Dexter In The Dark

This post first published August 19, 2012.

Author: Jeff Lindsay
Series: Dexter #3
First Published:  2007
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
303 pages (paperback)
 
This is the third installment of the Dexter series, and while overall I enjoyed it and liked it, the new paranormal/supernatural elements added in this book threw me off and lessened my liking of it. I’m not saying crime or mystery novels can’t have supernatural elements to it. Just in this series, it feels horribly off. The first two Dexter books have established a world, a universe, of certain set rules, and 3000 year old gods weren’t a part of it. Dexter’s Dark Passenger was (I thought) a metaphor for the killing urges Dexter has. I mean, there just really wasn’t anything to suggest it was anything more than that. I didn’t expect the Dark Passenger to suddenly become a real thing.

In Dexter In The Dark, Dexter is in the midst of wedding preparations, trying to become a mentor to young Cody and Astor and of course, his dark hobby. When he is called to investigate a crime scene, Dexter finds his Dark Passenger retreating inside of him, as if it was scared, until one day, it simply disappeared. Even worse, someone or something is stalking him — the Watcher, it is called, which turns out to be a 3000 year old god that goes from one human host to the next. The murders that started all this get worse as well, as victims keep turning up all being killed in the same manner. Dexter feels the murders must be somehow related to the disappearance of his Dark Passenger but he hasn’t a clue.

As I already mentioned, this book threw me off. I didn’t expect the 3000 year old god thing to be literal, yet it was. I mean, if this wasn’t a Dexter book, I think it would be a fine, solid book, but it’s a Dexter book and paranormal elements were not a part of the first two. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, “Nah, there’s going to be some logical explanation at the end of the book that will explain everything” but it turned out the fantastical explanation was the explanation. It also feels like it cheapened Dexter, the character. The idea that he’s just a guy under demonic possession and not a serial killer just cheapens the whole thing. “Dexter’s really quite human! He’s just possessed by this demon thing!” Well, that is not the reason why I enjoyed reading about Dexter in the first place.

I know I’m making it sound like this book is horrible or something, but it’s really not. It’s just my one complaint about the book turned out to be a rather huge complaint, so it comes off that way. It’s a good, solid book, with good, solid entertainment, though even minus the supernatural stuff, it’s a bit lackluster compared to the first two books. Dexter furthers his relationship development with Astor and Cody, which is a huge focus of this novel, I felt. They have Dark Passengers of their own and Dexter is trying to become a sort of mentor to them, but the two kids just don’t listen to Dexter too well. The mystery is a little lackluster because it’s so intertwined with the ancient god thing, but still, I enjoyed reading about Dexter and Deborah attempting to solve the case anyway.

I think overall, this book is fine. It’s not great and quite unexpected, but it’s okay. I hope the next few Dexter books are more like the first two though.

My Rating: 3/5

Dearly Devoted Dexter

This post first published May 10, 2012.

Author: Jeff Lindsay
Series: Dexter #2
Published: January 2005
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
292 pages
 
Reading this Dexter book was different from reading the first Dexter book, for me, because the second book (and all subsequent books in the series) are not the same as the TV show at all, which is what I am firmly acquainted with. So compared to the first book, I truly had no idea what to expect.

This second installment of the series has Dexter start off with trying to track down a nasty killer pedophile’s accomplice. Alas, it is very difficult being a serial killer when your intimidating work colleague suspects you’re up to no good and has begun stalking you 24/7. Thus, Dexter finds himself spending more and more time with his “disguise” — his girlfriend, Rita, in an attempt to show Sergeant Doakes that he’s really a very normal guy.

However, Dexter finds himself on the same side as Doakes when another serial killer has made his way into town. Deborah, Dexter’s sister, insists that Dexter help find this crazed killer. However, Dexter finds it difficult to keep up his end of the bargain when he realizes Doakes is on the killer’s list … and if Doakes is gone, Dexter would be free once again.

I definitely enjoyed this novel, particularly since I had no idea what to expect from my favourite serial killer (… that sounds so wrong, I know. He’s fictional though!) Once again, Dexter’s witty and clever remarks have won me over, and I thought the new main bad guy, that other serial killer, was quite interesting as well. I don’t want to reveal the ending, but when his motivations were revealed, I was like, “Ohhhh! It all makes sense now!” Really, I should have seen it sooner, but nonetheless, it was creative and great.

I found this novel moved a little slower than the first, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just an observation. The first book flowed quickly, while this one takes its a time a little more, though it’s by no means a slow book. I think this allowed for more time for not only Dexter’s character to develop, but others such as Deborah and Doakes as well, who were really rather minor and flat characters from the first book.

