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Product Description
Product Description
In SPARK AND BURN, fan-favourite Spike -- the other vampire with a soul -- takes centre stage. For centuries he was a bloodthirsty scourge of humankind, killing without bias, feeding on whomever (or whatever) came his way. That would all change when Riley Finn and the covert organisation known as the Initiative planted a microchip in his brain which rendered him incapable of harming a human being. As Spike learned to cope with this handicap -- the worst a vampire could imagine -- he found himself falling in love with the woman who had been his nemesis -- Buffy Summers, the Slayer. Their relationship is a stormy one, with years of mistrust between them. But after Spike regains his soul, undergoing terrible trials in the process, he and Buffy come to a kind of peace with one another; and Spike, finally, begins to find peace with himself.
About the Author
Diana G. Gallagher has written tie-ins to several television shows from Sabrina the Teenage Witch to Star Trek. Her Buffy books include the teen novel Doomsday Deck and the adult novels Obsidian Fate, Prime Evil and Spark and Burn. She is also co-author of Angel: The Casefiles Volume 2 and author of the Charmed novel Hurricane Hex.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've waited for years for a Buffy book which centres on Spike and makes his character the focus of the story, so I couldn't wait to read "Spark and Burn" so much so that I ordered it well in advance of the release date. But what a disappointment! This is described as an "original" novel based on the TV series but there's nothing original about it. It's just a word for word rehash of the most well known scenes from the program which involve Spike, cobbled together by a few "missing" scenes which add nothing of value. You'd be better off watching the DVDs - it was all I could do to be bothered to finish it. The whole book jumps around from one time period to another and back again - it gets hard to remember whether the Spike you're reading about at any one moment has a chip, a soul, neither or both and it becomes increasingly more difficult to care! Where's the adventure and excitement, the witty one-liners, the tension, the complex relationships, the great (original) storyline? The writers of the series created in Spike a fascinatingly flawed, enigmatic and multi-layered character and this was the perfect opportunity to write a brilliant book about him. Unfortunately this isn't it.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
First of all i think the rest of the reviwers so far have been unfair with thier reviews; bitter because they were expecting something diffrent than Spark and Burn turned out.
Yes, the book falsly advertised as an 'original'; but in a way it isnt really false at all, because even though we have seen most of the events in the book on the show we have never seen it through Spike's eyes, with his wording and view.
By no means is this book a new story starring Spike; but it still has its merits and is one of the few books i own that i feel worth reading more than once.
Want to know most (if not all, but i cant be sure since my viewing of the last two series was inconsistant at best) of Spike's history quickly? What makes him Tick?
This book is perfect if that is your want.
Want a story of Evil!Spike, Dru/Spike and Basement!Spike?
Want to read Spike's slaying of two slayers in bed or on a journey?
This book will deliver.
Expecting a tale of Souled Spike gallavanting around being a 'Champion' in an all new adventure?
You will be extremly disapointed and review exacly the way these other reviewers did.
On the negative side; it does advertise it as if Spike's adventure would be new ground; and all the timejumps can get a little annoying if you want to follow one centuary more than another, but there is never a huge length between each one.
These are the reasons i took a star off.
I disagree with the previous reviewer that time periods can be come confusing; as they are clearingly labelled in Bold text at the start of each change of era.
All in all if you go into this book with no expectations of a new storyline or read it for Spike's history from his own POV, this book is a great read, i finished it in one sitting... err, laying.
I'v also started reading it a second time.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
34 reviews
49 of 51 people found the following review helpful
great book for Spike fans
22 July 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Spark and Burn is a great 'Buffy' book. Most of the story takes place during the episode 'Lessons' when Spike is insane in the school basement. I liked that the entire book is told from Spike's point-of-view. Spark and Burn has a lot of flashbacks from early season two in it. I liked that Spike was spying on the Scoobies during the episodes 'Inca Mummy Girl' and 'Reptile Boy';it was really interesting to see what he thought of Buffy, Xander, Willow, Angel, and Giles back then. This book also tells you the story of how Spike ended up on the submarine with Angel in 1943. Diana G. Gallagher has a really good understanding of all the characters and the history of the show, and that helps make this book great. I highly recommend Spark and Burn to everyone who likes Spike or just a good book.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Deja Spike All Over Again
6 May 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book fails for a number of reasons, none of which is the writing. Gallagher puts in an honest effort, and if good writing was all it took to create a great story, Spark and Burn would be a success. Unfortunately, the problem with the book appears right on the front cover, where we are promised an 'original novel,' and it never goes away.
If you watched the series and read the books (or even the comic books) you have a pretty good idea of Spike's history. First a bad poet, and then a really bad vampire. Drusilla's lover, and then, by an odd twist Buffy's. Villain, tormented soul, and finally, a hero. What Gallagher has done is recap all of this in 240 pages or so, during which you never learn anything very new. Instead we start out in the school basement during Spike's madness after regaining his soul and travel from flashback to even further flashback until this cruel biography is done.
The story, jumping from one frame to another never gels. The truth is, that there really isn't a story here, just an interior monologue and a series of pastiches. Just Simon & Schuster so intent in capitalizing on Spike's draw as a character that they forgot that Spike is interesting because his part in the Buffyverse. Mooning over The Slayer and enduring The Other's attempt to destroy his mind really isn't what Spike is about, and the book has all the fire of a collection of postage stamps from a country you don't care about.
The best I can say is avoid this book, which is a flat effort at best, but keep an eye out for Diana Gallagher's books. Somewhere inside of her is a good book trying to get out. Unfortunately, Spark and Burn isn't it.
If you watched the series and read the books (or even the comic books) you have a pretty good idea of Spike's history. First a bad poet, and then a really bad vampire. Drusilla's lover, and then, by an odd twist Buffy's. Villain, tormented soul, and finally, a hero. What Gallagher has done is recap all of this in 240 pages or so, during which you never learn anything very new. Instead we start out in the school basement during Spike's madness after regaining his soul and travel from flashback to even further flashback until this cruel biography is done.
The story, jumping from one frame to another never gels. The truth is, that there really isn't a story here, just an interior monologue and a series of pastiches. Just Simon & Schuster so intent in capitalizing on Spike's draw as a character that they forgot that Spike is interesting because his part in the Buffyverse. Mooning over The Slayer and enduring The Other's attempt to destroy his mind really isn't what Spike is about, and the book has all the fire of a collection of postage stamps from a country you don't care about.
The best I can say is avoid this book, which is a flat effort at best, but keep an eye out for Diana Gallagher's books. Somewhere inside of her is a good book trying to get out. Unfortunately, Spark and Burn isn't it.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
just plain bad
2 April 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I agree with most of the other reviews, this book was horrible. I read the discription on the back of the book and was instantly interested ( being a huge spike fan ) and bought it. but I was very disapointed, the whole thing is just flash backs that come directly from the show and the autor didnt add anything. I would rather just watch the show!!! Plus the flash backs are out of order, leaving you confused. DON'T BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WILL REGRET IT.
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