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Babylon 5: Saga of Psi Corps #1-3
The Psi Corps Trilogy
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
712 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
J. Gregory Keyes
32 books44 followersGregory Keyes is a writer of science fiction and fantasy who has written both original and media-related novels under both the names J. Gregory Keyes and Greg Keyes.
Greg Keyes was born in to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of George before becoming a fulltime writer.
He lives in Savannah, Georgia.
Greg Keyes was born in to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of George before becoming a fulltime writer.
He lives in Savannah, Georgia.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2019
The 1st 'book', Dark Genesis, is a ripping good sci-fi story of the emergence of telepathy in the 22nd C. and the subsequent birth of Psi Corp. A clever element, concerning evidence of alien genetic manipulation that produces telepaths, is embedded in aboriginal/pre-Columbian creation myths - contributing a nice bit of anthropological detective story to the larger geo-political narrative on the "telepath question".
Book 2 - Deadly Relations brings into focus the life and career of B5's infamous psi-cop, Alfred Bester, up to the point of his 1st B5 appearance, in Season 1's "Mind Wars". Keyes writes some wonderful dialogue for Bester, and gives the character's story the qualities of a Shakespearean tragedy.
Book 3 - Final Reckoning skips forward 20+ years, and a time span of mere months, in its denouement of Bester, as an octogenarian and fugitive war criminal attempting to hide "in plain sight" from his pursuers, which include the obsessed Garibaldi. The 'sci-fi' aspects are more subtle and more in the background as this part of the trilogy reads more like spy fiction. The entire 3-volume epic pays itself off rather poignantly in its final chapter and epilogue.
One omission, so conspicuous by its absence, from this epic tale of human telepaths in the B5 universe is the Telepath War (referred to as the 'Telepath Conflict' in the novels) which occurs in 2264-5. Given the prominence of telepaths in the main series, the importance of particular characters such as Bester and Lyta Alexander (and later Matheson from the "Crusade" series), it remains a glaring "hole" in an otherwise well-documented timeline. But it seems creator JM Straczynski made the decision to avoid overt depiction of these events, preferring they be referenced only obliquely and after the fact in the novels and tv episodes. Perhaps there were plans to flesh this out in a more dramatic venue such as a made-for-tv or feature-length film. He is certainly coy about these events.
I confess my own irritation derives from my fascination with Lyta Alexander. It disappoints me to have the life of this intriguing telepath, a Vorlon-enhanced "WMD" by her own admission, end as something of a casualty 'footnote' in a conflict which significantly altered the fate of Bester and the entire Psi Corp. We have had teasing glimpses of Lyta's life after B5 from published short stories. Her exploits with G'kar and as leader of the telepath resistance, as well as her fate in the Telepath Conflict deserve a more complete airing. Perhaps in a future novel or short story(s)?
Book 2 - Deadly Relations brings into focus the life and career of B5's infamous psi-cop, Alfred Bester, up to the point of his 1st B5 appearance, in Season 1's "Mind Wars". Keyes writes some wonderful dialogue for Bester, and gives the character's story the qualities of a Shakespearean tragedy.
Book 3 - Final Reckoning skips forward 20+ years, and a time span of mere months, in its denouement of Bester, as an octogenarian and fugitive war criminal attempting to hide "in plain sight" from his pursuers, which include the obsessed Garibaldi. The 'sci-fi' aspects are more subtle and more in the background as this part of the trilogy reads more like spy fiction. The entire 3-volume epic pays itself off rather poignantly in its final chapter and epilogue.
One omission, so conspicuous by its absence, from this epic tale of human telepaths in the B5 universe is the Telepath War (referred to as the 'Telepath Conflict' in the novels) which occurs in 2264-5. Given the prominence of telepaths in the main series, the importance of particular characters such as Bester and Lyta Alexander (and later Matheson from the "Crusade" series), it remains a glaring "hole" in an otherwise well-documented timeline. But it seems creator JM Straczynski made the decision to avoid overt depiction of these events, preferring they be referenced only obliquely and after the fact in the novels and tv episodes. Perhaps there were plans to flesh this out in a more dramatic venue such as a made-for-tv or feature-length film. He is certainly coy about these events.
