Be great if there was a link as well.

Caroline | August 07, 16:41 CET

so, so sorry. the links up now and Im crawling away in shame

ladysorcha | August 07, 16:43 CET

No worries.

Hmm. Novelisations are hard to read. The other way around is so much easier.

Caroline | August 07, 16:58 CET

I know who Brian Bendis is, but does anyone know if any of the other names mentioned (McAvoy, Baker, etc.) are possible comics shout-outs?

jaynelovesvera | August 07, 17:11 CET

I like this - a good mix of what ended up on screen and what was in the original script and it ties it all in nicely. I'd always assumed that the book was a novelisation of the film Serenity, rather than the episode, Serenity. And I like the inclusion of a surname for Zoe.

Cider | August 07, 17:40 CET

....maybe I'm just missing something.

Did Zoë have a last name before? 'Cause I don't rightly recall seeing it, and Google don't pull up a thing on it. If not, is "Alleyne" from Joss et. al., or did Keith make it up out of whole cloth?

asim | August 07, 17:40 CET

Cider sez:

Looking at the link for the book, I'm pretty sure it's for the film. The writer likely used the scene from the pilot for much the same reason it was in the pilot; it frames Mal and Zoë's past, which is the engine for what they do and why they do it.

asim | August 07, 17:44 CET

Many sites showed Zoe's name as Zoe Warren prior to the film. Not sure where this originated from but I know that's how she was credited on IMDB. I don't think her last name or Wash's were ever actually mentioned on the series. In a recent interview Gina referred to her character as Zoe Washbourne. Alleyne obviously would be her maiden name and I'm sure it must have been at least run by Joss before publication.

Cider | August 07, 17:47 CET

I need this book.

gossi | August 07, 18:01 CET

Wow, that's great. I cannot wait for this to come out. Go krad, that first chapter is real shiny.

Serefina716 | August 07, 20:35 CET

I've been on the fence on whether to buy it but I liked this so will probably get it now when I can.

eddy | August 07, 22:12 CET

Question: Has it ever been stated by Joss whether or not these books (meaning the ones coming after the movie novelization) are to be considered canonical?

The One True b!X | August 07, 22:59 CET

Thanks everyone! The first chapter does indeed novelize the Battle of Serenity Valley by way of setting up the action and Mal and Zoe's history. The next two chapters set up River and Simon, including (among other things, he says avoiding spoilers) an expansion on the flashbacks from "Safe."

And Zoe's maiden name of "Alleyne" comes from the script, from a scene that, sadly, was cut from the film.

krad | August 07, 23:25 CET

Oh, and the names "Bendis," "Grin," and "Baker" were from the episode "Serenity." All the other names (aside from Mal and Zoe, obviously) were ones I made up, but the only one that was a shout-out of any kind was Kiri, which was for Kiri Evans, who helped me out with the pinyin transliterations of the Chinese.

krad | August 07, 23:28 CET

Hey there Keith, liked the extract, will be buying the book

Thanks for posting :)

Apocalypse | August 07, 23:36 CET

Thanks Keith! I'm definitely buying the book so I didn't read any of the excerpt because I want to read it all at once. Thanks for the insights!

Firefly Flanatic | August 07, 23:38 CET

Wow, that was really powerful stuff! I feel it captured the immediacy of the death and destruction all around Mal and Zoe and truly makes the reader feel for them, with wonderful little character insights like Mal's feelings regarding killing and committing murder.
I'm very pleased to see this whole segment covering Serenity Valley and Zoe's deleted scene recounting of its aftermath included, especially starting off the novelization! I'll admit, I was hesitant about purchasing this (sorry Keith) but after reading the excerpt this book is definitely high on my list now - along with Serenity issue #3, the "Official Visual Companion" and the soundtrack (which I really hope is also released in advance of the 30 September premiere) - did I miss anything else coming out soon?

gorramit | August 08, 00:27 CET

Krad, Nice job! I was ready to read the rest.

OK, so we get expanded background on the characters, but am I right to assume the rest of the book based on the movie?

newcj | August 08, 02:13 CET

newcj, yes, I'm pretty sure that's the plan. I've also been converted by reading the chapter. I've been disappointed by so many Whedonverse novels for their inability to get the characters' voices right (I remember one book where Oz was described as "babbling"), but this seems dead on to me. It also makes the tremendous change in Mal's outlook much more explicit than the series did... I liked the subtlety of the series but this description is powerful.

Going to Amazon now to preorder...

gingeriffic | August 08, 02:23 CET

The first chapter, which is excerpted, is "First Prelude: The War." The next two chapters are called "Second Prelude: The Academy," and sets up River and Simon, which is a combination of stuff from the movie and the TV show. After that is "The Story" which is the movie. *grin*

krad | August 08, 04:56 CET

Hey Keith, great job. Now I'm really anxious to read it. Already pre-ordered mine, hopefully it will arrive in time for my birthday.

Numfar PTB | August 08, 19:39 CET

Wow, I got chills reading this. (good ones)

Thanks for the fix, Keith! Can't wait for the rest.

m'cookies actual | August 08, 23:57 CET

Hey Keith!

While I love the dialogue of Firefly/Serenity, so much of what I enjoy goes beyond that--facial expressions, body language, looks, pacing of dialogue, etc. I know it's very hard to express in words all that "other stuff", and I was dubious about a novelization, but in this excerpt I think you've done an excellent job of capturing all the layers. Thumbs up!

I met you briefly at Comic-Con waiting to get into the Serenity panel, and you said something like "I'm a geek, but I get paid to be a professional geek." (Hope I didn't butcher that too badly). Well, this geek is very pleased the novelization is in your talented geeky hands! Can't wait to get an autographed copy.

ThereUR | August 09, 03:13 CET

I met you briefly at Comic-Con waiting to get into the Serenity panel, and you said something like "I'm a geek, but I get paid to be a professional geek." (Hope I didn't butcher that too badly).

Well, that certainly sounds like something I'd say.......

;)

krad | August 09, 17:17 CET