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Babylon 5: Legions of Fire #1-3
Legions of Fire
Contains "The Long Night of Centauri Prime," "Armies of Light and Dark," and "Out of the Darkness."
733 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
4 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Peter David
3,569 books1,364 followersaka David Peters
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 14, 2019
Incredibly well written trilogy!
Gives a lot of answers, emotionally cathartic leaves bittersweet sensation when reading the last sentence.
For me at least ;).
Definitely recommend it! Again, this is proof that the book needn't be over 500 pages to be... hm interesting and rich.
Why won't there be any TV show based on them :P ?! A pity...
Gives a lot of answers, emotionally cathartic leaves bittersweet sensation when reading the last sentence.
For me at least ;).
Definitely recommend it! Again, this is proof that the book needn't be over 500 pages to be... hm interesting and rich.
Why won't there be any TV show based on them :P ?! A pity...
November 23, 2023
This essentially being three novels in one, it still managed to work well as a three-act structure. The first book focuses mostly on Londo and getting used to his new, horrible life, the second revolves mostly around Vir and how he changes into the person he needs to be, and the final book is mostly about events coming to a head and depicting what we saw in the TV series when we got glimpses of the future. All told, it covers about 15 years after the end of the series and uses Londo’s personal journal entries as the narrative bookmarks that propel us in time (him only being able to make occasional entries across the years while his Keeper is inebriated).
I had some disappointment regarding the allusions from the show to a long and drawn-out conflict between Centari Prime (and the Drakh) with the Interstellar Alliance, which was from my perspective reading the story here, rather a short and concise affair.
The logic and workings behind the concept of Keepers was never addressed to an adequate degree for my taste and it seems like Keepers are capable of doing whatever they need to do for the story. Sometimes they can read their hosts thoughts and control their actions, sometimes not, and sometimes, for some people it seems to be both.
I wasn’t sure how they would bring Londo’s (and G’kar’s) characters to a close – we know the end point however and while tragic, it would be very easy for it to leave an unsatisfying taste in the mouth. Fortunately, the author found a way to do it with taste and dignity, and left me satisfied.
I had some disappointment regarding the allusions from the show to a long and drawn-out conflict between Centari Prime (and the Drakh) with the Interstellar Alliance, which was from my perspective reading the story here, rather a short and concise affair.
The logic and workings behind the concept of Keepers was never addressed to an adequate degree for my taste and it seems like Keepers are capable of doing whatever they need to do for the story. Sometimes they can read their hosts thoughts and control their actions, sometimes not, and sometimes, for some people it seems to be both.
I wasn’t sure how they would bring Londo’s (and G’kar’s) characters to a close – we know the end point however and while tragic, it would be very easy for it to leave an unsatisfying taste in the mouth. Fortunately, the author found a way to do it with taste and dignity, and left me satisfied.
January 1, 2022
Ugh! Pure character assassination of Londo and Vir! I don't understand high rating of this novels at all! Peter David writes very good comics, so I was really surprised and dissapointed when started reading "Legions of Fire" First, I couldn't shake a feeling that I read some stupid fanfic with OC characters written by a school girl. Senna, for example, is pure Mary Sue! Londo's noble sacrifice is completely undermined here. Peter David for some reason despite of his brilliant "Soulmates" scenario in tv series, writed novels very badly. He portrays Londo as a coward, who thinks only about saving his hide. It is very different from Londo from Babylon 5 who sacrificed himself for the sake of his people. Drakhs on the other hand portrayed as sympathetic, "they are actually not bad, just hurt and misunderstood creatures" Vir became disgusting amorale person. WTF?! I just can't and won't consider this as canon!! I couldn't read past first novel, it is just horrible! Shame that Straczynski never finished Babylon 5 properly. I would gladly see " The War with Drakhs" from his perspective. Alas. Maybe we will see it in reboot though.
If you loved Londo and Vir characters from TV don't read it. It will just ruin all impression about characters and series's final. Just accept that they defeated Drakh and watch 22 episode of 5th season.
