Rick GualtieriThe Wicked Dead

Let me start by saying how pleased I was to see Book 7. Having read the previous six books, I was looking forward to this next adventure with Bill and the gang. I have never taken so long to read a book. Bill is in his usual wise-cracking good form but that alone was not enough to save this. Where was The Icon throughout much of the story? The love triangle with Sally, Sheila and Bill was absent through much of this book. This one does not make me look forward to the final book. So disappointed.

I’m generally not a fan of series books, as the ones I’ve read tended to run out of steam quickly. Not so with Rick Gualtieri’s Bill the Vampire series. Sure, some volumes are better than others, but all held my interest; all made me laugh.As an author myself, I’m impressed not only by the quality of Rick’s writing, but also by the speed at which he writes. The first Bill book came out in 2011, and this most recent book, The Wicked Dead (Volume #7), came out in 2015. And Rick writes other series as well! Having recently written a book myself, my eyes were still finely attuned to finding editing errors and clunky sentences. I didn’t find one in The Wicked Dead.But enough about the technical aspects of writing. The bottom line is that The Wicked Dead is wickedly funny. When my wife heard me repeatedly laughing out loud, she didn’t even have to ask what I was reading on my Kindle. She just casually commented, “Oh. You must be reading the new Bill book.”I find it hard to rate the Bill books in order of preference—as I’ve read them all, and some have meshed together in my mind—but The Wicked Dead is definitely one of the best. So if you are a follower of Bill, and are debating whether or not to continue the journey, fear not. This is a trip that hasn’t gone stale. You’ll love The Wicked Dead!Marty Essen, author of:  Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico and  Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven ContinentsEndangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto RicoCool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents

This series just keeps getting better and better. This one was really thought out and I liked the twists presented. I also enjoyed the connection between Sally and Bill and how it has evolved. It was only a matter of time. After Calibra revealed her true self, I had a facepalm moment where I couldn't believe I never noticed the connection with her name. Well done. Moving on to book 8 and I have to admit it's a little bitter sweet. Although I want to see how the series ends, I'll be sad to finish it.

I do not think this was the best in the series, but it is progressing the storyline in an interesting way and I am excited to see where the author takes it.As for the series, these books are total nerd fests, which I love. I have enjoyed them a lot, and while I understand some people's complaints, I think people get a bit too worked up about small things, without seeing the sarcasm or underlying messages. Anyways, if you like nerdy humor and some action/adventure monster stories, this is a great series.

What started out as a series of fun, laugh out loud stories, has become a thrilling, almost epic adventure for some wonderful Characters! A star off because of the ending, but I'm glad it doesn't end here. Now to plunge into the next tale, YAY!