Lunatic cafe was the first one I read, probably not a best choice! Richard, schoolteacher and once a month a wolf and sometimes Anita's b/f, is an interesting character (BTW, if you've ever seen Laurell's husband, well you're looking at Richard in the flesh). And when I read I was about three quarters through when they went back to the mystery, and my internal dialogue was "oh yeah, the missing shape shifters". IMO, the resolution of the mystery was completely unsatisfactory. FWIW, I find her explanation of lycanthropy lacking some, too. Addtionally, I mentioned before it appears to me the books are fairly gun obssessed.
Regarding magic in the Anitaverse, it's fairly tricky since there are witches and wizards, but other types of magic are very specific and do not necessarily come with other power (example, Jean Claude's power over other vampires, and Anita's necromancy). Some readers like to compare the Anitaverse to BtVS, but I vigorously disagree with that comparison and see little similarities between the two.
All that to be said, the books have a huge fan base, literally millions of readers (take as comparison, no where near the fan base of Sunshine, BTW I found that book very Buffy-like), and Ms. Hamilton Anita sees really no end to the series ATT.
p.s. there's one plot point in Lunatic Cafe that could wig some out. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C -
http://planc.bravepages.com/main.htmlBuff_fans_Chicago
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