Go Ask Malice
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| Author | Robert Joseph Levy |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Pocket Books |
| Released | June 27, 2006 |
Go Ask Malice: A Slayer's Diary is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents |
[edit] Book description
Faith has always been a loner. Growing up in a broken home in South Boston, shuffled from relative to relative, her only companion was an imaginary friend named Alex, who helped her escape into a fantasy world of monsters and the supernatural, far from the real-life horrors of the waking world.
Now, taken away from her mother by social services and shipped off to a foster home, Faith learns that some nightmares are all too real, that the inventions of her childhood really do haunt the night, hungry for blood. Enter Diana Dormer, a Harvard professor and representative of the Watchers' Council who has come to tell Faith of her destiny, to train her, to prepare her for what is to come: Faith is the Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness.
But she's not alone. When Alex, her childhood companion, returns in her dreams, she warns Faith that someone else is coming for her, a force so deadly and unforgiving that it has inspired fear in the underworld for a thousand generations. Its name is Malice.
As memory and fantasy begin to merge, Faith's two worlds collide, with cataclysmic results. A violent battle for the soul of the Slayer is staged, winner take all.
This is her story. . . .
[edit] Writing
Robert Joseph Levy said that in this book he hoped "to explore the choices [Faith] made and the choices that were taken away from her, and to explore what it is to be the Chosen One without a support system or friends ot family". He hoped to provide a context for the character's behaviour and the way it developed during Buffy Season 3 and beyond. "A lot of things about Faith's character are supposed to be assumed by the viewers - a troubled childhood, delinquency and she's a loose girl. I wanted to subvert expectations, and it's one of the reasons I did it as a diary.
[edit] Trivia
- The title references Go Ask Alice (1971). The controversial book was an account of drug abuse. It is considered a classic of American young adult literature. In turn, the title of the book was named from the Jefferson Airplane song, "White Rabbit", which includes the lyrics, "Go ask Alice/When she's ten feet tall". Grace Slick wrote the song after noticing possible drug references in Alice In Wonderland.
- The author, Robert Joseph Levy also wrote, The Suicide King.
[edit] Characters
- Alexandra - Faith has been seeing visions of an apparently imaginary young girl she knows from childhood as 'Alex'.
- Andra - Andra was the girlfriend of Kenny. She was killed by Mister Trick in a cemetery. Using the powers of his mind, Kenny was effectively able to bring her image back as an unusually powerful hallucination.
- Clark Rutherfold (Gable) - Boyfriend of Faith's mother heavily involved in crime.
- Professor Diana Dormer - A professor of folklore and mythology at Harvard University
- Faith - The keeper of the diary.
- Faith's mother - Faith's mother has largely been absent from the life of the child and adolescent.
- Faith's father - Faith has been told by her mother that her father died when she was young.
- Jess - Friend of Faith during her time with the Jone's and slightly beyond.
- The Jones - Christian family who take Faith under foster care. They had a son called Robert, whom they tell Faith, is now dead.
- Kakistos - An ancient vampire so old that his hands are actually cloven hooves. In ancient Greece he commanded the Maenads. He battled the slayer Alexandra in ancient Greece.
- Kenny (Killian) - Drummer of band called "Freak Wharf". He has the ability to make parts of his imagination come to life. Kenny dates Faith for several months.
- Sensei Kanno - Martial artist who trained potential slayers and slayers (including Faith). He was driven by the need to take revenge against vampires whom had killed his family.
- Steve - Boyfriend of Faith during early 1998.
- Tommy - Best friend of Faith during high school. Like her he is a fan of Freak Wharf.
- Vanity Collins (V) - Social worker who regularly met Faith.
[edit] Continuity
- It is revealed that Faith's birthday is December 14th. Her Watcher, Diana Dormer hints that her Cruciamentum (which takes place on a slayer's 18th birthday) is approaching in summer 1998 - if this were the case and Faith was turning 18 years old on December 14th 1998, then this would make her around one month older than Buffy (who turned 18 years old in January 1999).
[edit] Canonical issues
- Buffy novels, such as this one are generally not considered by fans as part of canon. They are usually not viewed as official Buffyverse reality, but are novels from the authors' imaginations. However unlike fanfic, 'overviews' summarising their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by Fox, who in turn may or may not have have sought appoval from Whedon (or his office). The book will be published as official Buffy merchandise.
[edit] Timing
- Set from December 1997 to June 1998. These months precede Faith's first appearance in the episode "Faith, Hope & Trick" in autumn 1998.
- Stories that take place around the same time in the Buffyverse:
| Location, time (if known) | Buffyverse chronology: Fall 1997 - Spring 1998 (non-canon = italic) |
|---|---|
| Sunnydale, fall 1997 | B2.01 When She Was Bad |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Tales of the Slayers: Broken Bottle of Djinn, 1997 |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.02 Some Assembly Required |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Tales of the Vampires: The Problem with Vampires |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy graphic novel: Spike & Dru: The Queen of Hearts |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.03 School Hard |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.04 Inca Mummy Girl |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.05 Reptile Boy |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy graphic novel: Dust Waltz |
| Sunnydale, October 1997 | B2.06 Halloween |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.07 Lie to Me |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: Keep Me In Mind |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: The Suicide King |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: Colony |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: Night Terrors |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.08 The Dark Age |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.09 What's My Line, Part One |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.10 What's My Line, Part Two |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: After Image |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | Buffy book: Carnival of Souls |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.11 Ted |
| Sunnydale, 1997 | B2.12 Bad Eggs |
| Boston, December 1997 - June 1998 | Buffy book: Go Ask Malice: A Slayer's Diary |
| Sunnydale, 1997/8 | Buffy book: Blooded |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.13 Surprise |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.14 Innocence |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.15 Phases |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.16 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.17 Passion |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | Buffy graphic novel: Ring of Fire |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.18 Killed by Death |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.19 I Only Have Eyes for You |
| Sunnydale, 1998 | B2.20 Go Fish |
| Sunnydale, spring 1998 | B2.21 Becoming I |
| Sunnydale, spring 1998 | B2.22 Becoming II |
| Sunnydale, spring 1998 | Buffy graphic novel: Spike & Dru: Paint the Town Red |
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ - UK Buffy the Vampire Slayer Magazine, August 2006, pages 12-13.
[edit] See also
[edit] Upcoming Buffyverse novels
[edit] Faith-related Buffyverse comics/novels
[edit] External links
[edit] Book
- Whedonesque.com - Whedonesquers speculate about the book before it is released
- Whedonesque.com - Whedonesquers discuss the book in April 2006
- Simonsays.com - Publisher's webpage for this book
