Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Ace (2000), 608 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. Thriller. HTML:#1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton offers a sexy, suspenseful novel of human�??and inhuman�??passions, as vampire hunter Anita Blake must repay a favor to a man almost as dangerous as the ancient evil she's about to face. . . . Edward is a hit man, specializing in monsters, vampires, shapeshifters, anything and everything. There are people like Anita who do it legal, but Edward doesn't sweat the legalities, or, hell, the ethics. He's an equal opportunity killer. Anita may be one of the few friends that Edward has, but it�??s like being friends with a tame leopard. It may curl up on the foot of your bed and let you pet its head, but it can still rip your throat o… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member MyriadBooks
This is the last of the good Anita Blake novels, and when I recommend this series to people (which I still do), I tell them that the series really ends here. Every book from this point on is horrible crap.
But this book is good. I loved how Anita had a chance to spend some time away from the boys
This might actually be my favorite of the Anita Blake books.
But this book is good. I loved how Anita had a chance to spend some time away from the boys
Show More
and do some thinking. Hamilton plotted this book pretty carefully, and the main plot of killing-the-monster dovetailed very nicely with Anita's relationship angst. My favorite aspect was how Hamilton explored Edward, Edward and Anita's friendship, and Anita's thoughts on Edward. The ending of the book is so tidy that it works quite nicely as the ending to the series as well. Score!This might actually be my favorite of the Anita Blake books.
Show Less
LibraryThing member medea
It is commonly accepted in Anita Blake fandom that Obsidian Butterfly is the last good book in the series. Indeed, it is the last book before Anita Blake morphs from Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter into Anita Blake: Shagger of Everything That Moves. This book's strongest point is the focus on Edward,
Show More
but already elements that will drag the series down later being introduced - most notably Hamilton's desire to load every scene with meaningful psychoanalytical wangst. Show Less
LibraryThing member Angel26
After reading the first 8 books in this series, I must say I was a little disappointed by this one. There is a reoccurring character, Edward, that you have been dying to know a little bit more about that takes center stage only to fall a little flat. I found the dialogue to be boring and the story
Here you are arriving at Edwards home and all he does is play a normal guy. The nice house with the soon to be wife and kids. Really? He is constantly challenging Anita over a simple gaze gone wrong and now he's totally confessing undying friendship. It felt totally out of character. I prefer my Edward as a supporting actor and with less of a staring role.
Then there's Edward other guy he called in Olaf. Through out the entire book Anita is poking a stick as the bear the with her comments with the same regurgitated comments coming out of their mouths.
When I take a step back for the big picture I will tell you that I loved this books predecessor Blue Moon. So I may have been a little disappointed because the previous was thrilling and fun. While this one was a little slower paced. Blue Moon was so good I can completely forget about Obsidian Butterfly.
Show More
a little passionless. Here you are arriving at Edwards home and all he does is play a normal guy. The nice house with the soon to be wife and kids. Really? He is constantly challenging Anita over a simple gaze gone wrong and now he's totally confessing undying friendship. It felt totally out of character. I prefer my Edward as a supporting actor and with less of a staring role.
Then there's Edward other guy he called in Olaf. Through out the entire book Anita is poking a stick as the bear the with her comments with the same regurgitated comments coming out of their mouths.
When I take a step back for the big picture I will tell you that I loved this books predecessor Blue Moon. So I may have been a little disappointed because the previous was thrilling and fun. While this one was a little slower paced. Blue Moon was so good I can completely forget about Obsidian Butterfly.
Show Less
LibraryThing member redheadedfemme
This is the last good Anita Blake novel. After this the series descends into porn, so don't waste your money.
LibraryThing member janersm
Oh, I thought for a little while that this book would rate five stars. Even though it had way too many editing blunders, I thought it was a really strong story.
