I think that the author unlike Alan Ball doesn't think that Bill & Sookie are forever. I'm not even totally sure that she thinks that Sookie her current lover in the books are forever. The end of the last book makes me wonder that. Therefore, after creating a situation where they are in love and it's against the wishes of all of her people, i.e., the living, she finds a way to plausibly push them apart - makes Bill do something unforgivable and given the timeframe (everything happens really close together in these books) there is no way she would forgive him in the span of the books and it's amazing that she recovers as well as she does. Sookie is pretty resiliant.

that is, indeed, the next book, sumi! (it's still my favorite!)

i'm not really sure what the intent was, le n, because if i recall that's ALSO the book {book spoiler}where we found out that Sophie-Anne sent Bill to keep an eye on Sookie. Eric makes Bill tell Sookie that he's been dishonest. so there were already nails in his coffin, so to speak.

oh and i HAVE read interviews with Charlaine Harris where she kind of agrees with Alan Ball about Bill/Sookie. in fact, it SO reminded me of the writers reactions to fans falling for Spike back in the day. Charlaine has said that she doesn't understand how people can ultimately want Sookie with Eric because he's a "bad guy". i think, perhaps, she needs to evaluate her writing to see that. Spike WAS bad. Eric? eh...he has his moments, but he was ALWAYS there for Sookie.

I completely agree with sumi's explanation and will add that all the relationships in the books are ambivalent. I can't think of one that is really, truly, twoo luv for any length of time at all. Not even Alcide .

I'm beginning to wonder if my interpretation of the books is based too heavily on the reader's voice. I've never actually 'read' one. There is a decided 'deadpan' feel to many of the characters and situations that may not actually be in the words.

Oh, I totally agree with you, tiggy in regards to Eric. He's a honorable man who does bad things. Where all values of honorable equal, doing what he says he will and being there for Sookie, even when she doesn't think he needs to be.

Eric has some asshole in him (based on the tv show), but Bill seems weak. I feel like that is worse. I don't mean "weak" in a macho way, but that Bill doesn't really have the courage of his convictions.

I believe Eric and can therefore root for him.

Well, Eric is 10x as old as Bill - so he is stronger and is more able to act on his own initiative (as I understand vampire society.)

I wonder who the Magister's bosses were, and if they will seek revenge for his death.

Oh, maybe Tara will rescind Franklin's invitation. (Because I can't believe he's actually really, most sincerely dead.)

I don't think that he is. She just bached his head in with the mace. In this 'verse, vamps only have "true death" when their heads are cut off or they are stabbed through the heart with a wooden stake.

So, what do we think about the king killing the Magister. I found it contradictory that the king spent all of that time denouncing the Vampire Authority and the Magister, but still insisted that the Magister marry them. If the Magister didn't have any power as the king claimed, then why was it so important the he "say the words".

I can't wait until Eric kills him.

I think 'the words' were not to sanctify the union, but to keep Sophie Anne in check. If they are actually married before witnesses, then he will be justified in taking action, should she defy him.

Otherwise, he would just kill her and be done with her truculent ways. The ceremony legitimizes his position in the eyes of others...who he doesn't give a toss about...except that they do his bidding.

Politics is politics, I imagine he'd say.

I can't imagine that he can claim the moral high ground that the marriage is legitimate because it was recognized by the magistrate if he just killed the guy.

Logic seems a very situational thing in the world of the vamps.

I was bemused by the wedding scene and had to rewind to make sure I heard Russell correctly. This whole affair happened very, very differently in the books.

I think I like this version better for the dark comedy and for O'Hare's chance to chew scenery. (Seriously, have you watched the way his mouth moves? It's mesmerizing.) I like the book version better for the sense-making.