Feast of Fools (The Morganville Vampires #4)

There’s a family reunion happening in Morganville, and the guests are most unwelcome. First, Claire’s parents have moved to town, giving her one more thing to worry about. Secondly, Amelie’s father is in town, along with two other vampires, and he’s shaking things up. He may well in fact destroy Morganville unless the citizens (alive and undead) can band together to stop him. They say the enemy of your enemy is your friend, but where everyone is your enemy, how do you choose who to trust?

I love how we get to know Michael a lot better in this book. He went from the super gorgeous, mysterious guy to the super gorgeous, talented, amazingly sweet, protector. We also get to see some weakness and vulnerability as he tries to come to terms with who he is, and struggles to hang on to his humanity. Shane on the other hand is still a grump. I do like how he’s making an effort with Michael, and that he’s continuing to restrain himself with Claire, but he’s not the same funny guy from the first book. It looks like Morganville is finally getting to him.

This installment of the series is super action packed and fast paced. Everything is building up to the feast honoring Bishop who is possibly the most powerful vampire ever. No one is safe, not even his own kind. There’s a cliffhanger at the end, and I don’t have the next book handy! I need to know what happens to Myrnin and Shane! Does Bishop succeed? Can Amelie beat her father at his own game? When will Claire and Shane finally go all the way? Will Oliver (or anyone) kill off Monica?!

The plot has yet to slack off, in fact it keeps getting better. She is adding layers and characters without making it confusing and adding too much detail. I believe Rachel Caine is one of the most amazing authors of our time. If you haven't read this series, stop looking for reasons and pick up the books.

Reader reviewed by Ala

The MV series was an action, adventure, love story, with a kick of vampires.  I never thought anything wuld be better than twilight, but this series was.  This was my Favorite book in the series, because of the plot, all of Rachel Caine's book are completely awesome, everyone should read them.

Reader reviewed by Lexie

Spoilers for Book 1 (Glass Houses), Book 2 (Dead Girl's Dance) and Book
3 (Midnight Alley). I should also mention that Books 3 and 4 give
really good accountings of what happened in previous volumes. Obviously
not all the nuances, but you get the general idea so that you're not
flying blind.

Oh Book 4. Usually, by now, I am a little sick of
a book series (or heck even a tv series that's reached season 4).
Creators will introduce new characters, kill off old characters, put
the main character in so much of the same old situations that its like
'X did this just like Y did! Yet the MC fell for it again!' and
repetition is not the better part of valor in books. Caine however
seems to have found a niche to work well for her. By not having the
books cover a large amount of time, and having each subsequent book
pick up as if its just the next page in the same story, it feels less
like I'm reading Book 4 and more like I'm reading chapter whatever of
Book 1.

Mr. Bishop, introduced at the end of Book 3 when
Claire's parents made an unfortunately timed move to Morganville (its
implied heavily that Amelie had a hand in that, which has disasterous
ramifications for her timing abilities if you ask me). I want to feel
bad for her parents, but honestly I don't. Up until closer to the end
they are really just extreme stereotypes of the overprotective parent.
I'll admit they at least admitted the truth quicker then Claire did.

Mrynin
continues to delight. I like him so much more then any of the other
'older' vampires. Half-crazy or not he's a wonderfully fun guy to read
about. Amelie's shell cracks even further with Bishop's arrival and the
implications of that (patricide is never a good idea kids). Oliver
isn't actually that bad honestly, but he's still such an oily weasel I
have trouble picturing him as helpful.

Romance wise Shane and
Claire are dealt a low blow--one of the vamps Bishop brought with him,
Yasdere (I think that's how you spell it, my sister has my copy at the
moment), has an instant attraction to Shane. She makes it clear that
she wants him, he'd better get used to it or she'd make everyone he
knows pay for his refusal. Claire is, irrational as it is, jealous of
the fact that the vamp chick can mystically FORCE Shane to want her.
Eve and Michael are also dealt a blow, but its less of a blow and more
of a misunderstanding.

Let me put it this way, the title can be
taken one of two ways I think. Once the true purpose of the Feast that
Amelie gives for Bishop is known it makes those participating (vampire
and human alike) seem like 'fools' because everyone underestimates
everyone else and their motivations. If you take it from a historical
perspective, the Feast of Fools was a religious holiday celebrated in
Medieval times "in which power, dignity or impunity is conferred for a
few hours upon those ordinarily in a subordinate position" (source: Catholic Enclyclopedia).
Ignoring the religious aspects of it (it has been deemed blasphemous),
basically it was a celebration that gave leave to subordinates to act
how they pleased towards their superiors without reprecussions. Take
that as you will after reading the book.

((reprinted with permission from author))