5 comments about Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. SPIKE & DRU: PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW
   
   Christopher Golden (2001)
   
   RATING: 5/5 Stakes
   
   SETTING: Pre-First Season (circa 1940)
   
   CAST APPEARANCES: Spike, Drusilla, Kakistos
   
   MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: Sophie Cartensen (Slayer); Yanna (Watcher); Skrymir (frost demon); Marie Christine-Fontaine, Harold Travers, John Travers, Mrs. Giles (Watcher's Council); Eleanor, Ariana de la Croix (Potentials)
   
   BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY
   
   "It's 1940, and Europe is ravaged by World War II--an ideal environment for demon paramours Spike and Drusilla. The anniversary of Dru's resurrection as a vamp impends, and Spike wants to celebrate. What better gift than Freya's Strand--a powerful necklace rumored to allow its wearer to shape-shift at will? Spike learns of a demon named Skrymir, who claims to possess the bauble and is willing to trade. Spike's task is to infiltrate the Watcher's Council headquarters and get his hands on the list of young women in training to take over as Slayer should they be called. In exchange for Freya's Strand, Spike must kill the reigning Slayer, a brazen young woman named Sophie, as well as the Slayers-in-Waiting. And if he succeeds, it could mean the end of the Chosen One--all of the Chosen Ones--forever . . ."
   
   REVIEW
   
   By far the best Buffy book I've read yet, Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row focuses on the exploits of the pair during the early days of World War II as they try to exterminate the line of Potentials at the behest of a frost demon named Skrymir. The period's Slayer, Sophie Cartensen, stands in their way.
   
   What makes this novel so good? First, Golden obviously researched the time period he was writing in--the detail and history are correct, and set up the right atmosphere for the book. Second, Christopher Golden gives this sword-wielding Danish Slayer great characterization, and the reader can really visualize her personality and fighting style. Her final showdown with Spike & Dru is tragic yet amazingly well-written. Third, he does a great job capturing Spike & Dru's twisted but loving relationship.
   
   The book is explicit, both in terms of sex and violence, but it works beautifully because Spike & Dru don't draw much of a distinction between the two. Most importantly, the book makes you care about the characters involved (Sophie, her watcher, and Spike & Dru) and unlike most Buffy novels, the combat scenes are really pulse-pounding, page-turning affairs. One scene in particular, where Spike & Dru attack Sophie and her watcher on board a train hurtling through the dark of night is wonderfully written and well-paced, and more exciting than many of the television show's fight scenes. Other interesting parts of the book are an early look at Kakistos (the vampire responsible for killing Faith's first Watcher) and more insight into how the Watcher's Council functions.
   
   Obviously, the reader's enjoyment of this book turns upon how much interest they have in Spike & Dru. Readers interested only in Buffy and her sidekicks may not get much out of it, but both as a Buffy novel and a plain adventure/horror novel, this one is definitely worth reading.



2. There's not much I can add here that others haven't already touched on. I'm a big fan of mixing horror with historical settings, so the atmosphere and fresh new characters were something I enjoyed a lot. I'm a big Spike and Dru fan, and their evil ways don't really bother me at all. I've always liked stories where the bad guys win.
   There are two problems here for me. One, the epic last battle in the Watchers' Council while the bombs are falling is way too rushed, and deaths from the perspective of non-evil characters are rolled through too easily.
   Two, Spike's storyline has been set up numerous times in both Buffy and Angel, and it's been said in multiple episodes that Spike killed TWO and only two Slayers in his lifetime- the one from the Boxer Rebellion, and the one who he got his infamous jacket from. But in this book, he kills a third Slayer chronologically in between the original two. I kept waiting for them to find a way for the Slayer to die without him killing her, but no, he kills her easy as pie with no way to tie this in to the main timeline. Therefore, I can't take this book seriously as an addition to the official Buffyverse, which relegates it to being glorified fanfiction that somehow slipped through the cracks and got published.
   Really, it's well-written for what it is, but I can't get around the third Slayer. I'm just an [...] fan like that I guess.



3. I first read this book shortly after it was published in 2001 and I enjoyed it immensely. I had read every Buffy novelization written up until that point, and "Pretty Maids" struck me (in a good way) because it wasn't as formulaic as many other novelizations as it offered a completely new angle of the Buffyverse - the history of Spike and Dru. Considering that the majority of the characters are newly invented by the author, Golden does an excellent job of fleshing them out, giving them distinct personalities and making them sympathetic characters (more sympathetic than many of the potential slayers we are introduced to in season 7!).
   
