Book Description

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER CAN TOSS A ONE-LINER MORE LETHAL THAN HER RIGHT HOOK -- WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT. NOW FANS OF BUFFY'S WICKED WORDPLAY WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS EXHAUSTIVE COLLECTION OF THE FUNNIEST, MOST TELLING, AND OFTEN POIGNANT QUOTES FROM THE EMMY-NOMINATED TELEVISION SHOW.

CATEGORIZED, CROSS-REFERENCED, AND COMPLETE WITH A COLOR-PHOTO INSERT, THIS NOTABLE QUOTE COMPENDIUM WILL HAVE YOU EAGERLY ENHANCING YOUR BUFFY-SPEAK.

Reviews (15)

Nice Compilation But Not For Fanatics
Quotable Slayer is a compilation of quotes and memorable dialogue from Buffy Season 1 to Season 7. Its organized into sections such as Buffy On... and Quotable Slayer (about Slayers. Its very well organized and small enough to carry around in your bag where ever you go. The choice of quotes is good. There are a few minor errors. It includes full color photos.

A highlight is the Quotable Intro which is a nice intro to the book. I would recommend this for fans who'd like to remember things about the show, but for die hard fanatics, this book is not a necessity. You'd probably be able to rant of quotes off your mind right now without the book.

Overall, the book is nice but not something that stands out or a necessity for fans at all.

Hope they do one for Angel too.
Fun little book that compiles many of the most memorable quotes for all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The book covers a wide range of quotes from the hilarious to the touching. I really enjoyed this book but I do have a few complaints. I noticed an error, they have the Xander/Andrew talking about Anya's death quote labeled as coming from "End of Days" instead of "Chosen." I think there may have been a few more mistakes but I'd have to check on those. Also, The book didn't have my favorite quote which is; "For God's sake, man, she's eighteen. And you have the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone. Just have at it, would you, and stop fluttering about." ~ Giles to Wesley (The Prom) Still, If you are a die hard Buffy fan I highly recommend this book. It's good for quick Buffy fixes on the go.

Quote Book For the Buffy Geek
This book is just so much fun. It has some of the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer quotes.
Well organized because it goes by characters and character status. Could have been more detailed by scenes. However, all , and all. Excellent keep sake.

The Quotable Slayer-lets hope for The Quotable Vampire soon
Its every fans dream. 200+ pages of the hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking dialogue of one of the best shows television has ever given us.

With sections including: The Quotable Slayer, The Quotable Watcher, The Quotable Scoobies, The Quotable Other People, and Buffy on..., and 8 pages of Color Photos, you really couldnt expect more, unless of course it was a script book.

Of course it wont have all of your favorites, because that is impossible with all of the great quips on the show, but Ostow and Brazenoff do a great job of compiling this essential quote book.

I love the cover which includes Buffy's gravestone "She Saved the World A Lot". I would definitely recommend this book.

Hopefully we get an Angel Supplement soon.

Remember that time...? No, me neither.
This is an interesting concept, and it's not bad for the price. I just wish they'd done a better job editing the book before rushing it out. There's a few quotes that are attributed to the wrong episode. That's not so dire, though. They did that in the Watcher's Guides, too. No big deal.

What bothers me is that there are quotes in the book that never made it on air. It seems their only source material was the shooting scripts, instead of actually watching the episodes. I really wasn't ready to see Tara's "Sweetie, I'm a fag." from the 'Dead Things' script be released commercially yet. ... Read more

Book Description

As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, to find them where they gather and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers.

From the first vampire staking to the last glimpse of Sunnydale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a genre-busting hit, attracting millions of fans worldwide. The last three seasons ran the gamut from an episode without music to a musical episode, from the arrival of a teenage sister to the death of Buffy (again).

Now the third volume in this best-selling series of companions will break down every episode of seasons five, six, and seven -- from the villains and the victims to quotables and love bytes -- as well as take a wide-ranging look back at the entire run of the show.

Additional features:

• Flashback Foreshadowing: A line-by-line deconstruction of the portents in the season four finale, "Restless"

• "Lost" lines of dialogue, stage directions, and descriptions cut from the original teleplays

• The Trio's Pop-Culture Explosion: Mastering the references of Geek Speak

• Critical (and not-so) essays from a variety of contributors on topics from Buffy's romantic optimism to Dawn's unfulfilled potential

Seven years, 144 episodes, 3 Slayers, 3 principals, 2 networks, 2 vampires with souls, 2 Watchers, 2 pigs, 1 Master, 1 Mayor, and 1 hit show (with tons of Potentials): It all adds up to one must-have volume! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Put A Stake Through Volume III
I should have known...Volume III of the television series companion for Buffy The Vampire Slayer, was written by Paul Ruditis, who also wrote the rather bland Star Trek: Voyager episode guide.

The book covers seasons 5 through 7 of the show. First, I don't know why the publisher decided to change the format of the book. Volumes 1 and 2 were clearly written with the fan in mind. Packed with fun, the previous installments had a zippy text that covered, not only what happened in front of the camera, but also gave readers a peek behind the scenes. Ruditis, just as he did in the Voyager book, keeps that to a minimum. Sure, we get excerpts of dialogue cut from every episode and a diconstruction of the script for season 4's "Restless", which forshadowed events that occured throughout the rest of the series--but most of this comes across as filler. The songs section is totally excised in favor of a series of essays written as tributes to the show by various contributors. While the essays work in theory, they still seem out of place, like they belong elsewhere in another book. Christopher Golden, Nancy Holder, and the other contributors for the other guides, matched the show's hip style easily. Here though, volume III is a lot like how Buffy was when she came back from the dead. Comming off the paradise of the other guides, this book is cold, distant, and removed.

The 359 page book has dozens of black and white photos as well as 12 pages of color photos. I wish Ruditis had given readers, at least a glimse of what it was like on the set as the final episode took shape. I will put the book on my shelf for complete-ness sake. But what a letdown...

Where was the Slayer when this book was made?
I had looked forward to the third installment of the series Watcher's Guides for quite sometime and when it came out I ordered it right away...BIG MISTAKE!

Quite on the contrary to the first 2 Watcher's Guide Volumes, this book has NO CHARACTER GUIDE or Bio Guide, my 2 favorite parts! The "Restless" episode teleplay is interesting but, i would have given that up in a second for the character giude.

The Episode Guide is done well but I expect a well done episode guide, that's why i'm buying this book. I could easily live without the essays wich are basically there to take up room, and speaking of room, the Watcher's Guide Volume 2 (containing two seasons) is thicker than The Watcher's Guide Volume 3 (containing THREE SEASONS! ~what's up with that?)

A big let-down for all Buffy Fans and the end of the series. I just hope that the new Angel Casefiles will be better, which is sadly also going to be done by Paul Ruditis who I am ashamed of.

Very Poor
I strongly recommend that you buy Keith Topping's unofficial guide instead of this. "Slayer: The Last Days of Sunnydale" is much more accurate because Mr. Topping bases his opinions on interviews from Joss Whedon and other writers of the show.

"The Watcher's Guide" is just the opinion of the author and is completely inconsistent with what Joss Whedon has stated in multiple interviews.

The sloppiness of this book is shocking.

