narrator and the mysteries only serve to drive her quest for figuring out love and relationships.
I think Sookie’s relationship with Bill is the most mysterious of all. In the first two books it is definitely the stuff of teenage love which makes sense because Sookie hasn’t had a relationship before that. She’s very dreamy about him and he appears this courteous Southern gentleman who finally offers her love and peace after a life of rejection by humans. He’s her hero with her uncle and so becomes somewhat of a Lancelot. That drastically changes in book 3 and her reaction is why I say her relationship to him is the most mysterious of all. She finds out this guy has been betraying her all long with Lorena, that he was brought to BT by SA to spy on her and seduce her, that he gives money to his relatives while she is struggling to survive and then he practically drains her and rapes her without showing any remorse after he regains his senses. Not only does Sookie talk to him after that, she sometimes gets sentimental about him even though he never acknowledges what he did and shows remorse. He tries to explain the Lorena situation and his spying for SA,but he never addresses that. For all of his proclamations of love and his watching from afar, I can’t even conceive of how she can speak to him or look at him again after what he almost drained her and raped her. CH graphically describes that scene and there is no mistaking how horrible it is for Sookie or how traumatizing. It makes me think that what her uncle did to her has really messed up how she is able to see the actions of men, because otherwise she would have kicked Bill straight to the curb and let his head bounce off the concrete if she didn’t stake him. Her complete transference of responsibility to Debbie Pelt is beyond my comprehension. Yes, Debbie had responsibility for what she did, but it did not absolve Bill of recognizing what he did and acknowledging it appropriately. It also doesn’t absolve Sookie of recognizing that Bill did that to her and never accepted responsibility for what he did. That is one of the biggest reasons I don’t see Sookie as a strong woman. I think she’s a woman with serious issues. I think unconciously part of her draw to Eric is the bond she feels due to what Ocella did to him. It’s similar to the bond she felt with SA because she had also been a victim of abuse.
I’m also amazed at CH’s treatment of that scene and its consequences. In the Sookie Stakehouse Companion that scene isn’t even mentioned under Bill’s profile. No matter who wrote that book, CH was involved with it and allowed that. It’s like she doesn’t consider that scened important which is completely perplexing considering her background.
I can’t accept Bill as any teenage idea of love. If I had a girl who thought that kind of guy was her teenage idea of love, I’d have to have a serious talk with her. I can’t accept Bill as any idea of love after what happened and I really liked the character of Bill prior to book 3. I personally believe the whole reason AB didn’t have Bill rape Sookie in the back of the van on TB is because he would have had to make him a full on villian or kill him off. No audience could have watched CH’s scene in that trunk and ever have been able to stomach Bill as any romatic idea again. You see what AB did to Franklin Mott? That’s what he would have had to do to Bill. Franklin was a fantastic twisted villian in TB, but he had to die after what he did to Tara. There was no question.
@Zanne – you raise some interesting points. While it is true that the trunk rape is left out of Bill’s character profile in the Companion, it is described as rape and an almost draining in the description of the events of Club Dead, and as physical assault in Sookie’s character bio.
I think Sookie is a classic example of an unacknowledged rape victim – a response to rape that is not that uncommon, particularly with acquaintance rape. She doesn’t think of herself as a rape victim, although I don’t think she’d deny what happened as technically being rape.
IMO, Ms. Harris deliberately wrote the scene in a specific way to create grey areas. As much as I dislike Bill, I can admit he was not himself when the rape occurred – he had been tortured and starved. This doesn’t make Sookie any less hurt or traumatized by the event, though. She’s still been raped, and nothing will change that. I also think CH wrote Sookie’s response to the rape very deliberately – perhaps to spark thoughts and discussions like this one?
That’s where I’m going with this. I think the biggest mystery to the series is why she does this. To me it is an indicator that she hasn’t healed from what her uncle did and she has some pretty messed up notions about what is ok and what is not – when it comes to how men treat her. In my mind she’s projected all accountability onto Debbie because she simply can’t handle the fact that her first love did that to her and wouldn’t even acknowledge what a horrible thing he did.
My issue with Bill is not that he did it because I’m perfectly aware that he wasn’t himself. My issue is the way he brushes it off after it happens. I believe he says, “Oh no” and that’s it. He never says he is sorry and he never talks to her about it later. I think what particularly disturbed me about that was the fact that he killed her uncle for having molested her so he is aware that it is wrong. He hasn’t been a vampire long enough to accept that behavior as Eric does. To me that is wholly inconsistent with the manner in which he handles what he did to Sookie. He spends all this time trying to explain Lorena and spying for SA, but nothing about what he did in that trunk. If it hadn’t been for that, I would have just said Bill was a cheater and a liar, but not a rapist. It’s something I have never been able to reconcile about this series and it bothers me no end.
As for the omission in the Companion – I’m sorry but I can’t forgive that. It’s too big of an action by a character (along with his later actions) to be left out. I don’t believe for a minute that was forgetfulness. I think that was deliberate so we wouldn’t dwell on it. It’s unbelievable to me that such a hideous act was only brought up that briefly in CD. More was made of her torture by the two faeries her resulting trauma from it.
