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Firefly #3
Firefly - The Ghost Machine: An original Firefly novel
The third original novel tying into the critically acclaimed and much-missed Firefly series from creator Joss Whedon.
Mal and the crew take receipt of a sealed crate which they are being paid to transport to Badger, no questions asked. Yet once their cargo is safely stowed aboard, River insists Mal should “space” it out of the airlock, for it contains, she insists, ghosts. With supplies running low, the crew desperately need another pay day, but soon find themselves paralyzed by hallucinations of their deepest hopes and desires, so vivid they cannot be distinguished from reality. River is the only one unaffected, and desperately tries to awaken her crew mates, while the fantasies turn sour, and the ship begins to spin out of control.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2020
129 people are currently reading
2105 people want to read
About the author
James Lovegrove
152 books663 followersJames Lovegrove is the author of several acclaimed novels and books for children.
James was born on Christmas Eve 1965 and, having dabbled in writing at school, first took to it seriously while at university. A short story of his won a college competition. The prize was £15, and it had cost £18 to get the story professionally typed. This taught him a hard but necessary lesson in the harsh economic realities of a literary career.
Straight after graduating from Oxford with a degree in English Literature, James set himself the goal of getting a novel written and sold within two years. In the event, it took two months. The Hope was completed in six weeks and accepted by Macmillan a fortnight later. The seed for the idea for the novel — a world in microcosm on an ocean liner — was planted during a cross-Channel ferry journey.
James blew his modest advance for The Hope on a round-the-world trip which took him to, among other places, Thailand. His experiences there, particularly what he witnessed of the sex industry in Bangkok, provided much of the inspiration for The Foreigners.
Escardy Gap was co-written with Pete Crowther over a period of a year and a half, the two authors playing a game of creative tag, each completing a section in turn and leaving the other to carry the story on. The result has proved a cult favourite, and was voted by readers of SFX one of the top fifty SF/Fantasy novels of all time.
Days, a satire on consumerism, was shortlisted for the 1998 Arthur C. Clarke Award (losing to Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow). The book’s genesis most probably lies in the many visits James used to make as a child to the Oxford Street department store owned by his grandfather. It was written over a period of nine months while James was living in the north-west suburbs of Chicago.
Subsequent works have all been published to great acclaim. These include Untied Kingdom, Worldstorm, Provender Gleed, The Age Of Ra and the back-to-back double-novella Gig. James has also written for children. Wings, a short novel for reluctant readers, was short-listed for several awards, while his fantasy series for teens, The Clouded World, written under the pseudonym Jay Amory, has been translated into 7 other languages so far. A five-book series for reluctant readers, The 5 Lords Of Pain, is appearing at two-monthly intervals throughout 2010.
He also reviews fiction for the Financial Times, specialising in the Young Adult, children’s, science fiction, fantasy, horror and graphic novel genres.
Currently James resides in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast, having moved there in August 2007 with his wife Lou, sons Monty and Theo, and cat Ozzy. He has a terrific view of the sea from his study window, which he doesn’t sit staring out at all day when he should be working. Honest.
James was born on Christmas Eve 1965 and, having dabbled in writing at school, first took to it seriously while at university. A short story of his won a college competition. The prize was £15, and it had cost £18 to get the story professionally typed. This taught him a hard but necessary lesson in the harsh economic realities of a literary career.
Straight after graduating from Oxford with a degree in English Literature, James set himself the goal of getting a novel written and sold within two years. In the event, it took two months. The Hope was completed in six weeks and accepted by Macmillan a fortnight later. The seed for the idea for the novel — a world in microcosm on an ocean liner — was planted during a cross-Channel ferry journey.
James blew his modest advance for The Hope on a round-the-world trip which took him to, among other places, Thailand. His experiences there, particularly what he witnessed of the sex industry in Bangkok, provided much of the inspiration for The Foreigners.
Escardy Gap was co-written with Pete Crowther over a period of a year and a half, the two authors playing a game of creative tag, each completing a section in turn and leaving the other to carry the story on. The result has proved a cult favourite, and was voted by readers of SFX one of the top fifty SF/Fantasy novels of all time.
Days, a satire on consumerism, was shortlisted for the 1998 Arthur C. Clarke Award (losing to Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow). The book’s genesis most probably lies in the many visits James used to make as a child to the Oxford Street department store owned by his grandfather. It was written over a period of nine months while James was living in the north-west suburbs of Chicago.
Subsequent works have all been published to great acclaim. These include Untied Kingdom, Worldstorm, Provender Gleed, The Age Of Ra and the back-to-back double-novella Gig. James has also written for children. Wings, a short novel for reluctant readers, was short-listed for several awards, while his fantasy series for teens, The Clouded World, written under the pseudonym Jay Amory, has been translated into 7 other languages so far. A five-book series for reluctant readers, The 5 Lords Of Pain, is appearing at two-monthly intervals throughout 2010.
He also reviews fiction for the Financial Times, specialising in the Young Adult, children’s, science fiction, fantasy, horror and graphic novel genres.
Currently James resides in Eastbourne on the Sussex Coast, having moved there in August 2007 with his wife Lou, sons Monty and Theo, and cat Ozzy. He has a terrific view of the sea from his study window, which he doesn’t sit staring out at all day when he should be working. Honest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
January 16, 2022
The Ghost Machine
(Firefly #3)
by James Lovegrove
So far in this series I have loved the books. This one was enjoyable but not great. It did portray Jayne correctly when the Captain said he didn't want to take on the cargo because it felt wrong. Jayne being Jayne and wanting the money for himself, hides the cargo in his room without anyone knowing.
What the cargo does to the crew is fascinating and almost kills them all. Although the characters and world building were excellent, I just didn't like the story itself.
I had the audio version and the narration was great and he sounds like the Captain!
(Firefly #3)
by James Lovegrove
So far in this series I have loved the books. This one was enjoyable but not great. It did portray Jayne correctly when the Captain said he didn't want to take on the cargo because it felt wrong. Jayne being Jayne and wanting the money for himself, hides the cargo in his room without anyone knowing.
What the cargo does to the crew is fascinating and almost kills them all. Although the characters and world building were excellent, I just didn't like the story itself.
