Horror Books

There's nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said, but let me add to the ovation. Everything you've read is true. This book is brimming w/ magic and heart. I think it's the only book I've ever started to read again right after finishing it. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and do so.

This is the first book I have read by the author and what a great introduction. Considering this book was written in the early 90's, the 12-year old Cory M. main character, was a harbinger of the "magical boy"
at the edge of adolescence. Ala Harry Potter, Cory has the sixth sense. Though there are elements of horror, this is mainly a autobiography of kids in the 60's. The feel of the time is right, with boys on bikes looking for adventure and trying to escape the misery of school. And surely one can remember that magic did seem to be in the air at that age. The characters are well-developed and the mystery, who is the drowned man in the lake?, is nicely woven through, but not always the main focus. More importantly, Cory and his friends begin to glimpse the adult world, maybe just as scary as the horror stuff. Dad loses his job, Mom is a worry-wart, and Cory faces love and death. Did not want it to end and felt the post-script of life in the 90's, did not add. A different type of horror/mystery story and great change of pace.

I am a huge fan of Robert McCammon and this book is one of the best reasons why. The writing is so engrossing that you can get lost in the story and not even want to find your way out. The characters are all richly drawn and can stand on their own, not just as sounding boards for the main character, Cory, an 11 year old boy. If you have read the reviews this far down you will already know the plot, and all I can add is that if you take a chance and read the book you will be better off for the journey. The beautiful writing will break your heart and make you laugh out loud. What more could you ask for?

Robert McCammon really did an awsome job writing this book. It expresses everything in a young boy's life. The dissapointments such as: loosing a friend to a bullet, your dog dying, and having your dad layed off from work. On the other hand it also tells about great things such as: getting a new bike, catching a criminal, going to a circus, and many other things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that will keep you reading till the last page.

Great characters, great plot, great setting- this book is fun to read. Think Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and the film The Sand Lot!
I haven't read any other McCammon novels and I'm not sure he could write a better one then this. Aside from reading The Grapes of Wrath, this was the best book I read this summer!

Before I bought this I said to myself, "What more can be said about the brave 300?" Now I realize, plenty! This is a very well-written book and offers a total immersion in the sounds and sights of ancient history. You will receive an education and also be enthralled at the same time. This one is really worth getting!

I loved the story, I loved the writing. Very vivid. I liked it much more than the movie 300, although they aren't based on each other specifically. Others have shared details of the book, so I won't. I'll just say that I enjoyed it tons!

The story is focused around the Persian invasion of Greece and the battle of Thermopylae. I found that this book brought me closer to the main characters more than any other book I have ever read. Stephen Pressfield has mastered character creation and has captured the essence of Spartan lifestyle. After reading this book it became obvious to me that Steven Pressfield did his homework, this is no fanciful tale and is likely one of the most accurate depictions of Spartan warfare and close quarter combat. I would recommend this book to anyone who is minutely interested in ancient history, military, culture, or warfare. However, this book is not for the faint of heart is very gritty, violent, bloody and vulgar as warfare at that time was. I give this book five out of five stars. Although this isn't the greatest book I've ever read it is certainly in my top 10.

Gates of Fire takes you along on the Spartan's march on the Persian Empire. The book is reminiscent of the Greek Epic Fates by Georgiou Tino, or vice versa. Steven Pressfield does a marvelous job recreating this lost civilization and the historic and cultural aspects of these great empires. The battles are done with such realism that you might as well dawn the shield and sword and be in the midst of it. The battles, the journey and the path these heroes march are all brought back in vivid detail that was painstakingly research and recreated. This is a must for all fans of this ancient culture.

I have never seen a delivery that was so damaged as this book was when i received it. It was nicked and perforated in several places.

Don't buy from Amazon, that's my suggestion.

I love the walking dead series and this book is a great introduction of the main characters. It sets the tone for the rest of the series. Everything is in black and white, but the art is wonderful. The story draws you in. It makes you think what it would be like if you suddenly awoke in a world full of zombies.

