Paper Cuts - These Our Actors

I've been doing some sorting of the large piles of paper that seem to magically accumulate around my computer. I rediscovered that I had been writing down my thoughts about books I have read for some time before I began blogging. So, to get rid of the excess paper, and to remind me of what I thought of those books, I plan on adding them here every once and a while.

These Our Actors is a Buffy book by Ashley McConnell and Dori Koogler. Koogler sounds like a very gizmatic invention.

Anyway.

It's a Willow/Spike based novel that devotes its time to the events of Spike's siring and Willow's adventures in Drama Class. It's really two books in one with each chapter dedicated to either of the separate story lines. This slowed the plot down because we had to wait a whole chapter to continue the story. I'm not opposed to the separation of plots but the Willow story wasn't very gripping. Thankfully the Spike history was very intriguing.

There were some big inconsistencies within the Spike story. Printed in September 2002, the authors would have seen the fate of Cecily in the show where she appears as the demon Halfrek. Perhaps it was too late to make the changes to the plot, and I'll stop being pedantic.

It is sad that I have to say that Willow's story was a little dull. At first, her foray into the theatre interesting, 'tis my occupation and all, but after a few chapters I found myself reminiscing about the Theatre History lectures I slept through at uni. The plot wasn't about what was happening to Willow and referencing interesting facts and details, it was all about the history and Willow was an excuse for the authors to flex their academic muscles.

It's worthwhile reading this if you want to get engrossed in Spikes history as William and his siring, or if you're interested in Theatre and don't know much about it, or if you just have to read the Buffy books.

A side issue: Not all Stage Managers are stressed out grumpy people. Well not all of the time, anyway.

Current Cut
I'm right in the middle of Monster Island. Every time I start a Christopher Golden novel I forget how violent and bloodthirsty his books always are. Angel really gets the crap beaten out of him. It's the worst beating that I can recall. Broken arm, shattered shoulder, normal fight wounds, holes in joints from where he was nailed to a roof, and a severe burn from being out while the sun was coming up. Other than that, it's been a good read so far.