I had the audio version and the narration was great and he sounds like the Captain!
August 4, 2022
4 Stars
This 3rd entry into this series was a kicker!
The gang is hired by good ole Badger to pick up a package and deliver it to him. Thing is, the whole situation just smells off to Mal, and he refuses to carry out the job. Jayne’s not about to waste a good payment and sneaks the enigmatic package onto Serenity. What unfolds is a machine designed to project one’s deepest desire as reality to create a dream state complacency to produce mass compliance. What no one realizes is that the machine has some issues… that bliss turns into paranoia and the worst nightmare scenario manifests which will inevitably kill by severe emotional and physical stress. The only one immune is River, who has her own multitude of limitations.
This was a fascinating look at what everyone’s bone deep desire is - whimsical and satisfying and kinda bittersweet. When the machine turns their fantasy into their worst imaginable horror, things surprisingly veer into some very brutally violent and gruesome consequences that will haunt me for a very long time.
Overall, an interesting look at the crew’s psyche, especially River’s and how much she's been affected by the Alliance’s sinister agenda. Another great adventure for the crew despite it all being in their head!
This 3rd entry into this series was a kicker!
The gang is hired by good ole Badger to pick up a package and deliver it to him. Thing is, the whole situation just smells off to Mal, and he refuses to carry out the job. Jayne’s not about to waste a good payment and sneaks the enigmatic package onto Serenity. What unfolds is a machine designed to project one’s deepest desire as reality to create a dream state complacency to produce mass compliance. What no one realizes is that the machine has some issues… that bliss turns into paranoia and the worst nightmare scenario manifests which will inevitably kill by severe emotional and physical stress. The only one immune is River, who has her own multitude of limitations.
This was a fascinating look at what everyone’s bone deep desire is - whimsical and satisfying and kinda bittersweet. When the machine turns their fantasy into their worst imaginable horror, things surprisingly veer into some very brutally violent and gruesome consequences that will haunt me for a very long time.
Overall, an interesting look at the crew’s psyche, especially River’s and how much she's been affected by the Alliance’s sinister agenda. Another great adventure for the crew despite it all being in their head!
December 27, 2020
While I love Firefly the TV show to bits, Whedon once again struck a homerun but FOX television decided against it, stupid people, The books and comics have been hit and miss. Sadly I have to report that this book is a miss for me.
It central premise is that we find the various characters of the Firefly universe living through the notion of what if and their lives would have gone different. You never really get excited and want them to continue with their regular story.
For a what if the story is rather pedestrian and never gets interesting.
Perhaps a must read for fans but they will only read this one once, and forget about it quickley.
It central premise is that we find the various characters of the Firefly universe living through the notion of what if and their lives would have gone different. You never really get excited and want them to continue with their regular story.
For a what if the story is rather pedestrian and never gets interesting.
Perhaps a must read for fans but they will only read this one once, and forget about it quickley.
October 30, 2021
Imagine a 'What If...?' for the crew of Serenity.
The Ghost Machine IS that story and my gosh is it fantastic.
It isn't without faults, but I had such a good time with it, and I feel as though if I wish it were an episode of the show then it's a job well done.
*Spoiler-Free*
The basic synopsis is that Mal and his crew are hired by Badger to transport an unknown cargo, the cargo in question has a severe, peculiar and nefarious, mental impact on each member - creating dreams, hallucinations and delusions. Each of the crews experiences create a thread, plot lines that we follow and jump between throughout the story.
The various climax's of these different stories keep the pace of the book somewhere between 'very fast' to 'GORRAM IT - THIS IS WILD! WHAT THE HELL!' - it's very well structured and brilliantly interwoven.
I know what some of you may be thinking - 'If we are in everyone's dreams for the whole book, then where are the real-world stakes stakes?' and yes that's a valid question, but Serenity is flying headlong toward a moon - and without a captain, a pilot or even a mechanic to set things straight, it's up to the one character that isn't effected mentally by this strange dream-inducing cargo to wake the others up and save their lives; of course, it's River Tam.
The individual stories, taking place inside the minds of the characters that we know and love so much are a perfect blend of being bittersweet, heartrendingly wholesome and then absolutely devastating.
The emotional journeys that this book took me on were profound.
The few gripes that I had with The Ghost Machine were only very minor.
Much like the previous books, the reliance on, and repeated mentions of, needless quotes and references to specific happenings from the show was a bit much. I know it's important to link things back to the source material, but it happens frequently enough here to be jarring and seem a bit forced. Both Jayne's gun - Vera, being mentioned regularly and Kaylee's ballgown from Shindig coming up in conversation twice stood out to me as the more unnecessary and somewhat ham-fisted references.
There were examples of callbacks and references done well, and that is when it was character related or continues a story left behind by the show - like Mal finally telling Zoe about what happened with Jayne on Ariel after the hospital heist - anyone even somewhat familiar with the show knows what I'm referring to, and that gives it weight and importance when it's brought up again so much later.
The only other criticism I have is of the rather abrupt ending. It tied things up well and it fit with the pacing, but I just wish there was more of a conclusion, or that it had been made a little longer just to acclimatise us and the characters to the events of the story coming to a close.
It's hard to say more without giving things away but I just wish we could have taken our foot off the pedal and let it drift to a stop rather than slamming on the breaks.
Overall this really is a fantastic story, despite the few elements I would have preferred to be different.
The characters, the dialogue, the aesthetic, the structure and the plots were all superb. Most definitely my favourite Lovegrove Firefly novel yet.
4.5 stars - I cant wait to see what the future of this book series has in store!
Thank you for reading my review! I hope you are all doing well and are enjoying you current reads! Stay shiny.
The Ghost Machine IS that story and my gosh is it fantastic.
It isn't without faults, but I had such a good time with it, and I feel as though if I wish it were an episode of the show then it's a job well done.
*Spoiler-Free*
The basic synopsis is that Mal and his crew are hired by Badger to transport an unknown cargo, the cargo in question has a severe, peculiar and nefarious, mental impact on each member - creating dreams, hallucinations and delusions. Each of the crews experiences create a thread, plot lines that we follow and jump between throughout the story.
