From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Short stories featuring the Vampire Slayer in different times and places, framed by two tales of the most recent incarnation, the valiant and irreverent Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, CA. If Buffy finds it difficult to carry out her mission, it is even more of a challenge to lead the double life of a Slayer within the conventions of court life in Japan in the year 980, in a small village in Brittany in 1320, or on a pirate ship in the Caribbean in 1661. Other stories take place in London, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. These "heroic girls" sometimes doubly defy convention, as when the pirate and the Civil War soldier pass as men, or the villager falls in love with her Watcher and has a forbidden baby. In one deceptively simple tale of North versus South set in flapper times, the Slayer takes a narrative backseat to an unbeatable vamp of a human sort. Some of the authors, such as Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Kara Dalkey, will be familiar to fantasy readers; those writing of present-day Sunnydale worked on this series and bring dialogue and characters vividly to life; all offer intriguing, authentic-feeling, and mostly well-crafted takes on the Slayer legend. While Buffy's appeal to teens is obvious, enterprising teachers might also find some of these tales useful in sparking the imaginations of reluctant readers or history students.Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
"Sacred duty, yadda yadda." -- Buffy Summers Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always held an irreverent attitude toward her calling, but ultimately she understands the ramifications of her destiny and is prepared to die to protect the world from Evil. In fact, she has died. Twice. "I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, another is called." -- Buffy Summers It's an ancient tradition, steeped in lore, mythology, and fateful prophecies. Slayerdom consists of a Council of Watchers, a continuum of slayers, an archive of journals, and even a handbook. "Handbook? What handbook? How come I didn't have a handbook?" -- Buffy Summers But first and foremost, it begins with a girl. One girl in all the world. A Chosen One. Now, catch up on other Slayers past and present, in the second short-story collection, Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 2! "[Another] Slayer? I knew this, 'I'm the only one, I'm the only one,' thing was just an attention getter." -- Xander Harris With contributions from Scott Allie, Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens, Greg Cox, Kara Dalkey, Jane Espenson, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Todd McIntosh, Michael Reaves, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

With contributions from Scott Allie, Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz, Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens, Greg Cox, Kara Dalkey, Jane Espenson, Rebecca Rand Kirshner, Todd McIntosh, Michael Reaves, and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

FROM THE CRITICS

VOYA - Arlene Garcia

Using Buffy Summers and her friends' modern-day demon-slaying adventures as a framing device, this second volume of short stories takes readers back into the mists of time for a glimpse of slayers past. From ancient Japan through Victorian London and on into Jazz Age New York, readers meet women who dedicated their short, violent lives to ridding the world of evil. Some are willing, even gleeful, slayers, such as the pirate Cap'n Rob in Blood and Brine. Others are forced into the role with trepidation and reluctance, such as Kisbi in Lady Shobu and Elaine in Abomination. For some, becoming a slayer beats starving in a gutter, as is true for Catherine in The Ghosts of Slayers Past. Written mostly by well-known writers of the science fiction/fantasy genre, including Kara Dalkey, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Michael Reaves, and Max Allan Collins, these stories are sophisticated and stand well on their own away from the Buffy franchise. In fact, those stories featuring Buffy are the weakest in the book. A few truly stand out, such as Reaves's evocative Dracula pastiche, House of the Vampire! and Scott Allie's twisted Dickensian Ghosts of Slayers Past. Whether theatrical, melodramatic, or weepy, all are vastly entertaining and should satisfy diehard series fans as well as teens-and adults-who can never get enough vampire stories. VOYA Codes: 3Q 4P J S A/YA (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2003, Simon Pulse/S & S, 368p,

School Library Journal