Ghosts of Albion: Astray [Hardcover]

Christopher Golden (Author), Amber Benson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sibling sorcerers William and Tamara Swift mix it up with spirits and sprites in this zesty pastiche of the Victorian ghost story. In 1838 the Swifts—whose supernatural family pedigree makes them frequent hosts to the ghosts of Lord Byron, Queen Bodicea and other spectral standard bearers of England's glorious past—travel to the village of Blackbriar, where mothers of illegitimate newborns are finding their children magically swapped for demonic changelings. In the course of unraveling the mystery, the two are compelled to cast flashy spell and counterspell against Wild Edric the ghostly huntsman and Godda the Faerie Princess, heavies with hands in the affair. This thinly plotted novella is spun off from a BBC animated Webcast, and likely would seem more substantial if rendered in an active graphic medium. Benson played Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Golden (The Boys Are Back in Town) has written bestselling novelizations of that show and this book will play best to the audience they have cultivated.
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From Booklist

Benson, who played Tara on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and frequent Buffy author Golden team up for the first entry in a supernatural series set in Victorian England. Siblings William and Tamara Swift are the Protectors of Albion, taking over from their grandfather, who was killed in a supernatural battle, and their father, who is possessed by a demon. The siblings are summoned to the small village of Blackbriar by Dr. Nichols, who tells them of a rash of babies born to young, unwed girls and how the babies have been replaced by demon children. The Swifts, along with Bodicea, one of the three ghosts who has taken residence in the Swifts' manor, journey to Blackbriar, along the way encountering a seductive warrior's spirit and a vengeful fairy queen who seek to prevent the Swifts from solving the Blackbriar mystery. Look for a full-length Albion novel next year; before then, this enticing novella gives a taste of the imaginative, exciting world the Swifts inhabit. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 120 pages
• Publisher: Subterranean Press; Sgd Ltd edition (August 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596060115
• ISBN-13: 978-1596060111
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #580,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amber Benson co-wrote and directed the animated web-series Ghosts of Albion with Christopher Golden for the BBC. The duo then novelized the series in two books for Random House. Her first solo novel, Death's Daughter, was published by Penguin in 2009, with a children's book for Simon and Schuster called The New Newbridge Academy to follow in the fall of 2010. As an actress, Benson spent three seasons as Tara Maclay on the cult show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has also written, produced, and directed three feature films, including her latest, Drones, which she co-directed with Adam Busch and will be released later this year.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Is there anything this girl can't do?, February 1, 2005

By 

Pop Culture Punk (Philadelphia PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Albion: Astray (Hardcover)

Amber Benson acts. She directs. She sings. She dances. And she writes, and everything she does is beautiful! I bought this because I was interested finding out how other Buffy vets occupy their free time. At first I thought the price of this volume was a little pricey, but when I got it, I was pleasantly surprised. My edition came autographed by Amber and Christopher Golden, so that alone was worth the money. Not only that, but the story is so good...I'd describe it as a blend between "A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "The X-Files", with a little "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" thrown in for good measure. My only complaint is that the story was too short, since I couldn't put it down and read it in about an hour and a half. So I really hope that Amber writes more adventures of the Swift siblings, that is if she has the time!! Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific story!, May 12, 2010

By 

Honoria - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Albion: Astray (Hardcover)

I loved this book. I only wish it had been longer. It was my favorite of the Ghosts of Albion series. I love the time period, Victorian England, and reading about the adventures of Tamara and William.