The Buffy Novels

Randy Giles

Two sides to every soul.
Joined
Mar 1, 2006
Messages
1,959
Age
38
Location
SLC, UT
OK I'm sure that there is a thread SOMEWHERE here about the books but I searched and there were like 20 pages of results, I did my best to find one but I missed it if it was there...so if there is a novel thread already this thread can be closed (if someone will direct me to the thread).

Anyway, does anyone else enjoy reading the books? I started reading the novels before regularly watching the show, and personally I sometimes like those more. There are some really good ones, including "Apocalypse Memories" and "Blood and Fog"...in fact those are my favorites and if there's ever a new Buffyverse series I hope they do those stories in the show.

Is there a site that lists the books in order? I've looked because I want to read them in order for some reason, even though it's probably not important, but I can't find a site that does.
 
I'm not really a fan of the Buffy Novels, I think they just don't reflect the characters that well, they are usually a carbon copy of the character from TV, they say lines that are just overly typical of the characters or just outright stolen from the show, but maybe I've just read the wrong books.

I liked the Unseen trilogy, I though that was a good book with a good story. I've also read the Book of fours, the book about The 3 slayers Buffy, Kendra and Faith, and the Slayer that came before Buffy. I liked the idea of exploring the slayer before Buffy, but I didn't like the storyline.

There was one other book I liked but I don't remember the name it was about a Slayer and Ghosts from the time of that slayer that possessed some people in Buffy's time - Ok that's really vague, but I read it years ago, lol. But then about a year later I had a dream about it, the entire book, and then I was convinced it was an episode, and went looking for it - I had forgotten it was a dream and was totally convinced it was an episode, like 100% sure it was an episode! It was the weirdest thing.
 
Hmm i read the books all the time both the Buffy and Angel books in fact...

I dunno any sites but i do know some good ones i've read

Buffy Books:

"The Evil that Men do" Nancy Holder
"Tempted Champions" Yvonne Navarro
"Little Things" Rebecca Moesta

Angel Novels:

"Bruja" Mel Odom
"Stranger to the Sun" Jeff Mariotte

Cross over

"Long Way Home" Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte

they are all really good in my opinion if you havent' read them that is
 
The only ones that I've read that stole lines from the show or whatever were the first novels that were for younger readers. The actual novels, which are more for adults, actually made me like the characters somewhat more. And they were mature and darker than the show, and I thought they were VERY good for TV tie-ins.

Angels baby, thanks for the recommendations. I've only read "The Evil That Men Do" out of those that you listed.

I think I'll try searching Ebay to find a bunch of books on sale...lol.
 
The only ones that I've read that stole lines from the show or whatever were the first novels that were for younger readers. The actual novels, which are more for adults, actually made me like the characters somewhat more. And they were mature and darker than the show, and I thought they were VERY good for TV tie-ins.

Angels baby, thanks for the recommendations. I've only read "The Evil That Men Do" out of those that you listed.

I think I'll try searching Ebay to find a bunch of books on sale...lol.


Oh right, Well after my bad experience with the first books I stopped reading them.
I do actually remember a site that listed every Buffy book, I have a look around my favourites to see if I can find it, although I have allot under the heading of Buffy, so it may take a while, lol.
 
Actually yeah thats the one I had too, turns out that I had it saved as Buffy books so it was easy to find, lol. There was another one as well but it is probably the same thing (here)
 
The Lost Slayer is one of my Fave books period. It explores something that i honestly believe had Joss attempted would have been one of the greatest Episodes......only i'm also Glad he didn't because Time Travel and Genre thats a little Cliche.

Monsters Island, another Crossover is another book i adore. It was so much fun to read and i appreciated it during the season 6 time frame, but pre-Wilara's break.


Honestly though, i'm not huge on the books any more.
Queen of the Slayers, i've tried 4 times to read that book, and it is just dreadful.
Its set post Chosen...infact immediately post, and it was horrid.
The characters are 2 dimensional, some lines are just obvious stolen from TV, other lines would never be said by certain characters.

Gahh, i recommend you NEVER buy this book. Borrow if you must but its poor.

