The Book of Fours
Encyclopedia
The Book of Fours is an original novel based on the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
During the final confrontation with the Gatherer, Willow and Cordelia briefly serve as hosts for India and Kendra respectively.
such as this one are not usually considered by fans as canonical. However, unlike fan fiction
, overviews summarizing their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Joss Whedon
(or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy merchandise.
Plot summary
Taking place during Buffys third season, Faith and Buffy are the current Slayers. When mayhem caused by tidal waves and burning forests begin to erupt in Sunnydale as well as vicious attackers appearing with ceremonial axes, the gang knows that something is up. A woman named Cecile Lafitte has sent her Servants to kill the Slayers with special axes, Faith being the Slayer of Fire and Buffy being the Slayer of Air. Each Slayer has a special axe made to destroy the Slayer of that particular element. There are four axes in total; air, fire, water and earth. Should Faith and Buffy both be killed then it's believed that the line of Slayers would die out forever. Cecile wants to bring forth the Gatherer, and the only way to do so is to have the Slayers killed, which would feed the demon enough power to bring him forth into the world. Meanwhile, Willow ends up in the hospital with major brain trauma while Giles figures they need answers from the Watcher of the Slayer that preceded Buffy, India Cohen.During the final confrontation with the Gatherer, Willow and Cordelia briefly serve as hosts for India and Kendra respectively.
Self-cultural reference
- At one point Willow is talking about her dream with Matthew Broderick, Buffy says 'You pick the strangest guys to dream about, Will' . . . 'How come it's never someone current? Y'know like Seth Green?' Seth Green plays Oz, Willow's boyfriend, on the television show.
Continuity
- Supposed to be set late in Buffy season 3.
- Shares continuity with many Buffy books including the Gatekeeper trilogy, ImmortalImmortal (Buffy novel)Immortal is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot summary:Veronique is an immortal vampire that continues to return in the body of a newly dead person every time she has been staked. However, she wants to become truly immortal by summoning an ancient...
, and Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row. - India Cohen was the slayer that preceded Buffy. She is seen on the front cover of the book, the third from left. The character also appears in Tales of the SlayerTales of the SlayerTales of the Slayer are volumes containing prose short stories. Four volumes of this series have been released, all published by Pocket Books...
, Volume III, in the story The Code of the Samurai.
Canonical issues
Buffy novelsBuffy novels
Buffy novels have been published since 1998. Originally, under the Pocket Books imprint of Simon & Schuster they are now published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment which launched in 2004...
such as this one are not usually considered by fans as canonical. However, unlike fan fiction
Fan fiction
Fan fiction is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator...
, overviews summarizing their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
(or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy merchandise.