   My response to some comments by other reviewers:
   
   Some readers felt that the book's violence, particularly the murders of several young girls (potential slayers) was extremely graphic - too graphic. Which is true. Golden depicts some very disturbing scenes of murder, but the graphic nature of the violence rings true to what we know about crimes committed by notorious vampires like Spike and Dru. We hear constantly on the show that Spike, Dru, and Angel have done some really nasty, unforgivable things as vampires, and here at last are examples of some atrocities they may have committed in the past. The murders may be tough to stomach, but you can imagine that Spike and Dru really have done that - and much worse - in their years as soulless, chipless vampires.
   
   In defense of the author regarding the major inconsistency in the identity of the second slayer Spike murdered ... "Pretty Maids" was published before "Fool for Love" aired, the fifth season episode in which Spike reveals the identity of the second slayer. We learn in the second season when Spike and Dru first come to Sunnydale that Spike killed two slayers - the first one in the Boxer rebellion - but the revelation of the murder of the second slayer happens three years later - after publication.
   
   This inconsistency may be a bit of a turn-off, but if you accept this one diversion from what Joss Whedon has established as Buffyverse fact, "Pretty Maids" makes for an entertaining read.



4. If you're picking up this book for a good Spike and Drusilla story, you won't be entirely disappointed. The books starts out almost completely focusing on the pair, but somewhere they get lost and you find the story focusing on the good guys. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the author had more talent, but he sadly doesn't. This piece is poorly written if you take character development, reader sympathy, and description into consideration. countless times I found myself wishing I actually cared about the character, wishing I actually knew what something vaguely described (and that is throwing a bone) actually looked like.
   
   There are exactly two great parts of this book: Spike and Drusilla. Golden portrays them fairly well. Sometimes you'd notice an awkwardness to their dialogue, or get the feeling that the sex scene wasn't as much of a literary description as much as a fan-boy's wetdream.
   
   Once you read this, you might find yourself asking who is who. The only way I could differentiate one potential slayer from another is when he gave their country of origin. Even then, I couldn't remember which ones lived and died, save for the two "main" potentials. The Louisiana girl is the only one I found myself caring about, and that comes from a single tender scene where she warms up to the current Slayer. There's a small romance under story between a potential and a watcher that is just fluff.
   
   The end of this story is a let down and not the sort of result you'd expect from your favorite pair of Vampire Lovers.
   
   Overall, the story is fast-paced and easy to read. If you're not part of the Buffyverse fandom, then you won't enjoy this book unless you're also a young male that falls in love with the section about Drusilla walking, swimming, and killing while nude.



5. I really enjoyed this book right up until the end. I liked the characters very much, i especially like how the author bought alot of little characters from Buffy and incorperated them into the story.i didnt like the ending because it didnt fit in with the show in that spike kills another slayer. I also thought that the last 20 pages were very uneventful and could have simply been left out.
   but i still liked the book and would recommend it to any buffy fan

5 comments about Fall into Darkness.

1. Sharon is accused of killing her best friend Ann. Three witnesses heard everything, though they didn't see it. They heard Ann scream at Sharon, and then they heard her fall over the edge of a cliff. Her body has not been found, but they know she must be dead and the only logical conclusion is that Sharon killed her. But Sharon knows she didn't do it. So why did Ann scream like that? Did she commit suicide? Or was it revenge?
   
   This is the basic premise, though by chapter two, you know what's going on. The book isn't about the question of why Ann did what she did. It's about a friendship gone wrong. It's about grief. It's about loss. It's about revenge. But mainly it's about obsession and how it destroys.
   
   This book is a bit of a retread of Gimme a Kiss. That being said, I think it's a good story in its own right. I think Pike took the basic premise of GAK and improved on it.
   There might be parts of the story that strain at credibility, but nothing that would really take away from the pleasure of reading it.
   
   As for the characters, I did feel invested in them. Sharon had a lot of personality. I also enjoyed reading Ann's point of view. Ann is a bitter, nasty person but I really felt for her. She seemed so lonely and I felt so sorry for her. She was a more sympathetic character than Jane in Gimme a Kiss.
   The bottom line is that it's a good read if you're 13 and into these kinds of books.
   
   The one thing I felt was lacking was more depth in regards to some of the major characters. I felt like I never got a sense of who Jerry was when he was alive. Well, not enough of a sense of him. I didn't really know much about what his relationship was like with Ann before he died, and therefore, whether or not she blamed herself for his death. Even though he wasn't technically in the book, his was a constant presence. So I wanted to know more about him. That's about all I can think of.



2. This is the first Pike book I've ever read. And this book is a must read. I enjoyed it very much. Once you start reading this, you wont be able to put it down. There is a surprise waiting on every page you turn (: The murderer was the last person I thought it would be. This book is very exciting and leaves you wondering. There is a huge twist at the end. The end was okay for me. But I didn't find the end very satisfying. But overall, the book was very good. For any fans of Pike, this is a must read. Hope you enjoy (:



3. Fall Into Darkness is a really good book if you like horror, romance, drama, and a huge twist. The characters are Ann, Sharon, Paul, and Jeff. Jeff is accusing Sharon of pushing Ann off a cliff. Read this book to find out if she is guilty or not.
   Steven, Grade 5 Rhode Island.



4. this was the best book i've ever read. I don't like reading books as much, but this one really caught my attention.



5. Fall into Darkness is a great book. It is definitely surprising. It was suspenseful, mysterious, and amazing.It's sooooo good that there's a movie on it. Pike definitely catches the reader's attention. I LOVE this book. This is one of my favorite Christopher Pike book.

5 comments about Secret Circle Vol III: The Power (The Secret Circle, Vol. 3).

1. Faye proceeds to tell Diana about Adam and Cassie, twisting the actual truth to suit her needs, making it looks as if the two have carried on an affair behind the coven's and Diana's back. After hearing her "version" of events, Adam tells her to shut up and tells the truth to the coven and Diana; explaining that as far as he knew Cassie was nothing more then an outsider girl that protected him from three witch hunters this summer, even though it got her hurt in the process. Adam thanked her and never expected to see her again after that. Diana says that she's heard enough and the group heads to their homes, Cassie stopping by a neighbor's to check on her mom before heading to Diana's for the night.
   
   At her grandmother's funeral to group meets and recognizes the new form of Black John; it's the new high school principal John Brunswick. Mr. Brunswick makes short work of insuring that the circle can't have free rein of the school anymore and seduces Faye to his side as his assistant. Cassie soon discovers her connection to him, she's John's daughter and he wants her to help him lead the coven in the direction he wants and she also finds out the coven is of his own making, setting himself up as the leader of it.
   
   The coven fights as best it can without Faye and elects Cassie to lead them in her place, since it has become clear where Faye's loyalties lie. As a hurricane that could wipe out the town approaches, John calls to Cassie and the final showdown between good and evil begins.



2. I first read this book and the two before it as a teenager about a decade ago and still enjoy re-reading them. Through the story the characters change and grow lending an air of conviction and meaning to their actions and their fight. The true "villian" is not Faye, but the same dark force fought by the young coven's parents, with devestating results, the generation before. Cassie, Diana, and Faye come together to fight in the end.



3. The first time around, I read this trilogy out of order. I picked this book up in a used bookstore when I was about ten, and I loved it so much that I went out and bought the two other books in the trilogy, and every other one that L.J. Smith had written at that point. Eight years later and it's still probably my favorite book by her.
   
   The development of Cassie throughout all three books is fantastic, and so gradual that you almost don't see it until the second or third book, when you suddenly go, "Cassie, my girl! When did you grow a spine?" In the first book she's a mouse, and by the third one she's a heroine in every sense of the word, without being so larger-than-life and perfect that you can't identify her. The development of the other characters is equally fabulous.
   
   As I mentioned in my review for the second book, I absolutely adore the fact that this author can have half a dozen seemingly disparate plots running, then tie them together in a way which is both elegant and believable. In this book, all of the loose ends are tied up: the Master Tools are found, Black John makes his appearance, the murders are solved, and the coven is faced the choice of standing together or falling apart. The final confrontation with the villain is more mystical than violent, and a fitting conclusion to this marvelous series.
   
   The entire trilogy is excellent, but this is without a doubt the best book of the three.



4. I liked the twist in this book. I really wasn't expecting some of the things that happened, though they may have been right under my nose. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, but you're going to be surprised.
   
   This book, more than the first two, is very complex. Smith really does an excellent job of playing on many of the central themes of most pagan philosophy. The story is woven around the ideas of balance and sort of yin-yang philosophy. Plus, she obviously did her research on stones and herbs (as with the previous novels). The only complaint I really have is that there isn't a fourth book.