Again, I think it’s an unconcious part of her bond with Eric. SA calls it what it is but Eric acts like it is no big deal and gives excuses for Ocella’s behavior. He respects and feels a bond to Ocella anyway. That strikes me as very similar to how Sookie treats the incident with Bill. I don’t think she’s aware of it, but it certainly stood out to me.
I have a few theories based on the book cover. I do want her to end up with Eric, that would be just perfect. But I do have to admit that it may not happen.
I think Sookie wants to have kids as much as any woman would want to. But she’s never been that normal, right? Maybe that’s what she thinks she needs to be normal. She’s never fully accepted that she is part fae. In the cover, she is not looking for Sam or Quinn. We can only see Quinn’s tail and I think that it means that he will not be part of a large portion of the book. Also, he is covered by a rose. “Every rose has its thorn”, right? Maybe that means that he is not so perfect for her and no matter what he does or says in this book, they won’t be together after all. Perhaps she finds something bittersweet about him. Maybe he dies, maybe not. I hope he doesn’t, I don’t fully dislike him, I just don’t think he is for her.
On the other hand, we see Sam, but he is guarding her back. Maybe that is a reference to the fact that he will always be there to take care of her even if she doesn’t realize it. I do believe he will have to pay for the CD, it would be fair, I just don’t know how. I can see that Sookie is somehow looking at Alcide. Maybe that means that in this time of trouble, he will be her hero. Not in a romantic way, I don’t think they belong together, but yeah, perhaps he is the one who helps her solve the mystery and brings justice to BT. I think the vampires going away reflect the distance Eric will experience with Sookie. Maybe those vamps aren’t exactly Eric or Pam, maybe they mean her problems with vampires. Perhaps FdC goes away or the QoO or Bill.
I can see that she isn’t looking towards the sun. I think this means she is not choosing to be entirely human. I also believe that Sookie is looking at someone we can’t see. She is not fully staring at Alcide or at anyone in the cover. Maybe this is someone coming after her, to stop her from doing something she is about to do, and she realizes just in time. I hope that person is Eric.
Bill is definitely out of the question, how could she be happy with him? I think he’ll die or go away. It would be for the best. I think the murder victim will be someone from BT, a regular person, not a supe or vamp. I hope that Eric has a plan and he doesn’t marry Freyda, ugh. I do believe Claudine comes back, maybe Niall does too. Maybe SA isn’t dead after all.
My crazy theories about the end are:
1. Sookie ends up alone and finds out that she can be happy on her own.
2. The father of Hadley’s son dies and somehow Sookie is the one who has the responsibility to take care of the kid. Maybe she ends up with Eric.
3. Eric marries Freyda and goes away, but somehow she dies after a few years and comes back to BT, Sookie will be alone and they will reunite. (Perhaps she has Haldey’s son too).
4. Sookie lives a normal life and Eric takes care of her from the distance, and when she is about to die, he comes back and tells her he always loved her for one last time </3
5. Sookie becomes a vampire. Ends up with Eric. (This would be too Twilight, I know).
6. Sookie finds a way to stay young forever without becoming a vampire (maybe a gift from the fae) and maybe she finds a way to have Eric's baby.
7. Maybe she dreamt it or she is telling her daughter about the crazy adventures she had when she was young.
I really really really don't buy an ending where Sookie stays as a human with Eric. He would be all gorgeous and young and after a few years she would be all covered in wrinkles? Nah, I don't think it is a happy ending. I prefer a tragic one, a more Romeo and Juliet thing instead of that one.
I just hope that this book has Eric's POV. If he is going to be away, at least we deserve that. I think that the main challenge for Sookie is to acknowledge the choice she has to make in every aspect of her life, especially when it comes to accepting the fact that she is not entirely human.
I hope Arlene dies.
Hey! Maybe Jason and his wife die and Sookie has to take care of their baby.
I don't think Sookie will have a human's child if she is going to be a mother.
I hope CH won't seek for her "perfect ending" without considering all the Eric/Sookie fans out there. I will burn my books if Sookie ends up with Sam, seriously. It's just lame. 12 books about everything but loving Sam, so that in the end she chooses him? Nah, I think Alcide is more likely than him.
Sorry for the huge post c: it's just that I've been thinking about this for a long time haha.
Hi Nezzlie. In your post, you have a lot of bases covered for Sookie’s ending. There are a couple we can eliminate right away, based on things we know because the author has already ruled them out. For instance, we know Sookie will never become a vampire. CH has been saying this for many years now, and has never been ambiguous about it – so I think we can take that one to the bank. Also, she has said more than once that Sookie will not end the series alone – she will have a HEA of some sort – so that’s good news as well. Ms. Harris has also said definitively that Sookie will live a normal human life span – her life will not be lengthened by magical means.
Much as I think Sookie would be a kind and caring parent, I think it would be pretty tragic indeed for Hunter or Jason’s hypothetical child to be orphaned in order for that to be satisfied. I’m also of the opinion that, while Sookie would probably like to have a child, she wouldn’t want to risk passing along the telepathy she has viewed as a curse most of her life, nor would she want to endanger the life of any child by exposing it the violence of the world she inhabits. And, of course, if she chooses to spend her life at Eric’s side, then she certainly won’t be having his child – that’s impossible in the Sookieverse. I suppose adoption or AI would be a possibility, but then we go back to the danger thing. So, IMO, Sookie will not be a parent. But I’m firmly of the opinion that doesn’t mean she won’t be happy. Lots and lots of women live perfectly happy and fulfilling lives without raising children.
