2 comments about Escape (Secret Diaries, Vol 3).

1. The whole premise of this book can be summed up in one sentence: Now that they know Stephen is a murderer, can Joanna and Penn find a way out of the mess they created when they concealed Laurie's death? The simple plot didn't really bother me, since there was a lot of suspense. And there were some surprises (like the cabin fire that happened fairly early on, and some later on that I won't spoil). But overall, it seamed that Penn and Joanna found an unrealistically easy way out. I still reccomend this if you read the first two books, because it does conclude the story.



2. After reading #1 and #2 I thought I was in for a treat in reading the conclusion of this great trilogy. I was sorta disappointed at the end. I really enjoyed reading about Penn and Joanna throughout the entire series, really enjoying them as a couple. Most of book 3 was dealing with how Joanna and Penn are gonna live with what they know and if they can get away from Stephen. A few unanswered questions were left for me to wonder. Did Stephen read Joanna's diary? Why didn't he mention it to her? We never really knew what happened after her book was stolen. The ending...I don't know but I sorta thought it was an easy way out. I was totally thinking that the author wanted us to THINK one person and really be someone else, but didn't turn out that way. I thought it was very convient the way the whole thing ended and a little to neat and clean. After I finished the book I was left with the thought of "Oh, okay....that's it?" All that building up was for a predictable ending (when you think about it). I was hoping for a really great twist like books 1 and 2 had, but it couldn't make it to vol. 3. But overall, its still a good read to finish out the series.

5 comments about Door to Alternity: The Unseen Trilogy, Book 2 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel crossover).

1. I can't figure out what Salma is runnign from even tough i read books 2 and 3 of the crossover!!!



2. 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



3. Mainly seems to be setting things up for the finale. Had some moments I found intriguing, and some interesting perspective on Buffy/Angel during the time of Buffy/Riley, but its nowhere near up to the level of the Christopher Golden/Nancy Holder collaborations.



4. the next book, the Long Way Home was better. I didn't buy The Burning, but I don't think I missed much. This book just wasn't very interesting to me. The Long Way Home wasn't even that great, but it was better than this book. It's missing something that I can't quite put my finger on.



5. "Door to Alternity," the second in the "Unseen" Buffy/Angel crossover trilogy, offers us an explanation for why people are disappearing in Los Angeles while monsters are popping up all over the place in Sunnydale. But what is more interesting is what we discover to be the power behind the opening of these doors to "alternity," as Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte offer an interesting twist on the downfall of the Soviet Union. Now we understand why the Russian Mafiya has been playing so prominent a role in the proceedings. However, overall "Door to Alternity" is pretty much a holding pattern for the Vampire Slayer and her former beau, as well as the supporting players. By the end of the book is it finally time for Buffy and Angel to go do something about it and all you can say is "About time."

   The idea of "alternity" is certainly interesting, but the explanation gets held off for over 200 pages and there is no exploration of the concept in this novel. For those of us who were so impressed by "The Ghost Roads," the second book in the first Buffy the Vampire Slayer trilogy, "Door to Alternity" suffers in comparison, but to be fair, most Buffy books would. Among the supporting cast Wesley has a couple of nice moments, Willow gets to be a bird (but does not get to learn as much as I would have wished from Dona Pilar), Anya continues to say the wrong things (usually about sex) at each and every opportunity, and Gunn gets to take a road trip to Sunnydale. But now that this second book has put (almost) all the pieces in place, it is time to see if Holden and Mariotte can put it into high gear for the finale.

5 comments about Flora's Dare: How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom (Despite Being Confined to Her Room).

1. I somehow got ahold of this book before reading the first. I cannot recommend this order of reading, however, I still truly enjoyed Wilce's invitation to her imagination. Flora is a wonderful, strong young woman character and there is magic involved too! I love how she doesn't depend on her friends for all of the solutions, but does a lot of things herself. I recommend anything by Wilce. Her world that she created it delightfully interesting.



2. I fell in love with Flora and her world in FLORA SEGUNDA. Wilce doesn't disappoint me in the sequel FLORA'S DARE, which further fleshes out the already fascinating world of Califa. I will confess to finding this a weaker book than the first in terms of plotting, but I was so absorbed by Flora's backstory and the history of Califa I didn't care. I wanted to crawl into the world and explore it myself!
   
   Once again, absolutely and utterly recommended.