5. In this conclusion ea. of the characters must really make a choice as to who they want to be. Despite all the characters being sworn into a coven they have never been united. There has always been Faye's gang of wild and reckless witches that like to use their powers to have fun and then Diana's gang of goody-goody brainiacs. Then there's Nick - who's remained quietly reserved about his feelings the whole time.
   Now that there is a common evil outside of their group (John Black)they have made a pact to work together to destroy him, with the exception of Faye who is drawn to the power he possesses. Now the time has come. The final battle.
   Together the coven must select a permanent leader and figure out a way of stopping John Black and protecting the town of New Salem.
   I enjoyed every minute of this book. It was fully of mystery, romance, betrayal, strategic battles, poems, etc. But it really shows what we all experience and must battle (figuratively) while growing up and leaving HS.
   I do however have one complaint and what really takes the review down from 5 to 4 stars is Cassie's choice in a mate. The 2nd book hinted at a likeness Nick had for Cassie but he really starts to open himself slowly up to Cassie and it is so sweet because you know how hard it is for Nick to lay openly exposed like that. But Cassie forever stays convicted to this love she has for Adam. I'm totally an advocate for love at first sight, but Adam is just too polite and nice w/o any layers at all. In her third "Dark Visions" book, "The Passion", she has a similar quartet of lovers. Kait and Cassie (the main characters) are very similarly attracted to the nice boy (Rob/Adam) but where "The Passions" ends w/ Kait discovering a true connection of equalness to the "bad boy" Gabriel this book ends w/ Cassie never really feeling any attraction to Nick - only using him as a security blanket while she battled her lust for Adam.
   Nick and Cassie have so much in common - personality wise - and I think she could really make him happier and together they'd work so well. Whereas I just see quietness between Adam and Cassie - I think they'll end up just empty.
   Despite my dissatisfaction w/ the person Cassie chooses (sorry for giving that away) I strongly reccommend you to read each of the books of this trilogy. They are just incredibly real!!

1 comments about The Restless Dead: Ten Original Stories of the Supernatural.

1. This book was pretty supernatural. Some stories were actually pretty good. I don't think the actual story was supposed to scare people, but the plots were pretty amazing. there were a few stories which I didn't quite understand, so I had to reread them. Some of them were also based on famous stories like Edgar Allen Poe's 'the Tell-tale Heart.'

5 comments about In Too Deep (Fear Street Seniors, No. 2).

1. Kenny, Debra, Ty and Dana are at camp. Kenny's attention on that beautiful crafts counselor who seems to disappear once in a while. Then, there's this kid Grayson who's always wearing a mask.



2. I think that RL Stines books are great I liked this one along with the rest of the books that go with the serie. The Seniors books are the best on so far. I love to read them to find out if they are all going to die. If you don't like RL Stine thenn there is something seriously wrong with you. Well thats all.



3. Kenny Klien, Debra Lake, Ty Sullivan, and Dana Palmer are at day camp, but for Kenny Klien, things just keep wierder and weirder, like Vincent, the kid who always wore a mask, Graydon, the nasty little boy who is determined to anger everyone, and Melly, the beautiful arts and crafts counselor, only she seems to turn up missing every once in a while. But his girlfired, Jade Feldman won't find out about Melly unles Dana tells her. And to add to that, someone in camp is trying to kill him. And the doomed class is the last thing from his mind... I thought is was an okay story. It was way better than the first seniors book. It was different from all the other Fear Street books. Death Count: 1, Seniors Dead: None. Can't wait for Graduation day!



4. In Too Deep is pretty cool. I liked Kenny Klein and also liked when he and his friends went swimming in Fear Lake. Wait till you read about Grayson, though.... the speedboat scene had my eyes glued to the page. Only 4 stars because it wasn't all realistic. A really good book though!



5. In Too Deep is a good Seniors book. Kenny Klien is the main charcter in the book. He is pretty cool. This book has it's moments and it is shocking at the end, but it isn't as good as the first Seniors book Let's Party. But I would still recommened it becuase it is part of the Seniors series.

5 comments about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Whole Story).

1. Classic story about the duality of personality personified as two sides of one person and manifested as two physical appearances--the taller more mature Dr. Jekyll and the shorter stunted Mr. Hyde. Hyde of course represents evil, unalloyed with any good, which remains part of Dr. Jekyll--who is fatally flawed with a mixture of mostly good, but awareness of evil.
   
   In the end, evil triumphs.
   
   The story follows a similar pattern in Victorian literature as told by Wilde in "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
   
   Classified in the library as a juvenile book, when it shouldn't be.



2. I did not receive this item. The other item I ordered was shipped separately and it was received, but this one was not. What a ripoff.



3. I was VERY disappointed with this purchase. The cover you see on this site is NOT the cover that was sent. I choose this item because I wanted this plain cover. Not what came.



4. This publication has long since been public domain and unless you are purrchasing this for a good cause, you are wasting your money. If you want this publication FOR FREE, kindleclassics.org is a good place to get it. The formating is very easy to read (unlike this particular copy, as it doesn't have any quotation marks at all). The only disadvantage with using kindleclassics.org is you have to connect your kindle to your computer in order to get them on your kindle, but it's a very easy plug and play operation.



5. Mr. Hyde is a known murderer. Dr Jekyll is an honorable doctor in the scientific community. These people's lives should never cross, but why is Hyde the heir of Jekyll. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Luis Stevenson is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. The plot focuses on the duality of man and our capability to do both good and evil. The book does not take long to read and can probably be read in under 2 hours depending on your reading speed. This book is not hard to understand, it is written in prose. This book is not a murder fest and is probably better off for that. The book is written as a mystery. It would be better to compare it to a Hitchcock horror film than to Saw. I like it because it was a chance for me to read a classic, but not spend a month reading it. The plot was interesting and raised some interesting questions. All in all it is an interesting, but not time-consuming book.

