TOKYOPOP has licensed volumes one through six of this fifteen-volume(!) Slayers novel series--where it all started for this torridly popular anime and manga franchise.
Throughout its numerous twists and turns, hunts and kills, a few constants remain: Lina Inverse, our heroine, is a teenage sorceress who's primarily motivated by her voracious appetite for all things decadent, rich, and tasty.
Brazen and unabashed, Lina crosses paths with an undenind supply of motley crews of equally powerful-in their-own-right sorcerers, magicians, swordsmen, and villains ... all of whom frequently want something she wants, has, or is looking to find; and, of course, Lina - who never really learned to share - is not particularly receptive to their attentions ...
Several of the books in our Slayers text novel series include several full-color manga illustration pages, and all volumes have numerous b&w illustration pages, too.
Hajime Kanzaka
Hajime Kanzaka wrote the original Slayers novel series which gave birth to the runaway manga and anime franchise. The first Slayers text novel material began its serialized run in Japan's Dragon magazine in September, 1989.
He has also been involved with numerous subsequent Slayers and Lost Universe manga- and anime-related projects.
English Version By: Jeremiah Bourque
Lina Inverse
Although not generally heroic, this red-haired, flat-chested teenage sorceress, otherwise known as 'Bandit Killer' is highly determined and motivated to fulfill her personal mission in life: Enriching herself. Lina is not limited to sorcery and has rather decent sword skills. However, she is best known for her powerful Black Magic spells (especially Dragon Slave) and is not afraid to use 'em. Her typical M.O. is to assault bandits, blow them to kingdom come, and ensure that their treasure rests in worthier hands (as in, hers).
Gourry Gabriev
Lina once described him as having 'the strength of a troll and the brains of a jellyfish,' which is a more-than-astute assessment. Gourry, a reasonably good-looking blond swordsman and manly character, is in fact quite dense. Despite Gourry's obtuseness, he becomes a loyal ally and friend with the added redeeming virtue of being an excellent swordsman with great physical strength. He is also the inheritor of the Sword of Light, an ancient magic weapon that Lina instantly covets for herself.
Zelgadis Greywers
Zelgadis, who is one-third human, one-third demon, and one-third golem is extremely durable, yet quite self-loathing. Though often cold, callous, and self-obsessed, he is also brave, strong-willed, and quite resourceful. His main weakness is a stand-alone complex. Zelgadis, whose weapon is a sword, is both a warrior of great skill and a sorcerer of considerable power, specializing in Shamanic Magic.
Rezo, the Red Priest
Rezo, the main villain of the first arc of the story, is a powerful long-lived priest known as one of the five great wise men of the age, renowned for healing the sick and poor. Ironically, this master miracle-maker, who has been blind from birth, is able to cure the blindness of others, yet unable to cure his own. Consequently Rezo, with an over-developed obsession with his own affliction, seeks the raw magical power to overcome the great force behind his blindness.
