The Babylon 5 Blog

This was the final novel to be published under the original book contract, and it is by far the shining jewel of the collection.  In a very real sense, this book presages the kind of tight continuity that marks the trilogies that followed.  The story of what happened to Sinclair between his arrival on Minbar and his eventual return to Babylon 5 in “War Without End”, this is a gift to any dedicated Babylon 5 and Jeffrey Sinclair fan.

The author spends a great deal of time reconciling some apparent contradictions within the series proper: specifically, the political changes in Minbari society and the rise of the Rangers, a force consisting of Humans and Minbari.  Why would a Grey Council, dominated by an isolationist warrior caste, agree to fund and foster a group of warrior-priests with a Human leader?  This book makes the case fairly well, and explores Sinclair’s personal development in the process.

Two other topics are explored along the way: the personal history of Marcus Cole and the fate of Catherine Sakai.  It’s always been odd to imagine that Marcus could undergo such strenuous training, substantial enough to make him an effective fighter and teach him so much else, when it had to happen in less than a year!  It’s still a stretch of the imagination, but this novel does make a bit more sense of the notion.

Seasoned “Babylon 5” fans know that Catherine Sakai was originally meant to fulfill the role that Anna Sheridan ultimately held, had Sinclair remained the central character of the series.  This book adjusts the overall story to give Catherine’s later absence a reasonable explanation, and even alludes to her ultimate fate.

The author was given the daunting task of repairing some of the damage done when the original plans for the series were altered after the first season by network intervention and the realities of syndicated television.  The only complaint one might have is that the novel simply isn’t long enough or detailed enough.  The reader is left wanting more.  Is there any better compliment that can be made?

Rating: 10/10