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Tales of the Slayer #1
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1
A collection of original short stories based on the hit TV series created by Joss Whedon.
Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, to find the vampires where they gather, and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. In our time, that girl is Buffy Summers. But Buffy is merely one Slayer in an eternal continuum of warriors for the Powers That Be.
We've known of others; The Primal Slayer, who stalked the earth and the forces of darkness in fierce solitude... Nikki, the funky hipster whose demise at Spike's hands lent an urban edge to his wardrobe and a bigger bounce to his swagger. Slayers by nature have a limited life expectancy; for each one who falls, another rises to take her place.
Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1, chronicles Slayers past who have influenced -- and are influenced by -- the traditions and mythologies of yore. From ancient Greece, to aristocratic Slayers holding court in revolution-era France, to the legend of the Bloody Countess Elizabeth Bathory, to 1920's Munich, each girl has a personal history, a shared moral code, and a commitment to conquer evil, regardless of the cost...
Contents:
A Good Run, Greece, 490 B.C.E. / Greg Rucka
The White Doe, London, 1586 / Christie Golden
Die Blutgrafin [The Blood Countess], Hungary, 1609 / Yvonne Navarro
Unholy Madness, France, 1789 / Nancy Holder
Mornglom Dreaming, Kentucky, 1886 / Doranna Durgin
>Silent Screams, Germany, 1923 / Mel Odom
And White Splits the Night, Florida, 1956 / Yvonne Navarro
Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, to find the vampires where they gather, and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. In our time, that girl is Buffy Summers. But Buffy is merely one Slayer in an eternal continuum of warriors for the Powers That Be.
We've known of others; The Primal Slayer, who stalked the earth and the forces of darkness in fierce solitude... Nikki, the funky hipster whose demise at Spike's hands lent an urban edge to his wardrobe and a bigger bounce to his swagger. Slayers by nature have a limited life expectancy; for each one who falls, another rises to take her place.
Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1, chronicles Slayers past who have influenced -- and are influenced by -- the traditions and mythologies of yore. From ancient Greece, to aristocratic Slayers holding court in revolution-era France, to the legend of the Bloody Countess Elizabeth Bathory, to 1920's Munich, each girl has a personal history, a shared moral code, and a commitment to conquer evil, regardless of the cost...
Contents:
A Good Run, Greece, 490 B.C.E. / Greg Rucka
The White Doe, London, 1586 / Christie Golden
Die Blutgrafin [The Blood Countess], Hungary, 1609 / Yvonne Navarro
Unholy Madness, France, 1789 / Nancy Holder
Mornglom Dreaming, Kentucky, 1886 / Doranna Durgin
>Silent Screams, Germany, 1923 / Mel Odom
And White Splits the Night, Florida, 1956 / Yvonne Navarro
280 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2001
45 people are currently reading
2366 people want to read
About the author
Doranna Durgin
114 books226 followersDoranna Durgin is an award-winning author (the Compton Crook for Best First SF/F/H novel) whose quirky spirit has led to an extensive and eclectic publishing journey across genres, publishers, and publishing lines. Beyond that, she hangs around outside her Southwest mountain home with horse and highly accomplished competition dogs. She doesn't believe in mastering the beast within, but in channeling its power--for good or bad has yet to be decided! She says, “My books are SF/F, mystery, paranormal romance, & romantic suspense. My world is the Southwest, and my dogs are Beagles!”
Doranna’s most recent releases encompass the three books of the Reckoners trilogy--a powerful ghostbuster raised by a spirit, her brilliantly eccentric backup team, a cat who isn't a cat, and a fiercely driven bounty hunter from a different dimension who brings them together when worlds collide.
Doranna’s most recent releases encompass the three books of the Reckoners trilogy--a powerful ghostbuster raised by a spirit, her brilliantly eccentric backup team, a cat who isn't a cat, and a fiercely driven bounty hunter from a different dimension who brings them together when worlds collide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 30, 2022
This is the first of four anthologies of stories set in the framework of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe. There is no editor listed. The stories all center on an historical Slayer, not the contemporary Buffy era. Greg Rucka starts with Greece in 490 BC, Christie Golden looks in on London in 1586, Yvonne Navarro goes to Hungary in 1609, Nancy Holder covers France in 1789, Doranna Durgin has 1886 Kentucky, Mel Odom does Germany in 1923, and Yvonne Navarro returns to wind things up in 1956 Florida. There were too many stories that focused on the death of the protagonist, rather than their accomplishments, and I though a couple ended too abruptly. I enjoyed Holder's and Golden's stories, and my two favorites were Mornglom Dreaming by Doranna Durgin and Yvonne Navarro's And White Splits the Night.
January 20, 2020
Overall, a good book. Seems like there were a lot of stories about death. Poor Slayers. Sad that most of them had short lives.
March 31, 2023
As a huge fan of Buffy this book definitely called out to me when I saw it at a used book sale. A group of short stories that focused on a different slayer in a different time period. It was interesting to see how authors interpreted what it means to be a slayer and how much it was affected by their eras. I saw in a lot of reviews people mentioning that a lot of the stories ended in death and honestly, I expected them all too. A slayers life is not a long one. It's right there in the lore how when one dies another is called so I expected heartbreak at the end. Overall, this was a nice group of stories and I wouldn't be against reading the others in the series.
July 25, 2012
I'm a huge fan of the cult show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm also a huge fan of historical fiction. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon these short story collections. My love of historical fiction mashed up with my endless fascination with Buffy mythology? I was sold. There are seven stories, each depicting a snippet of Slayer life during various historical periods, from a countless Slayer realizing class difficulty during the French Revolution, to a girl bravely entering the service of the infamous Elizabeth Bathory's, to the answer of the mystery of Virginia Doe of Roanoke, to a Slayer dealing with race issues in Florida and the deep South during the 1950s, and I felt for every one of them, cheering when they were victorious, saddened when they did not.
