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The Babylon 5 Books

I

Icarus

Member
Hiya People /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif
Just got a rather wierd question. While there is no great availablity of Babylon 5 on DVD right now, I thought I would spend some money I trying to get a complete collection of the Babylon 5 novels that are available.
First question is does anybody know where I could find a complete list of the Babylon 5 titles that are available?
Also, is it worth getting them all, or should I just go and get the better ones? And what are the better ones?
Lastly, I just walked down to the local library to see if they had any Babylon 5 books. They didn't /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif
But I managed to order in the Psi-Corps trilogy of books. I should have all three within the next couple of days and I was wondering what people thought of these books. Are they any good?

Thanx in advance

Icarus /ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif
 
I think Amazon.com has most of the Babylon 5 books listed (or maybe even all of them, does anyone know?). Just type in 'babylon 5' in the search field and select the 'books' category. I have not yet read any of them, but after reading positive posts on them in this forum, I might just order them shortly.

However, I was wondering... Does anyone know how consistent the books are with the series and with each other (without spoiling the contents)? I recall reading somewhere that JMS wrote a detailed storyline for every one of the trilogies, is this true? And which B5 books are so bad that I should absolutely avoid to read them?

Ciao,
GenevaRanger
 
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Icarus:
<font color=yellow>Hiya People /ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif
Just got a rather wierd question. While there is no great availablity of Babylon 5 on DVD right now, I thought I would spend some money I trying to get a complete collection of the Babylon 5 novels that are available.
First question is does anybody know where I could find a complete list of the Babylon 5 titles that are available?
Also, is it worth getting them all, or should I just go and get the better ones? And what are the better ones?
Lastly, I just walked down to the local library to see if they had any Babylon 5 books. They didn't /ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif
But I managed to order in the Psi-Corps trilogy of books. I should have all three within the next couple of days and I was wondering what people thought of these books. Are they any good?

Thanx in advance

Icarus /ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

Go to Amazon.com and type "Babylon 5" in the search box. They have all currently available listed.
 
JMS did an outline for the Technomage Trilogy and the Legions of Fire (Centauri) Trilogy. I've read both, and I recomend both.
 
Heh, seems this question pops up every few weeks or so ... try my site: <a target="_blank" href=http://abyss.hubbe.net/b5/>http://abyss.hubbe.net/b5/</a> as it has a comprehensive listing of B5 books, music, comics, photos, my reviews, etc. along with places to purchase if so desired.

As for which books are canon? All the trilogies are since they are based off of JMS' outlines. Some trilogies are more canonical than others but I would say 80-90% on average. The only two Dell novels (the books that came before the trilogies) considered canon are To Dream in the City of Sorrows (written by his wife and about 90-100% canon) and The Shadow Within (written by Cavelos who also wrote the Techno-mage trilogies and this one is about 70% canon). I haven't read the rest of the Dell books but from what I have heard, they vary quite a lot on what follows with the B5 universe.

Hope that helps! /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif
 
I have read all the books, both the early ones and the trilogies. Most of the early nine books are not available except through eBay and one or two at Amazon.com

I would recommend getting all three of the trilogies and the two mentioned, To Dream in the City of Sorrows and The Shadow Within. They are not only 90% canon but they definitely add to the story of Babylon 5. The Shadow Within is almost a prelude to the Technomage Trilogy.
 
I have all of the B5 books except for book 2 of the Psi Corp trilogy. So because I have almost all of them, I will list them all here:

**Psi Corp trilogy
**Centauri trilogy
**Technomage trilogy

**Numbered novels:
1)Voices
2)Accusations
3)Blood Oath
4)Clark's Law
5)The Touch of Your Shadow, the Whisper of Your Name
6)Betrayals
7)The Shadow Within
8)Personal Agendas
9)To Dream in the City of Sorrows

**Thirdspace
**In the Beginning
**A Call to Arms

As to where you can find them, I am not sure. Some of the numbered books aren't in print any more. But I do know you can check any Borders bookstore or Borders.com, Amazon.com, Isnnews.net, and Uncomyngifts.com. These are places where I have seen B5 books, and have purchased some of the ones I have there.
 
This information came from an earlier post. I wish i remembered who wrote it so i could give them credit, but it outlines all the books and gives you a good idea where to start.


<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Bester Trilogy: as a whole - 4 stars

If you liked the episode, "The Corps Is Mother, The Corps
Is Father," then this trilogy is for you.

Book 1: Dark Genesis: The Birth Of The Psi Corps
Timeframe: pre-Babylon 5
Rating: 4 stars
Some find it a difficult book due to interspersed news
items.

Book 2: Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendent
Timeframe: pre-Babylon 5 to Ironheart episode
Rating: 3 stars
Not really my cup of tea.

Book 3: Final Reckoning: The Fate Of Bester
Timeframe: approx. 15 years after Objects In Motion
Rating: 5 stars
Classic Garibaldi, who is my favorite B5 character.

-----
Legions Of Fire (Centauri Trilogy): as a whole 5 stars

Book 1: The Long Night Of Centauri Prime
Timeframe: Starts with Londo getting his keeper
Rating: 5 Stars
**MUST-READ**.

Book 2: Armies Of Light And Dark
Timeframe: Starts at 5-year anniversary of Interstellar
Alliance
Rating: 4 Stars


Book 3: Out Of The Darkness
Timeframe: Concludes 18 years after end of the Shadow War
Rating: 5 Stars
**MUST-READ**.
-----

The Passing Of The Techno-Mages: As a whole, 4 stars

Book 1: Casting Shadows
Timeframe: 2257-58
Rating: 3 stars
This book was slow reading for me.

