Changes

So, as this cycle reaches the middle ground (book four of nine) we finally get a clearer look at what it might entail overall. Just as Rachel Caine manages to hide the real gist of her plots from us until the midway point (as she does again here), so we get a better glimpse at what the future for all the characters might be. New vampire Michael is still at odds with his housemates over turning overturning (well, he had been a ghost, so it shouldn't have been such a jarring progression), Shane is being tempted big time, and as for Claire, our young, brainy heroine - her links with the future of the entire vampire enclave that is Morganville is alluding to some destiny forever linking her to dodgy old vampires, ice-cold queen vampires, and of course what walked in the door at the end of [[Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine|book three]].

So we get less of the brooding, police-concerning life under vampire rule that made the first trilogy so distinguished. It's pretty clear-cut that Claire and Shane will never get their rocks off, and there will never be a perfect harmony between the Glass House residents. But with the arrival of an old Mister Big to combat the Mrs Big and upset the status quo, we see perhaps a more routine adventure thriller.

For that and more I can see myself sticking with this series - even if there are twinges here of Claire becoming too obviously messianic too quickly, and the cycle broadening out into big control battles when the smaller conflicts aplenty of old were so commendable. The state of play at the time of writing is that the UK gets volume 5 in July, and the US market part 7 in November 2009. It's a pity I'll be forced to wait two years or so then for the big reveal, but the ride, I am sure, will be worth the price of admission.