I confess my own irritation derives from my fascination with Lyta Alexander. It disappoints me to have the life of this intriguing telepath, a Vorlon-enhanced "WMD" by her own admission, end as something of a casualty 'footnote' in a conflict which significantly altered the fate of Bester and the entire Psi Corp. We have had teasing glimpses of Lyta's life after B5 from published short stories. Her exploits with G'kar and as leader of the telepath resistance, as well as her fate in the Telepath Conflict deserve a more complete airing. Perhaps in a future novel or short story(s)?
May 27, 2021
For those of you who wonder what happened to Bester before and after Babylon 5 this book is for you.
June 20, 2013
It saddens me to know that a book this great has a limited and ever-dwindling audience, given that Babylon 5 is something of a forgotten sci-fi property. While it was a giant back in the 90's, it nowadays always seems to be ignored in favor of the various Star Treks, Star Wars, BSG, Firefly, and Doctor Who, to the point that B5 fandom is pretty darn well nonexistent these days. Regardless, Babylon 5: The Psi Corps Trilogy is so good that I'd even recommend it to people who haven't watched B5, as it largely holds up as its own brilliant sci-fi saga that becomes a rich character piece for an excellent villain (who was played in the show by Chekov himself, Walter Koenig!). Upon finishing it, I was overcome with all these... what do the kids call ‘em? Ah, yes: "feels."
This trio of novels--collected in a single handy dandy volume here--start off by exploring what happens when a whole generation of humans start being born as telepaths, resulting in years of violent oppression and hateful persecution that's very familiar to anyone who has ever read or seen anything involving the X-Men. Out of this turmoil emerges the Psi Corps, a government-sanctioned squad of fanatical fascist telepaths who must hunt down rogue telepaths who refuse to register. The greatest of these "Psi Cops" is a young man named Alfred Bester, a cunning sociopath who rises up the ranks even as his ambition gradually chips away at his soul. Eventually, however, eveything starts to fall apart for Bester, and with the former hero of the Psi-Corps finding himself dubbed a "war criminal," he becomes a man on the run with nothing to lose. Or at least, so he thinks.
Based on a plot outline by B5 mastermind J. Michael Straczynski, author J. Gregory Keyes's Babylon 5: The Psi Corps Trilogy begins as an excellent work of science fiction, painting a chilling and moving portrait of oppression and oppressors where very little is in black and white, but the story really shines once Bester himself takes center stage in Book 2. From this point onward, The Psi Corps Trilogy turns into some of the best villain-centric fiction I’ve ever read, on par with John Gardner's Grendel. As with that book, this one fleshes out the villain's actions and motivations in powerful ways, making him human and tragic without ever excusing or condoning him. That’s a tricky-but-vital balance for anyone writing about villains, especially villains from other properties.
Like the best villain fanfiction*, it doesn’t try to rewrite the source material, but instead enhances the experience of reading and rereading the original works. Speaking as someone who was already a B5 fan from ten years ago, I already loved Bester in the series, but now I cannot look at him nor the Psi Corps the same way. Frankly, it’s what made me hungry enough to finally revisit B5 for the first time in a decade. Let me tell you, it’s an amazing feeling to have a fandom rekindled in your heart, and stories that can light that spark are rare indeed.
Even if you haven't yet or don't really plan on watching B5, I would nonetheless strongly recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves old-fashioned sci-fi (future worlds, big ideas, and challenging concepts over space fantasy action, although some of that is here as well). I also recommend it to anyone who loves tragic villains and enjoys dissecting their motivations and actions. It's not every book that makes one feel sympathy for a monster, but that's just a testament both to the ideas of Straczynski and the writing of Keyes, both of whom created a compelling antihero/antivillain for a brutally complicated future.