More of the same for the final Watcher's Guide but also less
First, for those who were wondering, this is the third and final volume in "The Watcher's Guide," the official companion to the late and lamented television cult show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Whereas the first two volumes dealt with a pair of seasons of the series, Volume 3 covers the final three seasons of "BtVS." Again you will find each episode covered in terms of writer(s) and director, complete cast list of guest stars and co-stars, Plot Summary, Quote of the Week, Love in Vein (keeping track of the complicated and often disastrous love lives of the Scooby gang), Pop-Culture IQ (explaining the popular pop-culture references embedded in the episode), Continuity (covering the twists and turns in the Buffyverse), Dramatis Personae (tracking the key personality traits in the main characters), and From the Original Teleplay (dialogue and humorous stage directions cut from the episode). At the start of each season there are a page of freeze frames from all twenty-two episodes; a list of episode numbers, names and original U.S. airdates, and the stars listed in the opening credits. In between seasons six and seven you will find a section devoted to the "Pop Culture Explosion" in season six when the Trio worked in all those references to movies, television, comic books, "Star Wars," "Star Trek," and anything else that came into their warped little minds.

However, fans of the first two volumes of "The Watcher's Guide" are probably going to be disappointed by what else is in this volume. In comparison to what we have seen before, the information about "BtVS" is considerably less. There are neither character guides nor cast profiles, or sections by the writers or crew (and the spine is blue rather than black, as long as we are talking about differences). The rest is that by the standard established by the previous volumes of "The Watcher's Guide" this third one will suffer in comparison and long time fans are going to be disappointed. However, that does not stop "The Watcher's Guide, Volume 3" from being a necessary part of our "BtVS" library.

Volume 3 is put together by Paul Ruditis, who previously put together a "Star Trek: Voyager Companion" and has written novels for the television shows "Enterprise," "Charmed," and "Sabrina." Ruditis does the duty alone, which may explain why the second half of the book comes off in a new direction. The second half of the book consists of a series of essays devoted to the series as whole and not just on the final trio of seasons: Ginger Buchanan's "The Journey of Joanathan Levenson: From Scenery to Sacrifice" covers the interesting transformation of a recurring minor character into a "Superstar" and much more. Hank Wagner's The Family Hour" talks about how he shared watching "BtVS" with his children and finds deep thoughts in the series with regards to parenting.

Rob Francis' "London Calling: 'Buffy' from a British Perspective" explains the show's popularity in the U.K. despite having some American actors playing some of the Brits. Maryelizabeth Hart, who helped out on Volume 2, contributes "Slaying the Big Lies: Love Conquers All and Other Monstrous Myths," which looks at how love never seems to work out in the Buffyverse. Allie Costa's "A Part of Something: Or, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer': My First Long-Term Relationship," is a fan's recollection of being a fan. Scott and Denise Ciencin, "I Know You Are, But Who Am I?" provides an analysis of how Dawn fit into the show over this period. In "Why I Like 'Buffy'" Charles de Lint provides a justification for liking a show with such a weird title, which is certainly something those of us in academia can relate to in terms of trying to foist the show off on students and colleagues. James Moore's "Monsters Made to Order" briefly looks at the similar themes behind key monsters in the show's history.

The chief attraction in the back of the book is "'Restless': A Path to Premonitions," which has Joss Whedon's teleplay for the finale episode of the fourth season with commentary by Ruditis focusing on how Whedon set the stage for some key developments in what followed. For those of us who have figured out most of the connections, Ruditis does a nice job of filling in the gaps in our deconstruction of the episode. The final offering is Micol Ostow's "'Chosen': A Postmodern Postmortem of 'Buffy' as Contemporary Icon" looks at how well Whedon fulfilled his purpose of establishing a pop culture icon by flipping the horror movie standard of the blonde girl being slain by the monster in the dark alley.

Given all the academic collections being published about "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" these essays are relatively light reading. Buchanan's essay connects all the dots with regards to Jonathan as do the Ciencins with Dawn, and Francis uses interviews with cast members to provide more of what we expect to find in the back of a "Watcher's Guide." So overall the essays occupy a sort of dead zone in between the musings of doctors of philosophy that are out there and the behind the scenes information we were used to in the previous pair of volumes. Again, the only complain here is that there is less here than what we expected. This is probably our payback for suggesting maybe there was too much in Volume 2. That would teach us except that the series and these guides are obviously both over.

Poorly done
The first hint that this was not a well conceived book is that it's shorter than the Watcher's Guides 1 and 2, which each deal with only two seasons. Considering this current books is suppose to cover the last three years of the show, which contained some of the most controversial and dark plotlines, you'd expect a much thicker book.

The essays are lackluster, the episode commentary sparse and the picture selection disappointing.

This manual might be called the "official" guide but there is no input from Joss or the other writers.

I'd recommend Keith Toppings new book about the series. Much more indepth and interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

KNOCKIN' ON EVIL'S DOOR

Werewolves. Trolls. Sea Monsters. Rain of toads. Skyquakes. Sunnydale is being besieged by dark forces. But even with Buffy providing her unique style of damage control while Giles is hospitalized out of town, it's more than one Slayer can handle -- especially since the abominations are coming from a centuries-old portal through time and space.

Somehow, the hell-hole must be found and corked at its source. For Buffy, Angel, and the rest of her gang, that means a road trip to Boston where an ailing Gatekeeper resides over a supernatural mansion that has been, until recently, holding the world's worst monsters at bay. Once there, Buffy discovers the catastrophic truth: the magical structurehouses thousands of rooms, all of which are doorways to limbo's "ghost roads," and all of which may bring her face-to-face with the most nefarious forces in hell and on earth -- forces bent on horrific plans far worse than the Slayer ever imagined. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Best Book I've Read In Ages
Being a big fan of Buffy, when I heard about this book I decided it it was a must have. I was proved right. Golden and Holder have written a book that combines all the esentials of Buffy, monsters, love, despair to name but a few. I love this book because it not only provides a good plot, but also lets us see how the characters have developed. These books are all based after the second or third series. If you live outside the UK then you'll know that Buffy's mum has already found out she's the Slayer. This carries on from there. There are some new faces in these books, but as they go on a few familiar faces appear.

These books are so gripping, that you never want to put them down. I've just finished the second one Ghost Roads and I have to say it's better than the first. It continues to tell the story and also brings the characters together more than they have ever been. I can't wait to buy the third and find out if the Gatekeeper's son ever reaches Boston.

A true Buffy epic
Chris Golden and Nancy Holder prove themselves once again to be true Buffy fans with this novel. While they can't advance the characters further than what we've seen on TV, they explore their thoughts and personalities in detail and with a depth not usually found in licensed fiction. This is a well-written full-fledged horror/adventure novel that just happens to feature characters who originated on TV instead of on the page. Freed from bugetary restraints, the authors craft a continent- (and in later books, apparently globe-) spanning adventure with a cast of hundreds, and monsters that would push the show's resources to the limits. Buffy fans should love this story. Can't wait to read the second part!

punch! kick! punch!
One of the things I love most about Buffy as a whole, is character development. This book was so busy with endless action sequences, that the character's personalities were largely ignored.