3. I enjoyed Flora Segunda's world a great deal - very very inventive - but the plot arc suffered from inaction and lack of focus for most of the first half. The second half was much better, but the ending disappointed--felt stapled on. So when I heard Flora's Dare had come out, I wasn't too interested. Then a friend urged me to buy it, saying it was better than the first, so I searched it out. I have to say, before I go on, how very disappointed I am in the lack of marketing and visibility for this wonderfully inventive, enjoyable, creative book, worthy of Diana Wynne Jones' stamp of approval on the back--Indeed the author is the ONLY YA fantasy author writing now that I know of who has the potential to be a worthy successor to the amazing Diana Wynne Jones. I went to buy this book at the Strand, a huge, famous bookstore in NYC--and not only were they out (!), but the knowledgable staff knew nothing of the book! Why oh why is garbage promoted and this inventive creation invisible???? It's true that this book also suffers from lack of focus in the beginning--the first 100 pages or so could have been cut completely, and the book should have started at the party scene; any information such as the giant squid tentacles could have been introduced via short backstory. This is more the fault of the editor. But please hang in there, if you get a bit impatient at the slow pace of the beginning. It's a really good book, and I'm picky. For those who like intelligent creative fantasy, with a very well thought out world, strong characters, and (after page 100 or so), a strong plot with twists and turns, this is definitely very strongly recommended. And SPREAD THE WORD!!



4. Okay, as a rule, I don't really read all that much fantasy, so it was with mild reluctance that I started reading this one. As of page 2, I was hooked. Flora's Dare is a little gem of a fantasy/fiction book that brings to light a strong, daring, brave, intelligent and absolutely fun heroine with the name of Flora. I am a big fan of ANY book that makes its main character a strong female - even though she is obviously aimed at a younger audience - which is just fine with me. I love that the message in this book is a powerful one - Yes, a girl can be strong, brave, intelligent and fun!!!! As far as I am concerned that is a message that cannot be passed along at a young enough age.
   
   I discovered that this is actually the second book in the series (I am going to buy the first book for sure). In Flora's Dare, Flora has alot to deal with - she needs to figure out a new language and for this she needs a special instructor. She has to deal with Udo's schemes (and their fallout), as well as her somewhat missing-in-action sister Idden. If that was not enough, Flora has just discovered the source of some deadly earthquakes that have occured.
   
   I loved the writing, it was fresh and clip and the action was absolutely non-stop. I read this book in less than 3 days and enjoyed every minute of it. Yeah for Flora!!!! Girl Power!!! and all that.



5. Flora Fydraaca is one busy young lady.
   
   Between her search for a Gramatica instructor, dealing with the fallout of her best friend Udo's moneymaking schemes in the bounty-hunting biz, elder sister Idden's desertion from Califa's military, discovering and thwarting the source of a series of deadly earthquakes threatening the city, a freshly sober and keenly aware father, a burgeoning crush on Califa's greatest living magickal adept and old Fydraaca family enemy Lord Axacaya, tentacles accosting her in public bathrooms, family secrets, assassination attempts, and inadequate sartorial resources - it's a wonder the girl has time to breathe.
   
   At least this time around, Crackpot Manor's one and only accessible potty is up and running...
   
   There is so much going on in FLORA'S DARE that it's by no means an overstatement to call the book a fantasy fiction lover's treasure trove. Author Ysabeau S. Wilce has done a remarkable job creating and populating Flora's world with multiple, complex plots and subplots, and plenty of intriguing information to keep readers coming back for more.
   
   I deeply appreciated the level of sophistication Ms. Wilce has invested in the creation of Flora's world. She easily juggles plot threads without causing any confusion to the reader. By building the backstory of Flora's friends, family, adversaries, and the heroine herself into the narrative, she has created a series that will sustain itself over a number of books, striking the perfect balance between a compelling story and characters that are quirky yet deeply flawed.
   
   Reviewed by: Cat

5 comments about Silent Stalker: Silent Stalker.

1. This one started out so awesome with an alluring setting and mystery that Cusick always delivers...but the ending I have to say took away the mystery and just made it seem unrealistic. I'm a loyal fan so I've collected this one, but it wasn't the of the best Cusick has ever written.
   I get that the usage of triplets in a mystery kinda takes away from the mystery(character), but revealing at the end that the twins are in fact triplets and that Edwin (the third brother revealed at the end) is the bad guy is what in fact made me lose interest. The rest of the book is classic Cusick; riveting.



2. This book is about a teenage girl who is stranded at an old castle when her father has to leave her there. Strange and terrible things happen to her while she's there.
   
   It keeps you guessing till the end. It's full of twists and surprises with a surprise ending.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read horror/suspense stories. I liked it because it has action, drama, romance, and suspense. I couldn't put it down. I first read it when I was 14, and I'm 22 now. I've actually read this book so many times that I've actually had to replace it.