With all the Bill-bashing going on I have to get my fix…Where is it, exactly, where all these rabid Bill fans profess their undying love for him??! No seriously, someone point me to their dark, nasty little hides-holes because I REALLY need a good laugh. Help me out, lol
[...] are already starting to appear. So are some spoilers – or at least the synopis – for Dead Ever After, Charlaine Harris’ final Sookie Stackhouse [...]
love that last post Nezzie, lots of interesting things there. The only reason I wanted her to have a child is because ( and I can’t remember which one) there was a book where everyone was getting pregnant, having babies and Sookie was reflecting on the fact that she’d be a dam good mother if she had kids- I want her to get what she wants- I want some happiness after all the pain and brutality she has endured- if she is happy without kids then fine- great- I certainly don’t believe women only find happiness through child bearing and rearing ( no sireee bob!) just want sookie to have the life she wants and I am so obsessed with the best alpha male fictional character ever conceived ‘ERIC NORTHMAN’!- I would love her to ideally have his child ( if she was going to have one)- but I am being overly idealist there…I know- but I can dream cant I ?
i think Sookie will take care of KIDS. but not specifically have to be hers. Like taras twins and MOST PROBABLY HUNTER. I dont think that it will be hers or eric’s. Which is very the CONVENTIONAL HAPPY ENDING and which CH does not want to have.
BUT IM PRETTY SURE. As a writer myself. And with all the hinting and foreshadowing that CH made… that ERIC WILL BE WITH SOOKIE.
One way or another.
And im happy with that.
As a writer, I’ve always seen this as well. CH has spent so much of the series on Eric and Sookie (even when they are apart it is always circling back to them) that it is impossible for me to see her pulling off anything else without it seeming too abrupt. Even Alcide at this point would be out of left field. The only chance she would have had would be to tell the last book from the distant future looking back on her life with Eric leaving for OK and Sookie eventually ending up with Sam, but given the synopsis that is not happening. So at this point only Eric is viable. She would need more than 300 pp to pull off anything else.
Personally, I don’t think she’ll tie up the child question or the aging question.
it would also be VERY weird if she could read her children’s minds…….
and vice versa . . . that would be the definition of awkward and painful.
I’m so tired of this Eric page time, give me more Eric whining. It’s not Eric’s story. It’s Sookie’s story. It’s her life’s journey. The books are not romance novels. There is no guarantee of an HEA at all. Unless CH kills Sookie in the final book, her life will go on regadless of who she’s involved with. Stop making these books about some guy.
Is this addressed to anyone in particular? *scratches head*
yeah, this seems sort of random…
Anyway, Actually there IS a guarantee for a HEA of some kind, by Word of God (ie CH herself).
Plus many readers, me included, feel that as much as this is not JUST a romance series, the romance side is a very integral, I would say essential part of the story, and kind of a vehicle for Sookie’s whole journey. The fact that it’s the thing 99% of the readers care about most, kinda proves it. And CH knows it because she wrote it that way intentionally.
And people wanting more Eric, that’s intentional too.
Like SVB, I wonder who you are directing the comment too but since it could be all of us here at SVB then I will answer. If you have read the whole series leading up to the final book then you would know that Sookie’s story has had quite of Eric in it. He has been a major part of her life and her growth. Furthermore, as major fans of Sookie, we want her happy and part of her happiness is with Eric, so her inner thoughts tell me. All books are about ‘some guy’ in almost every story written. CH might have intended that this series not be a romance novel but in a sense it is because Sookie wants a romance. There is a guranteen of a HEA as most books give one but it won’t be a conventional one that we are used to seeing in books. Like it or not,Eric has been a major factor in Sookie’s life and I do not see that going anywhere so of course people want Eric page time especially since there will be multiple POV’s as he is the man (romatically speaking) Sookie is extremely close to.
I think that it’s going to be Sookie. she made out her will in the last one.
There’s not a chance that Sookie is going to die. CH has already said that both she and Eric survive the series – the only characters for whom she’s made such a guarantee, btw.
Does anyone even see what sookie is doing on the cover? She is meeting the sun.
But as a human, “meeting the sun” won’t hurt her a bit.
Feel free to join the cover art discussion here http://www.sookieverseblog.com/2012/10/19/dead-ever-after-cover-revealed/
While I agree that it seems clear to me that it can only be Eric and Sookie, what I AM worried about is that we will have another book with barely any Sookie and Eric page time?!? It is our last book with them…I would hate to read a whole book with almost no Eric only to have him whipped out at the end. I don’t want all the filler. This is the last book, let’s finally get rid of all the extraneous stuff now that we have gotten here and make this one count. A mystery is fine, but I don’t need to have every character paraded back through – we just had more than enough of that in DL!
Question though…Did someone say that the last book is going to be written from multiple points of view, other than Sookie’s? Did I misunderstand that??
