Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter Series)

I love this book. I have watched the show and decided to read the book. I read the entire book within 3 days. I couldn't put it down.

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.

I really enjoyed this first book of the series. So far, I have gone through half of the book series and this is the best offering in terms of plot and how well it is written. The witty remarks of Dexter in the first-person perspective are fantastic and clever and lighten the mood throughout the duration of the story. I do think the TV show's adaption is superior for a few reasons, and this first book is the only one used by the show. My primary gripe against the book version is the rather spiritual aspect of Dexter's condition and the Dark Passenger as opposed to a purely psychological one. I echoed these thoughts to greater effect in my thoughts of book 3, and they are still mild in the first installment, but I feel it detracts from Dexter's state and lessens the accuracy and reality of what he is. Outside of my personal preferences on this matter, I did not want it to end because I appreciated the plot, writing, pace, and perspective so much. Five stars for a well-developed character and story that inspired an also-great show.

Loving this so far!

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 some 5b4 funny 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. 5b4 Also, 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.

If you're like me, you probably decided to give this a book a read because you're a fan of the Showtime television series. I'll start my review there ... As some other reviewers have pointed out, this book is both similiar to but quite different than the show. This is not inherently a bad thing. The first half of this book pretty closely follows the show; the method of murder for the "Ice Truck Killer" is the same, all the same supporting characters are there, described, more or less, as they appear in the accompanying TV series, and various scenes are replicated for the series ... but once you reach about the final quarter of the novel, things diverge almost entirely from there to the point that saying anything about it would ruin some of the book's plot. Ignoring the TV series' existence, this book is not too bad. When I started reading, the first-person narration, lack of detail or definitive scene setting, and altogether creepiness of Dexter's personality somewhat threw me, but ultimately, the pervasive use of dark humor, mystery, and subversive nature of Dexter's Dark Passenger drew me in and kept me reading. To that end, the author has a fairly captivating style of narration; it's easy to read, at times somewhat funny, but also occasionally philosophical. However, for me, things somewhat fell apart as the book reached the climax, and were all but ruined by the book's ending ... I won't reveal details here, but the author unfortunately kind of rushes through the ending to the point where it's just ... kind of over. There's an epilogue, but it manages to raise more questions than it answers. I'm aware that there are another 6 books in this series, but this doesn't excuse ANY author from a weak, vague, and somewhat confusing ending. --- For those who may be wondering: which is better, the TV series or the book? Again, this is coming from someone who saw the TV show first, read the book second (and this may make my opinion tainted), but I'd have to say the TV show is better. Referencing ONLY the first season of "Dexter" (which is the only one based on the book series, specifically, this one), the show generally does a better job of setting up the nature of the mysterious Ice Truck Killer. There's a dynamic involving the Ice Truck Killer in the book that is an interesting angle for the book to take, but ultimately is less satisfying than the one the TV show uses. Further, the characters, including Dexter, are portrayed and developed a lot better in the show; in the book, only Dexter seems to have any appreciable personality, and that's ironic given he's a sociopath (perhaps that too is a bit of dark humor?). Perhaps it's an inherent problem with a book about a sociopathic killer being writtenin the first person, but everyone around Dexter could be cardboard cut-outs, for as well as their characters are portrayed. Finally, as I mentioned above, the ending to this book is pretty vague and ulimately is not as satisfying as the way "Dexter" wrapped it up. Overall, I would have given this book 3 stars, but the quality of the first half and the enthralling nature of the author's writing, combined with a genuine mystery at it's heart, pushes my rating just over the line to 4 stars. Would I recommend this book? Maybe ... Will I read the rest of the books? I'm just not sure at this point, especially based upon a review I saw for book #3 ...

If you're thinking about reading these because you liked the show, you won't be disappointed. The books are so much more intense and detailed.

There is so much that the show got wrong. If you like the show and haven't read the book, DEFINITELY read the book. Things are so incredibly different. The story is amazing in both the show and the book.

Dexter Morgan will be familiar to anyone who has seen the TV series, DEXTER (which is adapted from this series). For newcomers, he's a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami Police who applies Harry's Code (a moral code developed by his foster father) rein in the instincts of his Dark Passenger so that he only kills murderers who have escaped justice. To disguise his true nature, he's cultivated an aura of normalcy - his girlfriend is a woman with two children but doesn't want sex due to the brutality she suffered from her ex boyfriend and to his colleagues he's a friendly soul who brings in pastries. Life is going well until a new serial killer hits town - one who dismembers his victims and leaves them wrapped in small parcels, but who never leaves a trace of blood. Dexter's fascination with the case grows when the killer begins to leave messages for him, messages that suggest he knows what Dexter really is. Soon he finds himself caught between helping his sister, Debs, and her police colleagues catch the killer and wanting to help his achieve his vision and soon he's faced with a deadly choice that could change his life forever. The pacing is tight, with Lindsay keeping the events rocketing alone. More to the point, it's darkly entertaining with Dexter's narration laced with self-mocking irony and twisted observations on the mystery and the people around him. Some of the humour is spectacularly dark, which may well put some readers off. It's because Dexter's voice is so vivid that the supporting cast pale in comparison. Of those worth noting, the most striking are LaGuerta, an untalented detective who's risen through the ranks through her political instincts; Debs, Dexter's foul-mouthed foster-sister who is determined to be a detective but who lacks the political skills to work the system to her advantage and Masouka, Dexter's fellow lab rat who doesn't quite fit in. Fans of the tv show will be disappointed that Doakes, Angel and Rita don't feature more but there are some crucial differences in the plot that should hold their interest. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

Sooo goddd

Amazing Book, 😎💉🛥🗑🌊💦 Amazing Delivery, 🤝 But very Cold in July, thise past days...

"Darkly Dreaming Dexter" ist der brillante Auftaktroman, der uns den forensischen Analytiker und moralischen Serienmörder Dexter Morgan vorstellt. Der Roman ist packend, voller schwarzem Humor und erzählt aus Dexters unvergleichlich zynischer Perspektive. Er muss einen anderen Serienmörder, den "Ice Truck Killer", jagen, der eine unheimliche Verbindung zu Dexters eigener Vergangenheit zu haben scheint. Die Mischung aus mörderischer Spannung und Dexters trockenem Witz ist perfekt. Ein origineller, unvergesslicher Thriller, der die Regeln des Genres neu definiert hat!

Excelente libro que mezcla el suspenso y la comedia en usa sola obra. La narrativa te brinda una visión más profunda de la planteada en la serie de TV.