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Slayer (novel)

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↳ Note: This article is about the novel. For other uses, see Slayer.
Btvs The canonicity of this article's subject remains dubious. Though it doesn't contradict official continuity, it has not been referenced in any confirmed canonical material.
Angelwings

Slayer is the first book of the Slayer novel series. Written by Kiersten White, it was originally published on January 8, 2019, by Simon Pulse.

Synopsis[]

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a brand-new series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that introduces a new Slayer as she grapples with the responsibility of managing her incredible powers that she's just beginning to understand.

Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It's hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher's Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers — girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina's mother is a prominent member of the Watcher's Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina's life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina's father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One — she's the last Slayer, ever. Period. As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there's plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina's dreams… But it's not until bodies start turning up that Nina's new powers will truly be tested — because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.[1]

Continuity[]

  • The prologue takes place after The Origin, Part Two, as Merrick has just died defending Buffy from the vampire Lothos, in 1996.
  • The events of the story takes place in the beginning of Autumn, either in the year 2004 (two years after the airing of episode "Never Leave Me") or in 2006 (considering the general chronology and the use of Facebook).
  • Some relatives of previously known characters are revealed, such as:
  • The events of Twilight taking over the Earth dimension, Buffy destroying the Seed of Wonder, and the end of magic (Last Gleaming, Part Four) are discussed and determined as taking place sixty-two days before this story.
  • Nina mentions the attack of the First Evil's followers against the Watchers Council, its headquarters exploding in "Never Leave Me".
  • Nina mentions historical events such as:
    • a book magically killing an entire roomful of Watchers in the fifteenth century;
    • a Merryweather preventing an octopus uprising in 1910.
  • Nina mentions her father's preference for guns, as he carried and used a pistol in The Origin, Part Two.
  • Jade had been in Scotland to keep tabs on Buffy and her Slayers at the Slayer Organization command center, the country where they maintained residence until Retreat, Part One.
  • Nina implies that both Sam Zabuto and Bernard Crowley have died killed by demons.
  • Cillian worries that the Government should be "taking initiative" about demons; unknowingly to him, the United States Government had indeed attempted to do so with the organization aptly named Initiative ("The Initiative").
  • Rhys Zabuto describes Buffy having once died then resurrected, causing her and Kendra Young to be Slayers at the same time ("What's My Line? Part Two"). Nina corrects him that Buffy had died and resurrected also a second time ("Bargaining, Part One").
  • Rhys mentions that Buffy used to be a cheerleader before she was a Slayer (The Origin, Part One).
  • Nina is considered the last Slayer to be called before the end of magic, activated at the last second possible (Last Gleaming, Part Four).
  • Nina recalls Gwen Post betraying the Watcher Council, tricking Slayers to acquire a powerful weapon, but dying in the end ("Revelations").
  • Nina mentions Rupert Giles' death at the hands of Angel (Last Gleaming, Part Four).
  • Wesley having joined the Angel Investigations is mentioned as a failure that led him out of the Watchers society ("Parting Gifts").
  • To begin their training, Bradford Smythe throws a knife at Nina expecting her to catch it, as her father had done with Buffy years before (The Origin, Part Two).
  • Bradford guesses D'Hoffryn was on Earth during the end of magic, which is confirmed in Welcome to the Team, Part Two.
  • Nina has once tried to read a Watcher project on Spike; in episode "Checkpoint", Lydia confessed she had written her thesis on him.
  • Nina rescues Cosmina Enescu from a demon fight club similar to the XXI, from episode "The Ring".
  • The ring announcer and Cosmina use the term zompire, as Xander coined in Freefall, Part Three.
  • Nina mentions Angel being able to access the Pergamum Codex and giving it to Giles ("Out of Mind, Out of Sight").
  • Faith mentions having spent one year sleeping, in reference to her coma from episode "Graduation Day, Part Two" to "This Year's Girl".
  • Buffy complains about Kennedy being annoying; as example of this, Buffy had previously described that her rooting for Kennedy was an event so rare that it deserved "special consideration. And possibly a plaque." (Last Gleaming, Part Five).
  • Nina reflects on Buffy saving the world when she sacrificed Angel ("Becoming, Part Two"), jumped to her death ("The Gift"), closed a Hellmouth while defeating the First ("Chosen"), and refused to be part of Twilight (Twilight, Part Four).

