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The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters #1
Jagd im Abendrot
Rare Book
481 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
314 people are currently reading
15857 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Smith
337 books112k followersSmith was born in Villa Park, Orange County, California. In interviews, she has said she realized she wanted to be a writer sometime between kindergarten and first grade, “when a teacher praised a horrible poem I’d written”, and began writing in earnest in elementary school. Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1987, followed by teaching credentials in Elementary education and Special education from San Francisco State University.
She taught kindergarten and special education for several years before becoming a full-time writer. Her first book, The Night of the Solstice, was published by MacMillan in 1987, followed by, Heart of Valor in 1990, and the 4-volume Vampire Diaries series in 1991-2. Three trilogies followed: The Secret Circle (1992), The Forbidden Game (1994), and Dark Visions (1995). The first installment of her popular Night World series was published in 1996, followed by eight more over the next two years. In 1998, Smith began a decade-long hiatus from writing, returning in 2008 with a new Web site and a series of new short stories. The Vampire Diaries series was reissued in 2007, followed by re-printings of The Secret Circle trilogy and Night World series in 2008/2009. The Night of the Solstice and Heart of Valor was also reissued in 2008. Three new Vampire Diaries installments were published in 2009 and 2010.
Smith lived in the San Francisco Bay area “with one dog, three cats, and about ten thousand books.”
She passed away on March 8th, 2025, after a lengthy illness.
She taught kindergarten and special education for several years before becoming a full-time writer. Her first book, The Night of the Solstice, was published by MacMillan in 1987, followed by, Heart of Valor in 1990, and the 4-volume Vampire Diaries series in 1991-2. Three trilogies followed: The Secret Circle (1992), The Forbidden Game (1994), and Dark Visions (1995). The first installment of her popular Night World series was published in 1996, followed by eight more over the next two years. In 1998, Smith began a decade-long hiatus from writing, returning in 2008 with a new Web site and a series of new short stories. The Vampire Diaries series was reissued in 2007, followed by re-printings of The Secret Circle trilogy and Night World series in 2008/2009. The Night of the Solstice and Heart of Valor was also reissued in 2008. Three new Vampire Diaries installments were published in 2009 and 2010.
Smith lived in the San Francisco Bay area “with one dog, three cats, and about ten thousand books.”
She passed away on March 8th, 2025, after a lengthy illness.
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May 26, 2012Ok seriously? Why the hell is everyone hating on this series?????? It's amazing! Some of you need to stop and ask yourself, 'If I hate this series, and think that it died 3 books ago, then why am I looking up the next book and taking time out of my life to write a book review for it?' Look, Some of us like this book, so shut the hell up if your going to hate because it's innapropriate and rude.
Thanks, and reply, if you agree. :)
Thanks, and reply, if you agree. :)
February 23, 2012
Let's get this straight--I WILL NEVER READ THIS BOOK. NO FORCE ON THE ENTIRE PLANET CAN GET ME TO TOUCH THIS BOOK WITH A 10 METER STICK.
WHY?
BECAUSE MY FAVORITE AUTHOR L. J SMITH DID NOT WRITE THIS BOOK.
Whoever the low-life GHOSTWRITER is who wrote this should be ashamed of themselves. You will never ever live up to L.J Smith's expertise. It's sad to know your only reason for writing is to get money, and that because of you the rightful author of this book can no longer continue with this series.
Go here to find out exactly WHY I won't ever touch this book, or any of the rest of this series for that matter:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/stefan-an...
http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/...
BRING BACK L.J SMITH! Ghostwriters can never be even remotely close to her level of greatness.
If I could give this abomination negative stars I would. The 1 star is a thousand times more than this book will ever amount to.
WHY?
BECAUSE MY FAVORITE AUTHOR L. J SMITH DID NOT WRITE THIS BOOK.
Whoever the low-life GHOSTWRITER is who wrote this should be ashamed of themselves. You will never ever live up to L.J Smith's expertise. It's sad to know your only reason for writing is to get money, and that because of you the rightful author of this book can no longer continue with this series.
Go here to find out exactly WHY I won't ever touch this book, or any of the rest of this series for that matter:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/stefan-an...
http://www.ljanesmith.net/www/author/...
BRING BACK L.J SMITH! Ghostwriters can never be even remotely close to her level of greatness.
If I could give this abomination negative stars I would. The 1 star is a thousand times more than this book will ever amount to.
January 17, 2023
I read all 13 Vampire Diaries books for a video project and I'm team burn the entire boxset. Check out my thoughts on the series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nLU4l-qJX8o
February 10, 2017
Jan 15th pre-review
...."the gang goes to college"....
What is this? 90210?
After reading:
I want to like this. Every single book I want to like it, but the thing is, I despise Elena. And I can't support Damon or Stephan, because she flat out says "I love both of you" and they're just like oh ok whatever.
I'm sorry, but that's not ok. If I were in that situation I'd be like pick one of us, stop leading the other on, and if you can't then we'll both move on.
No girl is THAT great. Not even Elena Gilbert.
Bonnie is whiney. Meredith is IDK what she is but she's no superhero. Matt needs to grow some balls. Aleric needs to run far far away from their teen drama. And Mrs. Flowers, hahaha, that character is comical.
This story has such potential. It could be absolutely fantastic. But we hear too much about how pretty Elena is, how her hair is so perfect, how Stephan is so great and worthy, how horrible Damon is and how stupid Elena is to love him, and delicate Bonnie is, how badass Meredith is, and how all American Matt is. I swear, if they took out those descriptives half of the time the book would be half as thick. It's annoying.
...."the gang goes to college"....
What is this? 90210?
After reading:
I want to like this. Every single book I want to like it, but the thing is, I despise Elena. And I can't support Damon or Stephan, because she flat out says "I love both of you" and they're just like oh ok whatever.
I'm sorry, but that's not ok. If I were in that situation I'd be like pick one of us, stop leading the other on, and if you can't then we'll both move on.
No girl is THAT great. Not even Elena Gilbert.
Bonnie is whiney. Meredith is IDK what she is but she's no superhero. Matt needs to grow some balls. Aleric needs to run far far away from their teen drama. And Mrs. Flowers, hahaha, that character is comical.
This story has such potential. It could be absolutely fantastic. But we hear too much about how pretty Elena is, how her hair is so perfect, how Stephan is so great and worthy, how horrible Damon is and how stupid Elena is to love him, and delicate Bonnie is, how badass Meredith is, and how all American Matt is. I swear, if they took out those descriptives half of the time the book would be half as thick. It's annoying.
April 21, 2014
Fucking dumb, and I didn't even read it! Whoever's idea it was to fire L.J. and get a ghost writer, is fucking stupid. Just because she decided that she wanted Elena to be with Damon. So what? I'm all for that! But, noooo. It's her book, people! Sure, you may have paid her to write it, but if you didn't, then you wouldn't even have the damn story. What the hell, man. What. The. Hell. Let the writer do what the fuck the writer wants.
Maybe, just MAYBE, the writers of the TV show will be nice and respect L.J.'s idea, and let Elena be with Damon.
Maybe, just MAYBE, the writers of the TV show will be nice and respect L.J.'s idea, and let Elena be with Damon.
