Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Conclusion
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: The most complex Buffy/Angel novel slowly winds down
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: The most complex Buffy/Angel novel slowly winds down
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing Series
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: 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*
Rating: 
Summary: Dissapointing Action
Review: I thought that Nancy and Jeff built it up to much in the summary. They said that when one of their people dies it closes the door and they must find an entiarly different way home. While that certainly did happen it didn't have that big of an effect,they fixed it in three pages. And the death wasn't all that big of a deal. I think they did not spend nearly enough time on the finding the way back through a portal.And the summary also made it sound like Faith and Spike had alot to do with the plot while they didn't really at all. Some parts and caracters(a.i Kate) could have been completely eliminated. So while it was good, because all Buffy books are in my opinion, it was definently a little dissapointing.
Rating:
Summary: The ending to a great trigiroy
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Long Way Home
Review: Long way Home was an exceptionally good book. All of the Buffy series are good but this one surpassed all my thoughts! Buffy started a new life but part of her still longs to be in Angel's arms again.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Ending in any Dimension
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Great Series
Review: Nancy Holder deserves a huge Buffy fan award. Not only did her hardcover book, "Book of Fours," provide fans with one of teh Slayer's best stories, it fit logically into the Buffy-verse without taking many great leaps. I'm not sure why she stopped writing with Christopehr Golden but I have no complaints. She blew his "Tales of the Lost Slayer" out of the water with this trilogy. It all fit neatly into the recent story lines of both Buffy and Angel (Seasons 4 / 2 respectively). Kudos! MORE NANCY MORE!!!!!!
| 
