Firefly: A Celebration is a beautifully presented book. Collecting all three of Titan's previously released Firefly companions into one epic 544 page collection, this is a must-have for any fan of Joss Whedon's cult hit. Despite lasting only one season (although the big screen follow-up which was also written and directed by Whedon, Serenity, is an incredible sci-fi film) the show still has a very dedicated fan base, and so the fact that this comes with nine frameable portraits of the cast and a replica of a bank note featured in the show is an added bonus for devotees. Of course, a book such as this one usually comes with a hefty price tag, but the R.R.P. of $49.95 (US) and £34.99 (UK) is very, very reasonable. So, what do you get altogether?
Well, there is in fact so much content that it's near impossible to list it all here! For a start, the full and unedited scripts for each and every episode are included and they're accompanied by hundreds of stills, behind-the-scenes images, concept art, interviews and factoids. There are also numerous interviews with Joss Whedon and the cast and crew of Firefly, as well as in-depth features on the characters, costumes, weapons, locations and much, much more. The interviews with Whedon are particularly rewarding as he goes into great detail about every aspect of the show you could hope to learn more about. These aren't out of date Q&A's either, as they even see him looking back at the period when the show was cancelled and his plans for Serenity.
The third volume is even more interesting as it delves into the end of Firefly, even talking to the actors about how they felt about the series coming to an end so prematurely as well as taking us even further behind-the-scenes. The dedicate fanbase ("The Browncoats") are also covered, as is merchandise and the various fan films and conventions which have followed. Firefly: A Celebration even includes brand new short stories written by those involved with the series! So, what are the weak points of this collection? It's near impossible to find any in all honesty. Even if, like me, you're not THAT interested in reading the scripts, there's so much other content on offer that you can simply enjoy looking at the wealth of pictures in those parts of the book.
Superb. "A Celebration" really is the perfect title for this book as it delves into every single bit of the Firefly universe that you could hope. A must-have for fans and a truly essential purchase.
Titan's three bestselling Firefly titles collected together at last, just in time for the 10th anniversary of Joss Whedon’s beloved series. This huge, 544 page full colour volume is simply one of the most lavish books ever produced for a TV show, and is presented in a foil-stamped leather-effect binding, with bonus unseen photo prints of the cast and a facsimile banknote.