March 16, 2014
NOTE (added 3/16/14): I must tell you, anyone, that this (beginning with the Hunters series) is not an actual L.J. SMITH novel, it is written (badly) by a Ghostwriter. But if you want to continue the actual author's story, she was able to legally create "fanfic" of her own novels with "The Vampire Diaries: Evensong" series, available in novella episodes on Kindle.
11/6/11: So I almost didn't read this book because of the rumors surrounding the author & book-series-rights. She was supposedly not going to be the author of the new 'TVD: The Hunters' book series. I had already read both the original and 'The Return' series' and loved them. I was very upset by the news that LJ Smith might not be the sole author of the new series even though the books & characters were hers and not another author's to continue.
Then, the book release news kept showing LJ Smith as the "creator" and not the "author" but had no other authors listed!! Maddening because it made me really want to believe that she did in fact have a hand in the writing of the book. Well,... because of the lack of other authors listed anywhere on the copyright pages, and for her's being the only author listed at-all... even though it only says "created by" and not "written by", I bought and read this book.
At first, I believed she really did have a hand in writing it because the writing style seemed the same. The characters seemed the same for the most part and all seemed well. I began to get excited that I would find out what happened with Damon and the town and everything. But then... there were some major differences.
First of all, Elena & Stefan do-not doubt eachother ever! They are the only constant thing about the series regardless of what else is going on around them... they love eachother unendingly and want the other to be happy. When Stefan first learned that Elena also had feelings for Damon, he was a little sad but was still happy to have any part of Elena that she would give him... he wasn't ...
Second of all, Elena would not consider . Also, there is a part in this book where she actually declines writing about an issue in her diary. Elena always writes about everything in her diary...
Third of all, was different. He was not witty or even the slightest bit ass-hole-ish which was just a damn-shame. His whole character essance was straight out missing. Not only that- but by the end he was ...
Now, I get that the main theme of the book is Jealously and so there are "reasons" why the characters would be acting unlike themselves... . Matt, Bonnie, & Meredith were ok where the plot was concerned -for the most part- but the main characters were just too different, jealously or none, to be written by the author.
Finally the ending... The last 2 chapters were the most cheesy pages I have ever read. Bonnie, Meredith, & Elena were ... over and over. (not cool)... All of the gooiness was way overdone and totally abnormal..omg. It was hard to read... I felt like at any moment it was going to go all audio-book on me & the book was gonna magically bust out into song somehow.. horrible.
In my opinion, as a fan of the series, I have to conclude that
this book was NOT written by LJ Smith.
Update 3/16/14: THIS WAS CONFIRMED NOT AN LJ SMITH BOOK!! To continue the stories as written by LJ Smith, read the Vampire Diaries Evensong series, published as fanfiction, available on Kindle!
11/6/11: So I almost didn't read this book because of the rumors surrounding the author & book-series-rights. She was supposedly not going to be the author of the new 'TVD: The Hunters' book series. I had already read both the original and 'The Return' series' and loved them. I was very upset by the news that LJ Smith might not be the sole author of the new series even though the books & characters were hers and not another author's to continue.
Then, the book release news kept showing LJ Smith as the "creator" and not the "author" but had no other authors listed!! Maddening because it made me really want to believe that she did in fact have a hand in the writing of the book. Well,... because of the lack of other authors listed anywhere on the copyright pages, and for her's being the only author listed at-all... even though it only says "created by" and not "written by", I bought and read this book.
At first, I believed she really did have a hand in writing it because the writing style seemed the same. The characters seemed the same for the most part and all seemed well. I began to get excited that I would find out what happened with Damon and the town and everything. But then... there were some major differences.
First of all, Elena & Stefan do-not doubt eachother ever! They are the only constant thing about the series regardless of what else is going on around them... they love eachother unendingly and want the other to be happy. When Stefan first learned that Elena also had feelings for Damon, he was a little sad but was still happy to have any part of Elena that she would give him... he wasn't ...
Second of all, Elena would not consider . Also, there is a part in this book where she actually declines writing about an issue in her diary. Elena always writes about everything in her diary...
Third of all, was different. He was not witty or even the slightest bit ass-hole-ish which was just a damn-shame. His whole character essance was straight out missing. Not only that- but by the end he was ...
Now, I get that the main theme of the book is Jealously and so there are "reasons" why the characters would be acting unlike themselves... . Matt, Bonnie, & Meredith were ok where the plot was concerned -for the most part- but the main characters were just too different, jealously or none, to be written by the author.
Finally the ending... The last 2 chapters were the most cheesy pages I have ever read. Bonnie, Meredith, & Elena were ... over and over. (not cool)... All of the gooiness was way overdone and totally abnormal..omg. It was hard to read... I felt like at any moment it was going to go all audio-book on me & the book was gonna magically bust out into song somehow.. horrible.
In my opinion, as a fan of the series, I have to conclude that
this book was NOT written by LJ Smith.
Update 3/16/14: THIS WAS CONFIRMED NOT AN LJ SMITH BOOK!! To continue the stories as written by LJ Smith, read the Vampire Diaries Evensong series, published as fanfiction, available on Kindle!
December 25, 2024
Fantoom
5🌟
Reread
5🌟
Reread
June 14, 2011
I will never read this book because it was written by a ghostwriter. I wanted to read the book the way L.J. Smith wrote it. No one will be able to deliver a Vampire Diaries book the way she has. Alloy is foolish to think that replacing a top selling author with a ghostwriter is the way to increase popularity of a series. Even though they have the legal right to use her name, I think it is very distasteful that they want to take her out of the series and still use her name. I have no respect for Alloy and I hope other fans will boycott Phantom and write letters to Alloy.
December 6, 2017
I'm not going to ever read this series again if a ghostwriter is gonna write it. I am curious what will happen next after Midnight and the welfare of Damon too but it would be really disrespecting to all the characters (Elena, Damon, Stefan, ....) if I continue reading. And for the reason L.J got fired, I personally hate it, but on the bigger picture, the quality of her Return trilogy was crappy and cheesy. I'm really happy to see Damon was still alive, but it was like they all died when the ghostwriter took over. So, goodbye to TVD, I rather stick with the TV series
May 27, 2016
MORE? MORE! @ P.S. I love that book!
I have read all four original books of The Vampire Diaries as well as Damon's trilogy so obviously when I saw this in my library I just had to take it.
THE WORLD: The Fell's Church (original name of Mystic Falls) is now all good again after the damage inflicted by kitsune was erased. Therefore, Elena and her friends find themselves back in their little town that we are so familiar with. Plus, the ones that died during kitsune invasion are alive again, weird but great.
CHARACTERS: The main group still stays the same: Elena, Bonnie, Meredith, Stefan, Damon, Matt and now back Alaric. The interesting things that happens in this book is that grudging and jealous feels are overexposed due to the spell so all very lovable and good Elena suddenly is jealous of Bonnie for Damon's attention. Bonnie is jealous of Elena for her bond with Damon. Meredith is jealous of a young scientist who has an eye for Alaric and so on...this kind of jealousy ignites the anger and hate for each other which was truly fun to watch. But overall, the character did not change much. I really did miss the book characters, they are so much better. The only thing we don't have in the books is Caroline and that is the only lacking part because Caroline is TV show was pretty great (have not seen newest season tho).