If you're a fan of Buffy, or if you're simply a historical fiction fan or into the supernatural/horror genre, then give this a read.
Stories as appears in Volume 1:
01 A Good Run (Greece 490 BCE) by Greg Rucka
02 The White Doe (London 1586) by Christie Golden
03 Die Blutgrafin Hungary 1609 by Yvonne Navarro
04 Unholy Madness (France 1789) by Nancy Holder
05 Mornglow Dreaming (Kentucky 1886) by Doranna Durgin
06 Silent Screams (Germany 1923) by Mel Odom
07 And White Splits the Night (Florida 1956) by Yvonne Navarro
If you're a fan of Buffy, or if you're simply a historical fiction fan or into the supernatural/horror genre, then give this a read.
Stories as appears in Volume 1:
01 A Good Run (Greece 490 BCE) by Greg Rucka
02 The White Doe (London 1586) by Christie Golden
03 Die Blutgrafin Hungary 1609 by Yvonne Navarro
04 Unholy Madness (France 1789) by Nancy Holder
05 Mornglow Dreaming (Kentucky 1886) by Doranna Durgin
06 Silent Screams (Germany 1923) by Mel Odom
07 And White Splits the Night (Florida 1956) by Yvonne Navarro
March 18, 2015
This is a collection of short stories based on the myth of the slayer from the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. None of these stories has any of the characters from the show and each story reflects different historical time periods.
I liked this concept of telling the stories of different slayers and their respective time periods. I especially liked how some of the stories tied in with actual historical events or figures. All of the stories did an excellent job at conveying the atmosphere whether it was 16th century Hungary or the deep south with racial tensions during the 20th century. The problem with this book is most of the stories were average. There are a couple of standouts but overall if one doesn't read this collection they will not be missing much.
I believe only true die hard fans of the show will enjoy this collection as these stories never truly entice the reader. It isn't a bad collection but it also isn't a great collection of stories.
I liked this concept of telling the stories of different slayers and their respective time periods. I especially liked how some of the stories tied in with actual historical events or figures. All of the stories did an excellent job at conveying the atmosphere whether it was 16th century Hungary or the deep south with racial tensions during the 20th century. The problem with this book is most of the stories were average. There are a couple of standouts but overall if one doesn't read this collection they will not be missing much.
I believe only true die hard fans of the show will enjoy this collection as these stories never truly entice the reader. It isn't a bad collection but it also isn't a great collection of stories.
February 6, 2020
The Appalachian Bookworm
As a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I have always been fascinated by the aspect of untold stories of past slayers. In fact, the concept of multiple authors lending their voices to the history of the Chosen One was what made me so intrigued by Tales of the Slayer when I first learned of it’s existence. The book contains short stories from seven different historic periods including Roanoke, women who are absolute badasses (part of what I loved so much from the show), and vampires being staked to dust. So of course, the moment the book was in my possession I started reading it.
Although I enjoyed each story overall, I found some characters difficult to relate to. One example is Marie-Christine Du Lac, a slayer and main character from Unholy Madness by Nancy Holder. Du Lac grew up in the home of Marie Antoinette, a servant to those who deem themselves more important than the peasants. Despite this, she is treated to a much more desirable life. Marie-Christine often came off as rude or hateful, especially in regards to the lower class. In one instance, she even says that the children of the lower classes appear to be barely human. To be honest, I didn’t even like her watcher - which is what the person who prepares the Slayer for her battle against demonic forces is called. Edmund was just as rude and hateful as his ward. Not that every character needs to be likable for a story to be interesting, but it certainly makes it hard to empathize as you follow along.
Of the seven stories, my two favourites were Mornglom Dreaming by Doranna Durgin and And White Splits the Night by Yvonne Navarro. In Mornglom Dreaming, we are introduced to a Kentuckian named Mollie Prater who knows absolutely nothing of vampires, let alone demons and slayers. However, just days before her wedding in 1886, Mollie begins to feel different - faster, and stronger. This change coincides with reports of a beast that has been attacking the people who share the hollow Mollie resides in. On the day of her wedding, the demon and her watcher reveal themselves. Despite saving all but one person from death, both her and her future husband’s families no longer recognize her as the person they once knew. At this point, Mollie realizes her life will never be the same.
“Everything I ever wanted. Everything I planned for. My life… It’s all changed. It won’t never be the same.”
In Yvonne Navarro’s short story And White Splits the Night, rampant racism in Florida during 1956 makes it difficult for seventeen-year-old Asha Sayre to be the slayer, especially as she travels into town to investigate bodies that continue to make their way into the nearby swamp where she lives. The bodies remind her of twelve years prior, when she found her father hanging from a tree in the very same swamp after having been dragged through the trees by Klu Klux Klan members. And White Splits the Night was most definitely my favourite story from this volume. I loved Asha and her relationship with Laurent - she respected her watcher and listened to her instructions. She was young but strong and brave, even in the face of death.
“If nothing else, Asha knew she had done a measure of good in her small world, and she had been loved by someone besides.”
Despite their different writing styles, the authors all do a fantastic job of incorporating vampires and the supernatural into well-known historical events and figures. Overall, I had a pleasant experience reading Tales of the Slayer and would definitely suggest it for fans of the world created by Joss Whedon - especially if you’re interested in learning about slayers before Buffy - as well as to readers who are interested in both history and vampires.