Hi Annabelle
Charlaine Harris, did confirm that there would ( for the first time in the series) be other points of view in the final book. Here is a comment she made at her official site:
“3117 Maker 2012-08-22 12:25
I confirm that, myself. There are a few sections from other points of view in DEAD EVER AFTER. It was too big a story to tell without them. Most of the book is in Sookie’s voice.
Charlaine Harris the Allknowing (at least in DEA terms)”
I also hope for a lot of Sookie/Eric page time. The two of them together are what makes these books so addicting for so many of us.
Amen Anabelle!
Ha, it’s late, I didn’t mean for the first line of my last post to sound like I am agreeing with myself! Although I am generally happier when I do so perhaps it is a good thing
DDR says:
Moreover, i don’t like how CH belittles our supports for Eric and how the last two books has opened the door for Eric’s nay sayers to celebrate Eric and Sookie’s failing relationship and made even the most neutral readers think it is the best for Sookie to give up on Eric.
As CH has said many times in the past. They are her characters and she does not need help writing her Sookie books. I find it disturbing that some of you are still hung up on hating the Bill character when some of you have said yourself that Eric was distant. You all kill me with that Team Eric/Team Bill stuff. Team Eric comes up with every excuse to defend Eric being an ass, just as the Team Bill contingent tries to explain the trunk rape. I will be glad these books are ending. The last 3 have been horrible, maybe even more than 3. Sookie needs a lovelife that doesn’t include Vampire Danger and near death experiences, she reads minds, so a human is not an option at this point. Is it so hard to accept that Sookie and Eric are over and perhaps she can be happy by herself?
The Team Bill contingent seems to think Bill and Sookie will be back together. Really? My only wish is that all the main characters stay alive. God forbid she kills off Bill or Eric, then I have to live the rest of my life watching all the Team participants STILL fighting. IMHO I think it’s Bill that dies. Something just tells me that. I stated as much on a Bill blog and was run out of town, lol. I mean no disrespect to all the E/S lovers. It’s just that from an outside perspective, all of you, including Team Bill, bites anyone’s heads off that disagrees.
It also seems that since the HBO Series came out CH panders to that with some things written into the books if I remember correctly.
BTW I’m Team TV Alcide.
Good luck with an E/S HEA. Love the Sookieverse blog page too.
How lovely of you to stop by. *waves*
And I thought you are not into teams, “Team TV Alcide”? *facepalm*
I hope she ends up with a were…tiger. Im over vampires always getting the girl.
I’m assuming you mean in other fictional stories with vampires?
IMO, the Quinn ship sailed several books ago…
quinn
My predictions from the cover image are this: there are three bats (which I’ve always interpretted as vamps), a dog (Sam), a wolf (alcide), & a tiger (Quinn) around sookie while she walks alone into the sunset in a garden like scene. I’m thinking all of her suitors will re-emerge a final time just for them all to be turned down. For some reason I see sookie deciding to ultimately go to Faery since she’s always felt like an outsider with humans & feels at home with the supes (especially the fae who feel best around their own kind).
As far as the murder, I’m thinking Arlene bites the dust. There’s been too much bad blood between them for fingers not to be pointed at sookie should Arlene be killed.
Nice spec, but I don’t believe going to the land of the Fae is an option. Humans are not favored by the Fae. Also,whether she ends up with one of the suitors or not, Sookie loves her brother, friends and her home and would not want to leave these things behind to live with beings who not only killed her parents but tried to kill her as well. A lot of posts have stated that Arlene is the one killed which wouldn’t bother me much but the synopsis said it was “a shocking murder that rocks Bon Temps. Arlene being murdered wouldn’t shake up the town. Sheriff Dearborne or Alcee Beck, maybe?
Did anyone see this?
http://sookiestackhousebooks.com/sookie-stackhouse-books-in-order/
Title: Dead Ever After
Description: When former Merlotte’s waitress Arlene asks for her job back it’s not hard for Sookie to say no. I mean honestly, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. What IS hard to understand though is Eric’s attitude toward Sookie. Why is he being so cold toward her? But that’s nothing compared to the horrific murder that occurs which Sookie gets blamed for. So when she’s eventually released from jail due to lack of evidence she makes it her business to discover the identity of the murderer. What she learns about the murder is bad enough. What she learns about Eric is earth shattering
I’ve googled portions of it and nothing comes up except that site. If you read the descriptions they’ve posted further up the page for earlier books, they’ve made them all up themselves.
Essentially, for DEA they’ve got the official synopsis and taken the liberty of assuming that the nameless vampires ignoring her is just Eric, and that there’s going to be some huge bomb about Eric at the end of the series (which Charlaine has already said there won’t be).
Site run by Bill fans would be my guess hahaha. Check out the “True Blood Rocks” in the banner. Clearly they aren’t really all that into the books.
(breathing a huge sigh of relief) Thanks so much for taking the time to clarify this!
I love when people rewrite the “official” synopsis for their own spin. The synopsis is going to be tantalizing but obscure enough that people will buy the book. Otherwise, if it gave the game away, no one would bother. It’s all about business.
