The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy

I found The City, Not Long After quite chill for a post-apocalyptic novel. I honestly haven’t read many, but what I have read tend to focus more on the violent, uneasy parts than this did. Not that there isn’t any violence here, but the hopefulness and artistry of San Francisco’s population supersedes it.

The surreal elements were neat. I kind of like the idea of the city’s soul basically coming back once there isn’t such a heavy population and helping to defend itself and its citizens. The magical moments it brings, too, are fun.

I found the characters quite vivid. Each important, named one got their own little backstory section, which was nice. My favorite was probably Snake. I like how he found his art and what he ended up doing with it.

I also really loved all the art installations the San Franciscans did across the city. The descriptions were definitely vivid enough, I could see them briefly and feel their impacts on Jax. The art itself made just as much impact as the characters who made it.

I found Fourstar rather flat, though I figure he’s meant to be. Just the kind of antagonist who everyone can envision and make as intimidating, or not, as they want. He reminds me of the Commanders of Gilead, to be honest. There, but not a super direct threat to Jax et al. until he is. I think he just can’t be seen to give up, even if he wanted to, but I also don’t think he really thought he was going to make it out of San Francisco alive… I’m not entirely sure, but also don’t care enough to keep speculating on his motives. He wanted to bring the US back together for whatever reason and that honestly just makes me roll my eyes in his direction.

I can’t help wondering if the rest of the US outside of San Francisco got themselves back together or ended up less US and more like Europe is, just given the breadth of the states. That’s honestly someone else’s story to tell and not really important here at all, I just wonder.

The City, Not Long After really sticks in the brain. It’s thought provoking and surreal and just the right amount of melancholy while still managing to be hopeful, I think. 

Dead Ice by Laurell K. Hamilton - 2026

2026 Review

Definitely spoilers in this one.

Ah, the therapy-speak that just barrels right in here. Yes, getting therapy is good. Yes, it’s good Anita is working on her shit. It’s just a lot, if I’m remembering past this part with Jean-Claude and Micah correctly.

I honestly feel like there’s just so much dialogue that really feels superfluous and slows down the pacing a lot. Now, I am willing to admit that, as a bathroom reread, I am technically “sitting with” scenes a lot longer than I would if I was not reading in small snippets of time, which definitely makes the scenes seem to last longer than they do. However… they still seem quite long.

I perused a couple of other reviews before writing some of this one and… yeah, the lack of editing that apparently happened with this book is definitely more apparent now that I think about it. Just an example I went like “mmm… yep, true” is being reminded almost every time Nicky’s “on-screen” that he’s a sociopath. Really didn’t need that many reminders. This also explains why the random locker room encounters were so long… really didn’t do anything for the plot otherwise. Honestly, now that I know about the editing thing, it's bleedingly obvious and actually colored how I felt about the last batch of chapters... they just seemed to go on and on...

It is kind of fun to see some Jean-Claude power-scaling happening and not just Anita. It’s also very nice that everyone’s concerned about this, given the nature of his powers and parts of his job he doesn’t want to give up. Dev and Micah’s power-scaling is… ehhh… this time around I’m not really feeling it.

I actually like the part with the flesh-eating zombie. It’s an interesting bit of world-building, even if, again, the whole thing felt very long.

Kane can still go die in a ditch. I despise him and am definitely on the Asher hate-train at this point.

I definitely feel like the FBI plotline was largely sidelined for most of the book, which kind of makes sense, given the nature of it. Dead Ice seemed to really want to focus on the relationship stuff more than the crime-solving stuff anyway. This does not end my gripe about having the crime-solving stuff suddenly solved and dealt with last minute, either. The same thing happens here, again.

I am definitely less positive about Dead Ice this time around. It’s fine, but if you’re uninterested in the giant polycule and the spicy scenes, it’s definitely not one you’re going to enjoy.

If you would like to know my thoughts from my last reread, you can find that HERE.

Favorite Lines 

"Revenge is cold comfort when the person you're avenging is already dead," - Anita Blake

"Hanging around you is like the Discovery Channel for monsters sometimes; I always learn something new." - Manny Rodriguez

"It sounded stupid, but love isn't stupid; it's necessary for a happy life." - Anita Blake 

Stone Mad by Elizabeth Bear

So, there is some solid world-building in this. I liked the introduction of Spiritualism and illusionists. I also enjoyed the cryptid, though I definitely wasn’t expecting it. But honestly, Stone Mad felt like a jumble. Might have been the storyline, might have been the inclusion of so many characters in such a short book… not sure.

I also don’t think Priya felt like the Priya we met previously. Probably because she’s a lot more sure of herself and dealing with some crap from her father. I’m just not sure I liked what was there… especially toward the end. I’m going to slightly spoil a bit, but… it’s a small bit. Priya literally watched Karen go out for a walk, saw muddy clothing on the porch (or wherever Karen left it), and is angry about that in addition to the stuff she was angry about before? What? I thought that was kind of ridiculous. Karen came home and slept in the same bed as you, at least she made it home. Bleh.

Anyway… Stone Mad was alright, but just alright. 

Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear

Karen Memory is an interesting enough book. I think I may have DNF’d it the last time I read it, because I did not at all remember the second half of the book. That’s where most of the action is.

I definitely feel like the descriptions in the book could have used some work. Before Karen strapped herself into the sewing machine, I had zero clue it was essentially a mech-suit. I still could not tell you how any of that worked… or what I was imagining because sewing machine and mech-suit do not square up in my head. Even Peter Bantle’s machine is a nothing-burger of vaguely steam-punk tubes and lighting in my head. A lot of the steam-punk elements very much rely on the reader to make up rather than actual descriptions of them.

The rest of the story was alright. I wasn’t expecting the turns it took, which I guess is realistic, because Karen definitely didn’t, either. I thought Karen and Priya’s romance was cute. Definitely satisfying and not a bury-your-gays trope. But, uh, yeah… fairly rollicking adventure. 

Jason by Laurell K. Hamilton

Not going to lie, I skimmed a good bit of this book upon reread. I'm just not into spiciness as I once was and don't really enjoy reading it. However, Jason does include a fair bit of character work for Anita, J.J., and Jade, so I couldn't just skip the entire book. The character work is great. I think the discussions had here definitely needed to be had and it's nice to get them without something crazy-pants going on in the background. Just a nice, chill, sexy weekend for Anita and the gang. I really enjoyed it.

Funny Related Story

So, I introduced one of my aunts to Laurell K. Hamilton's writing as we were browsing at the library one day. She was interested in audio books and I recognized Hamilton's name on one of the Merry Gentry novels... which I still have not read to this day. Anyway, my Aunt picked up the book and later discovered that it definitely wasn't one she should be listening to with the kiddos in the car/around. Which... I didn't know at the time given a) not read Merry Gentry and b) the Anita books hadn't quite gotten to that point yet at the time... I got a bit of a scolding about it. 🙄

Cut to Christmas 2014 and that same Aunt gifted me this book because I'd asked for it. This book is, like, 99% sex, which I'm pretty sure my Aunt still doesn't know. It just made me laugh as I was reading the first time and amuses me to think about now.

Also definitely don't think the Anita Blake books are kid friendly even without the sex, by the way. 

Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton

2017 Review

You know a book is going to blow you away when you're laughing and crying happy tears within the first chunk of it. I think Affliction is going down as my favorite Anita Blake novel.

Also, even though I totally called how it was going to end, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride there.

2026 Reread Review

I honestly thought I'd done more of a review on Affliction, in fact, I thought I'd done two. I was obviously wrong on that count, but whatever. Here we are. I really love Affliction and, so far in this series reread, it is my favorite. Go figure.

I really like the character work done here. We get Nicky and Dev more fleshed out and more of Micah's surrounding back-story. I adore Micah's family, aside from the obvious outliers of Aunt Bertie and Uncle Jamie. Those two would definitely be hardcore MAGA if this were our universe, I have little doubt. As they are... well, I can honestly say I was not at all sorry to see them exit to story.

I wasn't super pleased to have another, though expected, round of "Anita has to explain/justify her lifestyle and work choices to a bunch of cops in order to be taken seriously"... but it was handled okay. I'm glad Hatfield got her shit together on that count. Like, yes, perhaps take what the more experienced Monster Hunters have to say about the monster hunting to heart, even if you don't agree with who they're sleeping with. I find those kinds of things very tedious. I get it's not super realistic to just gloss over, but it's been 22 books at this point and we have to rehash it every damn time... ugh.

I enjoyed the "zombie apocalypse" aspect, surprisingly for me. I'm not usually a fan of that kind of overt horror (it grosses me out, for one). I think reading it helps because my brain can just be like "Ah yes, we understand the concept the words are conveying but you don't have to see it, so it's fine." As always, having Edward on board is fun. I like his dynamic with Anita and Nicky. So very, very glad Olaf didn't make an appearance this time.

So... yeah. Affliction is definitely my favorite. I think it's nice not to have to deal with the frustrations that often complicate Anita's life... for a little while anyway.

Favorite Lines

"Wound. We can always kill her later, but once you kill someone, wounding seems a little pointless." - Anita Blake

"I could never eat someone who thought planning a wedding was fun." - Anita Blake

"If you're doing it right, love makes you more of who you are, not less," - Anita Blake

"Picture don't tell the truth, Anita. Anyone can lie long enough to have a picture taken." - Nicky Murdoch

"We can't really control what flips our switch; don't judge it, Anita, just accept it." - Edward 

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

I was honestly not expecting all the preamble with the parents. Pretty much every adaptation I’ve seen completely cuts them out. Also Peter’s forgetfulness. Boy definitely has some high-powered ADHD, probably aided and exacerbated by all that fairy magic.

I honestly found the rest of the book just kind of whatever. It was enjoyable enough and a quick read for me. I’m not in the headspace to sit here and analyze it. Plus, I’m absolutely certain I’ll just be retreading what others have said in the regard.

I definitely would have enjoyed Peter Pan more had I gotten around to reading it when I was younger.