5 comments about Afterimage (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. I love Buffy books, but I did not enjoy this one... The characters were not true to the show. The writing was ok and so was the plot. I actually stopped reading about 3/4's of the way. The plot just wasn't working for me.



2. This book is based somewhere mid season two of the show, however it lacks any mention of Jenny Calendar and guessing by how Angel is still good and Xander and Cordelia are still keeping their relationship a secret, she was still a part of the show at the time. Besides from that a strong storyline with an interresting choice for the villan.



3. I did not enjoy reading this Buffy book at all. I found it to be very boring--way too much dialogue and way to little action. The author had the Scoobys arguing and explaining everything over and over again, as if the characters were strangers and had no chemistry. I didn't feel as though the author captured the characters or their relationships well at all. He had Buffy constantly feeling negative thoughts and irritation toward Willow, when their friendship (especially in the early years) was quite respectful and true blue. Giles and Buffy seemed to be depicted as not close at all and even early in their relationship, there was still love and understanding there, which I was not feeling from this book. And don't get me started on Xander, who was depicted as no-nonsense, hard-working and independent. Where was our happy-go-lucky, bumbling, jokester? (Remember, this book is supposed to be one year after Buffy came to town, so season 2, right?) I just wasn't buying it. Maybe part of the reason was that the time frame was never really clear until late in the book, or did I miss something? On that note, I must have missed something because Buffy and Angel hardly seemed to know each other, but Xander and Cordelia were already sneaking around, which didn't happen until Buffy and Angel were already going pretty hot and heavy (but before the whole Angelus stuff, so not that hot and heavy, but in love, ice skating rink, kissing Angel's demon face, ring a bell?).
   Anyway, I did like that the book featured Cordelia a lot and didn't depict her as a total idiot or completely heartless. I thought her character was a little more true to form. Also, I thought the plot was cute, original and not totally predictable.
   Even so, I can't bring myself to give the book more stars because I just didn't buy it and had a hard time getting through it. I don't agree with the other reviews and just had to vent!



4. This book was good if a little dry at times. For the most part it keeps you entertained. I like that Cordelia had a big role in the storyline. Usually in the Buffy books she is persona non grata. I did think there should be more focus on Buffy though. It did annoy me that the book didn't narrow down the time period it was set in until close to the end (the writer finally revealed it was set about a year after Buffy came to town). I wanted more about the back story of Buffy. But for a short read this was pretty good. I would recommend it to anyone with a few free hours on their hands.



5. If I hadn't just read 'Spark and Burn,' I would say that 'Afterimage' boded well for the future of Buffy as a book series. Pierce Askegren wedges this story into the time period just as Xander and Cordelia are about to become an item. It's Buffy's junior year during that brief but magical time when things seemed to be going well. Well, as well as slayage ever gets. As stranger (Balsamo) comes to town with a plan to resurrect the Sunnydale drive-in in true 50's style and suddenly waves of strange events haunt the world's most haunted town.
   
   On patrol Buffy and Angel find themselves confronted with werewolves and nightmarish bikers who disappear into thin air when injured. Books disappear from Giles library with the aid of new school nurse and a cheerleader garbed in pink. Both of which also disappear. The Bronze gets a new visitor or two, and suddenly people are taking extra long naps. It takes a while to pin the source of the problem down, but it should be no surprise that Balsamo is not a good guy and that all the ectoplasmic weirdness has something to do with his real identity. The Scooby gang to the rescue, of course.
   
   Askegren does an excellent job of recreating the characters. He handles Cordelia especially well, emphasizing her better qualities. The story borrows its location from other chronicles of the Buffiverse, but it is by no means a slavish effort to simply repeat the same old stuff. As a result the story manages to maintain its freshness. Not at all a bad effort, especially for someone's first try at a Buffy story. It lacks the drama of some of the other novels, but I'm sure most fans will enjoy this visit to the hellmouth.

5 comments about Sweet Sixteen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. This story has problems.
   First what 16 year old is in middle school? who edited this thing? secondly this story should be placed in season 6 after Buffy's death however I'm willing to bet it was completed before the finale of season 5 aired given that it takes place in season 5 why no glory? did the writer not want to deal with it. it was as if he got what he thought was a cute title and shoehorned Buffy into it like another person said the story didn't need any of the Buffyverse. they barley appear aside from the subplot which was better then the main story and the only reason this book was O.K.



