good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

Far From A One-Tracked Story, 10 Dec 2003
From a very early age Eddie only ever had one dream and that was to be a driver. This is the story of how he realised that dream and how he came to earn the respect of his peers, which was one of the few things in life he valued. It seems that it didn't matter how good or bad someone was according to Eddie, if they complimented him on his driving, then they were okay in his book.

Eddie makes a very interesting character. He was a mixture of extreme naivety when it came to common emotional issues, but he had an instinctive cunning when it came to survival. It gives him a much deeper level of complexity than was first apparent and is one of the great strengths of the book.

I found this to be a very quick read and is modelled off the old pulps of yesteryear, both in external appearance and in content. The writing is succinct and to the point and the story moves along at great pace before reaching a shattering conclusion.

WHEEEEEEEEW, 12 Apr 2003
Andrew Vachss is in my view the best crime fiction writer alive.
His Burke series is a must for anyone who likes the genre.

Vachss doesn't dissapoint in his new novel. His writing as always is strong and taut, prose that hits you like the proverbial sledgehammer.

In "The Getawayman" Eddie lives to drive and begins stealing cars at a very young age. He dreams of becoming a getaway driver for a professional crew. After many false starts, as a young boy in juvinile prison and later in a state prison Eddie finally ends up a driver for J.C. a legendary hi-jacker and robber. J.C. and his crew have in mind the ultimate job, the retirement score and Eddie is to be the getawayman.

Eddie is an innocent, a simple person whom you can't help but like. you will be rooting for him to succed in his dream.

I read this book in one sitting. Go out buy it and read. You'll love it.

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

Far From A One-Tracked Story, 10 Dec 2003
From a very early age Eddie only ever had one dream and that was to be a driver. This is the story of how he realised that dream and how he came to earn the respect of his peers, which was one of the few things in life he valued. It seems that it didn't matter how good or bad someone was according to Eddie, if they complimented him on his driving, then they were okay in his book.

Eddie makes a very interesting character. He was a mixture of extreme naivety when it came to common emotional issues, but he had an instinctive cunning when it came to survival. It gives him a much deeper level of complexity than was first apparent and is one of the great strengths of the book.

I found this to be a very quick read and is modelled off the old pulps of yesteryear, both in external appearance and in content. The writing is succinct and to the point and the story moves along at great pace before reaching a shattering conclusion.

WHEEEEEEEEW, 12 Apr 2003
Andrew Vachss is in my view the best crime fiction writer alive.
His Burke series is a must for anyone who likes the genre.

Vachss doesn't dissapoint in his new novel. His writing as always is strong and taut, prose that hits you like the proverbial sledgehammer.

In "The Getawayman" Eddie lives to drive and begins stealing cars at a very young age. He dreams of becoming a getaway driver for a professional crew. After many false starts, as a young boy in juvinile prison and later in a state prison Eddie finally ends up a driver for J.C. a legendary hi-jacker and robber. J.C. and his crew have in mind the ultimate job, the retirement score and Eddie is to be the getawayman.

Eddie is an innocent, a simple person whom you can't help but like. you will be rooting for him to succed in his dream.

I read this book in one sitting. Go out buy it and read. You'll love it.

Of shapeshifters and skin walkers, 20 Sep 2005
The seedy carnival looks like just the thing to give buffy and her friends, a break from staking bloodsuckrs. but then buffy senses something evil behind this carnival and the way john vornholt writes this is tremendous!

xander and willow aren't sure. they don't buy buffy's notion that the carneys are somehow connected to the corpses turning up around sunnydale. it doesn't help that her two best buds are both interested in somebody at the carnival.

can she find out what's going on in time to save her friends or has the slayer become the prey is the question this fantabulous writer has written on everyones lips!

GREAT! 10 out of 10!

The most realistic portrayal of the Scoobies as teenagers, 16 Jan 2002
As if there is not enough fun stuff happening in Sunnydale, a carnival comes to town. Buffy, Xander and Willow head out for some serious rest and relaxation only to discover things are not as they seem and now the corpses popping up around town bear the marks of coyotes not vampires. But while Buffy is suspicious, Xander is smitten with Rose, a seductive siren from the carnival midway, while Willow has caught the eye of Lonnie, the barker. Somehow, you just know all the pieces are going to come together and it will then be Slayer time.

My complaint, such as it is, is that John Vornholt has made Buffy, Xander and Willow more like real teenagers than they appear on the show, which ends up being something of a tradeoff with the show's trademark humor. I know how ironic it is to judge his realism by the standard of a television fantasy. This is still an above average Buffy novel. It is also rather interesting to read this book and know that Willow is going to end up dating Oz down the road, since our favorite gal pal spends some serious timing kissing a carney guy who turns out to be a werecoyote. Of course a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, but the true Buffy fan still remembers when.

Excellent!, 11 Apr 2001
This book would have made a great Season One episode and will be enjoyed by Buffy fans of all ages.

confusing but a good twist at the end, 09 Oct 2000
this is a great book with an even better twist at the end. it is confusing if you haven't read any older buffy books!