3. Book Description from back of Book:
   "Before Jenny Logan even entered the forbidding castle-a replica of the Worthington's ancestral home in England-a terrified stranger warned her away. Was the warning real-or just another example of the family's macabre sense of humor? Jenny couldn't be sure. She only knew her summer vacation with her father suddenly became a nightmare when predatory Sir John Worthington invited them to stay-and his grandsons, the gorgeous Malcolm, his twin Derrick, and their mischievous cousin Wit spun a web of intrigue, romance, and deceit around her. She's forced to play by their rules now, and battle the castle's ancient curse, which decrees that she will go mad, or die...or simply disappear...."
   
   Before this one, I had read 6 other books by Richie Tankersley Cusick, and I was hungry for more so I decided to give this one a try. This book was pretty good because of great descriptions on the Medieval theme, and it kept you guessing, but the end totally ruined it. The ending was SO stupid and unrealistic! (Spoiler ahead:)
   In the last few pages of the book, the author added a new character who just happened to be the insane one, and guess what? He is the brother of the twins in this story, and he looks EXACTLY like them? Wait...are they triplets? wow, thats realistic, three guys that look exactly alike! If there were a completely different ending, I would have given it 4 or 5 stars. Only worth buying if you are a huge fan of Cusick's, like myself. Otherwise, check it out at the library.



4. This is a tale of mystery and suspense. The main character is well developed and the plot is well constructed, RTC is good at leaving the reader guessing while suplying a healthy load of information. I admire the author's ability to construct strong visual descriptions and with her depictions of the character's emotions she really brings any story she writes alive.
   This is a particular favorite of mine because of the obsure and fascinating subject matter. Silent Stalker is a well written story about a teen age girl coming to terms with her family and herself. Experience her terror as she goes on an adventure with her neglectful father and stays in an ancient castle with many secret passages that lead to all kinds of horrifyingly good and romantic trouble. I give this book an A++ and "pitty the fool" who thinks otherwise.



5. I was so angry when I finshed this book I almost cried. Richie's other books are SO much better than this! The whole idea of adding a new character that was- I'll just say 'significant'- to the plot in like the LAST SEVEN PAGES was INSANE! It's like she couldn't think of any way to end it, and I honestly can't blame her, because the seconf half of the book is entirely confusing and filled with un-needed words.
   Please, if you're like me, and are a big fan of Cusick's, stick to "Vampire," "The Mall," or esp. "The Lifegaurd."
   But I do not reccommend this one.

5 comments about Someone at the Door: Someone at the Door.

1. I've read alot of books.. Richie has to be my favorite Author, she is genius her plots are amazing. and she knows how to make you feal just like teh charcter, I have to say i prefer her series the unseen, but this is probably my favorite book of hers after those..



2. Meg and Hannah get stranded in their house when a snow storm hits.
   Their mom and dad are stuck at the airport and can't get home.Hannah broke up with her boyfriend.He calls the house and tells Hannah he knows she's seeing someone else and that he'll kill her first before he let's someone else have her.Then Meg hears about a escaped killer on the loose and he's headed their way.Suddenly two strangers show up at their door claiming to have had a car accident. One of the is bleeding so Meg feels sorry for them and let's them in.Then alot of weird things happen like
   their axe is missing ,also their dog,the snowman, the face in the window with the ski mask.Is it Kurt trying to scare Hannah or is it the escaped Killer? Or are the strangers Lance and Jhonathan who they really say they are?



3. Someone at the Door is the best most suspenseful book I've ever read! It has only one little inappropriate part, but i read it and never even think about it. the characters are all teens. The parents of two young girls are gone. Then, two young strangers show up at their door. This is a whirlwind of suspense and murder!!!!!!!!! you'll love it!!!!!!!!
   It's da bomb!



4. This book is about Hannah and her younger sister Meg who is in ninth grade. They get stranded at home during a huge blizzard, and their parents are not home (I forget where they are), so it is just the two of them and their dog. To make matters worse, the two girls heard on the radio that there is a killer loose.
   
   The first night of the blizzard, there is a knock on the door. Two young men, Lance and Jonathon, have been hurt and need a place to stay to wait out the blizzard. At first Hannah is wary about letting them in the house since they are strangers, but she lets them in anyways. During the next few days, strange things begin to happen that can't be explained. Hannah doesn't know who to suspect for these strange happenings, especially because she doesn't even know these two guys.
   
   The ending of this book is very brilliant and unpredictable, simply because it does not end like usual scary stories. On the other hand, the ending was a bit disappointing to me because it wasn't as fun as I had hoped it to be. However, I am sure that this is because I have read too many generic horror stories. I really think that fans of Cusick's will enjoy it, but it was not my favorite book written by her.