My love for it waned, though, when I began to realize that once again the series was going to have a book with too much action. This time
At this point in the series, I have noticed that these books are extremely formulaic. There is the repeated information from previous books (including parts lifted verbatim from past novels), Anita thinking that she's being underestimated because she's different (a woman, a freak, a zombie queen, a civilian, a supposed witch, a short person, etc.), a scene involving some sort of mental or physical torture by someone, Anita's repeated statements of being a Christian or having some moral high ground compared to others around the time that she commits or describes some horrifying act of violence, a bigot (usually from the police force) chastising Anita with Anita being immature in response, the rape of a minor character or several threats of rape to Anita, and then the revelation of the villain of the piece, who is usually a character that has been introduced fairly early and seems to be (at first) a benign character. This repeated template for the books reminds me a lot of the old episodes of Matlock, where 52 minutes into the episode, the murderer would be on the stand. It also reminds me of how on Law & Order, you meet the perpetrator at around the 15 minute mark, but the detectives don't get a clue that that's the person until 28-30 minutes in. This nature makes the books more boring than they should be.
There was a true excess of violence in these books. As violent as the novels typically are, there was an extremely grotesque nature that encompassed this book. Many descriptions were so disturbing that they made me cringe or even get nauseous. I'm not opposed to gory details when it is necessary, but the constant use of them in this book was just too much.
The major strength that the book carried was the exploration of Edward's real life, though some of the humanization that took place dampens his great mystique. It also makes Anita look like more of a monster than he is, as he seems to have a thread in him that allows him to love and care for people. I worry a little bit that Anita finding out about Edward's life might eventually ruin their odd friendship.
I am glad that it appears that Anita is realizing that she is truly bound to Richard and Jean-Claude. She seemed to want it to just be there in case of emergencies instead of coming to terms with the fact that is now a part of who she is and who they are.
My love for it waned, though, when I began to realize that once again the series was going to have a book with too much action. This time
Show More
seemed it seemed like there were at least 3 distinct plots, not sub-plots because of their extensive nature. A lot of new characters were introduced, possibly too many since this story is taking place outside of St. Louis. Many of the characters seemed like they would be unimportant to the future of the series, so it didn't make sense why so much attention was given to them. Another issue I had was that this book featured yet another round of "will she or won't she" be raped. I think there were 2 times when it seemed like it was going to happen, but it didn't. Instead, the book featured something even more disturbing--a vivid description of a child being molested and a description of another child being tortured. These two acts would have been enough to make me drop from 5 stars to 2. I also was not a big fan of the ongoing tension of Anita being around a serial rapist/murderer who enjoyed torturing people who happened to fit Anita's physical characteristics. At this point in the series, I have noticed that these books are extremely formulaic. There is the repeated information from previous books (including parts lifted verbatim from past novels), Anita thinking that she's being underestimated because she's different (a woman, a freak, a zombie queen, a civilian, a supposed witch, a short person, etc.), a scene involving some sort of mental or physical torture by someone, Anita's repeated statements of being a Christian or having some moral high ground compared to others around the time that she commits or describes some horrifying act of violence, a bigot (usually from the police force) chastising Anita with Anita being immature in response, the rape of a minor character or several threats of rape to Anita, and then the revelation of the villain of the piece, who is usually a character that has been introduced fairly early and seems to be (at first) a benign character. This repeated template for the books reminds me a lot of the old episodes of Matlock, where 52 minutes into the episode, the murderer would be on the stand. It also reminds me of how on Law & Order, you meet the perpetrator at around the 15 minute mark, but the detectives don't get a clue that that's the person until 28-30 minutes in. This nature makes the books more boring than they should be.
There was a true excess of violence in these books. As violent as the novels typically are, there was an extremely grotesque nature that encompassed this book. Many descriptions were so disturbing that they made me cringe or even get nauseous. I'm not opposed to gory details when it is necessary, but the constant use of them in this book was just too much.
The major strength that the book carried was the exploration of Edward's real life, though some of the humanization that took place dampens his great mystique. It also makes Anita look like more of a monster than he is, as he seems to have a thread in him that allows him to love and care for people. I worry a little bit that Anita finding out about Edward's life might eventually ruin their odd friendship.
I am glad that it appears that Anita is realizing that she is truly bound to Richard and Jean-Claude. She seemed to want it to just be there in case of emergencies instead of coming to terms with the fact that is now a part of who she is and who they are.
Show Less
LibraryThing member la_librarian
This Anita Blake did not have Jean Claude AND it did not have Richard AND there was no sex...BUT it was really great anyway.
