Rating: 
Summary: Excellent critical analysis of Buffy
Review: I should start this review by admitting that I am an unrepantant fan of "Buffy -- The Vampire Slayer" so reading this volume was hardly a chore.Reading The Vampire Slayer, subtitled "An Unofficial Critical Companion to Buffy and Angel", is definitely one for the more literate Buffy fan. Edited by Roz Kaveney we have a number of essays on various aspects of the Buffy-verse ranging from Kaveney's own piece, a well written but simple essay on the themes and structures of the TV series, through to more academic subjects such as "Vampire Dialectics - knowledge, institutions and labour". All the essays are well written, though some might be a little too academic in tone for some. Not all, however, are excellent criticisms of Buffy, becoming more academic erudtion using Buffy as an excuse to peddle a line. Taken as a whole this volume is worth the money, while not excellent it deserves a place as a collection of essays devoted to an interesting TV series and a part of modern culture.
Rating:
Summary: The Bible Book for BTVS
Review: It is true that this does not contain any new information for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, that really isn't the point of the book.
This is more of a references book for any one who wanted to know any thing ( and probably more then you needed to know,) about Buffy.
It is very well organized and easy to read, and understand.
In the very first chapter you learn who the key players are ( ie, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, and etc...) As well as pass relationships and family units.
The book also has a full episode guide through season one to seven. Short description of each episode and it also does this for Angel.
There are also some side notes on script format and tie in notes for ideas for the show.
A helping book for any one who is just getting interested in Buffy, or for one who has been, a lone time fan.
Rating: 
Summary: A model of how to write about popular media
Review: Let's face it: academics are people, too. And like everyday folk, they enjoy being fans. Truth be told, the contributors didn't write these essays so much because they had deep insights into the nature of society, but because they, like me and probably you, love BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL. I don't fault them for this: I praise them. We are currently seeing a growing number of academic books focusing on Buffy/Angel. I am completely on the fence as to whether this one or the volume edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox and David Lavery--FIGHTING THE FORCES: WHAT'S AT STAKE IN BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER--is the better. Both are superior to the more recent BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER AND PHILOSOPHY: FEAR AND TREMBLING IN SUNNYDALE, edited by James B. South. Interestingly, all the academic studies so far have been anthologies. It will be curious to see if anyone undertakes a book-length study. For the most part, these essays in this collection are very interesting. I suspect that each individual will respond more or less strongly to various essays. I particularly enjoyed the essays in the first half of the volume, especially "Vampire dialectics: Knowledge, institutions and labour" by Brian Wall and Michael Zyrd. I had a lot less interest in an essay discussing Buffy in terms of East Asian martial arts films. And I must confess that I am utterly baffled by Slash fiction--i.e., fan fiction depicting major characters from television shows in kinky homosexual relationships, a practice that originated in STAR TREK. Personally, the appeal of imaging Xander and Spike as lovers utterly escapes me. The essay dealing with this aspect of Buffy, therefore, failed to engage me. But I acknowledge another reader might prefer those essays that I found dull to those I found invigorating. What is not debatable is the high quality of the essays as a whole. All anthologies are uneven, either in the abilities of the individual contributors, or in the intrinsic appeal each essay makes to a particular reader. No reader is likely to enjoy all of this collection, but I'd bet that any academically oriented fan of BUFFY and ANGEL will find more than a few to their liking. I heartily recommend this. I should note that there is a second book with nearly the same title edited by Roz Kaveney scheduled for publication in January of 2004. I am unclear as to whether this will be a reprint or a new, expanded, and updated edition. The pagination for the new book shows it to be longer. At any rate, I would heartily recommend anyone interested in this one to also investigate that book, to determine whether it is a second, distinct volume.
Rating:
Summary: A model of how to write about popular media
Review: Let's face it: academics are people, too. And like everyday folk, they enjoy being fans. Truth be told, the contributors didn't write these essays so much because they had deep insights into the nature of society, but because they, like me and probably you, love BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL. I don't fault them for this: I praise them. We are currently seeing a growing number of academic books focusing on Buffy/Angel. I am completely on the fence as to whether this one or the volume edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox and David Lavery--FIGHTING THE FORCES: WHAT'S AT STAKE IN BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER--is the better. Both are superior to the more recent BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER AND PHILOSOPHY: FEAR AND TREMBLING IN SUNNYDALE, edited by James B. South. Interestingly, all the academic studies so far have been anthologies. It will be curious to see if anyone undertakes a book-length study. For the most part, these essays in this collection are very interesting. I suspect that each individual will respond more or less strongly to various essays. I particularly enjoyed the essays in the first half of the volume, especially "Vampire dialectics: Knowledge, institutions and labour" by Brian Wall and Michael Zyrd. I had a lot less interest in an essay discussing Buffy in terms of East Asian martial arts films. And I must confess that I am utterly baffled by Slash fiction--i.e., fan fiction depicting major characters from television shows in kinky homosexual relationships, a practice that originated in STAR TREK. Personally, the appeal of imaging Xander and Spike as lovers utterly escapes me. The essay dealing with this aspect of Buffy, therefore, failed to engage me. But I acknowledge another reader might prefer those essays that I found dull to those I found invigorating. What is not debatable is the high quality of the essays as a whole. All anthologies are uneven, either in the abilities of the individual contributors, or in the intrinsic appeal each essay makes to a particular reader. No reader is likely to enjoy all of this collection, but I'd bet that any academically oriented fan of BUFFY and ANGEL will find more than a few to their liking. I heartily recommend this. I should note that there is a second book with nearly the same title edited by Roz Kaveney scheduled for publication in January of 2004. I am unclear as to whether this will be a reprint or a new, expanded, and updated edition. The pagination for the new book shows it to be longer. At any rate, I would heartily recommend anyone interested in this one to also investigate that book, to determine whether it is a second, distinct volume.
Rating:
Summary: A clever and thought-provoking set of essays
Review: Most fans of Buffy of the Vampire Slayer don't watch the show for the butt-kicking action or the hottie cast members (though they don't hurt); they watch the show for the high-caliber acting, deep characterization, clever dialogue and inspired plotting - all aspects of the show addressed in this book. With well thought-out, in-depth essays on subjects ranging from feminism to martial arts to the show's mythos, Reading the Vampire Slayer gives a nice overview of the various aspects of this witty show. It certainly gave me a deeper appreciation of the tasty goodness that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Rating: 
Summary: Occasionally interesting, but nothing too special
Review: The essays in Reading the Vampire range from interesting, to silly, to obvious. She Saved the World a Lot is a tedious summary of the plots and characters of Buffy and Angel. While it might be a good introduction to new viewers who don't have the time to watch 7 seasons worth of television, it seems redundant to include it in a book aimed at avid Buffy fans. Staking a Claim is a essay about slash that hardly talks about slash. Entropy as Demon talks a lot about the weather in southern California, because obviously this is such an interesting topic when related back to Buffy. While other essays like What You Are, What's to Come are interesting and intelligent, they can't redeem the pointlessness of Concentrate on the Kicking Movie and it's fellow bore-fests. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are wonderful shows that deserve thoughtful critical analysis, but this isn't it. People are better off buying the far superior Fighting the Forces.
Rating:
Summary: Occasionally interesting, but nothing too special
Review: The essays in Reading the Vampire range from interesting, to silly, to obvious. She Saved the World a Lot is a tedious summary of the plots and characters of Buffy and Angel. While it might be a good introduction to new viewers who don't have the time to watch 7 seasons worth of television, it seems redundant to include it in a book aimed at avid Buffy fans. Staking a Claim is a essay about slash that hardly talks about slash. Entropy as Demon talks a lot about the weather in southern California, because obviously this is such an interesting topic when related back to Buffy. While other essays like What You Are, What's to Come are interesting and intelligent, they can't redeem the pointlessness of Concentrate on the Kicking Movie and it's fellow bore-fests. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are wonderful shows that deserve thoughtful critical analysis, but this isn't it. People are better off buying the far superior Fighting the Forces.
Rating:
Summary: A must for anyone doing a serious study of BTVS.
Review: The first chapter alone is worth the price of the book. It provides and exhaustive look at the first six seasons of BTVS and some of ANGEL. A great episode guide is included. Better written than the Watcher's Guides, but not as informative. This is a collection of essays with some scholarly merit.
Rating:
Summary: Layers of Slayers
Review: There are many reasons why Buffy the Vampire Slayer has been a successful show for six years, and Roz Kaveney's collection of essays from diverse critics enumerates those reasons. Kaveney's own opening essay is the best of the good lot, demonstrating thematic arcs within seasons (and connecting seasons) and likening them to classical music composition. Other essays include Buffy in slash fan-fiction, Buffy and Kung Fu cinema, set and setting in the show, Capitalism/Commercialism vs. Idealism, and perceptive analyses of actor performances. Any fan of the show will find new appreciation for its intricacies, and virgins may begin discovering the roots of its popularity. A fascinating read, even for those with no real interest in Buffy, as it pertains also to television in general and pop-culture studies.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but WARNING!!!!!
Review: This is a really great collections of essays about Buffy and Angel, but PLEASE NOTE THAT A NEW EDITION IS COMING OUT IN JANUARY 2004. I have been trying to find out more about it, and right now it isn't clear whether they are changing the contents completely, or just allowing the authors to revise their articles. At any rate, I would strongly recommend checking out the contents of the newer volume before getting this earlier edition.
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