It's get-out-of-jail-free time for Faith once again, as the dark slayer finds herself the prey of rich thrill-seekers looking to hunt supernatural big game.

Nancy Holder and Jeff Mariotte aren't usually afraid of apocalyptic thrills, but this first hardback Angel release sees them reign in some of their previous excesses to provide a rich, witty, roller-coaster of an adventure that's never more than a few pages away from a good old-fashioned punch-up.

Some fans might find the endless continuity references a little wearing. We know that the duo wrote the acclaimed Angel Casefiles episode guide, but shoehorning in too many nods to past events grates after a while.

Still, Endangered Species is a worthy (if a little pricey) addition to the Angel range, which generally has the edge over Buffy in terms of quality novels.