The official synopsis says “He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.” Despite what the Billifiles think, this includes Bill. Bill has always been part of Eric’s vampires. Not that I don’t think that we will have a straightforward path to Sookie and Eric. I think something big is going to be revealed with Eric and Freyda and then another big reveal before the end (probably with Eric, Freyda and FdC). We’ve seen this before where things look one way to her only to be revealed another way. Personally, I don’t see Eric’s story playing out without a lot of major angst on his part and Sookie’s. I also see another big vamp blowout coming. But that’s just me. CH can always take a different path. She’s the Maker and she can do what she wants.
I did stumble across a section in Dead and Gone after Bill’s Big Bad is revealed to Sookie in the hospital. “And I was amazed, at the same moment, to realize that the pull of his maker, Lorena, had been even stronger than the orders of his queen.”
Harris, Charlaine (2006-05-02). Definitely Dead: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel (Kindle Locations 2759-2760). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
That’s pretty unsettling as pertains to Eric and his comments about Appius and his hold over him even in death. It definitely gives me something to think about. However, I know that the contract can turn out to be a ruse by QOK and possibly others. If Sookie did find out Bill and QOK were in on something like that together, she would be devastated.
As for who is killed, I think it will be Arlene although that wouldn’t shock the town. Shocking the town would be Andy Bellefleur or Portia or Bud. But I don’t see Sookie being the lead suspect with any of them. Alcee is possible but I can’t see his death rocking the town. He’s not that integral a part of the town. I kind of think this will be a let down for us. Just a feeling.
By the way, did anyone see this?
After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris (Oct 29, 2013)
No synopsis yet. So maybe the next book isn’t the HEA but After Dead is?
@Zanne – “After Dead” is what CH has been referring to as the Coda. According to a post she made on the amazon.com discussion forums, she had intended for it to be included in the paperback edition of DEA, but her publisher thought it would make a nice stand alone stocking stuffer item. It will feature a Sookie Stackhouse alphabet by Lisa Desimini, the artist who has done all the US SVM cover art.
She has said previously that the Coda/”After Dead” will tie up loose ends that she couldn’t get to in DEA. I would doubt very seriously that includes Sookie’s HEA.
There’s an “After Dead” thread in the forum for more discussion. http://www.sookieverseblog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2721
After reading several of the comments I feel the need to point out that the short stories “If I had a Hammer” and “Playing Possum” both take place after the events of Dead Ever After.
Also while I would be happier if she ended up with Sam more than anyone else I’m not sure that is going to happen.
Hi Leslie – we know that now, but this post (and a good chunk of the comments) is from back in November…we only found out about where the shorts fit in the timeline about month ago.
Hi, SVM fans!
I have just finished reading all the books and I am waiting the last one, as you all are, with mix feelings. I so hate endings of any kind!!!! But eventually everything comes to an end unfortunately!
I have read most of the thoughts you have about DEA and I would like to share my own with you.
Looking at the cover and thinking about everything that has happened up till now I have reached the conclusion that DEA will break my romantic heart for sure. Of course I would love Sookie and Eric to find a way to be together but I don’t think this will happen. As Bon Jovi sings – this ain’t a love story after all. Yes they love each other but this is an impossible love. There is no way for them to be together as more than….let’s say friends for lack of a better term. Sookie doesn’t want to be a vampire and she had said so to Eric. So he will choose to ruin his life to be with her for several years and then what and at what cost? This is just not his pragmatic self. CH has said that Sookie will live a normal human span of life so this is the last nail in the coffin of my hope for them to have a chance of a HEA. As the author has hinted, Sookie will most likely end up alone. I am alone and very happy of the fact, but I will be sad of this ending. There were so many men wanting her and one by one they are moving on leaving her be.
At this point it really doesn’t matter whether or not Eric marries Freida. Even if he finds a way out, then what?! He stays with Sookie till she is old and dies? I just don’t see it! He is not Edward! He is not the “prince on the white horse” and that’s why we like him.
So all in all I really want to read what happens, but it’s not the bitter-sweet taste of the ending that I have, it’s just the bitter expectancy of the inevitable.
At the end of DL I just wanted to throw my book out because I was soooo mad! I am mad at Eric, for showing less than the courage I expect him to, by wanting her to use the CD for solving their problems, instead of fighting for their love and freedom. I was devastated of the way he looked at her, before leaving on her birthday. I was mad at Sookie for being so moral, if that’s even the exact word. Why the hell doesn’t she want to become a vampire and stay with Eric if she loves him so much?! Or even asking Naill to make her immortal, like a fairy? Maybe this is not even possible, but she has never even thought of that. What was the point of their love? Just to realize it is impossible? Knowing herself it should have been clear to her from the very beginning! Then why does she want him to choose her instead of the queen? To satisfy her ego?! There is no reason for him to risk the life of his people and his own by choosing her after knowing she just doesn’t wanna stay with him. Because I see it that way. He is a thousand years old. Her life span is just a blink of an eye for him. Yes, he will probably never meet anyone like her, but she will die of old age soon enough anyway.
I really, really feel bad for him, but what can I do
If I want a happy ending, I will probably have to read just romance novels right?!
CH has never hinted that Sookie will end up alone. In fact, she’s confirmed that she won’t.
And their love is only impossible if your idea of a satisfying conclusion is Twilight (ie ridiculusly “perfect” fairytale ending). It’s not like there’s no other option between that and a “misery, despair and loneliness” ending LOL
I have read somewhere that CH said in an interview that that is nothing wrong for Sookie to be alone at the end, but maybe it was an old one or it was just an idea…I don’t know. If I find it, I’ll post it.
