Horror Books

Michael Paris inherited a lot of land from his grandfather when he died. Paris traveled to where this land was, where he planned to sign the land over to the town. Paris had car problems and had to ditch his car and hitch a ride with a passer-by. When the guy refused to bring Paris into the town, Paris knew something was up. To Paris' shock and amazement there was a crowd waiting for his arrival. The mayor of the town welcomed Paris and asked him to sign the land over right then and there. Abbey, a vampire, told Paris that he should not sign the land over because it was a graveyard and the home of many creatures. Paris told everyone that he would decide what to do the next day, and he went to his hotel room. Paris was awoken by a knock at the window, and to his surprise he saw Abbey, outside his window, hanging upside-down. Paris spent the knight with Abbey and all of the creatures that lived in the graveyard. Paris returned to his hotel room and woke up the next morning to the town folk celebrating and destroying the graveyard. What happened next changed everything.
The pictures in this graphic novel are amazing. They helped to illustrate what was happening through the story. The graphics are the novel, and the words that go along with the pictures explain the story quite well.

The book description does well enough explaining, but I'll say that I enjoyed this book. Moore's characters are engaging and winning in their own way. There's a sensuality to his style that just makes me come back to the books again and again. Great job!

This may be the funniest graphic novel that I've read in a LONG time! One of my friends brought it home from a honeymoon trip and it's been making the rounds ever since. Abbey is the coolest vampire chick I've seen in ages. The scene with her & Paris and the phone book made us all howl for hours. Buy this book- you won't regret it!

I had heard rumblings here and there about Boneyard, and the concept of the book intrigued me to the point that I decided to try this trade paperback. In brief, Boneyard tells the story of a young man who inherits some land from his recently deceased grandfather. Rather than something immediately valuable, it turns out that the main character, Michael Paris, inherits a graveyard. To make matters worse, this graveyard is inhabited by a quirky and thoroughly charming group of "evil" beings -- and the locals are tired of sharing their town with these creatures. The conflict that ensues is enjoyable, though the real charm of Boneyard comes from the exploration and interaction of the great characters. This book collects the first four-issue story arc from the bi-monthly comic, and is thus a complete, stand-alone work in its own right.

Boneyard's creator, Richard Moore, is an outstanding artist who obviously loves what he does. The story and characters alone are interesting enough to justify the purchase, but Mr. Moore is such a talented artist that I found myself sometimes staring at a character's facial expressions as if the dialog were being spoken rather than read. Basically, the art really comes alive, and there are few comic artists who can pull it off at this level. Boneyard is something special.

What would you do if your grandfather died and left you some land? What would you do if the land was in a town that is always beneath a dark cloud? What would you do if the land was a graveyard? What if the graveyard was inhabited by a collection of supernatural beings? And what if the local sheriff has rallied the town into wanting to destroy the property?

Well, it probably won't happen to you but it does to Michael Paris, star of this wonderful dark comedy.

Clean black and white illustrations and unique characters really help move this story along. Right from the start we are rooting for Michael and the boneyard inhabitants. The story ends in a good fashion (no silly rabbit out of hat ending here) and leaves the reader wanting more Moore.

If you like this one, you will also like Moore's Far West.

This story really messed me up in the head. All the weird flashbacks and the asylum, it's easy to get lost in this one. Really vivid material.

A VERY FAST PACE BOOK, IF YOU LOVE TO BE SCARED BY YOUR IMAGANATION THAN YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. THIS WILL TURN YOUR STOMACHE BUT WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING TO READ IT AGAIN AND AGAIN TO SEE IF YOU MISSED ANYTHING.

I came across this book in a used bookstore and thought it sounded interesting. i took it home picked it up, and couldnt put it down. there were scenes were i was shaking my head wondering where this author gets her ideas. not many books do that to me. its about a woman who loves to read horror books. one day she picks up one and starts living these nightmare hallucinations, only they are not hallucinations! and the book gets passed around causing other people to do the same thing.
the ending of this book what happened to the main character who first read the book really gave me the chills. i recommend this book highly. im sure some people will find ittoo squeamish for their tastes. well all i can say to that is you big babies! this is horror at its finest!