Good, 20 Aug 2000
I am a really big fan of Buffy and i have read all the Buffy books but this one disappointed me a bit. Although the middle and the end was good, the beginning was boring and nearly made me stop reading it but i didn't and found the book quite good at the end.

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

Far From A One-Tracked Story, 10 Dec 2003
From a very early age Eddie only ever had one dream and that was to be a driver. This is the story of how he realised that dream and how he came to earn the respect of his peers, which was one of the few things in life he valued. It seems that it didn't matter how good or bad someone was according to Eddie, if they complimented him on his driving, then they were okay in his book.

Eddie makes a very interesting character. He was a mixture of extreme naivety when it came to common emotional issues, but he had an instinctive cunning when it came to survival. It gives him a much deeper level of complexity than was first apparent and is one of the great strengths of the book.

I found this to be a very quick read and is modelled off the old pulps of yesteryear, both in external appearance and in content. The writing is succinct and to the point and the story moves along at great pace before reaching a shattering conclusion.

WHEEEEEEEEW, 12 Apr 2003
Andrew Vachss is in my view the best crime fiction writer alive.
His Burke series is a must for anyone who likes the genre.

Vachss doesn't dissapoint in his new novel. His writing as always is strong and taut, prose that hits you like the proverbial sledgehammer.

In "The Getawayman" Eddie lives to drive and begins stealing cars at a very young age. He dreams of becoming a getaway driver for a professional crew. After many false starts, as a young boy in juvinile prison and later in a state prison Eddie finally ends up a driver for J.C. a legendary hi-jacker and robber. J.C. and his crew have in mind the ultimate job, the retirement score and Eddie is to be the getawayman.

Eddie is an innocent, a simple person whom you can't help but like. you will be rooting for him to succed in his dream.

I read this book in one sitting. Go out buy it and read. You'll love it.

Of shapeshifters and skin walkers, 20 Sep 2005
The seedy carnival looks like just the thing to give buffy and her friends, a break from staking bloodsuckrs. but then buffy senses something evil behind this carnival and the way john vornholt writes this is tremendous!

xander and willow aren't sure. they don't buy buffy's notion that the carneys are somehow connected to the corpses turning up around sunnydale. it doesn't help that her two best buds are both interested in somebody at the carnival.

can she find out what's going on in time to save her friends or has the slayer become the prey is the question this fantabulous writer has written on everyones lips!

GREAT! 10 out of 10!

The most realistic portrayal of the Scoobies as teenagers, 16 Jan 2002
As if there is not enough fun stuff happening in Sunnydale, a carnival comes to town. Buffy, Xander and Willow head out for some serious rest and relaxation only to discover things are not as they seem and now the corpses popping up around town bear the marks of coyotes not vampires. But while Buffy is suspicious, Xander is smitten with Rose, a seductive siren from the carnival midway, while Willow has caught the eye of Lonnie, the barker. Somehow, you just know all the pieces are going to come together and it will then be Slayer time.

My complaint, such as it is, is that John Vornholt has made Buffy, Xander and Willow more like real teenagers than they appear on the show, which ends up being something of a tradeoff with the show's trademark humor. I know how ironic it is to judge his realism by the standard of a television fantasy. This is still an above average Buffy novel. It is also rather interesting to read this book and know that Willow is going to end up dating Oz down the road, since our favorite gal pal spends some serious timing kissing a carney guy who turns out to be a werecoyote. Of course a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, but the true Buffy fan still remembers when.

Excellent!, 11 Apr 2001
This book would have made a great Season One episode and will be enjoyed by Buffy fans of all ages.

confusing but a good twist at the end, 09 Oct 2000
this is a great book with an even better twist at the end. it is confusing if you haven't read any older buffy books!

Good, 20 Aug 2000
I am a really big fan of Buffy and i have read all the Buffy books but this one disappointed me a bit. Although the middle and the end was good, the beginning was boring and nearly made me stop reading it but i didn't and found the book quite good at the end.

PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD BURKE!!, 13 Nov 2001
Before I start in on the review of the newest novel by Andrew Vachss, let me first say that the Four-star rating I've given this book is a marginal one. A three-and-a-half star rating would've been closer to what I feel it deserves. My gripe with the present "Burke" novels is that since the death of Wesley, Mr. Vachss has taken the series in a different direction. The violence and darkness that was so powerful in the earlier books has gradually been toned down, and Burke has become more introspective and philosophical. Even Max the Silent has been more or less eased out of the last few novels with only an occasional cameo appearance. In other words, the author slowly removed the things that made the "Burke" series stand out in the world of fiction and that gave it the solid punch in the gut that other novels seemed to lack. That's my complaint for better or worse. With regards to PAIN MANAGEMENT, I can say that I enjoyed this novel slightly more than I did the last one. Burke is still living in the Portland area of Oregon with his Cambodian girlfriend, Gem. Feeling bored and not having much to do, Burke decides to accept a job from Kevin Carpin to find his missing teenage daughter, Rosebud. It appears that Rosebud is a runaway, and no one has the slightest idea where she's gone or why. Burke questions her family, then the teachers at her school, and then her best friend. He begins to gradually pick up clues that lead him to the writer of a comic book series that Rosebud liked to read. In time, he runs into Peaches, a lone, sexy female who knows the dark streets of Portland and where the action in the city is located. Peaches is also a drug runner, but not in the normal sense of the term. She hijacks, with the help of friends, truckloads of medical drugs so that people in the area who are dying of AIDS and have terminal cancer can receive the necessary medication they need to ease their suffering. Burke eventually agrees to assist Peaches in a hijacking in return for her help in finding Rosebud. At the same time, as Burke continues his search in the red-light district of Portland, he discovers that a couple of guys just out of prison are threatening the prostitutes on the street with outright violence in order to get a percentage of their nightly earnings. Deciding to take out the two scumbags, Burke reverts to his old ways (Yeah!!!) as he teaches the guys the true meaning of violence. In the background of all of this is still the mysterious reason as to why Rosebud ran away and where she's hiding. In PAIN MANAGEMENT, a large part of the novel is spent with Burke simply driving around and asking questions. At least he's doing something this time around! The book doesn't have a lot of action, but what there is reminded me of the earlier novels. A great deal of information is given about the plight of sick people in our country who are unable to get the necessary drugs to alleviate their pain and how little the government is doing about it. There's also a bit of information concerning the mean streets of Portland and what one can expect to see should a visit to the area ever come about. Burke and Gem (she's pushing hard for some kind of commitment from him) are definitely not getting along, and our dark knight thinks about returning to New York, where his chosen family is, a number of times throughout the book. One can only hope! I have no complaints about the writing style of Mr. Vachss. He's an exceptional author who knows how to create dark and intriguing characters, as well as a brooding atmosphere for his stories. The only thing I ask for is more action in the books. Bring back Burke's family, especially Max the Silent. Even that may not be enough, however. All of the original characters seem to be too comfortable and complacent in their present lives. Wesley is definitely the one to bring back! Since his death several years ago was left open-ended, it could easily be done. I even think Mr. Vachss has been considering the possibility of doing this for the last couple of novels. Wesley is the only character that can raise the stakes, kick some righteous butt from one end of the city to the other, and give the old-time readers an adrenaline rush that will knock them right out of their seats. Andrew Vachss is a remarkable author who's already proven his ability to write the best hardcore action-thrillers in the business, and he can definitely do it again!

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

Far From A One-Tracked Story, 10 Dec 2003
From a very early age Eddie only ever had one dream and that was to be a driver. This is the story of how he realised that dream and how he came to earn the respect of his peers, which was one of the few things in life he valued. It seems that it didn't matter how good or bad someone was according to Eddie, if they complimented him on his driving, then they were okay in his book.

Eddie makes a very interesting character. He was a mixture of extreme naivety when it came to common emotional issues, but he had an instinctive cunning when it came to survival. It gives him a much deeper level of complexity than was first apparent and is one of the great strengths of the book.

I found this to be a very quick read and is modelled off the old pulps of yesteryear, both in external appearance and in content. The writing is succinct and to the point and the story moves along at great pace before reaching a shattering conclusion.

WHEEEEEEEEW, 12 Apr 2003
Andrew Vachss is in my view the best crime fiction writer alive.
His Burke series is a must for anyone who likes the genre.

Vachss doesn't dissapoint in his new novel. His writing as always is strong and taut, prose that hits you like the proverbial sledgehammer.

In "The Getawayman" Eddie lives to drive and begins stealing cars at a very young age. He dreams of becoming a getaway driver for a professional crew. After many false starts, as a young boy in juvinile prison and later in a state prison Eddie finally ends up a driver for J.C. a legendary hi-jacker and robber. J.C. and his crew have in mind the ultimate job, the retirement score and Eddie is to be the getawayman.

Eddie is an innocent, a simple person whom you can't help but like. you will be rooting for him to succed in his dream.

I read this book in one sitting. Go out buy it and read. You'll love it.

Of shapeshifters and skin walkers, 20 Sep 2005
The seedy carnival looks like just the thing to give buffy and her friends, a break from staking bloodsuckrs. but then buffy senses something evil behind this carnival and the way john vornholt writes this is tremendous!

xander and willow aren't sure. they don't buy buffy's notion that the carneys are somehow connected to the corpses turning up around sunnydale. it doesn't help that her two best buds are both interested in somebody at the carnival.

can she find out what's going on in time to save her friends or has the slayer become the prey is the question this fantabulous writer has written on everyones lips!

GREAT! 10 out of 10!

The most realistic portrayal of the Scoobies as teenagers, 16 Jan 2002
As if there is not enough fun stuff happening in Sunnydale, a carnival comes to town. Buffy, Xander and Willow head out for some serious rest and relaxation only to discover things are not as they seem and now the corpses popping up around town bear the marks of coyotes not vampires. But while Buffy is suspicious, Xander is smitten with Rose, a seductive siren from the carnival midway, while Willow has caught the eye of Lonnie, the barker. Somehow, you just know all the pieces are going to come together and it will then be Slayer time.