LOVE: I think in books Elena and Stefan are set in stone and I love that very much. What I would love to see more of is Bonnie and Damon but hey, fingers crossed!
PLUS: I miss the real Vampire Diaries, it is so much different from the TV show and reading this book made me remember why I felt in love with these characters in the first place. Very nostalgic!
MINUS: Again, I would really love to see Bonnie and Damon scenes again.
OVERALL: It was nice reading this story, do not think it is very special comparing to other ones but I will definitely pick next books in Hunters trilogy. TVD forever!
MORE? MORE! @ P.S. I love that book!
I have read all four original books of The Vampire Diaries as well as Damon's trilogy so obviously when I saw this in my library I just had to take it.
THE WORLD: The Fell's Church (original name of Mystic Falls) is now all good again after the damage inflicted by kitsune was erased. Therefore, Elena and her friends find themselves back in their little town that we are so familiar with. Plus, the ones that died during kitsune invasion are alive again, weird but great.
CHARACTERS: The main group still stays the same: Elena, Bonnie, Meredith, Stefan, Damon, Matt and now back Alaric. The interesting things that happens in this book is that grudging and jealous feels are overexposed due to the spell so all very lovable and good Elena suddenly is jealous of Bonnie for Damon's attention. Bonnie is jealous of Elena for her bond with Damon. Meredith is jealous of a young scientist who has an eye for Alaric and so on...this kind of jealousy ignites the anger and hate for each other which was truly fun to watch. But overall, the character did not change much. I really did miss the book characters, they are so much better. The only thing we don't have in the books is Caroline and that is the only lacking part because Caroline is TV show was pretty great (have not seen newest season tho).
LOVE: I think in books Elena and Stefan are set in stone and I love that very much. What I would love to see more of is Bonnie and Damon but hey, fingers crossed!
PLUS: I miss the real Vampire Diaries, it is so much different from the TV show and reading this book made me remember why I felt in love with these characters in the first place. Very nostalgic!
MINUS: Again, I would really love to see Bonnie and Damon scenes again.
OVERALL: It was nice reading this story, do not think it is very special comparing to other ones but I will definitely pick next books in Hunters trilogy. TVD forever!
MORE? MORE! @ P.S. I love that book!
May 7, 2011
Um, by the way, I gave the book 4 stars because I had to do that (rate it) to write this review.
I... enjoyed Smith's Vampire Diaries books. After the first four ended, I thought come on. Are you serious?This is where the story is going to end?. Then, with the Return series, I kind of giggled a bit because... the story could continue. But you know... seven books (ten, actually, I think, with the Stefan's diaries thing) is... enough. Or it would have been, but there was a cliffhanger at the end of Midnight, so of course we were guaranteed another series of VD.
(I'm sighing here, by the way) I'm bored. The books were good, but they're going on and on and on, and I will add another *on* for good measure. I liked the VD books, and perhaps it is my boredom with the books, or my boredom since at the moment I have no idea which book I want to read right now, but I really do have to say that it's time to say good night to this series. Will I read the next books? (sad sigh) Yeah. Am I really looking forward to them? You know, the answer is no. Not really.
I... like L.J. Smith. I wish that she could have more... I dunno, something more that feels like it's missing in her novels, but she's an awesome writer. However, everything must come to an end. And this series, to put it a bit bluntly but without any maliciousness, by the way, the series needs to die. Or sleep. Or "take a vacation". Whichever way it is to be put, the Vampire Diaries is... going to fall under, and it's already started, and once it is completely flat on its face, there's going to be no... getting back up.
On a lighter note, I do wish Ms. Smith can continue with the Night World books and bring Strange Fate to fruition. I've been waiting for *forever* for that book. Forever, in this case is... not a good thing.
I... enjoyed Smith's Vampire Diaries books. After the first four ended, I thought come on. Are you serious?This is where the story is going to end?. Then, with the Return series, I kind of giggled a bit because... the story could continue. But you know... seven books (ten, actually, I think, with the Stefan's diaries thing) is... enough. Or it would have been, but there was a cliffhanger at the end of Midnight, so of course we were guaranteed another series of VD.
(I'm sighing here, by the way) I'm bored. The books were good, but they're going on and on and on, and I will add another *on* for good measure. I liked the VD books, and perhaps it is my boredom with the books, or my boredom since at the moment I have no idea which book I want to read right now, but I really do have to say that it's time to say good night to this series. Will I read the next books? (sad sigh) Yeah. Am I really looking forward to them? You know, the answer is no. Not really.
I... like L.J. Smith. I wish that she could have more... I dunno, something more that feels like it's missing in her novels, but she's an awesome writer. However, everything must come to an end. And this series, to put it a bit bluntly but without any maliciousness, by the way, the series needs to die. Or sleep. Or "take a vacation". Whichever way it is to be put, the Vampire Diaries is... going to fall under, and it's already started, and once it is completely flat on its face, there's going to be no... getting back up.
On a lighter note, I do wish Ms. Smith can continue with the Night World books and bring Strange Fate to fruition. I've been waiting for *forever* for that book. Forever, in this case is... not a good thing.
November 11, 2011
Okay I must say I am highly disappointed with this story. I didn't know if the rumors were true or not about L.J. Smith being fired, but just by reading a few of the pages you could tell it was not her writing. I was looking forward to continuing this series, but I think I'm stopping now. If L.J. Smith isn't writing it then I'm not reading it anymore. It was her series she should be allowed to do what she wants with her material. I hope she'll be able to finish her Night World series though. This book was such a disappointment though I was a fan of this series for a long time and now for some idiot to come in and try to write her books is just bullshit! She's an amazing author and I hope those people who fired her regret their decision of firing her just because she wanted to change up the story love interest. I'm all for Damon and Elena seriously what's so wrong with changing it to that? I think NOTHING. BRING BACK L.J. SMITH YOU STUPID IDIOTS!
December 18, 2011
I love L.J, I love the series, books and show. I don't like the whole Damon/Elena relationship it was built on a lies and deceit so why would I like it, but firing the author because of it is too far. I was prepared to endure my disgust of Delena for the sake of the other characters whom I love.
That being said I just can't leave it the way it was and be okay with that, I will be reading this, and I will be loving every second of it.
Side notes: I hope Elena dies, I'm tired of that slut. lol. Damon isn't really worthy of Bonnie, but I want them to be endgame, and Stefan needs somebody to love that will love him, and only him.
I liked this book, Damon gained some of my liking towards the end, and Elena. Stefan will always be my favorite, and I'm glad I chose to read it.
That being said I just can't leave it the way it was and be okay with that, I will be reading this, and I will be loving every second of it.
Side notes: I hope Elena dies, I'm tired of that slut. lol. Damon isn't really worthy of Bonnie, but I want them to be endgame, and Stefan needs somebody to love that will love him, and only him.
I liked this book, Damon gained some of my liking towards the end, and Elena. Stefan will always be my favorite, and I'm glad I chose to read it.
