"Queen of the Slayers".
The first ever Post-Chosen Buffy book is now available, with possibly the greatest cover and definetely the greatest tagline: 'Sunnydale was just the warm up..." Written by Nancy Holder. Welcome to Season Eight.
Hell! I am so buying this!
May 27 2005
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It's not Holder's first book about Buffy: how is she? Decent writer?
Zamm | May 27, 09:16 CET
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 09:30 CET
I may well check this out though, just to see where she takes season eight!
bubblecat | May 27, 09:32 CET
Koos | May 27, 09:36 CET
two_guns | May 27, 09:45 CET
B) IIRC Joss has said that he has no control over the books and doesn't consider them any part of canon at all. Given some of the . . . odd . . . characterizations, I'd say they can pretty well take whatever liberties they want. (A couple of the novels make me wonder if the writer even watched the show -- or if they watched the same show as I did.)
janeway216 | May 27, 09:56 CET
Grounded | May 27, 09:59 CET
Well, the only things I've ever heard Joss say about the novels is that he has no clue what they're about, and that he's never read a single one. He once said: "For all I know, they go 'and that's how Buffy learned abortion is wrong' or something. I really don't know."
Which frankly, shows. I've tried a bunch of novels, and while one or two weren't *too* bad, most were just very very weak. There's not a single one I would consider even slightly to be 'canon' in terms of plot, flashbacks or characterization.
Well said. And from what I know of this one, it doesn't sound like it's very different in that regard. (But I obviously haven't read it, so who knows.)
One of my main problems with many of the Buffy novelizations is that the people in charge of it seem to be convinced that the only Buffy fans in existence are 15 year old girls and tailor a lot of the books to that demograhic in terms of style and content. (Which, in the stores, is definitely the section they put the books in ...)
EdDantes | May 27, 10:02 CET
If you can, avoid it. You'll be bored to death by some of the characters introduced and you'll find yourself repeatedly asking why you spent your money on it. I've read WAYYYYYYYYYY better fanfiction than this. I just can't express how frustrated, disappointed, and cheated I felt reading this story. Please don't just go out to buy it because of the pretty cover and interesting tag line. Please.
[ edited by Christopher on 2005-05-27 17:20 ]
Christopher | May 27, 10:15 CET
Gilmoid | May 27, 10:30 CET
You're probably thinking of this book also by Nancy Holder.
Simon | May 27, 10:41 CET
[ edited by twiggy on 2005-05-27 17:56 ]
twiggy | May 27, 10:55 CET
kathylovesspike | May 27, 11:12 CET
cmbackshane | May 27, 11:20 CET
But why is that good? Spuffy isn't a romance, so why compare it to one?
Grounded | May 27, 11:49 CET
bobothebrave | May 27, 11:52 CET
I think Fox have a say on what the authors are allowed to do, I'd imagine they can't, for example, have Xander jump into bed with Giles and have Dawn die or something.
[ edited by Ghost Spike on 2005-05-27 18:58 ]
Ghost Spike | May 27, 11:54 CET
The reason Geoge Lucas gets a say in all of that is because he owns the Star WArs characters. Fox owns the buffy characters so I don't think Joss does anything with any of the book tie-ins.
As for this book. Eh. I don't like any of the Buffy novels so I'll pass.
" Spuffy isn't a romance, so why compare it to one?"
I don't think that statement is a fact but everyone has their own interpretation of the characters. To each their own.
[ edited by eddy on 2005-05-27 19:03 ]
eddy | May 27, 11:56 CET
If I remember correctly in the Angel Season 5 TGIQ episode I do beleive Andrew told the 'boys'...Buffy loved them both...so I imagine Holder picked up on this...whatever...it seems both ships got the nod.
kathylovesspike | May 27, 12:09 CET
Apparently there is some mystical Spike/Buffy/Angel love child...
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 12:10 CET
eddy | May 27, 12:15 CET
I think we're all better off in fanfic land, but that's just me....
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 12:16 CET
Okay! That's $10 saved. Thanks, guys.
Jet Wolf | May 27, 12:18 CET
Gee, thanks.
Craig Oxbrow | May 27, 12:19 CET
stunningly bad comes to mind, though...
two_guns | May 27, 12:23 CET
zz9 | May 27, 12:25 CET
Simon | May 27, 12:35 CET
killinj | May 27, 12:39 CET
electricspacegirl | May 27, 12:41 CET
I know I look forward to it.
As for the shipper things, no book is going to change how people believe.No interviews and no other characters. Just the ones involved. Only live and on screen. Though I seriously doubt any firm decison on that front will ever be made.
[ edited by FalenAnjl on 2005-05-27 19:47 ]
FalenAnjl | May 27, 12:47 CET
bobothebrave | May 27, 12:54 CET
Koos | May 27, 12:55 CET
The scoobies, like in all the novels have big parts.
