Customer Reviews

Here Be Monsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really, really enjoyed this addition to the Buffy series - it's one of the best of the young adult length novels. Buffy dusts two teen vamps, angering their mother, who raises a goddess of revenge to punish her. Now Buffy must undergo a test by Nemesis (the goddess). If she fails, her mother dies. I really enjoyed the whole test sequence, especially the part where Buffy has to see what would have happened if she had failed to save her friends at various points. Very emotional. Anyway, I can't say enough good things about this book, so if you are a Buffy fan, just go and read it!

Here Be Monsters is a really good Buffy book, once again the novels take place during season 3 of Buffy and this one is really good, it took me only 2 days to read, the ending is suprising and i really wasnt seeing the twist coming. If u want a good read i recommend this book one of the best in the series

A member of a rough gang comes to Buffy for help. It seems a couple of her friends have gone missing. No one else can help her. But before they can get the full story they find the possible suspects; vampire twins. As Buffy and Angel try to take care of the situation the set in motion a series of events that makes Buffy the target in a dangerous game. Buffy must face the challenge alone. More than her own life is at stake so losing is out of the question for the slayer.

This story is set in season three when not everyone is trusting Angel easily. Willow's magic ability is still minor and Oz is still around. Cordelia and Xander are still sparring. I don't mind when the Slayer and company make with the wisecracks but there is a character in here that should be above stooping so low (read the book and you will find out who). A good story set at a good time with the main characters acting properly. If you are a fan of the show you should definitely check this one out.

I didn't really enjoy this book because you knew what was going to happen. It was obvious that the vamps were killing the people, and Buffy would of course save the day. The twist with the demons was good, but I wouldn't recommend this book. Dokey is still a newer writer, so taking that into account the book was fair. Not number one on my book list, but an average read.

This book is an excellent editioin to the buffy series. when buffy stakes a pair of horrible,persistant,crazy,twin male vamps whom she thought were bad, she meets their mother. their mother promises to make buffy's life miserable by taking away the one thing she cares about most, her mother. momma vamp calls for help to the greek goddess, Nemesis, who tells buffy that the only way she can get her mother back is to undergo a trial at the vampires mansion that night. she is not allowed to bring any weapons and she must come alone. this story shows the incredible bond between slayer and slayeretts. especially angel, who struggles not to rush to buffy's aid. i can't even describe how moving this book was and how amazingly real it seemed. the details made me able to imagine every creature, every deamon and every situation down to the tiniest details. so i would definately reccomend this book to any fan or even non-fans. it is a great book

HERE BE MONSTERS
By Cameron Dokey (2000)

RATING: 2/5 Stakes

SETTING: Season Three

CAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Xander, Willow, Angel, Giles, Cordelia, Oz, Joyce

MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: Big Mama/Zahalia Walker (Civil War vampire); Webster & Percy (Big Mama's vampire sons); Heidi Lindstrom (victim); Suz Tompkins (victim's friend); Nemesis (other-dimensional entity of judgment)

BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: "Something icky is brewing, as usual, in Sunnydale. This time it's in the form of two clean-cut, prep school-type boys. Buffy's suspicious from the start--their fashion statement is so old it's dead, and it seems they have a slightly unnatural attachment to their mother. But then, almost everything about these boys is unnatural--they're vampires. Not ordinary vampires, either--they are descendants of a clan known for its ability to summon powerful occult forces. And when the Slayer dusts this dynamic duo, she learns what you get when you mess with a vamp family tree. Now it's up to Buffy to battle her personal demons--or risk endangering her own most cherished relation. Because mama vamp has something in mind for Joyce. . . ."

REVIEW

Here Be Monsters starts out strong, with a creepy, unique depiction of two vampires dragging a helpless victim home to their "Mama". Big Mama, wife of a Confederate civil war soldier, works hard to bring her two boys up "proper" as Southern gentlemen in a world of declining social values (a.k.a, present-day Sunnydale). Cameron Dokey does a good job with making Big Mama come alive (so to speak) as an insanely over-protective mother, and the crazed fury that results when Buffy and Angel stake her two boys makes the first half of the novel an enjoyable read.

Unfortunately, things rapidly go down hill from there. Big Mama rather predictably kidnaps Joyce, and then the story takes a real turn for the worse when a silly, wise-talking other-dimensional entity known only as Nemesis is invoked in order to test whether Buffy loves her mom more than Big Mama loved her kids. The Trial has Buffy go through the standard mindgames (fighting her younger selves, having visions of friends being murdered) before fighting a giant spider. A limp moral is the final touch on an altogether cheesy ending.

Dokey shows real potential in the early chapters of the book--the banter between Buffy and Angel is crisp and witty, the action is fast-paced and interesting, and there is a very strong interlude with Joyce putting pictures in a scrapbook while ruminating about her daughter's life. The verdict of the Trial is clear, however: Here Be Monsters is a Buffy book best avoided.

Jhaeman's Buffy Reviews: http://www.geocities.com/jhaeman
(c) 2004, Jeremy Patrick-Justice

A wonderful adventure set during the 3rd season. The author captures the wit and fun of the TV dialogue. I laughed out loud especially at the Scarlet O'Hara from Hell. Buffy is forced to face a trial by an ancient force. She is faced with dangers only a slayer could imagine. At stake is her mother's life and her own existence. The scooby gang is helpless. They can only watch. Angel's remorse at not being able to help the woman he loves is heartbreaking. A great read.

This was a very easy read, and generally the characterizations of Buffy and the gang were good, but the story was a little weak. The last half of the story supposedly involves a 'trial', but it's really just an opportunity for self-reflection and a bit of minor "slayage" on Buffy's part, with no real point or relationship to what she's supposed to be on trial for or what, supposedly, was to be proven.

Another weak point was the use of a fairly well-known Greek goddess in a minor and subserviant role. There have been very few Buffy stories (on air or in print) involving mythological dieties, and this was the first time one was treated as little more than a magical screwdriver (i.e. a tool to move the plot along, as opposed to a significant character).

If you're a fan of the series you'll probably find this story enjoyable, though not superb. If you aren't already a fan I'd recommend starting with either Halloween Rain, Child of the Hunt, Immortal or the Gatekeeper Trilogy.

Cameron Dokey doesn't bother to create the ultimate evil-doer creature who wants to end the world. The antagonist is just an ordinary vampire with family ties. Buffy novels are most endearing when they feature the unwavering friendship between Buffy and Willow. The novel is short and they don't share many scenes together, but you can always count on Willow to help the slayer, even if her own life is in jeopardy. Dokey reminds the reader, subtlely, that being the Slayer blows. You can't even thank your mother for putting together a scrapbook for you without being reminded of your own obituary. If you are a fan of Xander, sorry; his character brings nothing to the novel. Dokey didn't treat him as a major player. The tough damsels in distress were written accurately enough to portray people/teenagers who are psychologically undernourished at home. Good novel.

I picked up the book at my library and thought from the back that it might be a bit hokey. I was right. I didn't really get into it, it was slow at parts, and I didn't enjoy myself like I do with other Buffy books. Definitely not one of the Buffy books that you HAVE to get.