It focused on Edward of all people and a case that Edward pulls Anita into. I enjoyed it although it seemed like they were going no-where for a really long time and the last
It focused on Edward of all people and a case that Edward pulls Anita into. I enjoyed it although it seemed like they were going no-where for a really long time and the last
Show More
few chapters things got wrapped up. It had the feeling that the end was rushed. Still it was wonderful and I'm looking forward to the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member obsidianpeach
My favourite of the series, and possibly the peak of her novels before they went downhill (in my honest opinion).
This one focuses on my favourite character -- Edward -- and digs a little deeper into what his life is like when he isn't visiting Anita in her hometown and making brief appearances.
This one focuses on my favourite character -- Edward -- and digs a little deeper into what his life is like when he isn't visiting Anita in her hometown and making brief appearances.
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Among those who have followed the Anita Blake books, Obsidian Butterfly stands along the great divide. This is the last book where Anita really is a Vampire Hunter, and uses her brains (and guns) rather than... another part of her anatomy to solve her problems. For me the series doesn't just drop
In this book Anita works with Edward her fellow US Marshal--a sociopath--to investigate a series of supernatural attacks. Especially in this book, Edward reminds me of Dexter. Here he shows another side as a family man, as someone who does have a side that wants something normal. Ordinarily though he's one scary son-of-a-bitch. The thing is though, there's a lot of Edward in Anita. This book examines that, and I think that's why some name this as their favorite book. When we first meet Anita in Guilty Pleasures she was a woman who drew several moral bright lines, despite some impulsiveness and often disregard for rules. Vampires and weres were monsters to her she put down without remorse, now she's in love with--well, one of each. So up to this book, the theme of the books were, who's the monster? And the thing is in this book, the ordinary humans like Edward and Olaf (a creepy sociopath that makes Edward seem warm and normal) are definitely the scariest.
Maybe. Because of all the Anita Blake books, and I read until book 18, Flirt, until giving up on them, this is the one with the big bad I remembered the best. So I have to give props to that. That said, not even fans of Anita Blake universally laud this book. For a friend of mine, this was the last Anita Blake book she could stand. There's a pretty graphic scene in this book involving the molestation of a child. For my friend that finally crossed the line. "That woman is sick." And she meant Hamilton, not the baddie.
That disturbed me. Goodness knows this book doesn't represent too bright a line from what was to come. Too many times in the earlier books--and here--Anita is threatened with rape, and characters around her victimized. There have always been some icky, at times gruesome aspects to this series. But this was the last one that really had a story and where Anita was at all recognizable. The book could have ended, après moi, le déluge.
Show More
in quality, it falls into an abyss after this book and it becomes a completely different series, with an entirely different focus in characters and themes. So for me this is the last good book. For some it's their favorite.In this book Anita works with Edward her fellow US Marshal--a sociopath--to investigate a series of supernatural attacks. Especially in this book, Edward reminds me of Dexter. Here he shows another side as a family man, as someone who does have a side that wants something normal. Ordinarily though he's one scary son-of-a-bitch. The thing is though, there's a lot of Edward in Anita. This book examines that, and I think that's why some name this as their favorite book. When we first meet Anita in Guilty Pleasures she was a woman who drew several moral bright lines, despite some impulsiveness and often disregard for rules. Vampires and weres were monsters to her she put down without remorse, now she's in love with--well, one of each. So up to this book, the theme of the books were, who's the monster? And the thing is in this book, the ordinary humans like Edward and Olaf (a creepy sociopath that makes Edward seem warm and normal) are definitely the scariest.
Maybe. Because of all the Anita Blake books, and I read until book 18, Flirt, until giving up on them, this is the one with the big bad I remembered the best. So I have to give props to that. That said, not even fans of Anita Blake universally laud this book. For a friend of mine, this was the last Anita Blake book she could stand. There's a pretty graphic scene in this book involving the molestation of a child. For my friend that finally crossed the line. "That woman is sick." And she meant Hamilton, not the baddie.
That disturbed me. Goodness knows this book doesn't represent too bright a line from what was to come. Too many times in the earlier books--and here--Anita is threatened with rape, and characters around her victimized. There have always been some icky, at times gruesome aspects to this series. But this was the last one that really had a story and where Anita was at all recognizable. The book could have ended, après moi, le déluge.
Show Less
LibraryThing member susanbevans
Thrilling and exciting! I just love Edward - he is probably my favorite character. He is so mysterious...