The various climax's of these different stories keep the pace of the book somewhere between 'very fast' to 'GORRAM IT - THIS IS WILD! WHAT THE HELL!' - it's very well structured and brilliantly interwoven.
I know what some of you may be thinking - 'If we are in everyone's dreams for the whole book, then where are the real-world stakes stakes?' and yes that's a valid question, but Serenity is flying headlong toward a moon - and without a captain, a pilot or even a mechanic to set things straight, it's up to the one character that isn't effected mentally by this strange dream-inducing cargo to wake the others up and save their lives; of course, it's River Tam.
The individual stories, taking place inside the minds of the characters that we know and love so much are a perfect blend of being bittersweet, heartrendingly wholesome and then absolutely devastating.
The emotional journeys that this book took me on were profound.
The few gripes that I had with The Ghost Machine were only very minor.
Much like the previous books, the reliance on, and repeated mentions of, needless quotes and references to specific happenings from the show was a bit much. I know it's important to link things back to the source material, but it happens frequently enough here to be jarring and seem a bit forced. Both Jayne's gun - Vera, being mentioned regularly and Kaylee's ballgown from Shindig coming up in conversation twice stood out to me as the more unnecessary and somewhat ham-fisted references.
There were examples of callbacks and references done well, and that is when it was character related or continues a story left behind by the show - like Mal finally telling Zoe about what happened with Jayne on Ariel after the hospital heist - anyone even somewhat familiar with the show knows what I'm referring to, and that gives it weight and importance when it's brought up again so much later.
The only other criticism I have is of the rather abrupt ending. It tied things up well and it fit with the pacing, but I just wish there was more of a conclusion, or that it had been made a little longer just to acclimatise us and the characters to the events of the story coming to a close.
It's hard to say more without giving things away but I just wish we could have taken our foot off the pedal and let it drift to a stop rather than slamming on the breaks.
Overall this really is a fantastic story, despite the few elements I would have preferred to be different.
The characters, the dialogue, the aesthetic, the structure and the plots were all superb. Most definitely my favourite Lovegrove Firefly novel yet.
4.5 stars - I cant wait to see what the future of this book series has in store!
Thank you for reading my review! I hope you are all doing well and are enjoying you current reads! Stay shiny.
March 17, 2022
Another riveting tale that I could not put down! The attention to detail, the spot-on characterizations, the jokes—it's like being plucked from this reality and settled back into the verse we all fell in love with twenty years ago! Shun-sheng duh gao-wahn! Has it really been twenty ruttin' years? It's the little things like Wash owning a company called Pteranodon Inc. that let you know James Lovegrove is a true Browncoat! A feather on a breeze was perhaps a bit too soon, but then again, it always will be!
When Badger hires the crew to pick up a particularly dangerous package, Mal decides the risk isn't worth it, while Jayne only sees platinum credits in his pocket and sneaks the case on board anyway. As you can imagine, this brings on a whole heap of trouble when the case, which contains something ominously called The Ghost Machine, infects each crew member with ghostly images of perfect alternate realities and gut-wrenching nightmares. River is the only one aboard not to be enchanted by the machine and must save everyone from imminent doom!
One thing I really loved about this was the men were all off having dreams of family and romantic love while the girls were having ambitious dreams of ending wars and owning businesses. It could have been so easy to fall into that "women dreaming of babies" stereotype, and I appreciate that it didn't go that way! The nightmare bit had me bawling, and I will say it got very dark!
I think this is probably one of my favorites of the new novels so far. I can't wait to read more!
When Badger hires the crew to pick up a particularly dangerous package, Mal decides the risk isn't worth it, while Jayne only sees platinum credits in his pocket and sneaks the case on board anyway. As you can imagine, this brings on a whole heap of trouble when the case, which contains something ominously called The Ghost Machine, infects each crew member with ghostly images of perfect alternate realities and gut-wrenching nightmares. River is the only one aboard not to be enchanted by the machine and must save everyone from imminent doom!
One thing I really loved about this was the men were all off having dreams of family and romantic love while the girls were having ambitious dreams of ending wars and owning businesses. It could have been so easy to fall into that "women dreaming of babies" stereotype, and I appreciate that it didn't go that way! The nightmare bit had me bawling, and I will say it got very dark!
I think this is probably one of my favorites of the new novels so far. I can't wait to read more!
June 19, 2020
This is the weakest of the 3 Firefly books that have been released (yes, it is the third released but listed as #4 in the series, just roll with it). It's an interesting story idea and gives the author the chance to play with some alternate time lines / events, but I just want to see these well-fitted misfits having an exciting and harrowing adventure together, and this was not that. 2.5 stars rounded up.
May 21, 2020
As much as I love Firefly, I didn’t really like this book. Found the entire premise something that didn't deserve to be developed into a novel.
November 9, 2022
Firefly is one of my favorite TV shows and Serenity is probably my favorite movie. This is a stand-alone novel based on the series that is set between the end of the TV show and the beginning of the movie. It fails to capture the magic of either. Very disappointed.
August 27, 2023
Die Firefly-Bücher sind einfach eine so wunderbare Fortsetzung der Serie/Film. Zeitlich spielt dieses (und die anderen, die ich kenne) zwischen Serie und Film. Es gibt also bereits gehörig Background, aber einige Film-Geschehnisse sind noch nicht passiert (das war ja auch ein ziemlicher Abschluss, so gesehen). Ich liebe es einfach, zu Mal, Zoe, Wash, River, Simon, Kaylee und Jayne zurückzukehren! Alle Figuren sind 100% getroffen und dadurch, dass die Kapitel jedes Mal zu einem anderen POV wechseln, behält es den Seriencharme, wo man auch weiß, was alle tun.
Großes Manko dadurch: "The Ghost Machine" hat echt Längen in der Mitte. Da fiel es mir schwer am Ball zu bleiben, weil das grundlegende Konzept jetzt da war und man auch wusste, wohin es jede Figur verschlagen hat und dann gab es Kapitel über Kapitel über Kapitel und nicht mal der Klappentext wurde vollständig erreicht und die verbliebene Seitenanzahl immer geringer ...
"The Ghost Machine" spielt mit Träumen und Alpträumen, was ich sehr spannend fand. Dadurch erhält man noch mal tiefere Einblicke in die Charaktere, und andererseits gibt es Raum für ein paar Szenarien, auf die man in den sonstigen Werken immer noch hinfiebert und wartet - ich sage nur Mal und sein domestic bliss!
