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Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale Hardcover – November 16, 2010

by Zack Whedon (Author), Joss Whedon (Author), Chris Samnee (Artist),

4.4 915 ratings

Part of: Serenity

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One of Serenity's greatest mysteries is finally revealed in The Shepherd's Tale, filling in the life of one of the show's most beloved characters - Shepherd Book! Who was Book before meeting Mal and the rest of the Serenity crew, how did he become one of their most trusted allies, and how did he find God in a bowl of soup? Answers to these and more questions about Book's past are uncovered in this original hardcover graphic novel by rising stars Zack Whedon (Dr. Horrible, Terminator, Fringe) and Chris Samnee (Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps, Daredevil) . A pivotal chapter in the ongoing Serenity saga, The Shepherd's Tale is also a rollicking, action-packed epic in its own right.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dark Horse Books (November 16, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 56 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1595825614
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1595825612
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.88 x 0.38 x 10.47 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #281,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #432 in Dark Horse Comics & Graphic Novels
- #1,104 in Media Tie-In Graphic Novels
- #1,168 in Science Fiction Graphic Novels (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 915 ratings

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Zachary Adam "Zack" Whedon (born August 14, 1979) is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.

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915 global ratings

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Customers praise the story as good and interesting. They appreciate the artwork and writing style. Readers enjoy learning about the character Shepherd Book, describing him as interesting and true to Ron Glass's portrayal in Firefly and Serenity. However, some feel the book is too short and disjointed.

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Story quality Art quality Writing quality Character development Length Pacing

170 customers mention "Story quality"130 positive40 negative

Customers find the story engaging and well-written. They appreciate the interesting plot device of flashbacks that chronicles Shepherd's life backwards. The artwork is good, and the journey is compelling. Readers find some of the twists surprising and interesting, making it a must-read for Firefly fans.

"...Enough questions are answered here alone to make this worth it, especially as we finally get a true look at the history of the man known as Shepherd..." Read more

"This was by FAR the best of the post-movie stories! It was as pure and fascinating and human as the series...." Read more

"...Honestly, this one is still interesting, and the production values are high, but it was a bit of a let down for me. *..." Read more

"...I found this comic to be well and interestingly written, and it does answer the questions we were left with about Book...." Read more

71 customers mention "Art quality"51 positive20 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork and hardcover book. They find the illustrations good, different from the first two volumes. The simple inks and colors convey realism, and the graphic novel format is acceptable. Readers consider it an ideal introduction to graphic novels.

"...of action, humor and adventure to go around, and the artwork is consistently stupendous...." Read more

"...The author used as many words and images as needed to tell the tale. This story is made to be experienced in a series of powerful moments...." Read more

"...The second half just didn't cut it for me. The art was mediocre, the story was tangled (not Memento cool tangled) and questions were not answered...." Read more

"...No, I will not reveal it to you here. The artwork was very good, different than the first two volumes...." Read more

63 customers mention "Writing quality"47 positive16 negative

Customers find the writing quality good. They appreciate the well-told story with meaningful content for thoughtful readers to consider. The story is told as a series of flashbacks, which can be disjointed at times. However, the book keeps you guessing throughout using witty dialogue and surprising actions.

"...tidbits that help flesh out the Firefly universe, and shed light on secrets that the film did not, are not the only appeal of this volume...." Read more

"...It was as pure and fascinating and human as the series...." Read more

"...The backward-in-time structure makes perfect sense, thanks to lead-in comments by Book about the roots of any story...." Read more

"It's a bit short and rushed and it jumps around in time quite a bit, but for those who were dying to know what Book's background was, here it is...." Read more

32 customers mention "Character development"24 positive8 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They love the character and find it interesting to learn more about him. The book provides insights into Shepherd's character, with an interesting tie-in to his brief role in the Serenity film.

