Kim Harrison

Writer2011 · Jun 3, 2007

Not sure if this should go here but if not that's cool..

Anyone read Kim Harrison? I picked up her Dead Witch Walking the other day and all I can say is WOW!! I'm not a fan of sci-fi/fantasy but this is one good book.

rugcat · Jun 3, 2007

She's not half bad. I met her in SF at a book signing--a very gracious lady.

The thing that impresses me most about her, however, is that she has a well planned and comprehensive marketing and promotion strategy, and she's really good at it. Great website, extensive book tours, conferences--the whole package. She really works it. That's not a criticism--more power to her. I don't know where she finds the energy or when she finds time to write, but she does.

Writer2011 · Jun 3, 2007

Well she's awesome--and I want to read more of her stuff. Kinda makes me want to write a screenplay with a similar--a certain I don't know what

aadams73 · Jun 4, 2007

I love, love, love her books.

But...

In her most recent release( For a Few Demons More) you'll notice that she overuses a certain type of sentence structure. Or at least I noticed because every other paragraph started that way. "Running, I grabbed my hat. Sighing, I wiped my forehead. Worrying, I wrinkled my nose."

It got under my skin, but it was still a fantastic read.

Linda Adams · Jun 4, 2007

I'm afraid I'm not with the consenus. I like to read urban fantasy and jump on any new writers I find, but her books were a consistent disappointment to me. I ended up starting the series by reading it out of order, and that was a problem. The books don't help the reader at all with orienting into the continuing backstory; I felt like I had to read the books in order to understand what was going on (it should be helpful but not required). I might have ignored that, but I've found her so plots consistently confusing and convoluted that I won't even touch the books if I see them at the library.

Namatu · Jun 4, 2007

A Fistful of Charms fell flat for me, but I've otherwise enjoyed her books. I have read them in order, but I suspect that Linda's right in that you really need to do that in order to be oriented into the world Harrison's created. Haven't read her most recent yet.

I did try out Vicki Pettersson's Signs of the Zodiac series. The first book introduced some plot challenges that seriously strained my suspension of disbelief. I'd hoped the second book would resolve some of these because the writing is pretty good if a bit too scripted at times, but they only got worse. (I'm not sure how agent/publisher let these holes stand.) Before the halfway mark, I threw it at the wall. No more.

JerseyGirl1962 · Jun 4, 2007

I just finished reading the 2nd book of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series, Living Dead in Dallas. Funny as all get out (although a few tender moments creep in). The idea behind this series is that vampires are now considered mainstream, recognized by the U.S. government (although there are all sorts of prejudices and nasty people running about). The MC is a telepath who isn't creeped out when a particularly handsome vampire comes into the bar where she works in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

I never was into any sort of vampire books, but this one turned me around because it's got a definite vein of humor running through it, and that fits in well with me.

But I'm definitely going to check out the first Kim Harrison novel; sounds like it might be worth my while.

~Nancy

PeeDee · Jun 4, 2007

I read the first Kim Harrison book during a slow night at the bookstore, awhile ago. It wasn't bad. I don't recall that it particularly blew me away or anything, but I enjoyed reading it, and I didn't regret it once I was done. Sometimes, that's good enough.

Williebee · Jun 4, 2007

Do I like Ms. Harrison's stuff? yes. Love it? nah. It was a lovely bit of entertainment. (A feat I hope to duplicate on the same scale myself someday.)

Jenks is a nice character, for example.

Best way I can describe it: Some books I keep to re-read over and over again. Some I read to learn from and keep around for research purposes. But sometimes? I just want something to read for fun. With each of Ms. Harrison's books I read them, enjoyed the diversion, and then left the book for someone else to find and read.

By the way, it didn't occur to me until the cop stopped me that you really shouldn't just walk off and leave books in an airport anymore. (oops!)

Namatu · Jun 4, 2007

Williebee said:
By the way, it didn't occur to me until the cop stopped me that you really shouldn't just walk off and leave books in an airport anymore. (oops!)

Really? How sad. They should put signs up or something, or maybe a little postscript to the alert level signs.

Code Orange*
*Leave no book behind.

Writer2011 · Jun 4, 2007

Dead Witch Walking is good so far---although i'm only on chapter 2---I love Jenks and the way she describes him

Laura_Siri · Jun 4, 2007

Harris is a fav, Sookie is a gem.

And this....

"...this one turned me around because it's got a definite vein of humor running through it..."

Funny!

Michael Dracon · Jun 5, 2007

I've read the first book. It's pretty good, but not great. I went through the first few chapters of the second book and then put it aside because I found better books.

Don't get me wrong, I got the first 4 book and I intend to read them. But in my opinion there is not a lot happening in the books. Maybe I'm spoiled by Jim Butcher, but I like for lots of things happening in a book. I also think the vampire living with the MC is way underused.

LisaHy · Jun 5, 2007

Thanks the publishers not listing the books in the correct order, I read #3 first, then #2, then #1. While confused at times by my ignorance of the back story, I didn't mind them enough to venture into book #4.

Personally, in my experience, by about book 4 or 5 in an on going series, popularity has pretty much assured the author a sale on the next MS, so quality kind of goes out the window to make room for quantity.

So, a friend has bought book 5 of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and I might, if there's nothing else of interest around, like a K-mart catalogue, read it, if my friend will lend it to me. She might not. She knows what I do to books that annoy me.

I second the 'being spoiled by Jim Butcher' comment from above. A long running urban fantasy series that hasn't lost the quality while gaining quantity. So far as I know, I haven't read the latest two yet.

Cheers, Lisa.

Michael Dracon · Jun 5, 2007

LisaHy said:
I second the 'being spoiled by Jim Butcher' comment from above. A long running urban fantasy series that hasn't lost the quality while gaining quantity. So far as I know, I haven't read the latest two yet.

Cheers, Lisa.

Proven Guilty is definitely one of his best ones so far, theme-wise. Very dark, but very well done. I just finished White Night and it the smoothest read so far (especially the Dresden-Murphy interaction is awesome in this one, they really form a great team here). He has definitely improved even more in that book. It's not as dark as Proven Guilty or Dead Beat, but still top quality nontheless.

The strength of the Dresden Files series is the large amount of side characters and creatures. He could make three books in a row with not a single character (aside from Murphy, mayhaps) being in two of 'em and still make all of them interesting. Jim just closed a deal up to book 13, so we're going to be spoiled for a long time to come. I'm really looking forward to the new book: Small Favor.

Kim Harrison

Writer2011

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

Writer2011

aadams73

A Work in Progress

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

Namatu

Lost in mental space.

JerseyGirl1962

I heart Malamutes! :-)

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Williebee

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Namatu

Lost in mental space.

Writer2011

Laura_Siri

Michael Dracon

Urban Fantasy Geek

LisaHy

It's probably a tumour

Michael Dracon

Urban Fantasy Geek