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Post by Sunday on Jul 17, 2020 8:56:08 GMT -5
Hello GTTS members, I'm a big fan of Buffy, and during social distancing, lockdowns and having free time as I'm not working right now. I've been reading my Buffy books again, and hope to review these here. I found the right board to post these in, as this board is for non canon stuff like comics, novels or video games.  |
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Post by Sunday on Jul 17, 2020 9:11:51 GMT -5
‘Halloween Rain’ (1997) (A Sunday Book review)
This was the very novel of Buffy, after the adaption of the two-part pilot. Although we have some continuity debates, I don't blame the writers, since this was written before Halloween of Buffy aired in season 2. With the continuity debate. “Halloween Rain” is set during Season 1, under the theory that the season takes place over the course of a full school year. Today, it’s mostly accepted that Season 1 only covers the second semester, taking place roughly in real time in early 1997 – and that Buffy therefore did not attend school during the fall of 1996. But since Joss never made a statement on the issue, it’s not officially settled. Besides, all of S1 was filmed before 1997, and we even see in the episode “Witch” has a banner that proclaims cheerleader tryouts for 1996, and throughout Season 1, there is no mention of Buffy having missed a semester of schooling, only that she was a troublemaker at Hemery. Okay with that out the way, time to review this novel. One thing Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder do is really demonstrate their love and knowledge of the characters. I liked this novel on a re-read more than I thought I would again. This book is set in the early stages of season 1, so we still have the Cordelia not part of the gang, but nice to see them have Aphrodesia appear, who saw the dead body in the first episode, and the Master is mentioned. The novel has the same typical problems found in the show, and its fun to see the writers show the characters thoughts and how they deal with the monster of the week. The villain in this novel is the Pumpkin King, Samhain, is a threat for three days from October 31st until November 2nd. The Samhain is like how werewolves transform for three nights in Buffy mythology lore in “Phases”. A student whom Buffy mistakenly saves from her boyfriend – who is necking her, not biting her – accuses Buffy of belonging in an asylum. We’d learn in “Normal Again” (Season 6) that Buffy was in a mental hospital between her Slayer origin story and Season 1. Of course this novel was written years before the writers would have thought of that, but a nice wink. We get some Slayer/Watcher history in this novel I liked. Giles reads a Watcher’s journal about 17th century Irish Slayer Erin Randall. Interestingly, the chronology page on the “Buffy” Wiki posits a full-school-year Season 1, in which “Halloween Rain” slots in nicely. It a solid book, and I can't wait to re-read the other novels Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder do. Sunday's Rating: 3/5 Stakes |
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Post by Sunday on Jul 17, 2020 9:20:13 GMT -5
‘Night of the Living Rerun’ (1998) (A Sunday Book review) Set during Season 1, “Night of the Living Rerun” at least prior to 'Angel' (episode 1.7)
In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, the Despised One was raised from the Otherworld and Samantha Kane, that generation's Slayer, died while defeating it. Now in 1997, the Master is trying to have history repeat itself but this time with a different ending. We soon find several characters dreaming that they are playing out a scene from the Salem witch trials. Buffy and Giles are naturally the Slayer and Watcher of the time period, while Xander is a witch named Sarah. The Master, trapped beneath Sunnydale, dreams of his old self, as he was present at the Salem events.
Eventually, we find Giles and Xander are outright possessed by their doppelgangers, while Buffy doesn’t seem to be – or maybe it’s just because she shares the same aims as Slayer Samantha Kane.
I really enjoyed the story in the past involving the witches and the hunter. The action in the present was okay but not that exciting, with the threat being reanimated corpses--traditionally zombies, not the Romero kind. The ending was a bit quick, but felt like a television episode.
Probably my least favourite novel from those set during season 1, but not that bad.
Sunday's Rating: 2.5/5 |
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Post by Tim on Jul 17, 2020 12:10:53 GMT -5
Hey, thanks for sharing these.
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Post by Sunday on Jul 17, 2020 22:04:37 GMT -5
Thank you, Tim.
I'm reading another one atm. Hope to post a review in a couple of days.
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Post by Tim on Jul 17, 2020 23:44:08 GMT -5
Looking forward to it.
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Post by Katie on Jul 17, 2020 23:47:02 GMT -5
Loved your reviews Sunday. Keep them coming. |
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Post by Sunday on Jul 18, 2020 21:27:01 GMT -5
‘Coyote Moon’ (1998) (A Sunday Book review)
Set during between Season 1 and 2. It's summer time in Sunnydale. I'll give this one a pass, since, although John Vornholt probably wrote this right after Season 1 aired and didn’t know that. He also didn’t know Buffy was going to spend the whole summer with her father in Los Angeles, so “Coyote Moon’s” setting in August 1997 is wrong. To make it easier, I'd place this directly after Season 1, and pretend it's set in summer, but Buffy didn't leave with her dad until a couple of weeks into summer. That is the easiest one to make it fit. But still this one is hard to place. John Vornholt really captures the feel of a summer carnival, a place that makes you feel like the summer will be endless. Both Willow and Xander have love interests in this novel in the form of a summer romance, which is what Xander hopes for with his attractive carnie Rose. Willow who still wants Xander to notice her (a plot point which follows again in 'When She Was Bad' in the first episode of season 2 ) tries to make him jealous to no avail by dating her own carnie, Lonnie. We soon learn that Rose and Lonnie are werecoyotes. This means that, yes (this was written before we are introduced to a werewolf on Buffy in Season 2) and yes, Oz is not the first were-being Willow dates. Buffy is alone in her suspicions that something is up and I loved having the carnies be mysterious causing Buffy to question if they're human or not, and if her friends are in danger. Cordelia and Angel are mentioned, but this is strictly focused on the core four. I liked the werecoyote plot and John Vornholt’s portrayals of the carnival on hot summer nights and the pangs of teenage love are nicely done. I liked this one better than the previous book. With this book, I'm now done with the ones set during the first season. Now time to get into Season 2, with “How I Survived My Summer Vacation” a novel that takes place during the summer, and has cool stories showing what everyone got up to in summer with Buffy in LA, and the gang in Sunnydale. I can't wait. Sunday's Rating: 3.5/5 Stakes |
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Post by adzpower on Jul 19, 2020 6:51:59 GMT -5
I enjoy your reviews, I've read a few Buffy books but mainly ones set in the later seasons, but I do remember reading Coyote Moon and enjoying it.
