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Big Bad
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Suicide Squad in this adult dark, rompy novel in which the most beloved villains from Buffy must team up to stop the Slayer from ending their evil universe!
Demondale, Callifornia, 1999...Like Sunnydale, but whole lot more evil.
Step into this alternate reality, where chaos reigns supreme. The Mayor’s sun-shade has created permanent darkness over Sunnydale, fully opening the Hellmouth once and for all. Now the newly christened Demondale has become a safe haven for vampires, beasts, and all types of ruffians. It's never been better to be bad.
Aspiring supervillains (and super nerds) Jonathan and Andrew attempt to hold their own in a town full of monsters, while eleven-hundred-year-old vengeance demon Anya is just looking for something to give her life purpose again, spending her days working at an evil juice bar. But soon word gets out that there’s a new Big Bad on the scene, one more powerful and more destructive than anyone who has come before. She, of course, is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And she’s hell-bent on rooting out all of this reality's evil by any means necessary.
Now Jonathan, Andrew, and Anya must recruit a team of Demondale’s most notorious villains—including Angelus, Spike, Drusilla, and even Ripper the malevolent magic shop owner—in order to save their world. But it’ll be no easy feat to put their pride and differences aside and stop the worst thing that has ever come to good.
Written by acclaimed author and Buffy super fan Lily Anderson, this novel brings together Buffy's most devious and beloved villains from the Trio to the Whirlwind to Anya, Glory, and Vampire Willow. This is one apocalypse Buffy fans are not going to want to miss!
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2022
71 people are currently reading
6108 people want to read
About the author
Lily Anderson
11 books827 followersLily Anderson is the author of THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU, NOT NOW NOT EVER, and UNDEAD GIRL GANG. A former school librarian, she is deeply devoted to Shakespeare, fairy tales, and podcasts. Somewhere in Northern California, she is having strong opinions on musical theater. Find her online at www.mslilyanderson.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
September 24, 2024
3.75 out of 5 stars!
So, you're telling me that there's another Buffy novel that I did not know about? I'm mortified!
So, you're telling me that there's another Buffy novel that I did not know about? I'm mortified!
March 27, 2023
This is a book based on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Recently, there has been a release of Buffy novels and comics. In the comics, they are tackling the concept of a multiverse. This one also deals with an alternate universe. In this one we visit Demondale. Basically, Sunnydale is in eternal night and demons are in control. But they have a new foe that could threaten their existence and that is the slayer.
I have been trying to keep up to date with the various novels and comics from this universe. I have liked some but none of them have been amazing. That changes with this one. I loved this book. The different take on the character, the easter eggs, and the shift of point of view was excellent. First off let me say that you can tell that the author has watched the show multiple times and that she is a fan. She gets it. I thought the switch of view was so clever. We follow the demons as they play the part of the Scooby Gang. We get the requisite demons like Angelus, Spike, and Anya. But we also get the members of the trio along with demons from the spinoff show Angel. Basically, every demon you can think of makes an appearance in this book. It was really like a season of the show but the only difference is the Scooby Gang is villains and they battle the Big Bad who is Buffy. And the easter eggs. Every page had one that fans will love. They could be right in your face or obscure but I laughed out loud with some of them. And they never felt forced. Even the evolution of the plot was a callback to the original show as one will see hints of callbacks to episodes.
I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this novel. I wasn't really expecting much as I didn't think I would love the idea of Buffy being a Big Bad. But this was such a good time. Fans of the show will absolutely love this book. But you don't have to be a diehard fan to enjoy it. The shift of the point of view is enough to have any reader enjoy this book.
I have been trying to keep up to date with the various novels and comics from this universe. I have liked some but none of them have been amazing. That changes with this one. I loved this book. The different take on the character, the easter eggs, and the shift of point of view was excellent. First off let me say that you can tell that the author has watched the show multiple times and that she is a fan. She gets it. I thought the switch of view was so clever. We follow the demons as they play the part of the Scooby Gang. We get the requisite demons like Angelus, Spike, and Anya. But we also get the members of the trio along with demons from the spinoff show Angel. Basically, every demon you can think of makes an appearance in this book. It was really like a season of the show but the only difference is the Scooby Gang is villains and they battle the Big Bad who is Buffy. And the easter eggs. Every page had one that fans will love. They could be right in your face or obscure but I laughed out loud with some of them. And they never felt forced. Even the evolution of the plot was a callback to the original show as one will see hints of callbacks to episodes.
I am amazed at how much I enjoyed this novel. I wasn't really expecting much as I didn't think I would love the idea of Buffy being a Big Bad. But this was such a good time. Fans of the show will absolutely love this book. But you don't have to be a diehard fan to enjoy it. The shift of the point of view is enough to have any reader enjoy this book.
March 29, 2022
I'm loving this year of Buffy novels, and I think Big Bad is possibly the strongest one of them yet. This reads like a celebration of the entire show, and you can tell Anderson is a longtime fan who has also done her homework. The premise here is just SO clever, with Buffy herself being the big bad to these villains in this AU world. Most of the characters' voices are spot on too. Anderson writes an incredible Anya, and she made me care about Jonathan and Andrew and their friendship with each other and Anya quite a lot. Angelus never really seemed in character, sounding too much like Angel, the main romance didn't completely work for me, and naming the gem the Marnoxon gem was a tad too on the nose, but otherwise... Big Bad is a heck of a good time for Buffy fans! It's a love letter to the series, and I can't recommend it enough to fans eager for more stories in the Buffyverse. The amount of easter eggs in this book is crazy but somehow it never feels overwhelming. There are a slew of great moments, but the one that will stick in my mind is the first additional AU Buffy visits; at least in my advanced edition, it's a reference to the Angel spinoff show, which I wasn't expecting, and it literally made me scream. I would love to see Anderson return for more stories, in this world or another. (Side note: there's queer rep here, handled very well, through Andrew, Willow, and Drusilla!) 4.5/5 stars.
