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2nd out of 15 books
—
5 voters
Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly (Smart Pop)
by
Jane Espenson ,
David Gerrold (Goodreads Author) , Kevin M. Sullivan , Glenn Yeffeth , Don DeBrandt , Ginjer Buchanan , Keith R.A. DeCandido , Mercedes Lackey
,
more…
** COMPLETELY UNAUTHORIZED ** In this eclectic anthology of essays, former cast member Jewel Staite, "Kaylee," philosopher Lyle Zynda, sex therapist Joy Davidson, and noted science fiction and fantasy authors Mercedes Lackey, David Gerrold, and Lawrence Watt-Evans contribute to a clever and insightful analysis of the short-lived cult hit "Firefly." From "What went wrong wi...more
Paperback, 238 pages
Published
March 11th 2005
by Smart Pop
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Confession time.
I did not watch Firefly when it first aired. I remember that I wasn't home the first two Fridays (amazing, I know) and I turned it on in the middle of the "third" episode. I listened to about five minutes and realized, "oh, shit, he put a western in space." Then I turned it off.
Before you unfriend me, please read the rest of the review.
I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I even saw the movie, in the theater, but I couldn't get into Angel and, since I'm telling the whole truth here,...more
I did not watch Firefly when it first aired. I remember that I wasn't home the first two Fridays (amazing, I know) and I turned it on in the middle of the "third" episode. I listened to about five minutes and realized, "oh, shit, he put a western in space." Then I turned it off.
Before you unfriend me, please read the rest of the review.
I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I even saw the movie, in the theater, but I couldn't get into Angel and, since I'm telling the whole truth here,...more
The essays in this book cover a wide variety of approaches, some thoughtful, some silly, and even some that are contentious.
This "something for everyone" approach is likely intentional, but I did wonder at the inclusion of a few of the essays, especially at one that even Jane Espenson (the editor) admitted made her angry.
While it is interesting to read different viewpoints, as a fan of the show, I found it frustrating to read the more critical essays. Not because they dared to criticize a Joss...more
This "something for everyone" approach is likely intentional, but I did wonder at the inclusion of a few of the essays, especially at one that even Jane Espenson (the editor) admitted made her angry.
While it is interesting to read different viewpoints, as a fan of the show, I found it frustrating to read the more critical essays. Not because they dared to criticize a Joss...more
Well, this was eclectic.
I have learned not to expect too much from these sorts of books, they are increasingly common and it seems that as they become so, the quality lowers. Some of the essays in this book were truly brilliant, like Mercedes Lackey's, or very interesting, the one on the Chinese languages, while others were entirely pointless attempts at humor. Also, most struck me as slightly unprofessional, intersperse with personal commentary or off-the-point jokes. Still, a good fun read.
I have learned not to expect too much from these sorts of books, they are increasingly common and it seems that as they become so, the quality lowers. Some of the essays in this book were truly brilliant, like Mercedes Lackey's, or very interesting, the one on the Chinese languages, while others were entirely pointless attempts at humor. Also, most struck me as slightly unprofessional, intersperse with personal commentary or off-the-point jokes. Still, a good fun read.
Nov 21, 2012
Trish
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Firefly & Joss Whedon fans
Recommended to Trish by:
I'm a fan
I tend not to buy fan books of any kind but I made an exception with this one. I had just finished listening to Jane Espenson's keynote address at the Surrey International Writers Conference. She's a great speaker and after participating in a boisterous "So say we all" with hundreds of attendees, I just couldn't resist buying this one. I am glad I did.
Although this book was published before the movie was released, it is still a fun and insightful trip down memory lane for the fans of the Firefly...more
Although this book was published before the movie was released, it is still a fun and insightful trip down memory lane for the fans of the Firefly...more
One of the things about punk rock that I like the best is the general belief that being "fans" isn't enough, or even the antithesis of how one should be punk (or live in the world). Beyond just DIY, the anti-fan ideology tells us we are participants. Given this background, I refuse to let people call my zine a "fanzine" or to reduce myself to a punk rock "fan" as so many columnists for the big punk mags seem to wind up as.
