Author Jana Riess has announced the upcoming publication of What Would Buffy Do? - A Vampire Slayer As Spiritual Guide.

The book will contain fifteen short chapters on different spiritual themes, including redemption, forgiveness, the appropriate use of power, death-awareness, and the quest for the self.

"A number of different religious worldviews come into play in the show," said Riess, "And that includes Christianity and Buddhism. I'll certainly be looking at how Messiah themes play out, for example. But, my book, like the show itself, is not tied to one particular religious tradition, and explores how the show patches together diverse elements from several religions. In a way, the series is kind of the poster child of the new millennial spirituality, which pulls together elements from fairly disparate sources."

The book will also explore topics such as the appropriate use of power. "This has really been a central theme of the seventh season, so I guess I should answer with the proviso that I may have to change my mind about what the show is saying if later episodes contradict it," says Reiss. "[For example] Willow has to learn (the hard way) that she cannot abuse magic to impose her own selfish wishes on the world."

Don't hold you breath for the book, however, it won't be out until May 2004.