Visceral horror and subtle ongoing character serial combine to make "The Walking Dead" one of the most engaging comic-book series currently being produced. This initial volume, "Days Gone Bye", takes the first six issues of the Image Comics series and edits them together into one seamless (no easy feat when it comes to compilations) 130-plus page epic. Subsequent volumes collect later issues, with new volumes coming out like clockwork once there are six new issues of the monthly comic book to collect.

With its realistic looking characters (no abs-of-steel guys or buxom bimbos here) and gritty day-to-day situations (often horrifying but never over-the-top with silly horror movie situations), "The Walking Dead" is a comic book that doesn't feel "comic-booky", and would be a good title to recommend to friends who don't normally read comics. If they enjoy horror stories, that is.

Quibbles? Robert Kirkman is telling a great story here, but sometimes the word balloons can be a little dense with verbiage. These characters DO go on a bit. But that's really about it.

As this is a comic book, I guess I should touch on the visuals. Tony Moore's art is wonderful: detailed, subtle, yet fast-moving, if that's way to describe comic book art. What I mean is that the art makes your eye fly from panel to panel, drinking in the action. But his detail and subtlety make the quiet scenes resonate the way they should, too. Though Charlie Adlard's art in future volumes is perfectly fine, and has its own plusses, for my money the series never looked better than in this initial collection.

Give "The Walking Dead" a try. Its unusual mix of subtle artistry and firing-on-all-cylinders outright horror will grab you and keep you coming back for more.

just like lays potato chips . the best zombie saga that george r. never wrote . all the books are compelling . i don't even miss the color . kirkman rocks .

Adds nothing new to the zombie genre and yes it starts out exactly like 28 Days Later (Widescreen Edition), convieniently makes the main character a cop so he has access to weapons ad nauseum. Add simpering weak-willed wife and 'Jonny Boy' cookie cutter son and you've got yourself the Walking Dead vol 1. And you think the drawings might even be okay. I hate manga pop a lot less than this black and white rendered blob.

This zombie fan gives it a big MEH.

I'd give it a negative star if possible for the crappy steriotyping alone. And the whole male cast is straight out of a Budweiser/Coors commercial complete with the token ethnic characters & square-jawed main manly characters.

Some of the more negative reviews of this first Walking Dead book are quite merited. In many ways it feels derivative, even a bit lazy. I'd only like to add that the series does get better, a whole heck of a lot better. Read this first one just so you can get to know the characters, but if you're feeling put off, do yourself a favor and keep going. By the time I was halfway through the second book I was hooked hooked hooked, and I devoured the rest of them as fast as I could. These have some of the best character development I've ever seen in any media, let alone in comic books, which are NOT known for their depth.

Kirkman has made a decent name for himself in this business, and The Walking Dead series is a fantastic testament to his deserving respect.

I love the time period in which Jane Austin writes-these books are very good and also very captivating

A collection of many comics, with the setting actually being before she ever made it to Sunnydale.

The one addition to this history appears to be the presence of Dawn as something around a 10 year old. So, apparently told from the point of view of Buffy's memory, given Dawn didn't really exist then.

Backstory of the brief time she spent in an institution, and also how Giles came to be her watcher.

Reasonable for those interested in Buffy, but that is about it.

This product is exactly what I asked for and not only did it arrive in the selected time limit but it arrived early! I would definitely buy from this buyer again.

"Omnibus" was my first venture into the Buffy comic universe, having just finished the television series and looking for more. This graphic novel contains five previously-published stories by several different writers and artists, all set before the first season of Buffy. The first story is "The Origin" and is an adaptation of Joss Whedon's original screenplay from the film version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shows how Buffy learn of her powers and how to cope with her destiny as the Slayer. Most fans are familiar with this and there's not really anything new here.

We also get a look at Buffy during her time spent in Las Vegas. While it's interesting to see Buffy's love interest from this time, who is made out to be fairly significant, the overall plot was boring and I didn't think the vampires in this story had much interest.

