Customer Reviews

Blooded (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Book 5)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have to admit, I have a sentimental attachment to this book. It was the first Buffy book in the series I had ever read, and now I'm addicted to these books. I've read them all. I love Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder. Their books are definitly the best in the series. They are a very good team, and they write beautifully. The characters are written very well, and it's chock-full (what a word!) of typical Buffy humor. It's a great book. The only problem I had with it was all of the jumping back to ancient China and Japan. It had the book a little confusing, but if you read carefully, it all makes sense. I love this book!

This was my first book that I read by Golden and Holder and belive me it got me hooked. This is a good book and I reccoment anyone that watches buffy to read it. There has also been a little confusion over the Whole Angel thing. So here's an explanation. In this book Angel was evil, Angel went to hell and Angel came back just like in the series. They never got into the Willow/Xander evil cheating becasue in this book it never happened. They never got into Faith becasue in this book it never happened. Get it? Well I reccomend any more buffy books by Golden and Holder because they are probably the best Buffy writers out there.

One of my favorite "Buffy" books by the best authors in the series of books based off the TV show. One thing I really enjoyed is that it does focus on Willow, and it manages to even go beyond the famous Angel/Buffy relationship; it centers around the three friends of Willow, Xander, and Buffy and the impact the situation makes on the three of them. It pits them against each other, and they must literally fight for their friendship to survive. These are the kind of stories I would like to see more of because I am a big fan of the three of them :) The Japanese lore was a nice touch, also. I think this would've worked even better as an adult novel.

Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder have provided us with an *incredible* Buffy book in "Blooded"... even better than their "Halloween Rain!" After reading (and being greatly disappointed with) "Night of the Living Rerun," "Blooded" was a fresh read with an easy plot. Basically, Buffy and the gang release (by accident) an old (and powerful) vampire upon Sunnydale, where it wreaks havoc. The book richly describes background scenes and intertwines the past and present in a completely satisfying way. "Blooded" takes place after the second season of the television show and uses and/or mentions *all* the characters (like Cordy, Angel, and even Principal Snyder!). I found the book very funny with several inside jokes (if you watch the television show or surf the Internet). In fact, I found myself surprised that so much humor did not detract from the plot! I must say that this is the best Buffy book to date, a definite g! ! ood read with an excellent and masterfully woven plot. Readers will be sure to enjoy this one!

I've been reading Buffy books for the last few weeks. The best of them combined a good story and an accurate depiction of the characters, as this one does. The action sometimes switches from present day Sunnydale to ancient China and Japan as we learn more about the history of the evil Chinese sorcerer-become-vampire [a DEADLY combination] called Chirayouju and his great battle against a Japanese mountain god named Summo. The flashbacks were quite interesting and fleshed out the long-term foes' characters. That made them more than just the menace that shows up at the climax for the big battle. Changing time periods wasn't that confusing because the first sentence or two of the chapters made it clear where and when you were. One of the present-day vampire attacks was more confusing because I had to go back several pages to find the hints that the scene was in a cemetary instead of the library. Where would this story fit in the TV show's timeline? I don't know and I don't care. If enough books get written it will become impossible for them all to have taken place in the context of the show. I can live with that. Random comments: Loved the crack about Seven of Nine's wardrobe on p.24 Xander's comments about Scooby-Doo and the usefulness of Velma over Daphne show more taste than you might think he has given that he dates Cordelia. Urk! Don't even mention Scrappy-Doo! That de'Medici curse mentioned in chapter three was quite nasty. If not for the fact that he was called that in China, I'd suspect that "Chirayouju" was what the Japanese called him and his real name was something else. It just sounds more Japanese than Chinese. MOULDY vampires? Good thing that European vampires don't seem to have that problem or I couldn't see Angel attracting Buffy! From what I've read about the status of females in Asia, I'm really surprised that Chirayouju didn't feel horribly insulted to be in a female body; let alone be willing to possess a different female. Enjoyed the nod to Felix the Cat on p.90. Chuckled at Giles' reaction to Buffy's crisis on p.103 I liked the role Giles had in this book. It's no fun when he's just another "damsel" in distress. Chirayouju's opinion of Western parenting fits Sunnydale like a glove. In this book Buffy's eyes are called blue. In the last book I read, they were hazel. Is there an overall editor for these books? p.139 My Japanese is no more than rudimentary, but I thought you say "moshi, moshi" when you answer the phone. I liked the journal of the early 19th-century watcher and its mention of Lord Byron. Even in a crisis, Cordelia remains Cordelia. It's interesting that in Japan the sun is female and the moon is male, the opposite of Greek-Roman mythology. I liked Chirayouju's reactions to the way the world had changed while he was out of it. p.190 Uh -- the way the sentence is written, the Kappa stretched the ropes, not their enemies. The final battle was impressive. I'm glad we were allowed to see the innner struggles as well as the outer. I have a problem with the final solution, though. I would think that there'd be an international incident unless Japanse Watcher Kobo has enough clout to get them off the hook.

This was my first time reading a Buffy novel and it started out surprisingly good with an exciting prologue about the gang fighting a vampire called King Lear who's kidnapped Xander and Cordelia. Other stuff happens (I'm not going to give it all away!) then during a school field trip to the museum Willow cuts herself on an ancient Chinese sword and ends up possessed by a powerful warrior demon. At first nobody realizes she's been possessed (they just think she suddenly turned into an [...]), but then when she starts flying around and gathering a army of vampires to take over the world they figure it out.

For the majority of the story I was really enjoying myself then things just got formulaic at the end. Lame. Despite the weak third act I would still recommend it to Buffy fans if only for the deeper insight into Xander and Cordy's relationship.

This was the title that taught me you can't judge a Buffy book by its cover. Golden and Holder write better here than in many of their supposedly more adult titles.

Willow's emotional vulnerability is preyed upon by the spirit of a powerful Oriental demon, which gains gradually greater possession of her after she is accidentally cut on a ceremonial sword at the museum. Xander similarly becomes possessed by an equally nasty opposing demon, and the two reenact King Kong Vs. Godzilla in Sunnydale. Buffy has her work cut out for her, because she can't stop the clash of the titans without harming her two best friends.

Golden and Holder are in top form here, not diluting their primary plot and briskly keeping the story rolling along. The characters are examined in more mature light than usual. A bit bloody for the younger readers, though tame enough not to worry about. The dialogue crackles with the best kind of wit seen in the series, and there are a few in-jokes the fans will enjoy.

When I first bought this book I was happy cauze it had got me back into buffy again, but I seemed to feel not to impressed by it as it try's to be clever by relating ever little thing that has happened in the tv series which gives it a less realistic throw than the tv series, but it is memorable and although the ending may be a little long it's worth it at the end of the day, so if you don't like reading but like buffy then read this book!

The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it switches from one thing to another right in the middle of exciting parts. One second you're in Sunnydale and someones being killed, the next you're in China. Then you're back in Sunnydale, then you're in Japan. That's as bad as commercials. Besides that it is really good. (VERY BLOODY kinda sad)

The book had an intresting plot and it used the charachters to their greatest potential.Willow was the best choice for the villan because she feels so helpless.This book was defintly a work of fiction not what is going to happen because Angel in the season finale was sent to hell.As far as the whole Angel and Buffy thing went there was far too much making out.Although his little speech was nice and a break from the usual passion.Xander and Cordelia was understandable because that's what there relationship is based on.Cordelia in the last season has become less snotty and they made her out as the queen snob but she's not really like that anymore.The book overall got a well earned 4 stars.