5. Someone at the Door has been one of the best books i have ever read. I can read it over and over again. I have pretty much worn out the book that I have. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anybody. It has everything suspence, romance, and a crazy twist.

5 comments about Rest in Peace (The Unseen, Part 2).

1. I have been reading her books since 'Teacher's Pet' appeared in a Scholastic Newsletter, And 'Evil On the Bayou' was printed when I was in middle-school. I have re-read every book of hers that i know about and currently have, and I enjoy them all over again each and everytime I do. I Particularly enjoyed 'The house Next door' even if i think the ending might have been forced, and wrapped up a little too quickly. It just seemed to me that there was more to it left unsaid/unwritten/perhaps even unrealized. I hope she keeps the stories coming for many more years to come.
   Thanks for giving me a reason to enjoy reading when there were so many reasons to hate it growing up.
   
   CynD.



2. Just as good as the first book. I thought i would die because i didn't have the third book until awhile after i finished this one. Richie is an amazing author A MUST READ



3. this was a perfect way for Richie to end the unseen series
   
   you can read the last page and think you have it all figured out
   
   but really you have no clue what thrill and horrer lies behind the cover of the last unseen book
   
   - A Fan



4. I loved this book. I didnfinish it because the next one had not been yet and I knew it was going to be a cliff-hanger, and was. I recommend this boone who liked the first, or even if you didn't, chance, it's better than the first.



5. I bought this book months ago from Amazon UK, because I am a huge Cusick fan and it hadn't been released in America yet. My only disappointment was reading it too quickly. I should have taken my time, because after I read it, I couldn't wait for the next part. The book itself was awesome. I couldn't put it down. It was even better than the first. I really like the story line between Lucy and Matthew. Also the fact that Lucy is changing. Really interesting. Definitely a must read for any Cusick fan or any fan of the horror genre. I just received book four from Amazon UK and I can't wait to see if book five is in the works.

5 comments about Burning Bones.

1. Jenna Blake, assistant to a Somerset Medical Examiner, has just celebrated her nineteenth birthday, and getting over a recent break-up, while at the same time rekindling an old flame with a certain Somerset Police Officer. On top of all of that, she has a new mystery to solve. Innocent people are being set on fire everyday, yet there is no evidence of arson, and there are no witnesses who can say anything except "They just went up in flames." The only possible conclusion is spontaneous human combustion. But that is conclusion is quickly put out, when an unusual turn of events suddenly presents itself, along with an incredible explanation to the deaths of the innocents.

   I was hesitant in purchasing this book, as I was worried that Golden's usual sense of mystery and horror would not be present, since he was writing with a partner, Rick Hautala. Boy was I wrong. This book was just as good, if not better than the previous books in the BODY OF EVIDENCE series. Golden and Hautala's writing was immensely enjoyable alongside one another, and is a treat for all fans of either author. A must-have.

   Erika Sorocco




2. Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
   I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.



3. Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
   I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.



4. Burning Bones was overall was suspenseful, and certainly not predictable. So far I have followed every book, and I do think this was one of the most trivial cases, but what puzzles me is that it is so far from human belief, where all the other books are more murder/ish cases- I'm not ruling out the whole idea, because I do believe anything is possible, but it seems unlikely in the series. But I suppose that's why they wrote it like this??? Overall, the book is great and almost makes me want to be an ME, or at least the assistant, and if like mysteries but not the same old monotonous mysteries, I recommend this book- or any other Body Of Evidence book!



5. Jenna Blake is back for another round, and this time around, things are gonna get hot! When a man bursts in to flames for no apparent reason, Jenna finds herself wrapped up in yet another mystery. The writers take us on a rollercoaster ride, as we watch things unravel, up until the very end, when a vicious killer attempts to take the life of someone very near and dear to Jenna.

   This book follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, and lives up to the standards set by them. If you are a Jenna Blake fan, you will enjoy this book as well.

5 comments about The Grave : A Novel.