The rest of the stories are fairly decent, with the exception of "Dawn and Hoopy Bear," which shows what happens when Dawn is given an enchanted bear as a gift. It's not awful, but it's pretty much a "throwaway story" and doesn't offer any incite at all into the Buffy Universe, especially when you consider that it's just an implanted memory and not a real event.

Although some of the artists are better than others, I was fairly impressed with all of the artwork. Omnibus is definitely worth the money if you haven't read any of the previous comics or paperbacks on which it is based, although I'm not sure I would pay for it again if I knew I could find it in my local library.

This is so much better than the Season 8 comics, I can't wait to see the next volumes. It's actually got more plot and more said and more substance. It's interesting with better storylines, filling in the blanks we always wanted filled in. I loved seeing Angel (and Whistler!), Wesley, Giles, and whoa, Giles' Dad! Even the artwork was infinitely better, it wasn't like the other ones where it was all about the skin. This was more sophisticated and just...awesome. Spike's story was kind of boring, as was the Vegas part, but after that, everything picked up and it was stuff we actually cared about. This is a must-read for Buffy-fans, it's stuff that was mentioned in passing in the show but never elaborated on, until this. I'm so glad I found it!

With a faithful adaptation of Joss Whedon's ORIGINAL screenplay for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie), a story about the immediate after effects where Buffy runs away to Las Vegas, as well as giving us the story about her sojourn in the mental institution, we're finally given a good glimpse into what forces shaped the Buffy we grew to know and love in the first season of the series. Of course, we're also treated to a cute story featuring Dawn (because although she wasn't *really* there at the time, Buffy REMEMBERED her as being there), and we see Spike and Dru at the world's fair in 1933. All in all, a great collection of stories; a bit pricey, perhaps, but well worth the time to read - and practically a must-have for any serious B:tVS fan.

It's not a very deep story. I read it in one evening. It does have an interesting psycological twist and puts forth the truth that our words do hurt others and start a series of negative events. There is a fair level of morbidity to the story. I really don't see the need for the offensive language. It had every word that i don't want to hear or my kids to say. I know that the author thinks its probably pertinent to the story line, but it really could have been just as interesting without. i think that's a sign of a writer that is not very creative as evidenced by the shallowness of the story line--kids with abusive parents that act out. I threw it away and told my kids that it cussed all the way through.

This book was very suspenseful and entertaining but I am sick of books and movies that get you interested and then just end with little/no closure. This is one of those so if you want to know what happens to the characters and have things wrapped up, dont read this because apparently the author got bored and decided to just say 'the end' without finishing. At least that's how it felt to me anyway.

A tightly plotted, suspenseful story that keeps the pages turning. The question of "is she still alive" filled my head for most of the story, and I couldn't put the book down until I'd found out. Nicely done.

SPOILERS below, read at your own risk.

The ending was a little too rushed for my taste. I understand it's because of Cass's current state of mind, but I thought the shift was too sudden. Maybe because, throughout the book we see the story from the perspective of three people. Then, after the rescue, we only see Cass. I'd have liked to see a tiny bit from Kyle, knowing the state of mind Cass was in, and know how he felt about that. I think it would have rounded things out a bit more. Just my opinion. :)

What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles

When Kyle Kirby's brother commits suicide, Kyle must punish the girl who pushed David over the edge. He kidnaps the popular, smart, go-getting Cass McBride and buries her alive! Now, Cass is suddenly alone with herself, her thoughts, and her harsh words. But even she knows there's only one way out of the box she's in--Kyle.

"What Happened to Cass McBride?" is told through first person via Cass's eyes and Kyle's which is an interesting turn. You see clearly the motivation behind each one's actions. The detective searching for Cass is told in third person, but is necessary to move the story closer toward the resolution of finding Cass and catching Kyle. The story is intriguing and draws you in.

As Cass must analyze Kyle, she must also self-analyze. She is not merely speaking to his psyche to gain freedom. When she learns the details of David's suicide, she realizes she is to blame and she is fraught with guilt. Cass really transforms through her ordeal, and although no one could be the same after an experience like that, we know that Cass McBride will be a stronger, better person afterward.

