Firefly: Big Damn Hero

Firefly, Book 1

By: James Lovegrove

Narrated by: James Anderson Foster

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

The first original novel tying into the critically acclaimed and much-missed Firefly series from creator Joss Whedon

The Battle of Serenity Valley was the turning point that led the Independents to their defeat at the hands of the Alliance. Yet the Browncoats had held the valley for weeks against all odds, before being ordered to lay down their arms. Command stated they refused to send in airpower because the ground war was "too hot". But the soldiers who were there insist that was not true....

While picking up a new cargo on Persephone, Captain Malcolm Reynolds is kidnapped by a bunch of embittered veteran Browncoats who suspect him of sabotaging the Independents during the war. As the rest of the crew struggle to locate him, Mal is placed on trial for his life, fighting compelling evidence that someone did indeed betray them to the Alliance all those years ago. As old comrades and old rivals crawl out of the woodwork, Mal must prove his innocence, but his captors are desperate and destitute, and will settle for nothing less than the culprit’s blood.

©2019 Firefly TM & Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved (P)2019 Blackstone Publishing

I heart Firefly

honestly, hearing this book narrated was like watching the show. I plan on buying any audio Firefly book I can. especially with the way it is read. the narrator was extremely animated and the story line was, as expected, perfect.

Highly enjoyable tale for fans of the 'Verse

The author did a fine job of capturing the flavor of the Firefly TV series, its unique patois that is 1/2 Old West and 1/2 Star Wars, with a few Chinese swear words thrown in. All the characters we know and love are here, including Reverend Book and Wash, so we know the timing of the story is before the Firefly movie. Each character gets a moment or two in the spotlight, although the only ones we learn anything significantly new about are Book and Mal. The rest are little more than cameos that reinforce their fantastically weird and funny individual personality quirks.

The plot is a straightforward thriller with things about to blow up, people about to get shot, betrayals and escapades laced liberally with humor and just the right touch of sentimentality. We do get to find out more about the Browncoats and Mal and Zoe's time with them. We find out how and why Mal joined the rebels and what has happened to some of the survivors in the years since the end of the war. I liked this extension of Mal's personal backstory; it fills in details not only about why Mal does the things he does, but also why the 'Verse is the way it is.

Of course, as soon as I finished this, I just wanted to go and watch the whole series all over again. I just realized there is another book in this series, I am going to download it immediately!

[I listened to this as an audio book performed by James Anderson Foster. He did a great job inhabiting the special lingo of the Firefly 'Verse, although the Chinese didn't quite sound right. He evoked Nathan Fillion's flippancy and Adam Baldwin's gruffness to a T, and after a few minutes I forgot I was listening to a book and was right there in the middle of the action. ]

Narrator nails all 9 voices

The only way the narration could have been better is if you had the actual actors voice this book. Outstanding narration that had this book playing in my mind as if I was watching season 2. And, this first book is free in Audible Plus. Shiny!

These books are for those who’ve watched the series. Sure, there’s some backstories and reminiscing done. But, true appreciation for Jayne’s bottom line, Inara’s companion resourcefulness, or River’s crazy killer vibe doesn’t come from just dippin your toe in the verse.

The best parts are when this merry band of misfits interact. The story in this particular book unfortunately has Malcolm Reynolds separated from his crew for nearly the whole book, not to mention multiple chapters where individual crew members are off on their own. But, all nine members are alive in this book (dating this before the movie Serenity where we lose a couple). The extra time with those to-be-lost characters was therefore all the more precious.

Four of the other five books currently out give great Firefly episodes, but every season/series has its stinker; for me, Book 3 (Ghost Machine) was disappointing, veering off into alternate reality territory in ways either boring or gory. I highly recommend the remaining books:
Book 2: Magnificent Nine - gets closest to the original series’ space western vibe.
Book 4: Generations - from space western to space pirates, the crew hunts treasure on a ghost ship
Book 5: Life Signs - the crew rallies to save Inara, bounty hunting and jail breaking on an ice planet
Book 6: Carnival - this one features a job gone wrong and all of the crew equally showcased

Just an overall enjoyable listen

Brings me back to the TV series. A job well done by both author and narrator. The perfect mix of detail and action, so you are never bored but brought right into the characters world.

Life in the Black

great addition to the Firefly universe. looking forward to more! very entertaining and faithful to the show.

A Browncoat Salute

So much fun to be with the crew of Serenity again. I think I'll read another.

Great book awesome Narration

The narrator sounds like Nathan Fillion when reading Mal's parts, it just made the story better.

Great to have more FIREFLY♡

I'm not sure whether it was fully the ability of the narrator or the fact that I've watched the episodes so many times, but I clearly heard THEIR voices as he read! Either way, I was very happy to be immersed once again into their existence. Great story, great narrator. Firefly fans won't be disappointed
That being said, I do wish that they would allow alternating members of the cast to narrate the books, that's the only improvement I'd suggest♡♡♡

True to the series

An enjoyable read and a good story that holds true to the firefly series. You can hear the characters especially Captain Mel coming through in this book

Sace Western

You you know the crew of their ship, Serenity. So on tp a new episode.
You won't put it down to hear the whole story.
All the best.