Zudem kommen durch die Träume auch Charaktere vor, die nicht direkt auf der Serenity mitreisen.
Für mich wieder ein sehr schöner Band und ich werde diesmal nicht so lange warten, bis ich den nächsten lese. (Wobei die letzte Pause ehrlich gesagt war, weil noch keine weiteren Bände erschienen waren und jetzt gibt es schon ...6? 8? Ich muss aufholen.)
Auf jeden Fall eine Empfehlung für Serienfans.
Großes Manko dadurch: "The Ghost Machine" hat echt Längen in der Mitte. Da fiel es mir schwer am Ball zu bleiben, weil das grundlegende Konzept jetzt da war und man auch wusste, wohin es jede Figur verschlagen hat und dann gab es Kapitel über Kapitel über Kapitel und nicht mal der Klappentext wurde vollständig erreicht und die verbliebene Seitenanzahl immer geringer ...
"The Ghost Machine" spielt mit Träumen und Alpträumen, was ich sehr spannend fand. Dadurch erhält man noch mal tiefere Einblicke in die Charaktere, und andererseits gibt es Raum für ein paar Szenarien, auf die man in den sonstigen Werken immer noch hinfiebert und wartet - ich sage nur Mal und sein domestic bliss!
Zudem kommen durch die Träume auch Charaktere vor, die nicht direkt auf der Serenity mitreisen.
Für mich wieder ein sehr schöner Band und ich werde diesmal nicht so lange warten, bis ich den nächsten lese. (Wobei die letzte Pause ehrlich gesagt war, weil noch keine weiteren Bände erschienen waren und jetzt gibt es schon ...6? 8? Ich muss aufholen.)
Auf jeden Fall eine Empfehlung für Serienfans.
December 2, 2021
A worth edition to the Firefly universe, a fresh storyline, imaginative, and what you expect from the Firefly universe. I will not include any spoilers, but the story does not fail. A very enjoyable read, very easy storyline to follow. Excellent book cover. Only negative no picture or drawings inside, no editorial errors. For any Firefly fan, well worth reading. My advice is that I would read the new six books in series order. I enjoyed it.
May 27, 2020
Rating of 4.5.
Get ready to dive into the minds of chaotic crew of Serenity as bestselling author James Lovegrove presents the third original tie-in novel to Joss Whedon’s epic science fiction television show, Firefly, The Ghost Machine.
Set between the events of the television show and the film, Serenity, this novel focuses on the crew of the Firefly class spaceship, Serenity, as they tour the verse looking for work, legal, illegal and all shades in between. This time, Captain Malcolm Reynolds has accepted a contract from crooked businessman Badger to pick up package on a remote planet and bring it back to him. However, Mal is less than thrilled when he discovers that the cargo is a flightcase stolen from the notorious Blue Sun Corporation, which likely contains advanced tech designed for the Alliance military.
Refusing to let such a potentially problematic cargo aboard his ship, Mal, Zoe and Jayne are forced to kill the sellers in order to leave. However, what Mal does not realise is that Jayne has snuck the package aboard Serenity without telling anyone. As Serenity leaves the planet, each member of the crew suddenly begins to live out their biggest fantasy. Mal finds himself living a peaceful family life with Inara, Jayne is back on his family’s ranch with his little brother’s damplung cured, Wash imagines that he is the owner of a vast shipping empire, and Zoe dreams that the Independence won the battle of Serenity Valley and defeated the Alliance in the Unification War.
What the crew does not realise is that the flightcase contained an experimental urban pacification device known as The Ghost Machine. This machine causes people to fall into a fugue state while imagining their greatest desires, but the tech is dangerously faulty. Soon the crew’s visions of riches, rewards and happy lives become distorted and turned into terrible nightmares that threaten to tear apart their psyches. Worse, with Wash out of commission and not steering the ship, Serenity is on a collision course with a nearby moon. The only person not affected by the machine is River Tamm, whose own mind is dangerously askew at the best of times. But with River sedated and unconscious, can she do anything to help her friends and save the ship, or will The Ghost Machine claim its next victims?
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/05/27/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Get ready to dive into the minds of chaotic crew of Serenity as bestselling author James Lovegrove presents the third original tie-in novel to Joss Whedon’s epic science fiction television show, Firefly, The Ghost Machine.
Set between the events of the television show and the film, Serenity, this novel focuses on the crew of the Firefly class spaceship, Serenity, as they tour the verse looking for work, legal, illegal and all shades in between. This time, Captain Malcolm Reynolds has accepted a contract from crooked businessman Badger to pick up package on a remote planet and bring it back to him. However, Mal is less than thrilled when he discovers that the cargo is a flightcase stolen from the notorious Blue Sun Corporation, which likely contains advanced tech designed for the Alliance military.
Refusing to let such a potentially problematic cargo aboard his ship, Mal, Zoe and Jayne are forced to kill the sellers in order to leave. However, what Mal does not realise is that Jayne has snuck the package aboard Serenity without telling anyone. As Serenity leaves the planet, each member of the crew suddenly begins to live out their biggest fantasy. Mal finds himself living a peaceful family life with Inara, Jayne is back on his family’s ranch with his little brother’s damplung cured, Wash imagines that he is the owner of a vast shipping empire, and Zoe dreams that the Independence won the battle of Serenity Valley and defeated the Alliance in the Unification War.
What the crew does not realise is that the flightcase contained an experimental urban pacification device known as The Ghost Machine. This machine causes people to fall into a fugue state while imagining their greatest desires, but the tech is dangerously faulty. Soon the crew’s visions of riches, rewards and happy lives become distorted and turned into terrible nightmares that threaten to tear apart their psyches. Worse, with Wash out of commission and not steering the ship, Serenity is on a collision course with a nearby moon. The only person not affected by the machine is River Tamm, whose own mind is dangerously askew at the best of times. But with River sedated and unconscious, can she do anything to help her friends and save the ship, or will The Ghost Machine claim its next victims?