Though Lyri will probably disagree with me😉
 
Lyri
Lyri
HEY! who said i'd disagree? i'm not a huge fan of this book!
M
MentPatient
Ah, all very good indeed. I kind of liked Queen of Slayers, but that's just me.
i'm not sure about the best tie-in book, but in my opinion, the best novel is The Book of Fours (sorry, BEG!) i just love the fact that they explored the history of the slayer much more, and bringing back Kendra and Buffy's predessor was cool. it was written during S3 or 4, and there are a few bloopers, and it doesn't really tie in with what actually happened in the shwo, but i think it's worth a read.
i agree with Al, that you should read the Lost Slayer. it's an awesome book too, so out there and different. Monster Island is a great book too. As is Endangered Species, which is Angelverse, but still good.
another trilogy i'd recommend, besides The Unseen Trilogy that BEG mention, is the Dark Willow Trilogy. it takes place in a sort of alternate universe, focusing on what would happen if Dark Willow wasn't stopped by Xander, and she was just allowed to carry on with her eveilness. some of the twists are quite good.

hope this helps you!
 
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the Buffy books own me.

They're basically all I've been reading since fifth grade. I have lots o' favorites.

- The Book of Fours
- Immortal
- The Wisdom of War
- The Lost Slayer
- Tales of the Slayers [not tie-ins, but the mythofreak in me LOVES THESE]
- The Wicked Willow Trilogy
- Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row
- Spark and Burn
- Queen of the Slayers
- Halloween Rain
- Night of the Living Rerun
- Monster Island
- Cursed

There are more. Lots more. I just don't want to bore you all with a much longer list.

The best? Immortal, by far. The Wisdom of War comes a close second, with it's tie The Book of Fours. Spike and Dru is next, of course.
 
Lyri
Lyri
honey, i LOVE the Tales of the Slayers! awesome books!
I have loads, but havent read many. I plan to over the summer.

My favourite so far, as recomended by others is the lost Slayer series. I thought it was very well written, had a very good story, and completely agree 'i honestly believe had Joss attempted would have been one of the greatest Episodes'

I started reading the book of fours a while back, was really into it untile i got to a really long section about Kendras watcher Zabuto i think his name was, and I was incredibly bored. (then got reading a REALLY good book, not buffy related but I'll plug it, GHOSTWRITTEN - DAVID MITCHELL, honestly readers, check it out) I do hope at some point to finish reading it as I really was into it, and I've heard good things about it.

The thing I found was the smaller, (I think they may even be childrens) buffy books always seem like filler. The things that happened between the episodes. Nothing really good happens in them with failure to find a better expression. Whereas book of fours, Lost slayer, and which I WILL be reading over the summer the unseen trilogy seem to have a big story and things actually happen in them.
 
I have a few Buffy novels that I bought at the dollar store but I haven't gotten around to reading any of them. I do remember I used to have the Lost Slayer novel and it was really good. I also read an Angel one called Image which is set in season 4 and it's about shapeshifting demons. That one was good too.
 
I liked the Angel ones best but the better Buffy Novels were The Unseen trilogy (Angel crossover) Immortal and The wisdom of war, but please do not get Queen of slayers not that the plot wasn't bad it's just that it is suger coated and the ending is confusing as hell!
 
I've read:

The Lost Slayer by Christopher Golden
The Gatekeeper Trilogy by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder
The Wicked Willow Trilogy by Yvonne Navarro
Queen of the Slayers by Nancy Holder
Chaos Bleeds by James A. Moore

Overally I feel I've had quite a positive experience with the Buffy novels.
 
I cannot for the life of me remember the title(probably already been mentioned) but there was one that featured Pike in Sunnydale and a Demon that could turn people to stone.
I quite liked it on the basis it allowed Movie Buffy and TV Show Buffy to settle some issues in the sense of showing the reader that these two people are now different.
 
^ That book you're talking about.... it's called "Sins of the Father". That's a good one too...written by Christopher Golden.

I've read most of the books too. I'm a reading nut, and will read just about anything I can get my hands on.

There are a few Buffy books that I can read over and over:'
1. The Book of Fours (currently reading right now!)
2. Lost Slayer series (My first Buffy book ever)
3. Wisdom of War
4. Immortal
5. Queen of the Slayers (what the heck... It's enjoyable for me)
6. Gatekeeper trilogy
7. Unseen trilogy
8. Spike and Dru

There are a lot of them. I agree, the earlier ones were not so good, merely just words on a page. The thicker tie-ins that do not immediately revolve around the show are the best ones. I hate it though when the writer has no idea about certain storylines, because there is so much conflict between the timeline in the show at that current time and the timeline in the book.
 
Back
Top Bottom