LibraryThing member Flamika
This is a unique novel in the series. Hamilton takes a break from the drama of Anita's life--vampire and werewolf politics, two suitors, police work--and sends the lead character off to help the assassin Edward, who has encountered something that even frightens him. It's a good novel, although
Show More
perhaps not as lively as the others before it. Show Less
LibraryThing member teharhynn
This book was fun because you got to learn a bit more about the illusive Edward. It started off a bit slow, but it picks up and is unlike any of the previous books. Worth Reading!
LibraryThing member jshillingford
Edward is not my favorite character. He makes a good minor character who pops up occassionally, but as a main figure in the whole story? Ugh. Plus, I didn't like the no vampires bit.
LibraryThing member LoriTori
I really missed Jean-Claude in this book. I enjoyed the play between Edward and Anita; however I did not enjoy the distance that Anita had with the St. Louis crowd.
LibraryThing member library-lisa
Everyone is obsessed with these books and i have enjoyed them as well to a point... This is going to be my last Anita Blake book. Laurell K Hamilton needs a decent editor for starters!!!! Come on the mistakes are more and more aparent with each new book. These would be better if she took her time
Show More
and someone made sure all the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed. Secondly... where is the plot line. I really enjoyed these characters when she began the series, but she stopped devloping them all in about book 4. Show Less
LibraryThing member draconismoi
This is the best of LKH's books. Though set in the midst of a pornographic trend in the series, this book truly focuses on the actions and relationships of the characters - not the bedroom.
We also get a closer look at Anita's own self-loathing (of her powers, abilities, family, race and gender).
We also get a closer look at Anita's own self-loathing (of her powers, abilities, family, race and gender).
Show More
It's fascinating to shine a light on just how much of a bigot she is - and how that angst is all directed at herself. The entire series can be reread as an exercise in self-loathing. Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
The plot is lacking. The repetitive introspection is becoming annoying. I can't really say that I enjoyed this one.
LibraryThing member bookwormteri
This, to me, was the most disturbing of the series yet. I can take the vampires and weres and gore, but the torture of kids made me a little sick. I can see where it fit into the story and I am not objecting to its presence in the book, because I am sure that things similar do happen, but it was
Delve into Edward's world and a little bit of his background. Love the Edward character, he is a total badass and very scary. I enjoyed seeing his relationship with Anita grow and I didn't miss the presence of the boys (Jean-Claude and Richard) at all throughout this book.
Show More
just REALLY hard for me to stomach. That being said, an excellent book.Delve into Edward's world and a little bit of his background. Love the Edward character, he is a total badass and very scary. I enjoyed seeing his relationship with Anita grow and I didn't miss the presence of the boys (Jean-Claude and Richard) at all throughout this book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TheSolitaryBookworm
After Blue Moon, Anita continues the adventure with book 9 of the Anita Blake series titled Obsidian Butterfly.
As I have said im my previous review of Blue Moon, I think the series is on a plateau level in a way that it is not as exciting as the previous books that I have read in the series. This
Hamilton has introduce more character in the story line though forgot to build the character further or maybe the characters will be talked about in the next books. It's sad to say but I can see the book going through repetitive stages, what I mean by that is that it's the same all story with different characters and ending. Anita's character need to be rethinked on what to do further or is it better for the series to retire.
As I said in the last review, a great series that I have been following faithfully but I am afraid that it's going in a downward spiral.With 608 pages, this book can be a drag. It almost became a DNF for me. If you are intending on reading the series like me, pick up the earlier books and maybe rethink from Blue Moon onwards. :)
As I have said im my previous review of Blue Moon, I think the series is on a plateau level in a way that it is not as exciting as the previous books that I have read in the series. This
Show More
novel is centered with the life of Edward, assassin and a friend of Anita, and his life outside the killing industry. We will se a softer side of Edward that we don't see much often.Hamilton has introduce more character in the story line though forgot to build the character further or maybe the characters will be talked about in the next books. It's sad to say but I can see the book going through repetitive stages, what I mean by that is that it's the same all story with different characters and ending. Anita's character need to be rethinked on what to do further or is it better for the series to retire.
As I said in the last review, a great series that I have been following faithfully but I am afraid that it's going in a downward spiral.With 608 pages, this book can be a drag. It almost became a DNF for me. If you are intending on reading the series like me, pick up the earlier books and maybe rethink from Blue Moon onwards. :)
Show Less
LibraryThing member FlorenceArt
Yuck. Very badly written, and the main character is a thoroughly unlikable bigot. I hated it, and especially her.
