Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spark and Burn

Buffyverse Novels #84

by Diana G. Gallagher

What is the true measure of a champion? In the nineteenth century a boy named William was born. A sweet, gentle boy -- no one could have guessed the suffering he'd cause, the pain he'd inflict. When, as a young man, he meets a woman called Drusilla -- a strange woman, a woman unlike anyone William has ever known -- he is fundamentally changed. She has turned him. There will be no more William. He is Spike now.

As Spike, he travels Europe with a band of vagabond vampires. Dru, Darla, and Angelus instruct him on his new nature, and from them he learns about that greatest of vampiric enemies, the girl who is chosen to stand up against them, trained to kill them, endowed with the strength it takes to defeat them: the Slayer. Then and there, Spike decides he'll hunt down those slayers. He'll see how many he can find.

Who would have thought then that he'd fight on the Slayer's side? Who would have guessed that Spike, once William, would go out and seek his soul for a slayer? Who would have dared dream he'd fall in love with one?

Genres: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Vampires, Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Media Tie In

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 26, 2005

About the author

Diana G. Gallagher was an American author who wrote books for children and young adults. She also wrote the space opera The Alien Dark (1990), but was best known for her tie-in work for television properties including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Star Trek and The Secret World of Alex Mack, among others.

She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke.

Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990).

Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novelization of Spike's history from the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's different from most such books because the usual formula is to convert an episode or arc from screenplay to prose, but here the author has taken bits and pieces of backstory from a host of different episodes and put them together into contiguous, chronological novelized form. There's no new material, but she accomplished what she set out to do quite competently. It's a nice collection of sin-and-redemption/do-the-right-thing parables.

[Erika Forth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I LOVE Spike. But I did not love this book. There was nothing new in it. There was only recap after recap of all the major episodes Spike was in. I would have been happy if we got even a little bit of extra insight or detail or perspective from even just a few of those scenes, but we didn't. Very disappointed.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was enjoyable to be able to read a book from Spike's point of view. Glad that he got his soul for Buffy. Was Cecily already Halfrek when she was in London in 1880?

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4*

Okay, so, we all know that I adore everything Buffy the Vampire Slayer so... oh, you didn't know? Well, now you do *grins* And Spike is definitely one of my favorite characters in the show so when this book became available, I just had to get my hands on it because... well, it's Spike, you know?

I'm giving this book a 4* rating because I did really like it even though it's mainly centered on episodes from season 2, up to Halloween and focuses also in parts to the first episode of season 7. And a few flahbacks here and there, refering to flashbacks seen in season 5 of Angel. It's basically nothing new but I like how this book connected the dots between the episodes where he wasn't the focus at all. He's been witness to a lot more things than the show let on. It's also giving points as to when and how Spike felt towards Buffy. I've always believed it started in season 2 but he truly realized it in season 5.

The writing in this book is pretty simple and easy to follow. If you know the show, you can easily imagine the characters, see their reactions and where they're at snd the timeline between events makes real sence. The flashbacks help making you learn more about Spike, and it's a really nice touch.

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

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to agree with a reviewer on GoodReads. Like her, I love Spike--all the more reason I was disappointed, because this novel is basically a novelization, a recap, of his backstory and those events in the Buffy episodes in which Spike was featured. In the front of the book Gallagher even lists those 27 episodes she used for material. This read like filler to me, like a lazy copy and paste job without any style or fresh insights to redeem it. This will be my fourth Buffy book. It's decent--better written than Queen of the Slayers, less entertaining than the Spike-centric Blackout and not nearly as impressive as the Faith novel Go Ask Malice. Not a keeper by any means.

[Marisol Puga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very hard read for me, as a fan of the show, and especially the character, William the bloody. It was hard to read for me because of the fact that you have to relive all of the traumatic events, only this time, perhaps even more viscerally, as you are the one creating the images in your brain, not the WB or the UPN every Tuesday at 8 PM circa the 90s, early 2000s. I absolutely hated that they chose to open up with the rape scene, but it wouldn’t be true to the show if it didn’t do that. There was some extra filler or I would call it transition vignettes to glue some of the pieces together. I don’t recall the time when him and Angel were in a submarine being commandeered by Nazis. Did I miss that episode at some point? Anyway, I don’t feel the vignettes necessarily added much to it. I feel what did add more to it was being able to hear his thoughts that he was experiencing during the episodes that we weren’t even aware of that he was present for. Anyway, I’m definitely reading the novelization of every single Buffy the Vampire Slayer book ever created.

[Drululu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Decepcionante.

Me encanta Spike y me encanta Buffy. Este libro es una novelizacion de episodios de la serie que ya conocemos, partiendo del principio de la séptima temporada haya flashbacks a escenas de Spike de la segunda temporada y su pasado. Y ese es el problema que no aporta absolutamente nada nuevo, es como estar viendo los capítulos pero peor porque además los saltos entre una parte y otra son abruptos.

Me he visto la serie varias veces, me conozco perfectamente los capítulos y por eso esto parece un refrito que no cuenta nada y llega a aburrir. Si quiero recordar los capítulos, me los veo, no hace falta leerlos.

Supongo que si tienes la serie completamente olvidada se puede disfrutar, porque la historia en sí es evidente que está bien, pero si eres fan se siente repetitivo.

Después de Blackout y Go ask for malice, que su que añaden algo y enganchan, esto es un truño.

