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Babylon 5: Saga of Psi Corps #3
Final Reckoning: The Fate of Bester
For Alfred Bester, "the Corps was mother, the Corps was father."
But now, his Corps was doomed . . .
Under the ruthless command of Alfred Bester, Psi Corps's reign of terror reached unspeakable new heights--and touched off a civil war among the telepaths. Corps minions fought renegade defectors--a new resistance movement determined to overthrow Bester's monstrous regime. But the tide was destined to turn . . .
Interstellar Alliance President John Sheridan intervenes to stop the bloodshed as a new Psi Corps rises from the ashes. Its first to hunt down and neutralize war criminals, individuals such as Bester himself. Once feared across the galaxy, the dreaded hunter becomes the fleeing prey--with Michael Garibaldi in hot pursuit.
Underground and on the run, Bester builds a new life on the ruins of his secret, sinister past. But as the forces of justice--and vengeance--close in, he must confront the hell he created, choose between surrender or survival at any cost, and prepare to make his final stand . . .
There is nothing as dangerous as a predator who has been cornered and has nothing left to lose.
The stunning finale to the new epic trilogy that uncovers the secret history of the Psi Corps.
But now, his Corps was doomed . . .
Under the ruthless command of Alfred Bester, Psi Corps's reign of terror reached unspeakable new heights--and touched off a civil war among the telepaths. Corps minions fought renegade defectors--a new resistance movement determined to overthrow Bester's monstrous regime. But the tide was destined to turn . . .
Interstellar Alliance President John Sheridan intervenes to stop the bloodshed as a new Psi Corps rises from the ashes. Its first to hunt down and neutralize war criminals, individuals such as Bester himself. Once feared across the galaxy, the dreaded hunter becomes the fleeing prey--with Michael Garibaldi in hot pursuit.
Underground and on the run, Bester builds a new life on the ruins of his secret, sinister past. But as the forces of justice--and vengeance--close in, he must confront the hell he created, choose between surrender or survival at any cost, and prepare to make his final stand . . .
There is nothing as dangerous as a predator who has been cornered and has nothing left to lose.
The stunning finale to the new epic trilogy that uncovers the secret history of the Psi Corps.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
J. Gregory Keyes
32 books43 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 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 20, 2018
This is the third and final book of the Psi Corps trilogy and really concludes the story of Bester (no I am not giving anything away as the title sort of does that way before I did). Anyway this is the last in the series and to be honest one I came to late in the day.
Let me explain while Babylon 5 was airing I was a huge fan, yes the effects are dated and the fact that the show was on a budget never distracted what was going on. The show now has suffered from unsympathetic editing and failure to embrace the Hi-def age however the show itself was a landmark being cited for breaking many genre moulds include as the show which was not afraid to create story arcs.
As a result the series spawned everything from its own RPG to tie in novels. Now this trilogy was not original released int he UK and it took the publisher Ballentine to bring it to our shores.
So what of the book - well I would warn you there are a lot of assumptions made in the book that not only have you read the other two but also you are very familiar with the TV series - so for a fan like me its not a problem in fact it makes it all the more interesting knowing there are little hints and secrets being quietly slipped out while no one is looking.
The story reads like its part of a bigger tale which is not only carried over the other two books but also events in other media too. But the thing is you are not told this it is assumed - so on one hand you are treated to a story which is not bogged down with back stories and explanations and on the other you have one which would be hard to enter if you didnt know what was going on.
So really I should rate this book lower - but you see I did know what they were hinting at so for me I felt like I was part of the secret which made reading it all the more fun.
The question is should I go back and read the others in the series and find out more about what was hinted at.
Let me explain while Babylon 5 was airing I was a huge fan, yes the effects are dated and the fact that the show was on a budget never distracted what was going on. The show now has suffered from unsympathetic editing and failure to embrace the Hi-def age however the show itself was a landmark being cited for breaking many genre moulds include as the show which was not afraid to create story arcs.
As a result the series spawned everything from its own RPG to tie in novels. Now this trilogy was not original released int he UK and it took the publisher Ballentine to bring it to our shores.