As a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I have always been fascinated by the aspect of untold stories of past slayers. In fact, the concept of multiple authors lending their voices to the history of the Chosen One was what made me so intrigued by Tales of the Slayer when I first learned of it’s existence. The book contains short stories from seven different historic periods including Roanoke, women who are absolute badasses (part of what I loved so much from the show), and vampires being staked to dust. So of course, the moment the book was in my possession I started reading it.
Although I enjoyed each story overall, I found some characters difficult to relate to. One example is Marie-Christine Du Lac, a slayer and main character from Unholy Madness by Nancy Holder. Du Lac grew up in the home of Marie Antoinette, a servant to those who deem themselves more important than the peasants. Despite this, she is treated to a much more desirable life. Marie-Christine often came off as rude or hateful, especially in regards to the lower class. In one instance, she even says that the children of the lower classes appear to be barely human. To be honest, I didn’t even like her watcher - which is what the person who prepares the Slayer for her battle against demonic forces is called. Edmund was just as rude and hateful as his ward. Not that every character needs to be likable for a story to be interesting, but it certainly makes it hard to empathize as you follow along.
Of the seven stories, my two favourites were Mornglom Dreaming by Doranna Durgin and And White Splits the Night by Yvonne Navarro. In Mornglom Dreaming, we are introduced to a Kentuckian named Mollie Prater who knows absolutely nothing of vampires, let alone demons and slayers. However, just days before her wedding in 1886, Mollie begins to feel different - faster, and stronger. This change coincides with reports of a beast that has been attacking the people who share the hollow Mollie resides in. On the day of her wedding, the demon and her watcher reveal themselves. Despite saving all but one person from death, both her and her future husband’s families no longer recognize her as the person they once knew. At this point, Mollie realizes her life will never be the same.
“Everything I ever wanted. Everything I planned for. My life… It’s all changed. It won’t never be the same.”
In Yvonne Navarro’s short story And White Splits the Night, rampant racism in Florida during 1956 makes it difficult for seventeen-year-old Asha Sayre to be the slayer, especially as she travels into town to investigate bodies that continue to make their way into the nearby swamp where she lives. The bodies remind her of twelve years prior, when she found her father hanging from a tree in the very same swamp after having been dragged through the trees by Klu Klux Klan members. And White Splits the Night was most definitely my favourite story from this volume. I loved Asha and her relationship with Laurent - she respected her watcher and listened to her instructions. She was young but strong and brave, even in the face of death.
“If nothing else, Asha knew she had done a measure of good in her small world, and she had been loved by someone besides.”
Despite their different writing styles, the authors all do a fantastic job of incorporating vampires and the supernatural into well-known historical events and figures. Overall, I had a pleasant experience reading Tales of the Slayer and would definitely suggest it for fans of the world created by Joss Whedon - especially if you’re interested in learning about slayers before Buffy - as well as to readers who are interested in both history and vampires.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2012
Buffy is one of my favorite TV shows from the 90's. I still remember watching the premiere and thinking "wow- this is SO much better than the movie." One year, I was given this short story collection as a gift and I couldn't put it down.
I enjoyed reading the stories of Slayers that came before Buffy. It starts back in the days of ancient Greece and goes all the way until the 1950's. Here are some of my personal favorites...
"The White Doe" - This tale follows the life of a slayer named White Doe who ends up being raised by a local tribe of Indians after her own family and fellow colonists are killed by vampires. The tale is actually based on the real disappearance of the Roanoke Colony in the 1500's.
"Silent Screams" - This story follows a slayer in the 1920's who finds way more than she bargained for when she goes to witness a movie being filmed.
"Unholy Madness" - I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this story set during the days of Marie Antoinette. Marie Christine is a Slayer who spends her time serving the aristocrats and not caring what happens to the common folk. She is pretty unlikable but she does manage to do something pretty cool at one point. Even if it does ultimately end up being stupid...
Other stories deal with Elizabeth Bathory and racism in the south during the 50's as well as small town life in the 19th century. Overall, it's a good read that I think respects the canon of the Buffy world. I'm sure any fan would enjoy this collection.
I enjoyed reading the stories of Slayers that came before Buffy. It starts back in the days of ancient Greece and goes all the way until the 1950's. Here are some of my personal favorites...
"The White Doe" - This tale follows the life of a slayer named White Doe who ends up being raised by a local tribe of Indians after her own family and fellow colonists are killed by vampires. The tale is actually based on the real disappearance of the Roanoke Colony in the 1500's.
"Silent Screams" - This story follows a slayer in the 1920's who finds way more than she bargained for when she goes to witness a movie being filmed.
"Unholy Madness" - I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this story set during the days of Marie Antoinette. Marie Christine is a Slayer who spends her time serving the aristocrats and not caring what happens to the common folk. She is pretty unlikable but she does manage to do something pretty cool at one point. Even if it does ultimately end up being stupid...
Other stories deal with Elizabeth Bathory and racism in the south during the 50's as well as small town life in the 19th century. Overall, it's a good read that I think respects the canon of the Buffy world. I'm sure any fan would enjoy this collection.
September 17, 2017
I like this short story history of each slayer before buffy's time most of them irritates me and ended badly rip.Altho I only watched an episode mayhaps I'll revisit this show soon.
April 25, 2020
This was all I ever wanted while being a massive fan of buffy! I always wanted to know more about the women that came before and I was not disappointed!
August 21, 2024
Let them drink blood
January 9, 2013
I am a huge fan of Buffy and nearly everything that springs from its creative and addicting nucleus.
Therefore speaking, I completely adored this book. While it's not about Buffy per say, it's more about slayers of the past and how they met their untimely ends. Comprising of several short stories Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1 brings a lot of historics and badass slayers to the table. What happened at Roanoke? Vampires. Was Elizabeth Bathory a vampire? Who knows? This novel sheds an interesting light on some big times in history.