Read
July 8, 2024❧ audiobook review
SPOILERS
A book that makes me ship and adore Angelus and Anya, and Willow and Drusilla??
All right all right all right.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Other Buffyverse Reviews:
My review of In Every Generation by Kendare Blake is here.
My review of The Bewitching Hour by Ashley Poston is here.
My review of Slayer by Kiersten White is here.
My review of Bloody Fool for Love by William Ritter is here.
My review of Pretty Maids All in a Row Christopher Golden is here.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
SPOILERS
A book that makes me ship and adore Angelus and Anya, and Willow and Drusilla??
All right all right all right.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Other Buffyverse Reviews:
My review of In Every Generation by Kendare Blake is here.
My review of The Bewitching Hour by Ashley Poston is here.
My review of Slayer by Kiersten White is here.
My review of Bloody Fool for Love by William Ritter is here.
My review of Pretty Maids All in a Row Christopher Golden is here.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
January 2, 2023
You can tell from the premise that this Buffyverse story was going to read like fan fiction, and it definitely does. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
What I liked:
Warren’s early death. I love the Trio as a concept, but making Warren a primary protagonist where you have to root for him would be difficult to say the least. Anya and Jonathan are the main pov characters. I love Jonathan but his friendship with Warren makes his super sketchy and Anderson resolved that easily.
The idea of all the different dimensions was super cool and I think having Anya as one of the main pov characters is what made that work. Anya’s perspective works really well for this particular narrative. Also, I love the way every was resolved with Buffy in the end.
The Drusilla x Vampire Willow matchup. I’ve never considered this pairing before because they aren’t ever in the same place in the show, but it’s actually insanely accurate to their characters.
What I didn’t love:
Early descriptions. I felt like some things were over-explained. This is a minor gripe, but a couple things rubbed me the wrong way. For example, when Buffy faces the Gentlemen in another dimension, her internal dialogue over-explains why the Gentlemen are creepy.
Trivialization of early action scenes. These don’t necessarily need to be long, drawn-out plot points since that isn’t the focus of the book, but the fact that Buffy is able to so easily take out these Big Bads is weird considering that it’s difficult for Buffy to win those fights during the show. I was especially put out by the scene were Buffy takes down the First, since this is a huge turning point in season seven where everything goes horribly wrong. I get that in this world Buffy only has to take out the Black Flame Flag rather than actually defeating the villain, but still.
Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for sending me this arc.
Interested in other Buffyverse titles? Check out In Every Generation!
What I liked:
Warren’s early death. I love the Trio as a concept, but making Warren a primary protagonist where you have to root for him would be difficult to say the least. Anya and Jonathan are the main pov characters. I love Jonathan but his friendship with Warren makes his super sketchy and Anderson resolved that easily.
The idea of all the different dimensions was super cool and I think having Anya as one of the main pov characters is what made that work. Anya’s perspective works really well for this particular narrative. Also, I love the way every was resolved with Buffy in the end.
The Drusilla x Vampire Willow matchup. I’ve never considered this pairing before because they aren’t ever in the same place in the show, but it’s actually insanely accurate to their characters.
What I didn’t love:
Early descriptions. I felt like some things were over-explained. This is a minor gripe, but a couple things rubbed me the wrong way. For example, when Buffy faces the Gentlemen in another dimension, her internal dialogue over-explains why the Gentlemen are creepy.
Trivialization of early action scenes. These don’t necessarily need to be long, drawn-out plot points since that isn’t the focus of the book, but the fact that Buffy is able to so easily take out these Big Bads is weird considering that it’s difficult for Buffy to win those fights during the show. I was especially put out by the scene were Buffy takes down the First, since this is a huge turning point in season seven where everything goes horribly wrong. I get that in this world Buffy only has to take out the Black Flame Flag rather than actually defeating the villain, but still.
Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for sending me this arc.
Interested in other Buffyverse titles? Check out In Every Generation!
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 30, 2023
Big Bad was just so damn fun! I had really such a good time reading this book. I didn't quite know what to expect from Demondale and this canon divergent universe, but I really really loved what Anderson did with the characters and the story!
The writing was very easy to read and I loved the different perspectives from Jonathan and Anya (and Buffy!). The premise of the Slayer being the villain, for once, was so nice and presented a pretty cool conflict throughout since I had empathy for the Demondale peeps and yet still cheered for Buffy.
Also, important to note that Warren was a piece of shit in every universe! Thank you to Anderson for not trying to retcon that lol
All of the legacy characters who showed up were also great! I very much enjoyed Anya being Anya and how she interacted with Jonathan and Andrew. Angelus and Spike and Dru were amazing as always and Willow fit in pretty well with the group. I was a little surprised to see the Ripper, but it was yet another divergence that quite worked for me considering his backstory. There were a few other fantastic cameos as well!
The queer rep was also fantastic with Andrew and Willow and Drusilla! One this this book did was make me consider new ships within fandom and I was very much on board with wlw relationship part of it all. The other one involving Anya didn't quite work for me.
The questions of friendship and what it meant to be Evil were also very well written and addressed. I didn't expect so many heartwarming moments and touching conversations in this book and I really loved what I got from. Oh! And! And! All of the alternate Sunnydales were absolutely wonderful and Smileydale is my one true nightmare :D This was definitely my favorite Buffyverse related novel I've read so far!
