Originality? Check. Fascinating ideas? Check. Witty writing? Check. Characters and plot? Nah.

If you get H.G. Wells, Sherlock Holmes, Oscar Wilde, William James, Nikolai Tesla and Dracula all together in the same room for a night of philosophical speculation on the eve of the 19th century, it's got to be good...or, at the very least, fascinating and unusual. Makes you want to read the book, right? The Hunger and Ecstasy of Vampires by Brian Stableford thus kicks off with an original, engrossing premise: that the aforementioned luminaries, fictional and otherwise, have gathered to listen to the narrative of a man who claims that he has time-traveled to a far future when vampires have subjugated humankind.

This idea could definitely sustain a novel or 3, but ...

( ...But what? Click with bated breath here. )

Spike agrees with me.

I find Angel 1.3, In The Dark, incredibly amusing for the following soliloquy from Spike, who is watching Angel do good:

Spike in high voice:  “How can I thank you, you mysterious, black-clad hunk of a night thing? 

"(low voice) No need, little lady, your tears of gratitude are enough for me.  You see, I was once a badass vampire, but love and a pesky curse defanged me.  Now I’m just a big, fluffy puppy with bad teeth. (Rachel steps closer to Angel, and Angel steps back warding her off with his hands) No, not the hair!  Never the hair!  

"(high voice)  But there must be some way I can show my appreciation.  

"(low voice)  No, helping those in need’s my job, - and working up a load of sexual tension, and prancing away like a magnificent poof is truly thanks enough!  

"(high voice)  I understand.  I have a nephew who is gay, so… 

"(low voice)  Say no more.  Evil’s still afoot!  And I’m almost out of that Nancy-boy hair-gel that I like so much.  Quickly, to the Angel-mobile, away!” 

Transcript from Buffyworld.