Shepherd Book. I really hate that he's dead.

Even more than Wash actually. He was a truly unique character and Ron Glass' portrayal was a thing of beauty. I am, somewhat, satisfied with his backstory but wouldn't it have been great to see that unfold over many seasons?

Or, do you think, had the show continued, he would've died as he did in the BDM?

Tricky. It's hard to say. Would Joss have wanted to explore Book's backstory or would that be a Jossian twist to off one of the characters with the most secrets before we knew about any of them?

Ultimately, I think Book's character is about the impact that he has on the other characters. That doesn't necessarily stop if he's dead. Plus there's an incriminating recording device out there that could come into play.

Bytemite wrote:

Ultimately, I think Book's character is about the impact that he has on the other characters. That doesn't necessarily stop if he's dead. Plus there's an incriminating recording device out there that could come into play.

What incriminating recording device? I'm embarrassed about my lapse in Firefly memory.

It was in the comic book that the Whedon's put out about Book. He has a visual recording device implanted on him.

Oh! I forgot all about that! Sadly, I tend to skim stuff if Inara isn't involved. I need to stop that.

you can take the Boyd out of the Book but you can't take the Book from the Boyd.
Just saying.

also; i love Ron Glass and i feel a real gap where his character should be.

also also; much as i liked the Shepherd Comic, i didn't exactly buy into the retcon it suggests. I find the comics generally offer a lot - but (apart from Those Left Behind) only as much as any good fan fic.

Whedon's name doesn't count for much with me when it comes to comics these days. I hated Buffy Season 8, never believed that he had real input into the Angel ones and now the Whedon doing Serenity is not actually Joss but Zack. (Family, huh. figures.)

Maybe i just miss Tim.

Can anyone rec a good Book fic?? He really was a fave character for me in the show - and one i never dealt with very well in my scribblings, alas.

I've never come across any meaningful Book Fics. Of course that's cause I usually stick to Mal/Inara shippy stuff. I did enjoy his comic more than the others. Would have loved to see Ron Glass get all dark and dangerous!

Charlie wrote:I did enjoy his comic more than the others. Would have loved to see Ron Glass get all dark and dangerous!

Yeah it was a good one. And yes, i second the seeing Ron go places wishfulness. That famous 'confession' scene with Inara in the pilot episode still fascinates and troubles me (that Book is so troubled). And still hints at sides to Inara (and her role on the boat) that the show never took up.

My favorite fanfic in which Book figures strongly is Blue Sun Job by Guildsister. Book is awesome in that fic, and has a major role, alongside Mal and Zoe. I've taken my cue from Guildsister in my portrayal of Book in that I tend to use him to challenge Mal, to cause Mal to re-think his assumptions and reconsider his beliefs. Book calls Mal out on his blustering. Since my fics are set post-BDM, this has been somewhat of a challenge, but I've managed to give Book a really good scene every story or three.

ebfiddler987 wrote:My favorite fanfic in which Book figures strongly is Blue Sun Job by Guildsister.

...Since my fics are set post-BDM, this has been somewhat of a challenge, but I've managed to give Book a really good scene every story or three.

ooh where are these archived/posted?

You can find them at Fireflyfans.net or Fanfiction.net

ebfiddler987 wrote:You can find them at Fireflyfans.net or Fanfiction.net

many thanks

and, of course, i must add, "Oh bolloks" coz now i have a quick Book fic idea a-nagging at my noggin.

I wish I had vidding skills because I would have loved to create a Book vid set to the Barney Miller theme.

wytchcroft wrote:you can take the Boyd out of the Book but you can't take the Book from the Boyd.
Just saying.

Yeah, I think Joss harvested a lot of ideas from Firefly for Dollhouse too. Some of the parallels are impossible to ignore.

Joss said that Book and... I forget the other character (inara?) were the only people on Serenity who don't have a secret agenda or they aren't running from something.

But how many of us believe that? Any hands? Was Book up to something sinister and it'll come back to bite them?

Bytemite wrote:Joss said that Book and... I forget the other character (inara?) were the only people on Serenity who don't have a secret agenda or they aren't running from something.

But how many of us believe that? Any hands? Was Book up to something sinister and it'll come back to bite them?