The writing was very easy to read and I loved the different perspectives from Jonathan and Anya (and Buffy!). The premise of the Slayer being the villain, for once, was so nice and presented a pretty cool conflict throughout since I had empathy for the Demondale peeps and yet still cheered for Buffy.
Also, important to note that Warren was a piece of shit in every universe! Thank you to Anderson for not trying to retcon that lol
All of the legacy characters who showed up were also great! I very much enjoyed Anya being Anya and how she interacted with Jonathan and Andrew. Angelus and Spike and Dru were amazing as always and Willow fit in pretty well with the group. I was a little surprised to see the Ripper, but it was yet another divergence that quite worked for me considering his backstory. There were a few other fantastic cameos as well!
The queer rep was also fantastic with Andrew and Willow and Drusilla! One this this book did was make me consider new ships within fandom and I was very much on board with wlw relationship part of it all. The other one involving Anya didn't quite work for me.
The questions of friendship and what it meant to be Evil were also very well written and addressed. I didn't expect so many heartwarming moments and touching conversations in this book and I really loved what I got from. Oh! And! And! All of the alternate Sunnydales were absolutely wonderful and Smileydale is my one true nightmare :D This was definitely my favorite Buffyverse related novel I've read so far!
July 24, 2024
I was trepidatious because I'm not a fanfiction person. I like the thing I like to be the thing, and I'm satisfied with that. And as much as this book received a high-profile treatment—hardcover release, shiny cover art, a blurb from an actor on the show (Julie Benz, she played Darla in season 1 and , not a major character but a recognizable one)—it doesn't transcend the label of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Alternate Universe Fanfiction (BVSAUFF, I presume).
But, it was fun. The opening chapters were amusing and set the stage nicely. This story takes place in Demondale, an alternate universe version of Sunnydale where the sun has been permanently blocked and vampires and demons can live without fear. It should absolutely not be read unless you've seen the entire BVS television series, as it draws on characters and spoilers from all seven seasons.
The story is mostly told from the POV of fan-favorite side characters. This is where it shines: it captured the character's voices very well, and provided those characters with lovely arcs, leading the book to an endearing and satisfying conclusion. Many of the comedic lines were spot-on. The author demonstrated her love of the source material very well and stayed true to it.
The Buffy chapters, on the other hand, were more awkward. Her quips, when uttered, matched the show's style, but the narration is these chapters felt distant from the character. Part of this was the use of a blank slate Buffy, from the equivalent of the start of season 2. Having this Buffy encounter characters, threats and references from much later seasons felt forced. Much of that material was filler, excuses to insert every TV big bad even though they had no bearing on the main plot. These chapters highlighted the artificiality of the alternate universe conceit, which I thought was lame: Buffy is guided by a magical gem to different dimensions where "evil" is focused, and she destroys each of those dimensions by touching the gem to something called "the Black Flame flag" in each dimension. The phrase "Black Flame flag" was used so many times and was such a MacGuffin irrelevant to the story's emotional heart. Because of a lot of this, the book drags in the middle, and if I were a less determined reader I would have skipped to the end. If I had jumped to the last two chapters (plus epilogue) I would have been just fine.
There's one glaring omission: Xander. He is mentioned in passing one time, but for the book to include Buffy, Willow, Giles, Anya, Ethan Rayne, Jonathan, Andrew, Warren, Angel, Spike, Drusilla, Joyce, Dawn, Harmony, Darla, the Master, Adam, Glory, Mayor Wilkins, the mayor's aide, the First, Faith, Wesley, the Gorch brothers, and Clem, but not Xander, one of the show's three main characters, who appears in every episode but one, is obviously a conscious choice. In fairness, Riley and Oz aren't in it either, but that's less of a clear omission. Maybe only male characters who were villains were allowed? (Giles is here as Ripper only). That would make it exclusively the women and villains of Buffy. On review, every character other than Buffy was in their villain persona, male and female. Willow was Vamp Willow. But Vamp Xander exists also, so .... The author's acknowledgements are directed solely towards the women involved in the show, listing all the female writers and cast members. I knew that Joss was cancelled, but it looks like Nicholas Brendan was also. This sent me on a deeper dive; I knew that the actor had some post-Buffy problems but I didn't know the extent of them over time. I knew Xander was a challenging character, but now I better appreciate the depth of critical feminist and general character analysis applied to him during the years since the show wrapped. I can see why the choice to exclude him might be made. I am still disappointed by it.
This book's copyright holder is Disney.
But, it was fun. The opening chapters were amusing and set the stage nicely. This story takes place in Demondale, an alternate universe version of Sunnydale where the sun has been permanently blocked and vampires and demons can live without fear. It should absolutely not be read unless you've seen the entire BVS television series, as it draws on characters and spoilers from all seven seasons.
The story is mostly told from the POV of fan-favorite side characters. This is where it shines: it captured the character's voices very well, and provided those characters with lovely arcs, leading the book to an endearing and satisfying conclusion. Many of the comedic lines were spot-on. The author demonstrated her love of the source material very well and stayed true to it.
The Buffy chapters, on the other hand, were more awkward. Her quips, when uttered, matched the show's style, but the narration is these chapters felt distant from the character. Part of this was the use of a blank slate Buffy, from the equivalent of the start of season 2. Having this Buffy encounter characters, threats and references from much later seasons felt forced. Much of that material was filler, excuses to insert every TV big bad even though they had no bearing on the main plot. These chapters highlighted the artificiality of the alternate universe conceit, which I thought was lame: Buffy is guided by a magical gem to different dimensions where "evil" is focused, and she destroys each of those dimensions by touching the gem to something called "the Black Flame flag" in each dimension. The phrase "Black Flame flag" was used so many times and was such a MacGuffin irrelevant to the story's emotional heart. Because of a lot of this, the book drags in the middle, and if I were a less determined reader I would have skipped to the end. If I had jumped to the last two chapters (plus epilogue) I would have been just fine.
