- The Book of Fours
infobox Book |
name = The Book of Fours
title_orig =
translator =
image_caption = First edition cover
author =Nancy Holder
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country =United States
language = English
series = Buffy the Vampire Slayer
genre =Horror novel
publisher =Pocket Books
release_date = April 2001
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback &Paperback )
pages = 336 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-7434-1240-0
preceded_by =Here Be Monsters (Buffy novel)
followed_by =Lost Slayer (Buffy novel) The Book of Fours is an original novel based on the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Plot summary
Taking place during Buffy's third season, Faith and Buffy are the current Slayers. When mayhem caused by tidal waves and burning forests begin to erupt in Sunnydale as well as vicious attackers appearing with ceremonial axes, the gang knows that something is up. A woman named Cecile Lafitte has sent her Servants to kill the Slayers with special axes, Faith being the Slayer of Fire and Buffy being the Slayer of Air. Each Slayer has a special axe made to destroy the Slayer of that particular element. There are four axes in total; air, fire, water and earth. Should Faith and Buffy both be killed then it's believed that the line of Slayers would die out forever. Cecile wants to bring forth the Gatherer, and the only way to do so is to have the Slayers killed, which would feed the demon enough power to bring him forth into the world. Meanwhile, Willow ends up in the hospital with major brain trauma while Giles figures they need answers from the Watcher of the Slayer that preceded Buffy, India Cohen.
During the final confrontation with the Gatherer, Willow and Cordelia briefly serve as hosts for India and Kendra respectively.
elf-cultural reference
*At one point Willow is talking about her dream with Matthew Broderick, Buffy says 'You pick the strangest guys to dream about, Will' . . . 'How come it's never someone current? Y'know like Seth Green?' Seth Green plays Oz, Willow's boyfriend, on the television show.
Continuity
*Supposed to be set late in Buffy Season 3.
*Shares continuity with many Buffy books including the Gatekeeper trilogy, Immortal, and .
*India Cohen was the slayer that preceded Buffy. She is seen on the front cover of the book, the third from left. The character also appears in "Tales of the Slayer ", Volume III, in the story "The Code of the Samurai".Note
*In an interesting metafictional note, when India and Kendra's spirits are temporarily recalled to the real world to help Buffy and Faith defeat the Gatherer, Kendra's soul is placed in Cordelia's body;
Bianca Lawson , who plays Kendra, was originally considered to play Cordelia beforeCharisma Carpenter was cast for the final role (India's soul is placed in Willow).Canonical issues
:main|Buffyverse canon
:
Buffy comics such as this one are not usually considered by fans as canonical. However, unlikefan fiction , overviews summarizing their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox andJoss Whedon (or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy merchandise.ee also
*Buffy books. These tend to surround the character of Buffy and the fictional town of Sunnydale
*Angel books. These instead focus on Angel and his so called 'Fang Gang'
*“Tales of the Slayer ” These chronicle the stories of past slayers
*All of the above can be described as “Buffyverse novels ”External links
Reviews
* [http://litefoot1969.bravepages.com/sf/buffy/novels2/15.htm "Litefoot1969.bravepages.com" - Review of this book by Litefoot]
* [http://www.teen-books.com/The_Book_of_Fours_Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer_0743412419.html "Teen-books.com" - Reviews of this book]
* [http://www.nika-summers.com/Library/novelbookoffours.php "Nika-summers.com" - Review of this book by Nika Summers]
* [http://www.shadowcat.name/book0189.html "Shadowcat.name" - Review of this book]
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