LibraryThing member silentq
This is where I originally thought people should stop with this series, until I read Skin Trade. In this novel, Anita is called on by Edward to help him solve a series of gruesome murders in New Mexico. The geography influences the story, though the mystery revolves around Obsidian Butterfly, an
Show More
Aztec vampire. Anita gains powers as she deals with the dead and another necromancer. Olaf, one of Edward's backups, is as scary as any of the monsters, while Bernard, the other backup is pretty much just filler. The gun violence ramps up considerably, but we do get some insights into Edward. More of Anita's conscience is dying, though, as she grows closer and closer to Edward's style of sociopath. Show Less
LibraryThing member Waianuhea
I really shouldn't like Edward as much as I do buuut whatever. I got it bad. I was going crazy waiting for this book to come out because he was returning to the series. Not disappointed! One of my favorite books of the series.
LibraryThing member averitasm
Very good like all her books, this is a bit different and has some extra characters to it, I like them all so far.
LibraryThing member LJT
The series is still devolving into poor porn, but has some interesting aspects. Edward is developed as a character and the Aztec vampire is an interesting twist. Torturing children I could have done without. I read it, but there was a definite ewwww element.
LibraryThing member adpaton
What with Buffy and Twilight and Vampire Diaries, I think I might be forgiven for expecting Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, to be just another supernatural series for teens – mild monster stories with the merest frisson of sexuality.
My mistake: these books won’t be found in any school library
When she’s not having sex, Anita Blake solves a series of arson attacks in Burnt Offerings; in Blue Moon she clears one of her lovers, a master werewolf, of rape charges – and has sex - while Obsidian Butterfly finds Anita in New Mexico investigating supernatural attacks and mixing it up with werejaguars, a change from the werewolves, leopards, rats and swans who constitute her usual socio-sexual circle.
Look – don’t get me wrong: the Anita Blake books are erotic but not pornographic. She might wear skin tight peek-a-book outfits and engage in four-in-a-bed interspecies romps, but there is never anything too explicit.
By book 19 in the on-going saga our heroine is somehow finding the time to reanimate the dead, solve crimes, bring murderers to justice and kill vampires on a professional basis while running a zoo of at least six lovers. Yet Anita is a good Christian girl at heart, kind, brave and generous, a positive role model for any young woman in almost every respect.
Perhaps, after all, the Vampire Hunter oeuvre should make its way onto the school library shelves: Anita never does the dirty with any human male and good luck to any girl trying to find herself a gorgeous vampire to bed...
My mistake: these books won’t be found in any school library
Show More
containing as they do fantastically perverse examples of extreme erotica, not to mention more blood, torture and death than is usually present even in hard core dick fic. When she’s not having sex, Anita Blake solves a series of arson attacks in Burnt Offerings; in Blue Moon she clears one of her lovers, a master werewolf, of rape charges – and has sex - while Obsidian Butterfly finds Anita in New Mexico investigating supernatural attacks and mixing it up with werejaguars, a change from the werewolves, leopards, rats and swans who constitute her usual socio-sexual circle.
Look – don’t get me wrong: the Anita Blake books are erotic but not pornographic. She might wear skin tight peek-a-book outfits and engage in four-in-a-bed interspecies romps, but there is never anything too explicit.
By book 19 in the on-going saga our heroine is somehow finding the time to reanimate the dead, solve crimes, bring murderers to justice and kill vampires on a professional basis while running a zoo of at least six lovers. Yet Anita is a good Christian girl at heart, kind, brave and generous, a positive role model for any young woman in almost every respect.
Perhaps, after all, the Vampire Hunter oeuvre should make its way onto the school library shelves: Anita never does the dirty with any human male and good luck to any girl trying to find herself a gorgeous vampire to bed...
Show Less
LibraryThing member lesleydawn
My favorite Anita Blake novel yet. It really let us in to who Anita is, not what her job is or who she is dating.
Subjects
Awards
P.E.A.R.L. (Honorable Mention — Science Fiction — 2000)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2000-01
Physical description
608 p.; 4.34 inches
ISBN
0441007813 / 9780441007813
UPC
072742007500