Books: Dracula, Tekumel, Anansi

Spike vs. Dracula by Peter David, Joe Corroney, et al

-A comics collection, light and frequently funny, neatly interwoven into what we know about Spike's history. It begins with Spike's first encounter with Drac in Victorian England, and then skips forward to their following encounters in 1930s Hollywood, WW2 Germany, late-50s Italy, and early-5th-season Angel. Guest starring Ed Wood and Bela Lugosi, among others. For Whedonites, highly recommended.

Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne

-This is the most recent edition of one of the oldest RPG settings. The creator, Prof. Barker, knew Gygax, Arneson, and co. back when, and was inspired to create his own world for roleplaying. It's an odd mix of fantasy with a high-tech background, based on very non-European cultures (mostly South American and Indian). Recommended for those looking for strange new ways to put RPG settings together.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

-Somehow lighter than I expected. This book is an example of Gaiman when he gets kinda Douglas Adams-ish. It also looks a bit like Neverwhere, in that we have an English nebbish who gets dumped into the world of weird magic and strange gods, and has to either find his way out, or decide not to get out . . . Which is not to say it's bad, nosiree-bob. It's still a Gaiman, after all. And because of that, very recommended.