04.19.09
Posted in Books at 11:31 pm by Administrator
This is the first book in the Psi Corps trilogy, and one of the first B5 books to be written based on an outline by JMS. I still have my first-edition paperback copy of the book, and it was definitely interesting to go back for a re-read after so many years.
The first thing that struck me was how it definitely feels like it was written from an outline from JMS. And I don’t necessarily mean that in a good way. The story is essentially the story of Kevin Vacit, the man who would set the Psi Corps on its course through history while also setting up a resistance to keep it in check. It’s the story of where Vacit came from, how he fooled the world into believing that a mundane was leading the effort to control those dangerous telepaths, and how he begat Alfred Bester. Along the way, Kevin Vacit manages to learn, and keep very quiet, the truth about the origins of human telepaths.
In terms of shedding light on the hyper-detailed history of the “Babylon 5” universe, the book does its job. It introduces, among other things, the interesting notion that the telepath underground was a necessary counterweight to the Psi Corps. Unfortunately, the story is occasionally too scattered for its own good. It often feels like the author was under a deadline for the first book, and just did whatever he could to get the job done as quickly as possible. As such, some portions of the book are barely more than a slightly fleshed-out bullet point. Where the story could use much more depth and consideration, the author jumps to the next bullet point.
The end result is a book that sounds a lot better in theory than in reality. Fans of the series will definitely enjoy the book the first time around, as revelations abound throughout. But the book doesn’t hold up well the second time around.
Rating: 7/10
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04.05.09
Posted in Books at 11:47 pm by Administrator
This is the third novel in the soon-to-be-completed “Wheel of Time” series. Much like the first two books in the series, the narrative is extremely detailed, almost to the point of being overly so. Jordan writes from the perspective that almost every single possible moment of a character’s life should be conveyed in exacting detail. It can be overwhelming, but there’s no question that it serves to create a deep and believable fantasy world.
After the previous novel went to great lengths to draw parallels with Arthurian legend, it felt natural for the story to turn towards a riff on the Excalibur lore. I thought that would mean that the book would focus on Rand, but I was pleasantly surprised. Rand is barely in the book, and when he is, he’s barely maintaining control. Instead, the story focuses on the Tar Valon Trio, Perrin, and Matt, all engaged in their own subplots while sliding towards a common resolution with Rand.
Considering how often the characters have mentioned that a potential Dragon Reborn must be “stilled” if he gets too far out of control, it’s interesting to note that none of the rather disturbing effects of Rand’s barely-restrained power qualifies as “too far out of control”! I suppose it’s somewhat less than the breaking of the world, when one gets down to it.
I can already see where future books could get bogged down in the details and maddening subplots. In a way, these novels remind me of the fantasy equivalent of a Tom Clancy novel. As long as there’s a sense that the extreme detail and meandering story will arrive at a logical (if temporary) resolution, then all is well. But it’s very easy to stray into territory where several hundred pages will go by without much narrative progress.
Thankfully, I’m a relatively patient reader, so my threshold for such meandering is high. This book, however, is quite straightforward and managed to hold my interest throughout. Hopefully I’ll feel the same way when I resume my journey through the saga!
Rating: 8/10
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Posted in Books at 11:47 pm by Administrator
Considering how long the editors for the Trek book line planned out the arc that culminated in the “Destiny” trilogy, a rather ambitious “reboot” of the novel version of the Trek continuity, it’s good to see that the very next book managed to set the stage for the next big event. In fact, this book is all about weaving the fallout of the Borg invasion into the next big thing on a more personal level.
I can definitely see why this wasn’t received particularly well by the masses. This is very similar to “Articles of the Federation” in style, and that was a definitely “love it or hate it” novel. I, for one, loved that book, so the similarities were much appreciated. I’m a sucker for character, so after a massive trilogy focused mostly on plot and continuity, a character-driven novel hit the spot.
Sonek Pran is the main character, and he uses his political connections from involvement in previous administrations to grease the wheels with foreign powers when the cleanup from the Borg invasion starts to break down. Sonek is a bit of an insufferable character, a bit of a know-it-all, until it becomes clear that he comes from that classic literature mold of the “expert who can’t fix his personal relationships”. That humanizes Sonek just enough to keep him interesting.
This book actually made me think about the differences between the Star Wars and Star Trek novel lines. The Star Wars line has been fairly consistent, especially in recent years, with the intention of putting together a cohesive novel continuity. They extend the story in large chunks with an overreaching arc, usually building out of the previous event. But as the recent “Legacy of the Force” demonstrated, the writers seem to be caught in a bit of a rut. They’ve all but played out the reasonable opponents to struggle against, even if the books are still readable.
Star Trek, on the other hand, is blessed with more sources of conflict than one can count (which is ironic, if one thinks about it). Yet they’ve struggled the most when they try to introduce massive and transcendent enemies like the Borg. Those threats begin as overwhelming and awe-inspiring as a result, but over time, the only way to keep them at bay for any period of time is to weaken them, bringing them down to size. And in turn, that sense of awe is lost.
It’s far more interesting when the enemy is more subtle, more relatable from the beginning. That’s what makes the Typhon Pact so intriguing. It’s logical within the context of the Trek universe as a whole, and also logical in terms of the fallout of the Borg invasion. It actually reminds me of the best elements of the Dominion War. There’s a reason why “Deep Space Nine” was my favorite modern Trek series, and I see the same potential in the Typhon Pact.
As the novel that starts the ramp-up to the Typhon Pact, this sets the tone for something a little more political, a more little personal, and a lot more complicated than invasion by an overwhelming power. This is also a step away from overused villains like the Borg, which I personally wanted to see.
Rating: 8/10
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