2. Buffy is fighting demons at a convenience store when she witnesses a girl dispatch a demon even more easily than she could. Concerned that a young teen will have to deal with coming into power without some sort of help, Buffy tries to track down the teen. The search proves fruitless until she comes home and finds the girl hanging with Dawn. Misunderstandings aside, Dawn's new friend is introduced to the Scoobs and they try to help her understand and deal with her new powers even if they can't figure out where they have come from. But the young teen plays a very important role for her father and his plans for the seven realms. She will have to deal with her new power and figure out who she can trust before a possible destiny can bring terror to many worlds. To complicate the matter, Buffy seems to be the target of all manner of demon groups who don't act in normal demon ways.
   
   Another good Buffy story set in the sixth season. The coming into powers story was well-handled and tied into Buffy's own experiences in the matter. The story also does a good job of showing that things aren't usually black and white. The subplot involving Buffy as target was also well integrated into the story. A must read for Buffy fans.



3. When patrolling, Buffy comes across a girl being threatened by a demon. However, the girl punches the demon and puts both her fists through it.
   
   Not a normal kid. Dawn ends up talking to her at school, and they eventually find out she has a demon father, who has some conqueror type plans for her rare superpowers.



4. Buffy and friends become involved with Arianna, a troubled young woman on the cusp of sixteen whose abilities rival those of Buffy herself. They try to befriend her and discover the truth about her. Scott Ciencin knows how to write the characters and has a good grasp of the show's vernacular, but he is less successful at crafting a compelling story. Most annoying, he gives Arianna an ability that would allow her to easily resolve the tension and uncertainty that torments her, yet provides an excuse for not exercising it that is very flimsy and contrived. The humor leans toward the cute and lacks the bite that characterizes the best writing of the series. If this is the type of story that had appeared on air, Buffy would not have lasted seven seasons.



5. What I mean by that is in this book the author takes a quote from the episode 'The Gift' from Season 5 and twists it. The original quote from Spike to Buffy in the episode went, 'I know I'm a monster, but you treat me like a man.' It was one of the most emotional moments of the season and showed us how Spike had evolved from something evil and hateful to something good and promising. It was a defining comment from him and was a preview of what was to come in the 6th and 7th seasons.
   The author butchered the moment and morphed it into a new one he created himself of Spike telling Buffy in this book, 'I know I'm a monster, but your mom treated me like a man.' I mean, why would he do something like that? It didn't even make sense! Ugh, that being the only thing that ruined a 5 star rating, the rest of the book was pretty well written.

   Dawn overhears a girl in school being mistreated by the infamous 'sweater mafia', or in other words, the popular girls and steps in.
   Dawn becomes a target for the group as they seek revenge and Dawn begins to discover weird things about her new friend Arianna. For one, she can lift a thousand pounds without breaking a sweat and can take on her big sis The Slayer with no problem.
   The more the gang tries to fing out about the mysterious girl the more they become confused. With unusual superstrength and healing power unknown to a Slayer, Arianna is harboring a dark secret and a dangerous legacy that could destroy everything...as soon as she becomes 16....

   Written after Joyce's death and Dawn's revelation of being The Key, somewhere in the middle of the 5th season. Good portrayal of Buffy's struggle to deal with her mom's death and her guardianship of Dawn and her fear of the season's villian, the hellgod Glory finding Dawn finally. The author also touches on Spike's deep love for Buffy and his struggle to protect her and Dawn and how Buffy doesn't seem to want any of it.
   Extremely good plot, just get rid of the twisted moment with Spike and Buffy.....

   Tracy Talley~@

5 comments about Little Things (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

1. The plot of this book was much better in theory than it was in practice. This could have easily been a 5 star PG-13 book with imagination & better writing skills. In fact, the whole concept of fairy vampires, would have made an excellent TV episode ranking up there with Season Five BTVS "Buffy vs. Dracula". The prologue itself was GREAT! It was CLASSIC Buffy. The essence of the show was captured in the perfect light in this chapter. The bad part was, none of the main characters were in it. I won't give away too much about the prologue so as not to spoil it for future readers. Sadly, the book itself, was written at a reading level & pace best suited for middle school students. I wouldn't recommend this to any adult who is easily bored.
   
   The author did a reasonable job of bringing some of the characters to life, while failing to bring out the essence in others. For example, in Chapter 2, Xander & Buffy were fighting a Tyrloch demon. Xander said "So...now we know what it would look like if the Incredible Hulk and the Statue of Liberty ever had kids". Given the description of the demon, this was absolutely hilarious and had me laughing into the next page. My laughter was cut short when Buffy made a stupid out of character comment to the same demon "are you evil or do we have a failure to commnuicate?", Gimme a break. This went on throughout the whole book.... a great one-liner followed by a stupid one-liner. Similarly, there were some good monents, and bad ones with Anya. Anya was portrayed a bit too ditzy in this story. The Scooby gang had several meetings about the fairies and Anya kept it quiet for too long that she had first hand info on them... it didn't make any sense. Even Anya is not that dumb. In a normal episode she would have immediately come forth with her knowledge. For any media-tie in book to work, the author must have the essence of all the characters down pat or it just won't fly with the fans.
   