There are two things that kind of bug me however. The first is a spoiler for the first book so skip this paragraph if you don’t want to know — in the first book, in the end, Deborah finds out that Dexter is a killer. I really dislike how this second book didn’t delve into this issue at all. Deborah is clearly a very law abiding cop who is determined to throw every criminal in jail. I just feel so dissatisfied that there was absolutely no discussion about Deborah knowing about Dexter’s dark side. The only time it was ever mentioned was when Deborah asked Dexter for help and kind of threatened him with, “I know what you are.” To me, I think she’s trying to ignore the fact she learned that her brother is a killer, but still, I would have thought something would have been talked about between the two. For example, Dexter could have said something like I tried to talk to Deborah about what she saw and heard that night but she pushes me away each time, so I conclude that she doesn’t want to talk about it, wants to ignore that part about me. That’s just a crude example, but you know … something.
The other thing I dislike was the epilogue. I also didn’t like the epilogue from the first book. I found them both too short and they don’t feel like they properly wrap up the loose ends. Almost like they’re hastily tacked onto the end.

All in all, I was really into this book, as much as I was into the first and I would be, of course, reading the rest of the series. Just can’t get enough of Dexter! I love the mysteries and it’s just such a neat angle to have a serial killer chasing down a serial killer. I do hope the epilogues improve though.

My Rating: 5/5

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

This post first published March 20, 2012.

Author: Jeff Lindsay
Series: Dexter #1
Published: July 2004
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
288 pages (paperback) 
 
Background: I’m a huge fan of the Dexter TV show. I have a large poster of Michael C. Hall portraying Dexter in my bedroom (a bloodless and not-creepy poster, which was a little difficult to find given the nature of the show). So obviously, since I love the show and I love to read, it was only a matter of time before I got my grubby little hands on the series. Which I recently did thanks to my mother, who gifted them to me as a birthday present. (Speaking of which, I really should do an IMM post soon). My point is — this review is probably a little bias, although I tried not to be.

With all that said, I did try to forget everything I know about the TV series while reading this book, although some comparisons will inevitably arise. Darkly Dreaming Dexter is about a guy named Dexter (duh). He’s a blood spatter pattern analyzer for the Miami Metro Police force on the outside … but on the inside, he’s a rather successful serial killer. But never fear, he only goes after bad guys; people who have killed other people.

Dexter’s life is going pretty okay. He’s kept up his cover as a normal human being for many years now. But there’s another serial killer in town and Dexter is, for once in his life, a bit frightened. Whoever this killer is, he’s copying Dexter’s killing style, and leaving some very strange messages for him. Friend? Or foe?

I swear I’m not intentionally being bias here, but this was a good book. It’s short, which obviously factors into the reason why I got through it in less than a day, but also, it is addictive and difficult to put down once you start.

It’s entirely in first person, so we’re inside Dexter’s head the whole time. Now, you might think it’s creepy being inside the head of a serial killer, but Dexter is a very interesting character, and for a serial killer, he really isn’t that creepy. He only kills bad people, and he recognizes that what he is doing is not socially acceptable so he isn’t psychotically trying to justify himself, which makes the reader feel a little less guilty about liking a serial killer character. And he’s very likeable. He’s got a wicked sense of black humour, and he (or the author, or both) loves alliteration. Oh, the alliteration! Dexter’s got some style there. I mean, come on, reading “very careful cold coiled creeping crackly cocked and ready …” is kind of cool. I think Dexter is what makes this book so interesting. I don’t read a lot of crime fiction (barely any) but I’ve always been under the impression characters in such books are usually the detectives chasing down the criminals. I like Dexter a lot because we’re inside the criminal’s head instead … though, being a part of the police force, he is still chasing down criminals. Criminals chasing criminals, who is going to come out on top? Love that.

Even if you’ve watched the TV show, you should try reading the book for sure. The first season was loosely based off of this first book (and subsequent seasons are not based off of any of the subsequent sequels, so this is the only one), so while there are similarities, some things are different enough that even I did not know what was going to happen, and thus, was glued to the pages. As a whole, the general plot is the same, but the TV show really expanded the book (which, like I said, is quite short) and changed a bunch of things. Some of the characters aren’t even in the same roles. I can’t really say which is better, the show or the book — I really love both of them.

Now, the ending of the book is considerably less conclusive, less well-done than the TV show. The ending is markedly different from how the first season of the TV show went, so everything that happened in the ending was a surprise to me. I liked the ending in general, but it was rather abrupt and I felt like it left way too many questions than answers. The epilogue also felt a bit rushed and too short.

I’m super excited to read the sequels though! Since they are completely different from the TV show at this point, I have no idea what to expect and I’m tremendously excited to find out ;P

My Rating: 5/5