Review by C.J. Bunce
Oregon writer Rosiee Thor delivers her first novel of the Firefly ‘verse next week with Firefly: Aim to Misbehave (available for pre-order here at Amazon), the ninth spin-off, tie-in novel from Titan Books advancing the future of the franchise. Readers of the novels–and fans of the series–can look forward to another solid episode of the series, a plot that feels like something out of the third season of the original Star Trek. This tale isn’t a Western-based story like most of the books, and neither is it all that much science fiction, but more of a classic morality tale stemming from Captain Malcolm Reynolds’ latest job for the crew of the beloved Serenity from the one-season hit show twenty years ago.
I’ve reviewed all eight previous Firefly novels here at borg, Big Damn Hero reviewed here, The Magnificent Nine reviewed here, The Ghost Machine reviewed here, and Life Signs reviewed here–all by James Lovegrove–with the fourth by Tim Lebbon, Firefly: Generations reviewed here, followed by Una McCormack’s Firefly: Carnival (reviewed here), M.K. England’s What Makes Us Mighty (reviewed here), and from last year McCormack’s Coup de Grâce, reviewed here. Aim to Misbehave is the best new “lost episode” since Tim Lebbon’s book, from the later seasons of the show that never happened, with the franchise finally stretching beyond the events of the series.
I’ve noted in previous reviews that the books were in need of stakes, some real changes to the ‘verse and these characters, something that may only be possible once the stories move past the Serenity movie. The Titan Books editors were listening. Yes, fans are taken through yet another job, but this story is less about emulating something from Earth of the Past and more “getting on with it.”
This novel also has cover art (thanks to a new Natasha Mackenzie cover) to match the story–featuring Mal Reynolds and Shepherd Book. At last we get a story with a focus on Shepherd’s past, even learning a name (alias?) he used in his past life long before joining up with his religion and his ship.
A shipment of geese and their onboard antics is the recurring humor of this story, allowing an expansion of the use of River Tam, another big plus. Of course, Kaylee, Zoe, Wash, Simon, and Jayne are back, too, each one voiced by author Rosiee Thor with the same characterizations supplied by the original cast.
As with the other novels (and some episodes), the writer’s task of splitting up the characters in unlikely or clever or odd ways is handled well. The crew wind up on a moon called Brome, where Shepherd encounters a ghost from his past. Simon must go off with Inara pretending to be married, to infiltrate a Governess who may be holding some locals hostage. And Jayne must keep his eyes on the client.
The story taps into the vibe of the narrative in the Star Trek: Insurrection movie. I have some questions about whether the old Mal Reynolds would take a job like this “out of the goodness of his heart,” but it’s not so much of a stretch that the idea takes away anything from the action and surprises. The morality tale shines a spotlight on wealthy business owners and con artists taking money from the rich and the poor for charity and pocketing it, along with skimming profits and keeping wages low and work conditions rough. Joss Whedon is back as consulting editor, putting his name on an entry indistinguishable from one of his “Old West that happens to be in space” scripts.
This is a welcome return to the familiar characters as we last saw them. Browncoats everywhere won’t want to miss this one. Firefly: Aim to Misbehave is available for pre-order now here at Amazon, slated for publication November 12, 2024.