So what of the book - well I would warn you there are a lot of assumptions made in the book that not only have you read the other two but also you are very familiar with the TV series - so for a fan like me its not a problem in fact it makes it all the more interesting knowing there are little hints and secrets being quietly slipped out while no one is looking.
The story reads like its part of a bigger tale which is not only carried over the other two books but also events in other media too. But the thing is you are not told this it is assumed - so on one hand you are treated to a story which is not bogged down with back stories and explanations and on the other you have one which would be hard to enter if you didnt know what was going on.
So really I should rate this book lower - but you see I did know what they were hinting at so for me I felt like I was part of the secret which made reading it all the more fun.
The question is should I go back and read the others in the series and find out more about what was hinted at.
November 8, 2020
Perhaps the weakest of the three Psi Corps novels, Final Reckoning provides a solid conclusion to the tale of Alfred Bester. Set after the conclusion of the Babylon 5 TV series, Final Reckoning details, yes, the fate of Bester. The love-to-hate-him Al Bester was one of Babylon 5's stand-out side characters, and this novel portrays him wonderfully (as Greg Keyes did in the second novel, too.)
After the Telepath War, Al Bester is a war criminal on the run. After narrowly eluding capture by MRA (a rebranded Psi Corps), Bester returns to Earth and builds a life in Paris under a secret identity. Meanwhile, his old nemesis, Michael Garibaldi, yearns to settle the score that Bester began during the series proper. Can Bester outrun his past and all the horrible things he has done?
Ultimately, that's the most interesting part of the novel. Bester is not a good person. However, he's a fascinating character to follow because his perspective is illustrated with startling sympathy. As Bester sums up at one point, he was a soldier fighting a war and he lost, and now everyone thinks that by punishing him they'll fix decades of abuse and acrimony. One of the most perceptive parts of the novel is Bester's criticism that the circumstances that created him - the mistreatment of telepaths, the atrocities committed against them - haven't been fixed, and may never be fixed. Al Bester is, in his own way, a very tragic figure.
It's what makes the novel work. As Bester lives as Claude Kaufman in Paris, there's an aura of foreboding over it all. Can a tiger change its stripes? Even as Bester begins to turn over a new leaf and embrace the humanity he spent so long spurning, he risks sliding back into the ruthless person we love to hate. Keyes really manages to make you root for Bester and to see the terrible things he lapses into as being both inevitable and tragic. And, in the end, when his final reckoning is upon him, some could say Bester gets the last laugh.
All in all, a wonderful tie-in.
(Some reviewers and fans are unhappy that this book skips over the Telepath War that was looming at the end of the series, but it functions perfectly as is, allowing you to glean the shape of the conflict and some of the losses suffered without getting mired down in it.)
After the Telepath War, Al Bester is a war criminal on the run. After narrowly eluding capture by MRA (a rebranded Psi Corps), Bester returns to Earth and builds a life in Paris under a secret identity. Meanwhile, his old nemesis, Michael Garibaldi, yearns to settle the score that Bester began during the series proper. Can Bester outrun his past and all the horrible things he has done?
Ultimately, that's the most interesting part of the novel. Bester is not a good person. However, he's a fascinating character to follow because his perspective is illustrated with startling sympathy. As Bester sums up at one point, he was a soldier fighting a war and he lost, and now everyone thinks that by punishing him they'll fix decades of abuse and acrimony. One of the most perceptive parts of the novel is Bester's criticism that the circumstances that created him - the mistreatment of telepaths, the atrocities committed against them - haven't been fixed, and may never be fixed. Al Bester is, in his own way, a very tragic figure.
It's what makes the novel work. As Bester lives as Claude Kaufman in Paris, there's an aura of foreboding over it all. Can a tiger change its stripes? Even as Bester begins to turn over a new leaf and embrace the humanity he spent so long spurning, he risks sliding back into the ruthless person we love to hate. Keyes really manages to make you root for Bester and to see the terrible things he lapses into as being both inevitable and tragic. And, in the end, when his final reckoning is upon him, some could say Bester gets the last laugh.
