Shepherd's Tale discussion (for them that's read it only)

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Friday, May 27, 2011 04:31
VIEWED: 34214
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BYTEMITE

Sunday, March 13, 2011 2:59 AM

If they eye didn't just transmit, but also recorded, then Book's entire life could be documented, and plot points revealed to whoever's hands it falls into. I suspect we haven't seen the last of this, or even of Book's presence in the plot (even if it's only in an indirect way). :)

Apparently the crew didn't lash Book to Serenity's nose, so I can only assume they had enough to bury. They might have carried both Book and Wash to where the operative had Serenity towed to for repairs, and I can imagine the Alliance preparing the bodies, and in Book's case, maybe doing an autopsy. or the Alliance could have found out just who they killed on Haven from the crew's account and hightailed it back to Haven before the crew could show up for the burial. Or they dug up the grave after the crew left.

But it really is too good a plot point to leave alone.

RIONAEIRE

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 4:08 AM

I didn't read it but I got a good summary from Byte. It sounded fine.

I'm a "we live and we die by time" person so continuity errors irritate me most of the time. The reason I don't mind them here is because it means that since the "cannon" is flawed/uncertain on little points I can basically expand that and since cannon isn't stable I can accept whatever I want as cannon, within reason. I can reject the BDM, except for the few points that interested me, very few I might add, and I can just enjoy the verse in many incarnations, if you read fanfic you'll see that there are so many ways to portray the verse, some that I like and some that I don't read. Either way, I like the idea that Firefly can be what we make of it. I believe that Firefly has grown beyond what it would have been because there are so many things that were unanswered so we all grew our own ideas, then to be pigeon holed by new "cannon" can feel disruptive to the creativity of fans.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

BYTEMITE

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 4:54 AM

Heh, for me it's a challenge. I love trying to anticipate the new canon, and in a few cases I've actually been right. I've gotten a few things wrong, but I've been lucky enough that I left lots of those alone so I could easily alter my plans and slip it in without contradicting myself.

I'm a stickler for canon, though there's some cases where I honestly would abandon ship and go AU myself. Nothing that's happened yet could do that, so you can see how it would have to be pretty major.

But even if it goes a way I don't like, I'll still think fondly on Firefly. :) That's why I'm totally okay if we have new stuff, because the possibility for awesomeness outweighs whatever bad might come of it. I can make Firefly into whatever I want. :)

ZEEK

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 2:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GWEK:
Quote:
Originally posted by Ferrex:
Must find Float Out...

I enjoyed The Shepherd's Tale because it was part of the big bad 'verse. I truly enjoy what Joss created.
That being said, I did not enjoy The Shepherd's Tale because it was part of the big bad 'verse.
It was pointed out that the comic didn't match the canon of the series as shown in the "Safe" episode. The evidence shown in that episode shows Book as someone in extremely good standing with the Alliance. I don't think there's any argument on this.
Now, I could be wrong, but a government (especially its military) is not going to afford any kind of protection, or assitance, to someone who they will summarily jettison from a spaceship for a debacle like the one depicted in The Shepherd's Tale. They will certainly not treat him like an honored guest.
The events depicted in "Safe" and in the comic just don't jive as they are presented. Yes, it's possible that there is another explanation, but we are not offered that. We can suppose all we like, but we have no evidence of a forged Ident card (in Safe) or a cover up, or any other type of explanation. It's just disjointed.
Personally, I feel that Book deserved better than what he was given in this comic/graphic novel. He was such an epic character in the TV show and was treated like so much in the BDM, the comic book treatment of him was just The comic simply failed.
The treatment of Mal in the comic was laughable as well, I thought, but I won't get into that.

Been a while since I've read THE SHEPHERD'S TALE, but I don't think there's an actual continuity problem with SAFE (although the point is written poorly enough that I can see how many folk might think that).

Before the battle that Book "botches," he's an Alliance hero, yes? With a good reputation. Heck, this is a guy who could single-handedly change the course of the war, right? So he's got to be a bit of a Big Damn Hero for the Alliance.

Then he screws things up, AND THE ALLIANCE SWEEPS HIM UNDER THE CARPET. They just make him disappear. Most people won't know what happened to him.

Now, we've got the dude who's brother died because of Book, right? Sure, HE knows the truth, but is it because it was public record, or just because he dug a little deeper and knows the truth that most people--even Alliance military--don't?

Which might explain why he's such a nasty guy. He KNOWS Book is a scum-bag, but he's living in a society where Book "died" (more accurately, disappeared) as a hero. That's got to really irk a guy:

"Hey, you know Book?"
"That old war hero who disappeared?"
"He's responsible for the death of my brother!"
"That doesn't sound like the Book *I* know!"
"Grrrr!"

Now, skip ahead SAFE. They read Books Ident-card, and they're like "Holy cats! You know that war hero that disappears and everyone thinks is dead?!? He's NOT dead! He's right here on our ship! CRIKEY!"

I don't know if there's anything in SHEPHERD'S TALE that conflicts with that, but that's my interpretation.

www.stillflying.net: "Here's how it might have been..."

That's the interpretation I take away from it. I thought there was a panel where Book's superior basically tells him that they don't want to be embarrassed by the blunder so they're sweeping it under the rug. Basically making Book disappear so that his legend can live on.

Think Harvey Dent in the Dark Knight. Rather than tell everyone what really happened they want to keep his hero legend unblemished.

That's what we see when he shows up in Safe. The captain is amazed that this legendary hero is alive and in his presence. That explains his reaction IMO.

PIRATENEWS

Sunday, May 22, 2011 4:01 AM

Great story, great twists to the plot. Didn't expect Book to be a Browncoat sabateur who infiltrated the Alliance. Excellent bodycount!

Too bad the art wasn't the same spec as Heavy Metal, Dark Horse BTVS nor FFF. But the story is what counts.

Very subversive...Christianity to deprogram a psychopath.

Quote:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may no so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
-Shepherd Book, a/k/ Henry Evans

BROWNCOAT1

Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:32 PM

Great book! Lots of twists I did not see coming and Book was so much more than anyone thought he would turn out to be. Gives me a lot of new respect for the character and the depth that Joss plotted out the story.

Just sad we can't get more like this on a more regular basis.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

X.O. / Battalion O.I.C.

http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

http://76thbattalion.proboards.com

CLANCYDOG

Friday, May 27, 2011 4:27 AM

The comic was okay but I can't help thinking what a truly awesome episode of Firefly it might have been. It hurts. I can only imagine how Joss feels.

CLANCYDOG

Friday, May 27, 2011 4:31 AM

The comic was okay but I can't stop thinking what a truly awesome episode of Firefly it might have been. "It might have been" seems to be our mantra round here sadly.

clancydog

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