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Post by Tim on Jul 19, 2020 11:20:20 GMT -5
I like these too, Sunday. Keep them coming.
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Post by Jean on Jul 19, 2020 18:09:21 GMT -5
I enjoyed these reviews Sunday. |
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Post by Trinity on Jul 19, 2020 20:38:35 GMT -5
Like others, loved these reviews Sunday. I own many of these books. Can't wait to see more reviews. I do have 'Halloween Rain' and 'Coyote Moon'. I really did like Coyote Moon. I see your new novel to review and read is 'How I Survived My Summer Vacation'. A great collection of short stories that one was, I liked the continuity and how it ties in well with where S2 will start. |
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Post by Sunday on Jul 21, 2020 21:53:36 GMT -5
I enjoy your reviews, I've read a few Buffy books but mainly ones set in the later seasons, but I do remember reading Coyote Moon and enjoying it. Thanks. I'm glad you liked that one, is was one of the better S1 novels. I enjoyed these reviews Sunday. Thanks. Like others, loved these reviews Sunday. I own many of these books. Can't wait to see more reviews. I do have 'Halloween Rain' and 'Coyote Moon'. I really did like Coyote Moon. I see your new novel to review and read is 'How I Survived My Summer Vacation'. A great collection of short stories that one was, I liked the continuity and how it ties in well with where S2 will start. It was a fun novel, and I really did enjoy 'How I Survived My Summer Vacation'.  |
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Post by Sunday on Jul 21, 2020 22:11:36 GMT -5
‘How I Survived My Summer Vacation’ (A Sunday Book review)
Timeline: Summer between Season 1 and 2, this is clearly obvious in this novel.
These are a collection of short stories with each one focusing on different characters during their summer events. The first and fourth stories are Buffy-centric and the rest follow Giles and Jenny with special appearances from Angel, Willow, and Xander.
Dust
The first story was written by Michelle West is really brilliant. Michelle has really good on-point dialogue and the it really focuses well on Buffy and the fovirce of her parents, as well as the relationship between Buffy and her dad.
In this story Buffy continually sees the death of everyone she touches while she heads out to LA to spend summer vacation with her dad. She must come to terms with her own death before the deaths of others will disappear from her mind. This story really sets up well what happens when Buffy returns to Sunnydale in S2.
Absalom Rising
The second story by Nancy Holder, a very popular Buffy author (but, only when she writes with Christopher Golden, and sadly she isn't as great on her own), is easily the most forgettable story here and my least favourite of all the stories in this novel.
In this story. Absalom tries to obtain the Master's bones from Giles, who has them kept in his house. The idea is interesting (the disposing of the Master's bones from the season 1 finale), it solidifies the villain arc for this collection, but Nancy just isn't that great in this one.
No Place Like... and Looks Can Kill
The third and fourth stories by are both written by Cameron Dokey.
The third focuses on Giles, Angel, and Jenny dealing with a shapeshifter before it gets to the Slayer and the fourth deals with Buffy while shopping, running into a fortune-teller who tells her that she's the warrior sent to free the spirit of her dead child.
the third was fun with seeing Giles and Jenny together, and with Angel, showing them working together.
Uncle Dead and the Fourth of July
The fifth story is written by Yvonne Navarro. Basically, a newly risen vampire raises a crazed war veteran from the grave. Giles, Jenny, and Angel must stop him and his legion of zombie followers in the middle of the Fourth of July-parade. This one focuses on a more comedic story, which feels a little out of place, but has its moments.
The Show Must Go On
The sixth and final story written by Paul Ruditis who most will know well on Charmed novels and comics. This is my favorite one of all the stories and reads like a very good Buffy episode Great structure and attention to detail, it seems Paul Ruditis has great experience in the genre.
Basically in this story, Willow and Xander run a play at the local theater, not knowing that the stage crew are all vampires with a love for Shakespeare. Jenny, Angel and Giles also have good moments in this one as well.
Sorry Cordelia fans, she isn't in these novels at all, even principal Snyder makes an appearance. This was labeled as vol. 1 with the hope we'd see more stories set between seasons, but that sadly was never to be. Which is upsetting.
Sunday's Rating: 4.5/5 Stakes (Nancy's story takes points off this novel getting a perfect 5/5 score)
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Post by Tim on Jul 21, 2020 23:25:03 GMT -5
Sounds like an excellent novel.
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