Rating: 
Summary: Uneven, but entertaining
Review: We learned from the beginning that a Slayer is born into every generation. In "Tales of the Slayer," we meet seven of them."Tales of the Slayer" starts off with 'A Good Run' by Greg Rucka. It tells the story of a Slayer in ancient Greece and lasts only 19 pages. The story of 'A Good Run' could have had the chance to be better, but it has no character or plot development. If you watch the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then you know that the Slayers we've met have certain qualities: skill, cunning, etc. In some of these stories, the Slayers just seem, well, incompetent. The Slayer in 'Die Blutgrafin' doesn't have the ability to sense danger. If she was the Slayer, shouldn't she get all the characteristics of one? The best tale in this book is 'Silent Screams' by Mel Odom. It tells the story of a Slayer in Germany in 1923. It is very well written and has a very entertaining premise. Guests are invited to the screening of a horror movie, and one of the guests is the Slayer, Britta Kessler. The deaths in the movie seem all too real, and the ending is mysteriously left out. I think you can figure out what happens next. Overall, "Tales of the Slayer" is an entertaining compilation. New Buffy writers Christie Golden and Doranna Durgin impressed me with their tales of past Slayers. I hope we may see more of them in the future. But there are still the uneven stories thrown into the mix. 'A Good Run' is too short for me to be able to tell whether or not I liked it. 'And White Splits the Night' has a disappointing ending. However, the other tales make up for error in those.
Rating: 
Summary: Any one that says that this book is crap is not a buffy fan
Review: When I bought this book I had heard that it was not as good as books previously published.How more wrong can u get!!!!!!
Each story was unique, not always telling about the death of a slayer but her calling and events that occured during her time as a slayer. Each story had something special about it. Though each slayer was not obviously as experiances as the next and some came to an early death they all showed sacrifice. My favourite stories had to be between: A good run, Greece, 490, BC and Die Blutgraphin, Hungary, 1609.
The review that have been made about this book which are bad are obviously from people who are not properly absorbed with the story of the slayer. I would have given the book ten stars if that was possible.
Rating:
Summary: A Full House
Review: Writing a 'Slayer' story that does not include Buffy is a considerable challenge. Lacking the extra magic that our favorite Slayer and her team provide, the writer has to create a workable tale in a very short time period. The tale cannot simply be a good story about a young woman who kills vampires; it must also stay true to Joss Whedon's conceptual framework without being formulaic. This is an almost impossible job to do perfectly, so most attempts have some inherent flaw. The seven tales compiled here are no exception to this problem. While I found several quite interesting, only a couple managed to bring their heroines completely to life and none completely escaped a grim fascination with the dark side of the Slayer mythos. For me, one of the things that makes Buffy a cut above most fictional characters is her acceptance of the bleak future that faces a Slayer and her determination to rise above it. In other words, she doesn't give in to the tragic side of the job. Too many of the Slayers here are trapped in the tragedy and never have a chance to win their way out. My favorite story is 'Mornglom Dreaming' about Mollie Prater, set in the Kentucky countryside. Mollie, soon to be married, suddenly comes into her heritage and faces a demon that compulsively turns celebrations into funerals. Mollie's attitude makes her a winner despite the trauma of her new job. Another interesting story is 'Unholy Madness,' which is the story of Marie-Christine Du Lac, a member of the court just before the French Revolution. What is remarkable here is the shallow and elitist role that the Watcher's Council forced on the Slayers in a time of great social oppression. Only slowly does Marie-Christine realize that not all vampires wear fangs. The other tales are all acceptably written, but most lack the spark that makes a tale more than an example of a very limited genre. My own perception is that the trade paperback 'Tales of the Slayers,' is really more successful. If for no other reason than the creation of Fray, who went on to star in a comic series of her own. No surprise, Fray is another Joss Whedon creation, and demonstrates that what makes a Slayer great is her ability to dance on the line between horror and hope. While the writing here is uneven, it is never poor, and many of the author's demonstrate an excellent grasp of historical periods and their impact on Slayer and Watcher behavior. Therefore, the book is hardly a failure, even if it isn't a complete success. Personally, I would have likes to see more variation in development and outcome. In any case, this is a required addition to the shelves of Slayer Watchers everywhere as a memorial to those who were chosen.
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