The first horror book I've come across (and that's over 100) that actually makes the reader feel as if they are experiencing everything the main character is in the book. At one point, when your reading this book, you'll actually put it down and stare it to make you wonder what the hell! I won't give away the scene, but you'll know it when it comes. Definitely a must for hardcore horror fans and truly indeed not for the faint of heart or mild horror fans.

Rosalyn Vaughn is a typical fan of horror stories. Always looking for a bigger and better scare. The more realistic the better. Until the day that she finds 'The Book of the Damned' in the stacks of her library.

Soon after starting the book, she finds that the plot of the novel begins to intrude into her reality and she is drawn into the 'fiction' of the novel itself.

It turns out that the book is cursed and those who read it are doomed to live it. The terror is unrelenting and not for the squemish or those who demand a happy ending.

This is the story for those who always wondered how they would react if they found themselves as characters in a horror novel. Read 'The Book of the Damned' and find out, IF YOU DARE!!!

Without a doubt Born of the Night is Joseph Vargos most impressive work to date. A longtime fan of his art I feel in love with the visions in his mind, richly detailed in every stone and swirl of fog, one could get lost in his world and never want to leave.

Corvis Nocturnum, author of Embracing the Darkness; Understanding Dark Subcultures

This book has the most stunning artwork - some are hauntingly beautiful, others are down right ghoulish - as you would expect I guess. I would love to be able to make some of the gowns that are featured - they are fabulous!

This calendar was the first I had seen of Joseph Vargo's work and I am hooked. He is amazing.

Being aware of the work of Vargo as musician - Nox Arcana - I felt curious about his production as visual artist. After going through the book - text and pictures - I was left with mixed feelings. Not being an art critic I nevertheless sensed there was a unbalance in his art production. His depictions of the human figure are weaker than his backgrounds and monsters. I know he didn't go to an art school and that's perhaps what's missing in his drawing of the human figure: depth, proportion, reality. Now his monsters are something else. His gargoyles are magnificent,and he masters the drawing and painting of stone as very rarely seen. So the latter seem much more alive than the human figures.
All in all it is a good choice to get introduced to Joseph Vargo artwork.
And it made me willing to wait and see the following publications of the kind.

I have been a fan of Joseph Vargo's work for many years, and have collected quite a bit of his work, including the Gothic Tarot and several editions of Dark Realms. When I heard that Monolith Graphics was releasing and art book, I jumped for joy.

Vargo's work is hard to describe, stunning, romantic, dark, sensual, are just a few words that come close to the images. This book has a collection of well known Vargo images along with never before seen images.

If you love gothic artwork, then this book belongs on your bookshelf!!

"Bruja" is another excellent novel in the "Angel" series. It was a fast read, had a little insight into family, was action packed all the way. Taking place in the first half of season one of the TV show, Angel has been on the case for a local band of vampires who have human slaves they draw blood from and then sell; kind of like a pizza delivery service for other vampires. Meanwhile, Doyle has a vision of a young woman and a baby in trouble, and sets out to find out more information about that. And Cordilia is asked by a major TV producer to help find his missing wife. And while the gang is split on their different missions, a mysterious Woman in Black has apperared out of nowhere to terrorize children in the Latino community. If "Bruja" sounds like a busy book, it is. Three out of the four plot lines are actually connected, and it makes for a very long day for Angel and the Fang Gang (it all takes place in about 24 hours). All the characters are very true to their TV counterparts (well, maybe Cordilia is a little nicer than usual, but that isn't bad); and then they are expanded on. They are all lonely in their way, and the Woman finds ways of exploiting that as a major weakness. The theme of family comes up a lot. Angel feels guilty for murdering his whole family when he first became a vampire; Cordilia is angry at her father for losing all the money they once had; and Doyle misses his ex-wife. All of the new charaters are very convincing, and I must say I was especially proud of Adrian Heath, the TV producer. He could have been a slimy one dimentional character, but great care was taken to establish him as really nice guy; though not in a too good to be true, perfect man. I recomend this book, I really enjoyed it, and I think fans of the show will too.

