Title: Beauty Author: Laurell K. Hamilton Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #20.5 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Paranormal Romance Excerpt: No Source: Netgalley Reviewed by: Julia Print Length: 33 pages Publisher: Berkley; May 8, 2012 Sold by: Penguin Publishing ASIN: B007FEFCD4   Sexual Content: A ménage à trois. Rating: Okay – A few good points, but with significant flaws. Library/swap/borrow if you want.

---

There’s some interesting series covers today.  What’s better, a series that keeps changing cover styles while trying to get it right, like Anita Blake?  Or a recognizable cover that fits the overall theme but isn’t great on it’s own, like the latest installment for Deadtown? 

 

If you missed Books that Blur the Line – Part One on Tuesday, (where we discussed "Angels' Blood" by Nalini Singh, "Mind Games" by Carolyn Crane, "Soulless" by Gail Carriger, and “Bitten” by Kelley Armstrong) We’re talking about books the blur the line between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. You can read Part One of the article on Rebecca’s site Dirty Sexy Books HERE.

As a reminder, here are our basic rules for defining each genre:

Paranormal Romance

1. The focus of the story is on the couple
2. There is a high degree of sensuality, almost always expressed in multiple sex scenes
3. The couple is united in a ‘happily ever after’ ending

Urban Fantasy

1. The focus of the story is on the individual
2. There is often romantic tension, but sex scenes are rare and seldom depicted in any detail
3. There is no guarantee of a ‘happily ever after’ ending, and most often relationships are left in an unresolved state

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs (2008)

DSB: I admit that Patricia Briggs absolutely shocked me with her Alpha and Omega series when it first came out.  I am a huge Mercy Thompson fan, but I love A&O even more.  Is it possible for an urban fantasy to focus on two individuals?  I couldn’t really say who has the focus of this series, because I feel like Ms. Briggs gives both Anna and Charles equal emphasis.   The sensuality is fairly low compared to most paranormal romances these days, but I’m not complaining.  If you have yet to try this series, my only cavet is that you MUST start with the prequel novella, which is called Alpha and Omega (same name as the series itself).  I started with book one, Cry Wolf, and I seriously want to kick myself for that mistake.

ATUF: Go ahead and kick me while you're at it because I read the novella (included in On The Prowl) second too. Patricia Briggs is my favorite author in this genre and I adore the Mercy Thompson world.  The Alpha and Omega series didn't dethrone Mercy in my eyes, but it's a solid series on its own.  I agree the split focus on Anna and Charles is a PNR -check.  The sex is not super steamy, but still worthy of a PNR - check.  And the ending is textbook HEA, so... PNR - check number three...wait why does this one blur again?  And have you read the short story Seeing Eye (included in Strange Brew)? It has a few character's from Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega, book 2) in it.

 What does author Patricia Briggs think about the blur factor of Cry Wolf? (Unfortunately, Patricia Briggs could not be reached in time to comment for this article, but on her website she had this to say)

This series is set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson Series, but on a slightly earlier time line. It begins with a novella titled Alpha and Omega published in the On the Prowl anthology. The decison to continue the story was made after the anthology had already been published, which has caused some confusion, since "book 1" is a actually a continuation of the short story. The series has plenty of action, but there's more emphasis in on the romantic attraction between the hero and heroine. On a romance-readers scale, this series is sweet rather than steamy. –Patricia Briggs

• Read my review of Cry Wolf  HERE
• Read Rebecca’s review of Cry Wolf  HERE

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (2007)

ATUF: Why this blends: This one is categorized by the publisher as Paranormal Romance. Let’s see, shall we? First of all, while Bones is an integral part of Halfway to the Grave, this book is Cat’s story: UF – check. But the sensuality level is off the charts (chapter 32 of the second book in this series in legendary): PNR – check. Yet despite the scorching hot sex, our heroine does not get the obligatory happy ending with her hero: PNR – Big uncheck!