When the book stops for emotional moments it's hard to care, because the character's have all become cardboard cut-out's of themselves.

I'll go ahead & read the next one- I'm hoping that Golden & Holder will let up a bit on the constant barrage of battle- it gets tedious after awhile.

Proceed with caution.

1st Book is a tad confusing and slow
Like I said above, the first book is slow and confusing. However near the end of the book things really REALLY picked up, and I finished it and the other 2 in less than a week and a half!! The series rocks!! Guess what happens to Xander?? ;)

The Best...
Really. The Gatekeeper Trilogy books are the best Buffy novels to date. The characterization is dead-on accurate, the writing perfect and descriptive. Well worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

"Willow, what have you done?"
-- Buffy, "Villains"

In the woods outside Sunnydale, Willow Rosenberg has exacted a terrible revenge for the murder of her lover Tara Maclay: She has captured Warren, the murderous leader of the Trio, and flayed him alive. Her best friends, Buffy Summers and Xander Harris, arrived too late to stop her.

But the death of Warren isn't enough for Willow. Now her friends can only watch as the juiced-up witch sets off on a trail of vengeance and magick-gathering to prepare the spell that will bring Tara back to life. And whoever gets in Willow's way is going to regret it...including one Slayer who is still hoping to save her best friend. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Worse. Book. Ever.
Well, maybe not that bad, but it is fairly awful.
ME did enough damage by killing one lesbian and making the other go insane with Season Six of Buffy. Navarro here just makes matters worse allowing her to work out her latent homophobia here. She has commented before on how much she hates Tara.
A completely rotten book with nothing more than a "wouldn't it be kewl if..." plot device. I can't understand how she wrote one book on this premise, let alone three.
But the one redeeming quality of the this book is that it is tacit admission that Dark Magic Willow was handled very badly. Also anything that nullifies the even worse Season Seven is not so bad.
Don't waste your time or money. There are so many great books out there. This is not one of them.

Like a bad bad fan fiction
This book is a spectacularly amateurish level of writing. It boggles the mind anyone would have let this go to print. I recomend searching the web for anyone elses fan fic on the topic and save 6 bucks. In fact, I would beg you to do this..

Waste of Time
As someone else posted the book is riddled with spelling errors which could be forgiven if the plot was actually interesting. The wicked Willow thing was already a rip off of the Dark Phoenix story in X-Men and this novel carries the plot to the point of absurdity. In any case, there is no what if to wicked Willow, the story was played out on the show. The logical conclusion of wicked Willow not stopping is the end of the world. There's a reason that this was a path not taken. The polt gymnastics used to keep the plot going don't make any sense. In addition, Willow is completely out of character here as are Anya, Buffy and Xander. (...)Dont waste your time.

Prue Drivel
Negative stars.

The Dark Magic Willow was a bad enough idea, to take a bad idea and run with it is far worse. But not only is the concept bad, the writting is on the level of Fan-Fiction. I was shocked to learn that Ms. Navarro had written other books because this looks like a first attempt to me.

Save your money and time. Even if you like Willow there is none of the Willow we knew here. Even for an AU.

A less than stellar start to the "Wicked Willow" trilogy
"The Darkening" is the first book of the "Wicked Willow" trilogy by Yvonne Navarro which asks the question, "What if Evil Willow was never stopped?" The story begins with Willow inspecting Warren's skinned corpse at the end of "Villains." Buffy, Xander, and Anya show up to see Willow's handiwork but before the wicked witch of Sunnydale can say "One down, two to go" she experiences a split second of weirdness and things become very different. Instead of going after Jonathan and Andrew, Willow decides to banter with Buffy over Warren's fate, turning her cold fury into hot rage in the process. Nothing is going to stand in the way of her revenge.

Okay, so we have a reasonable set up to explore the path not taken. However, the problem is that is Wicked Willow is at DEFCON 5 at this point and we are still in the prologue of the first book of a trilogy, then it is going to be hard to keep escalating from here to the end, seven or eight hundred pages later. So instead, Navarro executes a sharp turn, which is sort of necessitated because if Evil Willow is never stopped then the world ends. Now Willow's immediate plan is no longer revenge, but resurrection, despite rather impressive indications that Tara cannot be brought back from a natural death. However, this decision undercuts the entire set up. Willow wins the initial battle between Buffy and Giles, but this time the victory is quicker and more significant. Then we settle into something of a waiting game where interesting new developments, such as Willow's selection of a pair of pets, really does not go anywhere. Navarro comes up with a great character idea in Ross, but abandons him as well. At the end, when the characters take stock of their situation and reaffirm their goals, I did not get the sense that we had moved much beyond where we essentially started.

Season Six of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" just came out on DVD so the way the unexpected way the season finished, with Darth Rosenberg turning out to be the surprise Big Bad at the end and with the world being saved this time around by Xander and the memory of a yellow crayon. The whole point of telling an alternative version of a story is to come up with something special and Navarro has not really let the cat out of the bag on what that would be here. Ironically, given that Evil Willow wanted to end the world, the alternative has to be something else, which, by definition, would tend to be less significant.

I also have a continuity question with "The Darkening" in that it is suggested that Dawn no longer has memories of the Scoobies that predate her appearance in Season Five. If there was something in "BtVS" that suggested that was the case I must have missed it. Then there is the idea that Dawn, who finally gets a moment to do something in "Grave" because there is really no other choice, would be sent off to be part of a battle on purpose, which I do not buy. Then there is the issue of Tara's Ghost, which I suspect is more than it appears to be. After all, I do not think she really sounds like Tara and since she is the biggest change between this alternative story line and the original I am both wary and suspicious.

However, the most problematic character in the book is Anya, which makes sense because she is the most problematic character in the series and in the "BtVS" original novels. The Anya who talked Xander into attending the Prom during Season 3 ended up replacing him as the comic relief in the series and the idea that she would not stop talking about their sex life was done to death (and beyond). Anya's lack of the social graces was also overplayed: she had been a vengeance demon for over a millennium, so how come in all that vengeance mongering she failed to pick up on any contemporary social conventions? But here the question is her feelings for Xander, which seem to be rather different from what they were in the final three episodes from Season Six. Navarro is trying to take more advantage of Anya being a demon again, and I keep tyring to figure out if she is going to be playing a pivotal role in what is to come.

The goal of the first book in a series such as this is have us wondering what will happen next, but with "The Darkening" I am still trying to figure out what is going on in the first book that provides a great hook for the next volumes. When I compare what we had at the end of either of the first two volumes in Michael Golden's "The Lost Slayer" serial novel, what we have here does not even compare. There may well be something suitably wicked coming this way and it could be set up by what is here, but we have yet to come to the point in the "Wicked Willow" tragedy where we get hooked big time. I give this one the benefit of the doubt only because I cannot imagine the editors would give the go ahead for a "BtVS" trilogy that would not justify being told in more than one book. But at this point the best that can be said is that the pieces are being moved into position for something bigger and better. ... Read more

Book Description

The strongest magick ever distilled, and the deadliest butcher England has ever known...

