RE:

POSTED BY: Flame
UPDATED: Thursday, April 7, 2011 08:02
VIEWED: 9356
PAGE 1 of 2

1 2 NEXT PAGE

FLAME

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 2:32 PM

Just read this novella (104 pages) called "Badlands" by Seleste deLaney. It's not Firefly, but it sure is a lot like Firefly! "Ever" (River?) is a kickass native American warrior woman on a mission when she falls into the hands of "Captain Spencer Pierce" (Mal?) and his ragtag band of airship pirates -- which includes a black woman (now pilot since the first pilot died), a doctor, a mechanic, and a big burly gunman. Sound awful familiar?

Sure, it isn't *exactly* Firefly, but it's GOT to be Firefly inspired -- though it's categorized as steampunk romance. It's a good, fun read. Just thought I'd share.

~ Flame ~

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 2:58 PM

ohh I love me some steampunk. An links?

FLAME

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 3:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by THESOMNAMBULIST:
ohh I love me some steampunk. An links?

http://ebooks.carinapress.com/A84E463A-8B87-4678-8A59-BCC3D6D900AC/10/
134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=688F4AF3-7FBD-4D82-8438-A34BD335E74C

~ Flame ~

THEDARKWOLF

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 3:38 PM

That looks.... really rutin' cool, a steampunky variation of Firefly, I may need to check this out... thanks for the find and for the link Flame

STORYMARK

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 4:28 PM

Sounds interesting. Don't know about it being based off Firefly, it really seems to just use the same stock archetypes from Westerns that Firefly used, but didn't invent.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

TWO

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 7:12 PM

“With her tight, high breasts, she could fight naked if she had to. Crossbow flung over her shoulder, she dashed from the tent.”
Excerpt From Badlands by Seleste deLaney . . .

Quote:
The tent flap swished open and Ever shielded her eyes from the glare. Her second-in-command eased inside. "We're behind schedule, Catherine. Where have you been?"

Stripping out of the simple tunic and pants the border guards wore in the desert, the curvy brunette shrugged. "Jaye announced her engagement. It was all I could do to get the other women back to their tents to change." She raised a brow as she looked at Ever. "I'm surprised she gave the news without you there."

"Jaye knows I do not approve."

"Of men or marriage?"

Ever's fingers deftly slid buttons through the decorative loops on her jacket. "I have never discouraged the pursuit of sex. Without some release, we'd all go mad." She twisted her long hair up and pinned it. "Marriage is another matter entirely. A distraction."

Catherine's hand fell on her shoulder. "Queen Lavinia has brought us the closest thing to peace the Badlands has seen since the Union first began sending prisoners into exile. If any of us are to find happiness, now is the time."

"That you equate men with happiness proves you don't understand anything." She shrugged off Catherine's grip.

"Not all men who live here are criminals."

With one hand on the flap, Ever paused. "That is only because we do not provide them the opportunity." She stepped outside, hoping the brutal desert air would scour away some of her irritation.

For seven years, she'd patrolled the borders, capturing the men sent across the Mississippi—or killing them if necessary. She'd seen the true heart of evil. It made what Queen Lavinia and her predecessors created out of the harsh mountains and deserts all the more precious. Even the natives respected the Badlands and all it stood for: honor, loyalty, obedience, and above all the power of women. Ever would proudly give her life to protect the fragile peace of her homeland.

Divided loyalties had no place along the borders.

Ever paced outside the tents, waiting for her troops to gather. With a grimace, she tugged at her snug formal jacket. The uniform was ridiculous. She could barely move; this wasn't the attire of a Badlands warrior. Even with nothing beneath, it was too tight. At least these state dinners only came around once or twice a year.

Minutes ticked away as sweat began to dampen the fabric. She refused to give the women under her command any longer. It was time to go.

Ever opened her mouth to bellow the order when a shrill noise pierced the still air of the Painted Desert.

The siren.

Eyes wide, Ever yelled, "Weapons! Now!"

She ducked back into the tent. Catherine had already slid her knives into their sheaths and slung a rifle over her shoulder. "Drill?"

Ever shook her head. Queen Lavinia might have a strange sense of humor, but she would never sound a drill without announcing it to the senior officers.

"The prisoners then?"

"Perhaps."

Ever hated to consider the implications. The queen's southern fortress housed the worst of the criminals the United States sent over the border. If they'd truly escaped...

She could only hope some overzealous steward sounded the alarm due to an uprising inside the cells. But she had to assume otherwise. She tore off the jacket and strapped on her weapons belt. Instinct told her not to waste time with anything else—with her tight, high breasts, she could fight naked if she had to. Crossbow flung over her shoulder, she dashed from the tent.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

DREAMTROVE

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 7:47 PM

Everyone loves steampunk

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 11:02 PM

Thanks Flame!

TWO

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 11:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dreamtrove:
Everyone loves steampunk

“The idea of an America forever divided by Civil War was intriguing to me and along with the seriously cool cover art was what prompted me to request the galley for review. I assumed upon reading the summary that romance of some sort would enter into the story but even a few dozen pages into the book, it became evident to me that the romance was the prominent plot factor and the cool, post-Civil War storyline was mere background noise. . . . A bit less of the main characters staring at each other with longing and/or tortured expressions and a bit more background and descriptive text would have made me like the story a lot more.”

“The idea of Ever charging into battle topless is not a wholly unreal development. I’ve read books which feature warriors, male and female, who were made all the more fierce and deadly by their willingness to leap to the battle clad in naught but their skin. The fact that Ever remained topless for over a third of the rather short story took it a little far though, I think.” - http://writingaboutreading.com/2011/04/03/review-badlands-by-seleste-d
elaney/

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

TWO

Thursday, April 7, 2011 12:30 AM

Rather than read a trashy romance novel such as Badlands, better to read the subtitles on a good cartoon with realistic steampunk technology and alternative history. I recommend Wings of Honneamise. Recent review is here http://kunochan.com/?p=1856
A bittorrent copy with clean, sharp color is here http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://isohunt.com/torrent_
details/65763497/wings+of+honneamise?tab=summary

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

1 2 NEXT PAGE