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Book Review: Against the Darkness by Kendare Blake

By georgelthomas on 11 Jul 2025 • ( 0 )

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and It’s time for another review. Today, I’m sharing my review of Against the Darkness, the third and final instalment of Kendare Blake’s Buffy: The Next Generation series.

Against the Darkness was published in 2004 by Disney-Hyperion and is 400 pages.

The Plot
Following the devastating events of the first two books, where many Slayers were killed or trapped in an alternate dimension by a malevolent force known as the Darkness, Frankie is bearing the weight of the crisis. With the original Scooby Gang fragmented and her aunt Buffy missing, Frankie must step up to lead the charge against this new threat.

As if that wasn’t enough, internal conflicts arise within her group: Jake grapples with his werewolf nature, while Hailey infiltrates the rogue Slayers, causing trust issues and Willow, Frankie’s mother, faces the potential resurgence of her dark alter ego, Dark Willow.

Characters
Frankie
Being both a Slayer and a witch, Frankie embodies the theme of dual identity. Throughout the novel, she’s forced to grow into her power and leadership, wrestling with her doubts and fears about the whereabouts of the missing Slayers while rising to the occasion.

Hailey
Hailey is Frankie’s best friend, who takes on the dangerous role of infiltrating the rogue Slayers, leading to questions of loyalty and trust within the team. Later, Hailey learns that destiny has more in store for her than she ever imagined.

Jake
Jake deals with his supernatural nature, trying to control his inner wolf like his cousin Oz. His newfound bisexuality is explored a little more in this book, and how it’s handled is brilliant. It’s not a big deal—no deep soul is searching—he has a boyfriend—that’s it.

Willow
Willow is Frankie’s mother and a powerful witch who struggles with the potential resurgence of her dark side. In this book, Willow and Frankie work together more, using their magic to help find and rescue the lost Slayers.

Spike
Spike still serves as Frankie’s Watcher. His loyalty, experience, and emotional scars from Buffy’s disappearance give him compelling complexity and help anchor the new generation to the old.

Buffy
Buffy finally appears in this conclusion to the story, and she’s just in the nick of time. Having been trapped in a hell dimension, she’s excited to learn about Frankie’s new Slayer status.

Giles
Giles also returns to Sunnydale in this book, and he is written just as he appeared in the TV series. His warmth, intelligence and sarcasm are all present, and his bantering with Spike is brilliant.

Aspen
Aspen is a rogue Slayer and the central antagonist of this instalment. Her actions have led to the deaths of many Slayers and the disappearance of several more—and if her plans come to fruition, she will become the strongest Slayer ever.

Writing Style
Just as she did with the previous two books, Kendare Blake adeptly captures the essence of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, blending witty dialogue, fast-paced action, and emotional depth. Her portrayal of legacy and new characters remains faithful to their origins while allowing for growth and development.

In the first book, I had some issues with Willow’s character (she didn’t seem to be the Willow from the show)—but by book two, those issues were resolved—and we got some classic Willow with her character continuing to grow throughout this final book.

The narrative balances humour and horror, reminiscent of the show’s tone, and delves into themes of identity and the complexities of power. Blake’s writing is engaging, making it accessible to longtime fans and newcomers to the Buffyverse.

Final Thoughts
Against the Darkness serves as a satisfying conclusion to the Buffy: The Next Generation trilogy, honouring the legacy of the original series while introducing something fresh and new.

If you’re a Buffy fan, this series is definitely for you, but even if you’re new, the first book is a brilliant jumping on point.

I’m giving Against the Darkness an 8/10.

Have you read any of the Buffy: The Next Generation series? What did you think?

Thank you, as ever, for stopping by to read my review.

Until next time,

George