All in all, a wonderful tie-in.
(Some reviewers and fans are unhappy that this book skips over the Telepath War that was looming at the end of the series, but it functions perfectly as is, allowing you to glean the shape of the conflict and some of the losses suffered without getting mired down in it.)
January 1, 2025
I have weirdly strong feelings from formalist perspective: first two books cover decades (the origin of the Psi Corps and Bester's history up to his first appearance on the show), this one takes up a few months. Kinda makes the ending the trilogy less epic than the story was before that. Just a sad end for an old bastard who just can't stop being a bastard despite finally finding happiness.
June 22, 2007
This is the final book in the trilogy about Bester, the Psi Cop from the Babylon 5 TV series. I’ve always been a big fan of the TV show, so I was pleased to discover that books based on the series could be pretty good.
Alfred Bester has become an important figure and leader in the Psi Corps, but changing situations outside the Corps threaten its survival. Bester becomes involved in acts that can be described as war crimes. The Corps is disbanded and Bester is being pursued as a war criminal. He settles down in an Earth city and tries to live his old age without much notice.
Meanwhile, Michael Garibaldi has taken up the manhunt too, determined to get his revenge on Bester at last.
An excellent book that provides a much-needed resolution to the “Whatever happened to Bester and Garibaldi” that the TV show never portrayed.
Alfred Bester has become an important figure and leader in the Psi Corps, but changing situations outside the Corps threaten its survival. Bester becomes involved in acts that can be described as war crimes. The Corps is disbanded and Bester is being pursued as a war criminal. He settles down in an Earth city and tries to live his old age without much notice.
Meanwhile, Michael Garibaldi has taken up the manhunt too, determined to get his revenge on Bester at last.
An excellent book that provides a much-needed resolution to the “Whatever happened to Bester and Garibaldi” that the TV show never portrayed.
July 24, 2021
the first two were astonishingly good, esp. compared to Peter David's abominable Centauri trilogy.
then there's a big giant hole in the story between books 2 and 3 where a telepath war should've been, and book 3 stumbled, rambled, got it together just in time for the final scene, but it was way too late.
i gather jms reserved the teep war for future filming: it's a double shame that never worked out, because boy, its omission really stick-in-speeding-bicycle-wheeled the living hell out of this story right as it was shaping up to be epically good.
then there's a big giant hole in the story between books 2 and 3 where a telepath war should've been, and book 3 stumbled, rambled, got it together just in time for the final scene, but it was way too late.
i gather jms reserved the teep war for future filming: it's a double shame that never worked out, because boy, its omission really stick-in-speeding-bicycle-wheeled the living hell out of this story right as it was shaping up to be epically good.
December 8, 2024
We follow Bester around in his attempt at retirement and we also follow Garibaldi while he tries to take down his long time nemesis. It's a good story. It's dark and twisty.
I struggled to place this in the timeline, probably because I'm failing to link some key details. It seems to take place after all of the events we have seen on screen. Bester is on the run from everyone and every agency, including the Psi Corps.
The end has a real low energy but it either reveals a bunch of new lore or reminds of a bunch of shit that I had forgotten.
I struggled to place this in the timeline, probably because I'm failing to link some key details. It seems to take place after all of the events we have seen on screen. Bester is on the run from everyone and every agency, including the Psi Corps.
The end has a real low energy but it either reveals a bunch of new lore or reminds of a bunch of shit that I had forgotten.
April 16, 2009
What a huge disappointment this book turned out to be. In some respects, a ripoff. Let me be more specific!
This is book 3 of the Babylon 5 Trilogy known Psi Corp trilogy. Babylon 5 was a wonderful sci-fi television show from a few years ago that lasted five seasons. Sometimes the show featured characters who were members of Psi Corps, an organization of telepaths who could read minds and were strictly governed by the Corps.
One major recurring character was a psi-cop named Bester (first name Alfred)whose main job was to chase down rogue telepaths. He was not a nice guy, but brilliantly portrayed by actor Walter Koenig.