I am a fan, however, of Firefly, probably the best TV show ever created. I...more
I am a fan, however, of Firefly, probably the best TV show ever created. I...more
The Book Report: Twenty-one essays on Firefly and its underlying assumptions, pre-Serenity-the-movie, by a motley crew of writers, philosophers, actors, and bon vivants, edited by Whedonesque Goddess Jane Espenson, creatrix of the fine, fine episode "Shindig."
My Review: Unless you're already familiar with "Firefly," none of this will make one whit of sense. If you've drunk the Kool-Aid, it's a balm in this age to re-immerse yourself in the 'verse. So much richness and challenging freshness were...more
My Review: Unless you're already familiar with "Firefly," none of this will make one whit of sense. If you've drunk the Kool-Aid, it's a balm in this age to re-immerse yourself in the 'verse. So much richness and challenging freshness were...more
Firefly, the cowboys-in-space TV show that was cancelled before it could find its feet, has become a cult favorite among fans of science fiction on television. The series was followed up with a movie that tied up a few loose ends left by the show's cancellation, but ultimately, there's a feeling of what-might-have-been that surrounds the show (see Nathan "Captain Malcolm Reynolds" Fillion's recent much-hyped online comments about how he'd buy the rights and restart the show if he ever won the lo...more
A space western accented with Chinese culture and language and peopled with solid characters had a short-lived run on Fox networks in 2002, but it spawned a crazy loyal fan base of millions, that resulted in the concept being optioned for the big screen - watch for Serenity to debut September 30 at a theatre near you. This is truly an example of the Long Tail effect in action.
Whedon's following tends to be highly educated, and this collection of scholarly essays deconstructs the 13 episodes of F...more
Whedon's following tends to be highly educated, and this collection of scholarly essays deconstructs the 13 episodes of F...more
This book is a collection of essays about the Joss Whedon series Firefly. The essays range from being slightly weird (comparison's with Firefly and other sci-fi series) to the very academic (and somewhat over my head - existentialism?). They are written by people who are attached in some way to the series (one of the actors) or by people who are experts in some way in their field. All of them claim to be fans, and there are a few mentions of how awful it was that the series was cancelled. The di...more
There was little in this book that any astute viewer couldn't have come up with, though a few of the essays were interesting. A couple of them flat out contradicted each other (on facts, no less, which should have been fairly easy to corroborate) while others made arguments I thought were patently ridiculous: After three essays on how feminist and pro-women the show was, I found it a bit tedious to read a diatribe on how sexist it was forced to be as a Western. I'm about as feminist as they come...more
I wish I could give Finding Serenity a 2.5.
It's not that I didn't enjoy reading this book; it's just that there were far too many essays that I found boring, tedious, unnecessarily lengthy, and/or irritating to read. That sounds worse than I mean it to.
I almost gave it a 3 due to Jewel Staite's essay on her favorite moments of each episode. I wish there were more essays that--like her's and a handful of others--made me want to re-watch the series immediately. I think that should be the aim of a...more
It's not that I didn't enjoy reading this book; it's just that there were far too many essays that I found boring, tedious, unnecessarily lengthy, and/or irritating to read. That sounds worse than I mean it to.
I almost gave it a 3 due to Jewel Staite's essay on her favorite moments of each episode. I wish there were more essays that--like her's and a handful of others--made me want to re-watch the series immediately. I think that should be the aim of a...more
Dec 20, 2007
Clare Moss
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Camie, Erin, Brenda, anyone who loves Firefly
Shelves:
teevee-books
There is nothing I love better than critical examination of the books and television shows I love most. Book of essays about my favorite TV show ever? HAND IT OVER. It also has a Chinese glossary and a whack of stuff from Jewel Staite (Kaylee) talking about her favorite moments of each episode.
"You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they realy are. If there´s any kind of fiction better than that, I don't know what it is."
Joss Whedon
The book is made for Firefly fans, who'll love it. It discusses topics within the Firefly universe, everything from the relationships of characters to feminism to why it was cancelled.
Introduction
Jane Espenson
A good introduction from the editor and an interesting inside point-of-view for the show.
The Reward, the De...more
This was a quick, mostly enjoyable read, but 24 hours later kind of a forgettable one. I enjoyed 'Firefly', and was interested in seeing what people had to say. Sadly only essay took me in an unexpected direction and made me want to read Sartre for the first time in my life. And while I know the cancellation of the show has left a deep scar on many fans from which they may never recover, too many words in each essay were spent complaining about that, or summarising the plot of a favourite episod...more
So cool!!! A must-read for any fan of Firefly.