Although, a powerful book, there isn't a lot of emotion. I feel for Cass McBride and the situation she finds herself in, but I'm not in the box with her. I remain safely detached from the situation. Still, the story is compelling and the characters motives are well explained and understood and you will empathize.

It was an interesting book and can hold the attention of youths and adults alike, but as an adult reader, I finished quickly and consider myself having read a great "young adult" novel.

What Happened to Cassie McBride is a suspenseful, page-turner which will not disappoint Young Adult readers. Gail Gillies has a intriguing way of making her characters come alive as well as encouraging teenagers to keep reading. Her creative characterization and foreshadowing motivate the reader.
I have read four of Gail Gillies's novels for reluctant readers, and everyone of her books is powerful, suspenseful and thought-provoking. I encourage all teenagers, even those who would rather be on the internet, to read one of her novels; you won't be disappointed!

I watched the recent BBC version of the Northanger Abbey story first and loved it. I'm a Jane Austen fan who hasn't read all the novels but I'm working on it. So I got the novel to see how it compared. It was great! I love her humor - tongue in cheek and so witty. But the thing I really want to comment favorably about is the Penguin Classics edition. I get so much background and insight and explanatory information from these editions. I've read 3 of them now and they are marvelous. I've read quite a few novels from this era and it is really helpful to have notes to refer to in the back that explain things.

This is my first Austen novel, and I must say, I don't know what all the hype is about. I thought it was excruciatingly slow at times, and then all of a sudden it was fast and over. Some of the writing was beautiful and poetic, but that is like 5% of the book. The other 95% of the book was pretty boring to me. Maybe I am jaded by all the horror and mysteries I read where I am used to fast paced suspense, but seriously, I would read one chapter a day or maybe two with this book and that was all I could handle, because it would make me tired. I felt no connection with the main character Catherine, and I found myself not caring what happened to her, good or bad. I just wanted the book to be over.

Jane Austen wrote "Northanger Abbey" in the late 1790's, but it was not finally published until 1818, after her death. It is a broad satire of the Gothic Romance novels popular in her day. Its lead character, the innocent young Catherine Morland, is moderately attractive, good-hearted, and highly imaginative, but perhaps the least compelling of Austen's heroines. Nevertheless, Jane Austen's excellent writing gifts are on display in this short novel, which offers some superbly funny dialogue, witty commentary on social manners, and a sympathetic heroine.

Catherine is offered the opportunity to vacation in the resort town of Bath by family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen. In Bath, she falls in with two people her own age, Isabella and John Thorpe. Isabella is to be engaged to Catherine's brother James, while John, a college friend of James, takes an interest in Catherine. The Thorpes involve the inexperienced Catherine in the social whirl of Bath. They will also provide her with some hard lessons in manners.

Catherine also meets Henry and Elinor Tilney, a brother and sister who introduce her to walks and intellectual discussion. Their father, the imposing General Tilney, invites Catherine to visit the family estate of Northanger Abbey. Catherine eagerly accepts the invitation, in part to stay close to Henry, on whom she has a crush, and in part to see the ancient abbey, sure to be the embodiment of her cherished Gothic Romances.

Catherine's willingness to see dark secrets in ordinary events leads her on a search of the Abbey for clues to the suspected murder of General Tilney's wife. In a gentle confrontation, Henry ends the search, but is not able to save her from the sudden wrath of the General, who banishes her from the Abbey. A heartbroken Catherine is separated from Henry and Catherine, and returned unceremoniously to her home. There, an unexpected visit by Henry Tilney will offer an explanation for what happened at Northanger Abbey and a chance to reunite with the Tilneys.

Readers expecting a story with the heft of "Pride and Prejudice" or "Mansfield Park" may be disappointed. However, "Northanger Abbey" is a fun book on its own terms, very much a Jane Austen product and likely to be enjoyed by her fans. It is highly recommended as an entertaining read.

