Danse Macabre (novel)

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Danse Macabre
Dansemacabre-small.JPG
Author Laurell K. Hamilton
LanguageEnglish
Series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
Genre Horror, mystery, erotic
Publisher Berkley Books (Berkley edition)
Publication date
June 27, 2006 (Berkley edition)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
Pages496 (Berkley edition)
ISBN 0-425-20797-8 (Berkley edition)
OCLC 66526961
813/.54 22
LC Class PS3558.A443357 D36 2006
Preceded by Micah  
Followed by The Harlequin  

Danse Macabre is a horror/mystery/erotica novel by American writer Laurell K. Hamilton, the fourteenth book in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.

Contents

Plot

In the bustling underbelly of contemporary St. Louis, a delicate balance of supernatural forces is tested when a powerful new artifact the Danse Macabre, a legendary relic that grants dominion over the dead, resurfaces after centuries of obscurity. Anita Blake, the city's preeminent necromancer and vampire hunter, senses the impending chaos as dark whispers circulate through the vampire covens.

After an intense corruption with the revenant Marmee Noir, the matriarch of the vampire world, Anita finds herself drawn back into a web of old alliances, hostilities, and desire. In the midst of rising tensions, Jean-Claude, the charismatic vampire master of the city and Anita's lover, is determined to retrieve the Danse Macabre before it falls into the hands of their enemies, namely the alluring Belle Morte, who wishes to harness its power to manipulate the undead for her vengeful schemes.

Richard Zeeman, the werewolf pack leader and Anita's former love, finds himself at odds with both Anita and Jean-Claude as he struggles to maintain his position in the ever-shifting power dynamics. Further complicating matters is Asher, Jean-Claude's former lover and a vampire conflicted by loyalty and longing, who is torn between his desire for peace and the fires of an ancient rivalry.

The tension escalates when Anita’s friend Jason Schuyler, a werewolf with his own dark past, is kidnapped by a faction of rogue necromancers seeking to control the artifact. As Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard unite with a diverse cast of their allies—including the seductive Nathaniel Graison, the enigmatic Damian, and the fierce Micah Callahan—they embark on a dangerous quest that leads them through the haunted streets of London.

In London, they discover that the artifact is intertwined with the city's hidden supernatural histories, leading them to confront the malevolent spirit of Wicked Truth, an ancient witch seeking revenge against both the living and the dead. Their pursuit leads them to Augustine, an enigmatic seer who holds the key to unlocking the relic’s potential, but at the cost of revealing profound truths about themselves.

As their journey unfolds, tension simmers between the characters. Conflicts erupt: Anita struggles with her feelings for Jean-Claude and Richard, tested in their loyalty; Asher's longing for Jean-Claude reignites past wounds; and Nathaniel's emerging power as a shape-shifter becomes pivotal in deciphering the secrets of the Danse Macabre.

Claudia, the fierce and cunning vampire rogue, lures them into unwitting betrayals alongside her followers, intent on claiming the artifact for her ambitious designs. Skirmishes break out in darkened realms and lavish vampire balls, where trust falters and treachery runs rife. The group must confront their insecurities, desires, and fears as they wrestle with the mystical force that threatens to consume them.

More than deep within the accursed crypts of London, truths are revealed, alliances forged and dismantled, and sacrifices made. Anita must undergo a transcendental trial that blurs the lines between life and death, and face a dark reflection of herself in the process, learning that power comes with a cost.

Ultimately, in a battle against time, betrayal, and overwhelming odds, the bond of friends and enemies alike is tested, leading to an unexpected resolution. The decision to either seal away the Danse Macabre to protect the realms or use it to reshape the future of vampires and necromancers becomes a pivotal moment in their tumultuous histories.

The most scandalous game is called, Anita, having conquered her inner demons and embraced her place among the undead, finds a fragile peace restored, signaling a new era for St. Louis. As for love, it remains an evolving dance, with each character enriched and scarred by their choices, hinting at both the perils and the beauty of embracing their true natures.

The story ends on a tantalizing note, leaving the door open for future adventures as darker forces loom on the horizon, promising further entanglements in the intricate tapestry of life, death, and the desire that binds them all.

Characters

Major characters

Danse Macabre features the following major characters.

Other characters

Recurring characters include:

Non-recurring characters include:

Critical reception

The critical reception of Danse Macabre has been mixed.

Robert Folsom of the Kansas City Star wrote a critical review, stating:

after 13 erotically charged books, boredom has reared its ugly head for the 14th novel in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, "Danse Macabre" (Berkley; $25.95), as eroticism becomes mere description... So the stage is set for intrigue. Yet the words and actions Hamilton has her characters say and do seem more of a writing exercise than elements of true portrayal. [1]

In contrast, a Denver Post review took a more positive view of the eroticism in Hamilton's work. Although the Post review noted that "[t]hose looking for mystery and mayhem on this Anita adventure are out of luck" and "it will be interesting to see how long Hamilton can sustain a large audience while avoiding the sort of solid plots that were characteristic of her earlier novels," the review was largely positive, writing that "the main attraction of the Anita Blake novels in the past five years has been their erotic novelty," and "[f]ew, if any, mainstream novels delve so deeply into pure, unadulterated erotica." [2]

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References

  1. Folsom, Robert (2006-07-17). "'Danse Macabre' by Laurell K. Hamilton; 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' by Scott Lynch". Kansas City Star.
  2. Shindler, Dorman T (2006-08-20). "7th Anita Blake novel builds on erotic aura". Denver Post . p. F13. ISSN   1930-2193.