Buffy Summers is on the trail of a killer demon in Sunnydale, and reluctantly accepts the help of Spike. Anything's better than his moping around. But Spike -- as usual -- has his own agenda, and it involves something the demon is carrying: a vial of pure magickal power. Spike knows plenty of peopleand demons who will pay top dollar for this vial: Doc, Rack...and an ancient evil known as The First.

Spike has encountered The First before. In the good old days in Victorian London, when Spike, Drusilla, Angelus, and Darla ran through the night in pursuit of dark fun, another evil being was stalking the streets, dispatching young women with brutal efficiency. But when the so-called "Jack the Ripper" struck too close to their twisted "family," the vampires found themselves on the same side as the Slayer of that time. Working to bring down Jack, and running afoul of The First, Spike and the Slayer formed an uneasy alliance, which followed Spike all through the twentieth century to present day Sunnydale, now blanketed in a mysterious fog.... ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Much better than I expected
I've been a Buffy/Spike shipper since the end of season two and have suffered through the highs and lows of their relationship. I'm also a redemptionista and have been driven to despair at times with the trials Spike was put through before he gained his soul. So, I was prepared to hate Blood And Fog because advance word was very negative about the way Nancy Holder portrayed Spike.

I was very pleasantly surprised. Yes, there are a oouple of things that maddened me and Holder makes one big whopper of a mistake (completely ignoring something very important that happened in Smashed)but overall, Spike is written with depth and perception. He's by far the most complex character in the book. I love how it's made clear Spike truly cares about Dawn, that he has real feelings for her.

The best thing is it's the most "erotic" and adult book the series has ever produced. It's very apparent Buffy is deeply attracted to Spike and longs for his physical presence. Holder makes the book very sexy, all things considered.

So, I recommend it to all Spike and Spuffy fans. It's a much friendlier book to Spike than any ...Christopher Golden has produced (which I advise all Spikelovers to avoid like SARS).

This Is Spike!!!!
I have to say that most of the negative reviews for this book are way, way off course. They pretty much say that Spike isn't Spike as he was in season six, as when this book was placed, and that author Nancy Holder doesn't know what she is doing. Ms. Holder is the premiere Buffy book author. You better believe she knows what she is doing. The awkwardness that existed between Buffy and Spike, the confusion that Buffy felt for him, and the making love aspect of it, is all there. What book were those people reading?. What season did they see?. Obviously, they are not well tuned Buffy fanatics. If they were, they would of seen that season six Spike was there. And the story that went on with him and Buffy is definitley here. The negative bashing saying otherwise is beyond ridiculous with no solid proof to back it up. Anyways, this is a real nice, dandy of a book. When I first heard that it would be of Jack The Ripper and Spike and Buffy, excitement grew. There are flashbacks galore as we go back to the 1880's London with Spike, Angelus, Dru, and Darla, and a creepy monstrosity that is Jack The Ripper. I won't say who or what he is. I will save that for you. A mysterious fog has come and enveloped Sunnydale. Unlike any fog anyone has ever seen. It brings a strange presence, known only as Jack, to the town. He is looking to open the hellmouth and destroy mankind. The descriptions of old London and the time is very good. The accents and language are spot on. Present day Buffy parts are very well done. Then again, it's Holder. She knows what to do and how to do it. It is a very entertaining read, and it feels like Buffy. Most of all, all of the season six traits are there and done appropriatley. This is one of the better adult Buffy books in a while. All fans should enjoy this.

This book has it all!
This book has it all: action-mystery-flash backs and more! It's about Jack the Ripper wanting to get back to this dimension, and maybe it will work! Spike has a big role in this book. When you begin reading, you don't wanna stop till the last page!

Great book!!
This if by far Nancy's best book. I liked the flashbacks and it's always fun to see the Angel/Darla and Spike/Dru. Plus, as a fan of Buffy/Spike I liked their scenes. It's obvious there is a lot of passion between them.

Excellent!!!
"Blood and Fog" is the best Nancy Holder book that I have read. I think "Blood and Fog" does an excellent job of dealing with the very complex issues of Season Six.

All of the characters in this book were written very well. I loved the flashbacks to Spike and Dru, but I am very glad that the majority of the story was current day. The Spike/Buffy relationship was written very well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Blood and Fog." I loved Jack the Ripper's story.

I strongly recommend this book to all fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I hope to read more books by Nancy Holder in the future. ... Read more

Book Description

THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME

Buffy and Dawn are having difficulty settling into their new roles, now that their mother is gone. Buffy herself is reluctant to cross over to the role of parent, and the two are bickering more than usual.

In fact, Buffy's distraction prevents her from noticing strange behavior among the video-game crowd. One of Xander's friends goes medieval outside the Sunnydale movie theatre, laughing and babbling that he can't be stopped -- he's only in town on a temporary visa. Puzzled, Anya and Xander investigate. It seems that people who've been testing a new video game have been demonstrating creepy tics.

As the Slayer attempts to put all of the pieces together, Anya is abducted into an alternate demon universe. Buffy had better figure out how to get her friend back to Sunnydale, before the game is over, for good... ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Gamer's Paradise
This story takes place shortly after Season Five BTVS episode "The Body". Buffy finds herself in the most frightening role of her life, trying to be a good mother to Dawn, while still finding time to battle the forces of evil.

Meanwhile Xander treats Anya to a Star Trek movie marathon, but when one of Xander's friends busts in, intent on killing everyone, it seems that the hell mouth has opened again. But Xander discovers that instead he is dealing with a new Virtual Reality system most of his friends are testing, and the virtual reality is far too real.

Shortly after Tara and Giles attend a taping of Tara's favorite TV psychic, and can only watch helplessly as he's attacked by supernatural forces.

Over all this is a very well written addition to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. Mel Odom continues to be my favorite author. It's fun to see how all his diverse plots will intermingle at the end.

For all you MANY Spike fans out there, while he doesn't get as much 'screen time' as Xander in this particular novel, he is strong, compassionate towards Buffy, and riding around on a motorcycle. Yum.

Lastly, for those of us that are comic book fans as well as Buffy fans there are more comic book and RPG references in here than you can shake an adamantium claw at. :>

Highly recommended for fans not only of Buffy, but of Xander, Spike, and gaming!

Joystick Free Demon Chasing
When a Craulathar demon begins to collect people parts, the outcome is always bad. Buffy and Willow are following a trail of discards in an effort to track the demon down before it works some awful spell. Faced with a demon in the process of opening a gateway to some particularly malignant dimension, they are going to need help to shut the door. Whom do you call when you need an expert on serious badness...? Spike!

Meanwhile... Xander and Anya are engrossed in a sci-fi film festival, popcorn in hand, when Robby Healdton, a gaming friend, plucks a fire axe of the walk and threatens to chop the audience into geek cutlets. Xander to the rescue (barely). Later, at the hospital, Xander discovers Robby isn't just acting as if he wasn't himself; he really isn't Robby at all!

Even more meanwhile... Giles and Tara are in the studio audience watching Derek Traynor, a popular medium and spiritualist perform. Suddenly Traynor makes contact with the dead spirit of another friend of Xander's who is lost in another dimension. However, the boy still appears to in this world, alive and well!