If you loved Londo and Vir characters from TV don't read it. It will just ruin all impression about characters and series's final. Just accept that they defeated Drakh and watch 22 episode of 5th season.
November 4, 2017
Absolutely loved, loved, loved this trilogy. This was better than the Babylon 5 Psi-Corps trilogy and much better than the Babylon 5 Techno Mage trilogy. All three of those trilogies are considered cannon, by the way, by the series creator, J. Michael Straczynski, and were written based on his scripts.
Highly recommended for fans of one of the best Sci-Fi shows of all time, especially if you're curious as to what was going on behind the scenes on Centauri Prime and the Shadow and later Drakh influence there.
Highly recommended for fans of one of the best Sci-Fi shows of all time, especially if you're curious as to what was going on behind the scenes on Centauri Prime and the Shadow and later Drakh influence there.
January 23, 2018
Reading this trilogy was an enjoyable trip down memory lane, to those lost days when I was going through the seasons of Babylon 5 for the first time. It was like being allowed to watch a final season of the show that was never made. Characters evolved, loose ends were tied up. Not earth-shattering literature, to be sure. But I liked it.
December 27, 2022
Londo Mollari. Emperor. Ruler. Puppet. See the fate of one of Sci fi's most tragic figures as dark forces in the shadows use him and his nation to try and propel the galaxy headlong into disaster and misery.
June 8, 2019
As a Babylon 5 fan, I loved it. Londo wasn't done perfectly, but it still was well pulled off
June 6, 2021
For fans of Babylon 5 who wish to know David Sheridan son of John and Deleen this story is for you. For Those who want to know how Vir Cotto becomes Emperor with out a Keeper this book is for you.
March 27, 2023
If you enjoy the babylon 5 series, this is definitely a good read to give you closure for the unfinished storyline
March 4, 2012
Book 1: The Long Night of Centauri Prime.
The story proceeds almost immediately from the B5 5th-season epi, 'The Fall of Centauri Prime', and spans the first five years of Londo Mollari's reign as Centauri emperor. Vir Cotto, Mariel and Timov figure prominently. Senna, an orphaned relative of Lord Refa, is introduced and serves as something of a moral compass for the reader. Sad choices, sinister plots, and political intrigue abound, and serve to set up the larger narrative of the subsequent novels. As others have mentioned, Peter David is at his best with dialogue scenes, effectively capturing the "voices" of familiar characters from the B5 universe. Another strength of David's story is his depiction of the cold ruthlessness of the Drakh in Londo's affairs. But in terms of plot narrative, he tends to overstate events and give away mysteries a bit too quickly, denying his readers the juicy experience of speculating (along with the characters) as to cause and effect. This will likely annoy B5 fans, who have grown used to J. Michael Straczynski's habit of dropping in puzzling or unexplained plot elements into episodes that would not payoff or resolve themselves until much later.
Book 2: Armies of Light and Dark
The title is misleading; "Intrigues of Light and Dark", or "Subterfuges of Light and Dark", would be more accurate, if less dramatic. The book focuses on Vir Cotto and his coming of age as a leader of the resistance to the fascist oligarchy growing on his homeworld. Vir evolves through circumstance into a calculating and shrewd tactician, losing much of his innocence and naïveté along the way. The story does stumble out the gate with a poorly structured and rather preposterous off-planet action, preposterous in part due to the way the author sets up the humongous scale and gravity of the situation, but then dispatches the whole mess in short order, with hardly a follow-up mention of its implications. (It will be useful to have seen the B5 movie, A Call To Arms, to get much out of what's going on.) But you will be rewarded once you get past this, as Peter David offers a much more coherent and engrossing story for the rest of the book, set primarily on Centauri Prime. His plot progressions make more sense, add up and pay off for the reader, and wet our appetite for the confrontations we anticipate in the final book. The author continues his expert skill with dialogue that 'sounds' right. His choice of names for his invented characters, places and even buildings (Tower of Power? please.) - well, not so much. The timeline brings us up to 2273, inching us closer to what we expect will be the final years of Londo Mollari.