While there are plenty of different authors and writing styles in this book, I didn't feel myself put off at all by it, as I've seen mentioned in other reviews. Sure, I found some parts of certain stories to be a bit daunting (hence the four star rating) but, I still couldn't put the book down.
My favorite story of the lot would probably have to be The White Doe, which dealt with Roanoke. I've always been curious about the place and this story certainly fuels my historical imagination. Not to mention how legend-like it felt to me. I feel that it could certainly take its place among other legends (albeit one with vampires) because it just sounded that darn good.
I could only imagine how much more I'd have paid attention in History class if we heard stories like these about Slayers during those important eras of time.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you like Buffy, absolutely.
If you like reading about vampires getting dusted, possitively.
Or, if you're just up for some seriously cool supernatural historical fiction short stories, gogogo.
Therefore speaking, I completely adored this book. While it's not about Buffy per say, it's more about slayers of the past and how they met their untimely ends. Comprising of several short stories Tales of the Slayer, Vol. 1 brings a lot of historics and badass slayers to the table. What happened at Roanoke? Vampires. Was Elizabeth Bathory a vampire? Who knows? This novel sheds an interesting light on some big times in history.
While there are plenty of different authors and writing styles in this book, I didn't feel myself put off at all by it, as I've seen mentioned in other reviews. Sure, I found some parts of certain stories to be a bit daunting (hence the four star rating) but, I still couldn't put the book down.
My favorite story of the lot would probably have to be The White Doe, which dealt with Roanoke. I've always been curious about the place and this story certainly fuels my historical imagination. Not to mention how legend-like it felt to me. I feel that it could certainly take its place among other legends (albeit one with vampires) because it just sounded that darn good.
I could only imagine how much more I'd have paid attention in History class if we heard stories like these about Slayers during those important eras of time.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you like Buffy, absolutely.
If you like reading about vampires getting dusted, possitively.
Or, if you're just up for some seriously cool supernatural historical fiction short stories, gogogo.
April 29, 2016
aahh yes, I really really enjoyed reading this book! I would definitely recommend it for all fans of Buffy. 'Tales of the Salyer' is a collection of short stories, each telling the story - or a brief extract - of the lives of the slayers. And all those stories are so different!
1. A Good Run (Greece 490 BCE): 1/5 stars
I have to admit, the first story is not exactly a good start into these short stories and I did not really like it (neither plot nor writing style). It deals a lot with running... and running... and running.
2. The White Doe (London 1586): 4/5 stars
so interesting! we've got native Americans, jealous people, nature and magic (to an extend that wasn't shown in the TV-show).
3. Die Blutgrafin (Hungary 1609): 5/5 stars
Oh man, such a cruel and also spooky story! Loved everything about it, especially the atmosphere and the unanswered question..
4. Unholy Madness (France 1789): 4/5
French Revolution mixed with the poor people fighting the government and vampires being a "great alternative" to the Queen. and we've got a slayer who goes against her Watcher...
5. Mornglow Dreaming (Kentucky 1886): 4/5
very interesting demon! and this story shows (once again) how the life of one girl can change so much that her family does not accept her anymore..
6. Silent Screams (Germany 1923): 5/5
MY FAVOURITE STORY IN THIS VOLUME! so dramatic, so emotional and unexpected!
7. And White Splits the Night (Florida 1956): 4/5
1. A Good Run (Greece 490 BCE): 1/5 stars
I have to admit, the first story is not exactly a good start into these short stories and I did not really like it (neither plot nor writing style). It deals a lot with running... and running... and running.
2. The White Doe (London 1586): 4/5 stars
so interesting! we've got native Americans, jealous people, nature and magic (to an extend that wasn't shown in the TV-show).
3. Die Blutgrafin (Hungary 1609): 5/5 stars
Oh man, such a cruel and also spooky story! Loved everything about it, especially the atmosphere and the unanswered question..
4. Unholy Madness (France 1789): 4/5
French Revolution mixed with the poor people fighting the government and vampires being a "great alternative" to the Queen. and we've got a slayer who goes against her Watcher...
5. Mornglow Dreaming (Kentucky 1886): 4/5
very interesting demon! and this story shows (once again) how the life of one girl can change so much that her family does not accept her anymore..
6. Silent Screams (Germany 1923): 5/5
MY FAVOURITE STORY IN THIS VOLUME! so dramatic, so emotional and unexpected!
7. And White Splits the Night (Florida 1956): 4/5
January 13, 2020
I originally owned and read this collection of short stories for the Buffy universe back when the collection originally came out in 2001. However, some years later, while in university, I loaned the book to a friend and then I never saw the book again. I recently bought or rebought all of the Buffy novels that I was missing and have begun re-reading or resuming my reads on the entire collection. In re-reading this first volume of Tales of the Slayer, I realized how little of it I actually remembered. The only story I could recall with any detail was White Doe, and even that one was vastly different from how I remembered it almost 19 years later. But, here we go: a review of each short story in the series, and my first review ever of a Buffy novel.
A Good Run: A fun twist on a well-known Greek legend. Most classic enthusiasts can recall the story about Phidippides' run from Athens to Sparta to request help to fight against the invading Persian forces. Greg Rucka takes this story and adds to it by having a Slayer running alongside an unknowing Phidippides. From there, we go from the long run to the ensuing Battle of Marathon and the role the Slayer unknowingly played in the unlikely Athenian victory against the Persian army/vampires. The only downside to the story is the somewhat abrupt ending, but that makes sense.
