8 /10 1 Votes
Country United States Publication date October 1998 Pages 324 Preceded by Blooded Genre Horror fiction | 4/5 Goodreads Language English Media type Print (paperback) Originally published October 1998 Page count 324 Publisher Pocket Books | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Similar Nancy Holder books, Buffyverse books, Horror books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Child of the Hunt is an original novel based on the U.S. television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Contents
Plot summary
Lately Sunnydale has been missing kids, some of them have run away while others seem to have been kidnapped. There have also been attacks by little vicious creatures that completely mutilate their victims by simply biting through their prey. Also in town is a Renaissance Faire and the gang decides to pay it a visit. One visit is enough though because something is slightly off about the faire, everything seems evil and this one boy named Roland is continuously picked on, and not for fun either. After some research and a couple of run-ins with some small attackers, Angel and Giles discover that a group of mystical beings called the Wild Hunt are in town to claim the souls of humans. Angel warns Buffy not to look at them as if she does they will steal her soul and she will be forced to ride with the Hunt. Buffy hides Roland out in her basement to save him from the nasty Faire people. The next night Buffy comes home to find Roland stolen away by the Wild Hunt. Giles informs Buffy that the Wild Hunt is run by the Erl King, lord of the Wild Hunt, and that Roland is his son and the heir to the Erl King title even though Roland is disgusted by the Hunt. Buffy and the gang rush in to rescue Roland but it's of no use. To free her friend Buffy agrees to be bound by the oath of the Erl King in which she loses all willpower to fight against him.
On the night of the final Hunt in Sunnydale, the gang (without Buffy) assemble and begin an attack on the Wild Hunt before they can clear their magical forest to attack the town. Buffy is ordered to kill Roland by the Erl King and she must learn to fight against her magical oath in order to save her life, Roland's and the lives of her friends as well.
Trivia
Continuity
Canonical issues
Buffy novels, such as this one are not considered by most fans as part of canon. They are usually not considered as official Buffyverse reality, but are novels from the authors' imaginations. However unlike fanfic, 'overviews' summarising their story, written early in the writing process, were 'approved' by both Fox and Whedon (or his office), and the books were therefore later published as officially Buffy merchandise.