Book of the Dead

A quite well done Angel novel. An old Watcher school acquaintance of Wesley's turns up to go to a rare mystical book auction. Angel thinks it would be a good idea for Wes to check it out too, as Cordelia has had a related vision about a teenager acquiring such things. When they do, Wesley gets his hands on a book called the Red Compendium, that has miscellaneous spells from many different authors. To Wesley's cost, he finds out why. A demon in the book called the Bookwyrm draws him inside the tome, and tries to eat him. Those on the outside must try and stop it.

Wes is no stranger to rare book and occult artifact auctions. When a particular box calls to him, he purchases it, and discovers a rare and valuable tome inside. He also discovers his former colleague, who seeks the same thing. Only this book is compelling reading. Wes can't put it down even if he wanted to. A reader myself, not only could I identify with Wes' compulsive need for books (you should see my to be read pile) as well as his inability to put down this particularly riveting tome. Even if its magic that makes it that way. What he finds inside the book; however, is a thing of imagination. I loved this story. From the magic book, to what lay inside, this was a page-turning read that kept this reader on the edge of her seat to determine how it was going to come out all right. An excellent addition to the world of Angel.

The best media tie-in novels take the world of the television show and enlarge it, making it richer and taking it places the series couldn't go because of time or budget constraints. McConnell has done that brilliantly in this novel with an ingenious Big Bad wrapped in a delicious character-driven plot cooked up to delight any fan of Wesley Wyndam-Price. Wes' characterization is dead-on and runs deep; I could hear Alexis Denisof's voice in my head for each line. This is a story and a villain that are particularly Wesley's, and it is wonderful to watch the interactions between him and the rest of the team. McConnell has a deft hand with dialogue and her word snapshots capture the show's visual feel. The story, which you've read about in the reviews above this one, draws the reader in, and the result is a very satisfying read.

It's always a surprise to pick up a new Angel or Buffy book by and unknown author and find that not only is the book quite good, but the author is only unknown to me. In a sense it's a bonus, I get to enjoy a new book and find a new author to follow. This is certainly the case with Ashley McConnell's Book of the Dead, which is both well written, has an ingenious plot device, and features Wesley, one of the team who more often than not is on the outs. An obscure volume of spells finds its way to an occult store in Los Angeles. When the owner of the store examines the book he discovers it is The Red Compendium, a legendary volume containing the last and greatest spells of history's most noted mages - all of whom seem to have disappeared. One missing store owner later the book, really a trap designed by a demonic Bookwyrm to collect spells, finds its way to an auction and then into Wesley's hands. Wes finds the book impossible to put down. Two collateral stories richen the broth. Emilio Herrara, and alienated high school student who has been coming to the store to swap work for bits of magical training, steals several books and suddenly tries to become a master wizard in one great leap. A disastrous leap for all those concerned. Angel and the team are desperately trying to trace Emilio down when they aren't trying to de-biblographize poor Wesley. And an old watcher school friend (make that not-quite-friend) of Wesley's suddenly shows up in Los Angeles. Adrian O'Flaherty has never really got along with the priggish Wesley, but Adrian's real agenda isn't making up with Wesley, it's revenge on the killer of his father. Between Wesley's involuntary adventures in a book turned delicatessen, a teenager determined to work out his hostility with ferocious demons, and Adria's surfeit of hidden agendas, this is a plot that never stops anywhere for very long. It says something for McConnell's writing ability that despite all this the read never feels rushed or confused. In fact the pacing is perfect. In addition, a series of flashbacks to Wesley's adventures as a watcher-in-training give us a one of his best fleshed out characterizations. It makes you wish that the series hadn't come to an end.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Book of the Dead." Wes has always been one of my favorite characters. The story gives us some insight into Wes's schoolboy days at the "Watcher's Academy." The story was very interesting and I loved the concept. The pace was a little slow at the beginning, but it was still very enjoyable and interesting. All of the central characters are very well written. Connor is not in the story because he is out of town for a few days. By sending him out of town, the author didn't have to deal with the Connor/Cordy relationship which was a wise decision. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the TV show "Angel" and especially to anyone who loves Wesley.