Once Bitten: An Unofficial Guide To The World Of Angel

Rating:
Summary: Got Lots Of Bite
Review: Another year, and another companion book to the Buffy/Angel/Joss Whedon universe. But when they are as good, fun, and interesting as Nikki Stafford's book on the subject are, they are a most welcomed treat. When she released the Buffy book, "Bite Me", a few years back, it was a refreshing read since it was from a fan. It was well written and researched, and although I had some questions with some of her ongoing nitpicks, it was a fantastic book. The problems I had with it?. Basically, season 4. Most fans were turned off and grossed out with the Cordelia/Connor thing, and the stuff Cordelia did. And Stafford even keeps referring to it as being Cordelia. The thing is, it is not Cordelia. She isn't doing these things. Charisma didn't change everything she built for the character as Stafford writes, because this is a whole other person using her. People didn't distiguish the two, and I think it made for some of the fabulous, brilliant stuff that season 4 had going for it to be overlooked and not given the proper treatment. This wasn't Cordelia. If the real Cordelia had heard of what happened, she would of been just as grossed out as everyone else. Probably even more so. Stafford keeps up the momentum with this latest release on the history and series run of Buffy's sister show, "Angel". Stafford keeps the fun and interest high all through the well made book, and her own personal thoughts and nitpicks are still there, and while some may annoy some people, are still interesting and fun to read. They are also not important enough to give a low grade to this book. That's forgetting the great stuff inside and giving it a low mark because you don't like the cover. The recent "Watcher's Guide Vol. 3" was such a disappointing affair, that it makes one happy for a Whedonverse book like this one to come along. Stafford keeps things fresh and makes it very clear in the beginning that she is not going to re-hash what she had already written about Angel in the "Bite Me" book, and she doesn't. Her writing is well rounded and easy to read, where some more scholary type publications can get a little over done. To please even more readers and fans, and to tie up loose ends, she has also included the seventh and final season of "Buffy" at the end of book as well. What also makes this book a better deal is that she includes season 5 of "Angel". The recently released "Angel Casefiles Vol. 2" only goes to season 4. What's that about?. The book has very long, in detail synopses and thoughts of all 110 episodes of the show over it's 5 season run. Every section comes with a few little different categories too. Just like the "Bite Me" book. She has "Highlight", which as you probably know, tells what she thought was the high point of that particular episode. There is "Interesting Facts", which you can pretty much guess on your own. "Did You Notice?" is a section where she tells things that one may have not noticed or really picked up on. The infamous "Nitpick" section I already mentioned. "The Buffy Connection" is a section that tells if a certain episode or moment or part of a story in that episode has ties with something from "Buffy". There is also a "Woops" part that details bloopers and all that. It's all very well researched and startingly crafted. If that isn't enough, she has sections on the 2003 Posting Board party, "Angel" and "Buffy" on the web, some trivia, an interview with Alexis Denisoff(Wesley), the story of Angel, some nice color photos, and a section on Buffy in the academia world. Stafford delivers another fine book on the subject that is nothing but pure fun and enjoyment from start to finish. Even though it's not "Buffy", it is everything that "Watcher's Guide 3" should have been. The world and stories of "Angel" was a marvelous, brilliant place, and Stafford keeps the glory of the show alive with this fine book. One wonders what she will give us next, while at the time it's sad that the Buffy/Angel world is over and we won't get another fine book on the two from her. Oh well. Read and enjoy, because the book is every bit as good as "Bite Me". Well done.

Rating:
Summary: Once Bitten by Nikki Stafford is a great book!
Review: Once Bitten by Nikki Stafford is a great book! This book is about the popular Buffy The Vampire Salyer spin-off, Angel! Angel (David Boreanaz) is a about 25O year old Vampire with Soul who Fights for the good and the helpless in Los Angeles, California! This book contains many interesting facts and Trivia about this series! This series has an episode guide to all five seasons of Angel! The book also has information about the seventh season of Buffy the Vampire slayer! This book has an interview with Alexis Desinof, Angel's Wesley Wydham-Price and well as other interviews with cast and crew of Angel! This book has both color photographs and black and white pictures of the cast and crew of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel! I like this book by Nikki Stafford! It's a very good read if you like both series by Joss Whedon! Highly Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Twice Shy
Review: While this episode guide isn't terrible, it is often quite irritating. Whereas in Stafford's Buffy guide, Bite Me, her nitpicks are often justified and her commentary is insightful and eloquent, most of the commentary and nitpicks in this guide are not. For example, in her nitpicks about the season one episode "Parting Gifts," Stafford goes off on a tirade about how Barney is an empath demon but does not look like Lorne. This complaint was completely mind-boggling to me, since it seems really naive to assume that all demons with empathic abilities must be from Pylea. Another one of her inane nitpicks based on assumptions about demons is in the season one episode "The Bachelor Party" where she complains that divorce would not have been part of ancient rituals since it was not common a long time ago. I thought we established a long time ago that humans and demons have different rituals. <rolling eyes> Nevertheless, this guide isn't horrible and can at times be very entertaining. Just don't expect it be as good as Bite Me.