As a lover of Austen novels, it is well worth reading "Northanger Abby", which was Austen's first (but last published) novel. As her first novel, her writing style is still rough and lacks some of the refinment of her later works, but she still brings her sharp eye for satire and examination of societal/marriage topics. Catherine Morland pales in comparison to later strong heronies like Elizabeth Bennet or Fanny Price, but she's delightful to read and chuckle about her naive outlook on life.

Northanger Abbey is a gem. Jane Austen (1775-1817)has written a charmiing little novel about a charming little lady named Catherine Moreland. Catherine is 15 as the novel begins in Wiltshire. She and the hilariously stupid Mrs. Allen go on a six week trip to nearby Bath to take the waters. Catherine meets the fashionable and fast Isabella Thorpe. Catherine dances with the clergyman Henry Tilney at a ball becoming infatuated with the clever young man. Henry and Catherine share a love for the Romantic Gothic novels of such authors as Ann Radcliff and Fanny Burney. Complications ensue but in the end the couple are wed.
The first half of the novel deals with doings in Bath; the second half is a trip taken by Catherine to the Tilney estate Northanger Abbey. Catherine thinks the house may contain a ghost as she is influenced in her thinking by a vivid imagination fueled by her sensational Gothic reading.
Minor characters are of interest: Captain Frederick Tilney the ladies man brother of Henry; old General Tilney the gruff father of Fred and Henry; Catherine's parents and Eleanor Tilney the kind and lovely sister of the two Tilney boys with whom Catherine forms a solid friendship.
The book includes a spirited defense of the art of novel writing by Miss Austen. It is a light and commonplace tale of young love told with the wit and wisdom of one of England's greatest authors. This less well known Austen novel is a delightful way to become an addict of the spinster from Hawton parsongage!

I'm a little confused. Did I read the same book as some of these other reviewers? It's a fun fantasy.

Kick off your ruby slippers, put up your feet, cuz Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. Nope. We're in Vegas, baby!

These other reviewers focus on minor plot devices. Why wouldn't a jealous Weather Witch use her powers to make Delilah's life miserable? I knew girls just like that in high school. Shoot. I think I've worked with the Weather Witch before. Loved the ending, with the promise that I'll get to enjoy Delilah matching wits with evil in the next installment. (Hey, Ms. Douglas, how long do I have to wait?)

I am a fan of the Irene Adler series, so I was VERY disappointed to read Dancing With Wolves. I suspect that CND must be farming her books out to be ghost written by hack writers now. The story was not well reseached, boring stereotypes abounded regarding Latinos (I am one, so they were really glaring to me.) The plot simply skipped over difficult situations with unbelievable "rescues". Really 5th rate writing.

B-o-r-i-n-g.

Bring back the real CND!! Please!!

Having been a long-time fan of Ms. Douglas' Midnight Louie series, I decided to try a new genre--fantasy.

This was a truly absorbing read with interesting characters, an exciting plot and a delightful (and somewhat sexy) romance. I also enjoyed Delilah's silver familiar.

I look forward to the further adventures of Ms. Street, Ric, Quicksilver and, of course, the Las Vegas ambiance which Ms. Douglas creates so well.

Jessie

I love books about alternate realities, supernatural characters, and strong women. This book appeared to have all that covered. Ultimately, though, it was a disappointment.

Delilah Street is an orphan, a foundling who grew up in an orphanage in Wichita, Kansas. She knows she was named for the place where she was found...but there is no Delilah Street in Wichita. Hmm. In her universe, the Millenium brought out all of the unhumans - werewolves, zombies, vampires, and who knows what else. Delilah isn't even sure what she is herself.

Through a contrived series of events, Delilah finds herself homeless and jobless and headed for Las Vegas in search of her own double, whom she saw playing (or was she?) a corpse on CSI. Of course, once she gets to Vegas, things just fall into her lap. She ends up moving into an enchanted cottage (if you're into creepy surveillance by your landlord) and meeting a series of attractive men - or whatever they turn out to be.

