A far more enjoyable alternative to the Buffy script books, these occasional collections of episode adaptations have now reached the formidable Miss Chase.

Set during Cordy's Sunnydale High days (so no vision-girl action with Angel Investigations I'm afraid) the three stories here cover the undoubted highlights of Cordy's Buffy days.

Out of Mind, Out of Sight gives perhaps the first glimpse of a human being underneath Cordy's daunting exterior. Her speech about the loneliness of popularity does nothing to diminish her superiority, but smartly questions the pursuit of popularity for its own sake. Pop Idol contestants take note please...

Some Assembly Required, a somewhat obvious Frankenstein rip-off, nonetheless briefly teams up Cordy and Angel for the first time - and who would have guessed where that was headed?

Finally, Homecoming sees Cordelia and Buffy face certain death armed only with spatulas as the two girls fight it out for the coverted title of Homecoming Queen, only to become the prey in SlayerFest '99.

It's Cordy at her feistiest: "Buffy's just the runner-up. I'm the Queen. You get me mad, what do you think I'm gonna do to you?" cracking stuff.

Whilst adapting such good scripts was never going to be too much of a challenge for Nancy Krulik, The Cordelia Collection is an enjoyable read. It's just a shame, perhaps, that cramming three episodes into one book doesn't allow for much in the way of description or inner monologues that might add a further dimension to the stories.