Customer Reviews

Long Way Home: The Unseen Trilogy, Book 3 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel crossover)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Halfway through "Long Way Home," the final book in the Unseen Buffy/Angel Crossover Trilogy by Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte, the story gets as complex as a Tom Clancy novel. At one point, in terms of plot threads, (1) Buffy, (2) Angel, (3) Spike and (4) Salma are all in different alternities; back in Sunnydale (5) Riley is dealing with a shadow monster, (6) Giles, Xander and Anya are looking for Riley, while (7) Joyce is at Giles' apartment worrying about Buffy; in Los Angeles (8) Wesley, Willow and Cordelia are trying to get Alina to fix the Reality Tracer, as (9) the Latino gangs are fighting the Russian Mafiya, (10) Nicky is having a heart to heart with his grandmother; (11) Kate is investigating the disappearance of all the kids and (12) Faith is having fun in prison; meanwhile (13) Mischa is still planning on meeting Alina at the Grand Canyon. I think that covers everything, since there are no scenes of Gunn or the Flores family doing anything at this point and I assume Dennis was already finished with the dishes back at Cordy's apartment.

What all these plot threads mean is that Buffy and Angel are competing for time with every other character in the story, so those who pick up the Unseen Trilogy hoping for the two main characters to spend significant time together, are going to be disappointed. All you have to do is look at the front and back covers of "Long Way Home" to know that Spike and Faith are supposed to have prominent roles in the story, but Spike gets caught in something of an alternity dead end while it takes a while for Faith to become involved, even when you know what the plan is regarding the reformed Rogue Slayer. The last part of the book basically has all those groups meeting and slowly reducing the number of plot threads until we are down to three locations where stuff is happening. There really is not a big climax here; it is more a case of things winding down.

When reviewing the first book in the Unseen trilogy I commented on the inherent problems with characterization in writing Buffy/Angel books, so that most of the characters are pretty much treading water. This time around I want to point out one plus and one minus in this regard: on the plus side, Holder and Mariotte do a really nice job of fleshing out Riley's feelings for Buffy, their relationship, Angel, and a lot of other stuff going on. But on the minus side of the equation I think Faith regresses a bit too much to where she was before the big confrontation with Angel. Another nice touch was that the writers presented Buffy and Angel as having different conceptions of what the best of all possible worlds would be. The bottom line is that while the Unseen Trilogy is not the grand epic we saw with the Gatekeeper Trilogy, it is a worthy effort. But next time there is a Buffy/Angel crossover, the two starcrossed lovers better be together for a bigger chunk of the action.

Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte have brought their crossover trilogy to an end in grand style. Action packed this book brings each of the complex plots to an agreeable end. Everyone plays apart as the gang tries to defeat the monsters, find the missing children, and stop the gang warfare. It is the action rather than the relationships, which sparkle in this story. The battles are well written. Poodle size rats, disembodied armor, slavers, mad zoo keepers, shadows, giant worms and miscellaneous monsters threaten the gang.

Because there are so many characters it is hard to give them equal time or explore their emotions as much as fully as the reader might like. Not only do we have Buffy, Angel and their gangs, but even Faith and the mayor make an appearance. The authors for the most part have done an excellent job of working in the series history and keeping the characters true to their TV personalities. There are some lovely inside jokes that true Buffy fans will love. There are, however, some inconsistencies. When Faith is added to the team she pitches in to help Angel but says she owes Buffy nothing. Yet the last we saw Faith on the TV series she was acknowledging that Buffy was the only one who gave her chance after chance and that she had not only rejected her friendship but had attacked her friends and messed with her life. So it was hard to understand her anger at Buffy.

The back drop of the other realities was very intriguing. I loved the vampire zoo especially and the worm tunnels made my skin crawl. A nice touch was the temptations. Although I think that Angel's temptation would have been more realistic if it had not excluded Buffy.

I enjoyed the trilogy and this book in particular. I recommend it highly to Buffy fans but I would not suggest reading it without reading the other two Unseen volumes first.

Volume Two if this series, "Door to Alternity," left us hanging as Buffy and Angel prepared to leave this world to search through alternate universes for those missing from L.A. and Sunnydale. Entering through separate portals their plan was to meet on the other side, track down the missing, and return in one piece. Sound easy? It might have been in the planning stages, but Spike's last minute decision to jump through the portal in search of a more vampire friendly world destroys the link between Tara, Willow, Dona Pilar, Alina and Buffy. Suddenly Buffy, Angel, and Spike as well are stranded separately, in serious trouble, with no idea how to proceed.