Book 1 told the story of how the Corp came into being, and ends with the birth of Bester. Book 2 tells the story of Bester from childhood to his becoming a powerful member of the Psi Cops. It ends with his first trip to Babylon 5. A good story, although not great.
Book 3 opens up 40+ years later, when Bester is an old man, and the most wanted criminal in the known galaxy for his war crimes during the telepath wars. What? This book skips the most important event in the fictional history of the Earth Alliance since the ending of the Babylon 5 TV show.
It was always predicted, especially by Bester, that some day telepaths and normals would fight a major war and he was preparing for that day. Somehow, this book skips that entire war and we find Bester on the run.
We get little hints of the war and the facts that some telepaths turned on others and the normals won...but no details at all. How in God's name can you skip that?
This book was a sick joke perpetrated on Babylon 5 fans and the author should have his pen and computer taken away from him. The creator of the series, J. Michael Straczynski, who wrote the outline for the story and authorized its publication should also be ostracized for skipping the best part of the post-Babylon 5 history.
I gave it one star rather than zero because the story, such as it was was mildly interesting and took place in Paris, one of my favorite cities. Without giving too much away here, one of the jobs Bester undertakes in Paris is he becomes a book reviewer for a magazine. That's funny as I wonder how he would have reviewed this book?
The other part of interest that is no secret is that Bester is constantly being pursued by Michael Garibaldi, the former security chief of Babylon 5 and the recipient of one of Bester's dirtiest tricks.
The books ends with Bester's death, as you might anticipate by the title. But, still, how can you leave out the the story of the telepath wars. So sad.
This is book 3 of the Babylon 5 Trilogy known Psi Corp trilogy. Babylon 5 was a wonderful sci-fi television show from a few years ago that lasted five seasons. Sometimes the show featured characters who were members of Psi Corps, an organization of telepaths who could read minds and were strictly governed by the Corps.
One major recurring character was a psi-cop named Bester (first name Alfred)whose main job was to chase down rogue telepaths. He was not a nice guy, but brilliantly portrayed by actor Walter Koenig.
Book 1 told the story of how the Corp came into being, and ends with the birth of Bester. Book 2 tells the story of Bester from childhood to his becoming a powerful member of the Psi Cops. It ends with his first trip to Babylon 5. A good story, although not great.
Book 3 opens up 40+ years later, when Bester is an old man, and the most wanted criminal in the known galaxy for his war crimes during the telepath wars. What? This book skips the most important event in the fictional history of the Earth Alliance since the ending of the Babylon 5 TV show.
It was always predicted, especially by Bester, that some day telepaths and normals would fight a major war and he was preparing for that day. Somehow, this book skips that entire war and we find Bester on the run.
We get little hints of the war and the facts that some telepaths turned on others and the normals won...but no details at all. How in God's name can you skip that?
This book was a sick joke perpetrated on Babylon 5 fans and the author should have his pen and computer taken away from him. The creator of the series, J. Michael Straczynski, who wrote the outline for the story and authorized its publication should also be ostracized for skipping the best part of the post-Babylon 5 history.
I gave it one star rather than zero because the story, such as it was was mildly interesting and took place in Paris, one of my favorite cities. Without giving too much away here, one of the jobs Bester undertakes in Paris is he becomes a book reviewer for a magazine. That's funny as I wonder how he would have reviewed this book?
The other part of interest that is no secret is that Bester is constantly being pursued by Michael Garibaldi, the former security chief of Babylon 5 and the recipient of one of Bester's dirtiest tricks.
The books ends with Bester's death, as you might anticipate by the title. But, still, how can you leave out the the story of the telepath wars. So sad.
January 25, 2015
This one felt like bad fan fiction. The earlier books in the Psi Corps trilogy had numerous issues as well, but at least they were dealing with some rather interesting aspects of the Babylon 5 backstory.
Sadly this is not the case with this book. For some reason the series completely
skips the telepath war and instead focuses on the final hunt for Bester. Sadly Bester here is already a spent force and between the bad writing and poorly realized characters there is little positive about this book.
Sadly this is not the case with this book. For some reason the series completely
skips the telepath war and instead focuses on the final hunt for Bester. Sadly Bester here is already a spent force and between the bad writing and poorly realized characters there is little positive about this book.
