I finished this book in three days without even trying hard, which says a lot for effortless readability of Jeff Lindsay. However, the book was not satisfying. The Dexter series revolves around Dexter Morgan, a forensics investigator who also happens to be a serial killer. Dexter isn't like most serial killers in that he lives by "Harry's Code", a code his adopted father drilled into him. He only kills those he finds with absolute certainty are guilty of heinous crimes.

*** Spoiler Warning ***

This latest book finds Dexter stalked by an ancient demon-god worshiped by King Solomon, yes, that's King Solomon of the old testament, named Moloch. Dexter eventually realizes that his own Dark Passenger is a bastard spawn of Moloch, an abomination that Moloch is hunting down.

The Dark Passenger deserts Dexter for most of the book and Dexter loses his touch. We learn that he's not really much without his Passenger, and that includes smart. After being stalked several times, even after he's warned with "he will find you" by one of his victims, he realizes very little of what's going on until the end.

My main beef with this book is that Lindsay had to turn the psychosis of Dexter into something supernatural. Why does the Passenger have to be supernatural? Why can't it be a representation of a damaged mind? Do sociopaths really need to be explained away by demon possession?

What I've always liked about Dexter is the gray area his character inhabits. You like him and yet you don't. You cheer for him in his struggle to do the right thing, in his struggle to be human, to be normal. And you sympathize with his damaged personae. But you never really quite accept what he does and you fear that "Harry's Code" will fail and he'll become the monster that's lurking inside him.

Demon possession takes something out of it. He becomes something other than the sum of his experiences and his decisions, he becomes something special, something chosen. He becomes a vessel, not quite free to act on his own. And it's not nearly as interesting. We're not exploring psychology so much as exploring parapsychology.

I wish Lindsay had taken the story in a different direction.

The television series started up last weekend too and so far it's stuck with the natural. There's even a scene in the first episode where a voodoo priest curses Dexter. Dexter reacts by thumping him on the head, stopping the charlatan in mid-sentence. It's funny and it's much more fitting of the series.

Your home is a Gamer's Hideout Your kitchen is stocked with chips, dips, and assorted caffeinated beverages. There's a pantry with emergency backup caffeinated beverages. You also have some breakfast cereals in there, but you haven't had breakfast since last Spring. Your master bedroom has blankets printed with images of Mario and Link. Your study includes unread copies of various gamer magazines, each purchased for the free demo CDs. One of your garages contains a life-sized X-Wing fighter, and KITT. (KITT was a gift from a well-meaning uncle.) Your home also includes a robot repair bay, where your mechanized servants are routinely fitted with new restraining bolts. (It's just a precaution.) Your guests enjoy your collection of every console and associated game ever made. Except the Intellivision -- those controllers drive them NUTS. Outside is the moat that protects your home from goblin invaders and extended family. And, you have a pet -- a koopa named "Shelly". Below is a snippet of the blueprints:

Find YOUR Dream Home!

(via Sylvene)

A new Carnival of the Godless is up at A Load of Bright.

One of the articles includes a wonderful quote:

I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do
because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.
-Susan B. Anthony

Enjoy!