Book 3: Out of Darkness
The cover illustration certainly whets our expectations for how this trilogy intends to conclude. With Delenn and Sheridan in embrace we expect nothing less than an enhanced exposition of the brief scenes on Centauri Prime from 'War Without End'. And we get that and more from Peter David's final novel. Unfortunately, David's narrative skills don't measure up so well as he tries to wrap up seemingly every loose thread left in the B5 universe between 'Objects at Rest' and 'Sleeping In Light'.
A shame, really, as the first 200 pages powerfully deliver on all that is anticipated from the prior books. The mounting war between the Drakh-sponsored elites in the Centauri government and the technomage-supported Resistance led by Vir Cotto plays out to great effect. We come to care a great deal about the fates of Senna, Mariel, and Durla. The cunning attempts by Londo and Vir to thwart the Drakh make for entertaining reading. And there is also sadness in the sacrifices that are required of some. This is where I believe the author should have kept the focus of his story - the struggle for the future of the Centauri civilization.
But David can't help himself; the novel devolves over its latter half into a kind of "fan-fiction" - attempting to answer every dangling question or mystery, while inviting practically every still-living B5 character to participate (however awkward or implausible the explanation of their appearance on the embargoed Centauri homeworld, or elsewhere). The Sheridan-Delenn elements of the book just miss the mark, in my opinion, both in narrative quality and in tone. The threat to their child, David, set up in 'Objects At Rest', is clumsily resolved. It points to a noticeable flaw in this author's style: he can start a fight - bring us to the brink of the climax with effective prose and dialogue, but as often as not, he is a let-down as a finisher.
The novel, and the trilogy by extension, is at its best the denouement of the life and career of Londo Mollari, and the subsequent rise of the Vir Cotto's star. THAT story is effectively and poignantly told in Legions of Fire.
The story proceeds almost immediately from the B5 5th-season epi, 'The Fall of Centauri Prime', and spans the first five years of Londo Mollari's reign as Centauri emperor. Vir Cotto, Mariel and Timov figure prominently. Senna, an orphaned relative of Lord Refa, is introduced and serves as something of a moral compass for the reader. Sad choices, sinister plots, and political intrigue abound, and serve to set up the larger narrative of the subsequent novels. As others have mentioned, Peter David is at his best with dialogue scenes, effectively capturing the "voices" of familiar characters from the B5 universe. Another strength of David's story is his depiction of the cold ruthlessness of the Drakh in Londo's affairs. But in terms of plot narrative, he tends to overstate events and give away mysteries a bit too quickly, denying his readers the juicy experience of speculating (along with the characters) as to cause and effect. This will likely annoy B5 fans, who have grown used to J. Michael Straczynski's habit of dropping in puzzling or unexplained plot elements into episodes that would not payoff or resolve themselves until much later.
Book 2: Armies of Light and Dark
The title is misleading; "Intrigues of Light and Dark", or "Subterfuges of Light and Dark", would be more accurate, if less dramatic. The book focuses on Vir Cotto and his coming of age as a leader of the resistance to the fascist oligarchy growing on his homeworld. Vir evolves through circumstance into a calculating and shrewd tactician, losing much of his innocence and naïveté along the way. The story does stumble out the gate with a poorly structured and rather preposterous off-planet action, preposterous in part due to the way the author sets up the humongous scale and gravity of the situation, but then dispatches the whole mess in short order, with hardly a follow-up mention of its implications. (It will be useful to have seen the B5 movie, A Call To Arms, to get much out of what's going on.) But you will be rewarded once you get past this, as Peter David offers a much more coherent and engrossing story for the rest of the book, set primarily on Centauri Prime. His plot progressions make more sense, add up and pay off for the reader, and wet our appetite for the confrontations we anticipate in the final book. The author continues his expert skill with dialogue that 'sounds' right. His choice of names for his invented characters, places and even buildings (Tower of Power? please.) - well, not so much. The timeline brings us up to 2273, inching us closer to what we expect will be the final years of Londo Mollari.