DSB: I love how you mention that specific chapter from book two Abigail.  It is indeed legendary, and for all the right reasons.  The Night Huntress series has always baffled me when it comes to categorization, because it doesn’t follow the set rules of a paranormal romance, but it’s so darn romantic and sensual.  One of the few things that most romance fans agree on is that a romance must have a HEA, but Ms. Frost breaks the rules, and in doing so she heightens and prolongs the tension in ways that few writers have ever matched.  Normally I don’t condone copycats, but I almost wish someone else would try this technique.  I’d pay a lot to read a new series that’s comparable to this one.

What does author Jeaniene Frost think about the blur factor of Halfway to the Grave?

I'm shelved in romance, which I'm happy about because I feel the relationship between Cat and Bones is the cornerstone of the Night Huntress series. My publisher markets me as an urban fantasy romance (how's that for covering all their bases, lol). As for genre crossovers, I think the lines are blurring more every day, especially as recurring heroes/heroines are cropping up more in PR and relationships are taking up bigger plot points in UF, and I'm fine with that blurring. If a book is good, I don't care where it's shelved, personally. –Jeaniene Frost

• Read my review of Halfway to the Grave HERE

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews (2009)

ATUF:  Why this blends: This is the one that stumped a thousand reviewer’s…Ilona Andrew’s agent… publishing company…art department…and even husband (and co-author of the Kate Daniels series) Gordon. As a professional reviewer (and by professional I mean that I have a very expensive hobby), I had no difficulty classifying On The Edge as part-paranormal, part-regency, part-contemporary, part-romance, part-fantasy, part…um…how can one book meet all three rules for both Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy?

DSB: On The Edge is the book that inspired us to start this topic, and I think it epitomizes the concept of a cross-over beautifully.  The Andrew’s really took the best of both genres and created something new that appeals to a wide set of fans.  I think the next book, Bayou Moon, is going to break even more boundaries, because it sounds like most of the book takes place in the Weird.  So now we’ll go from an urban fantasy setting to a pure fantasy setting.  I can’t wait.

• Read my review of On The Edge HERE
• Read Rebecca’s review of On The Edge HERE

Ilona & Gordon had a lot to say about the blur factor of On The Edge:

How do you classify On the Edge?

I would classify it as a cross between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Since it's not technically all that urban, I suppose it could be called a contemporary romantic fantasy. One of my personal litmus tests when determining whether a work of fiction is an UF or PNR is to attempt to remove romantic storyline. If the romantic storyline can be removed and the book still makes sense, it's likely an urban or contemporary fantasy. ON THE EDGE definitely has a strong romantic arc, and while technically you can excise the romantic arc out of it, the book doesn't make a whole lot of sense without it.

How did your publisher classify it?

That was the funniest thing. Nobody quite knew what to do with this book.

Our then agent wasn't sure where it fit. When our editor saw it, she called me to tell me that she wasn't sure what it was but she loved it. We had an offer in twenty four hours, and then the marketing wasn't quite sure how to classify it and the art department wasn't quite sure what sort of cover to make for it. I love what they came up with - the cover has both contemporary fantasy and romantic elements.

ON THE EDGE is classified as a fantasy by Ace. Some consideration was given to classifying it as a romance, and publishing it under Berkley instead (Berkley and Ace are both part of Penguin), but it would mean starting over in terms of distribution. Chain bookstores employ buyers, who determine which titles and how much of them to order. The buyers specialize; some purchase romance, some purchase mysteries and so on. Gordon and I (all of our books are co-written by my husband and me) were already known to SF/F buyers: they knew what to expect from us. If ON THE EDGE was classified as a romance, we'd have to be treated almost as a debut author again, because none of the romance buyers had worked with us before.

Any thoughts on where this cross-over trend is headed?

I think the classification of books into different genres is somewhat artificial. We have to have it, because it's convenient for readers and book sellers to group similar books together, but there are very few "strict" genre books out there. They tend to appeal to a very narrow audience.

In our lives, we seek a wide variety of experiences. Different things excite and fascinate us: sense of danger, adventure, mystery, romance, humor, and so on. We're easily bored. When we sympathize with characters, we want them to succeed and be happy, which for many of us means falling in love and being loved in return, getting the bad guy, and saving if not the world, then at least someone important to us. Most bestselling books reflect this and borrow elements from many genres.