My complaint, such as it is, is that John Vornholt has made Buffy, Xander and Willow more like real teenagers than they appear on the show, which ends up being something of a tradeoff with the show's trademark humor. I know how ironic it is to judge his realism by the standard of a television fantasy. This is still an above average Buffy novel. It is also rather interesting to read this book and know that Willow is going to end up dating Oz down the road, since our favorite gal pal spends some serious timing kissing a carney guy who turns out to be a werecoyote. Of course a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, but the true Buffy fan still remembers when.

Excellent!, 11 Apr 2001
This book would have made a great Season One episode and will be enjoyed by Buffy fans of all ages.

confusing but a good twist at the end, 09 Oct 2000
this is a great book with an even better twist at the end. it is confusing if you haven't read any older buffy books!

Good, 20 Aug 2000
I am a really big fan of Buffy and i have read all the Buffy books but this one disappointed me a bit. Although the middle and the end was good, the beginning was boring and nearly made me stop reading it but i didn't and found the book quite good at the end.

PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD BURKE!!, 13 Nov 2001
Before I start in on the review of the newest novel by Andrew Vachss, let me first say that the Four-star rating I've given this book is a marginal one. A three-and-a-half star rating would've been closer to what I feel it deserves. My gripe with the present "Burke" novels is that since the death of Wesley, Mr. Vachss has taken the series in a different direction. The violence and darkness that was so powerful in the earlier books has gradually been toned down, and Burke has become more introspective and philosophical. Even Max the Silent has been more or less eased out of the last few novels with only an occasional cameo appearance. In other words, the author slowly removed the things that made the "Burke" series stand out in the world of fiction and that gave it the solid punch in the gut that other novels seemed to lack. That's my complaint for better or worse. With regards to PAIN MANAGEMENT, I can say that I enjoyed this novel slightly more than I did the last one. Burke is still living in the Portland area of Oregon with his Cambodian girlfriend, Gem. Feeling bored and not having much to do, Burke decides to accept a job from Kevin Carpin to find his missing teenage daughter, Rosebud. It appears that Rosebud is a runaway, and no one has the slightest idea where she's gone or why. Burke questions her family, then the teachers at her school, and then her best friend. He begins to gradually pick up clues that lead him to the writer of a comic book series that Rosebud liked to read. In time, he runs into Peaches, a lone, sexy female who knows the dark streets of Portland and where the action in the city is located. Peaches is also a drug runner, but not in the normal sense of the term. She hijacks, with the help of friends, truckloads of medical drugs so that people in the area who are dying of AIDS and have terminal cancer can receive the necessary medication they need to ease their suffering. Burke eventually agrees to assist Peaches in a hijacking in return for her help in finding Rosebud. At the same time, as Burke continues his search in the red-light district of Portland, he discovers that a couple of guys just out of prison are threatening the prostitutes on the street with outright violence in order to get a percentage of their nightly earnings. Deciding to take out the two scumbags, Burke reverts to his old ways (Yeah!!!) as he teaches the guys the true meaning of violence. In the background of all of this is still the mysterious reason as to why Rosebud ran away and where she's hiding. In PAIN MANAGEMENT, a large part of the novel is spent with Burke simply driving around and asking questions. At least he's doing something this time around! The book doesn't have a lot of action, but what there is reminded me of the earlier novels. A great deal of information is given about the plight of sick people in our country who are unable to get the necessary drugs to alleviate their pain and how little the government is doing about it. There's also a bit of information concerning the mean streets of Portland and what one can expect to see should a visit to the area ever come about. Burke and Gem (she's pushing hard for some kind of commitment from him) are definitely not getting along, and our dark knight thinks about returning to New York, where his chosen family is, a number of times throughout the book. One can only hope! I have no complaints about the writing style of Mr. Vachss. He's an exceptional author who knows how to create dark and intriguing characters, as well as a brooding atmosphere for his stories. The only thing I ask for is more action in the books. Bring back Burke's family, especially Max the Silent. Even that may not be enough, however. All of the original characters seem to be too comfortable and complacent in their present lives. Wesley is definitely the one to bring back! Since his death several years ago was left open-ended, it could easily be done. I even think Mr. Vachss has been considering the possibility of doing this for the last couple of novels. Wesley is the only character that can raise the stakes, kick some righteous butt from one end of the city to the other, and give the old-time readers an adrenaline rush that will knock them right out of their seats. Andrew Vachss is a remarkable author who's already proven his ability to write the best hardcore action-thrillers in the business, and he can definitely do it again!

Uneven, but any Burke novel is a treat, 26 Jan 2003
This is the twelfth Burke novel by my reckoning - "Pain Management" is the thirteenth - and it's a little different. While some readers may find that hard to accept, it is implicit in Andrew Vachss' style of merciless realism. Without giving too much away, Burke's elaborate defences finally let him down as he accepts one job too many. It spells the end of his life in New York, and very nearly the end of his life period. Things drifted a little out of focus for me as Burke sets out to track down those responsible, winding up in Portland, Oregon with a new identity and a new girlfriend. But then the momentum builds again, relentlessly, to an elegantly understated climax. On the way, we get some more flashes of Burke's early life when he and Wesley befriended a saintly boy with a talent governments would kill to lay their hands on. And pay a flying visit to a place that is almost literally out of this world.

