Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Revenant

Buffyverse Novels #31

by Mel Odom

When a Chinese gang hits Sunnydale, racial tensions in the community are sparked. Buffy has seen the baddies shake down Willy the Snitch, so naturally her Slayer senses are up. But to Willow, the situation poses a more personal threat. Her new friend Jia Li has been feeling the backlash from this cross-cultural hostility -- and it's tearing her family apart. Jia remains true to her ancient cultural heritage, but her brother, the angry, outspoken Lok, is ready to toss out old Chinese customs for the modern American lifestyle. And he's willing to use the occult for just that purpose.

Suddenly, a beautiful martial-arts warrior arrives on the scene. It's impossible to tell where her allegiance lies, but Xander -- whose romances are becoming habitually complicated -- is smitten, Giles is in full research mode, and before long, Buffy is wondering who's behind the gang warfare. Is supernatural evil brewing?

This novel is non-canon.

Genres: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Fantasy, Vampires, Young Adult, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Horror

386 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

aka Jordan Gray

Mel Odom is a bestselling writer for hire for Wizards of the Coast's Forgotten Realms, Gold Eagle's Mack Bolan, and Pocket's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel book lines. His debut SF novel Lethal Interface made the Locus recommended list . The Rover was an Alyx Award winner. He has also written a scientific adventure of the high seas set in the 19th century entitled Hunters of the Dark Sea. He lives in Oklahoma.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a somewhat formulaic (guest star buddy of the week/guest star Big Bad of the week) Buffy novel set during the third season of the television show. It actually follows different arcs that are brought together and resolved satisfactorily at the end, but it moves slowly and is just way too long. The characters are well-written and sound authentic, but the plot is too sparse for the length. Interesting incorporation of some Chinese mythology, but not a book I'll re-read.

[[ J o ] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generic Fan-Fiction kind of stuff. Great characterisation and they all shone through true to the television series, but in general the plot was so slow and the writing always felt a little wonky. It didn't really feel like something that would actually happen in the Buffyverse.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Nice to see another story with Buffy and the Scoobies.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually really disappointed in this book. I thought it would be much better than it turned out. Mel Odom has written other Buffy and Angel books which have been really good (Angel: Redemption was one of my favourites of the Angel books) and I also like books with an oriental feel so I had high hopes and was sad to be so disappointed in it.

The writing of the characters themselves was spot on, I could see and hear the characters and they acted exactly how I would expect them to and the references to what had happened so far in the tv show were perfect.

But the book itself seem to move really slowly and the book took me so much longer to read than it should have and I just kept wanting things to speed up and move along. Overall, it was okay but a bit of a disappointment

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with this book. It opens and goes pretty much straight into fighting action, and then it just doesn't really let up. The gang are separate for almost all of the book, fighting their own individual fights, shooting things and blowing things up.

There are really only a handful of scenes where characters get to interact, and then when they do get together it just becomes exposition dump for the villain.

It does touch on something interesting around racial tensions in Sunnydale, but it's buried so deep in mindless action and fight sequences that it was hard to really give it the depth and importance it deserved.

[KJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with plenty of action and non stop keep you on the edge thrilling plot. The characters are greatly portrayed! For new slayers (Buffy fans) and old slayers alike, this book was a great read, and I would definitely read it again! An amazing title added to my growing collection of Buffy the Vampire Slayer books!! This book takes place during Season 3. Mel is a great Buffy writer, and amazing fiction writer in general. You can tell he is not only passionate about writing but passionate towards the series as the details he gives within each character is on point!

[Kelly Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Buffy book (so far, lucky to own almost all of them-physical copies)! Mel Odom's stories for Buffy never fail. They are perfectly balanced. He knows how to add details from the show to interwine with his original story well. This is a good read ni love the relationships presented between characters. Feels like an episode! Visualization comes to life with his writing techniques. I can't wait to read other books in the Buffy series by Odom, maybe even books outside of the series. That's how well he writes! Recommend fr Buffy the Vampire Slayer lovers!

[Skylar Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a really great book. I was a little bit disappointed though. Not by the plot or characterizations of the characters from Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

It was really the long length of the book itself that was the problem in my personal opinion. I usually don't mind long books, but it just kind dragged on for me. But other than that?an awesome book.

[LJP1610 · Rating 2 out of 5]

the fighting scenecs (esp with buffy any angel) were very well written. but the 'friend of the week' story was lame and the gang info was over done. ok we got it gangs bad. stfu.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one. We have 3 separate stories being told and they all come together really well.

[Sidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buffy and crew fight Chinese demons. Xander is heartsick, go figure.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potentially a good story but long and slow. Cordy’s involvement was pointless. Didn’t feel like a true BTVS episode. Had great potential but hard to get into with minimal conclusion.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in middle school first time when got from my third cousin. Then again three times in high school. This time around I didn't feel like I did back then reading it. I was little bored some places. I also wished there was more the end with Angel and Buffy after the fight as he healed up instead of Xander.

This Asian youth gang Black Wind went on a war path one night through Sunnydale. They were not holding back either killing left right and even went for Buffy and Angel when someone at Willy's pointed her out. Had picture of her they'd carried too.

There was this swordswoman that saved Xander at basketball court and again when Oz and he were kidnapped. Shing I had forgotten about from when read years ago. Willow helped her friend Jia Li deal with her possesd brother.

It turned into all out war in a junkyard too after this business guy from China got turned into a dragon when the gang ruined the plans to bring him back another way. Was still good and I'll probably read again someday.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past few months, I have become OBSESSED with Buffy the Vampire Slayer! While I eagerly await to receive the fifth season on DVD, I have decided to start reading the books based upon the TV series. I didn't think the books could be as good as the show, but I was wrong. Revenant kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing and wondering what would happen next. Everything came together nicely, and the final battle was epic! I'm definitely going to sink my teeth (pun fully intended) into the rest of this series, as they're almost as great as the TV show that spawned them!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know there were so many Asians in Sunnydale. And if Willow was such good friends with Ji-Lee and spent so much time at her family's resturant, then why didn't she ever appear on the show? The author shouldn't beable to create a history between a main character and a non-show character and expect us to just go with it. And adding all these Asian students when you never see one on the show! Whats up with that?

The story was good

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

rev·e·nant
–noun
1. a person who returns.
2. a person who returns as a spirit after death; ghost.

(I can admit that I didn't know what the word meant :-)

The book was okay. It took place in the third season (more or less...no Faith, no Wes) I enjoyed the story, it was a alot like an episode -- not sure Mr. Odom got the voice of Angel right though.

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love when they're set in season 3

[Dolores · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took ALOT longer to read then it should have. I just didnt seem to get into it.

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]