Mel Odom presents the reader with an action packed Thriller. Angel: Bruja is an excellent addition to the Angel series. The plot is complex. A gang of vampires is running a 'Meals on Wheels' operation. Stolen game software leads Angel and Doyle to an underground dot.com company complete with demon telemarketers. Cordelia tracks a missing wife. Doyle has a brain draining vision of a young mother in trouble. Kate is searching for a weeping woman in black who is killing cops and children. Mr. Odom weaves them all together into an excellent story, which explores guilt and insecurities. Angel is reminded that while you cannot forget your past you should not live in it. It is not only the lesson he must learn but also teach another if he is to succeed. The book also has a strong sense of family.

I recommend this to all fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy good horror fantasy

A priest is attacked in the cellar of a church and suddenly a new horror walks the streets of Los Angeles. Appearing as a beautiful woman, weeping for her children, she is drawn to scenes of conflict. There, equipped with both incredible strength and magical power, she takes lives with impunity. Especially if those victims are children. On the other side of town, Angel is cleaning up a demonic Internet pornography site when he discovers that a group of L.A. vampires are running a fresh blood delivery service complete with people on tap.

Cordelia finds a paying case for Angel Investigations when she is approached by Adrian Heath, a well known TV producer. His wife has disappeared without a trace and he desperately wants help. And finally, Doyle is suddenly struck with a vision of great danger for a mother and her young son. As all these threads come together Angel finds himself constantly reminded of his own guilt over the murder of his family. To resolve this case he must learn how to make peace with himself.

It is characteristic of the writing of the Angel series and many of the Buffy stories that there be many layered plots. The challenge for the author is to keep all these threads moving without losing control of characterization. No doubt it helps that the main characters are well established, but even so the believability of the novel hinges on how well the other characters are developed as well as the successful management of the plot. "Bruja," benefiting from a very fine author, is a classic example of what a good Angel story should be.

Mel Odom, the author of 4 books in the Angel and Buffy series, several in the Shadowrun series and many others has established himself again as a respectable writer of science fiction and fantasy. He has a natural skill with his characters, an ear for dialog and builds his stories almost effortlessly. In "Brujah" as in many others he manages to sustain a complex plot and completely involve the reader. While the book does make reference to previous Buffy and Angel adventures, there is nothing here that would prevent a newcomer from thoroughly enjoying the tale.

I loved this book. So much that I read it in one day. These "Angel" novels keep getting better and better. The way all the separate cases came together in this novel was great. Can't wait to read the next. Highly recommend this novel, especially if you're a fan of "Angel".

After the funeral of a young boy a priest is attacked by a woman who confesses to having murdered her own son. Meanwhile, Angel Investigations is hired to look into the disappearance of the wife of a big-shot Hollywood producer, Doyle has a vision of a young mother and her son in danger, and Angel stumbles across some enterprising folk who delivery blood to your door (please specify type desired).

"Bruja" is one of those novels where most of the plot threads come together but not all of them are part of the fun filled climax so you are left guessing which one is going to end up being the only legitimate subplot. This works much better than you might think, because the way Mel Odom ends up putting all the pieces together is never obvious. Consequently, "Bruja" is one of the few Angel stories where Angel Investigations ends up doing some good old fashion investigating even if it means the laconic one has to speak in complete sentences for an extended period of time.

Plotting and pacing are two of Odom's main strengths as a writer, at least as revealed in his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" original novels. "Bruja" presents a fairly complex plot and the novel moves from scene to scene and plot thread to plot thread without losing momentum. This time around I especially liked how each of the scenes without the main trio (Angel, Cordelia and Doyle) were fleshed out. There are really no nameless corpses in this book, because vampires leave tiny dust mounds behind rather than corpses and Odom take pains to invest each human life lost along the way with some individuality and significance.

Odom also does a nice job with characterization and in this story he manages to work in some significant reflections from each of the main characters on their families without it becoming formulaic, mainly because the self-examinations come in the context of the developing story. However, some readers might consider the amount of dialogue in this novel to be too much given the main character.

