Seven Crows

FROM THE ARCHIVES (Buffy book reviews)

Seven Crows

John Vornholt (2003)

RATING: 5/5 Stakes

SETTING: Season Seven (alternate)

CAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Dawn, Angel, Fred, Riley, Samantha Finn

MAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: Raul, Machete (vampires), Clete Barton (Sheriff), Frederick Tatum (pear farmer)

BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: “In a sleeply little town on the border between Arizona and Mexico, Agent Riley Finn and his operative wife, Sam, have tracked down an international smuggling ring involving vampires. Suprisingly, the call for reinforcements is answered by Buffy Summers and the atoning vampire Angel. Now tempers are flaring in the heat of the day—and night—as people are dying and locals are turning a blind eye to the deadly events. Bodies are turning up in the surrounding desert, some drained of blood, some having succumbed to another, fast-moving death. Riley Finn is noticing the arrival of more and more crows to this area, ominous portents of the events ahead. But even Mr. Secret Agent Man is distracted from his job when his wife goes undercover with Angel. . . .”

REVIEW

Simply put, one of the best Buffy novels out there. The action starts quickly as we see a young illegal immigrant narrowly survive death at the hands of Raul and Machete, two vampires who smuggle people across the border (and, sometimes, make a meal out of them). When Riley and his wife Sam are called in to investigate, they get the run-around by the local sheriff and a powerful landowner. Buffy and Angel get called in to help, and the storyline really starts running hot. Add in drug tunnels, werewolves, and a touch of jealousy and you’ve got a great book.

There are a lot of things that make Seven Crows so good. First, the setting. The area around the Arizona and Mexico border has never been the location for a Buffy story, and John Vornholt does a good job describing the landscape and inhabitants. Second, and I’m as surprised as anyone to say this, Riley and Sam. Somehow these two characters, often rather bland in the show, sparkle in the book and seem far more interesting. As a bonus, the fact that they’re not major Buffy stars means Vornholt has more flexibility in making permanent changes to the characters. Last, the characterization and dialogue is top-notch. Buffy and Angel’s first meeting is hilarious, and their subsequent . . . awkwardness around each other is played perfectly.The plot is solid but probably have used a few tweaks near the end, which seems to come too quickly. Still, this is definitely one worth seeking out.