1. People have written some pretty bad reviews about this book, but it isn't so terrible. He has done better, I will admit that, but this is not a bad story. It is still original and innovative with an interesting plot and ideas involving DNA. This is also more of a science fiction novel than a horror novel, and this might throw some people off.
   The characters are maybe the weakest point in what is otherwise a decent story. The main character, I think her name is Lara, something with an L, I can't remember and I don't have the book to look it up, is not incredibly sympathetic. Her problems are realistic, and will make negative people realize that they could have it so much worse. Her mother and her boyfriend are for the most part, well done. Most people throughout their lives have had boyfriends\girlfriends who would give their left arm to help what they think is the love of their life, and the feeling is sadly unreciprocated. So, that part of the story was okay, although their love came to a bad end.
   Now the poorer points of the novel. Dara was a stereotype of every other femme fatale that Christopher Pike had ever written about, her motives were there, and they held, but towards the second half of the book she became almost laughable. The whole story became slightly laughable, but it still held together. And you thought that your family had problems. Try having a DNA harvesting father who screwed up making his terminally ill daughter immortal, who then killed her brother. They all needed Oprah in the worst way, or maybe Jerry Springer. The name of the show would be "I am a DNA science nightmare".
   Also, as the novel progressed and Lara? began to change, I felt that this had all been done before in Monster. My reaction, was great, another bimbo who got involved with the dark side and is scarfing down 10 big macs in one sitting. Ooh sexy! At least the food was cooked this time, I think. That part of the story became tiring, but it also made me laugh out loud. This book doesn't take itself seriously either, which is a very redeeming quality.
   But,I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time at all, because I HAVE seen worse out there. I also don't really believe that Christopher Pike has ever written anything that is truly terrible. Brutal maybe, but terrible no.



2. People have written some pretty bad reviews about this book, but it isn't so terrible. He has done better, I will admit that, but this is not a bad story. It is still original and innovative with an interesting plot and ideas involving DNA. This is also more of a science fiction novel than a horror novel, and this might throw some people off.
   The characters are maybe the weakest point in what is otherwise a decent story. The main character, I think her name is Lara, something with an L, I can't remember and I don't have the book to look it up, is not incredibly sympathetic. Her problems are realistic, and will make negative people realize that they could have it so much worse. Her mother and her boyfriend are for the most part, well done. Most people throughout their lives have had boyfriends\girlfriends who would give their left arm to help what they think is the love of their life, and the feeling is sadly unreciprocated. So, that part of the story was okay, although their love came to a bad end.
   Now the poorer points of the novel. Dara was a stereotype of every other femme fatale that Christopher Pike had ever written about, her motives were there, and they held, but towards the second half of the book she became almost laughable. The whole story became slightly laughable, but it still held together. And you thought that your family had problems. Try having a DNA harvesting father who screwed up making his terminally ill daughter immortal, who then killed her brother. They all needed Oprah in the worst way, or maybe Jerry Springer. The name of the show would be "I am a DNA science nightmare".
   Also, as the novel progressed and Lara? began to change, I felt that this had all been done before in Monster. My reaction, was great, another bimbo who got involved with the dark side and is scarfing down 10 big macs in one sitting. Ooh sexy! At least the food was cooked this time, I think. That part of the story became tiring, but it also made me laugh out loud. This book doesn't take itself seriously either, which is a very redeeming quality.
   But,I don't feel that this book was a waste of my time at all, because I HAVE seen worse out there. I also don't really believe that Christopher Pike has ever written anything that is truly terrible. Brutal maybe, but terrible no.



3. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I really can't see why these other people didn't like The Grave. It was such a good book! Yes, parts of it were a bit confusing, but if you actually READ IT ALL TO THE END, it's quite understandable. It really gets you into it. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book and this author.



4. To allow you to understand where i am coming from, let me first say that I have read almost all of CHristopher Pike's book in the past, and throughout my years have considered him to be an extremely fine writer. That said, let me now go on to describe why The Grave is CP's worst effort to date. And you can't even say, "Well it's still better than a lot of other stuff out there," because it's NOT! It's THAT BAD! The characters are two dimensional, the incredibly boring revivals of characters we've encountered in the past - the interesting, soulful guy, the cute but still sexy in her own way poor girl next door, and the good looking but evil for whatever reason (usually b/c of something that happened in the past or an alternate universe) bad guy(s). The plot is terrible too. it lacked suspense and was incredibly uninteresting. at least before, in CP's earlier books, everything felt somewhat believable, the way he could incorporate mysticism and spirituality with the madness of science. but this book!!!! this book falls flat on its face!!! i don't know if he was even trying - i have to agree with the other reviewers that said his books have started to take an ugly turn for the worse. I mean, I hated his Final Friends series, but at least those were written with some kind of style. This one is a horrible remashing of things he's written before, and the only reason it got published is because it's under the Christopher Pike name. But diehard fans will still read this and buy it, and fans who have yet to have an discerning judgment will still crow that "This book is the best!" But for those of you who find it harder to find books worthy of rave reviews, steer clear of this one! Among my favorite CP books are The Remember Me series (well, the 3rd one wasn't so hot), The Midnight Game, Whisper of Death, and any others from around that period. For the newbie fans, steer clear of the earliest ones and the most recent ones. The middle ones were his hey-day. You can tell he really hit his groove then. Oh and if you want a REALLY awesome read, read the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Wooo those things are hard to put down!