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/05/27/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
April 12, 2020
Rather gruesome
It is definitely an interesting story, I’ll say that. And well told. My objections are that it was pretty gruesome in places, but more important to me was the story was about nightmares, not about our beloved crew doing Firefly things. The whole book follows in detail each character’s fantasy life and fantasy nightmares. I don’t want to read that; I want stories about the crew I love getting into and out of scrapes and trading witticisms. That said, it is well-written and an interesting concept. Some people may like it fine.
It is definitely an interesting story, I’ll say that. And well told. My objections are that it was pretty gruesome in places, but more important to me was the story was about nightmares, not about our beloved crew doing Firefly things. The whole book follows in detail each character’s fantasy life and fantasy nightmares. I don’t want to read that; I want stories about the crew I love getting into and out of scrapes and trading witticisms. That said, it is well-written and an interesting concept. Some people may like it fine.
May 12, 2020
I could read these books forever. They are as good as the television show and bring the crew back to life. I hope they work some the season two proposed episodes into this series. It’s firefly in a book. Unlike some Star Wars novels that don’t hold true to the spirit of the universe this book does and just enhances the enjoyment that was a great scifi story.
June 29, 2022
So far my least favorite of the firefly books. It was mostly comprised of dreams. I don't like hearing about real life peoples' dreams and I don't want to read a book about fictional characters' dreams. I also noted that the book uses the phrase "you sure about that?" 5 times.
October 15, 2020
Šita serija toks mano guilty pleasure. Tik išgirstu žodį Firefly ir ausyse jau skamba „Take my love, take my land...“ Bet, atrodo, po šitos knygos teks jau rišt su šita serija.
Kaip visad, Malcolmas imasi abejotino užsakymo. Ir kaip niekad – supratęs, kad visas reikalas kvepia [čia turėtų būti kažkoks kinų kalbos žodis], nusprendžia nusispjauti ir jo nevykdyti. O juk tereikia viso labo pervežti vieną konteinerį iš taško A į tašką B. Tačiau kiek jau kartų būtent nuo tokio nieko ir prasidėdavo bėdos. Žodžiu, Malcolmas atsisako – ir čia jau būtų galima baigti istoriją. Bet Jayne‘as nusprendžia kitaip – už darbą pažadėti pinigai ir jei jų nenori kapitonas, tai šlamančius mielai priglaus jis. Jayne‘as slapčiomis įneša krovinį į laivą ir gerai paslepia. Ir, žinoma, Paaiškėja, kad Malcolmas buvo teisus – [daug kiniškų žodžių]. Krovinys – aparatas, pavadintas The Ghost Machine – įsijungia ir imasi darbo. Transliuoja super realius sapnus tiesiai į kiekvieno „Jonvabalio“ ekipažo nario smegenėles. Sapnus, išpildančius pačias slapčiausias svajones. Sapnus, iš kurių net ir nenorėtum nubusti. Tačiau gana greitai viskas ima keistis – sapnas tampa vis niūresnis, o galiausiai virsta nepakenčiamu košmaru. Ir kol kiekvienas blaškosi savo nuosavame sapno pragare, laivas skrieja tiesiu taikymu į planetos palydovą, o avariniai stabdžiai „Firefly“ klasės laivuose nenumatyti. Tuo tarpu River, vienintelis žmogus, kuris galėtų pasipriešinti aparatui ir išgelbėti laivą, guli pripumpuota trankvilizatorių...
Žodžiu, kokie 80 procentų veiksmo vyksta ekipažo narių sapnuose. Skaitosi lengvai, itin greitai. Deja, taip pat lengvai ir greitai pasimirš. Nes... na, visiška kramtoma guma.
Du iš penkių. Na, net su visa meile personažams – neišspaudžiu daugiau.
Kaip visad, Malcolmas imasi abejotino užsakymo. Ir kaip niekad – supratęs, kad visas reikalas kvepia [čia turėtų būti kažkoks kinų kalbos žodis], nusprendžia nusispjauti ir jo nevykdyti. O juk tereikia viso labo pervežti vieną konteinerį iš taško A į tašką B. Tačiau kiek jau kartų būtent nuo tokio nieko ir prasidėdavo bėdos. Žodžiu, Malcolmas atsisako – ir čia jau būtų galima baigti istoriją. Bet Jayne‘as nusprendžia kitaip – už darbą pažadėti pinigai ir jei jų nenori kapitonas, tai šlamančius mielai priglaus jis. Jayne‘as slapčiomis įneša krovinį į laivą ir gerai paslepia. Ir, žinoma, Paaiškėja, kad Malcolmas buvo teisus – [daug kiniškų žodžių]. Krovinys – aparatas, pavadintas The Ghost Machine – įsijungia ir imasi darbo. Transliuoja super realius sapnus tiesiai į kiekvieno „Jonvabalio“ ekipažo nario smegenėles. Sapnus, išpildančius pačias slapčiausias svajones. Sapnus, iš kurių net ir nenorėtum nubusti. Tačiau gana greitai viskas ima keistis – sapnas tampa vis niūresnis, o galiausiai virsta nepakenčiamu košmaru. Ir kol kiekvienas blaškosi savo nuosavame sapno pragare, laivas skrieja tiesiu taikymu į planetos palydovą, o avariniai stabdžiai „Firefly“ klasės laivuose nenumatyti. Tuo tarpu River, vienintelis žmogus, kuris galėtų pasipriešinti aparatui ir išgelbėti laivą, guli pripumpuota trankvilizatorių...
Žodžiu, kokie 80 procentų veiksmo vyksta ekipažo narių sapnuose. Skaitosi lengvai, itin greitai. Deja, taip pat lengvai ir greitai pasimirš. Nes... na, visiška kramtoma guma.
Du iš penkių. Na, net su visa meile personažams – neišspaudžiu daugiau.
June 11, 2023
The Firefly novels so far haven't been good, they read like fan fiction and are made to feel like lost episodes of the show rather than an actual novel.
But The Ghost Machine takes the cake for the worse one so far. The entire thing is just a dumb dream sequence, no real stakes during them, no need for it at all. Same plot idea as Dead Silence I read earlier in the year, at least with Dead Silence there was some stakes.