"...immerse you in the story, atmosphere, and most importantly, the beloved character, plucked straight from the screen and dropped into the middle of..." Read more

"...It was as pure and fascinating and human as the series...." Read more

"...Sure, the story fills in a few character blanks, but that could have been addressed in an outline. Oh wait, it was by co-author Joss Whedon...." Read more

"...style, this saddles Book with serious baggage and makes the character more interesting...." Read more

45 customers mention "Length"10 positive35 negative

Customers find the book too short and unsatisfying. They also mention it's small and not as thick as expected.

"...When I got it (earlier today) I was bummed by the small size, but not heartbroken. The first half or so was amazing, and everything I had hoped for...." Read more

"...I definitely agree that it was waaaay too short, especially for the amount and years of anticipation, for how much they built up the mystery of his..." Read more

"...It was also disappointing that it was so short." Read more

"...I did appreciate the hardcover and larger format, but that's about it. Two-and-a-half stars." Read more

28 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive28 negative

Customers find the pacing slow and the story disjointed. They say the plot is thin and weak, with many inconsistencies. The quality gradually decreases as the story chronology progresses.

"...It does raise a few inconsistencies with the show, mainly regarding the events of Safe, but that is to be expected with the manner in which the..." Read more

"...The story begins well enough, but the quality eventually regresses as the story chronology does...." Read more

"...If you read this story in chronological order, it is weak. What this needed was more story. I would have preferred at least an hour-long read...." Read more

"...This wasn't entertaining, on top of not feeling anything like Firefly..." Read more

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Wordsmith
Gorram Good Time!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2016
Verified Purchase

If you are a fan of Firefly/Serenity and can't get enough (like me) then you must check out these graphic novels. Enough questions are answered here alone to make this worth it, especially as we finally get a true look at the history of the man known as Shepherd Book. Without giving anything away I will say that his back story will not disappoint, even if it leaves us begging for more.
The tantalizing tidbits that help flesh out the Firefly universe, and shed light on secrets that the film did not, are not the only appeal of this volume. There is plenty of action, humor and adventure to go around, and the artwork is consistently stupendous. These elements work together to really pull you in and fully immerse you in the story, atmosphere, and most importantly, the beloved character, plucked straight from the screen and dropped into the middle of these rousing tales.
As a fan, I hated approaching the end of each volume, as I knew it was one less Firefly episode to experience for the first time. And yet, I could not put this one down until I had finished it. It's that good.

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Luxi Turna
As good as the best episodes in the series! Deserves SIX stars!
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2012
Verified Purchase
This was by FAR the best of the post-movie stories! It was as pure and fascinating and human as the series. It's like the best of ST:TNG, the kind of story Roddenberry liked to tell before he died and Berman flew the Enterprise into the ground. That's because The Shepherd's Tale is electrically-charged with ethical ambiguity, and the fact that there is no definable evaluation function for "Is act x good, or is it evil?"

Interestingly, this story really couldn't be effectively told in any BUT reverse-time order. It was amazing how Whedon makes you love Shephard, then hate him, then love him, then hate him, over and over. It was truly outstanding. (And BTW, I confess I was wrong about Shepherd Book having been one of the "operatives" like the black guys in the last episode and the movie!)

One thing about it makes me sad though: it's the very last Whedon-created Firefly story that will ever exist, EVER. If I were Bill Gates, I'd buy out the actors' contracts, pay off the shows they're currently in, recreate the set, and guarantee a minimum profit for seven years to the network that creates it again.

If you dearly miss the show, you MUST read this book! It does deserve to be the only Firefly comic in hardcover.

...And always remember:

There IS no "good".
There IS no "evil".
There is only FLESH.

...especially "flesh"!

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Reasonable Reviewer
Stylistic story that teases, but does not resolve
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
I am a Firefly/Serenity fan. I generally like the Whedon-verse.

One of the most intriguing characters in the Firefly series was Book, the religious figure.