The best alternate universes seem completely real; their peculiar magic and laws work, and I find myself falling right into them. Not Delilah's world. It was too confusing.

The author created too many mysteries and solved virtually none of them. It's all right to look ahead to the sequel(s), but couldn't she have at least let us off the hook about a few of the dangling plots? I don't mind if we still don't know exactly what Delilah is. That sort of self-discovery is what sequels are made of. But what about her duplicate? Can't we even visit the street she was named for? I fully expected both of those situations to be solved by the end of the book, and they weren't.

And the writing style was too cutesy for me. Delilah is constantly throwing in wisecracks, which just make for disjointed reading. This forced wittiness felt choppy and distracting.

I'm familiar with the author's Midnight Louie series. Her main female character in that series, Temple Barr, irritates me, too, so I suppose I should have been prepared for Delilah. I shouldn't have wasted my time on this book. I doubt I'll read the sequel.

Delilah Street is a paranormal investigative reporter who relocates to Las Vegas from Kansas allegedly to find out about a woman who is her exact double when she sees the woman on a popular TV show. Once there she runs into several other mysteries that are supposed to connect to her search for her body double that she just has to try and solve.

First let me say that the first 50 pages of backstory of this book were pointless and could have been summed up in about 5 pages. Ok, my annoyances with this books are as follows in no particular order: Delilah's phobias, Dehilah's car, Delilah's pets, Delilah's childhood. All of these things get way too much air time during the whole book.

This story is supposed to take place in the future (post 21st century Millenium), but wait, we don't don't how far into the future so the reader has to guess what freaking year it's supposed to be.

Way too much time is spent describing Deliah's obsession with all things vintage-- clothes, movie characters, movies. In fact too much time is spent describing everything and not telling an actual story. The story, such as it is, is disjointed, and confusing. Attempts to connect secondary characters to the the main plot fall flat and leaves the reader with more questions never to be answered because the book has no definite ending to any of the so called mysteries she is supposed to be solving.

This book waste of money and time.

I would recomend this book to people.This book is scary but not the scary that gives you nightmares.On the scary meter its in the middle.Also it is great because it leaves you wanting more at the end of the chapter.When Billy finds out he is goin to Camp Nightmoon hes really exited.Once he boards the bus he meets mike. Mike seems cautious and scared to go to camp. Then the bus stops in the middle of nowere and drives away.Then the kids here growling noises and suddenly mysterious animals appear.When Billy is finaly settled in, some strange thing start to happen. Campers suddenly start to disapear and no one seems to care!What will happen to Billy? Will he disapear? Will he escape? To find out, you have to read this amazing book.

Welcome to Camp Nightmare is likely the scariest, most suspenseful Goosebumps book. The story is about a group of children who go to a summer camp, where mysterious things happen. Without ruining much, I'll say that I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

However, the book's ending is unexpected... in a bad way. You'd expect a such a suspenseful book to have an incredible twist at the end, as Stine usually ends his Goosebumps series, but the ending to Welcome ot Camp Nightmare oozes of unoriginallity, and is a giant cop out. R.L. Stine ruined what could have been his greatest book.

This story by R.L. Stine is taking place at "Camp Nightmoon", but its nickname is "Camp Nightmare". A little boy named Billy had never gone camping before. He was scared because during the camp, campers were disappearing. The camp counselors were just saying that the campers never existed. Most of the campers went to the "Forbidden Bunk" and disappeared. The "Forbidden Bunk" is a bunk room where no one is allowed to go, and if they do, they disappear. The camp counselor, "Larry" told everyone about a red-eyed monster called "Sabre" who lives in the "Forbidden Bunk" and eats a camper every night.
In the end, it was not true, it was all a test for Billy. If he passed the test, he would go to another planet called "Earth", for a dangerous mission. The campers weren't really dissappearing, they were all in on the act. "Uncle Al", the camp director, told Billy that he passed the test. Then all the other campers and all their parents came out of the bushes and congratulated Billy.
I liked the book, but it wasn't great. I didn't like the ending because I thought they were already on earth when they were really on a different planet.

