Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: The Harlequin Novel

Leonie Mulcahy: Very intense, with lots of additions to the overall story line while being a fantastic stand alone book. Love the emotions brought to the forefront for all characters

Australia on Jun 12, 2023

Leslie: I have read several reviews of this book and others, both before and after reading this and other earlier and later A. B. Books. Some I thought were not long enough, because I like a long robust novel, but when a tale is told it is done and adding pages doesn't change that. Ms. Hamilton's books are a continuation of Anita's story. We all grow and change with our experiences. I was amazed from the beginning that her novels, while indisputably full of sex, are not pornagraphic. If you don't believe me, find a book that is, ONLY PORNOGRAPHY, to read. The plot will be practically non existent, the characters will be cardboard flat and there will be no heft to the book at all.
Ms. H, could have been much more descriptive in the sex scenes if she was only interested in pornography and fluff. Instead she has made all of her characters real and there is always a reason for the sex as part of the narrative. They have all grown and changed with each book. I have been amazed since the first Anita Blake novel at her deep understanding of human nature both good and bad and the way it effects people. I have read each book in order of it's writing except this one. I thought that I had read...

United States on Feb 17, 2021

Client d'Amazon: A

Canada on Apr 04, 2020

mellicoonn: This is my favorite series of books and i don't have enough words to describe how much i like these books.

Brazil on Oct 20, 2018

Masson: Ca y est, on retrouve enfin l'esprit des premier tomes des aventures d'Anita, avant qu'elle est besoin de nourrir l'ardeur toutes les 10 pages. La première scène de sexe arrive page 130, incroyable quand on compare avec les tomes précédents. Il y a de l'action, Edouard fait son retour, malheureusement, il n'est pas seul... Encore une fois, Anita va devoir affronter de méchants vampires. Cette fois-ci, elle n'est pas passée loin de la mort, comme Richard et Jean Claude. Un roman très intense en émotions !

France on Oct 08, 2011

MississippiRed: AHHH, good.... very good.
I enjoyed this book as it filled in some of the background of this world Laurell Hamilton is building. I got only three sexy (but wished for more) interaction of Anita. It was nice however to see the cops and the police side of things again too. At least we find out why the cops have not been a big part of things during the last few books.

In this book, Anita takes two new lovers and revisits a very old one. The old fellow may be kicked out of her life after this book but I am looking forward to more interactions with the new fellows in his place. I still want more of ALL of her lovers but know folks would rather Hamilton NOT make this area the center piece of her works (drats!). However at the very least, we have to explore the new guy (not currently a lover/bedmate/food) in town. The growing of him into a good guy will be very interesting and I think the heart of a new book very soon. Ok, seems, I am one of those who like the darn sex part of her books. Looks like I am one of a few .. or at the very least.. part of the quiet fans out there.

Have I told you enough to make you read the book? If you have not yet.. start at the begining of...

United States on Jul 20, 2007

Lawrance Bernabo: "The Harlequin" is Book 15 in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and the first one to come out since Marvel started publishing its comic book adaptation of Laurell K. Hamilton's first book in the series, " Guilty Pleasures ." That graphic reminder of how good those early novels were, when the emphasis was more on horror and a whole lot less on sex, made me a bit wary when I started reading "The Harlequin," especially given how disappointed I and countless legions of fans have been in Hamilton's recent novles (and not just the Anita Blake ones). But while I have to admit that it could be a case that things have been down so long it looks like up to me, bottom line is that I found "The Harlequin" to be the best Anita Blake novel in years. We also have the nice little irony that in this novel she actually lives up to her title of being a Vampire Hunter, which has rarely been the case in the series.

In virtually every novel our heroine manifests a new power, from the ability to raise an entire graveyard of corpses to forming her own triumvirate with Damien as her vampire and Nathaniel as her beast to call, which makes the main triumvirate with Jean-Claude and Richard even...

United States on Jun 18, 2007

normngrey: First off it's about time the obsession with sex was toned down a bit and at last this has happened. There's still a bit of nookie in the plot but nothing that will completely overwhelm the plot. And what a plot, clearly the last few years criticism has been taken on board and a tight, well paced plot put together.

We experience a sense of Quo Vadis when the secret police of the vampires decide not to follow the rules. This causes Anita to call for help from Edward who not only brings only his almost stepson, Peter, but also Olaf. The dynamics of the vampire marks in Jean-Claude's triumvirate are well highlighted during a sneak attack and its consequences. We also learn one of the key reasons why the Mother of All Darkness made the rule about all necromancers must be killed when the vampires discover them. I can't say too much without spoilng what was, for me, an unputdownable book.

United Kingdom on Jun 10, 2007