There are some pretty horrific moments in this story and I can legitimately say that Odom pushes it as far as he is willing to go simply because there is a scene where he stops short of something that he clearly thinks would have been going over the line. Odom seems to have done some research on his titular villain, which is a way of saying that if he made all of this stuff up from scratch he sure has fooled me. "Bruja" is a solid "Angel" story and while it does not involve moments of epic significance for the soul laden vampire and his compadres, it does tell a tale that has some special meaning for all of the characters.

The art may be a bit sub-par, but the writing is so far above the usual paplum that is spewed out in these books as to make this one of the best ever!!
A real sense of character and adventure infuse this book. Plus a way cool plot taking the BTVS plot to a place we haven't been to before. Lots of fun.

I never write reviews on anything, but after reading the reviews that Chris Boal got, I had to say something. I am a HUGE fan of Buffy and I have to say that some of the writing was getting borring and silly until he came along. I am looking forward to more of Mr. Boal's writing and as a die hard Buffy fan - I hope you will listen to MY review. Thanks.

Wow - a 'Buffy' for adults. My kids are constantly trying to foist "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" on me but I frankly find most of the comics sophmoric (I admit to being a fan of the show, though). This one - which I read after simply giving up - was really good- a cut above the other "buffy" comics that I've tried to read but had to put down. If you're a Buffy fan over 15, I'd reccomend it.

I can truly say, without exaggeration that this is by far, the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer book I have ever read. Chris Boal's writing is pure genius. He seems to have a special insight into Joss Wheadon's unique vision of the character. It remains true to the original, yet at the same time it keeps it new and interesting. I don't want to give away the surprise ending in Heart of A Slayer, but wow, I sure didn't see that coming. Buffy fans, and everyone else should buy this book. It is just great.

I happened to be watching several syndicated episodes of the television show while reading Autumnal and couldn't help but miss the earlier episodes of BTVS. I miss the humor, the genuine emotions and the mystery of those earlier episodes. Autumnal harkens back to those days.

I found Autumnal a great read and really enjoyed the fact that there is still some mystery in the Buffy universe. A slayer that should be dead and a new, deadly demon, injects some mystery and wonder back into the Buffy universe.

And I though the story about the disgruntled wannabe vampire was great! Finally a return to some frivolty, some immaturity and FUN.

If you want to recapture the spirit of earlier seasons when water bills and addiction weren't the "big bad", read this book.

Some beach...somewhere
Some city....out there
Some cat....out where?
Some mother...to embrace
Some dad...with a backbrace
Someone...with an empty face
some heart...with no place
Some rocker...with no identity
Some babysitter...without a cent for me
Some boy...becoming a man
Some man...named dan
Some milk....gone sour
Some girl...is a coward
Some whore...left undone
some steak...cooked well done
Some girl...with no soul
Some fish...with a bowl
Some leaf...turning green
some girl...becoming a teen
Some granpda...dying
some hooker...lying

some father...writing a poem
Some people...reading his poem

This trade paperback presents a serial story that originally appeared in issues 21 through 25 of the BTVS comics. Officially it occurs at the end of the third season, but is more of a bridge into season four, presenting Buffy as a new freshman in college, desperately trying to balance the pressures of real scholastic work with her night job - slaying. When an old, scary legend of 'Mad Jack' comes back to life, Buffy over-reacts and kills the first suspect demon without a thorough investigation. The result is a major crisis when it turns out that Mad Jack was just the guardian over something much worse.

Originally released during the Roman conquest of Carthage, Ky-Laag is major badness. He was only brought under control at that time by the wiles of Vraka, another demon, who led a cult called 'The Blood of Carthage.' Several thousand years later Buffy has let the rabbit out of the hate, and Vraka heads for Sunnydale to try to stop Ky-Laag and, in his spare time, kill the offending slayer. Buffy feels the same way about Vraka, but, if they don't work something out, they will be dead and the rest of us will be worshipping Ky-Laag.

One of the other key story arcs is Willow's need for emancipation from a Xander who still treats her like a childhood sidekick. As a young woman with significant magical and intellectual skills this has become more than a little irritating. In a series of flashbacks we see the developing relationship between the two as children. One in which Xander often took the lead. The other piece of history is a series of pieces about Vraka and reason for his bad feelings towards Spike. It should be no surprise that these do not paint the vampire with a chip in his head in a very good light.