And I don’t think that either of their lives will end if they don’t end up together , but I just don’t see how. I can’t picture Eric with her in her old age, but may be I don’t understand love you’ll say. In this scenario however Eric will seem ridiculously “perfect” to me and I just can’t picture him in that role. He is proud that she is beautiful and when they went to Victor’s club he said that everyone will envy him that he is with her. Well how would he feel when she is old and wrinkled? Well may be, hopefully, there is a way for a HEA, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Nevertheless I will be pleased if you decide to share you ideas on what the other option between Twilight and a depressing horror movie is
We know for sure that Sookie won’t be alone. Of course, it would be fine if she was – Sookie said so in DL – but she’d like to have someone to share her life with, so I expect CH to deliver on that.
I disagree with your assessment that Eric wouldn’t stay with Sookie as she ages. He’s certainly never been described as shallow. This is someone who’s been on earth for literally a millennium. I think he’s seen aging before, don’t you? I also firmly believe that the things he values most about Sookie – her loyalty, bravery, inner strength, etc. – have little to do with how she looks. Of course, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the way she looks – because he does.
Additionally, your biggest assumption is that only youth is attractive. I think there’s a lot to be said for what wrinkles, etc. mean. And if he loves her – which I’m certain he does – then wouldn’t he want her to live a long happy life? If that means wrinkles and bad hips, then so be it.
On the note of aging, I’d like to throw out there that although Sookie is only a fraction fairy she will still most likely live a much longer life than any human, therefore not aging as rapidly. Her mixed relatives lived for hundreds of years while only looking to be in their 30s and 40s. So I guess I just always assumed the book would end with the implication that they lived a happily ever after for hundreds of years and then I just stop thinking about it too hard because death ruins the romance.
Eric absolutely is shallow and way too proud to strut around with a wrinkled old lady. Take into account that while Sookie is experincing deep emotional turmoil and hurt over the Freyda situation, Eric never once tries to comfort her. He yells at her that he has no choice and then expects her to use the Cluviel D’or to rescue him, getting angry and abandoning her when she uses it to save Sam.
At several points in Deadlocked, Sookie tries to have a real conversation with Eric about their Freyda dilemma and he more or less says, “that’s nice. Let’s have sex!”
I love Eric as much as the next hot-blooded woman but he is hardly a sensitive guy. He is practical, pragmatic and has an extraordinary talent for self preservation. But that’s why he’s managed to survive for over 1,000 years. Eric’s primary concern is Eric and I think that once Sookie proves to be too much of a liability to him, he will find a way to gently (because I do believe he truly loves her) let Sookie go.
@Tara
LOL, since you “love” him so much I’m sure you realize how simplistic and out of context your assesment of Eric in DL is…
Anyway, I’m afraid your prediction is way off, but we’ll see of course…. who knows (yeah right)
Tara,
You’re assessment has no basis in text. If Eric were so shallow then he wouldn’t have bothered with Sookie while she was with other men. He certainly wouldn’t have helped her after she was staked in Club Dead or when the Faeries ate her and cut her. Or after when he sticks with her though her heart isn’t in it for awhile. Why bother? She worked for him before she slept with him. I know CH goes to great lengths to make Sookie appealing but seriously, a handsome successful business man who is a world class lover does not need to settle for a size 10 (most of the time) fairly uneducated waitress who refuses to live in the same city and is always trouble. Why bother? He can get anyone he wants. And if he’s so shallow, he would.
There is no textual proof that he is shallow. In fact, there is a lot textual proof that he is not and it’s been well laid out here. To quote a Southerner, “Wishin’ ain’t getting.’”
Also, your claim that Eric got angry and abandoned Sookie after she used the Cluviel Dor is also unfounded in the text. We have no textual evidence about Eric’s state of mind or where he went after that happened. All Sookie knows is that he is not there. The rest is speculation on everyone’s part.
Eric tells Sookie she’s his wife in the only that way that matters and when he wants to talk about his situation, she doesn’t want to listen. She insists if he loves her enough, he’ll just say no when that is completely unrealistic a the text clearly points out with all of the history of vampire politics. Eric has nothing to gain from this marriage except to be Freyda’s powerless lackey. He will lose all autonomy, his businesses and gain absolutely nothing except to be Freyda’s pet Viking on a leash.
And if Eric was only out for Eric, he wouldn’t bother to keep sending people to protect Sookie. He’d have let her get taken out a long time ago. She’s just a human and you are pretty unrealistic if you think he couldn’t get 1,000 more just like her. If Eric didn’t want some wrinkly old woman, he wouldn’t have agreed not to turn her and he certainly wouldn’t have married her. Again, why bother? He’s well aware that she will age and he will not. He knows she’s frail because he’s seen it over and over. Did he run away? No. He came after her and worried about her over and over. Did he turn her when he had the blood bond and could influence her? No. And let’s not forget his reaction to Renfelds. He held vampires who did that in disdain.
Seriously, there’s a wealth of textual proof that Eric is not shallow or all about Eric. If you want to state that case after all the comments here, please bring the proof.
