The Lost Slayer comes to a pair of thrilling conclusions, 14 Nov 2001

Actually, I almost wish Golden had not put the two great villains in the same book, because I would have loved to have seen Camazotz and his estranged "wife" Zotzilaha, be more center stage, but obviously he is not going to be able to compete with Giles as the Vampire King. Actually, "Popol Vuh," one of the Mayan sacred books, identifies Zotzilaha not as a god, but as a cavern, "The House of Bats." Zotzilaha was home to a type of bat called Camazotz, which has been translated as "snatch bat" and "death bat." Camalotz was also the name of the "Sudden Bloodletter", identified as one of four animal demons which slew the impious first race of men. We all know much more about the European vampire legends than what happened in South America, but Golden has taped a rich vein of lore and maybe in the future Buffy will encounter the religious death cult of the Zapotecs that worshipped a bat-demon, or the soucouyant of Trinidad or the tin tin of Ecuador.

Who says Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not educational?

"Original Sins" is an appropriate title for this concluding volume, which certain comes full circle given that at the start of the story Buffy is trying to separate her life as the Slayer from her life as a college Freshman. In dividing that world she thinks that her friends belong with the later, which is somewhat surprising since I always thought one of the reasons Buffy has lasted so long as a Slayer is because she was not going it alone. You would think the Watchers Council would have figured out somewhere along the line that a Slayer with support in the field was going to last longer than one forced to go solo.

The entire "Lost Slayer" series clearly takes advantage of the fact that it was written during Season 5 but takes place in Season 3. Golden clearly knows how far Willow has advanced in her wicca ways and he uses that to his advantage. I have always thought that it was the relationship between Buffy and Willow that is really at the heart of the show, and both Season 6 and Golden's novels prove the point as far as I am concerned. For those who enjoyed "The Wish" and "Doppelgangland" or have always enjoyed the DC comic "What If..." issues or "It's a Wonderful Life" and its various homages, "The Lost Slayer" is a fitting addition to the oeuvre. When these sort of stories are done right they are so good. "The Lost Slayer" is on the same level as "The Gatekeeper Trilogy," and that, in the wonderful world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer books, is as good as it gets.

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