White Doe: As a girl whose parents lived for 4 years in Manteo, NC and who vacationed there for a week almost every summer, this story fascinated me and is the only story that has stuck with throughout the almost 2 decades since I last read it. Virginia Dare is the Slayer, and in telling her story, Christie Golden reveals the truth behind the mystery of what happened to the disappeared Roanoke Colony. Interestingly, there is a small group of theorists who genuinely believe that the colony was wiped out, not by vampires, but by a zombie plague. It's pretty laughable as a theory, but I did think about this story (as well as the alien abduction theory) as I read through this short story again. Once again, an abrupt ending, but that is a pitfall of almost all of these stories.
die Bluntgrafin: Yvonne Navarro's Hungarian slayer story is hauntingly disturbing. While one can tell the story will not have a good ending from the very beginning -- Rendor the Watcher sending in Ildiko to work for Countess Bathory without knowing if she was simply a terrible person or a vampire or possible demon was lazy Watcher method on his part. And poor Ildiko...the poor girl had no idea what she was doing. I spent most of the story waiting for something to actually happen, and for her to just ATTACK or something, but I kind of like that Navarro just kept building the tension and building it and building it...and then you never get an answer. You get a disturbing ending that leaves you with a million questions and a sense of injustice that makes you want to scream. But it was definitely an ending you should expect from a well-written horror story.
Unholy Madness: Props to Nancy Holder for writing a historical piece that is so characteristic of the times that I genuinely hated the main character. And I'm pretty sure we're supposed to. Marie-Christine du Lac is the Slayer during the French Revolution, and she (as well as the Watcher's Council) works for the crowned heads of Europe. Marie-Christine only fights vampires that are threatening the King, Queen, and the Royal Court. The peasant poor, in the view of her and her Watcher, deserve to die because they choose to live in squalor. Marie-Christine does change her views by the end of the story, but only because she discovers she actually was one of those "undeserving poor" who was given a made-up aristocratic history when she was seen to be a Potential. Naturally, the villain of the piece is a vampire who not only changes the poor into a mob of vampires, but also encourages the masses to rise up and revolt against the Crown. And while you want to feel bad for the aristocracy, I know that I at least found myself rooting for the vampires and was not upset at all the see most of Marie-Christine's life collapse around her. She was, after all, a bit of a classist idiot.
Mornglom Dreaming: This one was just plain fun. I mean, Doranna Durgin has the sound of Kentucky 100% DOWN. I have visited the state numerous times and could see the more rural areas of it in my head as she was describing it. I could hear Mollie's twang and see her handmade wedding dress as she started down the aisle that she never got to finish walking. And can I just say? I love that the villain in this one is, for once, not a vampire. And it was also nice to see the beginning of a Slayer's journey on this one. (Though now I wonder how long her journey lasted.)
Silent Screams: Mel Odom wrote a truly haunting story with this one. Playing with the 1920s popularity of German Expressionist silent films and making it into a truly horrific end scene. While all of the stories are, at heart, about Slayers and their Watchers, this one truly shows the intimacy of such a relationship. We are told the story entirely from the Watcher's perspective and we see how one day changed the life of his charge, Britta. We see how important it is to Watchers to be strong for their Slayer while at the same time facing the truth that a Watcher is not a Slayer and therefore is at a distinct disadvantage. This story was surprisingly heartbreaking and I wanted to wrap Friedrich in a warm hug, but also slap him upside the back of his head for going back on his word to Britta. And I lament that we never get to hear the end of this particular story.
And White Splits the Night: A Slayer of color in the segregated southern United States. Needless to say, this one packs a wallop. My favorite bit is how Yvonne Navarro notes that the vampires in this town hide their monstrosity behind "white hoods" as the Ku Klux Klan. They hide the fact that they're monsters behind monstrous ideas/actions. A Russian doll of evilness. And the ending... I rooted for Asha and Laurent so hard in that final battle. I was both so proud of them and so sad for them at the same time.
It is rare for me to enjoy all parts of a story collection as much as I enjoyed this one. The characters were all believable, the stories were equal parts fascinating and horrifying, and I was left wanting to know more about all of these Slayers and Watchers (except for maybe Marie-Christine because I spent the whole story hoping she got guillotined.) On to Volume 2!
A Good Run: A fun twist on a well-known Greek legend. Most classic enthusiasts can recall the story about Phidippides' run from Athens to Sparta to request help to fight against the invading Persian forces. Greg Rucka takes this story and adds to it by having a Slayer running alongside an unknowing Phidippides. From there, we go from the long run to the ensuing Battle of Marathon and the role the Slayer unknowingly played in the unlikely Athenian victory against the Persian army/vampires. The only downside to the story is the somewhat abrupt ending, but that makes sense.
White Doe: As a girl whose parents lived for 4 years in Manteo, NC and who vacationed there for a week almost every summer, this story fascinated me and is the only story that has stuck with throughout the almost 2 decades since I last read it. Virginia Dare is the Slayer, and in telling her story, Christie Golden reveals the truth behind the mystery of what happened to the disappeared Roanoke Colony. Interestingly, there is a small group of theorists who genuinely believe that the colony was wiped out, not by vampires, but by a zombie plague. It's pretty laughable as a theory, but I did think about this story (as well as the alien abduction theory) as I read through this short story again. Once again, an abrupt ending, but that is a pitfall of almost all of these stories.
die Bluntgrafin: Yvonne Navarro's Hungarian slayer story is hauntingly disturbing. While one can tell the story will not have a good ending from the very beginning -- Rendor the Watcher sending in Ildiko to work for Countess Bathory without knowing if she was simply a terrible person or a vampire or possible demon was lazy Watcher method on his part. And poor Ildiko...the poor girl had no idea what she was doing. I spent most of the story waiting for something to actually happen, and for her to just ATTACK or something, but I kind of like that Navarro just kept building the tension and building it and building it...and then you never get an answer. You get a disturbing ending that leaves you with a million questions and a sense of injustice that makes you want to scream. But it was definitely an ending you should expect from a well-written horror story.