Book 2: Summoning Light
Timeframe: Early 2259
Rating: 5 stars
Watch the episode with the Techno-Mages before reading this
book!

Book 3: Invoking Darkness
Timeframe: Late 2260
Rating: 4 stars
Watch "And The Rock Cried Out No Hiding Place" and
"Z'ha'dum" before reading.
-----

Movies:

A Call To Arms: 3 stars
Timeframe: 5 year anniversary of Interstellar Alliance

Thirdspace: 2 stars
Timeframe: 2260 or 2261

River Of Souls: 1 star
Timeframe: post-B5 season 5

Legend Of The Rangers: 4 stars
Timeframe: 2 or 3 years after B5 season 5.

In The Beginning: 5 stars
Timeframe: Earth-Minbari War

-----
Dell Books

1: Voices - 3 stars
2: Accusations - 2 stars
3: Blood Oath - 4 stars
4: Clark's Law - *BOMB* - no stars
5: The Touch Of Your Shadow, the Whisper Of Your Name - 2
stars
6: Betrayals - 4 stars
7: The Shadow Within - 3 stars
8: Personal Agendas - 2 stars
9: To Dream In The City Of Sorrows - 5 stars

Advice - read "The Shadow Within" before beginning the
Techno-Mage trilogy. Read "To Dream In The City Of Sorrows"
immediately (assuming you've seen the episode where Neroon
challenges Delenn's choice as head of the Rangers). AVOID
"Clark's Law," unless you just want to see how NOT to write
the characters of Babylon 5. It's bad enough to call it
heresy. Although only books 7 and 9 are considered in any
part canon, other than minor details, all books except book
4 COULD BE considered canon without causing much conflict.

My advice is to start with the Centauri trilogy, then read
"To Dream In The City Of Sorrows," then "The Shadow Within"
followed by the Techno-Mage trilogy, followed by the Bester
trilogy.<hr></blockquote>
 
Psi Corps trilogy and The technomage trilogy are all must reads for any B5 fan I couldn't put them down As for the 9 Del Rey novels I have read only 8 and I for one enjoyed them all although they are hard to find they are good read albeit all to short.
 
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Shaal Mayan:
<font color=yellow>Psi Corps trilogy and The technomage trilogy are all must reads for any B5 fan ..</font color=yellow><hr></blockquote>

Haven`t read any B5-books yet , but perhaps I should try to get hold of some of these books .. *nods*
 
Even better than Amazon is <a target="_blank" href=http://www.half.com>www.half.com</a>

I have gotten and bunch of the books there for as little as $1.95, plus they have other B5 stuff too. You can choose the condition of the item.......if you don't wanna pay alot of money. This is where I just found To Dream In The City of Sorrows.
Ebay is not a bad place to check also........I have won some B5 comic book there!
Happy Hunting!!! /ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Half.com looked like a nice site, but not much help to people outside the US, I'm afraid. I seem to remember going through the FAQ there a while ago, and it is pretty much a US-only site (which makes sense as it's person-to-person really) - can't remember whether they included Canada too, but definitely not the overseas countries.
 
<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>Has there been any talk about some new books now that the Technomage trilogy has been completed? <hr></blockquote>

Sadly, no. JMS completed the outlines for the three Del Rey trilogies back in 1998 and 1999, when Crusade was still in production. (He assumed the "spoilers" for Crusade in the Technomage books would be old news by the time they were published.) He hasn't done any similar outlines since.

The only possible "new book" that we might see is the proposed short story anthology, which would collect the existing short stories and add some new ones to bring the total up to book length. But while Del Rey made some noises about considering this idea last year, I haven't heard anything further on the subject.

Regards,

Joe
 
For those of you finding it hard to find the numbered books from Dell, Del Rey books did announce that they were going to reprint at least some of the Dell books starting at the end of this year.
They will reprint both 'The Shadow Within' and 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows.' The first of these is due in November IIRC (I just can't remember which one they're doing first, and these were the only two novels specifically mentioned so far.)
 
The Shadow Within is up first from Del Rey, in December. (Jeanne Cavelos confirmed this a couple of months ago.) To Dream in the City of Sorrows will be next, since those are the two most-requested titles. After that its anybody's guess, but the impression I got is that Del Rey intends to reprint all of the Dell books - even the ones that really sucked. /ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif Have no idea how long we'll have to wait between books, though.

Regards,

Joe
 
Wow this is ironic. I was just on Amazon lastnight setting up my wish list to order all the books I did not have. If $ is a major consideration, I suggest that you follow the ratings that others have set out for best pick books. While I loved To Dream in the City of Sorrows, I still felt a little jipped because I wanted info on how VALEN lived and I haven't been able to get any of the comics. --Perhaps this is an obsessive point for me but doesn't anyone else want the low down skinny from the beginning (or the end depending on how you look at it)?

If $$ isn't a major consideration, I suggest that you grab every book you can get your hands on, new or used. Why? Well, B5 might never (say it ain't so) hit DVD, there may never be another tele movie, and there may never be a new book. Sorry, but even if the characters aren't perfectly written, I want some books I can hold in my hand and read.
 
I've read all of :
1: Voices
2: Accusations
3: Blood Oath
5: The Touch Of Your Shadow, the Whisper Of Your Name

and they really do suck. Definitely not the kind of quality u'd expect from something with the name B5 on it.
In fact I've read some Voyager novels that were better, and everyone around here should know how much I hate Voyager.
 
I actually enjoyed both Accusations (which I even considered a pretty decent suspense novel even if it hadn't been a B5 book) and Blood Oath. *Shrugs* To each their own!

But I guess my pain level is pretty high when it comes to B5 books. /ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif
 
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