Dead Ice by Laurell K. Hamilton

Originally Posted to GoodReads: September 16, 2017

Re-read review. Most likely spoilers.

I don't remember my original thoughts on Dead Ice but my current biggest thought is that the professional parts of Anita's life are getting more shoved to the side in favor of the interpersonal parts. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, the balance between the two is hard to strike well. Affliction was the best one as far as balancing these things out goes, in my opinion. Dead Ice isn't bad at it, either. There's definitely a lot going on here and the mystery aspect set up at the beginning is put on the back burner for what seems like a large chunk of the book and then resolved rather quickly and almost too abruptly at the end.

Anita's power-ups are really the main focus of Dead Ice. Technically not just hers, either, but I think Micah and Dev's power-ups come through her so... it's mostly Anita. The main power-up is dealt with very well and I almost wish the whole FBI thing wasn't even included because the life-like/flesh-eating zombie thing was a lot more interesting.

Of course, the interpersonal stuff between the ever more complicated poly-group is once again going through some changes/rough patches. Asher's once again on the shit list for being dumb and the tigers seem to be thinking more politically than romantically, which bugged me the first time and still bugs me. You guys are anticipating living long enough to have more than one commitment ceremony if you feel like it, prophecy of ridiculous be damned. Let those who are sure get on with it and butt out. Oh, and Richard's being less of a dick than usual, so I guess that's nice. I haven't liked him for a long time and that opinion hasn't changed.

Other random notes:
- Dev and Nicky are my favorite comic-relief duo.
- I love Echo and Fortune.
- Kane can go die in a ditch for all I care.
- Random metaphysical show-downs are kind of fun.
- Can one of the wererats just bite Anita already or something?
- Narcissus' manipulations hinge on exactly one thing and I thought it was weird he kept bringing up that one thing over and over.

So anyway, I enjoyed Dead Ice and think it probably could have been two books just based on Anita's power-up thing and the mystery, but it's not too cluttered for all there is in it.