One has to think of 'The Blood of Carthage' as more than a trade paperback rehashing the contents of a series of comic books. The story itself is larger than its media, and the trade paperback or graphic novel suits it best. Part of this is due to the efforts of Christopher Golden as writer, and the rest is due to editor Scott Allie's decision to deviate from the story telling style in the previous comic series - 'Bad Blood.' This is not intended to be a criticism of Andi Watson's rambling nine-issue series. Instead, Allie decided it was time for a change of pace and then turned to Golden, a proven Buffy novelist, to implement the idea.

Golden's story line is structured much like a novel, with a focused major story arc and rising levels of complexity and intensity. To break up the pacing a bit we are treated with flashbacks to Willow's childhood with Xander and Spike's first encounter with Vraka. Another thing that makes this series special is the carefully managed creative artwork. While Cliff Richards is the artist for the main story, Chynna Clugston-Major and the team of Paul Lee and Brian Horton each get one of the flashback series. This is cleverly orchestrated to provide different moods and contexts. The art really is excellent, and a separate article on what went into it is included in this volume.

If you have been wondering which trade paperback to buy first, this should be high on your list.

I think this trade has issues 21-25 of the series, I can't be sure but the info I got is from the Dark Horse comics website. The issues aren't sectioned in the trade (the blood of carthage), they run together to form a really good story with rather good artwork. We even get to see Xander and Willow as kids! Its a good stand alone trade, I really recommend it. Spike and Dru make an appearance and Giles makes scones! The coolest thing about the trade is the Xander/Willow storyline because it really examines their relationship and who is the sidekick (or not). Christopher Golden is a great Buffy writer, I suggest you pick this one up.

The only problem with this excellent graphic novel is that it isn't a full length book. A plot so complex and characters so rich they deserve 300 pages. Christopher Golden never disappoints.

The art work is exciting and colorful. I think the actors are well drawn. Their voices are true.

Set in the fourth season, Buffy is at college. The pressures weigh heavy on her slayer duties. When she kills the wrong demon all Hell breaks loose which forces deadly enemies to work together. I recommend this to all Buffy fans

I thought this graphic novel was very good because it stayed true to the characters. The only problems were that the story takes place in season four but at the beginning of the book it says it takes during season three. The other problem (which is only minor) was that willow had longer hair in the book than she actually did at that time during the show. Sounds nitpicky I know but what can I say I know my Buffy stuff.

I think this was a great book. But the little vile with holy water and the cross..... it's kinda like finding prize in a cereal box but it was cute but where's the stake??? I'm a huge Buffy fan and overall I think they probley could have done better but it's fine the way it is. IF you have ?'s or you just want to talk about Buffy Im me or e-mail me at ANONYMUSVAMPIRE@aol.com By the way the thing at the top that says a kid's review ............... I'm not a "kid" im 12!

I liked this item alot. specially because its got the cadaggah ring angel gave buffy. Everyone must buy it..

This kit is very good. Every thing is paralel to the series. I really enjoyed it. Every one could slay vamps with this kit.

Occasionally, one has to be amazed by the devious minds of the folks who inhabit marketing departments. It is no secret that they want us fans to spend our hard earned cash reserves on all things Buffy. Especially books, comics, figures, and paraphernalia. The "Supernatural Defense Kit," however, is proof of the presence of the demonic somewhere deep in the catacombs of Dark Horse Comics.

The kit consists of a perfectly serviceable cross and chain (the golden cross of belief), a copy of the ring that Angel gave to Buffy as a token of his love (the Claddagh ring of strength and friendship), and a wee vial of water with real silver foil in it (the shimmering holy water of fortitude). And, best of all, a hardbound copy of "The Final Cut," a story originally from BTVS comic #8, to which a great deal has been added. Perhaps they should have retitled it "The Director's Cut." All of this comes in a slipcase designed to make removing the contents something only a slayer could do.