There's one glaring omission: Xander. He is mentioned in passing one time, but for the book to include Buffy, Willow, Giles, Anya, Ethan Rayne, Jonathan, Andrew, Warren, Angel, Spike, Drusilla, Joyce, Dawn, Harmony, Darla, the Master, Adam, Glory, Mayor Wilkins, the mayor's aide, the First, Faith, Wesley, the Gorch brothers, and Clem, but not Xander, one of the show's three main characters, who appears in every episode but one, is obviously a conscious choice. In fairness, Riley and Oz aren't in it either, but that's less of a clear omission. Maybe only male characters who were villains were allowed? (Giles is here as Ripper only). That would make it exclusively the women and villains of Buffy. On review, every character other than Buffy was in their villain persona, male and female. Willow was Vamp Willow. But Vamp Xander exists also, so .... The author's acknowledgements are directed solely towards the women involved in the show, listing all the female writers and cast members. I knew that Joss was cancelled, but it looks like Nicholas Brendan was also. This sent me on a deeper dive; I knew that the actor had some post-Buffy problems but I didn't know the extent of them over time. I knew Xander was a challenging character, but now I better appreciate the depth of critical feminist and general character analysis applied to him during the years since the show wrapped. I can see why the choice to exclude him might be made. I am still disappointed by it.
This book's copyright holder is Disney.
Want to read
March 2, 2022
Okay. I'm not entirely sure how or why the publishing world keeps blessing me with more Buffy books, but I'm not complaining.
Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC!!!
February 28, 2023
For the love of Buffy! You’ll really enjoy this alternate universe where Demondale was a successful haven for the hell mouth and demons of all sorts. Very fun!
September 29, 2022
I confess that I've only seen a handful of Buffy episodes, but I know who most of the main characters are. There have been a few books about the vampire slayer recently, but this one is my favorite so far. I liked that it focused more on the residents of Demondale, a place for vampires and demons to freely exist. It was fun rooting for the dark side, though I still enjoyed watching Buffy kick some butt.
Jonathan and Andrew are some of the only humans left in Demondale and they're just trying to survive. They form an unlikely friendship with a vengeance demon named Anya and I loved the relationship. It was odd, but so sweet at times and made me root for them to stop their apocalypse.
We got to see familiar faces like Angel, Spike, and Willow, though without Buffy in their lives they're more evil. The story was a fun flip of the show and easy to jump into.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the copy.
Jonathan and Andrew are some of the only humans left in Demondale and they're just trying to survive. They form an unlikely friendship with a vengeance demon named Anya and I loved the relationship. It was odd, but so sweet at times and made me root for them to stop their apocalypse.
We got to see familiar faces like Angel, Spike, and Willow, though without Buffy in their lives they're more evil. The story was a fun flip of the show and easy to jump into.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the copy.
December 1, 2023
This book was good, nostalgic fun. In my opinion, it's better than the most recent audio production by miles. If you're a Buffy fan who wants to see all your favourite baddies again, try this book. There are tons of places where the author picks at the show's more outrageous moments (two super old vampires falling in love with a teenager for example) but all in the name of fun. It even made me appreciate Jonathan and Andrew more??
It was the perfect bit of candy for my tired old brain.
It was the perfect bit of candy for my tired old brain.
Read
June 30, 2022Buffy-stans: put this on your TBR like, yesterday.
*early work perk read*
*early work perk read*
October 27, 2022
I'm torn with this book. It was a lighter read that I was able to finish in a couple of sittings. I really enjoyed diving back in the Buffy universe, and the nostalgia was great. This book is told mostly by Jonathan and Anya's characters, but we do get to see some of the Slayer perspective. I wish that there had been more from the Slayer. It was my favorite part and there just was not enough of it. This book does get a touch cheesy, but combined with an easy read, I was able to enjoy it. In the end, it was a lot of fun getting back into this world, but this won't stick with me for long. I do think that this may come off too hokey for someone who is new to this world.
*Won in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
*Won in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
June 26, 2022
Rating: 5/5 stars ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
WOW. I loved this so much! It was so nice to be back in the Buffy verse again and to read this different take on it. It was so interesting seeing the pairing of different couples and how different people are in Demondale. You can definitely tell this was written by a Buffy super fan because of all of the inside jokes! Really enjoyed reading this and I’m hoping there will be a sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
WOW. I loved this so much! It was so nice to be back in the Buffy verse again and to read this different take on it. It was so interesting seeing the pairing of different couples and how different people are in Demondale. You can definitely tell this was written by a Buffy super fan because of all of the inside jokes! Really enjoyed reading this and I’m hoping there will be a sequel!
July 10, 2022
This felt like a vacation with old friends.
October 10, 2022
I loved this book so much anything Buffy the Vampire Slayer related I tend to love although this is my favorite one yet. I loved the characters so much especially Jonathan, Andrew and Anya I also loved the vampire characters of Angelus, Spike and Drusilla and a few others too. I loved this evil world of Demondale and the residents in it I liked the romance of Anya and Angelus I liked the one of Drusilla and vampire Willow as well. The characters were interesting to read about and they could be pretty funny at many times in the story. I loved the plot it was really interesting it started with an attempted demon ascension that ends with an attack by the slayer and the story begins with Jonathan and Andrew trying to at first get their friend back in moved into going into a great cast of characters trying to stop the slayer from ending their world. So overall I loved this book I would love more of it for sure.
