The Monster Book
By Christopher Golden, Stephen R. Bissette, and Thomas E. Sniegoski

"Like werewolves. Zombies. Succubi, incubi...Everything you ever dreaded was under your bed and told yourself couln't be by the light of day." -- Giles, "Welcome to the Hellmouth"

Vampires, werewolves, witches, demons of nonspecific origin. All of them are drawn to the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, California. And all of them have met their fate at the hands - or stake - of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Since its premiere, the popular TV show has pitted the Chosen One against the forces of darkness on a weekly basis. And her success is due in part to the intense research her Watcher, Rupert Giles, and the rest of the gang have done to find the origin and best method of disposal for each villain.

THE MONSTER BOOK expands upon information revealed through Giles' research and knowledge, exploring the mythological, literary, and cultural origins of the endless numbers of ghoulish creatures that have tried to take a piece of the Slayer. Before the Master, there was Dracula, before "Becoming," there was Nosferatu. Before Buffy, there was...no one. The ture horror fan knows that the legen of the vampire has existed for as long as there have been legends, But the demons that greet the business end of Buffy's stake are one part tradition, three parts creative genius. Indeed, the Buffy creators have purposefully moved away from recent vampire fictions to find a middle ground among ancient lore, Bram Stoker's "rules," and their own twist on the topic.

"Well, if we close our eyes and say it's all just a dream it'll stab us to death. These things are real." -- Xander, "Fear, Itself"

Here you'll find exclusive interviews with series creator Joss Whedon and the Emmy-nominate team that creates the images you can't shake. THE MONSTER BOOK welcomes you to the Hellmouth.

Enter at your own risk.

"Wish me monsters." -- Buffy, "Living Conditions"

Review from Amazon.co.uk:

The Monster Book is far more than just a Buffy series companion, it's also an impressive history of monsters in folklore and popular culture. Almost every monster to appear in the first four seasons has an entry here, illustrated with numerous black and white photos, and 32 pages of colour publicity stills from the shows. Dotted throughout these sections are interviews with series creator Joss Whedon and the show's other writers and producers. They discuss the contemporary relevance of monsters and how they can be used to illuminate the everyday horrors of teenage life, and reflect on the unique blend of horror and humour that is such a characteristic feature of the Buffy experience. But it's in the historical background that this book moves out of the ordinary. Meticulously researched, the latter part of each chapter explores the historical antecedents of Buffy's monsters in ancient legends, European folk tales, and historical records, before coming more up to date with analyses of monsters in books, comics and films. With such a vast array of references, it's a shame there is no index, an omission that limits its value as a work of reference. But both as a series guide and a ser ious discussion of the place of the monstrous in modern society (underlined by the closing discussion of the Slayer Faith and the human monster), this book works very well indeed.

Note that this is not just a guide to the monsters on the show, featuring interviews with all the primary writers on the series—though it IS that! It’s also an exhaustive, meticulously researched history of monsters in folklore and popular culture.