   As the old saying goes, I try not to judge books by their covers. I did find this cover mis-leading. If you are looking for a book featuring Spike, this is NOT for you. Spike had a few good scenes, but nothing to get excited about. A cover with the whole group would have been more fitting. I would have also liked to have seen more sparks between Buffy and Spike. Featuring Spike on the front cover was done to help sell more books. Period.
   
   It kills me to give this book 2 stars. If it weren't for the concept of the fairy vampires I doubt it would earn any. I can't help but think some of the people who are rating this a 4 & 5 star book are either very young studnts who don't know any better OR they are adults who are rating it high because Spike on the cover! If you are going to read this, be warned, it is short at 200 pages. This would be an OK book to take along on a long car or plane ride.



2. Awesome book! Entertaining from front to back. A good book for anyone that loves Buffy, fairies, and/or both!



3. TIMING: During Season Five, definitely after "Forever." By the way the characters interact, it seems that this story would fit right between "Forever" and "Intervention."
   
   STORY: Not bad. It's an unique idea to say the least. Sunnydale is invaded by fairies, but not the lives-in-a-flower kind of fairy. Nope, these fairies have been cursed so that they carry the demonic essence of a vampire, which pretty much makes them angry. They have a vendetta against one of the Scoobies, though that avenue wasn't explored enough in the actual story. A few subplots deal with the characters coping with "little problems" in their lives, like Buffy's toothache (which takes up a large amount of page space and never really goes anywhere interesting), the ant infestation at Anya and Xander's house, and Giles's parking ticket. I thought it was interesting that their problems, both the supernatural and mundane, were 'little' in nature, but some of it seemed a bit contrived. The researching scenes were cool and very true to the show, but the climax was a bit of a letdown.
   
   CHARACTERS: Some characterization is good, some not so much. Giles and Willow felt very off, and made writer Rebecca Moesta look like she was trying way too hard to pull of the voices; especially with Willow, who comes off as more stupid than lightly humorous. Anya's voice is perfect, Xander's is good, Buffy's is good, Dawn's is good, and Spike's is okay. Overall, Moesta did better than most writers when it comes to capturing the characters.
   
   CONTINUITY: Some major errors. This was written before Anya began to refer to herself as "Anya Jenkins," but this book has her last name as "Emerson." Also, Xander still retains his 'military personality' in some scenes, but he lost that aspect of himself in Season Four. Also, most disturbingly, Moesta refers to Tara as Willow's 'friend.' No. Was Angel Buffy's "friend?" Was Oz Willow's "friend?" No. Call her Willow's "girlfriend" because that's what she is. Period.
   
   COVER: Misleading. Spike is featured prominently on the cover, though Anya, Xander, or even Buffy herself would have been more appropriate. In no way is this a Spike-centric book.
   
   OVERALL: Good. Not as good as the series or the canonical comics, but who was expecting that? It's worth buying, because it's still 'Buffy.' Some parts are great, others... not so much.
   
   6/10



4. Vampire fairies. Cue many bad jokes of the so bad you can appreciate them variety. How do you kill a vampire fairy? Toothpicks. Buffy has a toothache on top of all the other annoyances, so is not on top of her game.
   
   Xander, after a desperate stand outside a donut shop that destroyed many jam filled delicacies is captured and given the Lilliput treatment.
   
   The gang go to save him, with many toothpicks, his Slayomatic, and some fairicide.



5. I really enjoyed this Buffy novel even though it was on the pretty silly side. However it was well-written and the characters seemed to be written as they appeared on the show. For once Spike wasn't acting like a lovelorn puppy-vampire (dog)so I was happy about that. Sometimes he comes off truly pathetic. The premise was fun and it was easy, quick reading. I would recommened it if you want to wile away a few hours.

5 comments about The Face in the Frost.

1. Interesting story! It doesn't fit other Bellairs books but it was intriguing to read and to see how Bellairs began his writing.



2. I'm not a huge aficianado of the fantasy genre but I enjoyed this 1969 novella by John Bellairs. The writing is above-average, the principal characters have some personality, and there is some enjoyable chemistry between the characters. (Often the banter between Prospero and Roger Bacon reminded me of Paul Newman and Robert Redford in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.") Like Lois Lowry's THE GIVER, it is a book that can be enjoyed by adults as well as older children. I'd recommend it to Harry Potter fans as well as to readers who loved The Lord of the Rings. One aspect that I liked was that the scarier parts of the book were written to creep out the adults more than children, as it was mostly the implication of a pervasive, world-altering evil that provided most of the chills, rather than big, scary, nightmare-inducing monsters.
   
