Fray by Joss Whedon

This stand-alone story takes place in the same setting as Joss Whedon's well known series Buffy. Mel Fray has grown up in a dystopian world where social outcasts and anomalies live on the outskirts of society. Mel makes her way through life as an accomplished thief for the amphibious Gunther. It is only after the demon Urkon explains to Mel that the 'lurks' that are becoming more dangerous that Mel comes to realize her background as the Slayer. There's a problem though, Mel doesn't have the psychological characteristics that Slayers usually grow up with because Mel had a twin, a brother that was killed by vampire.

As a unapologetic Buffy and Joss Whedon fan, I really loved this. It was kind of great to see what Mr. Whedon would dream up next for the universe that he created. If you've watched any of the television series that Joss Whedon has directed/written/produced you'll recognize some of the plot and character devices that he has used in the past. Good action, great dialogue, excellent secondary characters. I also appreciated the fact that Joss Whedon requested that the main female character wasn't overly-sexualized. Good choice.