FalenAnjl | May 27, 13:05 CET
Its so hard to believe that I'm almost tempted to read it out of morbid curiosity!
Xane | May 27, 13:07 CET
WWBD | May 27, 13:12 CET
Well, it seems some folks have read it and confirmed it!! EEK is all I can say!
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 13:17 CET
pjalne | May 27, 13:19 CET
I'd be interested in a Faith prequel story if it was by Joss or some other ME writer.
Firefly Flanatic | May 27, 13:22 CET
Xane, that part is something I also know from another source. So, I really think it's true.
Koos | May 27, 13:26 CET
Clear as mud, eh?
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 13:29 CET
SweetMarilyn | May 27, 13:32 CET
I've been curious, is there some sort of authority when it comes to the continuity of these books? Or are the writers free to stomp all over what other people have 'established'?
[ edited by pjalne on 2005-05-27 20:36 ]
pjalne | May 27, 13:36 CET
Firefly Flanatic | May 27, 13:40 CET
I prefer the canon comic books, like Tales of, and Fray.
Or the semi-canon, like the new Angel: The Curse.
[ edited by Angel TheVampire on 2005-05-27 21:23 ]
Angel TheVampire | May 27, 14:18 CET
ramses 2 | May 27, 14:24 CET
SpikeBad | May 27, 14:27 CET
That was a pretty good book. I also thought the one about little pixies was cute. There's another one that's a crossover of Buffy season 6 and Angel season...whatever season Angel was in then, that I couldn't even finish.
Rogue Slayer | May 27, 14:50 CET
Mort | May 27, 16:27 CET
Firefly Flanatic | May 27, 18:31 CET
I did order it because I buy all the books that feature a positive Spuffy and/or Spike characterization.
Spuffy certainly wasn't a conventional romance but that's one reason I love it. But it was a love story.
Reddygirl | May 27, 18:32 CET
There are a very few stories featuring characters from Buffy but they tend to be by people with a connection to the show like Jane Espenson and Todd McIntosh, the make up supervisor on Buffy. Not many shows have their make up man writing short stories afterwards! His story is pretty good and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the description of the monster is excellent.
The first 'Tales of the Slayer' book begins with the story of Thessily Thessilonikki, the Slayer at the battle of Marathon who was 29 at the time of the story. She is the only slayer who is mentioned as being older than Buffy. I think she is also the only one who is portrayed as tougher than Buffy. I think I fell in love with her and at least two or three more Slayers, which must say something about the stories.
The status of whether the books are canon or not is unclear. Since few of the stories have any direct connection with Buffy or Angel the question is also rather academic.
I'd like to believe they are canon because Thessily is also described as fighting with a labrys, which is a sacred axe supposedly invented by an ancient matriarchal society. This was written before we ever saw the Scythe so although her axe is not the scythe itself there seems to be some connection.
I'd rate them in the order 1,2,4,3.
technovamp | May 27, 19:09 CET
charisma | May 27, 20:06 CET
This one? Seems to rival some of Yvonne Navarro's stuff for the wacky fanfic-like UCness.
amystar | May 28, 00:42 CET
BTW, my excuse for reading most of this dreck is that I am *so* hungry for anything new in the Buffyverse. I mean, I adore my DVDs--all 12 sets of them (sorry, I don't have "Firefly" yet)--but I really, really miss having new, fresh "fixes" every week. Sigh.
This is my first posting. Did I do okay??? :D
SangChaud | May 28, 01:19 CET
All of these books are very well done. The Lost Slayer one is creepy at times. The Book of Fours , very good if you love Slayer stuff.
And Christopher Golden's and Nancy Holder's Gatekeeper series is one of the best of all the books runs.
The Tales of the Slayers are different then the fiction books. These characters are created for back story and to connect in the universe. They have history all they way up to Buffy.
[ edited by FalenAnjl on 2005-05-28 08:40 ]
FalenAnjl | May 28, 01:37 CET
polo | May 28, 06:16 CET
I also enjoyed Tempted Champions.
Reddygirl | May 28, 11:33 CET
The publishers put a number of restrictions on the author, and then don't require other restrictions that we would think basic. It's not enough to work with a listing of each character's traits, one has to actually understand the characters. It's not enough to work with a listing of the Universe, especially when the author has preconcieved notions about vampires.
There's plenty of blame to go around, but to me that's not the point :D I've taken some BtVS books out from the library. There's definitely a range of quality. But nothing that I'd pay to read again.
abbylee | May 28, 13:14 CET
I find it funny how some authors can write about them and as you said have no clue really about the character they are writting about. I think Faith is a perfect example. She is either a slut or a simpering idiot. And reguardless of what you thought of her, there was MUCH more to that character.
FalenAnjl | May 28, 14:20 CET
ETA: I just saw the date on the thread. Oh well.
[ edited by April on 2005-05-31 01:06 ]
WhoIsOmega? | May 30, 18:06 CET
BD | July 04, 05:28 CET