Darkly Dreaming Dexter Paperback – September 19, 2006

the book is in a great condition as described. thank you

Jeff Lindsay isn't the first author to try and allow the bad guy to be the hero, but like his predecessors, you have to admire his boldness. While the Showtime series' first season attempts to keep Dexter as the hero by not allowing you to focus soley on him, but on the complex maze of relationships in his life, Lindsay makes no such attempt. In fact, it is this distinction that I find the most fascinating, and certainly remarkable; the fact that Dexter seems even more loveable in his more exposed and vulnerable state. Shocking, really, and it almost makes me feel ashamed.Dexter, of course, does not fit the typical perception of a "serial killer", as you might expect. Linsday allows his readers the freedom to let Dexter be our vicarious vigilante. Dexter's noble mission is to clean up society by being the instrument of justice to those who have escaped the justice of our legal system. He does it by killing and dismembering them, of course, but he only will kill murderers, and preferably those who have killed innocent children or women. Hence, since child killers who aren't brought to justice are perhaps the lowest dreggs of society, anyone who cleans that up has to be a good guy, right?I've been thinking about this whole Dexter thing for some time, and something odd occurred to me. Dexter's basic MO (vigalante killer) isn't exactly new. Ever heard of the Punisher? If you discount their methods, the Punisher's glaring antisocial killing tendencies would seem to make their characters quite similar. A lot of comic books like the dark hero, the hero that wants to clean the "scum" from the streets, wants to act as a vigilante, uses any means necessary, and is, at times, not above killing. Dexter fits that mold perfectly. Let's look at his comic book traits.1) He has an "alter ego." You know Bruce Banner and Hulk. Well, you've got Dexter Morgan, and well, just plain old Dexter. There is the Dexter who pretends to be human, with a job as a blood spatter specialist, and you have Dexter the serial killer. Even his alter ego has a justice seeking air about it, like many super heroes.2) He has a "secret lair." This is a bit of stretch, but bear with me. Dexter has a collection of slides in his apartment. If you watch the first season of Dexter, he kept in the AC. In this book, he keeps it in the bookcase. Still, a place where he can peruse private things that other people don't know about, and it keeps his identity secret.3) He has a "tragic history." We all know from Dexter season one that Dexter's mother was killed in a shipping container along with some other people. In this book, we learn that Dexter's father was killed in it too, along with Dectective LaGuerta. Well, the first book, coming back to visit that haunting site of that tragic event is a typical comic book idea of coming full circle.4) He had a "wise mentor." Harry Morgan, cop, adoptive father, inventor of a code of conduct for Dexter Morgan. No one has shaped Dexter's life like Harry, and even if the book does less to emphasize that than the Showtime series, it is obviously a huge factor in what Dexter has become. Having the fact that Dexter's adoptive mother and adoptive father have both died is very very very typical comic book hero family history.5) He has a "side kick." Another stretch, but many comic book heroes have that faithful friend, or informant, or contact, or even spouse on which they can rely on always. Dexter's adoptive sister Deb fits this bill nicely. She is trying to make it as a cop, and needs to rely on Dexter's keen "intuition" about serial killers. But they play the family angle for all it is worth, like many comic books.6) He has a "super power." This dark passenger, or the thing that drives Dexter to kill is an extremely powerful motivator which allows Dexter to focus tremendous energy and effort into doing his vigilante thing extrordinarily well.7) He has a weakness. No quotes on that one. Yeah, the dark passenger is it's own weakness, like Kryptonite, sometimes creating the need to kill so strongly that it jeopardizes Dexter's safety.8) He serves some sort of justice. Sure, Dexter kills because he likes it, but he will only kill those who "deserve it" based on a very strict set of rules. These rules are based on the idea of justice.9) He holds to a set of morals. Well, who doesn't, but most super heroes have a code of conduct that sets them apart from folks who don't. Dexter has a code of conduct that goes beyond who he kills.What am I saying by all this? I realize that these points don't necessarily mean anything. You could make these statements about a lot of protagonists, and that doesn't degrade the characters. Even though I think Dexter would make a great comic book doesn't mean I don't think Dexter isn't good literature as is. All I am trying to say is that to me, this character seems to be somewhat inspired by comic books, and I think that is why he makes such a good hero. He has so many heroic traits.Yet in the end, he is a messed up sicko; a sociopath with a cause, but a sociopath nonetheless. I still feel a certain "dirty" feeling reading these books, like I've been doing something that I shouldn't have been doing. Overall, it is a good experience, but it feels like continued exposure is just not healthy. I am going to skip the reading Lindsay for a while, and perhaps return to him later. I don't like being in Dexter's head for that long...Recommended.

