Product Description

A novel based on the science-fiction television series, "Babylon 5".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #331582 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
This latest instalment of the Babylon 5 series is the beginning of a trilogy that explores the origins of the infamous Psi Corps and the interrelationship with the future and the past origins of earth in the 21st century.

Greg Keyes has caught the flavour and action-packed themes of the Babylon 5 series co- authors Jane Killick, John Vornholt, and others, that allows for the combination of future societies and their own dilemmas with current 20th-century political and social trends that are blended into a thought provoking and sinister analogy on man's own worst enemy--mankind itself.

The Psi Corps is a world government agency that has been developed to organise and control the newly emerged but enviable part of the world's population that enjoys various degrees of telepathic powers. The Corps, its leaders and the multi- cultural earth government have an agenda that sets off fractions within the telepathic community that results in a twisting and surprising plot that sets the scene for the next few centuries of earth history.

Greg Keyes writes well and his descriptions of the human suffering and emotional traumas encountered by all who have contact with the Psi cops and their international band of informants is both engrossing and thought provoking. The future can often be based in the past and the build up to the situations encountered by the characters has a firm basis on recent political and social history. The next instalment of this trilogy should set the pace for a continued and interesting exploration into the future and man's relationships not only with the unknown but also with himself. -- Brian Reinker

Customer Reviews

Disjointed and rushed
After reading Peter David's trilogy on the Centauri, I was anticipating a similar depth and fast-paced book to start the psi-cops trilogy. To be honest, it was a great disappointment. It was hard to keep up with the large numbers of one-dimensional characters Keyes involves in the rather confused plot. It wasn't clear why he needed to do this - perhaps he was under contract to produce something fast and along a story line not of his choosing. However, I have not felt the need to continue reading the next two books.

Tries to do too much
I went into this book looking forward to learning more of the history of the Psi Corp, the group I loved to hate from the Babylon 5 TV show. I was disappointed, however. This book covers the birth of the Psi Corp after the discovery of Telepaths on earth. It also covers the resistance movement during the early years. However, it tries to cover too much territory. The action takes place over 100 years and includes a couple generations of characters. As a result, it doesn't appear to be really focused on anything or anyone. It comes across as more of a history then a novel.

This book is interesting reading for the Babylon 5 fan, but not an engrossing novel. The other two books in this trilogy do focus the characters and action more, so I hope that when I get a chance to read them I will like them better.

A story all B5 fans have been waiting for.
This book tells the story of the creation of one of the most intriging groups in the B5 series, the Psi Corp. It includes some unexpected but well thought out plot twists, which exploits the fascist style manipulation that takes place in the corp. The way it tells the story from different angles (Rouges & Psi Corp) leaves you with a love and hate for both sides, perfectly complimenting the stories of the TV series. I loved it, a facinating look at an even more facinating group. Brilliant!