September 24, 2022
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
So, this was fun, but it was clearly for a niche audience of Buffy fans. Though, this is an alternate verse it's pulled so much from the a Buffy source material (fan fab characters, episodes, and quotes). I loved that and found it endearing. It was nice to visit with some old friends.
That behind said, someone not familiar with Buffy may have been a little lost.
So, this was fun, but it was clearly for a niche audience of Buffy fans. Though, this is an alternate verse it's pulled so much from the a Buffy source material (fan fab characters, episodes, and quotes). I loved that and found it endearing. It was nice to visit with some old friends.
That behind said, someone not familiar with Buffy may have been a little lost.
August 16, 2024
The writing captures the essence of the original characters very well, except Angelus is missing some of his bite. I do wish more of Buffy's personality & story comes through, but the novel is focused on the Demondale alt universe, which she is not meant to be a part of. Many aspects of the Buffyverse seem inevitable with certain characters' fates. How it ended leaves events and relationships open to a sequel, and I would be happy to explore the world further, especially with the surprise guests in the epilogue.
October 4, 2022
This was such a fun book! I enjoyed the diverse characters and different POV's. The setting of course was the best part because who doesn't want to revisit the world of Sunnydale and get to talk with some of our favorite Buffy characters!
February 12, 2023
A fun read with tons of villainous cameos, in-jokes, and nostalgia. Doesn't quite stake the climax, but the epilog was perfect.
September 10, 2025
A good writer can make you feel sympathy with everyone - well Lily Anderson is freaking Amazon because I was actually routing for these demons.
September 24, 2022
Big Bad
by Lily Anderson
YA Fantasy Paranormal Fan Fiction
NetGalley ARC
An alternate reality where, in Sunnydale, now named Demondale, California, the sun is blocked by a shade and is a safe haven for all 'hell spawned' creatures, vampires, demons, etc.
There was an accident when a slayer, “Buffy”, portals in, interrupting the ritual three humans were performing. After, two of those humans went to track down a vengeance demon for a wish...
In this book, the Buffy fans get to meet their beloved Buffy characters with different personalities, and there are a lot of references to the 90s that the target audience, YA, may not get. I did because I grew up in the 90s. Yes, I watched the movie a few times, no I didn't watch the series or anything else to do with it. Maybe if I had, I would've enjoyed the book.
It was boring. That previous sentence was pretty much how the book was written. Straight, to the point without any real descriptions. The plot/blurb was interesting and it got my curiosity going, but the characters were flat; they were all whiny teenagers, including the monsters, and I didn't really care for a single one of them. There were a few attempts at blood baths, but there was only minor dripping or splattering of blood. Any other kinds of goo would've added to the event.
I probably skimmed fifty percent of this book because there was nothing of substance. I pushed through it, hoping for some kind of action, or a shock would jar me, but no. But I can say that there were some one-liners that made me snicker.
1 Star
by Lily Anderson
YA Fantasy Paranormal Fan Fiction
NetGalley ARC
An alternate reality where, in Sunnydale, now named Demondale, California, the sun is blocked by a shade and is a safe haven for all 'hell spawned' creatures, vampires, demons, etc.
There was an accident when a slayer, “Buffy”, portals in, interrupting the ritual three humans were performing. After, two of those humans went to track down a vengeance demon for a wish...
In this book, the Buffy fans get to meet their beloved Buffy characters with different personalities, and there are a lot of references to the 90s that the target audience, YA, may not get. I did because I grew up in the 90s. Yes, I watched the movie a few times, no I didn't watch the series or anything else to do with it. Maybe if I had, I would've enjoyed the book.
It was boring. That previous sentence was pretty much how the book was written. Straight, to the point without any real descriptions. The plot/blurb was interesting and it got my curiosity going, but the characters were flat; they were all whiny teenagers, including the monsters, and I didn't really care for a single one of them. There were a few attempts at blood baths, but there was only minor dripping or splattering of blood. Any other kinds of goo would've added to the event.
I probably skimmed fifty percent of this book because there was nothing of substance. I pushed through it, hoping for some kind of action, or a shock would jar me, but no. But I can say that there were some one-liners that made me snicker.
1 Star
October 8, 2022
This was a wonderful addition to the Buffyverse! It was really interesting to read about an alternate universe where Buffy wasn't in Sunnydale and see how the Big Bads featured in the series were living without Buffy around. I finished this one a few days ago and keep thinking about it. The world building for this alternate reality is just incredible.
November 13, 2022
I received an eARC from NetGalley and a hardcover from Disney Hyperion in return for a review! We also interviewed Lily Anderson for my Buffy rewatch podcast, Prophecy Girls, and I will update this review with a link to the episode when it’s out!
It’s 1999. In an alternative version of Sunnydale, the Mayor doesn’t ascend but rather blots out the sun and renames the town Demondale to attract, shall we say, a new type of resident. Jonathan and Andrew are in league with Warren—who is trying to ascend, when the surprise arrival of the Slayer makes that all go very wrong. The Slayer makes off with some magical artifacts and then invades the vengeance demons’ dimension, hopping dimensions and destroying hellish Sunnydales in an attempt to find her own. Meanwhile, Anya teams up with Jonathan, Andrew, Angelus, and others to find a way to stop the Slayer before she returns to Demondale to destroy their home.
So this is Buffy, but not. Fans will recognize what’s happening here; newcomers to the franchise should probably start elsewhere. If you were looking for a straightforward story with Buffy as the protagonist and some bad guys lining up to be defeated, then you won’t find that here. But you will find a book packed to the brim with loving references, along with some very fun characterization of characters we adore.