Unholy Madness: Props to Nancy Holder for writing a historical piece that is so characteristic of the times that I genuinely hated the main character. And I'm pretty sure we're supposed to. Marie-Christine du Lac is the Slayer during the French Revolution, and she (as well as the Watcher's Council) works for the crowned heads of Europe. Marie-Christine only fights vampires that are threatening the King, Queen, and the Royal Court. The peasant poor, in the view of her and her Watcher, deserve to die because they choose to live in squalor. Marie-Christine does change her views by the end of the story, but only because she discovers she actually was one of those "undeserving poor" who was given a made-up aristocratic history when she was seen to be a Potential. Naturally, the villain of the piece is a vampire who not only changes the poor into a mob of vampires, but also encourages the masses to rise up and revolt against the Crown. And while you want to feel bad for the aristocracy, I know that I at least found myself rooting for the vampires and was not upset at all the see most of Marie-Christine's life collapse around her. She was, after all, a bit of a classist idiot.
Mornglom Dreaming: This one was just plain fun. I mean, Doranna Durgin has the sound of Kentucky 100% DOWN. I have visited the state numerous times and could see the more rural areas of it in my head as she was describing it. I could hear Mollie's twang and see her handmade wedding dress as she started down the aisle that she never got to finish walking. And can I just say? I love that the villain in this one is, for once, not a vampire. And it was also nice to see the beginning of a Slayer's journey on this one. (Though now I wonder how long her journey lasted.)
Silent Screams: Mel Odom wrote a truly haunting story with this one. Playing with the 1920s popularity of German Expressionist silent films and making it into a truly horrific end scene. While all of the stories are, at heart, about Slayers and their Watchers, this one truly shows the intimacy of such a relationship. We are told the story entirely from the Watcher's perspective and we see how one day changed the life of his charge, Britta. We see how important it is to Watchers to be strong for their Slayer while at the same time facing the truth that a Watcher is not a Slayer and therefore is at a distinct disadvantage. This story was surprisingly heartbreaking and I wanted to wrap Friedrich in a warm hug, but also slap him upside the back of his head for going back on his word to Britta. And I lament that we never get to hear the end of this particular story.
And White Splits the Night: A Slayer of color in the segregated southern United States. Needless to say, this one packs a wallop. My favorite bit is how Yvonne Navarro notes that the vampires in this town hide their monstrosity behind "white hoods" as the Ku Klux Klan. They hide the fact that they're monsters behind monstrous ideas/actions. A Russian doll of evilness. And the ending... I rooted for Asha and Laurent so hard in that final battle. I was both so proud of them and so sad for them at the same time.
It is rare for me to enjoy all parts of a story collection as much as I enjoyed this one. The characters were all believable, the stories were equal parts fascinating and horrifying, and I was left wanting to know more about all of these Slayers and Watchers (except for maybe Marie-Christine because I spent the whole story hoping she got guillotined.) On to Volume 2!
February 18, 2013
I'm trying to find something in common with how each girl died and what I've come up with is that they are all very impulsive and belive they are invincible. Most of them rush off to fight without any help. But I guess thats part of being a slayer. They fight alone and they die alone.
p.s. Die Blutgrafin(very disturbing) and Mornglom Dreaming(liked her relationship with watcher and she faced the most interesting demon) were the best stories. But I have to also give a shout out to Silent Screams(which had a great narrator).
~Best Quotes~
"Everyone, the slayer thought ruefully, holds fast to the belief that the bad things within the world would always happen to someone else"
"When we were alone like that she often called me by my first name. When I had objected mildly, she had told me that we had a partnership and she had learned from her fathers business that partners were equals. Only some partners were more equal than others, judging from the amount of risk each took on a venture. We both new who the equal partner was between us. A Watcher may train the Slayer, but a Watcher will never be a Slayer."
p.s. Die Blutgrafin(very disturbing) and Mornglom Dreaming(liked her relationship with watcher and she faced the most interesting demon) were the best stories. But I have to also give a shout out to Silent Screams(which had a great narrator).
~Best Quotes~
"Everyone, the slayer thought ruefully, holds fast to the belief that the bad things within the world would always happen to someone else"
"When we were alone like that she often called me by my first name. When I had objected mildly, she had told me that we had a partnership and she had learned from her fathers business that partners were equals. Only some partners were more equal than others, judging from the amount of risk each took on a venture. We both new who the equal partner was between us. A Watcher may train the Slayer, but a Watcher will never be a Slayer."
November 6, 2015
A nice selection of short stories about slayers from different eras. My favorite stories were:
The White Doe by Christie Holden - Tons of references to early colonial America events and people; the Native American element felt similar to the type of fantasy you'd find in a Conan story.
Unholy Madness by Nancy Holder - This one took awhile for me to warm up to, but the overlapping elements with the French Revolution were great at the end.
Silent Screams by Mel Odom - This was the best written story, a fun take about silent movie vampires in Germany. I wish the ending wasn't as open ended though.
None of the stories were terrible; Greg Rucka's marathon story in Ancient Greece and Doranna Durgin's 1880's Kentucky story were more generic than the rest.
The White Doe by Christie Holden - Tons of references to early colonial America events and people; the Native American element felt similar to the type of fantasy you'd find in a Conan story.
Unholy Madness by Nancy Holder - This one took awhile for me to warm up to, but the overlapping elements with the French Revolution were great at the end.
Silent Screams by Mel Odom - This was the best written story, a fun take about silent movie vampires in Germany. I wish the ending wasn't as open ended though.