This story by R.L. Stine is taking place at "Camp Nightmoon", but its nickname is "Camp Nightmare". A little boy named Billy had never gone camping before. He was scared because during the camp, campers were disappearing. The camp counselors were just saying that the campers never existed. Most of the campers went to the "Forbidden Bunk" and disappeared. The "Forbidden Bunk" is a bunk room where no one is allowed to go, and if they do, they disappear. The camp counselor, "Larry" told everyone about a red-eyed monster called "Sabre" who lives in the "Forbidden Bunk" and eats a camper every night.
In the end, it was not true, it was all a test for Billy. If he passed the test, he would go to another planet called "Earth", for a dangerous mission. The campers weren't really dissappearing, they were all in on the act. "Uncle Al", the camp director, told Billy that he passed the test. Then all the other campers and all their parents came out of the bushes and congratulated Billy.
I liked the book, but it wasn't great. I didn't like the ending because I thought they were already on earth when they were really on a different planet.

As Welcome to Camp Nightmare begins we join a lively group of youngsters headed to the sleep-away camp, Camp Nightmoon, called Camp Nightmare by the campers...and with good reason. In this volume we meet 12 year old Billy who is headed out for his first time at sleep-away camp, we join him on the bus ride with his fellow campers, including two girls who are headed to the girls camp of the same name, just across the river. Billy hits it off with one of the girls and hopes to see her as the summer goes on. They are let off abruptly and left alone at a station where they are nearly set upon by large wild dogs. They are whisked away to Camp Nightmoon where he is assigned to Bunk 4, just down the hill from the ominous "Forbidden Bunk" which they are told to stay away from at all costs or a wolf like monster called Sabre will kill them. They are also warned against bear attacks...all of this seems highly causal to both the reader and to Billy who wonders why his parents would send him off to a camp that is so dangerous.

Almost immediately things head down hill for Billy and his bunk mates; Larry (their camp counselor who isn't around much and is indifferent when he is), Roger, Jay, Collin and Mike. Snakes attack Mike whose hand swells up, Billy comes through with a plan to get the snakes out of the bunk, but it's too late for poor Mike's hand...even worse, there's not nurse at the camp and Neither Uncle Al (runs the camp) nor Larry seem to care in the slightest. From there, it's a downward spiral for Billy and his bunkmates as one after another mysteriously disappears and as fear mounts for Billy wondering why Larry and Uncle Al seem so oblivious and unconcerned about something that is very wrong at Camp Night Moon...will Billy escape the fate of his bunkmates? You'll have to read to find out.

Overall, Camp Nightmare is an over-the-top, no holds barred near-parody of the classic sleep-away camp horror/thriller story. We are given a camp where EVERYTHING is wrong and where our hopelessly frightened protagonist is faced with a monster, the "forbidden bunk," disappearing bunkmates, a cruel counselor, a possibly psychotic Uncle Al, and a steadily mounting feeling that Billy's days are numbered! Camp Nightmare manages to be both suspenseful and horrific in a tame sort of way...one that makes the reader want to stop all the action and shake the character while screaming NO WAY...stop and think about it...but he never does and in the end we are given a totally unique twist (that is equally as unrealistic as the rest of the book) when the book comes to a screeching halt, concluding very abruptly! All the loose ends are tied up and the story IS entertaining, though your brain will scream NO WAY for most of the book, I give it four stars (instead of three) because I totally didn't see the ending that Stine gave it, so despite the over exaggerated plot details, he "got" me in the end. This is the type of book you read for the sheer entertainment of it...you know it's not right, you know it's unrealistic...yet you are compelled to read it to the very last page and you walk away with a little giggle and rolling your eyes...but you have been entertained and that makes it worth reading.

this book is for you. The continuation from the other 3 volumes. amazing artwork, stories and every new and true buffy fan will love it!