Want to read
March 10, 2011I need to read this simply because it's from my favorite series ever but I have a feeling it's just going to piss me off. I LOVE the Vampire Diaries, I named my daughter Elena for G-d's sake! But all the new books have just sucked. :(
April 9, 2013
TRUE FANS OF L.J. SMITH'S AMAZING TALENT SHOULD UNIT TO BOYCOTT THE TRAGEDY OF HER BEING FIRED FROM WRITING HER OWN BOOKS AND USING HER NAME AND STYLE OF WRITING IN THE FUTURE BOOKS TO PROMOTE IT.
Though this book is marked as read, I have not read it and do not plan to- I will only read the books that L.J. Smith actually wrote. I have not read any of "The Vampire Diaries" book, but am a big fan of the show (which i probably should not be since one of the companies that creates the show helped fire the author).
L.J. Smith was hired by a book package, now known as Alloy Entertainment Ltd. to write the books. What she didn't know (and later found out) was that the book packager has full ownership of the authors work and can use her work whenever they want to (thus making The Vampire Diaries not her actual books). Nonetheless, L.J. Smith worked hard to make this series a success and book packagers like Alloy Entertainment have put her work in vain. She fought to last ounce for the success of this series with brilliant ideas to get fired later on.
Information to be credited from the following website (and for more information go to):
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/stefan-an...
BRING L.J. SMITH BACK!!!!
Though this book is marked as read, I have not read it and do not plan to- I will only read the books that L.J. Smith actually wrote. I have not read any of "The Vampire Diaries" book, but am a big fan of the show (which i probably should not be since one of the companies that creates the show helped fire the author).
L.J. Smith was hired by a book package, now known as Alloy Entertainment Ltd. to write the books. What she didn't know (and later found out) was that the book packager has full ownership of the authors work and can use her work whenever they want to (thus making The Vampire Diaries not her actual books). Nonetheless, L.J. Smith worked hard to make this series a success and book packagers like Alloy Entertainment have put her work in vain. She fought to last ounce for the success of this series with brilliant ideas to get fired later on.
Information to be credited from the following website (and for more information go to):
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/stefan-an...
BRING L.J. SMITH BACK!!!!
January 6, 2012
I found this book to be more forced than the others. It seemed very typical that something would happen. And this time things seemed to end within a week. Or that's the time span it seemed to me. Everything felt just pushed through. That and nobody even seemed to second guess the thoughts and feelings they had. They just accepted them or then ignored them.
Spoiler:
And then Damon reappearing seemed to easy. We got him crawling out of the hole, walking towards the gate, being saved by Sage, and then remembering everything and going back to Elena. Plus he wasn't his typical Damon self. There was no style or anything to him coming back. He just did and nobody even seemed to be surprised or care for more than a minute.
To me the book didn't seem as well written as the other L.J. Smith books and was lacking in her typical style. Usually her books have me begging for the next one. Or I keep thinking the events over and over in my head because so much had happened.
This one ended easily and not much really went on. Sure there was still the supernatural stuff but it wasn't entirely to the scale that it had been before. And none of them even went to college. I mean they mentioned going to college like three times.
Spoiler:
And then Damon reappearing seemed to easy. We got him crawling out of the hole, walking towards the gate, being saved by Sage, and then remembering everything and going back to Elena. Plus he wasn't his typical Damon self. There was no style or anything to him coming back. He just did and nobody even seemed to be surprised or care for more than a minute.
To me the book didn't seem as well written as the other L.J. Smith books and was lacking in her typical style. Usually her books have me begging for the next one. Or I keep thinking the events over and over in my head because so much had happened.
This one ended easily and not much really went on. Sure there was still the supernatural stuff but it wasn't entirely to the scale that it had been before. And none of them even went to college. I mean they mentioned going to college like three times.
Want to read
November 27, 2011When I heard that this book was coming out, I think I died a little inside. I LOVED the first four, got a little bored with The Return trilogy, refused to read the Stefan/Damon spin off stories and have never watched the TV series. And never will. (Hello, they axed Meredith)
I'll keep this short. Vampire Diaries ended with book 7. End of. Elena with no powers + Damon dead = SERIES OVER. And this isn't even written by LJ. Yes, I will be reading this, but only to justify the one star it's going to get.
I'll keep this short. Vampire Diaries ended with book 7. End of. Elena with no powers + Damon dead = SERIES OVER. And this isn't even written by LJ. Yes, I will be reading this, but only to justify the one star it's going to get.
January 19, 2021
سریالش خیلی جذاب تره، داستان کتاب و سریال کمی متفاوته ولی کتابها بیشتر تینیجر پسندن
February 6, 2025
Sucks slightly less than the previous one. One thing I've noticed in this series, the inclusion of all these other random supernatural beings feel more like an afterthought than us discovering more and more about this world. It simply doesn't fit.
Also, I'm really getting sick of Elena and even everyone else. I've found Stefan exhausting from the first and even Meredith, Damon and Bonnie are starting to slowly get on my nerves. Reluctantly going to the next book. Why did I say I will finish it no matter what?
Also, I'm really getting sick of Elena and even everyone else. I've found Stefan exhausting from the first and even Meredith, Damon and Bonnie are starting to slowly get on my nerves. Reluctantly going to the next book. Why did I say I will finish it no matter what?
December 27, 2011
After finding out in L.J. Smith's site that "Phantom" is not her book, I had the question : "Phantom? What is it?"
Finding out that there is going to be another VD book finds me with mixed feelings. On the one hand I always wanted a Delena end and I hoped that this book would maybe, just maybe, provide it. And well, I didn't like Damon dying and I knew that of there was another book, he would seriously resurface.
On the other hand, ghostwritting is just brutal.At the beginning I had no idea such a thing could seriously happen. I found an interesting letter from L.J. in her forum that made me dead-hard (is this the expression??! o.O) against buying or reading them. This series is something she poured her heart into making and someone else picking up the story (that isn't even theirs in the first place) and twisting it way differently than it would be written by its author, is just way WRONG. And the saddest fact is that these people, who allowed this thing to happen, won't let L.J. write her version of VD (and of Secret Circle) and post it on her webpage.
It's just ironic and sad.
Finding out that there is going to be another VD book finds me with mixed feelings. On the one hand I always wanted a Delena end and I hoped that this book would maybe, just maybe, provide it. And well, I didn't like Damon dying and I knew that of there was another book, he would seriously resurface.
On the other hand, ghostwritting is just brutal.At the beginning I had no idea such a thing could seriously happen. I found an interesting letter from L.J. in her forum that made me dead-hard (is this the expression??! o.O) against buying or reading them. This series is something she poured her heart into making and someone else picking up the story (that isn't even theirs in the first place) and twisting it way differently than it would be written by its author, is just way WRONG. And the saddest fact is that these people, who allowed this thing to happen, won't let L.J. write her version of VD (and of Secret Circle) and post it on her webpage.
It's just ironic and sad.
May 5, 2017
This really should be the final book in the series, well actually this series should have ended a long time ago!
I've been reading this book for two years now and couldn't bring myself to finish it even tho there were only two chapters left from the last time I read it and stoped.
This series is getting to damn long and too repetitive that I've been wondering why I am going on with it...
But I promised myself to finish it since I'm 8 books in and I'm too darn close to the end to stop now...
As usual some kind of monster threatens the town and it's up to Elena and her friends to save it.