The shimmering holy water is very well sealed, to prevent idle sipping, and the usually obligatory stake has been left out. Which makes this kit equally safe for both the youngest and the oldest of overenthusiastic Buffy fans. This is all in good fun, of course. I think the Claddagh ring is a nice touch, reminding us that the theme of Buffy is not all violence and vampire dust. Loyal friendship and commitment play their parts as well.

awesome story! the hardback comic is pretty neat with a gold embossed Buffy the Vampire Slayer written on it. The gold cross and silver clauddagh ring are kind of cheap, but you can't really expect a whole lot. They are all really neat, and the holy water is cool too. pretty much a neat showcase item for Buffy fans like me.

This was the first scriptbook I bought and I was really excited to read it. Some of the dialouge was wrong but most of it was correct. The episodes were spectacular and immediatly I got my freinds togethar and we acted it out.

Its been about 3 months and my script book is starting to curl at the ends. :( But thats alright because its still in good condition .... I dont know why I'm telling you this ...

If you love to act this is for you!! This is ALL SCRIPT!! Unlike, Once More With Feeling -- this is a bit of a better buy. :)

This was the first Buffy script book I ever bought and I thought it was pretty good. I could now act it out with my friends (I was always Buffy he he ) and stuff. The only problem was that it was the original script and some of the dialouge wasn't right. (as you will see with all the other Buffy scripts) but I think its totally worth your money!! Its brilliant! Awesome! Amazing! You'll capture Buffy, Drusilla, Spike, Angel, Kendra, Willow, Xander and GILES' humor, peronsality and everything that makes Buffy great!! BUY IT BEFORE THE RUN OUT!! ITS THE BEST!!!

Although BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER had been a first rate show from its inception, it was during the shows based upon the scripts that it started moving towards something approaching genuine greatness. Before these shows, it had been a superb series, but after these it became something considerably more. The most unbelievable thing is that as great as these six episodes (well, five of them anyway) are, the ones following were even greater, so great as to place Buffy among the greatest shows in the history of the genre, and arguably the greatest. The two episodes following these six would be ?Surprise? and ?Innocence,? and from that moment on Buffy would exist on an artistic level unmatched on television.

?Lie to Me? was written by Joss Whedon, and as fine as many previous shows had been, it is one of the first truly great moments in the series. Billy Fordham, played by Jason Behr (who would shortly after this achieve television stardom playing an alien in ROSEWELL), an ex-boyfriend of Buffy?s from L.A., shows up unexpectedly in Sunnydale. Eventually we learn that he is, in fact, dying, and has cut a deal with Spike and his crew to turn the Slayer over to them in exchange for being made a vampire. The episode has many funny moments (such as when Angel, Xander, and Willow go to a faux vampire club, and Angel remarks that none of them know anything about vampires, including how they dress, when a wannabe walks by dressed exactly like Angel), but even more poignant moments, like when Ford explains to Buffy his reasons for betraying her.

?The Dark Age? was written by Dean Batali and Rob DesHotel, who co-wrote a number a number of episodes of Buffy during the first two seasons. This is the best script they produced. Ethan Rayne, to whom we were introduced in ?Halloween,? makes his second appearance in the series. By far the most interesting aspect of the show is the way that we manage to learn more about Giles background, all the way to learning that his former mates had called him ?Ripper.? I enjoyed the few episodes that featured Ethan Rayne, and was always perplexed that he appeared in only four shows??Halloween? and this episode in Season Two, ?Band Candy? in Season Three, and ?A New Man? in Season Four. There was talk on a couple of occasions of Anthony Stewart Head doing a show set in England based on ?Ripper,? and if he had, I?m sure Robin Sachs would have been his ?Lex Luthor.?

?What?s My Line?? is a phenomenal two parter, and is notable not merely for introducing Kendra, the second slayer, but for the writing debut of the great Marti Noxon, who would become one of the greatest writers in the run of the show as well as co-executive producer, eventually running things when Joss Whedon ceased the day-to-day overseeing of the show. She co-wrote the first half with Howard Gordon, and then wrote the second by herself. One of the major themes of Buffy during the first two seasons was her hesitancy to embrace her calling as slayer. Although she wouldn?t fully accept the role until the first show of the third season (?Anne?), these two episodes stress her reluctance to be the Slayer more than any other shows prior to them (and even after ?Anne,? although she has accepted who she is, she struggles against her fate). These are exceptionally well-written shows, and one can engage in endless discussion the Kendra/Buffy relationship. Kendra, unlike Buffy, has completely accepted her fate, and while Buffy can never be like Kendra, she does learn from her to accept her calling.

