Serenity

This book integrates the back story from the series with the action packed script of the movie. It can easily standalone and be a great gift for the sci fan in your life.

Awesome movie! This movie became my favorite movie of all time within the first 10 minutes of watching. I do recommend you see the TV show "Firefly" before you watch this movie, because you will like it even more and it will all make a lot more sense. P.S. Summer Glau is amazing!

... but I was already spoiled (by choice) due to excitement. After reading the novel, I sent an email to Mr. DeCandido telling him that I loved this book. I could easily picture the settings and the characters. The flow was excellent, and I couldn't have asked for a better adaptation of a highly anticipated film!

Having seen the movie in previews, I strongly urge folks to see the movie cold -- DO NOT READ THIS BOOK FIRST. There are a number of moments you do not want to be spoiled for. After you see the movie, tho, read this book. For those readers who have never heard of Firefly or Serenity, this is the novel of a movie that should not exist. Firefly started as a TV series (now in DVDs). It was cancelled in its first season. Hollywood does not make movies from failed TV shows. Until now. Serenity, the novel, stands alone. You can start here, knowing nothing else about the universe. DeCandido does more than just summarize the movie, he ties together elements from the TV series and the bridging comic book. Newcomers to the setting will understand a bit more about who these characters are, how and why they fit together, and the significance of the movie's events. Fans will appreciate a chance to hear internal monologues form the characters, including River and Jayne, and the backstory of some of the new characters. DeCandio adds in some material, likely from deleted scenes, which helps fill in a few of the gaps in the movie plot, including a few tidbits about Book. Among other tidbits, he gives the reader Book's first name and the full names of the characters who hadn't been fully named in the series. Read the book, but only after you see the movie.

If you have not seen the movie Serenity, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK YET. If you have seen the movie, read this book several times. Like the best novelizations, DeCandido's Serenity includes all the dialogue and action from the movie and then slides in the mustard; now we get to get inside the characters, see the motivations and histories, find out what River really thinks and what Jayne muses about when there's no one needs shootin' right off. Not that you'll find out all you'd like to, but there are a few more questions answered and some apparent inconsistencies smoothly explained. DeCandido clearly loves these characters and wears their voices well, and in this work he does exactly what Serenity fans want him to do: he makes the movie even better. And that's no small feat.