Bestselling romances usually have a touch of mystery or thriller within them. It may be slight, but it's there. THE DUKE AND I by Julia Quinn is as romantic as you can get, but there is a "whodunit" element in it. Bestselling mysteries typically have a romantic arc, often spanning several books. IN DEATH series by J.D. Robb comes to mind, but Janet Evanovich's work has a heavy romantic element, and even more "straight-forward" mysteries like Robert Parker's SPENSER series often offer their readers a touch of romance.

Thrillers mix adventure, mystery and romance, often flirting with supernatural elements as well. Dean Koontz, who is now classified under fiction, but had been shelved under horror and SF, blends horror, mystery, and usually has a strong relationship arc. Charlaine Harris masterfully combines mystery, supernatural, and romance. Jim Butcher blends fantasy with mystery, Nalini Singh combines romance with science fiction and so on.

If we go by that criteria, a cross-over trend within UF/PNR genre is a great thing. It will make for better rounded, interesting books that will be fun and exciting. Some books may focus more on the exploration of a unique world, some may offer a relentless plot, other may explore human relationships, but as long as there are cool new books being written and published, everyone wins. Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance have to evolve and grow to survive. If the genre stagnates, it dies out, and nobody wants that.

Our Conclusions

ATUF: Personally, I love how blurry books have gotten recently.  It keeps things interesting and it’s a great way to introduce more cautious  readers to genres they might otherwise have avoided.  After reading SOULLESS, I’m looking at the steampunk genre with brand new eyes.  But as far as UF/PNR genres go, I’ve always considered them as kissing cousins of a sort.  More and more Urban Fantasy titles are giving a greater emphasis to romantic plotlines and incorporating steamier sex scenes. And many Paranormal Romances are giving greater attention to an individual over the couple.

I find that most readers of urban fantasy, read Paranormal Romance too, and vice versa, without a lot of distinction.  I am curious to see what happens when an Urban Fantasy series makes a deliberate shift into a Paranormal Romance series, as is the case with Jocelynn Drake’s Dark Days Series.  The evolution of the covers alone displays the transition.  Without even picking it up, the cover for Nightwalker (Dark Days, book 1) says Urban Fantasy (and having read it, it keeps all our Rules for UF too).  Whereas the cover for the upcoming Wait For Dust (Dark Days, book 5) screams Paranormal Romance.

 

Jocelynn Drake commented on the change in the covers for this series  on Twitter by saying that, “The shift in the style of the covers is to help with a slight shift series. A slight shift, I stress.” I guess we’ll have to wait and see how ‘slight’ the shift is when Wait For Dusk comes out July 27, 2010.

DSB: The Dark Days series is an interesting example, because the first three books do not have any PNR crossover whatsoever.  They truly follow the urban fantasy format, but those new covers are like a sign post for romance fans that something hot and heavy is on the way.  There's always a risk when a series takes a U-turn in the middle, but personally I welcome this change for the Dark Days series.  The critique for the new covers has been surprisingly harsh across the blogosphere, and I think we should reserve judgment until we can sample the story inside.  It's proof that we fans can be prickly when it comes to change.    

Here's another example... think about the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton.  I'm still reading the early entries that are pure urban fantasies, but I've been warned many, many, many times that big changes are ahead.  Guilty Pleasures debuted in 1993, and is arguably the first urban fantasy of its kind, but the series has evolved over the years.  I know there are some fans who don't like the changes, but I wonder now if Ms. Hamilton was at the forefront of the second trend in urban fantasies, which is blending with other styles?  Ilona Andrews brought up that same idea in her comment above, when she mentioned the possibility of the genre stagnating and dying (my heart fluttered), and her point about urban fantasies needing to grow and evolve to survive.

ATUF: I’m on the fence with the Dark Days series shift.  I think I might have preferred if she’d done a spin off series that had more of an emphasis on romance (like Jeaniene Frost’s First Drop of Crimson) rather than changing the main series.  But I guess it all depends on what Jocelynn’s definition of ‘slight’ it.  I’m a fan of the series as a whole, so I’m eager to find out.

