Dexter in the Dark

Jeff Lindsay's third book in his adventures of the lovable yet homicidal Miami Police blood spatter analyst Dexter Morgan is something of a curve ball.

And that's not a bad thing.

A series that doesn't come out and try new things, that stays with a formula is a series that grows stale quickly.

Mr. Lindsay tries some new techniques and some unique ideas out in order to Dexter through the ringer this time around. For the most part it's successful and he is able to lead Dex down a dark and twisting path unlike any we have seen in the series so far.

How does he do this?

For the first time in his life, Dexter is made to feel fear.

The emotionless dispenser of dark justice finds something that lurks in the night that is darker than anything he ever imagined and he is afraid of it. So much so that his Dark Passenger goes into hiding and leaves Dex to fend for himself.

This gives Mr. Lindsay a very unique opportunity to explore Dexter's mind as he feels what it's like to be a human for the first time since his childhood. It also presents a chance for Dexter to contemplate his motivations and what makes him Dark Dashing Dexter.

Obviously I won't talk about the things he learns or much more of the plot. Other than as with the previous books, it moves quick and keeps you turning pages late into the night.

As with the previous books, particularly 'Dearly Devoted Dexter' my favorite scenes involve Dex interacting with Cody and Astor. Even the scenes with Rita have an element that I will always enjoy.

This time around Dex's foster sister, Sargent Deborah Morgan, isn't nearly as annoying as she was in the prior book. I still feel her reliance on Dexter to help her solves cases is a crutch that could be done away with. It makes her look insanely incompetent at times, granted the mystery she is presented with would be a challenge for most.

If there is one thing to nitpick it would be Dex missing bits of information that I'm pretty sure even the most casual reader was able to pick up. Now, again, Dex's state of mind in this novel isn't exactly where it normally, a strange word to associate Dexter with, is so that probably accounts for it.

Other than that, another excellent novel in fun and enjoyable series that continues to surprise by going places I never expected to be taken to.

So what is that can make Dexter Morgan feel fear? Go find out for yourself and have a blast!

Dastardly Dynamic Dexter

I'm not sure what I can say about this book that you probably have not heard already.

This is just plain fun to read, which might sounds like an odd comment to make considering the books content. But I can't help it, Dexter's first person narrative is funny as hell. I think I might actually get more laughs out of Jeff Linday's anti-hero than I do a Terry Pratchett novel. Which is no small feat.

The premise, for those of you who have been under a rock since Dexter went big and landed a series on Showtime, is simple. Dexter spends his days masquerading as a regular human being but at night, when the moon is full, he becomes Dexter the Dark Avenger. A serial killer with a twist. He has ethics. Honed by his step-Father into a weapon of justice Dexter only kills the true villains of the world in order to slake his thirst for killing and appease the Dark Passenger, the voice inside his head.

'Dearly Devoted Dexter' is the second book in the series, the third book was released a few months back. It picks up shortly after the end of the first novel and few repercussions of that story are having a profound effect on our favorite anti-hero. He's being watched, stalked some might say, by a cop who thinks he knows what Dexter is up to. So Dexter has to delve more deeply into his disguise as a human being and that means spending more and more time with Rita, his girlfriend who serves as a nice cover to his homicidal tendencies. But when a gruesome crime scene is discovered it will force Dexter into the last role he ever suspected to be put in - the Hero.

My favorite parts of this book, like the previous one, are the scenes with Dexter interacting with Rita and her children Astor and Cody. Something about these scenes I just find captivating. Since Dexter, who believes himself to not be human because of the things he does, has a terrible time trying to understand Rita who he admits he is only using to convey the image of a regular human being. These scenes where Dexter tries to understand emotion. something he doesn't feel, are remarkable because they force the reader to examine their own feeling and emotions in similar situations. Very well written by Mr. Lindsay.

The plot of the story is very good and engaging as well. I don't want to talk to much about it for fear of potentially ruining some good shock moments.

If I were to have one complaint it would be a minor one. Dexter's Step-Sister Deborah. She is a fucking bitch in big chunks of the book. Part me me understands her feelings towards a lot of things happening in the book but her attitude to Dexter, to me, is manipulative and slightly abusive. If my sister talked to me like Deb does to Dex, helping her solve crimes would not be high on my list of priorities.

But part me wonders if I only feel that way because I just plain like Dexter and whole-heartily approve of what he does. Dexter doesn't weep for the killing of pedophiles and rapists and neither do I.

Having read the second novel I now feel that I'm ready to watch the DVD's of season 1. I hope to talk about that here soon.

In the meantime go buy Jeff Lidsay's awesome series. We all could use a little Dexter in our lives... unless you are a bad person. You're not a bad person are you?