This time however it's more personal since the monster is feeding on the insecurities on our friends and becomes more powerful the more jealous each of them gets.
Same old, same old...
But the ending in this book actually gives you some kind of closure, so why publish 4 more books??
I've been reading this book for two years now and couldn't bring myself to finish it even tho there were only two chapters left from the last time I read it and stoped.
This series is getting to damn long and too repetitive that I've been wondering why I am going on with it...
But I promised myself to finish it since I'm 8 books in and I'm too darn close to the end to stop now...
As usual some kind of monster threatens the town and it's up to Elena and her friends to save it.
This time however it's more personal since the monster is feeding on the insecurities on our friends and becomes more powerful the more jealous each of them gets.
Same old, same old...
But the ending in this book actually gives you some kind of closure, so why publish 4 more books??
Want to read
August 19, 2011I am really looking forward to reading this book. I think the Vampire Diaries is a wonderful series, and I was so sad when Damon died in Midnight. I am jumping up and down in joy that LJ Smith decided to write another, even if there is ghost-writer involvement. The last book did not end the series would not have ended the series well, I'm glad that I get a little more closure.
Read
March 19, 2012Damon dead.Stefan may leave.Merideth is getting married.Bonnie and Matt are alone.Elena is back.
When will this torture end?As if the last book wasn't tormenting us enough
When will this torture end?As if the last book wasn't tormenting us enough
August 29, 2012
Why. The crap. Did anyone think. This ghostwriter. Could write.
Can I give this at least a half a star? The only reason I gave it one star is because it's the Vampire Diaries, my 2nd favorite series in the world. I haven't finished reading it yet, but from the portion I've even READ, it S-U-C-K-S. And not the good, Vampire-Diaries kind. It doesn't even deserve 1 star, because A) LJ Smith didn't write it, and she's the most AMAZING vampire author EVER, and you can't just pick up where she left off in Vampire Diaries b.c. TVD is HERS and no one else can write it as amazingly as she did. It's like having someone else write "Twilight" (not that I can stand that book anyway...) and expect it to be as "Good" as the first one. and B) This book was a total degration down from how awesome it used to be.
Let me just say, I loved the first original two books (which, in the omnibus is the first four) that were published in the 1990's, and they were the best. The following ones were, again, readable and I enjoyed reading them, but would never fully live up to the greatness in the first two(four, whatever, I read the omnibus versions.) I hated the idea of the Kitsune, Shinichi and Misao, and they kind of sickened the books, but they were still great. ("Sickened"--Have you not read these books, you won't understand...But with the whole Isobel piercing herself and Jim biting off his lips and the kids turning into demon-children from Hell thing...Sickened. Grody. Disgusting!) But, again, I could still read them. Because they were by LJ, who IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN WRITE THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and she's a great author.
The anonymous "Ghostwriter" has done AWFUL. First off, there writing style SUCKS. Techinically I don't think they even HAVE a writing style, it sucks so bad. They don't describe ANYTHING whatsoever. Like, literally, the first thing I noticed is each paragraph is only about 3 lines long, unless this "ghostwriter" is trying to describe something. Then its 5-7. But when LJ wrote it, she had some HUGE paragraphs, and most of the time I could picture everything perfectly. Like the Dark Dimension, for instance. I pictured that perfect, with the help of LJ's describing with LARGE PARAGRAPHS. This crappy "Ghostwriter" can't describe ANYTHING. LJ would've gone into great detail describing how the town recovered after the Guardians changed it, but this person just said, "Oh, yeah, the town? Right, um, it looks just the same. Whatever." Like they expect us to just totally know EXACTLY how the town looks after it fixed itself. Um, are you stupid? We're not psychic. Tell us how it looks better, or something.
Second, LJ took a great deal of time trying to develop the character's personas, thoughts, feelings, wishes, hopes, blah blah, and so by the end of "MIDNIGHT" you know EXACTLY how everyone is. You know Elena is gorgeous, cares about every living thing, compassionate. You know Damon is the bad boy, the dangerous one, loves thrills, has a wonderful sense of humor, by far the funniest one there, (hence the "Oh God, my life just lapped itself" thing in MIDNIGHT, which I loled at)that kind of thing. You know Bonnie acts like a little girl sometimes, is (kind of) whiny, is easily scared but reacts best when she is, is psychic, cries a lot, needs a lot of comfort. Meredith is calm (LJ made that point very clear) and seems to just have everything figured out. Matt's "all American" and won't whine no matter what you tell him to do. (Ask Elena, she asks him to do TONS of stuff for her, and what does he get in return? The happy feeling of knowing you helped out a friend? Ah, he's more the used one in the group.) (Which, I can't STAND Matt. But if Matt wasnt part of the gang, then it would be Stefan stuck with a bunch of girls. Matt evens out the odds, when Damon's there, at least. 3 boys, 3 girls.) Stefan is brooding, hates being a vampire, a human-lover, loves Elena to death, just wants to be with her. But this crappy Ghostwriter doesn't have their FREAKING PERSONALITIES in there. LIKE, SERIOUSLY. This crappy, think-they-can-write-freakazoid doesn't add in who the characters are. The only PERSONAL-to-each-character things they have in there is their names. Thats it. Otherwise, they're blank slates. As if everything LJ did was wiped clean when they fired her. (:'( Sad face) We don't get any FEELING from the characters. We get words. Blank thoughts. Um, HELLO, this is THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, not the Zombie Diaries. Where the frick is the LOVE here?!?!?! Do you not care at ALL? Apparently not, because it CONTINUES into 3 MORE BOOKS!!!! :(
Not to mention that the trouble starts up again within the first four chapters. Can't the characters have SOME peace? Just SOME? (The GhostWriter at least OWES them some, in return for portraying them so poorly.) Instead of a hardly-described date out for dinner with Maragret and Judith? (I almost called her Jenna because of the TV Show...Whoops!) That was about it. And LJ would've said more about it than this loser ghostwriter did. HONESTLY. More trouble AGAIN. They should've at LEAST made their free-time more interesting for us to read, if they just HAD to have the trouble start so soon. But I was bored with Stefan and Elena's walk through the heavenly new town. That we weren't described about to, mind you.
And, how can this loser GW think they can just write the Vampire Diaries with no problemo and continue the most amazing vampire story ever written and get away with being really stupid? As you can tell I'm P-Oed by how freaking terrible it is. I really love TVD and LJ Smith and this dumb GW screwed it over. You can't DO that to Elena, Damon, Stefan, and the rest. Like, DUDE, are you stupid or what. YOU EFFED UP. After this they should go die in a hole or something. (I feel very strongly about the Vampire Diaries, as you can tell.)
This last part is just a complaint about everything in general. Elena, she loves Stefan AND Damon. Very typical, nowadays. And, of course, she keeps leading on Damon. Poor, poor Damon, who I love more than Stefan (not originally, like in the original books) and wish, as a reader, there was more deep Delena moments. I also wish Elena, who thinks she's so chipper and amazing and gorgeous enough, would let go! Just LET GO. If you can't choose between them, don't date either of them. Go date Matt again or something. Wouldn't that be better? So NEITHER of them have to hate each other because Damons dating her and Stefan hates him, or Stefan's dating her and Damon hates him. She should just leave them alone, then, if she can't pick. I'd like to see their reactions if she chose Matt! (We probably wouldn't know, though, because the GW sucks and wouldn't describe it because they suck.)
