Rating: 
Summary: A very disappointing read...
Review: If you haven't bought Obsidian Fate yet, save your money. This book was THE worst BTVS book I have read thus far. The characterization was off, the editing was bad, and it was obvious that the author isn't a fan of the series. Stick to The Gatekeeper Trilogy, it's a vastly better read.
Rating: 
Summary: Wasted opportunity
Review: It was a wasted opportunity as a Buffy novel as many of the elements of the story were actually very interesting. The story line has some elements of the Inca Mummy girl, in that it used South American mythology which is a nice change from the usual, Hellmouth demon / vampire story, most other writers do. I liked the inclusion of Mr Trick, the Mayor and Joyce - Buffy's mother, their characters were very close to those of the actors on the show. I also enjoyed the major role Buffy's mother played in the storyline. All the dramatic parts were in place but none of the fun, like pop culture references, the dialog between the main characters was especially lacking in energy. Overall not a bad book but not really as much fun as it should have been.
Rating:
Summary: For fans only ...
Review: Not one of the better Buffy books. Fans of the show will find it enjoyable, as the author employs many of the personality quirks that we have come to recognize in our favorite characters (Giles preference of Jelly doughnuts, for instance). The plot itself however is somewhat lacking, and at times unbelievable even for this genre.
Rating: 
Summary: It had potential BUT fell short
Review: Obsidian Fate could have been a very good Buffy book. The Aztec culture and mythology made an interesting setting for the story. However, this book falls short of being on par with the books written by Christopher Golden, and Nancy Holder. First there's the annoying mistake of Angelus being referred to as Angeles. Second Oz's band is named Dingoes Ate My Baby, not Dingoes Ate Your Baby. Third, it took forever for the story to get interesting. I read over half of the book before the story finally picked up the pace. Skip this one and buy the Golden, Holder books.
Rating: 
Summary: Gallagher captures the magic of Buffy characters
Review: Obsidian Fate is one of the best of the Buffy books to date. Gallagher has captured the essence of each character, right down to their signature dialogue. I can hear each character speaking her dialogue as if they were on the small screen. This is no easy thing to do in print and I am sure requires a lot of effort to get right. Diana Gallagher got it right! The research and care that she took with the Aztec legend and additional background characters to get them to fit into the story shows. The final climactic scene is an edge of your seat, get your adrenaline pumping and feet moving masterpiece. Having read all of the other Buffy books in print I can honestly say this is at the top of my list for plot, characterization and good time fun. It met my test for a good read...I wanted more when I was done. (I wonder if her word processing program automatically changed Angleus to Angles. It is no excuse for the rest of the publishing process to break down, but makes understandable how the original mistake got into the manuscript).
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good Buffy book
Review: Obsidian Fate was a pretty good book. Joss Whedon and company could have turned the story of the book into a really good two-part episode. But, Diana Gallager's wouldn't have. The book lacked action and good dialogue.But overall, it was OK.
Rating:
Summary: not worth it
Review: The buffy books by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder are good, but this one was just silly and didn't make sense. The characters sounded more like they were from Dawson's Creek than BtVS, and the ending was so dumb it made me laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to look at
Review: This book has an interesting premise, and although, I'm facinated with the Aztec culture, this book is lacking in more ways than one. First off, Gallagher has the characters pinned down all wrong. It starts at the beginning of the novel, about the third or fourth chapter when Buffy goes to Giles, excluding the slayerettes. When does this ever happen??? Second off, what's up with Cordelia? Gallagher emphasizes (maybe just a tad too much) how Cordelia still hasn't forgiven Xander, he doesn't deserve her, blah, blah, blah. If Cordy is so against Xander, why does she keep coming back, Gallagher? It took me forever to get through this book, just because there was too much history and non-Buffy characters. C'mon, Author, you mentioned Xander and Willow one time? Two times? Not to be rude or anything, Gallagher, but you might want to watch more than one episode next time you want to write a decent novel. Tip: Read The Gatekeeper Trilogy, Child of the Hunt, or other books by Holder and Golden. They have the Buffy-fic down.