But The Ghost Machine takes the cake for the worse one so far. The entire thing is just a dumb dream sequence, no real stakes during them, no need for it at all. Same plot idea as Dead Silence I read earlier in the year, at least with Dead Silence there was some stakes.
September 30, 2021
The end came fast and quick and my husband and I stayed up late to listen to it! But a good portion of the book was unrelated storylines as everyone on Serenity was trapped in their own bad dreams. The only one who knows she is dreaming is River and it's up to her to save everyone on board. I wish her storyline started a little sooner. It was still overall entertaining, but I missed having the crew together.
December 16, 2020
I read this just for completion's sake, but I think it was actually the most solid of the Firefly books, and the easiest to imagine happening between the series and the movie. It gives a hint of What Could Have Been for each character in ways that occasionally gets *very* gory and disturbing, but the show didn't shy away from that sort of thing (some stuff was very War Stories). It felt like an Objects in Space companion piece so, if you liked that episode, you'll definitely enjoy this.
April 7, 2020
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I watched the Firefly series and film and absolutely loved it. I recommend it constantly to people who haven't seen it so I was thrilled to be able to dip back into the world for a while longer.
It's got all the characters we know and love - Mal, River, Simon, Wash and all the rest, with others being mentioned. But don't be put off if you haven't seen the series, you'll be able to dive right in and understand what's going on. The quirks are there and the relationships that make the series and done justice, so I think it's a wonderful addition to the world.
It's also a great story. It allows you to delve into the dreams of each crew member, and in a way learn more about them through it. A perhaps slightly slower start soon melds into a quick-paced, keeps you on your toes story that is wonderfully paced and will keep you hooked right up until the end.
I watched the Firefly series and film and absolutely loved it. I recommend it constantly to people who haven't seen it so I was thrilled to be able to dip back into the world for a while longer.
It's got all the characters we know and love - Mal, River, Simon, Wash and all the rest, with others being mentioned. But don't be put off if you haven't seen the series, you'll be able to dive right in and understand what's going on. The quirks are there and the relationships that make the series and done justice, so I think it's a wonderful addition to the world.
It's also a great story. It allows you to delve into the dreams of each crew member, and in a way learn more about them through it. A perhaps slightly slower start soon melds into a quick-paced, keeps you on your toes story that is wonderfully paced and will keep you hooked right up until the end.
May 24, 2025
This episode brought to you by Marvel's What If, without the Marvel. Unless you count the marvelous nine of the Serenity.
7 separate threads of what-if's was a pretty risky move. At least in the beginning I thought it will drag and burn because the attention jumping around the threads might have ended up really bad, but in the end Lovegrove tied em together into a sweet mess of gooey goodness I could appreciate. I think of the three novels I liked this the most because of the original content.
Managed to double buy it. Previously probably from Downpour.com and now Libro.fm with a recent sale. And since I didn't remember much of it, I was happy to relive the story. And compared to 5 years back, there are now even more new stories in the Firefly novel series! 9 as a matter of fact. Looking forward to those.
7 separate threads of what-if's was a pretty risky move. At least in the beginning I thought it will drag and burn because the attention jumping around the threads might have ended up really bad, but in the end Lovegrove tied em together into a sweet mess of gooey goodness I could appreciate. I think of the three novels I liked this the most because of the original content.
Managed to double buy it. Previously probably from Downpour.com and now Libro.fm with a recent sale. And since I didn't remember much of it, I was happy to relive the story. And compared to 5 years back, there are now even more new stories in the Firefly novel series! 9 as a matter of fact. Looking forward to those.
April 10, 2022
2.5 Stars
This one was my least favorite so far in the series. The vast majority of reader time is spent following crewmembers through their device-induced dream state--which all start out as a sort of idealized life scenario for each of them, but eventually devolve into potentially deadly night terrors.
The prose quality remains consistent with what Lovegrove has already given us thus far. But in this story, there's no sense of overarching plot progression. (i.e. it would have been one of those episodes that don't really fill in any gaps.) We do learn a few things about Kaylee and Jayne's families. But aside from that, it's a whole lot of watching some of your favorite characters be tormented--horrifically and at length. Not really my cup of tea.
I would also contend that Zoe's ideal life happiness scenario didn't feel true to her character. The nightmare aspect seemed appropriate, but not the initial setup. Add to that the generally unsatisfying (if predictable) ending that resolves the plot but leaves the crew with absolutely no benefit for their troubles, and I was left with a sour aftertaste.
I may end up rounding down at a later date. We'll see how the next one goes.
This one was my least favorite so far in the series. The vast majority of reader time is spent following crewmembers through their device-induced dream state--which all start out as a sort of idealized life scenario for each of them, but eventually devolve into potentially deadly night terrors.
The prose quality remains consistent with what Lovegrove has already given us thus far. But in this story, there's no sense of overarching plot progression. (i.e. it would have been one of those episodes that don't really fill in any gaps.) We do learn a few things about Kaylee and Jayne's families. But aside from that, it's a whole lot of watching some of your favorite characters be tormented--horrifically and at length. Not really my cup of tea.
I would also contend that Zoe's ideal life happiness scenario didn't feel true to her character. The nightmare aspect seemed appropriate, but not the initial setup. Add to that the generally unsatisfying (if predictable) ending that resolves the plot but leaves the crew with absolutely no benefit for their troubles, and I was left with a sour aftertaste.
I may end up rounding down at a later date. We'll see how the next one goes.
October 29, 2020
Odd, this book is numbered 4th, but it's out before the 3rd book in the series. I'm hoping continuity wise this doesn't throw anything off.
So we start out with a classic scene.... exchange of goods from team Serenity with a dubious pair of sellers. Right off the bat, we learn that at this time, Book, and Inara are gone. This is clearly setting up for the movie, where both are off ship at the start. The crew is making due without them, but it's clearly bothering them. Mal most, in the case of Inara. Her presence really meant something to him, and despite all of the bickering, she obviously was important in his day to day life. Zoey brings this up and it's shrugged...The item they're picking up is sealed in a transport case and not to be opened, but we know the employer is Badger (lol I'm hoping we see him then...)