Anderson makes a point of interrogating the motivations and emotions of Jonathan and Anya in particular. Jonathan is a really interesting supporting member of the Buffyverse. He starts as little more than an extra, the butt of jokes about his height and uncoolness. “Superstar,” of course, introduces the idea that Jonathan could be more. And then he joins up with Andrew and Warren in Season 6, and … well, the rest is history. In this book, Demondale Jonathan reflects on whether Warren was a good friend (he wasn’t) and whether he and Andrew should stay friends (they totally should). But it’s cool to see Anderson spending time on a character who didn’t get enough of it on the show.
Anya, on the other hand, receives a lot more development on the show—and this Anya is consistent with that personality, albeit different because she never gave up being a vengeance demon. Here, Anderson embellishes the lore on vengeance demons, emphasizing Anya’s opportunistic enjoyment of capitalism. It’s fun, and her voice really rings true in her chapters.
Other familiar faces grace us as the book goes on, and Anderson nails their voices too. From Angelus to Spike, Drusilla to Darla, it’s clear that Anderson understands how each of these characters thinks, speaks, moves, acts. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t often enjoy tie-in novels, but this one was easy to follow and a joy to read.
As for Buffy herself: this is a young, inexperienced Buffy. She is tragic: lost, adrift across dimensions, unsure of where home even is. She is determined to get home at any cost, even if it means destroying … entire worlds. As we learn more about her predicament, we can sympathize, but it’s also hard to discount what she’s doing. Ultimately, I like how Anderson resolves this part of the plot.
In the end, Big Bad has two functions. The first is simply to be a fun romp through the Buffyverse. As I said earlier, there are so many references in this book to characters, episodes, villains, moments … in some hands it might have felt like too much, but Anderson somehow makes it all fit and feel right. The other function is to remind us, as the show itself always did, that evil is seldom one-dimensional and moustache-twirling (even when it lacks a soul). Evil is a complicated combination of factors, not just the absence of morality but morality twisted in service of selfish ends. This book reminds us that our heroes could be the Big Bad too.
Also, there’s no Xander. Because fuck Xander.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
It’s 1999. In an alternative version of Sunnydale, the Mayor doesn’t ascend but rather blots out the sun and renames the town Demondale to attract, shall we say, a new type of resident. Jonathan and Andrew are in league with Warren—who is trying to ascend, when the surprise arrival of the Slayer makes that all go very wrong. The Slayer makes off with some magical artifacts and then invades the vengeance demons’ dimension, hopping dimensions and destroying hellish Sunnydales in an attempt to find her own. Meanwhile, Anya teams up with Jonathan, Andrew, Angelus, and others to find a way to stop the Slayer before she returns to Demondale to destroy their home.
So this is Buffy, but not. Fans will recognize what’s happening here; newcomers to the franchise should probably start elsewhere. If you were looking for a straightforward story with Buffy as the protagonist and some bad guys lining up to be defeated, then you won’t find that here. But you will find a book packed to the brim with loving references, along with some very fun characterization of characters we adore.
Anderson makes a point of interrogating the motivations and emotions of Jonathan and Anya in particular. Jonathan is a really interesting supporting member of the Buffyverse. He starts as little more than an extra, the butt of jokes about his height and uncoolness. “Superstar,” of course, introduces the idea that Jonathan could be more. And then he joins up with Andrew and Warren in Season 6, and … well, the rest is history. In this book, Demondale Jonathan reflects on whether Warren was a good friend (he wasn’t) and whether he and Andrew should stay friends (they totally should). But it’s cool to see Anderson spending time on a character who didn’t get enough of it on the show.
Anya, on the other hand, receives a lot more development on the show—and this Anya is consistent with that personality, albeit different because she never gave up being a vengeance demon. Here, Anderson embellishes the lore on vengeance demons, emphasizing Anya’s opportunistic enjoyment of capitalism. It’s fun, and her voice really rings true in her chapters.
Other familiar faces grace us as the book goes on, and Anderson nails their voices too. From Angelus to Spike, Drusilla to Darla, it’s clear that Anderson understands how each of these characters thinks, speaks, moves, acts. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t often enjoy tie-in novels, but this one was easy to follow and a joy to read.
As for Buffy herself: this is a young, inexperienced Buffy. She is tragic: lost, adrift across dimensions, unsure of where home even is. She is determined to get home at any cost, even if it means destroying … entire worlds. As we learn more about her predicament, we can sympathize, but it’s also hard to discount what she’s doing. Ultimately, I like how Anderson resolves this part of the plot.
In the end, Big Bad has two functions. The first is simply to be a fun romp through the Buffyverse. As I said earlier, there are so many references in this book to characters, episodes, villains, moments … in some hands it might have felt like too much, but Anderson somehow makes it all fit and feel right. The other function is to remind us, as the show itself always did, that evil is seldom one-dimensional and moustache-twirling (even when it lacks a soul). Evil is a complicated combination of factors, not just the absence of morality but morality twisted in service of selfish ends. This book reminds us that our heroes could be the Big Bad too.
Also, there’s no Xander. Because fuck Xander.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
July 8, 2023
When I found out about this book, I absolutely couldn’t wait to read it. I’ve read a number of other Buffy-verse novels recently, but this was the first one I’d come across that was advertised as more adult than teen and I was excited to see how it would be different.
“Big Bad” is set in an alternate universe where the Mayor put a sun shade up over Sunnydale, making it a haven for vampires and demons, and the town was renamed Demondale. This was a really fun concept for the book and it was great to see so many characters reimagined in this new world.