Book 3: Out of Darkness
The cover illustration certainly whets our expectations for how this trilogy intends to conclude. With Delenn and Sheridan in embrace we expect nothing less than an enhanced exposition of the brief scenes on Centauri Prime from 'War Without End'. And we get that and more from Peter David's final novel. Unfortunately, David's narrative skills don't measure up so well as he tries to wrap up seemingly every loose thread left in the B5 universe between 'Objects at Rest' and 'Sleeping In Light'.
A shame, really, as the first 200 pages powerfully deliver on all that is anticipated from the prior books. The mounting war between the Drakh-sponsored elites in the Centauri government and the technomage-supported Resistance led by Vir Cotto plays out to great effect. We come to care a great deal about the fates of Senna, Mariel, and Durla. The cunning attempts by Londo and Vir to thwart the Drakh make for entertaining reading. And there is also sadness in the sacrifices that are required of some. This is where I believe the author should have kept the focus of his story - the struggle for the future of the Centauri civilization.
But David can't help himself; the novel devolves over its latter half into a kind of "fan-fiction" - attempting to answer every dangling question or mystery, while inviting practically every still-living B5 character to participate (however awkward or implausible the explanation of their appearance on the embargoed Centauri homeworld, or elsewhere). The Sheridan-Delenn elements of the book just miss the mark, in my opinion, both in narrative quality and in tone. The threat to their child, David, set up in 'Objects At Rest', is clumsily resolved. It points to a noticeable flaw in this author's style: he can start a fight - bring us to the brink of the climax with effective prose and dialogue, but as often as not, he is a let-down as a finisher.
The novel, and the trilogy by extension, is at its best the denouement of the life and career of Londo Mollari, and the subsequent rise of the Vir Cotto's star. THAT story is effectively and poignantly told in Legions of Fire.
February 12, 2013
There's a series of Babylon 5 books that read like bad fan fiction. This is NOT part of that series. The Legions of Fire trilogy (along with two other trilogies: The Passing of the Techno Mages and Saga of Psi Corps) are well-written, based on JMS's outlines, and are required reading for any die-hard fans of the Babylon 5 Universe. Legions of Fire, in particular, ties up a lot of loose ends on Centauri Prime, and takes the character of Vir to a depth that was only hinted at on the TV show. In fact, after reading this you may go back and watch a few Season 4/5 episodes and understand him & some other characters just a tiny bit more, not to mention get a glimpse into Londo's inner monologue at critical points you've already seen on the show.
April 8, 2008
The best of the novels spun off from the tv series (written from notes by J. Micheal Straczynski) this trilogy resolves most of the questions about the Drak, Londo, Vir and Centauri Prime as well as tying into plot-lines regarding G'Kar, John Sheridan and D'Lenn so well, it's like having more seasons of Babylon 5- the best tv series ever, period, shut up.
Note: this was just the most recent time I've read this. It was my fourth. Still awesome, every time.
Note: this was just the most recent time I've read this. It was my fourth. Still awesome, every time.
April 15, 2009
This series never got respect. Unlike "Star Trek" or "Stargate"..."Babylon 5" never really found a good home to air. However, this is one of the most original and boldest series I have ever had the enjoyment to watch. This series DARED to have a beginning, a middle, AND an end. It did not milk "the cash cow" until the farmers hands were put in traction.
This trilogy is GREAT! If you are at all curious as to what became of certain characters after the show, I would recommend this title.
This trilogy is GREAT! If you are at all curious as to what became of certain characters after the show, I would recommend this title.
August 22, 2009
This book is a must read for any Babylon 5 fan.
It is essentially the next installment of the series, like a movie of the next 16 or so years centering on Centauri Prime and the Drakh threat.
Very, very good, and wonderful, just like the TV series - though it may have left me slightly paranoid, especially of shadows.
It is essentially the next installment of the series, like a movie of the next 16 or so years centering on Centauri Prime and the Drakh threat.
Very, very good, and wonderful, just like the TV series - though it may have left me slightly paranoid, especially of shadows.
January 31, 2011
The incredible, and sad, ending of the saga. This set must be read at the very end of all other books.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews