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I do love me some Buffy!! Two new books bring us a resurrection of the Buffster (again) in the form of a first-in-trilogy by the talented Kendare Blake and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show by Evan Ross Katz. Enjoy!
In Every Generation by Kendare Blake
This was so much fun! I came to Buffy and Angel when they were both mid-lifespan. I was in law school, desperate for distractions from thick heavy tomes and any entertainment that didn’t require a lot of cash. My local Blockbuster had 99-cent Tuesday rentals, and you could rent an entire season of a TV show for that 99 cents so I caught myself up quickly and then eagerly tuned in for new episodes of both every week.
Needless to say as a result the show really stuck with me. The characters resonated, the plots were a great mix of creepy and wacky and funny. Blake’s newest book picks right up where the show left off, and feels as though it could have been written by the show’s writers. The characterizations ring true. The language and settings do also. It’s zany and silly and serious in turns, as was the original, and ithink it’s a fabulous and fun addition to the Buffyverse.
I cannot wait for the next two books in the trilogy and do hope they run a spin-off TV show because I think there are a lot of great opportunities. I loved the way existing characters were built in, the way doors were left open for continuing plot lines, and enjoyed seeing new and long- standing characters come back to life, however briefly.
The writing was easy to fall into and the story engaged made from start to finish. It was written as though it were ready to be produced on television. Some people don’t like that, but in this instance with this universe that didn’t bother me at all and I read it as though I were getting ready to watch it in my brain. It worked for me and was exactly what I needed after a run of very serious reads!
Into Every Generation by Evan Ross Katz
This is an interesting behind-the-scenes look that combined a season-by-season analysis and plot summary with interviews from myriad “experts” ranging from cast members to staff to influencers and pop culture experts… I really enjoyed both elements of the book. I think I found the first half, focusing on the show itself, more engaging. The second half – which took a sociological-impact look at the show and the actions of its creator – was also interesting, but at times felt a little repetitive and more dishy in a tabloid-tell-all sense then I usually tend to read. Still, if you’re a fan of the show as I definitely am, it was a cool peek behind the curtain and a great reminder of why the show has had the staying power it hashad with fans new and old alike…
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copies of both books.
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