August 26, 2016
I would have liked to learn more about the Telepath War, but over all it was a good read. Didn't try to cover as much time as the previous ones and therefore had a real story - if a more solid and predictable one that I might have liked.
February 4, 2023
Normally a book or books based on a TV series are pretty simple and straightforward. The concepts are pretty simple the writing style is pretty simple. Even if it’s aimed at adults, it stays a pretty easy read. That’s fine i have read dozens of tv based books that were fantastic! But, they were still an easy read.
I rarely write long reviews but this series justifies it.
So, i finally get around to reading this series of books about the psi core. I am a huge fan and knowledgeable about the whole B5 universe. I’m here to tell you this series of books is fantastic! I mean it is loaded with deep thinking deep multi generational story telling by Mr. Keyes. The three books are set in three time periods & yet it flows smoothly.
You do need to be a fan of the series and watched the whole show to really understand what’s going on. But my goodness, let me keep going, when you read a good book with a super intelligent worldly wise author they have lots of quote-able quotes. LoL. There are several I want to cut out and post on the wall. I was even educated in some things like proper police investigation theory. Ha, who would of thought! That’s how you know you’ve got a fantastic intelligent well read author.
Gregory Keys well done my friend well done.
I rarely write long reviews but this series justifies it.
So, i finally get around to reading this series of books about the psi core. I am a huge fan and knowledgeable about the whole B5 universe. I’m here to tell you this series of books is fantastic! I mean it is loaded with deep thinking deep multi generational story telling by Mr. Keyes. The three books are set in three time periods & yet it flows smoothly.
You do need to be a fan of the series and watched the whole show to really understand what’s going on. But my goodness, let me keep going, when you read a good book with a super intelligent worldly wise author they have lots of quote-able quotes. LoL. There are several I want to cut out and post on the wall. I was even educated in some things like proper police investigation theory. Ha, who would of thought! That’s how you know you’ve got a fantastic intelligent well read author.
Gregory Keys well done my friend well done.
June 2, 2019
I have been looking for this book for a while. I wanted to see how bester��s story played out. I liked the idea of the telepaths sub plot in b5, but it was the B plot for the series and not fully developed before and after. This book series did this. Over 3 novels. Though I need to go back and re-read from the start to see if I missed things. But that also requires a b5 reread to place it in context. Thankfully the series is always good for a rewatch. You pick up so much more on subsequent viewings. I liked having an end to character" koening did so much to develop the character and give it life that it deserved more.
February 24, 2019
This is book 3 of the Psi Corps Trilogy, and unlike books 1 and 2, it takes place after the timeline in Babylon 5. It looks inside the heart of the man who has become the bad guy we saw in Babylon 5, and causes us to hope for his redemption as he stumbles on in his life. It's a sad story and i wrestled with giving it 3 or 4 stars, and decided on 4 even though i didn't enjoy the story, not because of the writing, but because of being frustrated as we see Bester sinking into the hole his life has become. The trilogy is well worth your time, even with the inevitable conclusion.
August 14, 2023
I love a broken character. Just look at my back catalog. Arkasha, Unai, Matty, John Justin Mallory, Sam Vimes Phil, I'll even add Constantine for good measure. When I read this book, I thought of lines from other books, not B5 books, that reminded me so much of the action. These were all Discworld AMCW books. Primarily Feet of Clay and Jingo. Michael Garibaldi may have taken off that badge, but it never came off. Punishment has to be done in the light. There are big crimes and little crimes, and the world watches.
June 4, 2024
Keyes manages to evoke sympathy for the devil in the last book of the Psi Corps trilogy. There is a conspicuous narrative gap between books 2 and 3, but this trilogy has consistently been less focused on Psi Corps generally and more focused on the events surrounding Bester's existence. I enjoyed this conclusion, especially as we got to see how Garibaldi's character developed prior to the last episode of Babylon 5. But my favourite part had to those statues and Bester's reaction. Great ending.