Zanne, well put.
You bring up the point of Eric knowing Sookie doesnt want to be changed, and he is respecting that. He could change her against her will, as he did Pam. Makes me wonder if maybe he is willing to respect Sookie’s decision because he has learned his lesson. Not because of Pam….but maybe because of Karin. I wonder if he once loved her and changing her against her will caused problems. Its all speculation of course. I just wonder. I am dying to learn more about her and why she isnt around.
I don’t think a Sookie/Alcide relationship is completely off the table. I know that Sookie is angry with him but it’s nothing he can’t fix with some major display of his feelings. And I don’t mean appearing naked in her bed again because that clearly was not the way to go with Sookie; though it can hardly be denied that she felt an attraction to him, even through her annoyance. I believe even Sookie eluded to the fact that she appreciated a naked Alcide and felt a stirring down below but because she was dating Eric and because she wants to be treated like a lady (as well she should!) annoyance trumped lust in that moment. Up until this point, Alcide has played all the wrong cards with Sookie but has shown that he genuinely cares for her and would be good to her if given the chance and when it’s the right time.
Alcide’s problem lately has been that he’s failed to show Sookie what she means to HIM. Instead, he’s very good at calling in a favor from Sookie and showing her how valuable she is to the greater well-being of the supernatural and human worlds alike. I really believe that all it would take for Alcide to win Sookie over would be for him to give her a firm, definite number 1 place in his life.
All Sookie’s ever wanted from a boyfriend/lover whatever you want to call it, is to be his number 1, which is a position she has yet to truly obtain from any of her suitors. Bill proved she was easily replacable by ditching her for his computer program and then for his maker. Quinn chose family over Sookie and while I think she was being childish by dismissing him so quickly, I don’t think Quinn’s “all or nothing” attitude toward his mother and sister did the relationship any favors. Even Eric has failed to truly make Sookie number 1 but he does genuinely love her and is often more concerned with her safety and well-being than his own, which is HUGE for Eric.
Alcide missed his chance when he chose the pack over pursuing a relationship with Sookie. Then using her telepathy to his advantage, to Sookie, was like twisting the proverbial knife. But I think Alcide can undo what he’s done as I believe Sookie does harbor feelings for him. Those feelings just haven’t been allowed to grow because of Eric and because Alcide’s misguided attempts of showing Sookie how important she really is to him.
For me, Alcide is the happily ever after Sookie needs. He can give her children, which she clearly wants, will grow old with her and she can’t read his mind clearly unless he wants her to. That makes him a happy medium between a vampire and a human.
Sam would serve the same purpose but Sookie has quite definitely placed him in the friend zone. She loves Sam but not with the passion that is required of a lasting romantic relationship. She loves Sam as she loves Jason. She probably loves Sam more than Jason but I think I’ve made my point!
As much as I love Eric (who doesn’t love the hunky, gorgeous alpha-male vampire??) I don’t think he is Sookie’s happily ever after; simply because the only way she could be happy with him is if she didn’t have to grow old and wrinkly while he remains young and gorgeous. The only way she can remain young with Eric is if he turns her into a vampire and Sookie has made it abundantly clear that she would rather date Bellanos than join the ranks of the undead.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!!
“1043 duckpond100 2008-09-25 10:25
Kiwigirl, I don’t think Eric is shallow. I think he is determined to watch out for himself, though.
Charlaine Harris
CH doesn’t think Eric is shallow and I don’t either. There you have it from the Maker herself.
As for Alcide? No. Just no.
I don’t find any attraction btw Sookie and Alcide at all. Not anymore. In fact, when Alcide wished it was Sookie who DIED rather than Maria Star – he was dead to me. And Sookie, imo, never looked back.
So, you think Alcide would choose Sookie over the pack? ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t. And I don’t think he should. I’m not a big fan of the weres and their squicky rituals, but Alcide made a commitment to the pack when he became packmaster, and he’s going to have to live up to that promise. That means pack first. Which is why he listens to Jannalynn’s advice about how to draw Sookie further into the pack, and doesn’t think for one second how Sookie might feel about it.
You are of course entitled to your opinion, Tara, but the Sookie/Alcide thing ain’t ever gonna happen.
As for your professed love for Eric, well, let me just say I’m not buying it. I don’t have to think Eric is some romance book hero to see that the obstacles CH has set up as a barrier to a S/E HEA are tailor made for him to put Sookie first. He’s certainly not going to marry Freyda. “She won’t win.”
Alcide? Are we reading the same books…
So, if I understand correctly, Sam is out because he’s firmly in the friend zone, but Alicide isn’t even though Sookie doesn’t even *like* him much? Hokay.
Honestly, I don’t think Sam has much *cough*any*cough* chance of being the HEA, but Alcide nearly got Sookie killed by throwing gas on the flame that was Debbie Pelt, wished her dead, gave her a drug when he had no idea how it would affect her, then put himself uninvited in her bed and thought she was going to like it. I don’t know who is more deluded.
Hahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhahahahaha! *sigh* I really enjoyed reading that.
