This is the sixth and final novel in the original run of franchise novels. The publisher would eventually release three more novels using outlines from series creator J. Michael Straczynski, largely in an attempt to resolve the quality/continuity issues in the first six novels. In many respects, however, this is the end of the “first era” of the “Babylon 5” novels, and might possibly be the best out of all of them (faint praise, indeed).
This particular novel has its good points, though many of the same issues remain. As always, the novels attempt to construct a dramatically viable situation (once again hinging on the off-screen sins of the Narn Regime) by offering something that is too massive to be ignored in the series proper. The characterizations are a bit shaky, the setting is hard to pin down amidst so much else happening in the same time period on-screen…the list goes on.
The main oddity of this novel, however, is the massive spoiler on the back cover. The events mentioned on the back of the book all take place in the final 40 pages. This robs the book of some of its power, since most of the time is spent looking for some sign that the indicated plot is actually going to happen. While this is mildly entertaining as an exercise in story construction, seeing how the plot threads converge to the inevitable outcome, it’s just another problem for the book to overcome.
Rating: 6/10
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