So...the meet up happens. Mal is getting pretty cut throat in his old age... a firefight breaks and the group they meet is all killed or chased off. I love the idea that the crew isn't afraid to defend themselves and mean business. I like that the set up here so far doesn't have to do with them being beat strength wise, but the problem comes from something tangental. The box they're looking to transport back to Badger apparently is some sort of R&D device from Blue Sun. On hearing this Mal doesn't want anything to do with it and decides to re-nig on the deal. Jayne doesn't thing this is wise and demands they take it back anyway. Well...Mal decides if Jayne wants it, he can lug it back to the ship himself on foot...
Well the tough son of a gun did it... He hids it on board and none are the wiser... However we now have a freaked out River Tam.. I love the small little interactions with the crew...I'm talking about Wash specificially, but I've said it before in previous reviews, he character dialogue in the books is so spot on. Unbeknownst to the crew, Jayne stashes the mysterious box and we see it slowly dispense a pulsing hum out into the ship.. The story plays out that we go through each of the characters and we see them each have these very elaborate dreams. They appear to space out and are overtaken by complete fantastical scenarios of how they're lives could have turned out if they had each gotten 'exactly' what they wanted. Each one has something that they wanted to happen, in the case of Zoe, there's this great description and re-enacting of the first opening scene of Firefly Episode I. The battle of Serenity Pass is different... the Browncoats didn't turn their backs on them and they actually got that airsupport. She and the resistance are all victors.... Mal gets Inara and they have a home with kids, Wash has a ship of his own ,is rich and a business Tycoon, Jayne's brother who's dying is cured and has a well off family.... Simon has a relationship with Caylee and is courting her. River is notably not included in this and she seems to be immune..
We do get my coveted Badger cameo! He's speaking to the buyer of the Blue Sun device. So he was a middle mad in the transaction, and we get an exposition dump... Basically the device has been revealed not to work as intended, and the buyer no longer wants it. He pays for his end of the re-neg and Badger who was pulling his hair out worried that he wouldn't be able to deliver it, is now scott free.
Meanwhile the crew all seems to experience the same roller coaster of emotion through these hallucinations. They all follow the same path of heightened glee, and then inevitable loss and misery. And misery in spades. The characters are really put through the wringer, with Jayne probably being the most grim. Watching his brother cut up and gutted in front of him was tough... And even Zoe who was riding high on the changed victory of the Browncoats now captured and tortured... Thankfully River has (conveniently) enough wits about her to help so she begins stalking through each of their 'dreams'.
**As per all of my reviews, I like to preface by saying that I listened to this book in audiobook format. This does indeed slightly skew my rating. I have found that audiobooks, give me a better "relationship" with the characters if done well, but also kills the book for me if narrated poorly. Also due to the nature of listening to the text, names and places may be spelled incorrectly here as I often do not have the physical volume in front of me.
Also, I have written this review in a "rolling updates" style. In that I basically chronicle my reading as I progress. This may make for a jarring and spoilery review so be warned.**
The book wraps with basically River having to coerce each person from their dream state, and get Mal to kill the box in Jaynes room... This book was....interesting, and different. It felt like a very pesonal peak behind the curtain of the mental state and fears of each of the characters Some of whom though didn't really feel right. Like Jayne's deep desire to see his brother healthy.... or Simon's desire to get with Kaylee, and even Mal and Inara. The dreams/fears that involved just another member of the crew seemed a bit... hmm uninspired. Like it was the easy low hanging fruit. I loved Zoe's dream of the alliance actually winning the battle and the war. The crew calls it square by the end, and I do like that Badger got out of all of this scott free. lol, he literally got paid with not skin off his ass, I love it..
So overall I liked it. It's a very different book in that is has minimal 'real' interaction with the crew. Only really at the beginning and end. Everything else is through their dream stages, which are interesting, but knowing that it's not real take a tad bit away from it. All in all still a fun read and this feels the most personal of all the stories so far..
So we start out with a classic scene.... exchange of goods from team Serenity with a dubious pair of sellers. Right off the bat, we learn that at this time, Book, and Inara are gone. This is clearly setting up for the movie, where both are off ship at the start. The crew is making due without them, but it's clearly bothering them. Mal most, in the case of Inara. Her presence really meant something to him, and despite all of the bickering, she obviously was important in his day to day life. Zoey brings this up and it's shrugged...The item they're picking up is sealed in a transport case and not to be opened, but we know the employer is Badger (lol I'm hoping we see him then...)
So...the meet up happens. Mal is getting pretty cut throat in his old age... a firefight breaks and the group they meet is all killed or chased off. I love the idea that the crew isn't afraid to defend themselves and mean business. I like that the set up here so far doesn't have to do with them being beat strength wise, but the problem comes from something tangental. The box they're looking to transport back to Badger apparently is some sort of R&D device from Blue Sun. On hearing this Mal doesn't want anything to do with it and decides to re-nig on the deal. Jayne doesn't thing this is wise and demands they take it back anyway. Well...Mal decides if Jayne wants it, he can lug it back to the ship himself on foot...
Well the tough son of a gun did it... He hids it on board and none are the wiser... However we now have a freaked out River Tam.. I love the small little interactions with the crew...I'm talking about Wash specificially, but I've said it before in previous reviews, he character dialogue in the books is so spot on. Unbeknownst to the crew, Jayne stashes the mysterious box and we see it slowly dispense a pulsing hum out into the ship.. The story plays out that we go through each of the characters and we see them each have these very elaborate dreams. They appear to space out and are overtaken by complete fantastical scenarios of how they're lives could have turned out if they had each gotten 'exactly' what they wanted. Each one has something that they wanted to happen, in the case of Zoe, there's this great description and re-enacting of the first opening scene of Firefly Episode I. The battle of Serenity Pass is different... the Browncoats didn't turn their backs on them and they actually got that airsupport. She and the resistance are all victors.... Mal gets Inara and they have a home with kids, Wash has a ship of his own ,is rich and a business Tycoon, Jayne's brother who's dying is cured and has a well off family.... Simon has a relationship with Caylee and is courting her. River is notably not included in this and she seems to be immune..
We do get my coveted Badger cameo! He's speaking to the buyer of the Blue Sun device. So he was a middle mad in the transaction, and we get an exposition dump... Basically the device has been revealed not to work as intended, and the buyer no longer wants it. He pays for his end of the re-neg and Badger who was pulling his hair out worried that he wouldn't be able to deliver it, is now scott free.