March 13, 2024
He tied it all together. As tv-tie-in pulp fiction goes this is at the top of the list. One of the better trilogies I've read. I would set it up there with the Thrawn trilogy, maybe even higher. Really extended the lore, and a lot of the stuff will sit with me as I go back through the episodes and deepen the experience. Absolutely would recommend to any fan of the series.
July 20, 2024
Final part of the Psi Corps series. A lot more intimate than I suspected. A very small cast with an entire slice-of-life section about Bester in Paris. Garibaldi had his revenge arc, and there was even a smidge of redemption for Bester as he is shown to not be so callous as he lets on.
August 14, 2024
Absolutely brilliant, great writing. The ending is a little sad, though - but what can you do. Sometimes life is like that. I certainly wasn't disappointed. I didn't feel cheated, and the ending didn't feel cheap. Really a good book, especially if you liked the show.
May 28, 2017
bittersweet
February 27, 2018
It was a great ending and I loved the final scenes. Bester, just a bad dude all around.
February 8, 2020
I am not sure why, but this book did not overly impress me. It took me a year and a half of picking it up every so often to finally finish it. I liked books 1 and 2 better.
September 11, 2021
This book and the other two in its trilogy are hands down the best story I have ever read.
January 29, 2022
The dialogue for both Garibaldi andcBester was spot-on. Captured their characters perfectly. Great ending to the trilogy.
June 29, 2023
Ended really well, but the time jump between books hurt it a little.
November 20, 2024
I enjoyed the whole trilogy as it built on my Babylon 5 experience. This story surprise me too, it didn't go as I thought it would, but I'll say no more. Highly recommended to any Babylon 5 fan.
February 3, 2025
He meets his well-deserved Fate.
It was for the Best(er).
It was for the Best(er).
July 20, 2015
When Babylon 5 hit the airwaves back in the 90's, its intricate tapestry of ongoing story threads was revolutionary for its time, and it drew me right in. Story lines dealt with lofty political and philosophical concepts, and big things happened regularly that permanently altered the character dynamics of the show. But even though the show ran for a full five seasons, one particular story line was never really resolved by the time it went off the air.
Set years after the end of the television series, this book tells the story of the last days of telepathic war criminal Alfred Bester (named after the late science fiction author, and played on the show by Walter Koenig of "Star Trek"). Now very old, and still wanted for his crimes, he finds himself in Paris and pursued by pharmaceutical tycoon and former Babylon 5 Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (played surprisingly well in the show by current Libertarian radio talk show host Jerry Doyle). A long time ago, Bester did something to Garibaldi's mind, and though he's had the psychic blocks removed, he can't let go of his grudge or his desire to see Bester brought to justice.
After waiting so long to see how this story arc ended, I must say that I found the resolution offered in this book somewhat anticlimactic. But part of that's on me, since the book has been out since 1999. There are certainly lesser B5 books that I read soon after their publication that I could have skipped in favor of this one.
But there is nice stuff here. We get to see Bester befriend and ultimately fall in love with an innkeeper half his age, and feel his anguish when he realizes that merely being with him puts her in danger. We're given a look at how Garibaldi's obsession with catching Bester puts a strain on his family life as his wife urges him to just let it go. It further humanizes characters that were already more fleshed out than most from 1990's television, and it is welcomed.
But unfortunately, for this book's story to work the wily long-surviving fugitive Bester has to make some inexplicably poor decisions. His coming back to Earth is questionable in itself, but when he takes a job as a literary critic and begins to gain popularity, one begins to wonder what the powerful telepath might be thinking.
Ultimately, Garibaldi is able to flush Bester out by cutting off supply of a proprietary drug his company produces that is essential to all telepaths. As he doggedly chases Bester through Paris (in an obvious homage to Victor Hugo's Les Misérables), there are scenes that I wish I could have seen played out by the original actors. Maybe it's not too late for that, since both actors are now about the same age their characters in this book.
Ultimately though, it doesn't seem like much is really accomplished. Bester is captured, and Garibaldi goes back to his family. If left alone, Bester would have likely spent his remaining few years quietly in Paris, attacking only the books he chose to target in his literary column.