The Scooby gang realize that these tangled problems are the visible loose ends of a magic that has somehow managed to convert virtual reality into a tool to subjugate the world. Xander has disappeared, Dawn is giving Buffy a major headache, and a guitar playing New Orleans demon slayer shows up in Sunnydale with an agenda of his own. Soon Buffy is wishing she could go back to the old 'See it, put a stake in it' days.

Mel Odom does a good job with this plot, but there is a lot of complex action in a very short novel. This is his forte, but sometimes the plot is a little hard to follow in the space allotted. Certainly, the book could easily have been longer, or there should have been one or two plot arcs less. To be honest, I find the Buffy/Dawn conflict is a bit overworked lately. The potential relationship between Bobby Lee Tooker (the Cajun demon duster) and Buffy never has a chance to develop with everything else going on, and he is a very interesting character.

I hope that this is not a trend. What makes BTVS something else besides a monster kill-a-thon is the focus the show puts on its characters. Books like this that are heavily action focused are in danger of drifting away from a successful formula. All this criticism aside, the story is an active, upbeat book with some unusual twists to the use of magic. I enjoyed reading it, and would have enjoyed another fifty pages even more.

It isn't a game anymore...
Crossings is Buffy at its best.

Someone arrives in Sunnydale and he's recruiting video gamers to test a new virtual reality game. All the gamers know is that he calls himself Dredfahl and that the game is the greatest and most realistic they've ever played. Xander finds out what's going on one night when a friend of his goes insane at a movie theater. Turns out he's being possessed by a demon, and Dredfahl isn't quite who he seems...

In Crossings, every character gets something to do, even the smaller characters. Buffy, Xander, Anya, Willow, Giles, Dawn, Spike and Tara all have things to do, as well as some new characters. One of the things that I liked best about this book is that pivotal information comes from everyone, not just one or two characters like usual (i.e. - usually Giles and/or Willow come up with a lot of the info). Everyone gets in on the action, and it actually works. The plot is pretty easy to follow, yet I don't ever remember being bored while reading.

If you want a great Buffy book, go with Crossings. It's a major step up, especially following the dreadful Sweet Sixteen. I highly recommend Crossings to any fan of the Buffy series.

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel with TWO good endings
WARNING: Once again, we begin with a sincere warning not to read the copy that appears on the back cover and above describing the content of this novel. Apparently they write such things before the books are really written, which certainly explains why some of the recent BtVS one have been so off base.

"Crossings" is Mel Odom's second "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novel after last year's "Revenant," although his contribution to the "Tales of the Slayer, Volume 1" was the best of that rather uneven collection. This latest effort takes place in the wake of Joyce Summer's death during Season 5 and while at first it seems that Buffy's problems with Dawn is but a major subplot it becomes a critical part of the novel's payoff. But because the Slayer's sibling does not show up until well into the story you are distracted by the problem at hand, which involves a demon who wants to ascend character level (I am beginning to get the hang of the Buffy CCG). However, "Crossings" is one of those novels were everything comes together in the end for the big payoff. So while Buffy and Willow are tracking a Craulathar demon who collects body parts from corpses, Xander and Anya are trying to enjoy a "Star Trek" film festival, and Giles and Tara are attending a taping of the television program "Othersyde," they are all just picking up threads of Odom's narrative.

Odom does an excellent job of maintaining the pace of this story, which takes place in the course of one night. Even as he adds more characters into the mix he keeps all of his balls in the air and you are never left wondering what is happening with anybody at any given moment. "Crossings" comes close to the actual pace of a television episode (it could not be because diversions and lavender eyes will cost big time special effects bucks).

However, the main strength of this effort is Odom's characterization. The picture of Xander and Anya on the cover might be somewhat arbitrary (they just used Buffy and Dawn on the cover of "Sweet Sixteen"), but they are probably the two characters that Odom captures best, mainly because in both cases he reigns in their senses of humor; most BtVS novel writers give Anya way too much free reign, but Odom keeps her from going off the deep end. There is also a scene between Buffy and Dawn that is actually better than anything we have seen on television between the two, which really makes me realize that they need to do more with Dawn than making her the damsel in distress. Odom even has her actually do something constructive in the course of the adventure.

I also like Odom's attention to detail, which is also reflected in the careful construction of his story. There is a point in the story where a pair of binoculars pops up. Admittedly, this is a small thing, but pay attention to how much sense it makes and why there should be more such things in the BtVS universe. He also has a hysterical scene when a TV medium has a more ghostly encounter, a guy who insists on calling the Slayer "ma'am," a pretty good pay off line for the Slayer's big kill, and not one but two good endings to his novel. Given the limitations that are placed on the writers of BtVS novels (e.g., do not write about the season's main villain, do not have anything really important happen, etc.), "Crossings" is a more than solid effort. Odom is really hitting stride and the auspices are pretty good that his next BtVS novel could be something pretty special.

dont play the video games or else
while xander and anya are at the movies, a young man they both
know comes in and starts threatening to kill everyone. a big fight ensues and eventually he is taken to the hospital. everyone thinks that he has lost it but upon further research
it is discovered that he was recruited to try out for a new
virtual reality game that causes it's participant's essence to be
sent to an alternate dimension while demons' essensences are
stored in their bodies. this book is fast paced and actually let's the whole scooby gang have a part in rescuing the poor guys
trapped in the demon universe. dawn even gets in the action and
it is nice to see that some writers are keeping up to date with
the show. i highly reccommend this one and i can't wait to 'wisdom of war' comes out. that looks like they are going to
take the story line into uncharted territory which will be
refreshing. ... Read more

Book Description

Even Willow's own coven has turned against her now. Condemned for saving Buffy from their evil phantom and for not protecting the other coven members fully, as she had promised, Willow must come up with a way to restore herself to them -- and to reinforce her position of power, which hangs in the balance.

But the truth -- that she battled the phantom because the ghost of Tara told her to -- will only lower Willow's status in the eyes of her coven. It is time for big magic. Infallible magic.

And as Willow turns to the elements for protection, Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies must find a way to fight back without losing Willow forever.... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

not bad
actually this book starts out slow but towards the middle you can't put it down.

willow's coven is reduced in size by giles' spell. the remaining members no longer trust willow because she chose to protect buffy instead of them. willow is so upset by this that she comes up with another plan to rid herself of buffy and the scooby gang.

this book has everyone in it examing themselves and the little things that we tend to take for granted and whether or not their decisions are good or bad no matter how well intentioned. it is well worth the money and any buffy fan should definitely love.

Let She Who Is Sinless Cast The First Spell
After the devastating events of the first volume of this series one would expect to find that someone, either in Willow's coven or the Scooby Gang would realize that head on conflict wasn't going to work. Giles' dispersal spell managed to totally disappear to coven members and drive another insane. And Willow has lost what little trust the coven had in her. Despite this disaster, both sides get ready to square off. Willow rebuilds the coven and uses Riley's spirit to animate a golem, hell bent on her quest to restore Tara to life. Giles continues to look for a bigger, better spell - something that will do less mayhem. Of course, nothing works out as suspected and damage and casualties mount.