I cannot tell a lie [well I could but I won't] my prediction for the end of the Sookieverse as we know it is that sookie ends up with hunter’s dad remy savoy. Before you start hootin’ and hollerin’ let me explain. first the cover art, sookie standing in the rising sun looking back at all the creatures of the dark I think she is literally turning her back on all things supernatural and going to live in the light. Now CH has made it clear that sookie doesn’t want to be a creature of darkness so I think she will have sookie end up with a human. There was really no reason to introduce a child into the story so I think CH put him there so that Sookie would have a connection to a human male. and if any of you have ever read her Aurora Teagarden series you could understand my reasoning. in the AT books Aurora meets and marries her dream man early on then a book or so before the end she finds out her husband is being implicated in criminal activities but before they can even talk about it, he gets sick goes into the hospital and dies and all this within about ten pages and AT ends up with a man she met for about three minutes in the first book. Do you see the similarities? I read an interview with CH and she said a lot of fans would be very unhappy but that she had to stay true to her artistic vision [does that sound pompous and pretentious to anyone else?]so since she’s written it that way before there’s no reason to think she wouldn’t do so again. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t think I am. I think that’s why Eric had such a small part in Deadlocked, I think CH was weaning us off him slowly so the end wouldn’t hit us as hard. All I know is that if sookie doesn’t end up with eric I won’t buy another CH book again. It would be the second time she let me down. I will have invested thirteen years in this series, and to have their relationship fall apart when it was time for the payoff would be a crushing disappointment. We followed the eric/sookie story from the first book, they’ve had ups and downs good times and bad but they still hung in there fighting for their relationship, It was heartening to see a couple who didn’t bail at the first sign of trouble, who thought they had something worth fighting for, And with all due respect to CH and her artistic vision, disappointed fans don’t buy books. But it’s a moot point now, the book is written and we’ll just have to wait and see, Though I am tempted to look in the back of the book BEFORE I buy, if it doesn’t end the way I like it will spoil all the previous books for me, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy them as freely as I did.
I don’t think it’s Remy because the one short story about Hunter’s school is after the last book. I don’t think she would act the way she does in that story if she was with Remy. I think others have asked this same thing but we kind of concluded it couldn’t work out that way. It’s in another blog thread on here.
We’ve also talked about what she did with AT. Someone had a quote where CH said she would never do that again where she would invest so much in one male lead then switch to another.
Because of all of that, we thought when she said many fan would be unhappy with the ending of this series, that she meant it would not be Bill (which we also know from another short story CH says happens after DEA). In that story Sookie says she doesn’t want to think about Bill who is an ex of hers.
I think right now the only options based on the artwork on the cover and the end paper are Eric, Alcide, Quinn and Sam. On the Endpaper they are the only ones who appear with her and they are running around the moon, firmly in the dark. So I don’t think she’ll end with a human, but possibly a shifter or were (although I don’t see that as much of a possibility considering what’s happened with Alcide and Quinn and the fact that she refers to Sam as her boss in one of the stories).
@ffeebee – Could not disagree with you more, and it’s easy to tell you why. You’ve forgotten the defining characteristic of Sookie Stackhouse and why she didn’t date human men to begin with – her telepathy. She’s not suddenly going to be okay with dating a human man – and certainly not Remy Savoy, who finds her a little creepy despite how she helps Hunter. How do we know this? Because he *thinks* it and Sookie can hear his thoughts!
Feel free to worry its not going to be an Eric and Sookie HEA – you’re certainly not the only reader I’ve met who does. But Remy? Not gonna happen.
I think the cover might have more to say, than we realize. (the last cover told us the CL was going to open, and it did.) This cover shows Sookie turning her back on Sam(dog), Alcide(wolf), Qwinn(Tiger tail), and the vampires (bats). She’s shown “walking into the sunset”, which itself proves she’ll never be turned. Plus Charlaine said that too. My guess, is yes, Arlene might be the person murdered, but MORE LIKELY, Arlene has someone she knows Sookie cares for, like Quinn, murdered, to get even for SOokie having her boyfriend put in jail for life. And yes, Eric marries the wealthy vampire queen, and breaks away from Sookie. Maybe the series ends, with Sookie having one of two options. Either becoming a vampire/farie hybred, in order to marry KING ERIC (after Eric murders his queen-wife) or having Neall give Sookie a new start, in a new town. With some kind of magic that keeps the telapathy at bay, while allowing Sookie the one thing she wants ANYWAY. A normal life, without supes. Sookie wants to be a mother, and wife, and respected community member. AND, she wants love. Eric might be love, but its not leading to motherhood. SAM might be a father, and sookie loves him, but he’s a supe, and I think she’s DONE with supes. What i wouldnt do is depend on Ms Harris giving her readers what THEY want, when I think Harris wants to give Sookie what SHE wants, more than the fans. As it should be. Sookie has been VERY VERY GOOD to Ms. Harris.
Honestly, It would have to be Sam that she ends up with. I know that no one wants to hear that and even I, myself, was a Sookie/Eric shipper for quite some time. It would make no sense for her to end up with Eric because they would have no life together with him being intensely involved in politics and being a vampire. Quinn is just unpleasant and controlling. Alcide has been rather unpleasant at times, also. Bill is out. It just seems like unless she meets some one new in the next book, it would have to be Sam. I think that Arlene will end up dead. Why would using the Cluviel Dor have to have negative repercussions?