Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter

Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
Information
Author	Laurell K. Hamilton
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Urban Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Dark Fantasy, Occult detective
Publisher	Ace Books, Berkley Books
Date	1993–present

Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter is a series of urban fantasy novels, short stories, and comic books by Laurell K. Hamilton. The books have sold more than six million copies; many have made The New York Times Best Seller list.

The series is narrated in the first person by Anita Blake, who works in St. Louis, Missouri, as a professional zombie raiser, vampire executioner and supernatural consultant for the police. The early novels focus predominantly on crime-solving and action; the later ones on Anita's personal and sexual-defender relationships and power.

Series Plot

The series is narrated by the character Anita Blake, and told exclusively from her point of view. As Hamilton has stated, "Anita is my eyes on her world, my camera." Throwing Anita deeper into magic, vampire, and lycanthrope experiences lets the reader explore these cultures vicariously.

Anita lives in a fictional Saint Louis much like our own, save that not only are things like vampires and shapeshifters real, but their presence is public knowledge and they are considered legal citizens of the United States, much like normal humans.

The novels follow Anita's ongoing conflicts with the supernatural as she attempts to solve a variety of supernatural mysteries, come to terms with her own abilities, and navigate an increasingly complex series of romantic and political relationships.

In the early books, Anita considers vampires untrustworthy monsters, and fears and pities lycanthropes. Over time she meets and befriends not only vampires and lycanthropes, but all kinds of preternatural beings. In book #1 she quips, "I don't date vampires. I kill them." By book #4 she is dating one. Anita's increasing trust in the "monsters" parallels her learning more about their respective cultures and becoming more involved in their communities and politics. As the series proceeds, Anita also acquires some lycanthrope and vampire abilities, and struggles with the concept of perhaps being one of the monsters herself.

Books in the series

1. Guilty Pleasures (1993) ISBN 0-515-13449-X
2. The Laughing Corpse (Sep 1994) ISBN 0-425-19200-8
3. Circus of the Damned (1995) ISBN 0-515-13448-1
4. The Lunatic Cafe (1996) ISBN 0-425-20137-6
5. Bloody Bones (1996) ISBN 0-425-20567-3
6. The Killing Dance (1997) ISBN 0-425-20906-7
7. Burnt Offerings (1998) ISBN 0-515-13447-3
8. Blue Moon (1998) ISBN 0-515-13445-7
9. Obsidian Butterfly (2000) ISBN 0-515-13450-3
10. Narcissus in Chains (2001) ISBN 5-558-61270-3
11. Cerulean Sins (2003) ISBN 0-515-13681-6
12. Incubus Dreams (2004) ISBN 0-515-13975-0
13. Micah (2006) ISBN 0-515-14087-2
14. Danse Macabre (June 2006) ISBN 0-425-20797-8
15. The Harlequin (June 2007) ISBN 978-0-425-21724-5
16. Blood Noir (May 2008) ISBN 978-0-425-22219-5
17. Skin Trade (June 2009) ISBN 978-0-425-22772-5
18. Flirt (February 2010) ISBN 978-0-425-23567-6
19. Bullet (June 2010) ISBN 978-0-425-23433-4
20. Hit List (June 2011) ISBN 978-0-425-24113-4
21. Kiss the Dead (June 2012) ISBN 978-0-425-24754-9
22. Affliction (July 2013) ISBN 978-0-425-25570-4
23. Jason (December 2014) ISBN 978-0-515-15607-2
24. Dead Ice (June 2015) ISBN 978-0-425-25571-1 (The title was created by a fan during a contest Hamilton held)
25. Crimson Death (October 2016) ISBN 978-1-101-98773-5
26. Serpentine (August 7, 2018) ISBN 978-0-425-25568-1
27. Sucker Punch (August 4, 2020) ISBN 978-1-984-80443-3
28. Rafael (February 9, 2021) ISBN 978-0-593-33291-7
29. Smolder (March 21, 2023) ISBN 978-1-984-80449-5
30. Slay (Expected publication November 7, 2023) ISBN 978-0-593-63784-5

Novellas and short-story collections[edit]

1. Out of This World (2001) ISBN 0-515-13109-1 (contains chapters from Narcissus in Chains, "Magic Like Heat Across My Skin", and short stories by other authors)
2. Strange Candy (2006) ISBN 0-425-21201-7 (contains original Anita Blake short story "Those Who Seek Forgiveness" (the very first story featuring Blake), "The Girl Who Was Infatuated with Death", and other short stories by Hamilton)
3. Beauty: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Outtake (May 2012) ISBN 978-1-101-57930-5 (#20.5)
4. Dancing: An Anita Blake Novella (September 2013) ISBN 978-0-698-15643-2 (#22.5)
5. Shutdown (October 2013)(#22.6)
6. A Girl, a Goat, and a Zombie (November 2016), an eShort story available for download through Laurell K. Hamilton's website.
7. Wounded (December 2016) (#24.5)
8. Sweet Seduction (original short story/novelette; collected in Noir Fatale, May 2019)
9. Zombie Dearest (original short story/novelette; collected in Fantastic Hope, April 2020) ISBN 978-1-101-57930-5 (#26.5)

Marvel Comics series[edit]

Marvel's license started under Dabel Brothers Publishing, and when they acquired that company's rights, they continued until their rights expired (which were contractually obligated through the first three novels).

1. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: The First Death 1–2 (7/2007 and 12/2007)
2. Anita Blake Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures 1–12 (12/2006 – 8/2008)
3. Guilty Pleasures Handbook (2007)

The Laughing Corpse adaptation

1. Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse—Animator 1–5 (10/2008 – 2/2009)
2. Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse—Necromancer 1–5 (4/2009 – 9/2009)
3. Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse—Executioner 1–5 (9/2009 – 3/2010)

Circus of the Damned adaptation

1. Anita Blake: Circus of the Damned—The Charmer 1–5 (5/2010 – 10/2010)
2. Anita Blake: Circus of the Damned—The Ingenue 1–5 (1/2011 – 5/2011)
3. Anita Blake: Circus of the Damned—The Scoundrel 1–5 (9/2011 – 5/2012)

Adaptations

Comic books

In 2006 Marvel Comics and Dabel Brothers Productions began production on a graphic novel adaptation of the first three books in the series, beginning with Guilty Pleasures. Hamilton worked with Stacie M. Ritchie on the comic scripts, with Brett Booth illustrating the series until 2008.

The first adaptation was well received, with the first volume of The Laughing Corpse being a New York Times bestseller in the graphic novel category. Interest in the series declined, but Marvel completed its contract for the first three novel adaptations in 2012. Within the Marvel Comics multiverse, the Anita Blake reality is designated as Earth-97534.

Television

In March 2009 news sources began reporting that Hamilton had signed a deal with IFC to adapt the series for a full-length movie and potential television series. Shortly after, Hamilton announced that the reports were not rumors and that the series had officially been optioned. Despite initial planning, Hamilton later announced that the plans for the series had been dropped.