The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton is another good example.  I loved the early books, but I would argue that she didn’t so much as blur from Urban fantasy to Paranormal Romance as she did plunge headlong into Dark Erotica territory.  Maybe that’s why I’m leery of a change in the Dark Days series.  Overall, borrowing from other styles, which LKH undeniably had a hand in, is a great way to keep the paranormal genres fresh and interesting (as long as it doesn’t alienate established fans).  And if our list of blur-y titles is any indication, I hope more authors start adopting the practice.

DSB: I'm all for blurring too, and I don't think it's a coincidence that the books we listed on Tuesday's and today's post are also our favorites.  We clearly like this hybrid style, but I wish we had an easy way to identify these books.  It's a snap when you can just say it's a romance, or it's a fantasy, and describe the book perfectly.  I don't know how to categorize most of these books, and unfortunately neither do the book stores that sell them.  I don't even think there's a tag in Amazon that could pull up a list of these types of books exclusively, because without a unifying name, the crossovers can't be identified. 

I was hoping this post would get us closer to naming this blend of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but that was probably wishful thinking on my part.  In the course of writing about this, I've come across a few new phrases.  Carrie Vaughn's clever turn of phrase - "urbane fantasy" - is a good start, but it's too close to urban fantasy.  That 'e' is very important.  While discussing this topic with Carolyn Crane she mentioned that her editor referred to Mind Games as an "urban paranormal," and I think that term gets us closer to the hybrid concept.   My favorite so far is "urban fantasy romance," which is on the spine of Nalini Singh's novel, Angels' Blood.  The term may lack elegance, but it spells out exactly what the reader can expect.  It's convenient for shelving too, since the bookstore can choose where to stick it without leading their customers astray.

I know some will argue that it's not necessary to label this new style, hybrid, crossover, or whatever you call it, but that's like living in town that doesn't use street signs.  It's fine for the people who live there, but what about the poor lost souls who don't?  How will they find their way around?  If the publishing industry can coin a hot new name for these crossovers, I think they'd get more attention; maybe a special table at the bookstore, or a tag on Amazon.  There are a ton of new readers out there waiting to find these delicious stories, but they need a signpost to mark the way. 

ATUF: Well until that day, I think we can assume the position of friendly neighborhood book guides, dedicated to marking the way to blurry books everywhere.

Many thanks to Carolyn Crane, Gail Carriger, Nalini Singh, Jeaniene Frost, and Ilona & Gordon Andrews for the thoughtful comments on both parts of this article, and for giving Rebecca and me the chance to once again talk about your fantastic books that inspired us!

The beginning of the end for both Anita and me.  What do we say about the girl with the bad reputation? I had decided to suspend judgment on the Anita Blake books until I had read some of them.  I thought the first three were pretty fun (click here to read part 1 of Anita Blake: Love her or Loath her), but after reading Midnight Cafe (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Omnibus books 4-6 Lunatic Cafe, Bloody Bones and Killing Dance) I’m less then keen.  In The Lunatic Cafe there are scenes of rape and bestiality.  In Bloody Bones we are introduced to necrophilia and pedophilia.  In The Killing Dance we are see a ménage a trios and a pretty hardcore sex scene that spans several pages.  I have to say I was pretty bummed when I finished reading The Midnight Cafe (and a not a little disgusted).  I was really starting to enjoy this series and mentally kicking myself for not starting it sooner.  It started out as a great ride that went irrevocably(in my opinion) off course.  One reviewer said it this way:

