Slayer, the Next Generation: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer [Mass Market Paperback]

Kelth Topping (Author)

Book Description

Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Publication Date: January 2003

Vampires, passion, teenage angst, cigarettes and alcohol, sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Whether you're a seasoned Slayerette, a Scooby groupie or a novice, this book offers you a guide to the surreal world of Sunnydale. Despite its change of network and the lead character having died, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"'s literal representation of teenage horrors still touches on a universal truth. In this unofficial guide, the author analyses season six, discussing it episode by episode and presenting the highlights in categories such as: a little learning is a dangerous thing; I just love your accent; and it's a designer label. He unearths pop culture references, draws attention to the occasions when logic flies out of the window, discusses the themes covered from season one to five and includes sections on the series creator Joss Whedon, the novels and the websites.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Topping's terrific tome adopts the perfect attitude to this fizzing phenomenon... He rattles through each episode with focus on teen-angst metaphors, the brilliant feminist subtexts, and the dazzling use of "valley speak"... Colour me stunned' Uncut 'An aide-memoire, a squire to the Buffyverse and an exciting resource of bitchy lines rolled into one. Fans will adore it' TV Zone

About the Author

Keith Topping has also written a number of other Virgin programme guides, including Slayer: An Expanded and Updated Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Seasons One to Five); Hollywood Vampire: The Unofficial Guide to Angel, High Times: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Roswell and Inside Bartlet's White House: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to The West Wing. He is also co-author of the The Guinness Book of Classic British TV.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Virgin Publishing (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753507382
• ISBN-13: 978-0753507384
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,928,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The author of 'Slayer' provides a 6th season update, July 5, 2003

By 

saskatoonguy (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slayer, the Next Generation: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Mass Market Paperback)

For those who liked Keith Topping's British perspective in his earlier 'Slayer' volume, here is an update. This book covers only the 6th season - Buffy's resurrection, the Trioka, the musical, Willow-as-evil, etc. Each episode receives 5-to-8 pages of coverage, organized under various thematic headings: Plot summary, music, memorable quotes, comments on the women's clothing, continuity errors, logic flaws, pop culture references, etc. Topping seems to have caught everything, down to the tiniest continuity error.

There are also separate essays on (1) series creator Joss Whedon, (2) the network switch to UPN, (3) an update on BtVS novels (about a paragraph on each), (4) an update on BtVS and the internet, and (5) predictions for the 7th season, which was the last season of this underappreciated series that never gained the viewership it deserved.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey ho, let's go..., March 19, 2004

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Slayer, the Next Generation: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Mass Market Paperback)

As an American, it hurts to admit that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the quintessential expression of American cheekiness and derring-do, has been best chronicled by a Britisher. Of course, I'm teasing a bit. But there is no question that Keith Topping seems to have a better grasp of what is important in the Buffyverse than many of his contemporaries on this side of the ocean.

What Topping does not do is write one agonizing reprise after another of all the episodes of Season Six of the show. As viewers will no doubt remember, Season Six was quite agonizing itself without that point being hammered home all over again. Instead, Topping provides very short synopses, followed by myriad details of things that are unique, funny, or perplexing about each episode.

You will be treated to paragraphs on 'A little learning is a dangerous thing' (the power of misinformation), 'Denial they name is...' (Self-delusion in Sunnydale), 'It's a designer label..' (clothes, of course), valley-speak, geek-speak, logic errors, and ever more items that bring to light the aspects of the production which the viewer, caught up in the story, is likely to miss. All of this is done in a style that is an enjoyable mix of tongue-in-cheek and respectfully serious.

Topping is an excellent researcher. His ability to find countless relationships, both intentional and accidental, to other atavars of popular culture is uncanny. Nor does he hesitate to introduce the reader to the more analytic writings on Buffy and the Scooby gang. Despite the spottiness of Season Six, Topping manages to ferret out all the good parts - to the point where I have to admit that the book is better than the season.

If you are a fan then you will want this book. And you will want to track down Topping's other efforts on the show that nearly ate South California.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is good--for fans of season 6, March 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Slayer, the Next Generation: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Season Six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Mass Market Paperback)

I have the edition of Slayer for seasons 1 through 5, and it is really a good guide of the series. This book continues with the same fun observations, facts, and quotes. I know some people hate season 6, but for those of us that love it--this book is worth it. If you don't like season 6, maybe this book can help you see the good things about the season.