One of the things I found particularly interesting is that Buffy and the Scoobies actually don't understand what Willow is trying to do, and have managed to cause far more destruction than Willow would have done on her own. This dichotomy between an evil Willow who is really only seeking to create life, and the Buffy team keeps building. This keeps Willow a believable and almost sympathetic character while forcing us to look at Buffy, Giles, and company in a different way. The ending of this volume is particularly touching.

This focus on the moral dilemmas of the characters is unusual in a Buffyverse book. Willow, Buffy and Giles all must deal with difficult decisions, and their actions do not necessarily work for the best. As much as the publisher paints this as a Wicked Willow series, it is considerably more than that. No one is totally innocent, everyone makes a dreadful mistake or two. However, even as the interior dialog gathers momentum, the pacing seems to slow a bit. Shattered Twilight seems to get stuck in the pattern of attack and withdraw that began in The Darkening.

Still, while I experienced moments of tedium in the reading, the over all effect was compelling enough to hold my interest. Yvonne Navarro's effort has redefined Willow's character within an understandable framework. She certainly isn't the only person I know who it the thought they could undo a tragedy wouldn't do everything in their power to do exactly that. At the moment crosses over the line towards the inhuman, she offers proff of her real human depths. While this new, complex Willow will bother some fans, I think it's an illuminating development in one of my favorite characters.

As if the first one wasn't bad enough
I'd say more of the same, but this is actually worse than the first "Wicked Willow" book. Cliches on top of bad writing and tired old plots.

If this is the future of "Buffy" then I'll pass.

Ill concieved dreck.

272 pages of garbage
I want my money back. I want the time I wasted back.
But I'd settle for having Tara back.

This book continues the same streak of bland characters and sophmoric writing that was featured in the Wicked Willow 1 book. But if anything things have gotten worse. Right now it is obvious that Navarro is just stretching an already thin plot so she can get three books out of the deal.

I know there is an appeal to watch bad movies. That does not apply here. Save yourself the time and effort. At the least you would have wasted your time and money. At most you will be disgusted that someone like this is allowed to write about these characters. I don't recognize anyone here, least of all Tara. Give me Chris Golden anyday.

It is an offense to these characters. It is an offense to fans of Willow. It is an offense to anyone who ever struggled to be a writter to see third rate fan-fic like this get published.

If you must read a Buffy story, find some fan fic, at least it is free, or get some Chris Golden books.

Great book!
I loved this book! I was initially leery of reading a novel set in an Alternate Universe but Navarro does a compelling job of making Willow's pain real and you understand why she went haywire and now is hellbent on destroying her friends.

I highly recommend both this book (...) ... Read more

Book Description

All Hell is Breaking Loose

Led by the fanatical Il Maestro, the Sons of Entropy are assaulting the supernatural Boston mansion that holds back the realm of monsters, and stealing the life force from the besieged Gatekeeper. In limbo, the Ghost Roads are crumbling, becoming weak and unstable where Hell and the Otherworld have begun seeping in, blurring the passages that lead to the human world. And Xander lies mortally wounded from a failed attempt to free Joyce Summers from the clutches of the zealots who hold her hostage.

With the Gatekeeper rapidly weakening, Buffy sends Willow and Cordelia to escort Xander along the Ghost Roads to the Gatehouse, which may hold his only hope of survival. Meanwhile, she, Giles, and an unlikely band of allies take their fight to the very mouth of Hell itself, desperately hoping to save Joyce and repel the evil spawn before Sunnydale becomes a demonic ground zero. Only then can Buffy safeguard the Gatekeeper's eleven-year-old heir, the only one able to prevent the ultimate destruction of humanity. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

GREAT!!!! BEST TRILOGY!!
This was the best books I've read in such along time!! I'm glad that the rest of the Scooby Gang got noticed more in this book! Most of the show's ep's & Books are about Buffy. But they focused this one more on Xander,Cordelia,Willow,Oz, & Angel!! So that was more of a twist! I really liked these 3 books, and everyone who is a fan should read!!

THE BEST BUFFY BOOKS YET!!!
Oh, my gosh! The Gatekeeper Trilogy is the most entertaining series of books of all the Buffy books!!! I love the way the authors included all the characters instead of just focusing on Buffy all the time. I thought it was cool how, in the last book they brought Belphegor, Il Maestro,and The Sons Of Entropy together at the end and finished them off. It was just totally entertaining. I loved how they had Xander become the Gatekeeper, I never expected that, I really thought he was gonna die! This trilogy is definetely a MUST for all Buffy fans!!! It will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning 'til end!!!!

A great Buffy the Vampire Slayer trilogy
You know how many times you get suckered into buying a bunch of paperbacks because it is some giant continued story? Well, trust me, this one is well worth the investment in time and cash. Golden and Holder are far and away the best writers working on Buffy books and in this entire series they get free reign with the characters and their imagination. There is also a respect for Buffy and her friends you do not always get in such books. Let me put it another way: you know how good this series is? I went out and got a hardback edition because this is a keeper (even if you do not have a gate).

The concluding book in an epic Buffy trilogy
The Gatekeeper Trilogy is far and away the best of the Buffy books. Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder are far and away the best writers working on the books. Since they are also the main authors of the Watcher Guides they certainly have the requisite knowledge of the characters and the Buffy mythos. In retrospect I ended up feeling about these three books pretty much the way I did about the original Star Wars trilogy where the second one is the best and the finale has a bit of trouble living up to your expectations because what has gone before has been so great. However, put them together and they simply set the bar higher for everyone who comes in their wake.

Ironically, in this particular book Buffy has less to do that most of the other characters. It was certainly nice to see that Xander have a bright shinning moment as the substitute Gatekeeper. His character has been the comic relief for the Scooby Gang for so long that you forget he brought Buffy back from the dead at the end of season one. They also do a nice job of getting to what Cordelia is thinking behind her tactless remarks, but Oz is back to quipping a bit too much as he was in Book One and Willow is much more of a successful little spellcaster than she has yet to be in the television episodes. Still, I feel they are on the right track with most of these character developments. However, the character who really shines in this volume is Joyce Summers, dealing with being the mother of the Slayer as best she can.

After including Spike and Drusilla in the previous volume as a minor plot complication (I really was expecting more from them), the authors have Ethan Rayne makes a much more substantive guest appearance in this concluding volume, although he is really just a plot contrivance. The truly tragic figure that emerges from this trilogy is Jacques Regnier, the young boy who has to become the Gatekeeper following the death of his father. His fate is different from that of Buffy as the Slayer, but he is also a Chosen One and there is a certain pathos to his having too grow up too quickly. The creation of the Gatekeeper and the Gatehouse are the best ideas I have come across in the Buffy books so far, and are worthy of being included in the mythos of the television series. I was surprised to see that the historical flashbacks on the story of Giacomo Fulcanelli, Il Maestro, were substantially less than in the previous volumes, although his back story is concluded.

The resolution to the Gatekeeper storyline in "Sons of Entropy" works pretty well, more so with the Gatekeeper's part of the battle than with Buff's final confrontation with the demon Belphegor. I have never really liked the idea that the Achilles heel of the bad guys is that they all lie to their stupid minions who tend to betray them at the right moment. I would much rather see the good guys rise to the occasion and do so without the old chestnut of figuring out the meaning of the key clue at the last moment. The idea of the Gatekeeper and the Gatehouse merging in a new way was a very credible solution. Again, I know that my expectations were so high that Joss Whedon himself would have problems coming up with a conclusion that would truly top the marvelous set up. If you have read and enjoyed any of the original Buffy novels, you have to treat yourself to the Gatekeeper Trilogy.

