The Fury

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Summary: "I Hate You the Most. Because I Loved You the Best"
Review: "The Fury" is the third book in the "Vampire Diaries" saga by L. J. Smith, which really should have been the last in the series, but was followed up by an unfortunate and unneccessary sequel. But that belongs in another review, and "The Fury" is a reasonably satisfying wrap-up of the events begun in "The Awakening" and "The Struggle".

Elena Gilbert is in love with Stefan Salvatore, a vampire, but is also attracted to his brother Damon. Throughout the course of the first two books she has shared blood with both of them, which means that when she is driven by some unnatural force into the river she rises once more as a vampire after her human body has perished. The brothers hide her at a local house, planning to smuggle her out once the town has quietened down once more, but as soon as she awakens after a week-long slumber, Elena refuses. Now more than ever she is certain that a third Power is present at Fell's Church, endangering the citizens and the vampire brothers.

Along with her friends Meredith, Bonnie and Matt (who are privy to the secret of Elena's transformation), they begin investigating, and come up with a range of suspects. But whilst they continue with their detective work, more and more dangerous things are happening in the small town: the domestic pet dogs attack the mourners at Elena's funeral service, and some of the townsfolk have decided to take matters into their own hands - blaming the newcomer Stefan for the supernatural trouble. But the real source lies deep within the vampire's past...

L. J. Smith brings together her entire cast to battle the evil, instigating all their talents (ie, Bonnie's psychic abilities, Alaric's vampire lore, Meredith's leadership, Damon's shapeshifting), and then splits them up in order for the teenagers to defend the school students at the prom, protect Elena's family and go up against the third Power in a satisfying conclusion to the story with an unexpected twist and death. The tension that was building up in the first two books is finally paid off, though most readers wishing for a happy ending will be sadly disappointed.

L. J. Smith unfortunately leaves several plot threads dangling - she never fully wraps up the motivations behind Robert's actions, nor why it looked as though he knew what was going to happen with the dogs outside the church - presumably it was instinct, but she might have told us that! Furthermore, I was expecting a plot twist in the character of Ms Flowers - in this and the previous book the teenagers see her leaning against the window, refusing to help them when they call, and I suspected that somebody had killed her and propped her body up against the window. Nope. She was apparently just a crazy old lady.

There are some devices that L. J. uses that get rather annoying, and which reminded me of R. L. Stine - both of them would end chapters on tense, dramatic sentences, only for them to come to absolutely nothing, rendering them silly and melodramatic. For instance: when Stefan is being attacked, Smith ends the chapter with "A white hand reached out of the darkness and knocked the rifle away...Elena had arrived". Whoohoo, is she finally about to beat up someone? No, the tension drains away with the arrival of Alaric. Later on, when Elena and the brothers are at the mercy of the Power, it tempts Damon with an alliance: "Oh God, no, Elena thought. Please no. Slowly, Damon smiled". Oh heck, is Damon going to turn on them? Or perhaps only pretend to in order to get free? Again, the drama is drained away as Damon refuses. After a while these sentences on the chapters end would get annoying as well as disappointing.

Oh well, why am I complaining over a book that cost me three dollars in the local bookstore's bargain bin? On the whole, "The Fury" is the most worthwhile read in L. J. Smith's vampire series, but not in her entire collection of books. If you're searching for a book to give to a pre-teen female, then you can't go wrong with L. J. Smith - the only problem she has an annoying habit on un-necessarily dividing her stories into several volumes, and you'll have to track them all down to get the full picture.

Rating:
Summary: 3rd book
Review: Elena is trying to adjust after bieng turned into a vampire by Damon. She doesn't remember the love that she and Stephan shared, and is trying to keep her blood cravings AWAY from her friends.
Stephan is depressed after loosing Elena to his brother Damon. He focuses on getting her back, and trying to figure out what the hell is going on in the town.
Damon finally has Elena...but not for long. She is again Stephan's, and he is the odd man out. He, Stephan, and Elena have GOT to figure out who is causing the strange things in the town...one thing is for sure, one of them wont make it.
Spectacular and thrilling. These books get better and better.

Rating:
Summary: 3rd book
Review: Elena is trying to adjust after bieng turned into a vampire by Damon. She doesn't remember the love that she and Stephan shared, and is trying to keep her blood cravings AWAY from her friends.
Stephan is depressed after loosing Elena to his brother Damon. He focuses on getting her back, and trying to figure out what the hell is going on in the town.
Damon finally has Elena...but not for long. She is again Stephan's, and he is the odd man out. He, Stephan, and Elena have GOT to figure out who is causing the strange things in the town...one thing is for sure, one of them wont make it.
Spectacular and thrilling. These books get better and better.

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Summary: A great and sad book!
Review: Elena woke up after drowning to death, and is now a vampire! She is totally irrational then, and found herself in a clearing where Damon and Stefan are fighting. She doesn't remember anything, though. She thinks that she was born to be with Damon (who wouldn't?), and tries killing Stefan, and claims that she loves Damon. Will Elena ever remember what happened? What will happen between Damon and Stefan? And why are all the animals acting wierd?

A great book! I couldn't help but cry in the end! That was horrible what Stefan and Damon went through! Well, Lisa Jane Smith is a great author of vampires and the supernatural. ....

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Summary: A daring book, which keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review: Elena, in this one, becomes a vampire through Stefan and Damon. She wakes up under the willow trees, dazed and confused, and hears Damon and Stefan fighting. It is there where Stefan learns Elena is alive and is a vampire(Much to his dismay).Elena wakes up in a basement(who's? I'm not telling. You have to read!)and finds her old diary beside her. She, of course, reads it and makes ameands with Stefan, which angers Damon. By then, there's something happening outside with dogs and humans squaring off at each other. Everyone is emotionless. Everthing is exagrated, even a twitch of a tail or a blink. Do I got you on the edge of your seat? I can't tell you more without ruining it. BUY THIS BOOK OR ANY OTHER L.J SMITH BOOKS

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Summary: Heartwrenching and Full-o-laughs
Review: Hmm.... what to say when my title's already done it?!

I rfirst read this book, Oh, lets say about 7 years ago. I found it in a dingy little second hand book shop. I loved it. Although I hadn't read the first two. I Loved it. Did I mention I loved it? Now, especially considering I've read the rest of the series, it's still my fave. The way LJ Smith writes, it's with such passion and simplicity, it's hard not to get drawn into her writing. I felt horrible when Elena died. Even Elena the vampire, because of the way she sacrificed herself for Stefan and Damon. Tearjerker, but also full of laughs....

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Summary: AWESOME BOOK
Review: I have never been into reading but one day before saterday school i grabbed the first book of vampire diaries i could not put the book down i've read the series 4 or 5 times i would love to see a number 5 come out, or possibly a movie??? i've tried to read other books since then but somehow i always end up with L.J smiths masterpiece in my hands. Excellant book i recommend it to everyone.

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Summary: A Real Winner!! Couldn't put it down!!
Review: I have read the first two books while I was in High School, but the library didn't have the third. Now I hear that there is a fourth? It has been so long since I read the others, but I have been searching libraries and archives for the last book in the series (which is not really the last). I hope to return to these books to enjoy them again. L.J. Smith has truly captured the vampire-human relationship. I am now trying to write a vampire novel, but it is nothing like what this is all about. I encourage anyone and everyone to read these books. Also, the Secret Circle series is the best witch book-series around. If you like witches, the Craft (the movie), is a good one to rent. I hope you (the author) continue to write more in this series, or, perhaps, another like-series. Vampires have always held an eerie, yet sexual, attraction for me, and most people I have met. I hope everyone feels the same about them as I do. Jessica L. Hilli

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Summary: HELP- I LOVE THIS book(but where are pages 121-153?)
Review: I have the origional printing of this book.... the one copywritten in 1991 and yes I have had it that long... how ever even though I am now 22 years old I still love these books and read them every year. Before I would simply skip over these missing pages just a little upset they were not there but the story is still great... it is still great now however I am really really really wanting those pages... I believe there is a lot missed there and I am hopeing this has been fixed... please let me know if it has ([e-mail]) EVEN THOUGH I SAY THESE THINGS THIS IS THE BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES THAT IS WHY I MISS THE PAGES SO MUCH. I HAVE JUST PASSED DOWN THE WONDERS OF L.J. SMITH TO MY YOUNGER SISTER WHO IS NOW 13 AND SHE IS LOVING THEM... I WISH L.J. SMITH WOULD STILL WRITE THESE 300 PAGERS IN 3S AND 4S. I MISS THEM, AND THE NIGHTWORLD SERIES ARE JUST NOT THE SAME THEY ALWAYS ARE CUT OFF AND ARE NOT SO PERSONAL... IN TVD AND SC THE BOOKS ARE FULL AND LEAVE YOU WANTING THE NEXT ONE INSTANTLY... EVEN THOUGH YOUNG ADULT READERS ARE USUALLY LOOKING FOR QUICK READS(CAUSE THEY TEND TO READ SLOWER)THE LARGER ONES TEND TO KEEP THEM MORE INTERESTED IN READING ... AND THEY MAKE GOOD OUT LOUD READING FOR THE FAMILY ALSO. (MY FAMILY IS INTO READING AND ENJOYS READING OUT LOUD ONCE IN A WHILE TO MY YOUNGER SISTER WHO BEGS US TO DO IT) Anyway... please let me know if they have fixed this book cause if they have I will buy it again.

Rating:
Summary: The Fury
Review: I must admit, it was sort of obvious to me who the Other Power was and what the sacrifice would be. But still, I had to read on to make sure I was right! The book was totally great, just as good as the first two, if not better. (And I think Bonnie and Matt are made for each other, but that's just me) Damon is totally my favorite character, but that's probably just me again. If you read the Dark Visions triliogy, doesn't he sort of remind you of Gabriel, Stephen is like Rob, and Elena is like Kaitlyn? Well sort of I mean...