It's a collection from a surprising amount of familiar authors (to me) like Mercedes Lackey and Nancy Holder. Made a few of these authors go up on my awesome-list to know they're Firefly fans!!! Those two do write science-fiction though, so maybe it's not surprising to everyone.
A great portion of the essays are devoted to strong feministic topics, how Whedon is a hero in that area, and there's even one essay where someone says he completely screwed i...more
It's a collection from a surprising amount of familiar authors (to me) like Mercedes Lackey and Nancy Holder. Made a few of these authors go up on my awesome-list to know they're Firefly fans!!! Those two do write science-fiction though, so maybe it's not surprising to everyone.
A great portion of the essays are devoted to strong feministic topics, how Whedon is a hero in that area, and there's even one essay where someone says he completely screwed i...more
Maybe 3 is a bit too strong. 2 1/2 would be more like. I have the same problem that I have with all of these pop. cult books: some essays are fab, some are worth-reading, and many seem hastily thrown together or go on for far too long. And, I just don't care. I think this is the third one I read, so I might've liked it more had I read it before Simpsons and Philosophy and The John Hughes films one. As I didn't, I wanted to like it more than I did. Just makes me want to re-watch the shows. I'd ra...more
Like my partner, I think I was hoping for a little more from this. A great deal of time and space was spent rehashing plots, or railing against FOX. Neither was especially neccesary, or even particularly useful in the end; but I guess that may result from each author having no idea of what the others were writing. I would suggest that many SF shows get cancelled before their time, and that Firefly is in good company. Caprica is another example that springs to mind, and yet other shows will roll...more
I picked this book up for two reasons: the title, and the series. I am a Firefly fan. I didn't know the series existed until after the movie came out in 2005, but I picked up a copy of the box set and sat down to watch.
I promise not to rabid fangirl-out on everyone (this is about the book, not the series), but I loved it. I loved Firefly for the writing, the dialogue, the anti-heroes, and the humor. Every time I re-watch it, I forget just how funny it was, and I once again lament the fact that i...more
I promise not to rabid fangirl-out on everyone (this is about the book, not the series), but I loved it. I loved Firefly for the writing, the dialogue, the anti-heroes, and the humor. Every time I re-watch it, I forget just how funny it was, and I once again lament the fact that i...more
As a deep, deep fan of the short-lived but much beloved sci-fi western TV series, Firefly...I had been avidly seeking this book for some time. Any extra insight, extras and essays into the characters I love from a DVD collection I've already almost worn out in just a few months is appreciated. Especially so when it's sci-fi or fantasy writers whose works I like otherwise.
I'm not going to give a play-by-play on each chapter and topic, but I especially enjoyed the background ideas on the reavers...more
I'm not going to give a play-by-play on each chapter and topic, but I especially enjoyed the background ideas on the reavers...more
While I wouldn't say that Firefly is my favorite show, this collection of essays made me appreciate it more. I liked the different viewpoints of each essay. Some were philosophical, some were psychological and some were just plain humorous (my favorite was Mirror/Mirror discussing a swtich up between Firefly and Enterprise - very clever and true!). I don't remember which essay said it, but I liked how they said that every viewer brings their own subtext to any show based on their own life experi...more
21 people sharing their informed an surprisingly intelligent opinion on Firefly.
About half the essays in Finding Serenity are feminist drivel (a particular kind of drivel that Joss Whedon tends to attract), but even those are quite interesting to a Firefly fan such as myself: Every essayist contributes their own unique point of view; Everyone notices different things.
The other half are much less annoying, although some are completely wrong -- which ones depends on the reader, I guess. I read the...more
About half the essays in Finding Serenity are feminist drivel (a particular kind of drivel that Joss Whedon tends to attract), but even those are quite interesting to a Firefly fan such as myself: Every essayist contributes their own unique point of view; Everyone notices different things.