Vachss' style can't be everyone's favourite, or he would be top of the best-seller lists. But I for one rate his books as one of the things that make life worth living.

Bad Burke - bummer!, 12 Dec 2002
Oh dear. What a disappointment. Having loved most of Vachss's previous Burke novels with their taut, pared-down prose and hellish underworld milieu, I was looking forward to reading this. But, sadly, this isn't a very good book. The narrative felt tired - I found myself bored as the standard mechanics of Burke thrillers (Burke goes through paranoid urban survivalist precautions while unravelling mystery, leading to violent climax in which Burke pulls off intricate scam) unwound in uninspired fashion.

I think I've lost the faith with this one - won't be coming back for more...

After treading water, Vachss returns to top form with Burke, 18 Mar 2002
It's difficult to review this without giving too much away. Suffice to say Vachss hits us readers early on with a blow that is the literary equivalent of a punch from Max the Silent and then goes on to re-create the tension that was so prevalent in the early Burke novels but that has been missing in the last few. We meet the old crew, we meet a new crew, we revisit Burke's past (and learn a lot of new things about his childhood) and best of all Vachss leads us down a path that you don't see the end of until it arrives.

Dead and Gone is hair-raising!, 14 Jan 2001
It's not an unusual job for Burke to act as a middleman in an exchange of cash for a kidnapped child. This time the only things exchanged are bullets & they're all meant for Burke.

Reading an Andrew Vachss book is to race through a tunnel at top speed, briefly catching sight of stops only to be hurtled on to the next. With tense jolts Vachss drives us relentlessly through every intersection & offers us panting station halts for memories long since forgotten; or hoped so. There is a lean & hungry feel to Vachss' writing & yet, for the first time, I note a bubbling up of humor. A thrilling & unput-downable adventure!

If you haven't read any of Andrew Vachss' hair-raising philosophical thrillers I do encourage you to do so.

Not his best work, but still brilliant, 20 Sep 2000
Just read this, the latest Burke novel. Very different to his previous books. For a start it it set in the North West. He seems to be mellowing a bit, maybe it's his age. He must be in his 50's by now. The book starts of with the death of a long term partner, this starts his drive for revenge, a drive that sends him to Portland. He needs help from 2 old friends, and we learn even more about Burke's horrific childhood. It's about time somebody made these books into films, I think we've all seen quite enough Stephen King & John Grisham films. Come on Hollywood, get your act together...

good book!, 09 May 2008
this is one of the best Aliens books! art work is good, story is good, but don't buy it brand new as it's not worth £16 as you will breeze through quickly got mine for £7 from the marketplace well worth the money!
if your thinking about getting the other Aliens omnibus don't! cos they are pants! this is by far the best!

Wilks and Billie?!?, 14 Feb 2008
This is a great budget value collection of several of the Alien's graphic novels kicking off with the legendary Mark Vernhieden Dark Horse collection from the late 80s. Full colour, great print, and all stories are extremely good. However, my only minor gripe is the editing that's occurred in the Genocide story. This was written prior to Alien 3 even being announced, and as such follows the post Aliens adventures of Hicks and Newt. However, they have edited the story to be about a girl called 'Billie', and a Colonial Marine called 'Wilks' (despite mentioning many of the other aliens colonial marines by name in flashbacks). I guess this is to incorporate itself into the proper continuity of the aliens series, but come on... Can we not read an 'alternate' story and just enjoy it for what it is? All in all, great, but if you're after pure authenticity, you might wanna track down some original versions of the Vernheiden story!

Great, dark & gritty, 12 Sep 2007
I'm a big fan of 'grittier' storylines and this book is a great addition to modern horror I think.

The characters are believable and the story involves you with them very well, taking you on an interesting journey through Vivian Vande Velde's world of modern vampires. The main characters, Ethan & Kerry end up being chased by fanatical vampire-hunters as well as the authorities - exposing not only Ethan's vampire friends to danger but also Kerry's close human family.

Overall, this dark story is engaging with the reader and makes for a good night-time read.

WOOOWWWW!!!!, 20 Jan 2007
My GOd! jeje, this book was soooo good! i was SO Hooked! i mean, i loved it soooo much that i was reading the book during class!lol the plot is amazing! really really good! Ethan, it one of the best characters i have ever read in a long time! i ADORE him, his personality, his everything, and it just seems perfect for Kerry to fall into place with him! the ending was sooo very very breath catching! i didn't know wat was going to happen! and it was sooo sad in the end, i didn't want that to happen(not saying wat happend,incase of spoilers) aannnddd...like the others said!! Ethan said he can take the vampire out of him! so there must be a way for her and ethan to b together, i mean read how desperate and sad they were to separate!
PLEASE, OH PLEASE, VIVIAN! PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL, you can't end it like this, PLEASE write another!!
bye bye:)

an ordinary night in the extraordinary, 06 Apr 2006
Two complete strangers, one long night and a hint of something not quite natural and you get this fantastic book. All the action takes place in one night, the authors pace is relentless just like her characters your exhausted by the end of the book. But when it finally gets there you want to rewind the whole book, like a good film, and rewatch it. Immersing yourself in the smells and the sights. Terrific.
Kerry didn't expect a simple trip to the launderettte's to retrieve her brothers teddy to be quite so eventful. She didn't expect to get cuaght up in a kidnap scenario and have to rescue some random guy called Ethan and so begins her extremely long night. Kerry finds herself caught up in a night of bizarreness that she just cant seem to shake off. And what is it with Ethan? What's so strange about him.....?

