Monster Island (Buffy/Angel novel)

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Monster Island

First edition cover
Author Christopher Golden & Thomas E. Sniegoski
Country United States
Language English
Series Buffy and Angel
Genre(s) Horror novels
Publisher Pocket Books
Publication date March 2003
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages 435 pp
ISBN ISBN 0-7434-6776-0
Preceded by Unseen (Buffy/Angel novel)
Followed by Cursed (Buffy/Angel novel)

Monster Island is an original novel based on the television series Buffy and Angel.

Contents

[edit] Plot summary

Doyle's pureblood Brachen demon father Axtius is the General for the Coalition of Purity which believes that all half-blood demons should be banished, leaving only the purebloods on Earth. Both Angel and Buffy are dealing with this threat in their respective cities when Buffy's team learns that General Axtius plans to attack a half-blood demon safe haven island near Los Angeles. Uprooting the Scooby Gang, Buffy and the rest of them travel quickly to Los Angeles to help Angel deal with the increasing problem. Unfortunately, the demons on the island who are in need of saving seem to be sceptical about having vampires as well as the Slayer on their island and they must be convinced that it's for their benefit before General Axtius and his troops launch a full-fledged attack on the island.

In their final confrontation on the island, Angel defeats Axtius when unarmed despite Axtius wielding a powerful mystical weapon, taunting the Brachen by saying that he would have been ashamed of Doyle's very human act of sacrifice and redemption. Having been defeated by Angel, Axtius is subsequently incinerated by his former second-in-command for his failure to destroy the island.

[edit] Continuity

  • This is supposed to fit into the timeline in early Buffy Season 6 / Angel Season 3
  • However Buffyverse canon that is established after this point contradicts much of the novel. For example, whilst in "Monster Island" Gunn and Spike meet. By canon they do not meet until early Angel Season 5.

[edit] Canonical issues

Buffy/Angel books such as this one are not usually considered by fans as canonical. Some fans consider them stories from the imaginations of authors and artists, while other fans consider them as taking place in an alternative fictional reality. However unlike fan fiction, overviews summarising their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Joss Whedon (or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy/Angel merchandise.

[edit] Timing

  • Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
Location, time
(if known)
Buffyverse chronology: Fall 2001 - December 2001
(non-canon = italic)
L.A., 2001 Buffy/Angel novel: Cursed
L.A., 2001 A3.01 Heartthrob
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy UPN promos: Scooby Gang talk about Buffy
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.01 Bargaining, Part One
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.02 Bargaining, Part Two
L.A., 2001 A3.02 That Vision Thing
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.03 After Life
L.A., 2001 Angel book: Sanctuary
L.A., 2001 A3.03 That Old Gang of Mine
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.04 Flooded
L.A., 2001 A3.04 Carpe Noctem
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy comic: Reunion
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.05 Life Serial
L.A., 2001 A3.05 Fredless
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy graphic novel Willow & Tara: Wilderness
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy book: Blood and Fog
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.06 All the Way
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy graphic novel: Note from the Underground
L.A., 2001 A3.06 Billy
L.A., 2001 Angel anthology book:The Longest Night
Sunnydale, L.A., Monster Island, 2001 Buffy/Angel novel: Monster Island
L.A., 2001 Angel book: Endangered Species
L.A., 2001 Angel book: Impressions
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.07 Once More, with Feeling
L.A., 2001 A3.07 Offspring
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.08 Tabula Rasa
L.A., 2001 A3.08 Quickening
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.09 Smashed
L.A., 2001 A3.09 Lullaby
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.10 Wrecked
L.A., 2001 A3.10 Dad
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.11 Gone
L.A., 2001 A3.11 Birthday
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy graphic novel: Creatures of Habit
Sunnydale, 2001 Buffy graphic novel: Death of Buffy: Withdrawal
Sunnydale, 2001 B6.12 Doublemeat Palace
L.A., 2001 A3.12 Provider

[edit] Trivia

  • Tagline: 'On an island sanctuary, a face-off between man and monster'.
  • Strongly influenced by the episode Hero, this book pays tribute to the character Doyle.
  • At one point, it is revealed that the current password for access to the hideout of Gunn's crew is "Sweet Christmas", which Gunn tells the others is something 'a guy we all looked up to' used to say. "Sweet Christmas" is the catchphrase of Marvel Comics Luke Cage, a streetwise blaxploitation character whom Gunn has a lot in common with.

[edit] Characters

  • It is notable for uniting a great many characters from both the Scooby Gang and the Angel Ivestigations.
  • There is an appearance of an 'Old One'. That is a true demon.
  • Buffyverse canon characters include: Buffy, Angel, Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Dawn, Giles, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Wesley
  • Buffyverse non-canon characters include: Abner

[edit] See also

  • Buffy books. These tend to surround the character of Buffy and the fictional town of Sunnydale
  • Angel books. These instead focus on Angel and his so-called 'Fang Gang'
  • Tales of the Slayer” These chronicle the stories of past slayers
  • All of the above can be described as “Buffyverse novels

[edit] External links

[edit] Reviews