Meanwhile the crew all seems to experience the same roller coaster of emotion through these hallucinations. They all follow the same path of heightened glee, and then inevitable loss and misery. And misery in spades. The characters are really put through the wringer, with Jayne probably being the most grim. Watching his brother cut up and gutted in front of him was tough... And even Zoe who was riding high on the changed victory of the Browncoats now captured and tortured... Thankfully River has (conveniently) enough wits about her to help so she begins stalking through each of their 'dreams'.
**As per all of my reviews, I like to preface by saying that I listened to this book in audiobook format. This does indeed slightly skew my rating. I have found that audiobooks, give me a better "relationship" with the characters if done well, but also kills the book for me if narrated poorly. Also due to the nature of listening to the text, names and places may be spelled incorrectly here as I often do not have the physical volume in front of me.
Also, I have written this review in a "rolling updates" style. In that I basically chronicle my reading as I progress. This may make for a jarring and spoilery review so be warned.**
The book wraps with basically River having to coerce each person from their dream state, and get Mal to kill the box in Jaynes room... This book was....interesting, and different. It felt like a very pesonal peak behind the curtain of the mental state and fears of each of the characters Some of whom though didn't really feel right. Like Jayne's deep desire to see his brother healthy.... or Simon's desire to get with Kaylee, and even Mal and Inara. The dreams/fears that involved just another member of the crew seemed a bit... hmm uninspired. Like it was the easy low hanging fruit. I loved Zoe's dream of the alliance actually winning the battle and the war. The crew calls it square by the end, and I do like that Badger got out of all of this scott free. lol, he literally got paid with not skin off his ass, I love it..
So overall I liked it. It's a very different book in that is has minimal 'real' interaction with the crew. Only really at the beginning and end. Everything else is through their dream stages, which are interesting, but knowing that it's not real take a tad bit away from it. All in all still a fun read and this feels the most personal of all the stories so far..
August 15, 2020
3 stars. The plot of this was very interesting. The Ghost Machine gives the crew dreams and nightmares of their deepest desires. While I thought that was cool, a lot of this wasn’t all of that interesting even though it absolutely should’ve been. I did like how dark this book was because man, the characters go through some things in this one. Also, River is the hero and I was so here for that because I adore her character so much. I complained about the author not getting her character in book two but I was pretty happy with her here. This was still a fun read though I think the plot could’ve been executed a bit better. I’m enjoying this series for what they are.
September 9, 2020
Interesting premise that turned into mediocre melodrama with a grosser and darker turn than I expected (and definitely didn’t want). While the Firefly crew sounded most like themselves in this spin off novel, nothing particularly new is learned about any of them. There’s no character development as a result of the events of the plot and since this book falls between the end of the TV show and “Serenity,” I never felt any real worry for the characters. They also have the - convenient - benefit of forgetting the nightmares they were ensnared in, whereas I now have these nasty scenarios in my head/imagination. Do not recommend. I wish I’d rewatched the show for the umpteenth time instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2021
I've really been enjoying this series of novels (this is the third, after "Big Damn Hero" and "The Magnificent Nine") based in the late, great, much-missed 'verse of Joss Whedon's space-western-outlaw-themed "Firefly" series. It's obvious that James Lovegrove is well familiar with the territory and is able to consult with Whedon, because he has the characters and their unique actions and voices down to a T. This book's plot is a departure from the first two novels, but I enjoyed it nonetheless... and I'm looking forward to reading the fourth book, "Generations," which shows still on order at my library.
April 11, 2020
Mal and the crew fall victim to a machine that acts on their minds, causing hallucinations, making their deepest desires seem real, while in reality the ship is on a collision course with a small moon.
I was very disappointed with this. While at first it was nice to see the crew's fantasies played out, I thought the sequences were just too long and drawn out, and too little was going on in the "real world". My rating is 2.5, but I'll be generous and round up to 3.
I was very disappointed with this. While at first it was nice to see the crew's fantasies played out, I thought the sequences were just too long and drawn out, and too little was going on in the "real world". My rating is 2.5, but I'll be generous and round up to 3.
April 25, 2020
This novel was DARK in tone. I feel like this would have made a good episode of the show if it had been airing on HBO. That said, James Lovegrove once again nailed the voices of the characters and the plot was intriguing enough to keep me turning pages till the end. Hopefully he'll continue writing for this series in the future should Titan books decide to continue past "Generations" this coming autumn.
May 3, 2021
Another entertaining adventure in the Firefly canon.
March 23, 2021
A mysterious machine is hidden on Serenity, unbeknownst to her captain and most of the crew who one by one fall under its spell. This third book gives fans a glimpse into the most secret dreams and desires of the inhabitants of Serenity as fantasy becomes more real than real life courtesy of the Ghost Machine. There have been many negative reviews of this book, but I enjoyed it thoroughly and would highly recommend it.
March 18, 2023
Read as an audiobook with my partner.
In contrast to the first two books in the series, this one gets really quite dark. At times quite shockingly so.
The main plot device provides a unique insight into the dreams and fears of some of the characters from the Firefly series. This book doesn’t feature Shepherd Book or Inara which I think is a shame, but it uses their absence to its advantage to build character depth, particularly with Mal and Zoë.
The author notes at the start that the Firefly books are designed to expand the world between the TV Series and the Movie.
In this book, we start to see aspects of River which lead well up to the film. I did particularly like the dialogue at the end of the book which put an interesting spin on the events previously.
The audiobook was read by the author. He has a great reading voice, and I liked the book in audio form.
In contrast to the first two books in the series, this one gets really quite dark. At times quite shockingly so.
The main plot device provides a unique insight into the dreams and fears of some of the characters from the Firefly series. This book doesn’t feature Shepherd Book or Inara which I think is a shame, but it uses their absence to its advantage to build character depth, particularly with Mal and Zoë.
The author notes at the start that the Firefly books are designed to expand the world between the TV Series and the Movie.
In this book, we start to see aspects of River which lead well up to the film. I did particularly like the dialogue at the end of the book which put an interesting spin on the events previously.
The audiobook was read by the author. He has a great reading voice, and I liked the book in audio form.
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