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Rating: 
Summary: Best Buffy reference book
Review: Don't bother with any other unauthorised Buffy reference guides as Keith Topping's 'Slayer' books are the only ones you'll ever need. This guide is packed with all sorts of information and Keith doesn't shy away from giving his informed and personal opinions about the series. He also briefly covers the spin-off comics, books and websites. Keith Topping is a talented writer (check out his Doctor Who novels from BBC Books and Telos) and his episode guides are the best ones on the market. He has also written a companion book that covers Angel called 'Hollywood Vampire' which is well worth purchasing.
Rating:
Summary: A British perspective on the Buffyverse
Review: Each episode, up to and including season 5, gets 3-to-6 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. Books of this nature are enjoyable because it's fun to compare one's reaction with the author's reaction, and Topping notices every tiny detail. There are also separate essays: (1) History of the vampire myth, (2) 'The Outsiders' as a series theme, (3) BtVS and real-life school violence, (4) BtVS and the internet, and (5) disputes with the TV networks. As well, each BtVS novel gets about a page of coverage. This differs from other BtVS books because of Topping's perspective as a Brit. He's a bit thin-skinned about the anti-British jibes, especially Principal Flutie's snide remark about the royal family in the second episode (Flutie was right!). On the other hand, Topping sees connections between BtVS and US culture with an objectivity that US viewers lack. Apart from the vampires, Sunnydale is a bit too perfect to be realistic, and it's certainly bizarre that a southern California town would be so lily-white. It is only in the 7th season (beyond the scope of this book) that we see a recurring black character (Principal Wood) and a recurring hispanic character (Iyari Limon as 'Kennedy'). Topping notes that (white) Americans often see themselves as decent people, perhaps overly trusting, fighting off non-white underclass intruders who seek to ruin their caucasian paradise. See the connection? Does the shoe fit?
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Put quite simply, this is the best book of Buffy that you could ever buy. Every possible aspect is covered, and done so in a intelligent and passionate way. This is a book written by an author and a fan, and as such you get an elequent and researched account of the series, yet more importantly you can relate to him. Quite often I disagree with his opinion of a particular episode, yet that is part of the quality of the book: you don't get all the sentimentality and slush of official books. Topping writes his opinion, and isn't afraid to say when something on the show just doesn't work. I have constantly returned to the book other the years: it isn't something you read just once. This book is refreshing and honest and I await each new addition with far too much anticipation! In all honesty, I feel as much affection for the book as I do Buffy itself.
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Summary: For my money, the best Buffy episode guide there is
Review: There are a number of Buffy episode guides on the market, but Keith Topping's are my favorite by a considerable margin. Both volumes of THE WATCHER'S GUIDE are very fine, but I find they are more useful for the large number of interviews with cast and crewmembers. Although Topping ends his volume with some interesting essays and reviews of various Buffy-related publications and websites, the vast bulk of his guides are devoted to the episodes themselves. Currently this guide to episodes 1-5 is out of print in the United States (though available from Britain, I believe), and only the guide to Episode 6 in print here. Hopefully, they will bring out a new one-volume edition of seasons 1-7. Each episode is covered in around 4-6 pages, offering a very brief synopsis of the plot, some of the better quotes, some ravings about the highpoints, a fun section about illogical elements, a general comment section at the end, and a host of other fun things. Oh yeah, those wanting to know about the music in each show can find a list here. I don't agree with his evaluation of each episode (e.g., he hates "Anne," which starts off Season 3, along with many others, but I think it is one of the best episodes ever, with a great deal of super clever writing that many people seem to miss), but he is always fun to argue with, and he is never merely sloppy. Most of all, Topping is clearly a fan of great TV, and there is the spirit of a fellow-fan informing the book as a whole. I also like the fact that each episode is introduced with the publication of the original date in the U.S. and in Great Britain, and also gives the titles in their French and German releases. Now, I don't want to be misunderstood here, but this is also one of the great bathroom books of all time. It rates right up there with Dave Marsh's THE BOOK OF ROCK LISTS,THE NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY, and THE ESSENTIAL BIFF. Never underestimate the value of a good bathroom book.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: This book should be a must have for Buffy Fans. This isn't the typical episode guide/Buffy companion. Keith Topping covers things like the clothes and hair of each episode, slang, when characters are in denial of their situations, etc. He is obvoiusly a big fan of the show, because one would have to watch every second of the show thousands of times to find some of the inconsistancies that Mr. Topping found in his "Logic, let me show you this window" section. As much as I enjoyed this book, I do think that Mr. Topping is a little too critical of the inconsistancies when it comes to shot to shot (such as Buffy's ponytail changes from shot to shot). Not too many people would notice these types of things, and it doesn't take away from the show if it is noticed, so to point these things out...in a book seems, well, [unnecessary]. Other than that, it's a fantastic book, chock-full of information. I highly recommend it to all true Buffy fans. Now I'm off to read Hollywood Vampire, Keith Topping's Angel companion.
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Summary: Slay...This!