The only reason I'll finish the series is because I want to know what the GW's got in store for the final Vampire Diaries book. What becomes of them or whatever. (I'll bet the last sentence of the last book will be "And they all lived happily ever after. The end" because the ghostwriter is just that cheesy. So.
Those are my complaints. I wouldn't recommend anyone read this. Just Google what happens to them. That's what I did with Maximum Ride because I can't STAND James Patterson, but I'd read the first few books and just wanted to hear what happened to them, so I didn't read NEVERMORE I just googled what happened. Max & Fang, back together. :) I'm good. Although this is about TVD. But in TVD, it's always been Stefan, so as a Delena supporter, I will be partially disappointed.
Don't read this book.
The GW SUCKS.
(And not the good kind.)
Can I give this at least a half a star? The only reason I gave it one star is because it's the Vampire Diaries, my 2nd favorite series in the world. I haven't finished reading it yet, but from the portion I've even READ, it S-U-C-K-S. And not the good, Vampire-Diaries kind. It doesn't even deserve 1 star, because A) LJ Smith didn't write it, and she's the most AMAZING vampire author EVER, and you can't just pick up where she left off in Vampire Diaries b.c. TVD is HERS and no one else can write it as amazingly as she did. It's like having someone else write "Twilight" (not that I can stand that book anyway...) and expect it to be as "Good" as the first one. and B) This book was a total degration down from how awesome it used to be.
Let me just say, I loved the first original two books (which, in the omnibus is the first four) that were published in the 1990's, and they were the best. The following ones were, again, readable and I enjoyed reading them, but would never fully live up to the greatness in the first two(four, whatever, I read the omnibus versions.) I hated the idea of the Kitsune, Shinichi and Misao, and they kind of sickened the books, but they were still great. ("Sickened"--Have you not read these books, you won't understand...But with the whole Isobel piercing herself and Jim biting off his lips and the kids turning into demon-children from Hell thing...Sickened. Grody. Disgusting!) But, again, I could still read them. Because they were by LJ, who IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN WRITE THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, and she's a great author.
The anonymous "Ghostwriter" has done AWFUL. First off, there writing style SUCKS. Techinically I don't think they even HAVE a writing style, it sucks so bad. They don't describe ANYTHING whatsoever. Like, literally, the first thing I noticed is each paragraph is only about 3 lines long, unless this "ghostwriter" is trying to describe something. Then its 5-7. But when LJ wrote it, she had some HUGE paragraphs, and most of the time I could picture everything perfectly. Like the Dark Dimension, for instance. I pictured that perfect, with the help of LJ's describing with LARGE PARAGRAPHS. This crappy "Ghostwriter" can't describe ANYTHING. LJ would've gone into great detail describing how the town recovered after the Guardians changed it, but this person just said, "Oh, yeah, the town? Right, um, it looks just the same. Whatever." Like they expect us to just totally know EXACTLY how the town looks after it fixed itself. Um, are you stupid? We're not psychic. Tell us how it looks better, or something.
Second, LJ took a great deal of time trying to develop the character's personas, thoughts, feelings, wishes, hopes, blah blah, and so by the end of "MIDNIGHT" you know EXACTLY how everyone is. You know Elena is gorgeous, cares about every living thing, compassionate. You know Damon is the bad boy, the dangerous one, loves thrills, has a wonderful sense of humor, by far the funniest one there, (hence the "Oh God, my life just lapped itself" thing in MIDNIGHT, which I loled at)that kind of thing. You know Bonnie acts like a little girl sometimes, is (kind of) whiny, is easily scared but reacts best when she is, is psychic, cries a lot, needs a lot of comfort. Meredith is calm (LJ made that point very clear) and seems to just have everything figured out. Matt's "all American" and won't whine no matter what you tell him to do. (Ask Elena, she asks him to do TONS of stuff for her, and what does he get in return? The happy feeling of knowing you helped out a friend? Ah, he's more the used one in the group.) (Which, I can't STAND Matt. But if Matt wasnt part of the gang, then it would be Stefan stuck with a bunch of girls. Matt evens out the odds, when Damon's there, at least. 3 boys, 3 girls.) Stefan is brooding, hates being a vampire, a human-lover, loves Elena to death, just wants to be with her. But this crappy Ghostwriter doesn't have their FREAKING PERSONALITIES in there. LIKE, SERIOUSLY. This crappy, think-they-can-write-freakazoid doesn't add in who the characters are. The only PERSONAL-to-each-character things they have in there is their names. Thats it. Otherwise, they're blank slates. As if everything LJ did was wiped clean when they fired her. (:'( Sad face) We don't get any FEELING from the characters. We get words. Blank thoughts. Um, HELLO, this is THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, not the Zombie Diaries. Where the frick is the LOVE here?!?!?! Do you not care at ALL? Apparently not, because it CONTINUES into 3 MORE BOOKS!!!! :(
Not to mention that the trouble starts up again within the first four chapters. Can't the characters have SOME peace? Just SOME? (The GhostWriter at least OWES them some, in return for portraying them so poorly.) Instead of a hardly-described date out for dinner with Maragret and Judith? (I almost called her Jenna because of the TV Show...Whoops!) That was about it. And LJ would've said more about it than this loser ghostwriter did. HONESTLY. More trouble AGAIN. They should've at LEAST made their free-time more interesting for us to read, if they just HAD to have the trouble start so soon. But I was bored with Stefan and Elena's walk through the heavenly new town. That we weren't described about to, mind you.
And, how can this loser GW think they can just write the Vampire Diaries with no problemo and continue the most amazing vampire story ever written and get away with being really stupid? As you can tell I'm P-Oed by how freaking terrible it is. I really love TVD and LJ Smith and this dumb GW screwed it over. You can't DO that to Elena, Damon, Stefan, and the rest. Like, DUDE, are you stupid or what. YOU EFFED UP. After this they should go die in a hole or something. (I feel very strongly about the Vampire Diaries, as you can tell.)
This last part is just a complaint about everything in general. Elena, she loves Stefan AND Damon. Very typical, nowadays. And, of course, she keeps leading on Damon. Poor, poor Damon, who I love more than Stefan (not originally, like in the original books) and wish, as a reader, there was more deep Delena moments. I also wish Elena, who thinks she's so chipper and amazing and gorgeous enough, would let go! Just LET GO. If you can't choose between them, don't date either of them. Go date Matt again or something. Wouldn't that be better? So NEITHER of them have to hate each other because Damons dating her and Stefan hates him, or Stefan's dating her and Damon hates him. She should just leave them alone, then, if she can't pick. I'd like to see their reactions if she chose Matt! (We probably wouldn't know, though, because the GW sucks and wouldn't describe it because they suck.)
The only reason I'll finish the series is because I want to know what the GW's got in store for the final Vampire Diaries book. What becomes of them or whatever. (I'll bet the last sentence of the last book will be "And they all lived happily ever after. The end" because the ghostwriter is just that cheesy. So.
