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Firefly is populated by con artists, thieves, and tricksters all trying to survive the difficulties of their universe. One that consistently sticks out for her cunning and resilience, despite limited screen and book time, is Saffron. Many questions surround the enigmatic con artist and short term Mrs. Reynolds, some of which could be answered in the 40-page Firefly: Bad Company.

Most of Firefly has taken place in space or only tiptoed into regular society. This book is all about being on the ground, showing the class disparity, the so-called progress of the Alliance, a deeper look at the Guild, and what is or is not morally right. In the thick of all that is a girl from the gutter trying to find food and medicine who goes from desperate to angry in the dangerous ‘Verse.

Josh Lee Gordon did a very good job with this story. Saffron is a character of mystery who is constantly lying to stay alive. Seeing where she came from and what shaped her perspective adds layers to who she is in the Firefly world. But, Gordon didn’t over do it by making her background too depressingly dramatic, nor did he over explain. It’s a nice story with plenty of empty spaces where who knows what happened – which is a good thing for this mysterious woman.

-Amanda Sheriff