The tragedy is that the promise of these early novels was so thoroughly unfulfilled, the incredible potential so comprehensively derailed. If we choose to believe Laurell K. Hamilton, the author of this once-fine series, the story arc--if it could be described as such--is exactly as she envisioned from the start. If we choose, however, to believe the rumors, Hamilton's marital difficulties are to blame for the dramatic and horrendous swing in the character of the series. The character of Richard, it's claimed--allegedly on the testimony of those close to the author--was based upon Hamilton's husband and his subsequent humiliation, emasculation and vilification were little more than vengeance for their divorce. Whatever the explanation, the series has sunk to the level of cheap and tawdry pulp erotica. Blake is forced into increasingly unlikely situations simply in order to copulate with an increasingly large number of increasingly well-endowed male characters. Anita--who once told Richard that she would not sleep with him until she was sure that his love for her was genuine--ends up getting serviced on a regular basis by what seems like half the vampires and most of the various wereanimals in the state of Missouri. Some characters even travel across the USA--and beyond--in order to enjoy the privilege of bedding the former vampire hunter with the consent of her vampiric pimp, and there is no more appropriate descriptor for Jean-Claude--certainly there is no love in that relationship. –Doombreed

So what does LKH say in response to all this?  She addresses all this and more at great length on her blog:

(from LKH Blog Posted by LKH on 05/03 at 01:51 PM )

You complained that there was too much sex…you wanted less sex in the books...you wanted Richard to win...the sexual content? Is it going up or down? I think up, definitely up. I'm going to have to take a nod from Ms. Rowling. She said in an interview that nothing anyone says, or wants, will change a single word she's writing in her wonderful series. Well, folks, guess what, me either. But unlike Ms. Rowling, you are having an effect on me, one I keep fighting against. A very negative one. You tell me that there's too much sex, and part of me thinks, you ain't seen nothing yet...tell me how am I to please everyone? There is no way, so I shall please myself, because in the end if you don't please yourself, then what is left to you? You are all allowed to disagree with the direction the series has taken...but be nice about it...The arduer is a major metaphysical ability, and curse/blessing. It cannot be brought into the series and then fixed just like that...I've always planned on Anita getting to the point where she can control the arduer and not have to have sex every few hours. (And already I hear some fans complaining that I'll be cutting the sex down. We actually have vastly more people who love the higher sexual content than hate it. ...as the sexual content has gone up, so have the sales of the book...The arduer traps her here in St. Louis, unless she takes a harem for food. You can't do police work that way, not out of town. So, have patience, and it will calm down. I honestly don't know where her domestic arrangement will go. I didn't plan on us being where we are. Anita is more contrary than I am, and every time I push one person over another, she digs her feet in and does the opposite of what I had planned. A trait we share, for good, or ill. But I will not rush the transition. I will not hurry my overall plot because some of you are not happy with it. I am sorry you seem so unhappy. If you are truly that unhappy with the direction the series has taken, then stop reading it. Stop reading what I write. There, simply, fixed. If you don't like it, don't buy it, don't read it.(from LKH Blog Posted by LKH on 05/03 at 01:51 PM )

I, for one, have noted my objection--in a polite way-- to the drastic change this series has taken.  But LKH is the author of the Anita Blake series and can chose to have Anita become an astronauts if she chooses; that’s her right.   And I, in turn, have my rights.  So I intend on taking LKH up on her offer: I don’t like it, I’m not going to buy it, not going to read it.

 

Book blurb The Lunatic Cafe: Members of the local werewolf pack have gone missing. Not only that, but other shapeshifter groups have lost members as well. They need Anita's help to find their family and friends. Anita must use her contacts with the police and the preternatural community to solve this one.  With all the missing shapeshifters and the different patterns, Anita realizes she may have more trouble than she thought tracking them all down. When the clues finally fall into place, it is too late. Anita and her friends are captured and Anita is locked in a cage with a brand new werewolf - on the night of the full moon.

Book blurb Bloody Bones: Anita Blake has been called to Branson, Missouri to raise a family graveyard. There is a land dispute between two families and she must raise the corpses to find out who owns the land before a planned resort can be built. It all seems routine at first.
Then Anita is called to a murder in a nearby Missouri. Her zombie raising has been put on hold, because three teenage boys have been killed by preternatural means. Anita discovers that the land in question is being closely guarded for a reason. It had been holding a powerful creature at bay for centuries - and now that creature has been released and the slaughter has begun.