None of the stories were terrible; Greg Rucka's marathon story in Ancient Greece and Doranna Durgin's 1880's Kentucky story were more generic than the rest.
June 24, 2013
This book is fascinating, not just for Buffy fans but for anybody interested in history and vampires. Whedon's knack for combining the paranormal and the well-known is what allows Tales of the Slayer to work. The short stories included in this volume take historical events and figures that most of us are familiar with, and then put a spin on them by integrating Slayers and the undead. As a North Carolinian, I was particularly interested in the Slayerized version of the Lost Colony mystery. I suppose if you are a fan of history as it actually happened, you might be appalled, but I found this particular historical fiction to be uniquely interesting.
June 21, 2025
As a massive fan of the Buffyverse I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories.
I especially enjoyed the way some writers tied in the Slayer mythology to historical events, giving it an interesting spin.
I actually find it hard to pick just one story from this collection that I would mark as a stand-out because they are all so good in their own ways... I particularily enjoyed the stories following the Greek Slayer, the Slayer fated to be alone with her powers at Roanoke and the story focussing on the infamous Countess Bathory.
I especially enjoyed the way some writers tied in the Slayer mythology to historical events, giving it an interesting spin.
I actually find it hard to pick just one story from this collection that I would mark as a stand-out because they are all so good in their own ways... I particularily enjoyed the stories following the Greek Slayer, the Slayer fated to be alone with her powers at Roanoke and the story focussing on the infamous Countess Bathory.
September 15, 2015
This is an excellent collection of seven Slayer stories. If you've ever wondered who the Slayers were who preceded Buffy,then dig in. We learn about Slayers from ancient Greece up to Florida in the 1950's. There isn't a weak tale in the collection.I found it so clever how each author was able to fit the Slayers into each historical period. I loved this collection so much that I'll be searching the net and used book stores for the other Tales of the Slayer collections.
April 19, 2010
I thought that this may be cheesy but I must say that I couldn't put down the book. As a die hard Buffy fan, this book was nothing about Buffy but about what it was to be a Slayer and human. The stories were exciting! I can't wait to read volumes 2-4.
June 16, 2010
Doranna Durgin's story was the stand out!
March 7, 2025
I’m a recent fan of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I was quite happy to discover that there’s an entire expanded universe that continues to thrive. I was also excited when I got my hands on the first four volumes of the Tales of the Slayer series and started reading with curious optimism—only to end up disappointed and putting the book down halfway through the story set during the French Revolution.
To give a brief, spoiler-free summary: the book is a collection of short stories about Slayers throughout the centuries, their battles against the monsters lurking in the shadows, and how this affects their lives. Unfortunately, every story is paper-thin in both plot and characterization. So much so that whenever a Watcher was introduced, I had to picture Rupert Giles just to get an idea of what kind of voice or role they were supposed to have. The same goes for the Slayers themselves—they are so one-dimensional that I couldn't really tell them apart beyond their backgrounds, a few interactions, and language choices. But that alone isn't enough to justify them as individual characters with unique lives, hobbies, and personalities beyond their shared profession.
The stories themselves also lack variety. In fact, they all follow the same outline: Slayer is introduced, Slayer solves a problem, then another problem emerges (or was in the background all along), and then the Slayer dies. The book focuses more on how these Slayers die rather than on their actual lives, which is fine in concept—since Slayers generally don’t live long—but with barely any connection to the characters, no personal interpretation of the role, and a lack of development in general, there’s really not much to feel, even for hardcore Buffy lore fans. It adds nothing substantial to the existing material, which might be its biggest flaw.
Expanded Universe content should ideally make you love or appreciate the source material even more, whether it's canon or not. This book doesn't do that. Seeing Slayers throughout history fighting the legions of darkness threatening the world should be interesting, but without real depth, with characters that all feel the same due to a lack of personality, and with no meaningful context to the stories, it all just feels like empty words. If these stories don’t offer anything beyond what a regular Buffy episode would, then I don’t see why this book series needs to exist. Honestly, you’d be better off reading the Buffy fandom wiki if you really want to learn more about the universe.
That said, there were a few redeeming qualities. Some writing styles were entertaining, I found the first story enjoyable, and I liked the historical references—but none of that was enough to save the book for me. Maybe I’ll finish it later or try another book in the series, but I’m not optimistic.
To give a brief, spoiler-free summary: the book is a collection of short stories about Slayers throughout the centuries, their battles against the monsters lurking in the shadows, and how this affects their lives. Unfortunately, every story is paper-thin in both plot and characterization. So much so that whenever a Watcher was introduced, I had to picture Rupert Giles just to get an idea of what kind of voice or role they were supposed to have. The same goes for the Slayers themselves—they are so one-dimensional that I couldn't really tell them apart beyond their backgrounds, a few interactions, and language choices. But that alone isn't enough to justify them as individual characters with unique lives, hobbies, and personalities beyond their shared profession.
The stories themselves also lack variety. In fact, they all follow the same outline: Slayer is introduced, Slayer solves a problem, then another problem emerges (or was in the background all along), and then the Slayer dies. The book focuses more on how these Slayers die rather than on their actual lives, which is fine in concept—since Slayers generally don’t live long—but with barely any connection to the characters, no personal interpretation of the role, and a lack of development in general, there’s really not much to feel, even for hardcore Buffy lore fans. It adds nothing substantial to the existing material, which might be its biggest flaw.
