The Shepherd's Tale is a short graphic novel given much of the back story behind Shepherd Book, one of the characters from Firefly and Serenity. I enjoyed it greatly, but I am a fan. In truth it's a quick read, but it seems important back story for the series. I wish it could have been fleshed out in the original medium, though, rather than in book form.
An interesting device is the telling of the shepherd's story in reverse, starting at the Haven Mining Colony and working back through his life, linking formative incidents and events in a chain.
Recommended for fans. Those who don't know Firefly and Serenity need not bother until they do know them.
An interesting device is the telling of the shepherd's story in reverse, starting at the Haven Mining Colony and working back through his life, linking formative incidents and events in a chain.
Recommended for fans. Those who don't know Firefly and Serenity need not bother until they do know them.
Heh... "cult-hit" is right, I guess, if no one else has reviewed this or updated info before ME.
It always did make me curious, those small glimpses into the life of enigmatic Shepherd Book. (The episode he got shot in, and they had to allow the Alliance to treat him- and he had identification that got scanned and called 'sir.' Or the time in bar fights when he could just wham-bam dispatch an enemy without thinking.)
And then they tell it- in a deceptively simple set of flashbacks: starting right at the end of "Serenity" when he dies. *cries*
All I can say (without wrecking it) is that... if Mal only knew who he had on his ship... if only the show had survived for it to come out in little pieces and mess with the crew, it would have been high drama.
Worth picking up (I know, hardback is expensive) because it shows the Whedonistic [sic] brilliance the storyteller is capable of.
It always did make me curious, those small glimpses into the life of enigmatic Shepherd Book. (The episode he got shot in, and they had to allow the Alliance to treat him- and he had identification that got scanned and called 'sir.' Or the time in bar fights when he could just wham-bam dispatch an enemy without thinking.)
And then they tell it- in a deceptively simple set of flashbacks: starting right at the end of "Serenity" when he dies. *cries*
All I can say (without wrecking it) is that... if Mal only knew who he had on his ship... if only the show had survived for it to come out in little pieces and mess with the crew, it would have been high drama.
Worth picking up (I know, hardback is expensive) because it shows the Whedonistic [sic] brilliance the storyteller is capable of.
Finally fans of Joss Whedons Firefly are given some of the back history to character Shepherd Book. We learn what made the man who was so well train in arsenals and be a man of the cloth.
The artwork is probably the best thing about this volume of Serenity.
The background story was mediocre. I feel that Shepherds story could have been stretched out to more graphic novels and instead it loss something. It has the feeling of being chopped and no real connection or heart.
Since I was a fan of Firefly I know the characters and was of course interested in the back story that was not told in the show or movie. Anyone not a fan of Firefly, will probably have no interest in this third volume.
Even though I had some interest in Shepherd Books story this was less interesting than imagined. I had hoped for something more exciting.
The artwork is probably the best thing about this volume of Serenity.
The background story was mediocre. I feel that Shepherds story could have been stretched out to more graphic novels and instead it loss something. It has the feeling of being chopped and no real connection or heart.
Since I was a fan of Firefly I know the characters and was of course interested in the back story that was not told in the show or movie. Anyone not a fan of Firefly, will probably have no interest in this third volume.
Even though I had some interest in Shepherd Books story this was less interesting than imagined. I had hoped for something more exciting.