Book Blurb The Killing Dance: Bounty hunter and assassin, Edward, calls Anita with bad news. He has been offered a contract on Anita's life. Someone wants her dead and no price is too high. While Edward stalls with his answer, local muscle has been hired to take care of the problem. With two attempts on her life, Anita goes into hiding and Edward comes in as backup. Sabin, a master vampire and friend of Master of the City, Jean-Claude has come to ask Anita for her help. Years ago, his mate asked him to stop drinking human blood, and in doing so it has rotted his mind and his body. Anita agrees to help restore him, but when she is not fast enough, Jean-Claude and werewolf pack leader, Richard, are taken to serve as sacrifice for Sabin. Will Anita be able to save them before it is too late?

Long before I fell in love with Urban Fantasy as a genre, I had heard about Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series.  And I mean that in the most disparaging sense possible.   Every time I read something about the series it was sex, sex, and more sex. The word pornography was thrown around very casually.  And as I hate it when the plot of a book serves merely as a pretense for endless sex scenes that add nothing to the story/characters, I avoided this series much in the same way that I avoid blow drying my hair in the shower. 

That is, until I read an interview given by Laurell K. Hamilton in Writer's Digest  that asked her to respond to the too much sex criticism and her response changed my mind:

WD: YOU'VE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR HAVING TOO MUCH SEX IN THE ANITA BLAKE SERIES. HOW MUCH ATTENTION DO YOU PAY TO CRITICISM? DOES IT IN ANY WAY AFFECT HOW YOU WRITE THE NEXT BOOK?

LKH: It's funny. I've never had an American tell me they were bothered by the violence in my books. In Europe they're bothered by the violence and in America they're bothered by the sex. The only downside to the sexual content is losing younger readers. Sex isn't bad; it's a deity-given gift. But I initially never wanted to put sex on paper. There isn't a real sex scene until book five. At book six I finally realized my main character was going to have sex with the man she was dating. I initially wanted to take the 1940s pan to the sky, but the camera hadn't flinched in five books. I didn't want to do it, but I thought, what does this say about me? I don't mind writing violence but flinch at writing sex.  (Click here to read the interview in its entirety).

What?  Not a single sex scene in the first five books?  This was not the Anita Blake I had heard about.   And even then its hardly the ‘sleep with anything that moves’ reputation I’d been hearing about,  so I decided to pick up the first three books in the omnibus Club Vampyre  (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Omnibus: Guilty Pleasures,The Laughing Corpse and Circus of the Damned) and guess what? No sex. There is romance of course, but primarily these are UF mysteries (think hard-boiled), and fun ones at that.  Anita is tough with as-yet unrealized potential, Jean-Claude is alpha, the world is well imagined and realistic in a paranormal sort of way, and there appears to be juicy meta-narrative arc waiting to be told in subsequent books.  Add a touch of romance and its everything I love about urban fantasies. I am prepared to jettison this series if and when they begin to live up to (or should I say down to) their bad press, but in the meantime, Go Anita!

Book Blurb for Guilty Pleasures: Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law--as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees--with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting--to help figure out who and why. Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along--yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters--both dead and alive.

Book Blurb for The Laughing Corpse: Millionaire Harold Gaynor wants to hire Anita Blake to raise a 283 year old corpse. Of course this kind or animation would require a white goat - a human sacrifice. Anita doesn't do human sacrifice, but Harold does not want to take no for an answer. If that wasn't bad enough Dominga Salvador wants Anita to partner with her in the zombie business, but it involves keeping the human soul trapped inside the dead body. Anita wants nothing to do with Dominga or her work, but when the voodoo queen sends something foul and rotting in her window, it is all Anita can do to survive.

Book Blurb for Circus of The Damned: A group of vampires are murdering humans. That's nothing unusual, but they are killing them with multiple bites and draining them of blood. They will rise as vampires, but they will rise as beasts - animalistic vampires that will slaughter everything in their path.
As if that wasn't enough trouble, a master vampire has come to town and wants to make Anita his human servant. New Master of the City, Jean-Claude, wants to mark Anita to keep her safe, but Anita would rather die than become a slave to any vampire. With two master vamps fighting for Anita's soul, an undead war has begun.