[Randy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This might be the worst Buffy book I've ever read. It takes little anecdotes from the show and gives insight into what Spike was thinking. While it does expand a little of his backstory with Dru, Darla and Angeleus, it hops around so much it's hard to follow or connect the dots. I would argue this book doesn't even have a plot- think little one shot fanfics that tell episodes of the show from Spike's perspective.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.
Me decepciona un poco que no ahondará más en la última temporada o en la forma en que Spike consiguió su alma. Con su título pensaba que iba a desarrollar máss esa trama. Pese a ello, me ha recordado al Spike de la serie y me ha gustado las interacciones con muchos de los personajes de la serie ( Dru, Buffy, Angel...).

[Tamara Van dishoeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

een vermakelijk boekje wat vanuit Spike geschreven is en waarin je hem volgt tijdens verschillende tijden, dingen die ook in de serie gebeurd zijn. het is dat ik dol ben op Spike en daardoor dit boekje vermakelijk vond maar vond het niet veel toevoegen. het viel me een beetje tegen. was vermakelijk maar niet geweldig.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 2.5. Was hoping it would be a new Buffy story --- not so much. It's a retelling of old episodes from the perspective of Spike...and misses a lot of the biting humor his character is known for.

[Jessie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting to get into the mind of the souled Spike, but it didn't offer as much new material as I was hoping.

[deah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blorbo of all time unfortunately

[Natalie Heidenreich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the insight into the past of my favorite character!

[Will Meeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those that love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you'll love this. Ever wonder what Spike's life was before being William the Bloody? Well here's your chance. The narrative takes place during the events of the seventh and final season of the show. It's a back story leading up to the events of the series finale involving Spike.

This book puts across the one question on Spike's mind, does he have what it takes to be a hero? Does he even deserve to be one? The narrative changes from several different time frames. His time as a human, his time as a new vampire, his first encounter with a vampire slayer, his encounters with Buffy as his enemy, and his current encounters with her as his lover and ally against "The First". Near the end of Season 7, Spike regains his human soul. This plays a critical role in delving into his sense of morality, now that he is able to feel guilty over all the horrible things he's done as a vampire.

We see Spike question his sense of morality, and what it takes to truly be called a champion. For most of Spike's life, it had been directionless. He was the man considered to be weak and very withdrawn. He was the nice guy that people ignored. We see his rebellious nature come forth, after being turned into a vampire. While he is contemplating these things, he is getting tortured by minions of the first which can be seen in one episode of Season 7.

It's only when he's at the end of his ropes, that Spike truly begins to truly contemplate what he can do. For those who have seen the show, and any and all episodes involving Spike, the reader will get a solid grasp of the chapter in question. When the story returns to Season 2, we see it from the perspective of Spike. From the viewer's perspective, this part of the story was taking place during the episode "Halloween".

We see all the qualities of Spike, with the story ending during events of Season 7 leading up to his heroic sacrifice in the series finale. It's a great book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that's what I call a Buffy book. After just being disappointed by my last book this was just what I needed. A Buffy pick me up!

Spike turned into one of my favourite characters from Buffy and this book was basically Spike's story and it was brilliant. Using a combination of flashbacks from episodes and additional extra narrative it gave you more understanding of Spike.

It was very well written, the author knows her Buffy and the characters (especially Spike and Dru) came alive on the page and you could see them in your head when reading.

I thought it was really clever using Spike's perspective of a few of the episodes we have including Spike's first episode School Hard, Reptile Boy and Halloween, where you see how he was originally watching Buffy and her friends when he came to Sunnydale. You also got more details on how he killed the two slayers, the Chinese slayer from the Boxer Rebellion (courtesy of the Buffy/Angel crossover event Fool for Love/Darla) and of course Nikki Wood (from both Fool for Love and Lies My Parents Told Me).

This way it used parts of the actual episodes your remembered but then added bits from Spike's perspective which you didn't see.

Loved it. 5 stars. If you love Buffy you cannot go wrong here.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dalam dunia Buffy, jika seorang manusia menjadi vampir, maka ia akan kehilangan jiwanya dan menjadi pribadi yang sama sekali berbeda, menjadi monster tanpa hati nurani. Berbeda dengan di dunia Darren Shan atau Twilight, di mana kepribadian seseorang tetap sama setelah menjadi vampir. Angel adalah contoh yang paling pas menggambarkan kondisi ini. Angel tanpa jiwa adalah monster paling sadis dan keji, sama sekali tak mengenal cinta.

Tapi Spike adalah anomali. Berbeda dengan Angel, meskipun tanpa jiwa, ia masih mampu mencinta, bahkan sampai taraf terobsesi, pertama dengan Drusilla, lalu dengan Buffy.

Novel ini bertutur dari sudut pandang Spike, dengan timeline yang meloncat-loncat antara tahun 1880 saat Spike berubah jadi vampir, tahun 1997 saat Spike pertama kali datang ke Sunnydale dan mengenal Buffy, dan tahun 2002 setelah Spike mendapatkan kembali jiwanya dan tersiksa oleh semua dosa yang dilakukannya saat masih tak berjiwa dan bernurani.

[SHR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie in book, which has Spike as the main character.

It draws heavily on the events of the TV show, which is usually a bad thing as we know it all already but in this case is a really good thing as it fills in the gaps of knowledge, linking events and explaining how one event leads Spike to make certain choices.

It gives us an insight into his psyche and why he was the way he was as a vampire and why he is able to hold onto enough of his humanity to want to restore his soul.

I’ve read a lot of tie-in books and this is amongst the best and I’m not saying that just because Spike is one of my favourite characters…

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spike's story.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE Spike!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it was essentially a rewrite of a lot of the Buffy episodes, it was great learning more back history on Spike, who is by far my favorite character.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid Buffy tale

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely!!! This book offers an inside-look into the repercussions of Spike getting his soul back. You travel through his life, from the time he was human to after he gets his soul.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 4 out of 5]

563 - 2015

#Program BUBU

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this look back through Spike's eyes.