5. I'd give anything to meet this man, whenever I read his books ifeel like I know the characters - most of the time I feel like I amthe characters. This was a great book, anyone who likes a good readshould get it. True his writing has changed a little but it's just asgood! Damn he's good...

5 comments about Monster Island (Buffy the Vampire Slayer\Angel).

1. There are Buffy novels and there are Angel novels, but this was the first of several crossovers in these two series. For a book this size, over four hundred and thirty pages, with this large a cast of characters, everybody from both series, you need an epic storyline. And you pretty much get one here.
   
   Somebody is killing half-breeds, half-demon and half-human, in Los Angeles, and some of those being murdered are friends of Angel's. As Angel starts investigating the killings, somebody is also killing half-breeds in Sunnydale, and these deaths are putting Buffy in a bad mood, and she's not in the best of moods anymore anyhow. Yet in the end, those responsible for the deaths in Sonnydale have moved on to L. A., and if they're in L. A. then that's were Buffy has to go, even if it means running into Angel again.
   
   This is not a spoiler; this is a multi-perspective novel. This story is told from Angel's, Buffy's, and other characters viewpoints, one of which is the demon behind the L. A. killings. We learn pretty quick, on page 85, who the antagonist is, and he is Axtius, a Brachen who is also Francis Doyle's father, and he is on a mission. His mission is to purge Earth of all half-breeds, weaker demons, and humans, pretty much in that order. He's also on a mission of revenge against Angel and Angel's associates. This is because Axtius has found a way to purge the human side of Francis from his demon side, but by the time Axtius had found him he was dead, and he blames Angel for this.
   
   Armed with the famed Pristagrix, Axtius bushwhacks Angel, busts him up pretty bad, and nails him to a roof of a building. Meanwhile Buffy, Tara, Willow, Xander and Spike show up, and finding that Angel has gone missing, look for him, find him, and it's up to . . . to . . . SPIKE, yes, Spike to save him. From there on in the story starts to really pick up speed. It turns out that Axtius is planning a genocidal raid on Monster Island (Questral), a sanctuary where persecuted demons go to hide. So the gang splits in half with Buffy, Spike, Xander, Lorne, Cornelia and Willow going to Monster Island, while Angel, Tara, Fred and Gunn stay in L. A. to sabotage Axtius' efforts and buy time for those on Questral.
   
   Golden & Sniegoski do a great job with the story, we have three separate threads of a larger quilt of a story that gradually get braided together into one hell of a ripping climatic ending. And the novel is filled with memorable supporting characters. Like Guhl-iban who is Axtius second in command who is also a marrow eater and a backstabber, or Haborym an Amazonian fire demon with rigid sense of honor. As an antagonist and a character, I liked her, and maybe we'll see her again some day. I also liked Ileana, an untrustworthy vapor demon, another character worth seeing again, and there are others like Zeke, Elijah, and Garth, an elder demon, that were worth the page space.
   
   It quickly becomes obvious that Golden & Sniegoski are using the story of "Monster Island" as metaphor for the intolerance of racial prejudice. And that's a good thing, and works very well as a plot; the trouble is in the characterization of the major characters and the extremely cluttered cast of extras.
   
   "Monster Island" runs into a problem that you see in most media related stories. If you are not familiar with any of the characters, then you will not be anymore familiar with them by the novel's end. You never really learn what, except in some very broad strokes, what any of the character even look like, or why they act like they do. Although Golden & Sniegoski DO a very good job in describing the reasons as why Spike is so antagonistic towards Angel. But, still, character motivations and descriptions are unsatisfactory vague. Many of the secondary characters, including some of this novel's redshirts, have more personality than most of the principles. You better know your Buffy lore because you are going to have to fill in a lot of the blanks yourself.
   
   The second problem is that this novel is chock filled with tons of undescribed demon races. There are a few, like the Vapor, Ixwik, and the Mahkesh that stand out, but there seems to be about a dozen or so that just pop up, are named, and you better know what this or that type of demon is because Golden & Sniegoski sure as hell ain't gonna tell you. A sentence here, a couple of words there, and most of this could have been fixed. But as is, "Monster Island" will be just too confusing to those unfamiliar with the whole Buffyverse.
   