This book was definitely written for Buffy fans. Someone new to the series might enjoy it as well, but there are so many fun character cameos that just wouldn’t land the same way if you’re not already familiar with them. But as a die-hard Buffy fan, I was in love!! Anderson does such a great job of nailing the tone and characters from the show throughout the book. Anya especially is FANTASTIC! She was definitely one of my favourite characters in the show and to have her as a main character in this book was delightful.
Anderson took some of the best characters and character moments from across the series and brought them together to happen in this book. We even get some references to the Buffy movie and the spin-off Angel.There were a few characters who didn’t make an appearance that I would’ve loved to see, but you can only pack so much into one book.
There was so much to love about “Big Bad”, and I would definitely recommend it!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Big Bad” is set in an alternate universe where the Mayor put a sun shade up over Sunnydale, making it a haven for vampires and demons, and the town was renamed Demondale. This was a really fun concept for the book and it was great to see so many characters reimagined in this new world.
This book was definitely written for Buffy fans. Someone new to the series might enjoy it as well, but there are so many fun character cameos that just wouldn’t land the same way if you’re not already familiar with them. But as a die-hard Buffy fan, I was in love!! Anderson does such a great job of nailing the tone and characters from the show throughout the book. Anya especially is FANTASTIC! She was definitely one of my favourite characters in the show and to have her as a main character in this book was delightful.
Anderson took some of the best characters and character moments from across the series and brought them together to happen in this book. We even get some references to the Buffy movie and the spin-off Angel.There were a few characters who didn’t make an appearance that I would’ve loved to see, but you can only pack so much into one book.
There was so much to love about “Big Bad”, and I would definitely recommend it!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2022
I'm so glad I found this book (thanks to one of my fellow GalleyChatters on Twitter). BTVS has had a place in my heart since I discovered it in college (it was in its seventh season, but of course I went back and watched everything). The alternate-universe episodes were some of my favorites, and this book is basically an entire alternate universe. In Demondale, the Mayor won the battle at the high school, and evil has taken over. The sun is blocked out so vampires can roam free, and most humans have fled, leaving the vamps to feast on victims who volunteer their blood. The Slayer is bouncing from world to world through portals, trying to get to her home dimension of Sunnydale. In this book, she is the Big Bad, and the heroes are the villains from the show. The reader is torn between wanting them to win and wanting Buffy to succeed. This book is for the fans. So many familiar characters appear, and the show's fun banter is pitch-perfect. It's a perfect throwback. So if you haven't seen the show, go watch it and then read this book.
October 30, 2023
This book was a joy to read (and listen to). The writing was fun and quick and it stayed true to the characters while implementing some changes that were really interesting. Anya is one of my favourite character so I’m really happy that she was at the forefront of this story. The amount of easter eggs really show that the writer is a fan and wrote this for the fans.
This would’ve made a kickass buffy episode for sure. I’d also like to compliment the narrator because she did an amazing job.
Thank you Netgalley and Hypherion Avenue for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
This would’ve made a kickass buffy episode for sure. I’d also like to compliment the narrator because she did an amazing job.
Thank you Netgalley and Hypherion Avenue for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
December 29, 2022
The Big Bad by Lily Anderson
Overall: 4.25
Storyline: 3.75
Characters: 4.0
Writing Style: 4.25
Fans of the Buffy-verse should read this book. Ms. Anderson exhibited her great wealth of knowledge of all things BtVS. It was a very well-crafted alternate dimension story of the Buffy-verse with oh so many nods and recognition of the original series, one couldn’t help but wax nostalgic. And Ms. Anderson captured the character’s mannerisms and speech spot-on. The reader could almost imagine hearing Drucilla’s soft voice or Spike’s and Giles’ accent as they quarreled or Anya talking literally.
It was fun to once again visit some of the lesser characters and recall the episode they were involved in, from the silent gentlemen to the dancing demon, so many were present. And of course, the mayor and Principal Snyder were involved as well as of the most of the “scooby gang” and the three wanna-be super villains. Cordelia, for her part, only received a brief mention. Though there were some characters that were MIA, such as Xander and Dawn, which their absence was missed.
Briefly, the story is about the residents of an alternate universe known as Demondale, a different version of Sunnydale where the sun never shines and the city is not safe for humans but really allows demons to thrive. Anya, Jonathon and Andrew are trying to protect their dimension from being blasted into oblivion by Buffy who is destroying all the other dimensions in an attempt to return to her own dimension. All while trying to keep Jonathon and Andrew from being a lunch from one of the vampires. Recruiting help from Spike, Angelus and many other familiar faces along the way, they race against time to stop the slayer from sending them into non-existence. Buffy, who is unknown in this dimension, is as snarky and sharp witted as ever. And as kick-ass tough, even if she is the villain!
It was written with a lightness and joviality that can be only found in the Buffy-verse. Kind of nudging and winking at the reader, saying see this could sooo be an episode or two in the Buffy-verse. It was a gift from one true Buffy fan to all the others of us out here, sharing the love, enjoyment and homage of true BtVS fans.
If Big Bad has awoken your want of more Buffy, I recommend the In Every Generation series by Kendare Blake or Kiersten White’s Slayer series. Both are also well done, but of the three, I think Ms. Anderson truly caught the feel, heart and soul of BtVS universe, it is almost like she was one of the writers for the series she was that spot on with the storyline and characters.
Overall: 4.25
Storyline: 3.75
Characters: 4.0
Writing Style: 4.25
Fans of the Buffy-verse should read this book. Ms. Anderson exhibited her great wealth of knowledge of all things BtVS. It was a very well-crafted alternate dimension story of the Buffy-verse with oh so many nods and recognition of the original series, one couldn’t help but wax nostalgic. And Ms. Anderson captured the character’s mannerisms and speech spot-on. The reader could almost imagine hearing Drucilla’s soft voice or Spike’s and Giles’ accent as they quarreled or Anya talking literally.
