Narcissus In Chains

This is a pivotal book for the main character, Anita Blake. This book marks the beginning of major changes in the vampire Executioner's life. Not to say that being metaphyically linked to the SEXY Master Vampire of the City Jean-Claude and HOT alpha werewolf Richard in "The Killing Dance" is not a turning point, it is. It's just that in "Narcissus in Chains" things are happening left right and center and all you can do is hold on to the edge of your seat. Though to be honest, to really understand this series it is a must to start at the beginning with "Guilty Pleasures" when Anita meets these two HOT men that change her life from interesting to OFF THE CHART

In book 10 of the Anita Blake series, Anita is back on home turf in St. Louis ready to make amends with boyfriends Jean-Claude and Richard. All is not right with their magical power triad -- the separation has increased their vulnerability. But, before Anita gets the chance to mend any fences, let alone auras, she has to go to an S&M club, Narcissus in Chains, and rescue ultra-submissive wereleopards Gregory and Nathaniel. In the fray she becomes possibly "infected" with wereleopardism. This is a profound development in Hamilton's universe as it would really make Anita one of the "monsters." The fall-out is complicated -- both relationship-wise and plot-wise -- but it keeps you turning the pages.

Narcissus in Chains is a pivotal book in the series because we see a change in the power structure between Richard, Jean Claude and Anita. After a six month separation, the crisis with Anita's leopards brings them back together and forces Anita to agree to the 'marrying' of their vampire marks. This amps up their power, but not without a cost. Anita especially has a price to pay in the form of the 'ardeur'. It is this new twist that takes the series on a more erotic turn. Some people have complained about the change but to me the stories have always been about the characters and their relationships and this new stage just seems like a natural progression of their development. This book, while action packed is less suspense based and more story driven. New characters are introduced and we see changes in the relationships between characters.This book will always be one of my favourite books in the series, even if it isn't as action packed and suspenseful as some of the others, because it introduces us to Micah. I love his character. Richard, on the other hand, I just want to smack.

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Narcissus in Chains is the 10th book in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels.

It's been six months since the last book and Anita has been celibate.

Gregory calls Anita to a club called Narcissus in Chains, it's a BDSM club. Nathanial is being held captive and he wants Anita to rescue him. Anita calls Jean-Claude for help and he informs her that Anita, Jean-Claude and Richard are weak because there are holes in Anita's aura. Anita has been keeping away from them and holding shields up. She agrees to merge the marks and fill her wounds in the aura.

While trying to rescue the wereleopards she realizes that there are some swanmanes being held captive too. She must fight some weresnakes and werelions to protect her wereleopards. Gregory tries to save Anita's life but hurts her while being in half form.

Anita is being warmed up by some wereleopards to save her life and finds Micah in her bed. She doesn't know him, but finds him very attractive. He was invited by Elizabeth to take over the wereleopards. There is something about Micah that Anita can't resist.

Anita find out that Gregory has been taken by Richard and the wolves because Anita is killed as Lupa. They believe that Anita will now become a wereleopard and therefore can no longer be their Lupa. While Anita tries to save Gregory she finds that Richard's pack is split and Richard tried to change pack politics where he can be voted down. She also realizes that a new member Jacob is out to become Ulfric.

For the first time, the ardeur rises in Anita; she doesn't know what it is. But she has sex with a stranger. She finds out that Jean-Claude can feed energy from his ardeur and no one thought she would have it now that they have bonded. She also feed the ardeur with 4 people and Anita is not sure if that qualified as sex.

Anita, find out that Damian went insane when she left them for 6months. She didn't realize her leaving would cause Damian to go crazy. He's been locked in a coffin and Anita vows to get him back.

Anita goes to get Gregory from Richard. She has back up from the wererats and a Swan King. She finds Gregory drugged and tortured and she needs to have him shift with her power to save him. Richard didn't know that some of his pack would have tortured him.

Richard and Anita attempt reconciliation. But when they are about to have sex Anita tries to feed the Ardeur on Richard. He leaves her because he refuses to fed upon.

Anita finds out that some of her friends are being held prisoner by Chimera, who is a panwere and very mentally unstable. Anita must fight to save her friends form Chimera. Anita uses vampire power that she learnt in from Obsidian Butterfly.

I like the book a lot. I'm not sure if I like the Ardeur storyline. I'm going to have to wait another book or two. I loved how Anita has high morals and for her to just have sex with a stranger and a few men at once made me a little uncomfortable. I feel like Anita is loosing herself but I'm going to trust L. Hamilton's vision and see where that goes.

In my mind this series of books is the
best there is.
Not only can I not wait to see what
Mrs. Hamilton comes up with in the next
few books, but I would love to see them
all turned into movies. Blockbuster smash hits they would be!!