   So "Monster Island" is a great fan-fiction novel, as long as most fans don't get religious about the details, even the tv show had inconsistencies. But if the novel's plot looks interesting, and you're a virgin to the whole Buffy thing, or you're a newbie then this novel will be a hard slog, as too much will be un-understandable. A good example is Spike's brain chip. If you've never watched the show, the constant references to it will just be confusing, as is the references to Buffy's death and resurrection.
   
   Dawn, Giles and Anya are there in the novel, but they are mostly just used as filler to bloat the novel out. They stay at Sunnydale and get involved in what amounts to as nothing more than a pedestrian vampire problem. For fans, this is probably a four or five star novel, and "Monster Island" itself open for a sequel, as the people behind Axtius are never revealed, but for the initiated, this will just be a frustrating waste of time.



2. I got this book hoping it would bring back Buffy and Angel memories. It started off good, the gangs fighting monsters and all, and then when Buffy and crew went to Los Angeles I was expecting some crossover magic. Spike was very out of character, I didnt care for him. There where some goofs too, like when did Buffy ever meet Gunn? It was merely ok, and at the end it got boring. To much fighting. It took me three weeks to finish this book. I don't recommend. It does have some good character insights though, so if you see it you might as well read it. Its Buffy and Angel after all.



3. MONSTER ISLAND
   By Christopher Golden & Thomas E. Sniegoski (2003)
   
   RATING: 4/5 Stakes
   
   SETTING: Season Five or Six
   
   T.V. CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Buffy, Xander, Willow, Tara, Spike, Giles, Dawn, Anya, Angel, Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, Lorne, Harry Doyle, Willy the Snitch
   
   MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: General Axtius (main villain); Guhl-iban (flesh-eating demon); Haborym (fire demon); Calvin Symms (L.A. teen); Charlie Nickels (informant); Abner (friendly demon); Elijah Carnegie (friendly magician); Zeke (Miquot informant); Captain Hobbs (sailor); Dai'shu (sorceror demon); Ephraim (Sage of Monster Island); Garth (Elder Demon); Ileana (Vapor demon); Shikah (Bazhripa demon)
   
   INSIDE-FLAP SUMMARY: "Since he arrived in Los Angeles, Angel's mission has been to help the helpless. He has saved countless innocents in his city. However, one escaped his grasp: Doyle, the hard-drinking, easy-living half-demon who came to Angel on a vision quest. Doyle sacrificed himself and in turn reconciled his internal conflict toward his own demonic heritage, leaving Angel (with Cordelia, and ultimately, a new cadre) to carry on with the good fight. And fight they do. But as the group squares off against evil in the City of Angels, little do they know that back in Sunnydale trouble is brewing as usual. A shakedown of snitches yields info: Someone other than Buffy has been slaying--and whoever it is, he or she is strictly after half-breeds, going so far as to lie in wait to attack. It doesn't add up, and the Scoobies are stumped. Back in L.A. the picture becomes clearer when Angel Investigations is visited by an unexpected guest. It's Doyle's father, a Brachen demon named Axtius. He's come to give Doyle a gift: Daddy's going to rid Doyle of his pesky human side. In fact he's looking to rid the world of half-breeds. He's not happy to learn that Doyle's gone, and if someone is to be blamed, it's Angel. But Axtius doesn't have time to point fingers--he knows where the mixed-blood demons have set up camp. Before long Buffy and her avengers have assembled right alongside Angel and Co. Both slayer and vampire have skirted the boundaries of humanity, but neither can support a massacre. A crime against monsters is a crime nonetheless. . . ."
   
   REVIEW
   
   Monster Island was a crossover between the Buffy and Angel novel lines, and received the deluxe treatment with both hardcover and paperback versions. The plot, as the title indicates, revolves around a magically-hidden island off the coast of California called Questral, home to hundreds of outcast half-breed demons trying to make a peaceful home for themselves. Something, of course, has to disturb their happy lifestyle and in this particular case it's a massive invasion by an army of "pure-bred" demons led by the Brachen General Axtius. How do our erstwhile heroes get involved? It turns out that Axtius is the father of Angel's deceased friend Doyle, and wants revenge on the vampire-with-a-soul for his son's death. Throw in Doyle's ex-wife, several new characters, and the cast of both shows, and you have a novel packed with a lot of people running around.
   With dozens of Buffy and Angel novels and comics to his name, Christopher Golden knows the characters inside and out, and there aren't any "so-and-so would never do that!" moments. Along with his co-author, Golden weaves an interesting story with some great action scenes and an exciting ending. With so much happening, the plot takes precedence over the interaction of the two casts, but there are some really fun Xander/Cordelia moments and it's interesting to learn what happened to Harry Doyle after her husband's death.
   The bottom line is the Monster Island is a strong adventure story; it won`t make you cry or reveal surprising new insights into the characters, but it is an above average Buffy novel and worth reading.