trust gone wrong, 03 Jan 2004
kerry nowicki didn`t realise doing a favor for her kid brother would go so wrong.she thought she was doing the right thing helping out ethan bryne, not seeing in the future it would put herself and her family in danger. The characters in this were excellent-Ethan was the best;you never knew when he was lying or telling the truth.Everything in this was well put and described. This is a book that needs a sequl. So if you like vampires,romance,action and danger you`ll love this.

BRILLIANT!!!, 20 May 2003
I read this book when I was in High School, I just found it lying around in the liberary and thought that I would give it a go. After I read it once I couldnt put it down, I even read it three times in one day. I agree in Vivian Velde making a sequal, I think she left it open for it. The couple Kerry and Ethan were obviously destined. Ethan said that their was one way for him to reverse the vampire inside, he never disclosed what it was. Lets just all hope for the best. PLEASE VIVIAN GIVE US A SEQUAL.

Far From A One-Tracked Story, 10 Dec 2003
From a very early age Eddie only ever had one dream and that was to be a driver. This is the story of how he realised that dream and how he came to earn the respect of his peers, which was one of the few things in life he valued. It seems that it didn't matter how good or bad someone was according to Eddie, if they complimented him on his driving, then they were okay in his book.

Eddie makes a very interesting character. He was a mixture of extreme naivety when it came to common emotional issues, but he had an instinctive cunning when it came to survival. It gives him a much deeper level of complexity than was first apparent and is one of the great strengths of the book.

I found this to be a very quick read and is modelled off the old pulps of yesteryear, both in external appearance and in content. The writing is succinct and to the point and the story moves along at great pace before reaching a shattering conclusion.

WHEEEEEEEEW, 12 Apr 2003
Andrew Vachss is in my view the best crime fiction writer alive.
His Burke series is a must for anyone who likes the genre.

Vachss doesn't dissapoint in his new novel. His writing as always is strong and taut, prose that hits you like the proverbial sledgehammer.

In "The Getawayman" Eddie lives to drive and begins stealing cars at a very young age. He dreams of becoming a getaway driver for a professional crew. After many false starts, as a young boy in juvinile prison and later in a state prison Eddie finally ends up a driver for J.C. a legendary hi-jacker and robber. J.C. and his crew have in mind the ultimate job, the retirement score and Eddie is to be the getawayman.

Eddie is an innocent, a simple person whom you can't help but like. you will be rooting for him to succed in his dream.

I read this book in one sitting. Go out buy it and read. You'll love it.

Of shapeshifters and skin walkers, 20 Sep 2005
The seedy carnival looks like just the thing to give buffy and her friends, a break from staking bloodsuckrs. but then buffy senses something evil behind this carnival and the way john vornholt writes this is tremendous!

xander and willow aren't sure. they don't buy buffy's notion that the carneys are somehow connected to the corpses turning up around sunnydale. it doesn't help that her two best buds are both interested in somebody at the carnival.

can she find out what's going on in time to save her friends or has the slayer become the prey is the question this fantabulous writer has written on everyones lips!

GREAT! 10 out of 10!

The most realistic portrayal of the Scoobies as teenagers, 16 Jan 2002
As if there is not enough fun stuff happening in Sunnydale, a carnival comes to town. Buffy, Xander and Willow head out for some serious rest and relaxation only to discover things are not as they seem and now the corpses popping up around town bear the marks of coyotes not vampires. But while Buffy is suspicious, Xander is smitten with Rose, a seductive siren from the carnival midway, while Willow has caught the eye of Lonnie, the barker. Somehow, you just know all the pieces are going to come together and it will then be Slayer time.

My complaint, such as it is, is that John Vornholt has made Buffy, Xander and Willow more like real teenagers than they appear on the show, which ends up being something of a tradeoff with the show's trademark humor. I know how ironic it is to judge his realism by the standard of a television fantasy. This is still an above average Buffy novel. It is also rather interesting to read this book and know that Willow is going to end up dating Oz down the road, since our favorite gal pal spends some serious timing kissing a carney guy who turns out to be a werecoyote. Of course a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, but the true Buffy fan still remembers when.

Excellent!, 11 Apr 2001
This book would have made a great Season One episode and will be enjoyed by Buffy fans of all ages.

confusing but a good twist at the end, 09 Oct 2000
this is a great book with an even better twist at the end. it is confusing if you haven't read any older buffy books!

Good, 20 Aug 2000
I am a really big fan of Buffy and i have read all the Buffy books but this one disappointed me a bit. Although the middle and the end was good, the beginning was boring and nearly made me stop reading it but i didn't and found the book quite good at the end.

PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD BURKE!!, 13 Nov 2001
Before I start in on the review of the newest novel by Andrew Vachss, let me first say that the Four-star rating I've given this book is a marginal one. A three-and-a-half star rating would've been closer to what I feel it deserves. My gripe with the present "Burke" novels is that since the death of Wesley, Mr. Vachss has taken the series in a different direction. The violence and darkness that was so powerful in the earlier books has gradually been toned down, and Burke has become more introspective and philosophical. Even Max the Silent has been more or less eased out of the last few novels with only an occasional cameo appearance. In other words, the author slowly removed the things that made the "Burke" series stand out in the world of fiction and that gave it the solid punch in the gut that other novels seemed to lack. That's my complaint for better or worse. With regards to PAIN MANAGEMENT, I can say that I enjoyed this novel slightly more than I did the last one. Burke is still living in the Portland area of Oregon with his Cambodian girlfriend, Gem. Feeling bored and not having much to do, Burke decides to accept a job from Kevin Carpin to find his missing teenage daughter, Rosebud. It appears that Rosebud is a runaway, and no one has the slightest idea where she's gone or why. Burke questions her family, then the teachers at her school, and then her best friend. He begins to gradually pick up clues that lead him to the writer of a comic book series that Rosebud liked to read. In time, he runs into Peaches, a lone, sexy female who knows the dark streets of Portland and where the action in the city is located. Peaches is also a drug runner, but not in the normal sense of the term. She hijacks, with the help of friends, truckloads of medical drugs so that people in the area who are dying of AIDS and have terminal cancer can receive the necessary medication they need to ease their suffering. Burke eventually agrees to assist Peaches in a hijacking in return for her help in finding Rosebud. At the same time, as Burke continues his search in the red-light district of Portland, he discovers that a couple of guys just out of prison are threatening the prostitutes on the street with outright violence in order to get a percentage of their nightly earnings. Deciding to take out the two scumbags, Burke reverts to his old ways (Yeah!!!) as he teaches the guys the true meaning of violence. In the background of all of this is still the mysterious reason as to why Rosebud ran away and where she's hiding. In PAIN MANAGEMENT, a large part of the novel is spent with Burke simply driving around and asking questions. At least he's doing something this time around! The book doesn't have a lot of action, but what there is reminded me of the earlier novels. A great deal of information is given about the plight of sick people in our country who are unable to get the necessary drugs to alleviate their pain and how little the government is doing about it. There's also a bit of information concerning the mean streets of Portland and what one can expect to see should a visit to the area ever come about. Burke and Gem (she's pushing hard for some kind of commitment from him) are definitely not getting along, and our dark knight thinks about returning to New York, where his chosen family is, a number of times throughout the book. One can only hope! I have no complaints about the writing style of Mr. Vachss. He's an exceptional author who knows how to create dark and intriguing characters, as well as a brooding atmosphere for his stories. The only thing I ask for is more action in the books. Bring back Burke's family, especially Max the Silent. Even that may not be enough, however. All of the original characters seem to be too comfortable and complacent in their present lives. Wesley is definitely the one to bring back! Since his death several years ago was left open-ended, it could easily be done. I even think Mr. Vachss has been considering the possibility of doing this for the last couple of novels. Wesley is the only character that can raise the stakes, kick some righteous butt from one end of the city to the other, and give the old-time readers an adrenaline rush that will knock them right out of their seats. Andrew Vachss is a remarkable author who's already proven his ability to write the best hardcore action-thrillers in the business, and he can definitely do it again!

Uneven, but any Burke novel is a treat, 26 Jan 2003
This is the twelfth Burke novel by my reckoning - "Pain Management" is the thirteenth - and it's a little different. While some readers may find that hard to accept, it is implicit in Andrew Vachss' style of merciless realism. Without giving too much away, Burke's elaborate defences finally let him down as he accepts one job too many. It spells the end of his life in New York, and very nearly the end of his life period. Things drifted a little out of focus for me as Burke sets out to track down those responsible, winding up in Portland, Oregon with a new identity and a new girlfriend. But then the momentum builds again, relentlessly, to an elegantly understated climax. On the way, we get some more flashes of Burke's early life when he and Wesley befriended a saintly boy with a talent governments would kill to lay their hands on. And pay a flying visit to a place that is almost literally out of this world.

Vachss' style can't be everyone's favourite, or he would be top of the best-seller lists. But I for one rate his books as one of the things that make life worth living.

Bad Burke - bummer!, 12 Dec 2002
Oh dear. What a disappointment. Having loved most of Vachss's previous Burke novels with their taut, pared-down prose and hellish underworld milieu, I was looking forward to reading this. But, sadly, this isn't a very good book. The narrative felt tired - I found myself bored as the standard mechanics of Burke thrillers (Burke goes through paranoid urban survivalist precautions while unravelling mystery, leading to violent climax in which Burke pulls off intricate scam) unwound in uninspired fashion.

I think I've lost the faith with this one - won't be coming back for more...

After treading water, Vachss returns to top form with Burke, 18 Mar 2002
It's difficult to review this without giving too much away. Suffice to say Vachss hits us readers early on with a blow that is the literary equivalent of a punch from Max the Silent and then goes on to re-create the tension that was so prevalent in the early Burke novels but that has been missing in the last few. We meet the old crew, we meet a new crew, we revisit Burke's past (and learn a lot of new things about his childhood) and best of all Vachss leads us down a path that you don't see the end of until it arrives.

Dead and Gone is hair-raising!, 14 Jan 2001
It's not an unusual job for Burke to act as a middleman in an exchange of cash for a kidnapped child. This time the only things exchanged are bullets & they're all meant for Burke.

Reading an Andrew Vachss book is to race through a tunnel at top speed, briefly catching sight of stops only to be hurtled on to the next. With tense jolts Vachss drives us relentlessly through every intersection & offers us panting station halts for memories long since forgotten; or hoped so. There is a lean & hungry feel to Vachss' writing & yet, for the first time, I note a bubbling up of humor. A thrilling & unput-downable adventure!

If you haven't read any of Andrew Vachss' hair-raising philosophical thrillers I do encourage you to do so.

Not his best work, but still brilliant, 20 Sep 2000
Just read this, the latest Burke novel. Very different to his previous books. For a start it it set in the North West. He seems to be mellowing a bit, maybe it's his age. He must be in his 50's by now. The book starts of with the death of a long term partner, this starts his drive for revenge, a drive that sends him to Portland. He needs help from 2 old friends, and we learn even more about Burke's horrific childhood. It's about time somebody made these books into films, I think we've all seen quite enough Stephen King & John Grisham films. Come on Hollywood, get your act together...

Hey, it's not so bad, really..., 08 May 1999
Okay, so this isn't the *best* Burke novel, but some of the things I had read about it almost had me scared to read it. Luckily, it's not nearly as preachy or slow or off-track as they'd have you believe. I was expecting it to turn into a textbook or something, but nope, it's definitely a Burke novel, and still a good one, with some convoluted plot twists going on, especially at the end. You can't really fault Vachss for having an "agenda" with his novels, 'cuz, face it, that's what the man's about. His novels are all about promoting the things Vachss likes (from dogs to cool cars to Judy Hensky to loyalty as the cardinal virtue, etc.) and damning the things he hates (which should be obvious - the man's obsessed, but more power to 'im for that). But the bottom line is, Vachss would never steer you toward anything that wasn't good for you. He ain't preachin' - he's *testifyin'*. And ya gotta respect him for it. This is one guy I have heavy, heavy respect for, both as a fine writer and a heckuva stand-up, sincere human being, and I've been putting in work to promote this guy's work to any and everyone I can. This may not be the Burke novel you want to start with, but it shouldn't be too big a disappointment to those who've taken the ride a few times already. Even if it's the weakest of the series, the series is so incredibly strong that you can't go wrong, schoolboy... ;)

A greater writer, who has earned the right to preach!!!, 27 Apr 1998
I have enjoyed reading the noir of Andrew Vachss. His is a very hard boiled, no holds barred style, and will always, if nothing else leave his readers thinking. However, I'm rather surprised by the negative feed back Vachss has received for "False Allegations". The novel is certainly in keeping with Vachss' style and his character Burke. It is fast paced, and reads like his other works. Yet many seem to feel it is a bit preachy. To a certain extent it is preachy, But so what? Vachss having devoted his life to the helping of children, and abused children in particular, has earned the right to give a bit of a sermon if he so desires. His detractors should keep in mind that as a lawyer he didn't have to specialize in children' assistance, and defense. He could have specialized in other areas of law, become a real shark, and earned a fortune. But he didn't, and instead devoted his career to child welfare, and protection.And what they will learn is that unlike so many people in our day, Vachss doesn't simply talk the talk, he also walks the walk!!! Which is more than most people can say today. To not just believe in something, (Whatever it might be.) but living it on a daily basis. While I fully recognize that as noir prose, this novel isn't as hard boiled as his other Burke novels, nevertheless it is still a great read with a very legitimate message. It is for this reason that I gave it a ten. I have recently read "Safe House", the latest Burke novel, it was excellent, and I look forward to more in the Burke series. The series should be read in order starting with "Flood", and "False Allegations", the ninth in the Burke series should not be passed up.

Give us more Burke, 12 Jan 1998
Not as fast paced as some of the Burke novels in the past, but still worth reading for us Burke fans.

Not the Vachss book to judge by., 05 Jan 1998
Sorry, but for a novel by Andrew Vachss about Burke -- this is just not the place to go. If you want the information that is usually provided at the end of most of his books, go ahead and slog thought this one. There is some great descriptions of cerebral functioning tests and what's up with that; but, hey, that was not why I picked up the latest Burke book. O.K.?

The one disappointment in a great run., 25 Nov 1997
If you've never read a Burke novel, don't start here.Vachss has used his fictional Burke to advertise the non fictional work of CIVITAS, an admirable effort, but it just did not make for an entertaining read. False Allegations starts out strong, but the last half of the book has Burke standing around talking to people. Yawn. This one was an effort to finish