While those left behind struggle to reestablish the link, each of the adventurers finds themselves faced with unexpected opposition. Buffy materializes just in time to find herself in unarmed combat with a dragon. No sooner is that peril vanquished when she comes under attack by an overly aggressive suit of armor. She manages another escape and enters a castle where she is chased everywhere by giant guard rats down halls with lots (really lots) of doors. Angel appears and discovers that he must rescue a damsel in distress from several very bad guys. When said damsel takes Angel home to meet her witch grandmother Angel suddenly finds he is deep in combat with the rest of the very, very bad guys.

And Spike? Spike finds himself in what first appears to be vampire heaven, complete with rivers running with blood. When he talks to several other vampire residents he discovers that rather than heaven, he has landed in the multiverse's only vampire zoo. Escape he does, but finds that he is running from of a world full of people who keep zapping him with ray guns. Meanwhile, back home, Tara, Willow, and Dona Pilar have figured out how to reestablish contact and an emergency jailbreak is engineered to send in the shock troops, Faith.

At some point, the hysterical reader will realize that almost everyone who could appear in this Buffy story actually does, right down to a certain Sunnydale mayor. On top of this we have innumerable dimension hopping monsters, battling Russian and Hispanic gangs, and even the L.A. police. Wherever you read, something is coming to a boil. Somehow, Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte manage to keep things together and maintain pace throughout the entire novel. From a character viewpoint things have stabilized and the Riley/Buffy and Tara/Willow relationships work much more effortlessly than in previous volumes. I don't think you will be disappointed. This whole series is a must read for diehard Buffy fans, and bodes well for future volumes.

Long way home was a nice ending to Unseen overall, but I didn't like the ending to Long way home itself. What Nicky does for Selma really shows that he has grown up since the start of Unseen in The burning. Overall the book was really good. Faith had some really funny lines. You won't beleave what she says to Buffy at one point. The Angel and Buffy interaction was right on. If your fan of the show buy the book you won't be disappointed mostly. Bye for now.

This book seemed pretty flat to me, compared to the characters on the TV show. Especially the sub-plot surrounding Spike. There was a lot "happening" in this book, but I couldn't be moved to care much. Unlike the show, where you can go from tears to laughing out loud in a heartbeat.

After reading the first two editions of the Unseen Trilogy I was thrilled to have my hands on the third and final installment. As a matter of fact, I was so excited I stopped reading my current book and started on Long Way Home (something I never do). I was very disappointed.

The first two book took Buffy, Angel, and their respective gangs on extraordinary journies full of adventure; with exciting plot lines interweaved and created a complex, exciting, and though-provoking story that left my mouth watering for more. Unfortunately, the conclusion was a huge letdown.

First of all there are a few inconsistancies. The third book does not pick up where the second book left off. In fact, it's as though the final few paragraphs of Doors To Alternity never even happened. Secondly, within the prologue there is a major continuity discrepency. The book takes place between seasons 4 and 5 of the series, however there was a direct reference to something that happened well into season 5! I was annoyed that the writers and the editors didn't catch it.

My major complaint about the plot was not the lack of imagination, cause there was certainly plenty; it was the congested feeling. Too much was happening at once. I think Holder and Morriette should have slowed down a little. It felt as if they needed to get everyone's point of view into the book so that the story could move forward quickly. It had a very rushed feeling and it was exhausting to read. Many of the subplots (i.e. Kate) were pointless, anyway! they could have cut a good 50 pages just by leaving the jibberish stuff out!

I enjoyed the Buffy and Angel subplot, but I thought Spike's part in the story was ludicrous. The back of the book made it seem like he would be a major contributing factor to the events and in reality he wasn't. Faith didn't appear until the story was nearly over and the writers did not do a good job with the characterization at all. More intriguing characters, like Anya, were not in the book nearly enough and I think if they did less with Spike they could have fit these characters into the story.

The biggest thing I disliked about the book was the outcome of the rival gang. It was too quick. The series spent three books leading up to this event and the end was rushed, incomplete, and quite ridiculous. I don't want to give away too much, but why would Buffy and her friends risk gunfire and such? (..)

There were good parts to the book. I enjoyed the Buffy/Angel interaction. Cordy was written in a way very true to her character. I like the bond Willow and the bruja have formed. I think the story had the feel and texture of the show. It just didn't compare to the first two stories. I do not recommend this book unless you really want to know what the outcome of the first two books are.

WOW! That was a whirlwind of chaos and loose ends never tied up.

I loved the first two books in this trilogy and couldn't wait to get my hands on the last book, the conclusion of what, until now, had been a great story.

Things kinda fell apart in this book. Okay ... not kinda. They totally fell apart.

The authors tried to pack so much into this one novel that it's almost impossible to keep up with without a map! It was rushed, and as a reader I felt it. It left me feeling winded and exhausted.

As others have mentioned, the continuity in this novel leaves much to be desired. There were storylines left unfinished, big ones.

Willow stops breathing and dies in one chapter, steps out of the room looking pale and ill and says to Cordy, "I feel dead," in another chapter, and then is her usual self in the rest of the book. It ends with no conclusion or even acknowledgment that it even occured at all. I kept waiting for Willow to go evil and betray them, or take some kind of unexpected action as a result of apparently dying, but nada.

Faith is thrown in the mix in a slick, almost after-thought manner that doesn't do her character justice. (And that says a LOT coming from me, because I'm not a Faith or Eliza fan.) She comes in and saves everyone, despite their obvious distrust, and then hugs Buffy and Angel before willingly going back to jail. She didn't even get a Thank You. It just didn't fly, it was never rang true or came to life for me.

And then there's Spike. I love this guy. Love the wit, the naughty undertone to his character and the huge heart he tries to hide. (Figuratively speaking, of course.) He's a great character, and provides great comic relief. But what in the world happened to him? What was the ending supposed to mean? The story ended with him, in his pre-vamp body, running like a coward and hurling himself into a light, begging for help.

Huh?

When this book ends, it leaves the reader feeling like the story is unfinished. They crammed too much into it and it got sloppy. They could've easily fleshed it out and added another novel to the series.

A disappointing ending to what had otherwise been a terrific story.

There seem to be some continuity problems with this novel, or maybe it's just too complicated. There are too many characters packed in, and a lot of times I'm left wondering "why are they in there?" The part about Faith in prison is interesting, but it seems to me she was added to the plot just so they could use those scenes. Willow dies on one page (relax, she's a major character, we know they'll bring her back, just after a lot of work) forget the lot of work: the next thing we know she's just up and now the phone is dead. (Looks like they cut something there and forgot to clean up).

The back cover says that the door is closed when one of the people they are trying to rescue is klilled: doesn't happen. There's supposed to be some temptation about finding a pleasant alternity - tacked on in one paragraph, not really there.

Spike get's in, but doesn't go anywhere. Other characters have cameos. Needs fewer cameos and more continuity.

If you are a big time Buffy or Angel fan, or if you've already read the preceding parts and just need an ending, then read it. Otherwise, give this one a pass.

I don't read Buffy books because they are great lit, I read them to get just a bit more fun from the characters I love. Even with that caveat, this series is a major disappointment. For one thing there is nothing "fun" about this plot. It's all unrelenting gloom and boring dialogue (and what is Buffy if not snappy banter?). The writing is poor and there are silly errors, especially continuity errors - both from book to book (cotton pants turn to leather, even after we are told "no clothing from animals") and from the series (Xander remembers Riley telling him Buffy doesn't love him -- even though that moment happened AFTER this book takes place). There are too many characters--way too many--so very little happens from moment to moment. It's like a music video flashing from one thing to another, never giving you much satisfaction. And calling it a crossover when there is so little interaction, plus advertising Spike (whom the authors seem to despise completely) and Faith, was very deceiving. On balance, a very disappointing read.

I heard these were coming out, and it was approaching my birthday of last June, I got thise and play tickets from my mom after serious begging. She bought me them as soon as each one came out, funny thing is my best friend who doestn live at all close to me, got me the first one. But this is on the third one, it was a very well written book. The scenes between Buffy and Angel were pricless and touch the b/a shippers heart. A problem was of how much Buffy acted as if she loved Riley more than anything of the world, and Angel was past, why he dreamed about her and their forgotten day. Otherwise it is a good read, as a fan of either show, or the B/A or even b/r(gag) relationship. Just one thing to people who read my review or somethign that would never happen Nancy and Jeff read this, what the hell happend to Spike?! Is there a new crossover triogly in the making*looks hopeful*