Rating:
Summary: Aztec Antics Appealing
Review: This book sets the scene with a nice historical prologue. Given Diego's thoughts before he falls under the spell of the mirror, I couldn't summon up a drop of pity for his ugly fate. Besides, he was supposed to die horribly to set the stage, like all those unknowns in the teasers for "The X-Files" episodes. As such, he did his job. Early on we have a brave history teacher who knows the deadly threat the mirror poses and is prepared to risk everything to end that threat. Does he stand a chance? Is his name Buffy? We are given plenty of hints that Dr. Blaine is a pompous jerk before he even shows up, and the obnoxious doctor lives down to his billing. I'm a little sorry that the author didn't write the details of the scene where the Mayor takes the doctor down a peg because it would have been fun to read. Does Blaine deserve what happens to him? You decide. Before the book reaches its climax, the Scooby Gang and assorted extras will be subjected to the mirror's power. It's interesting to see why some sucumb and some hold firm. I've been interested in the Aztecs since I first read an article about them in "National Geographic many years ago, so I liked the glimpses into Aztec life and religion. Of course we know that all of the regulars have to come out of this alive, so there was absolutely no suspense over Buffy's prophetic dream about Angel. However, I thought the author picked an ingenious way out. Certainly the scenes of everyone trying to escape destruction would have looked good on the show. (I laughed aloud at the crack about the "USS Banquet Table"). Similarly, knowing what was to come in the episodes added a little spice to Cordelia's bragging about Stanford and Mr. Trick's assumption that he'll last through the ages. I had no trouble believing in Dem. I was amused by the way he saw Giles as creepy and laughed heartily at the chapter where Dem puts two and two together and gets one. I wasn't disappointed by his fate. I'd rate this a good adventure. Random comments: Except for p.111, every mention of Angelus is incorrectly spelled "Angeles". Why? Loved having the author remember that Giles goes for jelly doughnuts. Was even happier to see the correct date for the 3rd millenium [01 Jan 2001] given. The end of chapter three was quite spooky. Chuckled at Buffy's imaginings about Giles dealing with Ms. Frank, who looks so much like his lost Jenny, on p.125. The description of Cordelia's fighting method was good, too. It may be only a coincidence about scientist Lucy Frank's name, but in the late 18th-early 19th century there was an improving book for children called HARRY AND LUCY by the Edgeworths. Their daughter continued their work and a boy named Frank was added. It was nice to see Joyce in the swing of things.
Rating:
Summary: Aztec Antics Appealing
Review: This book sets the scene with a nice historical prologue. Given Diego's thoughts before he falls under the spell of the mirror, I couldn't summon up a drop of pity for his ugly fate. Besides, he was supposed to die horribly to set the stage, like all those unknowns in the teasers for "The X-Files" episodes. As such, he did his job. Early on we have a brave history teacher who knows the deadly threat the mirror poses and is prepared to risk everything to end that threat. Does he stand a chance? Is his name Buffy? We are given plenty of hints that Dr. Blaine is a pompous jerk before he even shows up, and the obnoxious doctor lives down to his billing. I'm a little sorry that the author didn't write the details of the scene where the Mayor takes the doctor down a peg because it would have been fun to read. Does Blaine deserve what happens to him? You decide. Before the book reaches its climax, the Scooby Gang and assorted extras will be subjected to the mirror's power. It's interesting to see why some sucumb and some hold firm. I've been interested in the Aztecs since I first read an article about them in "National Geographic many years ago, so I liked the glimpses into Aztec life and religion. Of course we know that all of the regulars have to come out of this alive, so there was absolutely no suspense over Buffy's prophetic dream about Angel. However, I thought the author picked an ingenious way out. Certainly the scenes of everyone trying to escape destruction would have looked good on the show. (I laughed aloud at the crack about the "USS Banquet Table"). Similarly, knowing what was to come in the episodes added a little spice to Cordelia's bragging about Stanford and Mr. Trick's assumption that he'll last through the ages. I had no trouble believing in Dem. I was amused by the way he saw Giles as creepy and laughed heartily at the chapter where Dem puts two and two together and gets one. I wasn't disappointed by his fate. I'd rate this a good adventure. Random comments: Except for p.111, every mention of Angelus is incorrectly spelled "Angeles". Why? Loved having the author remember that Giles goes for jelly doughnuts. Was even happier to see the correct date for the 3rd millenium [01 Jan 2001] given. The end of chapter three was quite spooky. Chuckled at Buffy's imaginings about Giles dealing with Ms. Frank, who looks so much like his lost Jenny, on p.125. The description of Cordelia's fighting method was good, too. It may be only a coincidence about scientist Lucy Frank's name, but in the late 18th-early 19th century there was an improving book for children called HARRY AND LUCY by the Edgeworths. Their daughter continued their work and a boy named Frank was added. It was nice to see Joyce in the swing of things.
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