Review: This is a wonderful Buffy the Vampire Slayer resource guide. It really is a shame that it is so hard to find now, because it really does answer a lot of questions.
Unlike the Watcher Guide books it gives great detail about episodes and characters There are also interesting side notes about meanings for some episodes and what the entitle idea for them were.
Characters like Xander, Willow, Giles , and etc... Are also mentioned a lot, and there is no doubt that you will learn something new about the series in this.
Even though this is a very heavy novel I totally recommend it. As a Buffy fan and reader I really think it is worth hunting for.
If you want some other good Buffy references. Then check out the Monster Book by Christopher Golden. This is another really good book about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
However, if you can handle all of the reading in this book. Then you will defiantly enjoy this.
Rating:
Summary: The Slayer and Her Scoobies
Review: This really is a very good book and it's a shame that it's so hard to find. There is so much covered in this book about Buffy. Ever since Buffy has ended a few years ago. It seems like more people are interested in it then ever.
There are a few resources books out there that really can explain the series well.
This is one of them.
One of the things I found hard about this one though was that it was rather long and ongoing.
However, if you can get past that I think you'll enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: A review book like none other.
Review: Topping brings the same kind of witty summarization - or should that be "Summers"-ization? - and analysis to Buffy as he previously did to The Avengers (The Avengers Dossier). Non-fans may get a bit confused by Toppings' sometimes too-brief episode breakdowns, though he manages to convey what needs to be known. Where he really shines is in minutia and trivia. Topping obviously has way too much time on his hands and far too little to do, or he would never catch all the continuity errors he has - e.g., change of position in placement of a pencil on a desk or book from one moment in a given scene to the next, or change of hair length (when stunt-doubles step in), sleeves going from rolled up to rolled down, etc. And that's ignoring the multitude of logic errors Buffy is famous for. For example, if vampires have no breath, how does Spike smoke? If they cast no reflection, why do we see them in plates of glass (and why do they photograph)? If they have to be invited in, why do strange vampires so often seem to manage their way into the Summers home (and other locations) without an invitation? And all this is only going into the logic flaws of the vampires, when there are numerous other areas they manifest - all of which Topping takes great delight in pointing out, never mean-spiritedly, but with the companionable delight of a true fan. Similarly, he spotlights all the main areas in any given episode of good and bad fashion choices, pop-culture references, best one-liners (in numerous different categories), and so on, for the first five seasons of the show - up to Buffy's demise on the WB, and before her UPN resurrection (I refer here to the most recent update of this book, of course). Rarely does he miss a humorous gem from the series, though I must confess, I'm surprised Xander's "Inca Mummy Girl" quip - "Rodney is God's gift to the Bell curve; what he lacks in smarts, he makes up for in lack of smarts." - failed to be noted, along with a few others. Topping has so much food to cover on this rich plate that he sometimes forgets to follow-up his own side-notes, but that is a small matter. It's hardly perfect, but it's as close as you could hope for given the breadth and scope of his subject matter. Fans will enjoy reliving their favorite moments of the show and discovering more trivial notes concerning it than they ever dreamed existed, and non-fans will get such a rich taste of the pop-culture smorgasbord we call "Buffy" that they won't be able to resist sampling the actual show. This book is a highly entertaining way to kill a few hours, whether you're a fan or not.
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Summary: Five Stakes For This Book!
Review: With all of the Buffy related books out there covering this show and it's history, you would think there was nothing else left that could come out to catch your fancy. You would be wrong. This book, written by british author Keith Topping, is an insanely interesting and entertaining read. Every Buffy fan will surely be pleased with it. The book contains five seasons of the show(Sorry, no season six yet. Too early), with episode summaries of each episode. Each section of every episode summary also comes with a few other little segments describing each individual episode. There is - "Dudes And Babes", which tells if there are attractive people in this episode; "It's A Designer Label" which tells about the clothes characters were wearing and if they should of in the first place; "Valley Speak" which is all about the slang and lingo used in the show; "Cigarettes And Alcohol" which I'm sure you can guess on your own; "Logic, Let Me Introduce You To This Window" which is about goof ups and inconsistency problems; "Quotes" is about, you guessed it, quotes from the show; And there are a few other little categories that chime in including the author's final overview of the episode. This is a lot of fun. Topping really delves into every little detail. It's amazing. You don't know if you should be impressed with him or worry about him for having so much free time to catch every little detail. As I've mentioned, he is british and the book is a hoot to read when he talks about British and American things. Some of his comments on our culture is questionable, but not a whole lot. There are also a few comments about the show where he is talking about a screw up or an inconsistency that may be a little too picky, and can be easily answered with just common knowledge. Otherwise, he is right on the nose. Topping is obviously a fan. He can be harsh with some elements of certain episodes, but can enlighten others on subjects on certain episodes that they didn't get. The book would of benefited more if it had pictures. It doesn't. He also wrote a guide for 'Angel' called "Hollywood Vampire" that is also a great read and a must for any fan. All in all, a worthy entry in your Buffy shrine. Good job Keith Topping!.
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