Those are my complaints. I wouldn't recommend anyone read this. Just Google what happens to them. That's what I did with Maximum Ride because I can't STAND James Patterson, but I'd read the first few books and just wanted to hear what happened to them, so I didn't read NEVERMORE I just googled what happened. Max & Fang, back together. :) I'm good. Although this is about TVD. But in TVD, it's always been Stefan, so as a Delena supporter, I will be partially disappointed.
Don't read this book.
The GW SUCKS.
(And not the good kind.)
July 6, 2025
3,5/5 ⭐️
October 30, 2011
So, I heard about the ghost writer back when I finished the book before this one, my eyes were still wet with tears from Damon's death when I read that L.J. was fired from writing the last books of her own series. I swore that I wouldn't buy this next book in support of her, a sort of boycott against the ghost writer.
Though, in the back of my mind, I was curious, I have always been for Damon and Elena and I didn't like where L.J. was talking their relationship. She was making Bonnie and Damon closer and I hated that... I really hated that. I wondered if the ghost writer would write the books how I thought they should be written (I know I have no say, they are L.J.'s books and she alone should be the story teller) but I love Damon and I really think he should be the one for Elena. Even though I thought all of this I still told myself I would not read the next books and make up an ending where Damon and Elena would be together and that was that.
So I didn't mark the release date on my phone and I stopped thinking about it all together. I went to walmart one day to pick up a new radio for my car and, like I always do, I walked by the book section just to see what they had out this time. I was just about to leave when I saw it. One lone copy just sitting there. I stopped and stared at it, at first I was ecstatic, the next book was out! Now I could find out how Damon comes back! But then I remembered my pledge and deflated. I took a few steps away, but circled back around and picked it up. 'I'll just read the back and the inside flap and that's it.' I used as justification. Once I started reading I knew I was lost to it. I HAD to find out if Elena and Damon would be together. I just had to! I'm Sorry L.J. Smith, I wish I could have been faithful and just ignored it but since book one I have been in love with your characters! I couldn't just leave it after all those years.
YES! It looks like Damon and Elena have a chance! Its small but still bigger then the one they had last book! I don't hate Bonnie as much as I used to, It would pain me if she died, but that would clear the way for Elena and Damon so I'd be okay with it. The same goes for Stefan, he has never really felt like a full character to me, he is too focused on Elena all the time it feels like that's all there is to him. He has different sides but most of what we see in all of the other books is his love for Elena and his jealousy for Damon, this book gives him a little bit more, but he is still a little too flat to be such a big part of the books, to me anyway, I might just be to Damon centered to see Stefan. Damon and Elena are more fleshed out for me it seems. I know The chance for them to be together is still slim but I will not lose hope! <3 Elena + Damon FOREVER
-~-~-~
I just found out that the reason L.J. was fired was because the book publishers wanted it to end with Elena and Stefan. This pisses me off even more! I didn't know that's why they did it! WTF!? I'm going to try this again, though now that I know Elena and Stefan will be together in these next books it will most likely work. I'm NOT buying the next one, no matter how curious I am about the ending, It pisses me off that they would do that to L.J. That was a bad move on their part and I'm not supporting them anymore, If I would have known they had fired her for such a stupid reason I would have never bought the book! Its HER story! let HER write it!
Though, in the back of my mind, I was curious, I have always been for Damon and Elena and I didn't like where L.J. was talking their relationship. She was making Bonnie and Damon closer and I hated that... I really hated that. I wondered if the ghost writer would write the books how I thought they should be written (I know I have no say, they are L.J.'s books and she alone should be the story teller) but I love Damon and I really think he should be the one for Elena. Even though I thought all of this I still told myself I would not read the next books and make up an ending where Damon and Elena would be together and that was that.
So I didn't mark the release date on my phone and I stopped thinking about it all together. I went to walmart one day to pick up a new radio for my car and, like I always do, I walked by the book section just to see what they had out this time. I was just about to leave when I saw it. One lone copy just sitting there. I stopped and stared at it, at first I was ecstatic, the next book was out! Now I could find out how Damon comes back! But then I remembered my pledge and deflated. I took a few steps away, but circled back around and picked it up. 'I'll just read the back and the inside flap and that's it.' I used as justification. Once I started reading I knew I was lost to it. I HAD to find out if Elena and Damon would be together. I just had to! I'm Sorry L.J. Smith, I wish I could have been faithful and just ignored it but since book one I have been in love with your characters! I couldn't just leave it after all those years.
YES! It looks like Damon and Elena have a chance! Its small but still bigger then the one they had last book! I don't hate Bonnie as much as I used to, It would pain me if she died, but that would clear the way for Elena and Damon so I'd be okay with it. The same goes for Stefan, he has never really felt like a full character to me, he is too focused on Elena all the time it feels like that's all there is to him. He has different sides but most of what we see in all of the other books is his love for Elena and his jealousy for Damon, this book gives him a little bit more, but he is still a little too flat to be such a big part of the books, to me anyway, I might just be to Damon centered to see Stefan. Damon and Elena are more fleshed out for me it seems. I know The chance for them to be together is still slim but I will not lose hope! <3 Elena + Damon FOREVER
-~-~-~
I just found out that the reason L.J. was fired was because the book publishers wanted it to end with Elena and Stefan. This pisses me off even more! I didn't know that's why they did it! WTF!? I'm going to try this again, though now that I know Elena and Stefan will be together in these next books it will most likely work. I'm NOT buying the next one, no matter how curious I am about the ending, It pisses me off that they would do that to L.J. That was a bad move on their part and I'm not supporting them anymore, If I would have known they had fired her for such a stupid reason I would have never bought the book! Its HER story! let HER write it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2023
Elena……..
November 9, 2011
This book picks up right after Midnight, with the main characters back in a Falls Church that's been reset to make it appear as if Elena, Stefan, and their friends had a normal senior year. I wasn't planning to read another Vampire Diaries book, but that reset combined with the news that the series was given over to a ghostwriter made me reconsider.
I finished the last trilogy mostly out of loyalty to the favorite author of my junior high years, but it was not good. This one's a small step back in the right direction.
Phantom has a stripped down plot and tighter writing. The tone is actually more like the early Vampire Diaries stuff than Smith's last three books, though I wouldn't say the ghostwriter tries to exactly copycat Smith's original style. Unfortunately the excesses of The Return can't be disappeared as easily as the memories of the average Fells Church resident. There are mentions of wings and spirit balls, but it feels like they're mostly in context of "look what we're moving away from."
The biggest difference is the characterization. Elena doesn't come off as an unlikeable jerk, and she isn't still dropping hints that the guys should just be willing to share her. Even better, the exposition didn't seem slanted to make Bonnie look childish or pathetic.
I normally don't read series novels written by people other than the original creators, because they're just not authentic. I also think it would have been kinder for the publisher to let this series die than to take it out of Smith's hands. Vampire Diaries is too a hot property to drop though, so even though I'm feeling major guilt twinges at my reaction to Phantom, I guess I'll just come right out and say it:
Smith took her new books in a direction I felt didn't fit with these characters or this series. As the writer, that's her prerogative. But if new Vampire Diaries books will continue to be published either way, I'd rather have a competent ghostwriter making a go of the earlier concept of the series than an original author who takes characters I've loved for twenty years and forces them to fit some new narrative that doesn't mesh with the existing work.
