[FicusFan]

Ok.

Sunshine: weak characters: boring whiny, stolen ideas: (the Night Inside/Kiss of the Vampire), lack of purpose in the story arc: what is the deal, besides trying to stay alive, Lots of boring talk about baking, confused sexual signals, vague world that is not well defined or explained. Some of the ideas about the world are interesting, and it could be cool, but she never translated it well to the page. Read like someone trying to cash in on the fad for books in this genre, but with no real passion for it.

The Emma Bull book, War for the Oaks was a good read, though it didn't hold up to scrutiny once it was done.

Diana Tregarde by Mercedes Lackey

It is a 3 (?) book series about vampires and a rock band in the modern world. I read the first and it was ok. Couldn't keep reading the second and never bothered with the 3rd.

Anita Blake by Laurell K. Hamilton

The mother of them all, still the gold standard, no matter how horrible. Books are fine up to #7 Burnt Offerings. After that they become sexfests and lose almost all plot. Can't stop reading them though.

I thought Incubus Dreams had some glimmer of hope, but who knows, her blog doesn't hold out hope for #13. Also the first chapter is nasty. I am going to try to resist Michah when it comes out because I hate him soooo much.

Hamilton's great skill, which I have never seen better, is making great memorable characters that you love or hate, and can see living outside the pages.

The only series/author that I will buy a hardcover book for, on the day it comes out (or even earlier if I can get it - and I have driven into Boston to get it). All the others are trying to create the same Anita-magic in terms of blending genres and big sales and big money.

Merry Gentry by Laurell K. Hamilton

This one was about sex from the start, and it just bored me. I prefer Anita's sass to Merry's diplomacy.

Harry Dresden by Jim Butcher

His first couple of books were kind of blury. They had interesting and funny bits, but they didn't grab me. Harry and his world didn't seem defined enough. The last couple of books have been overusing the 'Harry saves X' format so much that it has become boring and predictable. Also Harry has become a smug bully and Butcher's sexism has leaked out. That said there are some developments I like in the later books. The middle books are pretty good. Haven't read the last one yet (in HC still).

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Probably the best of the Anita-wanna-bes. Good characters, interestng stories, good writing, lots of balance between action, and character interaction, suspense and homey stuff, real stuff and the supernatural.

Sooky Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris

Haven't read this series yet, but have heard good things about it, though it is supposed to be softer and more romance-based than action-based.

Weather Warden by Raichel Caine

This is a series about a woman who is a weather wizard. There are now 4 books out, haven't read them yet.

Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

A group of books about women who are supernatural in the modern world. Haven't tried them yet. I think the books stand-alone in that they have different characters.

Victoria Nelson by Tanya Huff

A series that has a debilitated Toronto cop becoming a PI, who gets involved with the Supernatural in modern day Toronto. There is a main vampire character in the book, though other beasties are explored too. The next to last book (Blood Pact) has a twist and is pretty nasty. There are 5 books and these are from the late 90s I think. I enjoyed them except for the 4th book and the twist Huff used, but they were never in the same league as Anita - sort of Anita-lite.

Huff has now started the series up again, but with minor character from this series ( Smoke and Shadows, Smoke and Mirrors).

Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff

This is a light and funny series where there are magical keepers who travel around and deal with accidental evil magic spills into this world - much like hazardous waste. It is set in modern day Canada and features a woman and her family who are also magical, and of course her cat, and a hunky younger man.

Staying Dead and Curse the Dark by Laura Anne Gilman

Partners work to solve magical problems. Haven't read these yet.

Undead Series by MaryJanice Davidson

These are really romance, though strangely there is little actual sex or romance. The romance set up is there, but mostly in the background. There are 4 books out. I have read the first 2 because the last 2 are still in HC. What the series is about is humor. It takes a valley girl type (though good-hearted and not stupid) and makes her a vampire. She is powerful enough to be their queen and yet she has no interest in playing their games or following traditions and rituals. She drives them insane, and it is very funny.

There may be others, but I can't remember them at the moment.

Edit:

Thanks Hobbit.

Nightside by Simon R. Green

I have read a couple of these. They are flat and tired, and while they have some cool ideas (Nightside as Purgatory (?) with access to the world, heaven and hell) there is no 'juice' in the characters. The stories just lie there flat on the page. not horrible, but not great.