A Fantastic Final Chapter
The Sons of Entropy is the third and final installment in the Gatekeeper Trilogy. Xander is near death. Joyce is kidnapped. Divided the team struggles to save their friends and family, while saving the world from a hellish outbreak of all things evil. The action is non-stop. The peril is real. The danger is heart stopping. As always in the midst of this whirlwind Mr.Golden and Ms. Holder take time to give the reader wonderful moments. For example the gatekeeper granting Angel a magic dream of Buffy so real he can smell her lavender and vanilla fragrance or Joyce proving that she is worthy to be a slayer's mother. I have given copies of the Trilogy to several of my friends and they all love it as I do. I highly recommend this series. It is excellent horror fiction. Please do yourself a favor. Read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

ANGEL VS. SPIKE

Sulking around the Slayer in Sunnydale, the vampire Spike has often run into demons intent on punishing him for throwing in with the White Hats. But when there are hints of a more organized campaign dedicated to vanquishing the vampire with a chip in his head, Spike sets off on the trail of whoever's put a hit out on him.

Meanwhile, in the City of Angels, the vampire with a soul finds that the search for a mystical object is tied to his days as the vicious Angelus. Then Spike -- his former partner in carnage -- arrives in L.A. Each nursing a grudge, and with the specter of Buffy in both of their (cold, dead) hearts, the two vampires reluctantly work together...until their torturous past catches up with them! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

An interesting exploration of the romantic side of Spike
After the "everybody in the pool" approach of "Monster Island," the previous crossover novel of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," the relatively simple idea of having Spike travel from Sunnydale to L.A. to engage in a little money making endeavor on Angel's turf, is a refreshing change. The double-edged sword here is that when Mel Odom wrote this book, little did he know that when it hit the stands Spike would have been added to the cast of "Angel," despite having died a grand and glorious death on the final episode of "BtVS." The good news is just as the fans of the television series created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt were enjoying this casting decision, Odom's book hit the stands with Angel and Spike pictured side by side. The down side is that Angel and Spike spend relatively little time together in "Cursed," and more often than not it is Angelus and Spike running around Europe in 1891. Some of the best scenes in "Cursed" are when Angel and Spike are together in the present going after each other. I just wish there could be more of that, because that is what we were hoping to read based on the cover of this book.

I realize, of course, that there are practical reasons why this could not be. The Historian's Note in "Cursed" points out that this story takes place in an alternative continuity during the 5th season of "BtVS" and the third season of "Angel." That is a pretty good trick, since the former was the 2000-2001 season and the latter the 2001-2002 season. Since Conner is a baby and Spike has yet to get anywhere with Buffy, you can work out the continuity for yourself. The "alternative" is key because Odom has to write a story about Angel and Spike in which nothing really significant happens between them, because that privilege is left to Joss and his minions.

To avoid the very confrontation we would most like to read in "Cursed," Odom has to a pair of double splits on his narrative. Consequently, while Spike is hired to join a gang of demons in retrieving a object, Angel and his agency are involved in their own case, with the reading becoming aware that these stories are two sides to the same coin long before the characters catch on. Additionally, as is usually the case with any narrative that brings Angel and Spike together, there is a plotline in the past, involving Darla and Drusilla, that informs he doing ons in the present. Bridging the past and the present are some gypsies, although, surprisingly, not the same clan that is involved in Angel's curse.

Ultimately, "Cursed" is really Spike's story and his relationship with the strange gypsy woman Lyanka is the book's pivotal one, despite what the cover promises. As we all remember from "Dopplegangland," despite Buffy's attempt to stifle Angel when he disagrees with her observation that a vampire's personality has nothing do with the person they were in real life, that is indeed the case. Buffy's declaration was because Willow noticed that her vamp double was "kinda gay," and you can draw you own conclusions regarding how Liam became Angeleus. But what we know of the William the Bloody before he was turned is that he was an incurable romantic who wrote bad poetry. Odom is the first to deal explicitly with this idea with regards to Spike.

Odom does a nice job of connecting the dots in this regard. After all, Spike's love for the daft Drusilla was his original defining characteristic, and then he spent the last three seasons on "BtVS" falling hard for the Slayer (just do not try to get me to figure out how Harmony fits into the equation, because I do not think she does). As much as I enjoyed the scenes when Angel and Spike finally get together in L.A. in the present and go at it with the choice verbal sparing, it is really the Spike that is revealed by Lyanka that resonates in "Cursed." The funny thing is, I do not think Odom realized the vein of gold he uncovered in this story, because it is really not set up to be the big payoff in the novel. So, the bottom line on this one is that the Angel part of the story is solid enough, but it is what happens with Spike that was well worth the exploring.

Cursed by Mel Odom
If you are looking for a Spike-friendly book, than your wait is over. This is set in Season Six with Spike trying to help Buffy obtain money to leave her job at the Doublemeat Palace. He ends up traveling to Los Angeles where he comes in contact with Angel and the Fang Gang. Would be enjoyed by both views of the Buffy and Angel.

The best book of the series
Cursed is the best book based on the two television shows to date. Odom has a great handle on all the characters, especially Spike who is the hardest to get right.

I highly recommend this book.

Odom is a great author
Some Buffy and Angel authors seem to have not even have watched the show before they wrote a book. They just dont get the characters personalities down right. Mel Odom is not one of them.

This is a great book if you love Spike and Angel, but the thing is, they aren't together very much in the book at all except in the excellent flashback parts. I found the flashbacks incredibly interesting. I always love finding out more about the older characters one the shows past. Some people hate it, but I thrive on it.

Storywise this book is very creative and I would definitely go out and buy it if I were you.

Gypsy Curses - You Can't Have Just One
Angel has pretty much the same problem with gypsies that Anya has with rabbits. Whenever they show up there's trouble. This time not only does Angel have to deal with Gypsies, he finds himself in the midst of a clan war of gypsy demonkind struggling to get possession of a set of sacred stones. One group wants to use the stones to return home, and another wants to use them to take over the world to which they lead.

Spike, reeling from his disastrous relationship with Buffy, determined to get her back, gets involved in a series of deals that collapse like a house of cards. Next thing he knows he is riding shotgun for another group of demons after, you guessed it, the same set of stones. Sure enough, there is a collision with Angel on the horizon.

While Angel and Spike interact very little in the base story line, their history together plays a strong part in the current conflict. A beautiful woman and her grand-daughter stand at one pole of this conflict. Lyanka, who captured Spike's love for a time 100 years ago and Gitana who blames Angel for Lyanka's death. At the other pole is Chavula Faa and, of course, Wolfram and Hart.

The story shifts back and forth between the turn of the century tale of Spike and angel's history together and the modern, almost military combat for final possession of the stones. At stake is the fate of two worlds and the dreams of two vampires perched forever on the thin like between saved and lost.