The short stories aren't bad, but seeing as "Bad Blood" dominates this volume I'm basing my review on that story. The artwork is not very good in this volume, compared to volumes 1 and 2. It isn't necessarily bad, but the artists don't capture the likenesses of any of the actors. Furthermore, the artwork looks rushed. Most panels in Omnibus 1 and 2 seem like paintings; most of the work in this volume are nowhere near the same quality.

As for as Watson's story, it's full of things that make no sense; either that or quotes that seem to only be there to take up place. Sometimes though the story is interesting, but it took a long time to get through for me. Perhaps Watson isn't a bad writer, but he certainly doesn't have the knack for all-things-Buffy.

If you would-be-buyers don't mind, I'll start this review off with a snippet from my review of the first three BUFFY omnibus volumes. Don't fear, it's as relevant here as it is there:

"Unless you're a completist with oodles and oodles of cash, this is the way to go if you want to collect the older Buffy comics. Before this, they have been collected (for the most part) into smaller trade paperbacks, each of which cost almost as much as this volume. Now, before I get into my review, let me explain the omnibus series, as I've seen a lot of people misunderstanding.when talking about it on message boards: This is not the only omnibus. There are to be seven of them all together(...)"

I didn't expect much when I bought this book. The first two omnibuses were good, but the third was mediocre at best, mostly because it was dominated by one-shot comics written by Andi Watson. Watson, who is probably the worst Buffy writer there is, also wrote the majority of this book. In fact, the first two hundred pages of this volume make up one story called "Bad Blood," written by Watson. It's story about a vampire named Selke who seeks revenge on Buffy for scarring her face. But first, Selke seeks out a plastic surgeon who resorts to magic AND mayonnaise to try to make Selke think he's successfully helping her. The few glimmers of good story you'll find here are snuffed out by the shocking lack of quality in Andi's writing. Everything that makes Buffy more than just your average genre show is not present in Andi's writing. The only thing that will keep you from skipping through these two hundred pages is the fact that Cliff Richards pencilled two thirds of it. There are two other Andi Watson pieces in this volume, but they're short enough that they won't take away from your enjoyment of the book more than "Bad Blood" already did.

Things start to look up a LOT when you get past "Bad Blood." The rest of the book is made up of one-shots and one more miniseries. The miniseries is called The Hollower, and shows Angel taking on a demon that sucks the demon spirit out of vampires. It's written by Christopher Golden, and is mildly entertaining. Hector Gomez's art does nothing but take away from that, but the story was good enough for me to ignore it. There are a few other Christopher Golden tales here that range from mediocre ("Who Made Who," a Spike/Dru story, and "Cursed," a pointless story about how bad Angel was in the past), to GOOD ("Stinger," which great dialogue and a demon with very interesting motivations), to GREAT ("Hello Moon," which Golden co-wrote with Daniel Brereton). The latter comic I mentioned, "Hello Moon," is one of my favorite Buffy comics ever, and I think it alone is worth buying this book.

Something that will make Buffy fans very happy is that this book includes two short stories written by Doug Petrie, who was a writer on the television series. Not only did he write great episodes, he also showed how good he was at writing comics, with the Angelus-centric Ring of Fire, which was featured in the second Buffy omnibus. The first story he contributes to this book is "Bad Dog," which deals with Oz going all wolfy and a nerdy sorcerer seeking revenge. It wasn't as good as I expected, but was way better than some of the other stuff here. Petrie also closes this volume with a short story called "Graduation Day," which catches up with Buffy and Angel right after they parted ways in the ground-breaking finale of the third season. Not only was it a perfect way to have a final statement about Buffy and Angel's relationship, it was also a great note to end the book on.

The art in this book was way better than what we saw in the third volume, but fans should expect about the same quality of writing. There are some great stories here, but most of it is still overshadowed by Andi Watson's work. I'd say it's definitely worth buying (both for the Golden and Petrie comics, and pretty much just to have it), but it's no where near as entertaining as the first two. I know that, with the fifth volume, things will be looking better (as there is no Watson work in sight).

6/10