   Bellairs himself admitted that he was inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and wanted to write a book about a character similar to Tolkien's Gandalf but with a little more depth to his personality. I think he succeeded. The wizards in his book, especially Prospero, possess only limited magical powers, and thus have weaknesses, fears and even phobias. They are more like a endearing pair of elderly, absent-minded professors.
   
   Readers who are intrigued by the mysterious, enciphered book of spells featured in THE FACE IN THE FROST may be interested to know that it is based on the real-life Voynich Manuscript. (Bellairs even names one of his characters after a real-life English scholar-monk who has been linked to the Voynich Manuscript, Roger Bacon.) This medieval manuscript, written in an unknown language or ciphertext, has never been decoded despite the efforts of scholars and professional cryptanalysts over several centuries.
   
   If I had to level criticism at THE FACE IN THE FROST it would be that the ending is brought about with a sort of deus-ex-machina plot device. But really I was sorry that the book was so short and over so soon, because it was a fun, stimulating read.



3. This is fantasy reduced to its purest form. From a laugh out loud first few pages you are plunged into nightmare and horror through to a purely satisfying ending. In decades of reading fantasy I know of no story that better illustrates the form. Something different than Tolkien's idealized fairy-tale, and something better than mere horror, this is a superb book.
   
   Prospero - and not the one you are thinking of, either - and Roger Bacon must solve the riddle of an unreadable book before that riddle and a more powerful wizard kills them. The threat is all the more real because neither you nor the characters understand it; we understand the side effects well enough. But Bellairs lets you guess what might happen unless Prospero and Bacon act. Nameless horrors can be the most frightening of all.
   
   Bellairs died far too young, leaving only a handful of children's books, outlines for a few more and this tale. We can only wish there were more.
   
   Originally published in paperback by Ace in 1969, that early edition was brilliantly illustrated by Marilyn Fitschen. Her perfectly apt, child-like illustrations didn't make it to this new hardbound edition, so you miss the macabre heraldic device of Melichus, and the spooky illustrations of Bellairs' scenes. It's a loss only partially made up for by the fine Anton Pieck cover drawing, completely appropriate to the story's secret. The paperback was printed, unhappily, on typical Ace cheap paper, and is now browned and brittle. Finding it isn't easy and may no longer be worth the effort.
   
   Still, despite the missing drawings, it is wonderful to have The Face in the Frost back in print. This should be on your short list of the best fantasy stories written. It's a story you will read again and again Highly recommended; simply superb.



4. This splendid little fantasy gem, the only adult-oriented fiction by children's author John Bellairs, mixes two rare moods. Bellairs's genial and charismatic protagonists, wizards Prospero (no, not that one) and Roger Bacon, contribute warmth and wit to the novel, while the nameless horror that begins to stalk Prospero is every bit as creepy as anything H.P. Lovecraft or W.H. Hodgson ever dreamed up.
   
   As it turns out, the kind and simple heroes and the vile and alien villain are two great tastes that taste great together. The delightful characters involved me in the story in a way the flat ciphers who generally inhabited Lovecraft's stuff never did, enhancing the eerieness. And the fact that these lovely characters were battling such disturbing phenomena increased my respect for them, enhancing their charisma.
   
   Bellairs also has a terrific writing style -- simple, spare, yet highly evocative, and with an unsurpassed eye for detail. And the book features cute illustrations by Marilyn Fitschen (the one of Prospero's house is worth the price of admission all by itself). The Face in the Frost is either a minor classic or a major one -- I'm just sorry it took me this long to get around to reading it.



5. I never made a connection with this book. After reading the story, I know very little about any of the main characters, and thus I didn't care what happened to any of them. The "rules" of this fantasy world were never explained, so it was often difficult to gauge how much danger or horror the characters faced (they were wizards powerful enough to shrink themselves, after all).
   
   The descriptions of things and surroundings are quite verbose, but for all the effort, the language used did not paint a very clear picture. Instead, the descriptions often seemed to be a tedious break in the story. The author also makes several mythological and historical references too obscure for this reader to be of much use.
   
   The story itself is similar to the character development, in that I felt that there was much more background information that the book never shared with us. At the end of the book, the mystery was never fully explained. I should also point out that had I not bought the book, I would never have read past the first quarter of the book; the story begins very slowly and only picks up a little in the second half.
   
   Clearly there are many reviewers here who hold this book in high regard, but if you're just looking for a fun book to read, you may want to skip this one.