It was fun to once again visit some of the lesser characters and recall the episode they were involved in, from the silent gentlemen to the dancing demon, so many were present. And of course, the mayor and Principal Snyder were involved as well as of the most of the “scooby gang” and the three wanna-be super villains. Cordelia, for her part, only received a brief mention. Though there were some characters that were MIA, such as Xander and Dawn, which their absence was missed.
Briefly, the story is about the residents of an alternate universe known as Demondale, a different version of Sunnydale where the sun never shines and the city is not safe for humans but really allows demons to thrive. Anya, Jonathon and Andrew are trying to protect their dimension from being blasted into oblivion by Buffy who is destroying all the other dimensions in an attempt to return to her own dimension. All while trying to keep Jonathon and Andrew from being a lunch from one of the vampires. Recruiting help from Spike, Angelus and many other familiar faces along the way, they race against time to stop the slayer from sending them into non-existence. Buffy, who is unknown in this dimension, is as snarky and sharp witted as ever. And as kick-ass tough, even if she is the villain!
It was written with a lightness and joviality that can be only found in the Buffy-verse. Kind of nudging and winking at the reader, saying see this could sooo be an episode or two in the Buffy-verse. It was a gift from one true Buffy fan to all the others of us out here, sharing the love, enjoyment and homage of true BtVS fans.
If Big Bad has awoken your want of more Buffy, I recommend the In Every Generation series by Kendare Blake or Kiersten White’s Slayer series. Both are also well done, but of the three, I think Ms. Anderson truly caught the feel, heart and soul of BtVS universe, it is almost like she was one of the writers for the series she was that spot on with the storyline and characters.
September 17, 2022
This book was not what I expected, yup, it was even better. Buffy The Vampire Slayer parody, takeoff, spoof, whatever you choose to call it was an enjoyable read for a once upon a time fan of the original program.
Picture a not so evil Spike tough still very bad boy looking, a moody, sexy Angel and an all out evil Buffy who must be stopped before she destroys Sunnydale, ahem, now known as Demondale, California, a place where all creatures of the night may walk even during the day. And of course, there are the humans, also know as nerds, and lots and lots of vampires, demons and other underworldly creatures which are the latest residents of this dimension which was created by the Mayor of Demondale who just happens to be a powerful evil wizard. This same mayor definitely reminded me of existing political creatures in my own dimension.
This very clever story kept me reading and smiling and even occasionally snickering to myself. I found myself rooting for the two human boys or blood bags as they are referred to in the story, who spend most of it trying not to be eaten while trying to save Demondale.
I won this ARC in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue, and the author, Lily Anderson.
Picture a not so evil Spike tough still very bad boy looking, a moody, sexy Angel and an all out evil Buffy who must be stopped before she destroys Sunnydale, ahem, now known as Demondale, California, a place where all creatures of the night may walk even during the day. And of course, there are the humans, also know as nerds, and lots and lots of vampires, demons and other underworldly creatures which are the latest residents of this dimension which was created by the Mayor of Demondale who just happens to be a powerful evil wizard. This same mayor definitely reminded me of existing political creatures in my own dimension.
This very clever story kept me reading and smiling and even occasionally snickering to myself. I found myself rooting for the two human boys or blood bags as they are referred to in the story, who spend most of it trying not to be eaten while trying to save Demondale.
I won this ARC in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to Hyperion Avenue, and the author, Lily Anderson.
January 29, 2023
If you are a Buffy fan, let me just say you need this book now.
We are in Demondale in 1999, in a timeline different to the one we know and love. In this reality, the Mayor blacked out the sun and Demons run the town, with no Slayer in sight they rule as they please. That is until a familiar blonde Slayer crashes the Trios party... yes that Trio.
We follow Jonathan for the most part, also dipping into the POV for our favourite Vengence demon (well she's part time now). Anya is as blunt, truthful and as confused by humanity as always, and joins Jonathan and Andrew to sort things with the promise of her favourite thing... money!
So the two boys, and Anya team up with a host of vampires we can't help but love - even if there is not a soul in sight in this world!
There was barely a page in this book without some kind of nod or reference, and it almost made me wish I tabbed my books to keep track as some were amazing (and I'm sure there were even more that you'd pick up reading again)
The fact we were in a different world and followed different characters gave this story a fresh feel and you can absolutely tell that Lily (Anderson) is as much a fan of the show as we all are.
Amazing book and I can only hope for more in this series!!
We are in Demondale in 1999, in a timeline different to the one we know and love. In this reality, the Mayor blacked out the sun and Demons run the town, with no Slayer in sight they rule as they please. That is until a familiar blonde Slayer crashes the Trios party... yes that Trio.
We follow Jonathan for the most part, also dipping into the POV for our favourite Vengence demon (well she's part time now). Anya is as blunt, truthful and as confused by humanity as always, and joins Jonathan and Andrew to sort things with the promise of her favourite thing... money!
So the two boys, and Anya team up with a host of vampires we can't help but love - even if there is not a soul in sight in this world!
There was barely a page in this book without some kind of nod or reference, and it almost made me wish I tabbed my books to keep track as some were amazing (and I'm sure there were even more that you'd pick up reading again)
The fact we were in a different world and followed different characters gave this story a fresh feel and you can absolutely tell that Lily (Anderson) is as much a fan of the show as we all are.
Amazing book and I can only hope for more in this series!!
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