Despite not being what the cover promises, Mel Odom does a solid job of putting together a complex story that is both filled with action and looks deeply into the motivations of the two vampires. We have come to respect Angel over the years, but this is Spike still struggling with his own redemption - the vampire who loved too much. There is something in this novel to please every one - solid, enjoyable reading. ... Read more

Book Description

In Los Angeles, Angel and Buffy compare notes and realize that both are dealing with cases of missing teenagers -- most of them children of the rich and powerful. Coincidence? They don't think so. But when Buffy checks in with Giles, she learns that prime-time doomsday has hit Sunnydale, taking precedence over the gang warfare in L.A.

Back in her hometown, Buffy finds the doorway through which the monsters are gaining all-access passes to our universe. Renegade scientists have discovered how to open the portals from one reality to the next, which could explain where the teens are hidden. But when you're operating near a hellmouth, opening dimensional portals is tricky business: you never know who -- or what -- you're going to attract. With the lives of the kidnapped teens and one dangerously talented young woman at stake, Buffy and Angel join forces to do battle in the uncharted dimension.... ... Read more

Reviews (13)

good sequel
this one is kind of disappointing if you are thining (oh about time an angel buffy crossover). the 2 are in the book but they spend too much time in seperate places for me. this book however does have an up to date account of the 2 series up and until last season which is a refreshing change. the story continues with teenagers disappearing in la right in front of their friends. meanwhile in sunnydale, monsters of all types and sizes keep coming through a portal and keeping the scooby gang occupied. to make matters worse the gang warfare between the mexicans and the russinas escalate out of control. between bad cops on the take, gang warfare, missing teens and' monsters this book was quite intertaining. it gives all of our favorite characters from both shows a part to play and they come through brilliantly. hopefully in season three our vampire slayer and her vampire will work together more. these always made some of the best books. if you doh't beleive me read "child

of the hunt". arguably one of the best buffy books written.

Out of this World
The second in the cross over series, The Unseen, The Door to Alternity leaves the reader wanting more. Picking up the story of gang war fare, corrupt cops, new monsters and disappearing teens; this book enlarges on each plot line. As Buffy and Angel learn the source of each problem they are drawn deeper into danger and closer together. Angel admits to himself that he and Buffy share the same soul, the same heart. Buffy struggles with her relationship to Riley now that Angel is back in her life. The Sunnydale gang finds it difficult to accept a new and improved Cordelia.

The pages crackle with action, gang fights and monster attacks. Everyone gets a chance to jump into the fray.

Tara's concern for Willow adds a nice layer of romance. The authors use Anya to provide the comic relief.

I recommend this book to all Buffy and Angel fans. I can't wait for number three.

Door to Alternity
"Door to Alternity" continues the "Unseen" triligy with the connection between missing children in L.A. and monsters appearing in droves in Sunnydale becoming clearer. Team Angel and The Scobbie Gang are working harder than ever as they try to solve the mysteries and keep the monsters under control. Also the reason for all these strange occurences becomes clear; it dates back to a Cold War science experiment by the KGB to alter reality, all for the glory of the State. Now it is being used to try to blackmail prominant U.S. citizens to bring back the glory days. Also a gang war brakes out between the Mexican Mob and the Russians. All of this makes for a very complicated story, there is a lot going on. Sometimes it gets a little confusing, but never so bad you can't follow the story. It was ok, but certainly suffering from being the bridge book. You have a lot of information and set up for the last book.

Door to Alternity Review
I can't figure out what Salma is runnign from even tough i read books 2 and 3 of the crossover!!!

Complete waste of money!!!!!!!
The only reason im giving this book 2 stars is because of buffy good looks and willow"s magic powers but apart from that this story is bull theres too much talking and stuff going on and theres practicaly no action i thought buffy slayed demons but this is in about 5 places at once and its really confusing safe your money and get the best buffy book Tales Of The Slayer ... Read more

Book Description

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always held an irreverent attitude toward her calling, but ultimately she understands the ramifications of her destiny and is prepared to die to protect the world from Evil. In fact, she has died. Twice.

It's an ancient tradition, steeped in lore, mythology, and fateful prophecies. Slayerdom consists of a Council of Watchers, a continuum of slayers, an archive of journals, and even a handbook.

But first and foremost, it begins with a girl. One girl in all the world. A Chosen One. Now, catch up on other Slayers past and present, in the second short-story collection, Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 2!

With contributions from Scott Allie, Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens, Greg Cox, Kara Dalkey, Jane Espenson, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Todd McIntosh, Michael Reaves, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Not as entertaining as the first
In my review of the first Tales of the Slayer compilation, I stated that the stories involved were uneven. The same thing is wrong with this book, but it still manages to entertain. Like any collection of short stories, this novel is bound to have its high and low points. What follow are mini-reviews of each story:

"All That You Do Comes Back Unto Thee" - The first story in this book tells a story about Buffy. It's written (sometimes poorly) by series makeup artist Todd A. McIntosh, and it's about a boy who dabbles in the black arts and awakens the spirit of an ancient Egyptian mummy. It is slowly paced and actually boring at times.

"Lady Shobu" - This is one of the better stories in the book. It tells the tale of a warrior woman in Japan who is called to the home of the Great Lady. She learns of her calling as the Slayer and sets out to find the place on the Lady's grounds where the demons are gathering. A very well-written piece of work... hopefully we will see more of Kara Dalkey in future Buffy novels.

"Abomination" - Another good story, though not great. This tale is of a young potential Slayer who falls in love with her Watcher. She bears his children, and is then called as the Slayer. The Council finds out about this and proceeds to handle things, leaving the Slayer in a bit of a mess with a demon. The first few pages had me hooked, but it tended to drag a bit in the middle. It picks up nicely and the end, though, and left me feeling satisfied.

"Blood and Brine" - I didn't particularly like this story. It tells of a Slayer who sails the seas disguised as a man... and is it just me, or does it seem like a ship isn't the best place to slay vampires? Anyway, this story bored me until the end, when one of my favorite mythological creatures made an appearance. Still, not a very good tale.

"The Ghosts of Slayers Past" - This is a completely silly story. It's a retelling of Charles Dickens's classic A Christmas Carol, and is pretty much pointless. The best thing about this story is that is only about 20 pages long.

"The New Watcher" - Short and sweet, this is one of the best stories in the novel. A Slayer is fighting in the Civil War, and a new Watcher shows up after her previous one was turned into a vampire. Extremely well-written and told by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

"House of the Vampire" - I have mixed feelings about this story. It was interesting on some levels, but very silly and far-fetched on others. This time around, a Slayer in England encounters Dracula (this guy is pretty popular with the Slayers, no?). The passage itself is written well, but the story isn't all that great.

"The War Between the States" - The second worst story here, which is surprising since it is coming from a writer of the actual series, Rebecca Rand Kirshner (she wrote such episodes as "Tough Love," "Tabula Rasa," "Hell's Bells," and "Potential"). It's about a woman who tries to achieve the glamorous lifestyle she has always wanted. Very, very boring and we are not even completely who the Slayer is until the final pages (the story is not written about the Slayer... it's written about an outsider). Kirshner took a different approach with this one, but it didn't work too well. Plus, the title is very unfitting.

"Stakeout on Rush Street" - Following one of