Given some of the actions that occurred in the Firefly series, you would have imagined that Book was a high placed intelligence agent for the Parliament.

Not the case according to this book.

Before getting to spoilers, let me give a quick, less revealing review.

The Shepherd's Tale is done as a reverse time story. It starts in the presence with the end of Book and flows to the first independent actions he took as a boy.

I loved the first two volumes. Honestly, this one is still interesting, and the production values are high, but it was a bit of a let down for me.

*beware spoilers follow*

My biggest disappointment was that none of the introduced plot lines converged or resolved.

Book started life as an abused, sensitive boy with a mean caretaker, male figure.

Over the course of the next few decades, he murdered someone and took his identity (the original Book), worked for the Browncoats as a cyborg spy, joined the Alliance, led an Alliance task force, was relieved as a disgraced commander, and eventually went to a seminary and became a shepherd.

In the end, I'm not sure which views were supposed to be the "real Book."

If Book continued to work for the Browncoats and purposely got all of those Alliance soldiers killed then the scene with Book being cared for by the Alliance in the episode from Firefly doesn't make a lot of sense. There is an attempt to do a plot fix in the graphic novel saying essentially that the Alliance just lets failures go.

This doesn't fit with the rest of the mythology though.

If you are a hard core fan then this book rounds out your collection.

If you are just curious about Book then I don't recommend it.

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Perceptive Reader
Back-story. Book-story.
Reviewed in India on March 6, 2020
Verified Purchase

Book's story was not completed here. But, in a sense, it would never be. Like all the memories of Firefly that twinkle, vanish, and yet refuses to go away, Book persists with his words, action, humour, pathos, enigmatic presence.
Poignant, sharp, non-linear, jarring...
Unforgettable!
If you are a browncoat, I suggest you get hold of this book. This is essential read. And the art is awesome, as usual.
Highly recommended, goes without saying.

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Rahv
Revelación
Reviewed in Mexico on February 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
excelente historia que complemente a la perfección la serie de tv y la pelicula. Cuidado, pues contiene revelaciones de la trama y del personaje que podrían arruinar el misterio de la serie

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AM
Love Firefly and Serenity
Reviewed in Germany on September 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
what a nice story - I love this series - I totally recommend it if you havent checked it out yet. While this book about "book" isn't as exciting and the anticipation, it is still nice to have.

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Cèlia T. E.
Bonita Historia.
Reviewed in Spain on October 15, 2015
Verified Purchase
Este cómic es un buen añadido para darle más profundidad a la serie de TV. ¡Si eres fan de Firefly recomiendo comprarlo! Si en inglés no es mucho impedimento claro.

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motleyalice
I loved the way that this graphic novel peels back the ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
I spent every episode of 'Firefly' wondering who Shepherd Book really was; he obviously had skills beyond those expected of a preacher. I loved the way that this graphic novel peels back the layers to show not only how he found God in a bowl of soup, but how he gained all those skills we catch glimpses of, how he came to have the I.D. that gained top class medical treatment from the Alliance.
To go with the well constructed storyline, this novel offers some excellent art-work that is worth taking your time over. Although it takes us back in time to reveal how Book came to be, it stays true to the characters created by Whedon.
A thoroughly excellent read that I would recommend to anyone.

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Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale Hardcover – November 16, 2010

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Good for back story, not impressive otherwise

Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars Gorram Good Time!

5.0 out of 5 stars As good as the best episodes in the series! Deserves SIX stars!

4.0 out of 5 stars Stylistic story that teases, but does not resolve

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Back-story. Book-story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Revelación

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Firefly and Serenity

3.0 out of 5 stars Bonita Historia.

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved the way that this graphic novel peels back the ...

Gorram Good Time!

As good as the best episodes in the series! Deserves SIX stars!

Stylistic story that teases, but does not resolve

Back-story. Book-story.

Revelación

Love Firefly and Serenity

Bonita Historia.

I loved the way that this graphic novel peels back the ...