Expanded Universe content should ideally make you love or appreciate the source material even more, whether it's canon or not. This book doesn't do that. Seeing Slayers throughout history fighting the legions of darkness threatening the world should be interesting, but without real depth, with characters that all feel the same due to a lack of personality, and with no meaningful context to the stories, it all just feels like empty words. If these stories don’t offer anything beyond what a regular Buffy episode would, then I don’t see why this book series needs to exist. Honestly, you’d be better off reading the Buffy fandom wiki if you really want to learn more about the universe.
That said, there were a few redeeming qualities. Some writing styles were entertaining, I found the first story enjoyable, and I liked the historical references—but none of that was enough to save the book for me. Maybe I’ll finish it later or try another book in the series, but I’m not optimistic.
June 26, 2018
Finally made it through this bad boy. This is the first full collection of short stories I've read, and I think that was why it took me so long to get through it. Most books make you attached to the story and characters, and that's what keeps you turning the pages. But with short stories, not only do you not get as attached to any particular characters, but you also start fresh with new characters every 40 pages or so.
I'd say the collection was "pretty good". The concept is wickedly cool, and completely sustainable, as there have been Slayers since the beginning of time. Each story is set in an important period of history, like the French Revolution, or Hitler's Germany, and vampires are inserted into the events. Awesome idea. However, the writing was kind of hit and miss. Some of the stories were quite well written, but some were just pretty boring and amateurish. None of them terribly gripping. At the same time, props to some of those authors for tackling tough subjects.
Overall, it took me a long time to finish, and I'm glad to be moving onto the next book!
I'd say the collection was "pretty good". The concept is wickedly cool, and completely sustainable, as there have been Slayers since the beginning of time. Each story is set in an important period of history, like the French Revolution, or Hitler's Germany, and vampires are inserted into the events. Awesome idea. However, the writing was kind of hit and miss. Some of the stories were quite well written, but some were just pretty boring and amateurish. None of them terribly gripping. At the same time, props to some of those authors for tackling tough subjects.
Overall, it took me a long time to finish, and I'm glad to be moving onto the next book!
July 21, 2025
The narrative was raw and unfiltered, immersing me in the tumultuous emotions of its characters. It explored themes of loss and longing, weaving a heartbreaking tale that resonated deeply within me. From the haunting despair of Marie-Christine in “Unholy Madness,” who questions her allegiance to the aristocracy as a vampire leads the people’s revolution, to the chilling hopelessness of Ildiko’s infiltration of a castle ruled by a vampiric queen in “Die Blutgrafin”, each story amplified the emotional weight of the Slayer’s burden. As I turned each page, the weight of the unfolding tragedy bore down, evoking tears that matched the intensity of the story. The grim perspective of Friedrich in “Silent Screams,” frantically documenting his failure as a Watcher before his inevitable death, added a layer of vulnerability that lingered long after the final line. All the elements that contribute to a truly compelling read—historical depth, moral ambiguity, and visceral emotion—were woven together seamlessly, leaving a lasting impression long after I had finished.
February 19, 2023
*posts 15-year-old review - yikes*
March 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories from the Buffyverse, but I didnt expect to. I often find with short stories that you usually like some, but not all; this book was different. Each slayer had her own highly entertaining, and too often tragic tale to tell. I'll rate each story separately too.
1. A Good Run - 4 Stars
2. The White Doe - 4Stars
3. Die Blutgrafin - 5 Stars
4. Unholy Madness - 5 Stars
5. Mornglom Dreaming - 3 Stars
6. Silent Screams - 4 Stars
7. And White Splits The Night - 4 Stars
My favourites were, obviously, Die Blutgrafin and Unholy Madness, both of which I found stood above the rest.
The White doe was beautiful, also.
1. A Good Run - 4 Stars
2. The White Doe - 4Stars
3. Die Blutgrafin - 5 Stars
4. Unholy Madness - 5 Stars
5. Mornglom Dreaming - 3 Stars
6. Silent Screams - 4 Stars
7. And White Splits The Night - 4 Stars
My favourites were, obviously, Die Blutgrafin and Unholy Madness, both of which I found stood above the rest.
The White doe was beautiful, also.
April 18, 2024
Feeling nostalgic for Buffy the Vampire Slayer I pick this up for a reread having read it when it first came out. This is an anthology of short stories about historical Slayers. The show had a lot of mythology about Slayers that were never fully explored. Honestly, they could make another series just about historical slayers. I don't usually read anthologies so some of these stories felt short. Just when you start to get into a story it ends. I did like the historical settings and Slayers showing up during important historical events but I wish we had more stories about Slayers triumph and less about death.
January 3, 2019
I'm generally not the biggest fan of short stories. I find them...short. This anthology jumps from slayer to slayer, and moves through two centuries. Some of the stories are brilliant, some are OK. While it was nice to meet other slayers, none of these stories significantly increased my understanding of the slayers, or the watchers. It was entertaining, but a bit shallow.
May 28, 2020
I never really every watched the show, but my friend in high school gave me the book and I loved it! Although the stories were mostly sad I found it interesting. It’s kinda like avatar: the last airbender, where there have been hundreds of avatars over the years and they all lead different lives even though they all have the same purpose, keep balance.
October 1, 2020
Will give it a 3 as a bit hit and miss. I thought they'd all be successful stories about powerful slayers but they weren't - quite often these slayers made mistakes that got them killed! I suppose buffy wouldn't have existed if they hadn't died... but preferred some stories to others so a 3 reflects I liked some but hated others.
September 20, 2022
Love, love, love!!!
I always wished I could be as brave as the Slayer. I have read this book 10 times between a battered paperback to now the digital. I love reading about the different slayers and how badass they were saving the world and people around them and yet no one knew who they were. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
I always wished I could be as brave as the Slayer. I have read this book 10 times between a battered paperback to now the digital. I love reading about the different slayers and how badass they were saving the world and people around them and yet no one knew who they were. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
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