But there's something to be said for that, isn't there? Justice isn't always exciting or even satisfying. Sometimes, it simply must be done so that everyone concerned can move on.
Set years after the end of the television series, this book tells the story of the last days of telepathic war criminal Alfred Bester (named after the late science fiction author, and played on the show by Walter Koenig of "Star Trek"). Now very old, and still wanted for his crimes, he finds himself in Paris and pursued by pharmaceutical tycoon and former Babylon 5 Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (played surprisingly well in the show by current Libertarian radio talk show host Jerry Doyle). A long time ago, Bester did something to Garibaldi's mind, and though he's had the psychic blocks removed, he can't let go of his grudge or his desire to see Bester brought to justice.
After waiting so long to see how this story arc ended, I must say that I found the resolution offered in this book somewhat anticlimactic. But part of that's on me, since the book has been out since 1999. There are certainly lesser B5 books that I read soon after their publication that I could have skipped in favor of this one.
But there is nice stuff here. We get to see Bester befriend and ultimately fall in love with an innkeeper half his age, and feel his anguish when he realizes that merely being with him puts her in danger. We're given a look at how Garibaldi's obsession with catching Bester puts a strain on his family life as his wife urges him to just let it go. It further humanizes characters that were already more fleshed out than most from 1990's television, and it is welcomed.
But unfortunately, for this book's story to work the wily long-surviving fugitive Bester has to make some inexplicably poor decisions. His coming back to Earth is questionable in itself, but when he takes a job as a literary critic and begins to gain popularity, one begins to wonder what the powerful telepath might be thinking.
Ultimately, Garibaldi is able to flush Bester out by cutting off supply of a proprietary drug his company produces that is essential to all telepaths. As he doggedly chases Bester through Paris (in an obvious homage to Victor Hugo's Les Misérables), there are scenes that I wish I could have seen played out by the original actors. Maybe it's not too late for that, since both actors are now about the same age their characters in this book.
Ultimately though, it doesn't seem like much is really accomplished. Bester is captured, and Garibaldi goes back to his family. If left alone, Bester would have likely spent his remaining few years quietly in Paris, attacking only the books he chose to target in his literary column.
But there's something to be said for that, isn't there? Justice isn't always exciting or even satisfying. Sometimes, it simply must be done so that everyone concerned can move on.
September 15, 2010
I have enjoyed reading everything I've read so far by J. Gregory Keyes but he has remained one of my "B" list authors. His stuff has been enjoyable but not so fantastic that I just can't wait to read his next work. However, after completing Final Reckoning, The Fate of Bester, the third and concluding volume of his Babylon 5 spin-off series, that status might very well change...for the better. Whereas the second book ended with Alfred Bester just about to step foot on the Babylon 5 space station for the first time, this one begins after the television series is complete. It helps to have seen all 5 seasons of the TV show, but is not necessary to enjoy this book (or this trilogy for that matter). The references to the events and characters of the show are suprisingly minimal and I believe uninitiated readers will not feel like they are missing something.
Having said that, readers who are familiar with the TV series will be delighted, as I was, to finally find out what happened to Bester. I knew going in that Garibaldi (the former security chief of Babylon 5) would have to play a major role in whatever was to happen, and indeed he does. But despite that interaction, the novel is really about Bester himself. Bester is a villain, no doubt about it. But as with the best villains of fiction, the reader becomes sympathetic to how he became the way he became. The trilogy as a whole is somewhat like a Shakepearean tragedy in that good people can be caught up in circumstances that lead them down the wrong path. Such is the case with Alfred Bester. This is a book (and trilogy) that examines the truism that "one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter."
I'm very glad I took a chance on this TV tie-in trilogy (usually they are pretty horrible). Mr Keyes has moved up to a strong B+ author for me and I'll now seek out his newer works to see if he can bump up to the "A" list.
