Do you ever worry that younger readers, by reading tie-ins to their favourite shows, aren't discovering enough original fantasy novels? What books would you recommend to a Buffy or Angel fan looking to explore fantasy fiction further?
Scott Ciencin: I doesn’t cause me any concern at all. I’ve been approached by huge number of teachers and school librarians at national events who have been overwhelmingly positive about these tie-ins because they get students reading, and once that process starts, it sets off a major-league chain reaction.
For older teens who enjoy the more lyrical aspects of what Buffy and Angel have to offer, I’d recommend the short story collections of Charles DeLint set in his similar urban-fantasy town of Newford such as Moonlight and Vine. For those looking for more action oriented material, Stephen Dedman’s The Art of Arrow Cutting should really do the trick.
Readers who enjoyed the four episode arc set in the Host’s home dimension would probably love R.A. Salvatore’s DemonWars series, which I’m currently privileged to be bringing to monthly comics for CrossGen beginning in December of this year (more on that later.)