The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

By: Charlaine Harris

Narrated by: Johanna Parker, Laurie Birmingham, Christina Moore, Andrew Watts, Brian Hutchison, Scott Sowers

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Fans of Charlaine Harris’ number-one New York Times best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels will find much to enjoy in this companion to the immensely popular series. Included are a never-before-published novella and an exclusive interview with Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s True Blood. Sookie herself guides listeners on a behind-the-scenes tour of Bon Temps, gives them a peek at the werewolf and werepanther communities, provides a glimpse through the racks of her best friend Tara’s dress shop, and offers a look at Merlotte’s - the bar where Sookie earns her living.

Listen to more titles in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

©2011 Charlaine Harris Inc. (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

If you're a Sookie reader don't bother with this!

I have read or listened to all of the Sookie Stackhouse books several times. I love them.
They are fun, interesting and leave you thirsting for more at the end of each read/listen. But if you are looking for a Sookie "hit" before the next book comes out or if you think you will learn something new and exciting by buying this title you will be sorely disappointed. I felt like this was such an obvious play for more money because the books/TV series have become so vastly popular that it left me angry and no wiser or more entertained than I was before I started the listen. The only thing that saves this book from a straight one star in each catagory was the presence of Johanna Parker. A serious waste of a credit. I felt cheated by an author that I had previously enjoyed very much. As an aside, I really don't care to hear about the "fan club" and their variously vapid and insipid exploits. Really?

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Very dissappointed!

This book really bummed me out. It wasn't at all what I expected and it definitely wasn't what I hoped for. If someone feels like skipping all Sookie Stackhouse books it would be helpful, but then what's the point anyway. I didn't see it as a "companion" I saw it as a rip off. I think the description was really misleading as well. Big Dissappointment. It really seemed like a way for the publisher to make money off Sookie fans. I can't see a true fan of all of the books enjoying this at all. The Bill and Eric voices were absolutely horrendous. No offense to the guys who read them, but they just did NOT work for the characters.

29 of 32 people found this review helpful

Not Worth It

What would have made The Sookie Stackhouse Companion better?

If I would't have bought it

What was most disappointing about Charlaine Harris’s story?

The telling of the story

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrators’s performances?

no, not if it's the same format

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Short story is OK. But this isn't worth a credit

I rate all of the Sookie novels high and the short story read by Johanna Parker was good. However this book has so much filler. I would have preferred to read it on a Kindle and skip most of it. The summary of all the novels was OK but a fan doesnt need that. The secret communications between Eric & Bill was definitely interesting. Though the two guys reading as Bill and Eric are experienced narrators, they weren't convincing in these roles. For example Bill had no Southern accent. I am not a fan of the TV show. That's another topic, but Steven Moyer nails Bill, IMO, and the show does have great actors. This Companion Novel lost my suppport when i reached the chapter dedicated to the President of the Charlaine Harris fan club. Seriously, who cares! That was filler.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

Horrendously misleading descripting

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Don't buy it unless you have not read the books. It's mostly a recap of the books. And when it's not, the narrators are not good. The short story by the actual Sookie narrator was ok, but def not worth even a credit, much less the ridiculous price. This is not a companion, it's a recap and a way to rip off Sookie fans. I never thought I would give anything "Sookie" a bad rating but that day has come.

What could Charlaine Harris have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

She could have made it a real book, not a ripoff recap.

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrators’s performances?

Yes, Johanna Parker's. That's it. The others, heck no.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

One short story. Worth 1/10 of a credit.

Any additional comments?

Stick with the actual books, they are great. This is not.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Companion Book is a good description

I have read all of this series and enjoy Charlaine Harris Books.

The story Small Town Wedding was quite enjoyable and I could have just spent the credit on that.

It is a synopsis of all the books and some letters and discussions between some of the Characters. But the only narrator I enjoyed in the whole book, was Johanna Parker.

Unless you want synopsis of each story to jog your memory, the only part I would give higher stars to is Small Town Wedding.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Not What I Expected

I was hoping for a collection of short stories about the characters. There is one at the beginning of the book, which I enjoyed. However, everything after that is merely a recap of other books. Following the short story is a recap of just a portion of the series. I’m not sure what purpose it serves considering anyone reading this will have read the books already. I did like hearing the actual timelines of the book. However, that was cut short when it stopped at book 11. In addition, there are minimal recaps to the short stories I was hoping to actually hear. Maybe I bought the wrong book...? Interviews with Charline Harris and Alan Ball are mildly interesting, but overall I was disappointed I used my monthly credit on this.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

All the history

Any additional comments?

This is a production, nut just a reading, and it's great! The timeline collapses the entire series so I was able to put it all together and, as an added benefit, it helped separate the story from the TV version (True Blood). It's something I can hear more than once as the show develops and I finish the series. Seems I started it in the middle, which isn't unusual for me. Thanks, Charlaine. What a great idea.

Yes - you SHOULD buy this book!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Sookie Stackhouse Companion to be better than the print version?

Yes, the audio edition was preferable to the print version. I don't think I would've read the entire book...for those of us who have read and/or listened to the series several times (okay, many times), I probably would have read the novella, Ms. Harris' message to the readers, but skipped the rest of the book. I found the "review" of the series quite enjoyable as I commute to and from work on a daily basis. The only regret is that there is no way to "see" the map of Bon Temps via the audio version.

What did you like best about this story?

The novella was worth the price of the book. I am a great fan of Sam and was very happy to "meet" his family. I also enjoyed learning about other novellas that were developed, but do not include Sookie. Somehow I missed one or two of these. I look forward to correcting that omission as quickly as possible!

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

As always, Johanna Parker does a stellar job with the narration of the novella. I was very sad to hear Amanda Ronconi's reading later in the book. Ms. Ronconi did a wonderful job, but the voices belong to Johanna Parker and it sounded strange to hear someone else portraying the characters. The gentlemen who portrayed Eric and Bill did an admirable job and definitely made me laugh. However, Ms. Parker's narration still works best for me.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to read the wedding novella in one sitting...but not the entire book. It is way too long and covers too many different subjects to make that possible, or even desirable.

Any additional comments?

Thank you, Charlaine Harris, for a wonderful set of books. Your plot lines throughout the series have often surprised me. That is a good thing! I do hope that Sookie ends up with Eric or Sam...that is my request. I will admit that even I can see flaws with both/either of these desires. I look forward to reading your final book in this series...sigh...it will be a bittersweet treat, I am sure.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

It Is What It Is.

This book is a companion to the series. It is not meant to be a novel in and of itself. The negative reviews I have been seeing are actually pretty laughable, because they are complaining about the fact that they wasted a credit on something like this. Only die-hard Sookieverse people should use a credit on a COMPANION book. That said, it was pretty well-presented for the type of book that it is, and the inclusion of the novella was a nice touch. I had been looking for that slice in the storyline of Sookie and Sam. I will miss the series when it is over, and will have to get my fix of Bon Temps from True Blood.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful