Good Fathers would have prevented "Monster Island"
Written: Feb 20 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Well written; good story
Cons: May not be of interest for non-Jossverse fans
The Bottom Line: Love Buffy? Love Angel? Read this.
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| jnbmoore's Full Review: Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski - Monst... |
Any fans of Angel, the successful spin-off of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, were upset with the death of Doyle in season one of Angel. Doyle was a half-demon, half-human guy who had visions that helped Angel find people to help. He died helping save other half-breeds from Nazi-like purebred demons.
Fans wanted to have more of a back-story of Doyle. Also what ever happened to the Nazi demons? Would they ever return?
It took time but Christopher Golden and Thomas E Sniegoski answer this and more in Monster Island. This story takes place with characters from both Buffy and Angel.
Where does this book fit in Jossverse?
If you have no clue what the word Jossverse means or if you have never heard of Buffy nor Angel. This book may not interest you. I recommend you watch a few episodes of each or checkout www.buffyworld.com and come back here.
Monster Island takes place in the early stages of Season six of Buffy before "Once More with Feeling". It takes place in Angel season three before the Groo returns for his princess.
The Story
Evil has come to both Los Angeles and Sunnydale. Someone or something is killing half-breeds -- creatures that are half-human and half-demon. When Buffy and company investigate they come to realize that there is a Nazi-like organization Coalition for Purity is recruiting the evilest of the evil full-blood demons on a mission to first destroy all the half-breed demons and then all of humanity. Since the demons are heading to LA, Buffy, Spike, Willow, Tara, and Xander follow. Giles stays behind to watch an injured Anya and Dawn.
Meanwhile, the Angel and associates have come to realize that the same thing is happening in LA. The problem they find out is that for them the attacks are personal. The leader of the Coalition just so happens to be Doyle's dad who wants to make his son full blood. When he finds out that Doyle died helping half-breeds he goes after Angel nearly killing him a few times.
The coalition's first target is Questral. Questral is an island, also called Monster Island, that is a magically hidden sanctuary for demons. They all live there in peace and allow any demon (except vampires) to join them there. (It also happens to be the island that the half-breeds that Doyle died saving went to).
It is up to the Scoobies and the Fang Gang to team up and defend the island and defeat the bad guys.
My take
I could just say I loved it and leave it at that but that would only get me SH ratings and wouldn't do the book any justice. Because I do have to put a caution with my "I love it", the first three fourths of the book was a page-turner. I just couldn't put it down. But something happened in the last quarter of the book. It lost steam. I still wanted to know what happened but something was missing or just didn't work. I could never put my finger on it -- which is why this got four stars instead of five.
The writing is wonderful. I loved the way the authors changed from one character to another's perspective in the same scene. Plus they wrote the characters completely in character. As I was reading the book, I could see the actors from the shows saying and acting their lines just as written in the book. Since both the Buffy and Angel shows have different feels this is very hard to master but it was done. No one seemed out of character.
Many minor characters from the past showed up including Harry, Doyle's wife; Willy, the human demon bartender; and Gunn's crew. There are nods to things that have happened in earlier novels and episodes. But the highlight of the book is the interaction between the Fang Gang and the Scoobies. Spike and Gunn have a great exchange after Spike saves the vamp hating streetfighter's life. Spike also gets to save Angel so Spike lovers will enjoy the book. Tara and Fred hit it off quickly and it almost makes one believe that it was the events in Monster Island that helped Fred break her shyness. Cordy and Xander get to spend time alone researching and a street kid can even pick up the old heat that used to go between them. We see much more of the Tara/Willow relationship and even see signs of Willow getting addicted to magic.
Have you ever had to consider yourself the bogeyman? Buffy gets confronted that on Monster Island she is the one that gets the children to bed on time. While at the same time all of the Scoobies appreciate how Cordy has matured with time. There is also a wonderful speech from Buffy that gives insight on why she's let Spike live.
There was even a three-page discussion of how the majority of the characters had bad relations with their fathers. If Angel's father had accepted him, would Angelus have ever wrecked havoc for two hundred years? I love how this discussion even foreshadowed Xander leaving Anya at the altar later on in Season six of Buffy.
That alone was the main highlight of the book. The authors used their hindsight to foreshadow for both Angel and Buffy. Not only did they bring up the past but also they connected it with the future and I didn't find any glaring continuity problems throughout.
Warnings
If this book were a movie it would be rated PG.
There is no language warning for this book.
As this is war there is plenty of fighting. The descriptions describe and then allow your imagination to take over while not being too graphic.
There is one sex scene alluded to.
Final Recommendation
Buffy fans needing a fix. Angel fans afraid that the end is near for our hero (http://www.savingangel.com). These are the two most obvious audiences for this book. I don't hesitate to tell you to pick it up and read it.
In a way it's a shame that I don't really see others being interested in the book. The writing is excellent. The character development and interaction is wonderful. But I do think without a background in Jossverse you may just think it's a good story but not appreciate the work the authors went into making Monster Island the missing piece. TV often leaves holes that due to time there are issues that can't be addressed. They are in Monster Island -- which is why the book deserves a read.
It's not every book that admits that it uses a "deus ex machina". Read this book for that uniqueness alone.
Recommended:
Yes
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