The other half are much less annoying, although some are completely wrong -- which ones depends on the reader, I guess. I read the...more
An interesting collections of essays as fellow fans and the show deconstruct Firefly's themes and characters. I found that I disagreed with several of these essays, although I found them interesting. Also, some were just flat out wrong because "Serenity" hadn't come out yet. I did enjoy the look into the Chinese words used in Firefly, complete with a full glossary of phrases used in each episode: hey if fans are willing to learn Klingon, why not learn to curse in Chinese?
I actually enjoyed this the most out of the three Whedonverse collections I read. I think it was the most balanced of the three. Several of the essays actually challenged my thinking and I can always appreciate that. I especially respect the inclusion of the "Chivalry" essay since it's not typical Joss worship, makes a very strong well-reasoned argument and is still very respectful of the show. I love Jane Espenson even more for admitting the essay made her angry and she included it, anyway.
Loved Firefly and Serenity (thanks Matt and Karen), and couldn't get enough of it, so I started listening to podcasts and picking up everything I could Serenity/Firefly related. This book has some great essays, but also has some boring ones, which is really too bad. One of the podcasts I listened to actually had better essays submitted from listeners than some of the essays from professionals found in this book.
I don't think I've ever read a book about a television series (wait, do Simpsons guides count?), okay an analytical book about a tv series... but a Whedon-fan housemate lent it to me and the book stared at me from my dresser. Some of the essays were genuinely interesting, typically those addressing the show's strengths such as characters and camerawork. Other essays were dumb, or trite, and at least one makes such outlandish claims (masquerading as a balance to the positive reviews) it sets the...more
I love Firefly, but this collection was all over the place and overall a waste of time. Funny pieces weren't funny. (I hate parody.) I thought the comparison to The Tick was random and, again, not funny. Scholarly essays were marginally interesting, but seemed out of place next to unfunny pieces and behind-the-scenes type essays.
When it comes to TV commentary, I like stuff like Tim Goodman's Spoiled Bastard. I like smart people pointing out themes and connections between episodes, character deve...more
When it comes to TV commentary, I like stuff like Tim Goodman's Spoiled Bastard. I like smart people pointing out themes and connections between episodes, character deve...more
I quite enjoyed reading this book. It was recommended to me by the person who first showed me Firefly, and while I was bad and read it sitting in the aisles of Barns & Noble, I did go back and buy it a month or two later.
Some of the essays hit topics I wasn't enthusiastic about myself, but I could see how fans of the other subjects that Firefly and it's colorful 'verse were being compared to would enjoy them.
There was only one essay I didn't like, and I felt was off base, the one by Nancy Ho...more
Some of the essays hit topics I wasn't enthusiastic about myself, but I could see how fans of the other subjects that Firefly and it's colorful 'verse were being compared to would enjoy them.
There was only one essay I didn't like, and I felt was off base, the one by Nancy Ho...more
Overall, I enjoyed the collection of essays. I do wish this had been published after the movie "Serenity" had come out, as there probably would have been more variety in the essay topics, as well as up-to-date speculation.
One of the things that irked me about this collection was the heavy-lean towards feminism. Honestly, I know Joss is all about the hard-core woman (Buffy), but the constant comparison of Buffy to Firefly was a bit much. How can people constantly compare these two shows using onl...more
One of the things that irked me about this collection was the heavy-lean towards feminism. Honestly, I know Joss is all about the hard-core woman (Buffy), but the constant comparison of Buffy to Firefly was a bit much. How can people constantly compare these two shows using onl...more
A fun read for any Firefly fan, including lots of detailed analysis of the themes of the show, lots of gushing about how great it was, numerous stabs at the Evil Fox Executives who pulled it off the air, and a couple of amusing parodies involving Enterprise and The Tick of all things. The book only gets bogged down when the writers start delving into gender politics. I guess that's unavoidable in any analysis of Whedon's material, but the second half of this book has four back-to-back essays on...more
As one might expect the essays range all over the place in terms of quality and approach and many of them fall a bit flat. Probably not worth paying full price for even if you are a serious Browncoat. But pick it up used or check it out of the library and read the ones that seem interesting? Sure. Just don't expect every one to be shiny.
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Jane Espenson is an American television writer and producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on Conversations with Dead People. Between 2009-2010 she served on Caprica, as co-executive and executive producer for the series. In 2010 she wrote an episode...more
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Apr 23, 2011 06:14pm
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