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Events[]

Locations[]

  • Dreamspace
  • Earth
    • Australia (Only mentioned)
    • Costa Rica (Only mentioned)
    • England (Only mentioned)
      • London (Only mentioned)
    • Ireland
    • United States (Only mentioned)
      • Los Angeles (Only mentioned)
      • Cleveland (Only mentioned)
      • Phoenix (Only in flashbacks)
        • Jamison-Smythe residence (Only in flashbacks)
      • San Francisco (Only in visions)
        • Golden Gate Bridge (Only in visions)
      • Sunnydale (Only mentioned)
        • Hellmouth (Only mentioned)
    • Venezuela (Only mentioned)
  • Pylea (Only mentioned)

Objects[]

Death count[]

  • An unidentified vampire, staked by Nina at the cemetery (in flashbacks).
  • Unidentified vampire, dusted by Leo by the Watchers Academy (in flashbacks).
  • A hellhound, neck snapped by Nina at the Watchers Academy.
  • Three zompires and one hellhound, slayed by Cosmina at the fight club.
  • A hellhound, shot by someone at the fight club.
  • Two zompires and two hellhounds, slayed by Nina at the fight club.
  • Two hellhounds and one zompire, electrocuted at the fight club.
  • A hellhound, shot by Leo at the fight club.
  • Unknown number of spectators, killed at the fight club.
  • Unidentified vampire, staked by Cosmina at the fight club.
  • Bradford Smythe, energy absorbed by Eve at the Watchers Academy.
  • Cosmina Enescu, energy absorbed by Eve in her own apartment.
  • Unidentified vampire, staked by Artemis.
  • Eve Silvera, crushed by the remora demon at Naked Grains.

Behind the scenes[]

Production[]

  • The original cover is an illustration by Alessandro Taini. The German edition was exceptionally illustrated by Alexander Kopainski.
  • The book was also released as a hardcover, e-book, and an audiobook read by Madeleine Maby, all available on the same date.[1]
  • Barnes & Noble released a limited collector's edition as well, containing "an exclusive slayer dream sequence short story from the perspective of Faith," available on the same date as the other editions.[2]
  • In an interview, Kiersten White revealed that Wanda and Honora Wyndam-Pryce were Wesley's aunt and cousin, respectively.[3]
  • In Chapter 4, while venturing in the closed areas of the castle, Nina notices a mushroom-print shirt and a stuffed rabbit. These are likely cameo references to Xander and Anya, more specifically his clothing in "The Harvest and her fright with a plush bunny in "The Gift."

Distribution[]

  • Slayer debuted as the eighth best seller book in its publishing week, among young adult hardcovers.[4]

Pop culture references[]

International titles[]

  • German: Slayer: Das Erbe der Jägerin (Slayer: The Heritage of the Slayer)
  • Hungarian: Vadász (Slayer)
  • Polish: Slayer. Ostatnia pogromczyni (Slayer: The Last Slayer)
  • Portuguese (Brazil): Caçadora (Slayer)
  • Russian: Истребительница Вампиров (Vampire Slayer)
  • Spanish: La Última Cazadora (The Last Slayer)

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Slayer Book by Kiersten White." Simon & Schuster. Retrieved on October 5, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Slayer (B&N Exclusive Edition) (Slayer Series #1) by Kiersten White." Barnes & Noble. Retrieved on November 7, 2018‎.
  3. ↑ "AMA IS LIVE! Kiersten White, author of new Buffy novel 'Slayer', asking your questions!" Reddit, January 24, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Young Adult Hardcover Books." The New York Times. Retrieved on January 17, 2019.
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