<DIV><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>This companion to the wildly popular HBO series <I>True Blood</I> is at once an introductory guide to the first two seasons of the vampire saga and a treasure trove for the legions of true believers who follow the show. Created by Alan Ball, the Oscar-winning writer of <I>American Beauty</I> and creator of HBO's cult ensemble sensation <I>Six Feet Under</I>, <I>True Blood</I> surpassed <I>The Sopranos</I> as the largest-ever audience for a cable show at more than 12.4 million viewers a week. It has revitalized the career of Oscar-winner Anna Paquin and has introduced international audiences to Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, and Ryan Kwanten and an extensive, award-winning cast. Exclusive interviews, in-depth biographies of cast members, an episode guide, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes flesh out the fictional characters as well as the actors who inhabit the roles. Some of the underlying themes of the series?such as the politics of race, sexuality, and gender?are explored, and chapters on paranormal phenomena and the literary and cinematic histories of vampires are also included. In addition, this analysis offers an introduction to author Charlaine Harris, whose popular Sookie Stackhouse novels were the inspiration for the television series, as well as a discussion of the role of the fan base and social media in the phenomenal rise of this television sensation.  </P></DIV>