Well the full quote (i believe) was that they were running to something. As for Book i've completely changed my view of him over the years; pretty much saw him as an Operative of some sort for a long time but not any more. i still haven't figured him out yet but he offers Mal something hard to define.
I used to imagine him finding Haven c/o River - as Book becomes convinced that she's a nexus when he reads his re-arranged Bible. I know that scene is played for laughs - but it screams of foreshadowing. Anyhow, Books goes Divination bonkers was pretty much where i left him. Um, yeah. Sorry about that Ron!
Like i said, i regret not doing him greater justice, something i hope to correct in future.

Fate?

River is a symbol of fate herself, especially when she sees bits and pieces of the futures of some characters, which then comes across as inevitable.

So, yeah, maybe Book while at Haven for that year or so does start developing into God's plan and all that.

Bytemite wrote:Fate?

River is a symbol of fate herself, especially when she sees bits and pieces of the futures of some characters, which then comes across as inevitable.

So, yeah, maybe Book while at Haven for that year or so does start developing into God's plan and all that.

yep, strikes my imagination still; hard to avoid BSG type scenarios though nowadays, compared to back then.

I haven't seen BSG.

I kind of suspect that Joss scavenged a lot of ideas he was going to use for Firefly in Dollhouse. It's too bad we didn't get to see them where he had always intended.

Bytemite wrote:I haven't seen BSG.

I kind of suspect that Joss scavenged a lot of ideas he was going to use for Firefly in Dollhouse. It's too bad we didn't get to see them where he had always intended.

definitely; plus you can factor in; fan service, in-joking and cancellationwhat-does-it-matter now stuff
but it does actually fit quite well. Though the body swap thing is too on the nose for firefly, the idea of upgrades, memory hi-jacking and multiples and dubious corporate tech. sure.
And Bennett's life, issues and personality can help explain certain aspects of River.

i'm not much for crossovers but it's interesting for example to compare The Attic with OiS.
and Felicia Day/mini-Echo's 's Epitaph team were deliberately all in brown it seemed.

When Ballard was doing pushups that one time while Echo was on an engagement and Ballard was having to monitor it, I was pretty sure that would have been something that happened with Mal and Inara at some point. Only Echo and Ballard made it super creepy.

And I also see parallels with that whole Dollhouse electronic remote wipe and reaverization thing. I suspect the last season or so of Firefly might have moved into post-apocalyptic territory. I'm not sure if they would have just used a different version of Pax, but if it was an electronic pacification weapon, I've got a really strong candidate in mind for how and what that the series itself seems to suggest.

Lips are sealed though, that's more spoilers for my own stories.

Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder if Dollhouse wasn't almost a teasing creator or spite adaptation of relationships he never got to write in Firefly?

Like how Victor and Sierra have a happily ever after when we all expect Simon and Kaylee won't? And throwing Mal/Inara vibes into more Mal/Riverish Echo and Ballard?

it's all plausible; especially with Tim onboard too.
sorry, *vague air of distraction* - no good; i'll have to rewatch some DH to remind myself.

but one thing; Echo specifically says "Don't use that word" when someone says "we're a family". Boyd says "I love you guys" and "We're family". this dark inversion of the usual 'dysfunctional misfits make a home, find a family' does make me afraid for our BDH's if Firefly had been given time and additional seasons.

wytchcroft wrote:

Bytemite wrote:Joss said that Book and... I forget the other character (inara?) were the only people on Serenity who don't have a secret agenda or they aren't running from something.

But how many of us believe that? Any hands? Was Book up to something sinister and it'll come back to bite them?

Well the full quote (i believe) was that they were running to something. As for Book i've completely changed my view of him over the years; pretty much saw him as an Operative of some sort for a long time but not any more. i still haven't figured him out yet but he offers Mal something hard to define.

So...getting this thread back to the subject of Book...
Is there a way to make full use of Book in post-BDM fic, or do you really have to go pre-BDM or AU in order to have Book be a full-fledged character in your fic?
Personally, I *love* having Book challenge Mal in my fic. I've set mine post-BDM, but I manage to get Book in for a scene every few stories, using dreams, flashbacks, etc., mainly for the purpose of giving Mal a bit of a kick in the pants about his assumptions or prejudices. But I miss not having Book around on a more day-to-day basis, to interact with the other characters. Particularly, I would like to write more Book / Jayne scenes, and Book / River would be lots of fun, too. I can also see some possibilities for Book / Inara. And I'd like to write some action scenes for Book, too. What is to be done?