Book came in great condition, also just a good book to read. No complaints.

I absolutely love the show its one of my favorites ever i watch it all the time.. so i decided to try to books i just started reading this one and so far its really good its pretty much like the series with some differences but overall good read and good font size

In "Darkly Dream Dexter" author Jeff Lindsay introduces us to the protagonist Dexter Morgan, a police criminologist working in Miami. More specifically, he's a blood splatter analyst who just happens to be revolted by blood because of the mess that it makes. Oh, and he's also a lifetime serial killer who lives by a code that only allows him to target other criminals. Some complex guy, this Dexter Morgan, eh?As the story unfolds, the reader finds that Dexter himself is the main attraction here instead of the sometimes-flimsy storyline. He's no avenging vigilante fueled by outrage for a criminal justice system that too often moves too slowly. Rather, he's relatively blase about what he is - ho hum, this is the hand that I was dealt so I'll just have to go with it. He's completely self-aware that he's not at all like other people, so he cloaks much of his sharp mind behind a well-polished role as the glib and charming yet completely harmless, boring guy next door. This also opens up Dexter's vulnerability with other people - since he doesn't see himself as one, he doesn't have any idea why they act the way that they do. The best he can do is mimic how they act and react to one another; he's long ago given up on understanding the motivations of the normal people who surround him every day. This creates some5b4funny fish-out-of-water passages in Dexter's own head, particularly the up-and-down romance with his girlfriend (whom he keeps around purely as part of the "normal guy" act). His first-person observations on the people around him are smarmy and incisive, a clever ploy by the author to inject content that's somewhere between social commentary and stand-up comedy (an example: "I swear, the way people drive in this town. . . how could they expect me NOT to continue killing them?"). Dexter is definitely darkly funny as he maintains his disguise as an everyday citizen, and his dialogue and commentary is the centerpiece of the book - he's ready-made for a series.The story and the supporting cast are a little disappointing by comparison. Dexter assists his adopted sister (who is also a cop) in the investigation of a series of murders that seem to be mimicking Dexter's own secret methods. He becomes torn between intrigue and terror at the way that this other perpetrator is almost calling out to him with each new crime. Would he rather help his sister solve the case that would make her career or find for himself a kindred spirit who shares a similar "Dark Passenger"? Or is he possibly being set up - lured out of his routine just enough to be framed for all of these copycat crimes? Eventually, the story gives up a little too much too soon and the end becomes equal parts predictable and incredible.5b4Also, the reader will find it difficult to care much about the other characters, especially the erratic sister who clearly is meant to play a big role in Dexter's life. This may have happened because Lindsay purposefully wrote the actions of others through Dexter's interpretations, making them strange and distant. More likely, I think he just had so much fun writing as Dexter that the other characters became necessary afterthoughts.Part Hannibal Lecter part Monk with a silver tongue that Alan Shore would envy, Dexter Morgan makes for some entertaining reading. Hopefully future installments will see him bring his sharp wit to some better plots.

What a fun and entertaining read! I appreciate that it's similar to the series which made for a pretty quick read.

I love dark crime thrillers like Dexter. This book does not disappoint. The vibe is very much like Grand Haven, it gave me a similar thrill!