PROPHECIES (I) by Christopher Golden
DARK TIMES (II) by Christopher Golden
Buffy the Vampire Series - The Lost Slayer
Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster) - 2001
(I) ISBN: 0743430190 & (II) ISBN: 0743430204
Teen-YA / Horror / TV Tie-in

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
Buy a US Copy (I) (II) || Buy a UK (I) (II)

This is a four-part story that comes in tasty bite-sized pieces, set during the early part of the fourth season. Buffy has just started college and isn't enjoying it as much as Willow; mixing slaying with lectures and homework doesn't seem to work and the tutors just don't understand. A fresh group of vampires has hit town but something about their sheer organization, glowing eyes and bat-shaped face tattoos tells Buffy that these aren't her usual brand of bloodsuckers but something far worse. The appearance of ghostly former slayer Lucy Hanover with a dire prophecy is bad enough but when things go really pear-shaped Buffy ends up in her 24-year-old self and in jail, living in a future where vampires rule…

As usual there seems to be enough plot and action in here to keep anybody happy who loves the TV series as an Aztec god, time travel, vampires and ghosts balance out nicely against the more real teen issues such as coping with college and juggling relationships with boys, friends and parents. This is then another entertaining, fast-paced tale but it would be nice if just one Buffy novel gave us some hitherto unknown insight into one or more of the characters that you cannot get watching the series. This gripe aside
I found that this pair of books passed the time nicely and are just the thing to make great Hallowe'en reading. Keep your eyes open for the last two books in the quartet King of the Dead and Original Sins which will be out this side of Christmas.