This is a really good story with a well developed plot. The story contains many characters that readers have met previously in other MacAlister books (I love how connected and intertwined MacAlister's books are) and a few new characters. By the end of the story readers experience closure for multiple loose-ends from previous books and readers discover that some characters are WAY more than what they seem. This is definitely an exciting read and, to me, one of the most important MacAlister paranormal novels. It is a must read for anyone who has read a Dark Ones novel, Silver Dragon novel, or Aisling Grey, Guardian Novel. I discovered MacAllister’s Dark Ones series a few years ago and was hooked. Her books are about not perfect heroines and their vampires, along with some naughtiness. A host of other characters with supernatural abilities are also thrown into the mix. Much Ado About Vampires is the 9th in the series. While fun and quirky, the story presents as a tired formula. Girl meets guy who turns out to be a vampire and only a Beloved can give him back his soul. This time around, it is Corazon “Cora” Ferreira who meets her Dark One, Alec Darwin. I should make it clear that I put the book down, at least twice, with the intention of a DNF. I’m glad I stuck it out, as the ending redeemed the book for me. But, just barely. The book is a whirlwind, and if you aren't focusing, you will get lost in a very confusing plot. Dark One Alec Darwin, has been banished to the Akasha (limbo) by the Moravian Council for crimes committed against them. Alec spent hundreds of years plotting revenge for the death of his Beloved (soul mate) who died at the hands of Krisotff Hannelore’s wife. This is a carryover story line from the last 2 books in the series. Enter Cora who was accidentally banished to the Akasha. While a prepping a house for a real estate listing with co-worker Diamond, Cora gets caught up in a theft in progress. But, Cora doesn't stumble on an ordinary theft, she has become entangled in a supernatural one. At the biding of his master, Alphonse DeMarco, Ulfur the lich has stolen three objects know as the Tools of Bael. Demon lord Bael, premier prince of Abaddon, is understandably irate and banishes Ulfur to the Akasha and Cora and Diamond are inadvertently dragged along. When the dust has settled, Ulfur realizes that the trio has become living tools, as each has taken on the powers of the stolen objects. They can channel Bael’s powers and the three tools together equal mayhem. Confused yet? We also learn that ditsy Diamond is much more than she has let on. Cora discovers what she thinks is a dead body. Not so, it’s a vampire. It turns out that Cora’s sister Jacinta is a Beloved so she knows all about what he is. To top it off, he is the vampire she saw when she underwent the past life regression hypnotherapy. She revives Alec even though she despises vampires. Almost immediately thereafter they end up having sex. I know, it’s a little weird. Random dead guy who happens to be a vampire and she is having sex with him in limbo. They develop a bond and it soon turns out that Cora is indeed Alec’s Beloved, albeit his reincarnated one. Cora gets rescued and then plots to get Alec out, too. As Cora is now a tool, a whole bunch of bad guys want access to her powers and those of the other tools. These three powers together equal world domination. Alec turns to fellow Dark One, Kristoff and his Beloved, Pia for help. As it turns out, they have ties to De Marco and Ulfur. They have also resurrected Alec’s dead Beloved, Eleanor. This turns out to have been a bad move on so many levels. A series of adventures and misadventures ensues with some unexpected intervention in the form of a demon prince named Sally. Sally, it turns out has been keeping secrets about her true identity. This ties up loose ends from other series in which she appears. The book concludes with Alec’s exoneration and Eleanor being released to go back to the Underworld. Overall, this book was ok. There are too many characters weaving in and out of the story line and it is often difficult to follow. Cora herself is a confused. She is antagonistic one minute then protective of Alec the next. She did, however develop some backbone and charges in with an army of dead people to save Alec who she is now totally in love with. I think the book was intended to tie up loose ends as the next in the series deals with another story line and a few overlapping characters. I felt as if I needed flash cards to figure out who the players were and what story lines they were previously connected to.
What do You think about Much Ado About Vampires (2011)?
3,5 Sterne - Was gut anfing, baute Richtung Ende stark ab!Zunächst muss man sagen: ich bin generell kein Freund von Wiedergeburt, weil man sich immer vorkommt als hätte man wichtige Etappen des Kennenlern-Prozesses verpasst (gerade wenn es nur um diese beiden geht, die das Paar darstellen). Diesmal allerdings war zu Beginn alles gut. Natürlich ging die Sache zwischen Alec und Cora ein bisschen schnell, aber hey - das sind wir von diesen Büchern ja nicht anders gewohnt (selbst bei Aisling und Drake, die VIER Bücher hatten, ging die Sache recht schnell)Von da an hat die Sache sich so durch geschaukelt.Gefreut hab ich mich über den erneuten Auftritt von Christian Dante. Definitiv einer von meinen lieblings Dunklen :)Leider allerdings scheint es so als seien mittlerweile alle Dunkle gleich und alle Auserwählten auch. So richtige Unterschiede finde ich kaum mehr... plus, einer großer übergeordneter Plot fehlt.But, oh well. That's just how Katie does it :)
—Ngamaley
In addition to having a male protagonist that took a more relevant role in previous books than usual, there is another critical change in this novel. While the most frquent pov is Cora's, Alec's pov is the one chosen on several chapters. I think this is the first time in the series that MacAlister provides a male pov. I was enjoyin the novel a lot, but I was extremely bothered by the last scene. When almost everything was solved, there is a last adventure in which because of Alec's lack of comunication Cora goes terribly overboard. Of course, it points out to the need for communication in a relationship, but in some ways it reminds me of the TSTL traits of previous female protagonists. There are also story lines that I found are related to another one of her series (I am now reading "You Slay Me"). It is a pity, because I like the evolution of the characters and narrative pov in this novel.
—tam
