Customer Reviews

Apocalypse Memories (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It was a entertaining book that brought up alot of interesting questions that the show never did. I liked the interaction between the Scoobies, but the Buffy and Spike interaction was by far the best of the book. This was the first time they actually had Buffy and the gang actually question the nature of good and evil. I think this is also a very good book for Spike fans even though he is not on the cover.

This book also stayed true to the characters, which was a hard thing to do considering the characterization in season 7 for everyone was all over the place. One second Buffy was really caring for Spike and telling him he could be a good man, then next she was telling him she didn't want the man she wanted the monster that tried to kill her when they first met. I felt this book did a good job dealing with the character issues of early season 7, and I am very happy that the author of this book decided not to have insane Spike in this novel.

Willow is back from England, fully recovered from her magical flameout and ready to start fresh with her friend. Well, almost ready. After nearly succumbing to the lure of black magic, Willow is terrified of her own powers, fearful that, if she casts a spell it might go terribly awry. Or worse, she might lose herself again. Zander comes to the rescue by conceiving of a magic desensitization program that has Willow trying to levitate pencils - one tiny step at a time.

In the meantime, Buffy has her regular chores and patrols to make, Dawn continues to be everyone's favorite headache, and Anya is determined to make everyone just as grumpy as she is. Things would be almost normal except for the sudden, inexplicable appearance of a hunky angel, who cheerfully sets about ending the world. No doubt you are thinking 'yet another apocalypse for Buffy to avert,' but this time it's not a bad apocalypse, it's the real one. The powers of good have seen a sign, and this time it is for keeps.

While Giles tries to decide whether resistance is appropriate, Buffy decides that she isn't ready to throw in the towel. Unfortunately, Michael (our angel), is not only invincible but an all around nice guy as well. Buffy would really like him if he didn't keep apologizing as he unleashes on disaster after another. Willow tries to gather the courage to cast a spell that might stop the apocalypse, which might just undo the world in the process. On a lighter note, Spike and Anya develop really bad cases of acne.

The premise of the book gives each of the characters a moment to consider what is truly meaningful to them. What matters when faced with with what seems to be the real end of it all. Spike's plight, that he is still numbered among the damned despite having regained his soul touches Buffy deeply, as she realizes that all of her friends are dear to her, even the irritating ones.

The flaw of the book is that Burns and Metz have taken an interesting idea and made it into a lightweight confection. For all that they focus on characters rather than plot details, the story never really brings the horror of the situation home to the reader. Instead you get an hour or two of light reading where Spike, Anya, and Zander get all the good lines (Michael has a few as well). The book is an entertaining change of pace with a novel plot, but never quite reaches it's full potential.

This was the first Buffy novel I have read, after being a big fan of the TV show. I must say, it has pleasantly surprised me (as have other BtVS novels I read after) by being very well written, with a very novel and surprising storyline.
All the characters were written extremly well and are "in character" for the season the book is set in. Spike is written just a bit too wimpy (I do love him just a bit more wicked), but overall the novel captured Buffy and her scoobies very well.
The story itself has very novel and entertaining elements: An angel, an apocalypse (THE literal apocalypse), a wolf in sheep's clothing and much more.
A very worthwhile read!

I thought this book was outstanding! I have so many other Buffy books its not even funny. As a true fan of Buffy I think that this was one if not the best book of Buffy I have ever read. It totally freaked me out! Not to give away the ending but the end of the book totally freaked me out and the fact that Willow was still unstable from Tara's tragic death gave me even more of a scare. I didn't think I could read the rest of the book I was that freaked out! ANY Buffy fan should totally read this book!

This actually asks alot of the deeper philosophical questions that the show skims over, the giant elephants in the room that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Buffy is the Slayer, the one girl in the world chosen to slay the vampires. Chosen by who? The Powers that Be, the forces of Good, God? She is told repeatedly that she can't fight this Apocalypse, but as the Slayer, all she knows is fighting until the bitter end.
When a wolf in sheep's clothing appears in Sunnydale heralding the final battle, the Archangel Michael begins the series of events, breaking the bowls or seals that house the End of the World as written in Revelations of the Bible. However the things that affect the "evil" don't affect the good. And good and evil are defined by some other force that doesn't feel that the "redeaming" demons like Anyanka and Spike who at this point has his soul, have done enough to qualify as "good." Yet Willow, who brutally slayed Warren, and tried to end the world, is still considered "good."
Overall I think that fans of the show will enjoy it, as it stays somewhat true to the characters during the time of Season Seven. It is also my personal belief that Xander should never do magic because it always goes wonky on him e.g. love spell, speaking latin in front of books...

This is the first Buffy book I have read, but I have seen every episode of the show, and staying true to character and to the "reality" of the series is very important to me. Overall, I thought the characters were well-written in compliance with the show. However, one glaring error, as a prior reviewer had pointed out, is the scene in which Buffy drives the Scoobies around town. Buffy does not drive. If they were going anywhere in a car, it would be most likely for Xander or Giles to drive.

Another thing that just seemed off to me was the ingredient for Willow's spell: "hog turds." Now, the Scoobies, and the Buffy writers, are certainly known for their colorful use of the English language and the liberties taken with it; I have no complaint with that. I just think this ingredient would have been refered to as "dung" or "feces" or even "droppings." I just can't realistically envision a jar at the Magic Box with the word "turds" on it. But maybe that's just me.

Overall, the book was well-written, with an imaginative plot and interesting devices to execute that plot. The characters were appopriately written without becoming caricatures of themselves.

This was my first foray into Buffy novels, and it was a positive experience. It will not be my last. (As a matter of fact, I am already reading an Angel novel now!)

Apocalypse Memories is certainly the most original of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels.

The premise of Apocalypse Memories is that the REAL Apocalypse is coming -- you know, the one in the book of Revelations. Where the good and evil are judged. That one. The BIG one.

Unlike many of the Buffy books where it is fairly obvious how Buffy will save the day, Apocalypse memories kept me wondering until the end just how Buffy was going to get out of this mess.

And, there are some excellent plot devices, such as the literal interpretation of the wolf-in-sheep's clothing and the unfightable bad guy.

The major subplot of this book, set early in Season Seven, is Willow's struggle with her magic and her fear that she'll return to the dark side if she starts using magic again. Willow's struggle with magic is realistically drawn as are most of the major characters.

My major complaint with this book is that it was too short for the ground it tried to cover. Under those circumstances, there really wasn't the depth of plot development that I would have liked. In addition, there were a couple places where seemingly important details were never tied back into the story.

All in all, a good, short read and faithful to the Buffy-verse.

Ok this is one of the best Buffy books. As I was reading this I was thinking to myself that they should had made it was part of season 7. but then I thought that season 7 had way to much going in it already and there was no room for it. I'm very glad that Xander and Willow's friendship was so srtong in this book because on the show they were there but you really couldn't see there friendship and all they have been through.

wow, i just finished Apocalypse Memories and it was really awesome! Its the best of the Buffy series in a while. The religious aspects of the novel were so powerful, and the philisophical debates between Buffy and Michael were intense. Really great writing, very original/creative plot. this is an outstanding novel

i hav been obsessed with buffy for the LONGEST time. when i read this book i wished it was actually an episode. its not only my favorite buffy book, its my favorite book ever. its got such a good plot and you just hav to turn the page to know what happens even when its midnight. the details are amazing and it has the cutest guy in it. there are some really good passages that just make you speechless. there are a lot of surprises, sad parts, n some funny parts. u should DEFINATELY buy this book now. its the best!