*Published or not, official or otherwise, it’s still fanfic. Despite the bad rep that fanfic has gotten, I do NOT mean this as an insult by any means. Mind you, I feel the same way about DC and Marvel Comics. When it comes to writing for established properties, the only difference between a fanfic author and a professional author is a paycheck. Nothing else.
This trio of novels--collected in a single handy dandy volume here--start off by exploring what happens when a whole generation of humans start being born as telepaths, resulting in years of violent oppression and hateful persecution that's very familiar to anyone who has ever read or seen anything involving the X-Men. Out of this turmoil emerges the Psi Corps, a government-sanctioned squad of fanatical fascist telepaths who must hunt down rogue telepaths who refuse to register. The greatest of these "Psi Cops" is a young man named Alfred Bester, a cunning sociopath who rises up the ranks even as his ambition gradually chips away at his soul. Eventually, however, eveything starts to fall apart for Bester, and with the former hero of the Psi-Corps finding himself dubbed a "war criminal," he becomes a man on the run with nothing to lose. Or at least, so he thinks.
Based on a plot outline by B5 mastermind J. Michael Straczynski, author J. Gregory Keyes's Babylon 5: The Psi Corps Trilogy begins as an excellent work of science fiction, painting a chilling and moving portrait of oppression and oppressors where very little is in black and white, but the story really shines once Bester himself takes center stage in Book 2. From this point onward, The Psi Corps Trilogy turns into some of the best villain-centric fiction I’ve ever read, on par with John Gardner's Grendel. As with that book, this one fleshes out the villain's actions and motivations in powerful ways, making him human and tragic without ever excusing or condoning him. That’s a tricky-but-vital balance for anyone writing about villains, especially villains from other properties.
Like the best villain fanfiction*, it doesn’t try to rewrite the source material, but instead enhances the experience of reading and rereading the original works. Speaking as someone who was already a B5 fan from ten years ago, I already loved Bester in the series, but now I cannot look at him nor the Psi Corps the same way. Frankly, it’s what made me hungry enough to finally revisit B5 for the first time in a decade. Let me tell you, it’s an amazing feeling to have a fandom rekindled in your heart, and stories that can light that spark are rare indeed.
Even if you haven't yet or don't really plan on watching B5, I would nonetheless strongly recommend this trilogy to anyone who loves old-fashioned sci-fi (future worlds, big ideas, and challenging concepts over space fantasy action, although some of that is here as well). I also recommend it to anyone who loves tragic villains and enjoys dissecting their motivations and actions. It's not every book that makes one feel sympathy for a monster, but that's just a testament both to the ideas of Straczynski and the writing of Keyes, both of whom created a compelling antihero/antivillain for a brutally complicated future.
*Published or not, official or otherwise, it’s still fanfic. Despite the bad rep that fanfic has gotten, I do NOT mean this as an insult by any means. Mind you, I feel the same way about DC and Marvel Comics. When it comes to writing for established properties, the only difference between a fanfic author and a professional author is a paycheck. Nothing else.
February 20, 2017
Love B5 and Bester's history was definitely interesting.
June 27, 2008
Прочитала в любительском переводе. Теперь хочу оригинал и на бумаге. Содержание:
1. Темное происхождение: Рождение ПсиКорпуса
2. Смертельные связи: Возвышение Бестера
3. Окончательный расчет: Судьба Бестера
1. Темное происхождение: Рождение ПсиКорпуса
2. Смертельные связи: Возвышение Бестера
3. Окончательный расчет: Судьба Бестера
April 4, 2013
This is a decent trilogy. The first two books are non-stop action and intrigue while the third book slows down considerably for about the first half to two thirds. So, the third book can slow you down a bit. Overall, it is a pretty good book.
January 31, 2011
Incredible inside view of the life of the best villian of the Bablyon series... Bester.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews