Firefly

All I can say is whoooaaa...Shiny! Just go and buy it!

If the first two companion books were about the mind and heart of “Firefly,” then “Firefly: Still Flying” is definitely about the soul of the acclaimed Joss Whedon TV series, which as we all know by now, FOX had prematurely canceled seven years ago after its 13 episodes run. True to the Firefly spirit, the legacy of “Firefly” lives on in its loyal fan base of Browncoats, and it is this fan base that this latest volume from Titan Books pays tribute to.

Filled with loads of never been seen photos and information within its glossy 160 pages, the highlight of this slick volume are the four brand new stories written by past "Firefly" scribes, Jane Espenson, Brett Matthews, Jose Molina, and Ben Edlund. In the case of Edlund, he even provides readers with illustrations in the form of a children story titled, “Fun With Dick and Jayne.” That title alone is enough to make a reader scan quickly through the pages and flip directly to Edlund’s story, but I doubt if it’s even possible without coming across something else first that a reader just can’t resist. I couldn’t do it, and I blame it on the pages about Monkey Shines. Yes, you read right—it’s the monkey fault.

The book is divided evenly into sections about the individual Firefly characters, background info on the production designs, costumes, and props; and the writers’ personal insights into the development and writing process of the series; all of which are nicely separated by the four stories from the scriptwriters.

In addition to the material written by the book’s author, there are quotes by fans taken from various fan sites, conventions, and other fan based sources interspersed throughout the book—giving the reader a sense that the Firefly fandom had a part to play in the book itself.

As a lasting tribute to the fans, the book ends with a section specifically about the Browncoats (some in space, I might add), their conventions, and all the charity work they’ve done. Written about also are the various Firefly merchandises and fan projects currently in the works, including Quantum Mechanix’s amazing Serenity replica and the fan film, “Browncoats: Redemption.”

One thing is clear after reading the entire book, the legacy of “Firefly” will continue to live on in its fans—the Browncoats. “Firefly: Still Flying” is a testament to that and is well worth every cent spent on the $19.95 price.

Haken