?Ted? (written by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon) is not as strong on paper as it ended up being onscreen. Although it is a first rate script, John Ritter absolutely nailed the part of the psychotic robot Ted, and turned in one of the most memorable guest appearances in the entire history of the show. This is the episode that contains Giles famous quote about subtext rapidly becoming text. No other show in the history of TV has ever contained lines as clever as that one.

?Bad Eggs? was Marti Noxon?s third contribution to the show, and unfortunately perhaps the weakest script she ever did. One of the most amazing thing about the Second Season is that while the strong episodes established it as one of the great shows in the history of television, it nonetheless had a surprising number of pretty rotten episodes. Also, some of the strongest shows are preceded by the weakest. Just as ?Becoming? would later be preceded by ?Go Fish,? so ?Surprise? is preceded by ?Bad Eggs.? This might be an accident, but I doubt it. I suspect they realized it was a weak script, and wrapped the season-long story arcs around it. After this season, each season had considerably fewer weak episodes.

These six scripts show Buffy, which was already a very good show, in the process of becoming a great one. The scripts that immediately follow the ones in this collection are arguably as strong a group of scripts as any show in the history of television.

This book is great for fans who haven't seen the first six episodes of the second season. It gives the lines and stage directions to them so you feel like you've seen the actual episode. It even includes scenes which may have been removed from the original episode.

This book chronicles the first arrival of Spike, whom is now an important character. It also has "Halloween" which includes some funny stage directions from Joss Whedon.

If you haven't seen the beginning of the second season of Buffy or if you want in-depth information on the episodes' scripts, you should definately buy this book.

I happen to like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and I love reading through the scripts when I'm bored with watching the same episodes over and over. Its just nice to be able to read.

I'm so surprised to read that this is a challenged/banned book. I remember getting this book as a prize in school when I was in 1st grade, and it has been a favorite ever since. The story is fun, the characters are silly and entertaining, and I absolutely love the illustrations. I love the illustrations so much that I carefully cut out the page with the prayer at the beginning of the book and framed it (it is hanging in my hall now!). I still have my original copy of the book, and I read it to my son. Highly recommended...not at all scary!

I had this book as a child. It is so funny, I still remember it. All of Harry Allard's books are fantastic.

I recently came across Bumps in the Night on a 100 Most Challenged Books list. I was a little shocked and disheartened... I LOVED this book as a kid. The characters and illustrations are warm and silly, not at all scary. The story teaches us that with an open mind, even things we don't understand can be a little less scary. I highly recommend this book for anyone, young or old.

I am a student at West Virginia State College currently taking a class called Children's Literature. Our instructor required us to read a banned/challenged book as part of our assignment and write our personal view of the book.

This is a hilarious book! I enjoyed reading it to my 8 year old son and he loved it. He thought it was so funny and not all scary. He loves scary stories, however, he did not find this book to be scary at all. I can see why some people might object to this book. It makes reference to a seance and a medium, but the book references it in a funny way and not at all serious. I would read this book to my classroom. I feel the children would enjoy and get a kick out of this book.

Dudley the stork takes his friends' advice and gets Madame Kreepy to conduct a seance. He needs to find out why wierd things happen at his house when he's trying to sleep. My two eight-year-old girls loved this book. Even their older sister thought it was funny. Our favorite line in the story is when the ghost tells Dudley "...I gave you a great, big, wet, kiss in the dark. Did you like it?" Nickelodeon should use this book as a basis for their next half-hour Halloween special!

Bob Freeman's "Shadows Over Somerset" was described to me (to paraphrase) as being a bit like Dark Shadows, in book form. Though I only ever saw it in reruns during the 1980s, Dark Shadows was inventive for a soap opera, so I was rather enthusiastic about reading this book.

Werewolves, and vampires, and witches, oh my! I will admit that I had a little trouble at first getting my bearings on the vast cast of characters and where they lived when summoned to Cairnwood, but once I had that clear in my mind, I really enjoyed the book. Mr. Freeman has quite a talent for setting a scene, giving physical descriptions of his characters, and clarifying their individual powers.

