Well into its second fan-enthralling season, this popular supernatural-themed series continues to earn solid ratings for the CW Television Network with its heady brew of occult and horror elements, adolescent angst, and soap-opera-style twists and turns. Based on L. J. Smith's book series of the same name (HarperTeen), the TV show was developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, who have also penned numerous episodes including the pilot and season two's kick-off. The action is set in Mystic Falls, VA, a town with a long history and a surfeit of uncanny occurrences. Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), a beautiful young woman, finds herself the object of obsession for two very different yet equally charismatic vampire brothers: Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). In addition to participating in a steamy modern-day love triangle, the siblings are haunted by their past and by their passionate feelings for Katherine Pierce (also played by Dobrev)-the vampire the brothers knew and loved in 1864-whom Elena so closely resembles. Meanwhile, other supernatural subplots abound, as the residents of Mystic Falls encounter mysteries and challenges of their own. The season one finale marked the return of the vengeful and violent Katherine, making way for a fresh whirlwind of love trysts and betrayals, a new kind of supernatural creatures, and a ramped-up level of drama and danger.
The show won seven Teen Choice Awards in 2010 as well as honors as the Favorite New TV Drama at the 2010 People's Choice Awards. Teens can visit the official website to read plot summaries, find out more about cast members, access video interviews, watch previews and full episodes, and follow the chat. A "Style" section presents fashion "Trends & Tips" for Vampire Diaries and other network offerings and presents links for shopping the show, while an online "Race against the Dawn" game provides a search-and-find challenge.
HarperTeen has launched a new book series based on the CW show (author credits are allotted to Smith, Williamson, and Plec). The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries # 1: Origins (2010) takes readers back to Mystic Falls in 1864. As the Civil War rages on, the 17-year-old narrator struggles to find his place in the world. With his brother off fighting with the Confederate troops, Stefan, who remains at home on Veritas Estate, feels edgy and restless. The tension builds with word of grizzly attacks on local animals, rumored to be the work of demons. When his father arranges a marriage to the banker's daughter, the drab and unmemorable Rosalyn, Stefan complies out of a sense of duty. Then the mysterious 16-year-old Katherine Pierce arrives on the scene and Stefan is instantly captivated by her intoxicating beauty and vivacious nature. Returning home, Damon also finds himself attracted to her. However, Katherine has a dark secret, one that will change the relationship-and the lives-of the brothers forever. Filled with longing, self-doubt, and reckless romance, Stefan's narrative does a good job of revealing his pre-vampire existence and establishing the original love triangle that will have long-lasting effects. Fans of the series will be riveted and can visit the HarperTeen website for a preview. Bloodlust, the second volume in the planned trilogy, is scheduled to be published in January 2011. Consider adding this new TV-show-based series to Smith's original "Vampire Diaries" sequence and her more recent "Vampire Diaries: The Return" trio (all HarperTeen).
Devotees of the show will also get a tingle out of Crissy Calhoun's Love You to Death: The Unofficial Companion to The Vampire Diaries (ECW Press, 2010). In this TV-side guide, the author lovingly delves into the details of a supernatural world that's both "heartfelt and human." Chapters present a look at Smith and the story behind her book series, introduce the show's creators and its origins, and describe how the characters and plotlines were adapted for the small screen. A cast section provides bios and career highlights of the major players (along with a black-and-white photo). The bulk of the book consists of an episode guide to all of season one. Each lengthy entry begins with a summary that treats storylines, themes, and character development followed by an array of fun-to-browse segments. "Circle of Knowledge" clues viewers in on plot connections and cultural references they might have missed, "The Rules" delineates the workings of this particular supernatural universe, and "Meanwhile in Fell's Church" (named for the town featured in Smith's books) draws comparisons between the author's original plots and characters and those used in the TV rendition. Also included are "History Lessons" about important back stories and Mystic Falls facts, "Off-Camera" tidbits, a scene-by-scene listing of the show's soundtrack, and more. Black-and-white photos are scattered throughout, with an eight-page inset of full-color TV stills and candid shots. Well written and thoroughly detailed, this book will satisfy and entertain dyed-in-the-wool viewers.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy's back in town. Created by writer-director Joss Whedon, this series aired on the WB network and then UPN from 1997 to 2003 and has since become a cult classic. Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is heir to a line of young women chosen as Slayer and destined to battle vampires, demons, and more. Endowed with special abilities, she's aided by a Watcher (Anthony Stewart Head) and a cadre of loyal friends. Available on DVD, the show has spawned a "Buffyverse" of related spin-offs, novels, comics, websites, and more. The fan base continues to be strong, with new generations of devotees still discovering the series. And be ready for a surge in interest (and controversy) in the franchise: a big-screen re-imagining of Buffy the Vampire Slayer-without the involvement of Whedon-is in the works from Warner Bros.
Simon Pulse has reissued a plethora of previously published Buffy novels written for young adults in attractive bind-up volumes. Based on the TV series, the stories feature the familiar characters and premises in all-original tales. Beginning with a brief introduction to Buffy and her friends, each offering presents three quick-reading novels. Volume 1 includes John Vornholt's Coyote Moon, Arthur Byron Cover's Night of the Living Rerun (both 1998) and Alice Henderson's Portal Through Time (2006). Volume 2 pairs Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder's Halloween Rain (1997) with Diana G. Gallagher's Bad Bargain and Pierce Askegren's Afterimage (both 2006). Volume 3 showcases Holder's Carnival of Souls (2006), Kirsten Beyer's One Thing or Your Mother (2008), and Golden and Holder's Blooded (1998, all S&S). Rather than rehashing TV images, the elegant, eye-catching covers each focus on a single object-an ornate necklace, a candelabra, an hourglass-set against a clean white backdrop and artfully splattered with red. The action-packed tales convey an enticing mix of moods, plotlines, and supernatural wonders. The three-in-one format gives libraries a lot of bang for their bucks and will appease readers who want more of the same. Display these volumes to reel in Buffy-philes as well as teens who like books with a strong female heroine and supernatural trappings.
Pub Info
SMITH, L. J., Kevin Williamson, & Julie Plec. The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries # 1: Origins. HarperTeen. 2010. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-200393-5.
CALHOUN, Crissy. Love You to Death: The Unofficial Companion to The Vampire Diaries. ECW Press. 2010. pap. $14.95. ISBN 978-1-55022-978-3.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1. ISBN 978-1-4424-1209-5.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer2. ISBN 978-1-4424-1210-1.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 3. ISBN 978-1-4424-1211-8.
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