I finished the last trilogy mostly out of loyalty to the favorite author of my junior high years, but it was not good. This one's a small step back in the right direction.
Phantom has a stripped down plot and tighter writing. The tone is actually more like the early Vampire Diaries stuff than Smith's last three books, though I wouldn't say the ghostwriter tries to exactly copycat Smith's original style. Unfortunately the excesses of The Return can't be disappeared as easily as the memories of the average Fells Church resident. There are mentions of wings and spirit balls, but it feels like they're mostly in context of "look what we're moving away from."
The biggest difference is the characterization. Elena doesn't come off as an unlikeable jerk, and she isn't still dropping hints that the guys should just be willing to share her. Even better, the exposition didn't seem slanted to make Bonnie look childish or pathetic.
I normally don't read series novels written by people other than the original creators, because they're just not authentic. I also think it would have been kinder for the publisher to let this series die than to take it out of Smith's hands. Vampire Diaries is too a hot property to drop though, so even though I'm feeling major guilt twinges at my reaction to Phantom, I guess I'll just come right out and say it:
Smith took her new books in a direction I felt didn't fit with these characters or this series. As the writer, that's her prerogative. But if new Vampire Diaries books will continue to be published either way, I'd rather have a competent ghostwriter making a go of the earlier concept of the series than an original author who takes characters I've loved for twenty years and forces them to fit some new narrative that doesn't mesh with the existing work.
January 27, 2023
REVIEW FROM THE 1ST REREAD---RECENSIE VAN DE 1STE KEER DAT IK HET HERLAS
Elena and her friends were able to save Fell's Church. However, Damon is dead. Except Elena still dreams vividly about him. Could he still be alive? Meanwhile, a new dark force has arrived in Fell's Church. A force that immediately shows its influence on Elena and everyone she loves.
This is what I want from this series: a supernatural phenomenon that the group of friends must solve. A classic Buffy episode, actually. The concept of the phantom is well developed and the more you discover, the more you want to find out. Due to this concept, certain characters eventually grow (a little). However, it is still too superficial. Luckily it's only for one book. This is also the first book not to be written by Smith, but by a ghostwriter. You notice that, because Smith's style was gripping. That cannot be said of the ghostwriter. This also makes the story less lingering. The fact that the ghostwriter also makes mistakes with what was previously established is irritating. So one question then remains: what was Smith's original plan for this story?
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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Elena en haar vrienden hebben Fell's Church kunnen redden. Damon is echter dood. Alleen droomt Elena nog levendig over hem. Zou het kunnen dat hij nog leeft? Ondertussen is er een nieuwe duistere kracht in Fell's Church aangekomen. Een kracht die haar invloed meteen laat kennen op Elena en iedereen die ze lief heeft.
Dit is wat ik wil van deze reeks: een bovennatuurlijke fenomeen dat de vriendengroep moet zien op te lossen. Een klassieke Buffy-aflevering, eigenlijk. Het concept van de fantoom is goed uitgewerkt en hoe meer je ontdekt, hoe meer je wilt te weten komen. Door dit concept komen bepaalde personages uiteindelijk in een (kleine) groei terecht. Toch blijft het nog te oppervlakkig. Gelukkig is het maar voor één boek. Dit is ook het eerste boek dat niet door Smith wordt geschreven, maar door een ghostwriter. Dat merk je, want Smiths stijl was toch aangrijpend. Dat kan niet gezegd worden van de ghostwriter. Hierdoor blijft het verhaal ook minder hangen. Het feit dat de ghostwriter ook fouten maakt met wat voorheen werd vastgesteld is irritant. Dus de vraag blijft dan: wat was Smiths originele plan met deze verhaallijn?
Mijn rating: 3 op 5 sterren
Elena and her friends were able to save Fell's Church. However, Damon is dead. Except Elena still dreams vividly about him. Could he still be alive? Meanwhile, a new dark force has arrived in Fell's Church. A force that immediately shows its influence on Elena and everyone she loves.
This is what I want from this series: a supernatural phenomenon that the group of friends must solve. A classic Buffy episode, actually. The concept of the phantom is well developed and the more you discover, the more you want to find out. Due to this concept, certain characters eventually grow (a little). However, it is still too superficial. Luckily it's only for one book. This is also the first book not to be written by Smith, but by a ghostwriter. You notice that, because Smith's style was gripping. That cannot be said of the ghostwriter. This also makes the story less lingering. The fact that the ghostwriter also makes mistakes with what was previously established is irritating. So one question then remains: what was Smith's original plan for this story?
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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Elena en haar vrienden hebben Fell's Church kunnen redden. Damon is echter dood. Alleen droomt Elena nog levendig over hem. Zou het kunnen dat hij nog leeft? Ondertussen is er een nieuwe duistere kracht in Fell's Church aangekomen. Een kracht die haar invloed meteen laat kennen op Elena en iedereen die ze lief heeft.
Dit is wat ik wil van deze reeks: een bovennatuurlijke fenomeen dat de vriendengroep moet zien op te lossen. Een klassieke Buffy-aflevering, eigenlijk. Het concept van de fantoom is goed uitgewerkt en hoe meer je ontdekt, hoe meer je wilt te weten komen. Door dit concept komen bepaalde personages uiteindelijk in een (kleine) groei terecht. Toch blijft het nog te oppervlakkig. Gelukkig is het maar voor één boek. Dit is ook het eerste boek dat niet door Smith wordt geschreven, maar door een ghostwriter. Dat merk je, want Smiths stijl was toch aangrijpend. Dat kan niet gezegd worden van de ghostwriter. Hierdoor blijft het verhaal ook minder hangen. Het feit dat de ghostwriter ook fouten maakt met wat voorheen werd vastgesteld is irritant. Dus de vraag blijft dan: wat was Smiths originele plan met deze verhaallijn?
Mijn rating: 3 op 5 sterren
January 2, 2012
I've been a huge fan of The Vampire Diaries since I first read the original four books in Junior High and I've continued to stick by it through thick and thin. While the sequels were not quite the same as the original books, I still enjoyed them for what they were and gave the author the benefit of the doubt. After all, it was hard to revive a series after such a length of time had passed and things had changed quite a bit since the originals had first made an appearance. And despite all of its differences, I fell in love with the television series (thanks in large part to the spot-on portrayal of Damon by Ian Somerhalder). Now, on to this book. I was excited to read it because, being a Damon fan, I hadn't liked the way the previous trilogy had come to and end. I was hopeful again! Then I had all of that hope dashed when I found out that a ghostwriter had been hired to rewrite everything that Ms. Smith had written! Sacrilige! To who does this terrible idea belong to, I wondered. But, being the fan I was, I still read the book. It was okay - I didn't absolutely hate it, but it was missing some key ingredients and there were mistakes riddled throughout that made it clear that whoever was in charge of it, wasn't as familiar with the story as the author would have been. The characters that I had grown to love were still there, but they seemed just slightly off-kilter; imposters. Worst of all, I felt that my beloved Damon had been essentially declawed; the fire that I had so enjoyed about him had been reduced to mere embers. I pray that this ghostwriter is fired and LJ's version is brought back... I'll never truly accept the story unless it's in the creator's original words.
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