4. Someone is bumping off hybrid demons in Sunnydale. Buffy tries to find out why, and comes across mention of something called The Coalition For Purity.
   
   Yep, nazi type demons. Attacking in Sunnydale, she learns of their plans to attack Los Angeles as well, so she takes some of the gang to help Angel.
   
   It turns out there is a Monster Island off LA, a retreat for demons that mean no harm, and General Axtius, a Brachen demon, intends wiping them out. The other twist is that he is Doyle's father.
   
   Buffy and Angel must convince Monster Island to let them help, and set up a defense.
   
   Much blood of various colors is spilled and killing of various demons, until an Old One enters the fray.
   
   A fun bit is when Gunn is joining out with his crew, and a secret password is "Sweet Christmas". A saying used by someone they all used to look up to in the neighbourhood...



5. As a Spike fan, I should have listened to the warnings. But I figured if Spike is in it, I want to read it.
   I couldn't finish it. It was just too frustrating and angering.
   Spike is seriously injured saving Angel's life, still lying in bed unrecovered but instead of thanking him Angel is hatefully insulting and threatening him. Not only is this insulting to Spike's character but Angel's as well.
   The same goes for Buffy's treatment of Spike. It makes her seem like a horrible person.
   I can't tell you whether it ends well because I only got halfway through. I am an extremely fast reader so normally I would just bite the bullet and finish quickly but in this case it was just raising my blood pressure too much.
   If you hate Spike you'll probably cheer but other than that skip this book.

5 comments about The Face (Fear Street, No. 35).

1. Synopsis: Martha Powell has dreams where she is drawing a silver line in her drawing pad, but the line starts seeping a dark red blood color from its sides. She doesn't know why, but she starts screaming in her dreams. She wakes up and tries to go on with her life, but it is hard because her friends aren't quite the same because of the incident. An incident which happened last Winter, that was so traumatic for Martha that she completely blocked it from her mind, and cannot seem to remember any of it. Her friends and family won't hint her or help her remember due to her Doctor's instructions.
   
   One day, Martha opens her drawing pad to draw a picture of herself for her portfolio. However, as if against her will, her hand starts to draw a face of a boy. Martha doesn't recall seeing that face, but she cannot seem to stop drawing him. Whenever she tries to draw something, she ends up drawing the face. She fears there is something wrong with her, and feels that the face is somehow connected to that incident. Martha slowly starts getting flashes of the incident that took place, but realizes that the danger is far from over.
   
   Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the central idea of an amnesiac girl trying to regain her memory, but then realizing that she was better off not remembering. It was interesting to see how almost all of Martha's friends were betraying her in a different way.
   
   Another reason why I enjoyed this book was because of how the story shifted as Martha regains her memory and realizes that she is still in danger, and tries to find out who is trying to end her life. Since I have read quite a few Fear Street books, I somewhat predicted who was responsible for what happened, but even I realized this only a chapter or two before the climax. There were some gory details mentioned in the book, but R. L. Stine mainly relied on suspense, which I thought was good.
   
   Overall, this is definitely one of the better Fear Street books that I have read.



2. Her friends say something terrible happened that day but Martha can't remember anything. They say her memory will return sooner or later. Then she starts drawing the face of an unknown boy. She can't stop it. Her boy friend admits that the boy is dead. Who is he? How did he die? And why are her friends acting so weird?
   
   A great Fear Street read.



3. This book was so mind boggilng. i loved it.... martha can't remember anything ! her friends won't talk about it, and its driving her crazy! please read if you havenit already!!!!!



4. I read this for an outside reading at my school and I just loved it! I didn't think that a book like this could be so confusing and good at the same time. But, then again, it is by R.L. Stine (the best author ever) and he is the guy to go to when you need a scare! I still can't get over the sad parts in this book, when Martha doesn't know anything about the holiday trip, or why she keeps drawing THE FACE of the boy she doesn't know. Of course, I give Mr. Stine a big whopping 10 for a great book in a great series. To fans everywhere: you can't read any of the Fear Street series without reading this! It's a must-read!



5. Martha has a memory problem because she can't remember anything. She keeps on drawing a boy's face who has been murdered. She wants to know about him and she finds out. She doesn't know why she draws the boy's face and then she finally knew. "the face that saved my life" and that's what happened.
   
   I really love this book because it was so good and pretty freaky. I hope you'll like this book because it is spspenseful. I have a good memory and I can remember things that happened and my past. Read this book to yourself and you'll find out.