The story itself is a clash between good and evil, that began 700 years ago in Scotland, and involves an offshoot of the McGregor clan -- the Cairnwood clan. The patriarch McGregor is a vampire, destined to hunt down and destroy the werewolf Cairnwood descendants. Michael Somers and his fiancee enter the creepy world of the Cairnwoods, not knowing he is the heir to their clan, destined to kill off Malcolm McGregor in an epic clash of good vs. evil. He emerges triumphant . . . for now. "FINIS?" as Mr. Freeman ends the novel. No, far from it.

What kept me on my toes while reading it was its "cutting" from one scene to another rather abruptly. This is also what lent it an air of television or movie, and gravitas to the assessment I heard before reading the story. It was indeed like watching a gothic soap opera, only in book form.

The love scenes were fairly standard: beast ravishes woman, and woman loves it. But, they weren't gratuitous, and each led to a greater understanding of the relationships between the characters.

The fight scenes were wonderfully gory and blood-spattering. As a reader, I'm not into blood and gore if it serves no purpose in moving along the story, but in an epic battle 700-plus years old that has revived, there must be lots of blood and gore for it to ring true.

An interesting twist comes at the end, when Michael's Cairnwood heir who lost out on The Manor, Sebasian, becomes the Cairnwood representative on the Order of the Nine Skulls. There is a rivalry between Sebastian and Michael, which leaves open many possibilities for the series.

Overall, I give this novel a thumbs up. I thought it was quite well crafted.

As a real lover of horror and vampires, I could find nothing wrong with Cairnwwod Manor or it's inhabitants except of course they are not your average family even though there both good and bad among them.

It was a thrilling, chilling read, filled with all the good things and beasts I love about horror. Mr. Freeman is a wonderful writer portraying these characters in a way that kept me riveted to my chair. I am looking forward to the next tale of Cairnwood Manor and it's inhabitants.

This book is wonderfully entertaining and scary! It kept me enthralled throughout, I couldn't read it fast enough. I hope that there are more books to follow!!!!

Bob Freeman's Shadows Over Somerset is a contemporary horror/dark fantasy tale that chronicles the rather mysterious Cairnwood family and the individuals/entities who come to be at odds with them. It's not always simple to tell who's protagging and who's antagging, though, as the Cairnwood family is something of a mess. They've got heroes, they've got werewolves, they've got vampires...they've just got all kinds living under the family name. Their homestead, Cairnwood Manor, situated in a dark corner of Indiana, is reminiscent of the classical mansion full of secrets, a la Collinwood from Dark Shadows; in this tale, however, the secrets are multiplied something like tenfold.

Freeman's storytelling is enjoyable, particularly during the action-packed scenes of character conflict. I did have a problem with the lack of breaks between paragraphs when scenes changed, though I'm not sure whether this was a copy-editing gaffe or something done intentionally. Whichever, it's cumbersome, and it brings the flow of the drama to a screeching halt on any number of occasions, particularly because there are so many characters to follow. Better structuring of the book's passages would have helped distinguish what's happening when and to whom. In fact, I would like to have seen better copy-editing in general, as there are numerous small problems that a second trained eye could have easily caught and fixed. KHP Publishing, take note.

Regardless of its problems, Shadows Over Somerset is a generally entertaining novel, fast-paced, and vividly rendered. With its dark, gothic atmosphere and occasional moments of breakneck action, it's got a little something for fans of every dark persuasion.

Michael Somers is summoned the bedside of a dying grandfather he never knew existed. But that's just the start of Michael's problems. Because in the sleepy little town surrounding Cairnwood Manor strange things are afoot, and are killing and bringing the dead back to life. Into the supernatural mix throw a powerful and jealous witch, a council of immortal monster-slayers and a pack of restless werewolves, and you have a terrific novel that delves deep into every dark aspect of human nature. Freeman pulls no punches--Cairnwood Manor is vicious, Baroque and will keep you up long into the night. A stunning debut novel by a talented newcomer to the gothic horror genre. Longtime fans of Dark Shadows, rejoice. I'm eagerly awaiting the next entry in the series.