Having said that, readers who are familiar with the TV series will be delighted, as I was, to finally find out what happened to Bester. I knew going in that Garibaldi (the former security chief of Babylon 5) would have to play a major role in whatever was to happen, and indeed he does. But despite that interaction, the novel is really about Bester himself. Bester is a villain, no doubt about it. But as with the best villains of fiction, the reader becomes sympathetic to how he became the way he became. The trilogy as a whole is somewhat like a Shakepearean tragedy in that good people can be caught up in circumstances that lead them down the wrong path. Such is the case with Alfred Bester. This is a book (and trilogy) that examines the truism that "one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter."
I'm very glad I took a chance on this TV tie-in trilogy (usually they are pretty horrible). Mr Keyes has moved up to a strong B+ author for me and I'll now seek out his newer works to see if he can bump up to the "A" list.
December 11, 2010
Alfred Bester, played by Walter Koenig, was one of the best "bad guys" on the TV show. His flat sense of humor showed a darker side to him - a side that we became quite familiar with during his forays onto the station. Yet there was always a sense of tenderness underneath the character, a glimpse of someone whose heart wasn't blackened by the hatred he felt for those who aimed to hurt him. This book explores that side of Mr. Bester. The side that wanted to come out from the dark recesses of his soul, and smile at the simple beauty of life. Mr. Bester is eighty-two at this point in his life, on the run from his nemesis Mr. Garibaldi, and beginning to feel tired at the prospect or repeating his hiding cycles for too much longer. Yes, Mr. Garibaldi is still trying to catch up with Mr. Bester - to visit his endless thirst for vengeance for what Bester had done to him in order to have Sheridan betrayed. The story attacks the plot, initially, from the vantage point of both of these individuals. Towards the end, a police inspector is added to the mix of vantage points - to help play a good old-fashioned morale to the plot. An excellent read and the best of the Babylon 5 novels that I have read to this point.
September 19, 2012
This book was something of a letdown for me.
On the one hand, as with any good fan fiction, you can actually hear the main characters say their lines while reading. Mr. Keyes does a good job of keeping true to the original TV series.
Otherwise, there is so much that gets skipped over. Despite Besters' frequent appearances on the show, the series wraps without resolving any of his storylines. This book picks up many years later, when not only has the Telepath War everyone dreaded already happened, but many of the major storylines involving Bester have been resolved as well. Instead we find him on the run, a war criminal evading justice, without never knowing the full extent of his crimes or anything about the war itself.
Despite the strength of Besters character, his story ends with a whimper. Not at all what I was expecting.
On the one hand, as with any good fan fiction, you can actually hear the main characters say their lines while reading. Mr. Keyes does a good job of keeping true to the original TV series.
Otherwise, there is so much that gets skipped over. Despite Besters' frequent appearances on the show, the series wraps without resolving any of his storylines. This book picks up many years later, when not only has the Telepath War everyone dreaded already happened, but many of the major storylines involving Bester have been resolved as well. Instead we find him on the run, a war criminal evading justice, without never knowing the full extent of his crimes or anything about the war itself.
Despite the strength of Besters character, his story ends with a whimper. Not at all what I was expecting.
February 4, 2022
A lot more energy than Book 2. I had to reread the last 1/4 because I found I was reading too fast and skipping just to stay up with the Bester/Garibaldi dynamic without absorbing the outcome.
Comment: I read the trilogy too quickly and really only glossed over it to find out what "happened" to Bester. So, I set on a 'slowed down' read of the three Bester books. Now on book 3 with a much better grasp of what is going on. Will update my final impression when I am truly done.
Edit: Yes, I did read this too quickly the first time around. Bester's fate, Garibaldi's final 'revenge', etc. It all comes out in an interesting and reasonable way. Each character remains true to himself. Each exacts revenge in his own way. A really fitting ending for the two adversaries.
Comment: I read the trilogy too quickly and really only glossed over it to find out what "happened" to Bester. So, I set on a 'slowed down' read of the three Bester books. Now on book 3 with a much better grasp of what is going on. Will update my final impression when I am truly done.
Edit: Yes, I did read this too quickly the first time around. Bester's fate, Garibaldi's final 'revenge', etc. It all comes out in an interesting and reasonable way. Each character remains true to himself. Each exacts revenge in his own way. A really fitting ending for the two adversaries.
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