Doomsday Deck

Rating:
Summary: Different...
Review: Doomsday Deck is a good book. The Tarot is intelligent and the author seems to know alot about this subject. However, I rejected this book a 4 or 5-star rating because it doesn't explain clearly enough about Justine's paintings, the characters just aren't the same and the subject of Tarot doesn't really match slaying vampires excellently. I like stories about witchcraft and psychic people, and although this book's psychic story is interesting, the idea of people who touch Justine's Tarot cards and then become one of her paintings is totally laughable. It's hard to see Buffy taking this idea seriously in the TV show. There is a descriptive, intriguing and overall cracking conclusion that almost forgives all the film's faultS but when you look back, you remember the times when you sighed at the silliness. This is definitely a different idea, but I don't think it matches well with in the Buffy saga. Maybe as a book on it's own, Doomsday Deck would've been worthy of a higher rating.

Rating:
Summary: Kali Vs. Buffy - Slayer Decked!
Review: Gallagher's least-developed Buffy book, but not bad. It shoots out of a gun and rips right through, but everything seems to happen out of the blue without any kind of buildup. It's as light as popcorn and just as satisfying, but hey, sometimes you're in the mood for popcorn.

You can't completely dislike a book with a villainess so venal, she'd sell her soul and risk the destruction of the universe just for her own New York art show. The would-be artist in question is in league with the goddess Kali, utilizing a cursed tarot deck to hasten the apocalypse. Kali! Buffy! One round only! Winner take all!

Yeah, kinda fun, if you're in the mood. You've read better, but you could kill an hour or two out of your life in worse ways.

Rating:
Summary: A short but pleasant supernatural venture...
Review: I'll spare you the basic rundown of the plot and synopsis, as I'm sure you are aware that it involves a sinister Tarot Deck from the other reviews and the description, so I'll get right into my review and criticism.

It's been a while since I've read a "Buffy" novel but this one was a pleasant revisitation to the series and I found it to be a nice change from the general Demon or Vampire going ons in Hellmouth. This novel takes the series into a new dilemma of a Tarot deck and to my knowledge has never been explored by the series thus far, so it was fun to have a change. The characters are essentially the same and Giles role is to a minimum as well, but this is actually a good thing as it spends more time devoted to everyone in general and never really just sets on following the adventures of one particular person. Doomsday Deck is a well written novel that is short and to the point, not taking it's time with much character development or inane dialogue and corny one-liners to fill it's pages, no Doomsday Deck has a goal and it finishes it in a minimal amount of time, which can be for the better or worse. I actually liked the idea of a shorter novel as it helped me finish the novel quicker and the amount of satisfaction was the same. Gallagher did sum this whole Slayer venture quickly and efficiently and accomplishes a fine story that stays true to what the characters personality is and how they might handle a situation in the TV series without going on and on for a good 300 pages. Not that 300 page novels are bad it's just fun to be able to find a "Buffy" adventure that tells an original story and has some nice action sequences and can complete its goal in a relatively short amount of time.

Doomsday Deck is a fine novel that I'm sure "Buffy" fans would get a kick out of and I see no reason why a general reader would not enjoy it as well. I can easily recommend this novel to just about anyone; the only downfall one may find is its lack of length (193 Pages to be exact), but other than that slight fault it should be a novel you would be pleased to read, I know I was. I honestly hope this helps in your decision on purchasing this novel whether you pass or buy, thanks for reading.