![]() ![]() Both films share the same plot, in which a group of villagers are terrorized by invading bandits and desperately plead for help from mercenaries for hire – mercenaries who, despite their status as unscrupulous guns-for-hire, are honor-bound warriors that accept the job despite the lack of pay and respect. Of course, The Magnificent Seven is actually an American Westernized version of Akira Kurosawa’s classic masterpiece The Seven Samurai (which is my favorite of Kurosawa’s films, too). ![]() My favorite Western of all time is John Sturges’s The Magnificent Seven, starring the ineffable Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. ![]() Reason The Second: The “Magnificent Seven Samurai” Ripoff Perhaps if the story itself had been more original, I would have been able to let the Whedonisms slide, but alas… If just a few of these elements were integrated into the text, or if they were less glaringly obvious (as opposed to the way the book basically shouts, “HEY! I’M MAKING A FIREFLY PARALLEL HERE!”), I would have enjoyed the allusions a bit more. There’s the glib, handsome captain Durango with a tough history of loss, aka Mal Reynolds. There’s the cannibalistic half-human threat of the Draeu, who are clearly Reavers. There’s the lithe, beautiful and extremely deadly second in command female character, who is a mashup of River Tam (dancer/ninja) and Zoe (badass, no nonsense chick with an unerring moral compass). First, examine the basic story and setting, in which a ragtag band of disgraceful hooligans with hearts of gold travel the universe doing what little they can for the greater good. I’m not saying that Joss Whedon has a monopoly on all things space cowboy, but there are far too many similarities between Black Hole Sun and Firefly to go unnoticed or to be passed off as clever homage or tribute. Space cowboys, snappy dialogue, nonstop action – what’s not to love?! Unfortunately, Black Hole Sun didn’t do anything for me for three main reasons. Of course, things are never quite so simple as they seem, as Durango finds out that the miners have a secret that the Draeu will stop at nothing to retrieve. With the help of a smarmy Artificial Intelligence implant named Mimi and his beautiful but deadly second in command, Vienne, Durango goes about putting together a team to protect the mine. When a group of ragtag miners with only a few meager coins shows up begging for hired muscle to protect their mine from invading Draeu – cannibalistic mutant humans – Durango is honor-bound to accept the gig. A fully trained soldier-cum-mercenary, sixteen-year old Durango is one of the lordless “disgraced” Regulators that roam the terraformed, cursed landscape that is Mars. Why did I read this book: I’ve had Black Hole Sun on my radar since last year and only finally got around to it when the dear boyfriend purchased a copy for me as an anniversary present.ĭurango’s life basically sucks. Stand alone or series: Can be read as a standalone novel, but ending is open enough for potential sequels (I think?). Durango is playing the cards he was dealt. ![]()
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