Casting Shadows (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jeanne Cavelos (Author)

Book Description

Series: Babylon 5 (Paperback Ballantine) | Publication Date: February 27, 2001

The spectacular space epic continues, as the techno-mages face the growing threat of the Shadows . . .

As Elric and his student Galen watch with taut anticipation, dragons, angels, and shooting stars rain from the sky, heralding the arrival of the techno-mages on the planet Soom. It's the first time Elric-a member of the ruling Circle-has hosted such a gathering, and if all goes well, Galen and the other apprentices will emerge triumphant from the grueling initiation rites, ready to embrace their roles as full mages among the most powerful beings in the known universe.

But rumors fly of approaching danger and Galen and his young lover, Isabelle, are chosen to investigate the dark tidings. An ancient race has awakened after a thousand years, thirsty for war, slaughter, and annihilation. Will the techno-mages be the deciding factor in the war ahead? Or the first casualties?

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The spectacular space epic continues, as the techno-mages face the growing threat of the Shadows . . .

As Elric and his student Galen watch with taut anticipation, dragons, angels, and shooting stars rain from the sky, heralding the arrival of the techno-mages on the planet Soom. It's the first time Elric-a member of the ruling Circle-has hosted such a gathering, and if all goes well, Galen and the other apprentices will emerge triumphant from the grueling initiation rites, ready to embrace their roles as full mages among the most powerful beings in the known universe.

But rumors fly of approaching danger and Galen and his young lover, Isabelle, are chosen to investigate the dark tidings. An ancient race has awakened after a thousand years, thirsty for war, slaughter, and annihilation. Will the techno-mages be the deciding factor in the war ahead? Or the first casualties?

About the Author

Jeanne Cavelos began her professional life as an astrophysicist, working in the Astronaut Training Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Her love of science fiction sent her into a career in publishing. She became a senior editor at Dell Publishing, where she ran the science fiction/fantasy program and created the Abyss horror line, for which she won the World Fantasy Award. A few years ago, Jeanne left New York to pursue her own writing career. She is the author of The Science of Star Wars, The Science of The X-Files, and the Babylon 5 novel The Shadow Within. Jeanne is also the director of Odyssey, an annual summer workshop for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. You can visit her Web site at www.sss.net/people/jcavelos or contact her at [e-mail].

J. Michael Straczynski is one of the most prolific and highly regarded writers currently working in the television industry. In 1995, he was selected by Newsweek magazine as one of their Fifty for the Future, described as innovators who will shape our lives as we move into the twenty-first century. His work spans every conceivable genre from historical dramas and adaptations of famous works of literature (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) to mystery series (Murder, She Wrote), cop shows (Jake and the Fatman), anthology series (The Twilight Zone), and science fiction (Babylon 5). He writes ten hours a day, seven days a week, except for his birthday, New Year's, and Christmas.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; First Edition edition (February 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345427211
• ISBN-13: 978-0345427212
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a writer, editor, scientist, and teacher. I began my professional life as an astrophysicist, working in the Astronaut Training Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

After earning my MFA in creative writing, I moved into a career in publishing, becoming a senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell, where I created and launched the Abyss imprint of psychological horror, for which I won the World Fantasy Award, and the Cutting Edge imprint of literary fiction. I also ran the science fiction/fantasy publishing program. In addition, I edited a wide range of fiction and nonfiction. In my eight years in New York publishing, I edited numerous award-winning and best-selling authors and gained a reputation for discovering and nurturing new writers.

In 1994, I left New York to pursue my own writing career. My latest book is Invoking Darkness, the third volume in the best-selling trilogy The Passing of the Techno-Mages, set in the Babylon 5 universe (Del Rey). The Sci-Fi Channel called the trilogy "A revelation for Babylon 5 fans. . . . Not 'television episodic' in look and feel. They are truly novels in their own right." My nonfiction book The Science of Star Wars (St. Martin's) was chosen by the New York Public Library for its recommended reading list, and CNN said, "Cavelos manages to make some of the most mind-boggling notions of contemporary science understandable, interesting and even entertaining." The highly praised The Science of The X-Files, (Berkley) was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Publishers Weekly called it "Crisp, conversational, and intelligent."

My first published book, the Babylon 5 novel The Shadow Within (Dell), has been reissued by Del Rey with a new cover. Dreamwatch magazine called it "one of the best TV tie-in novels ever written."

Other works include essays in Star Wars on Trial and Farscape Forever, a novella, "Negative Space" (which was given honorable mention in The Year's Best Science Fiction), in the anthology Decalog 5: Wonders, and an essay, "Innovation in Horror," which appears in both On Writing Horror: A Handbook by the Horror Writers Association and The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing (Writer's Digest Books). I've published short fiction, essays, and reviews in many magazines.

I'm currently at work on a science thriller about genetic manipulation and cloning, titled Fatal Spiral.

I also put together my first anthology, The Many Faces of Van Helsing, which was published by Berkley in 2004 and nominated for a Bram Stoker Award.

I run Jeanne Cavelos Editorial Services, a full-service freelance company that provides editing, ghostwriting, consulting, and critiquing services to publishers, book packagers, agents, and authors. Among its clients are major publishers and best-selling and award-winning writers.

Since I love working with developing writers, I created and serve as director of Odyssey (www.odysseyworkshop.org), an annual six-week workshop for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror held at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. Guest lecturers have included George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, Terry Brooks, Ben Bova, Jane Yolen, and Dan Simmons.

During the school year, I am an English lecturer at Saint Anselm College, where I teach writing and literature.

I've lectured widely at venues as varied as the Smithsonian Institute, the United States Air Force Revolutionary Technologies Division, the American Chemical Society, Dartmouth College, the Intel International Science Fair, the Discovery Channel, the Sci-Fi Channel, the History Channel, Turner Entertainment, the Art Bell radio program, and many others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for B5 Fans!, April 30, 2001

By 

Darren Sumner (Princeton, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Casting Shadows (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

WOW! What a great book! My hat goes off to Jeanne Cavelos.

First off, it's the first TV tie-in novel I've read since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" books back in high school. Those were good. Pretty good. The big drawback was that they didn't really matter -- they were isolated stories, like watching an episode. And they weren't canon.

That's "Baylon 5" / "Crusade" creator J. Michael Straczynski's first stroke of brilliance: B5 novels are canon! They're officially a part of the "Babylon 5" universe. Second stroke? They matter! "Casting Shadows" fills in important backstory -- interweaving it with events we've seen on the small screen -- to create a story I really want to read. I want to know what happened to Isabelle. I want to know how Galen became the man he is. I want to know why the Techno-Mages left when they did (especially considering the fact that we know from "Crusade" that there was dissenting opinion) ... and when they're coming back.

"Casting Shadows" is the best TV tie-in novel I've read.

The story is absolutely engaging. I don't think I've ever read a novel so fast! I'd plan on reading one chapter, and end up reading two or three or four. (I can't think of the last book I read about which I could actually say, "I couldn't put it down.")

The author handles the subject matter with suberb skill, explaining much of how a Techno-Mage does what he or she does, but still retaining much of the mystery behind their order. The details were vital, and I think they came in just the right dose.

Understanding the larger scope of the Shadow War is important to reading "Casting Shadows," so folks who haven't seen the television series might not follow as easily. Character descriptions are also not as detailed as in the average novel; I think the author assumes that the reader is already somewhat familiar with the characters from the TV shows.

But it's still a great read. And for B5 fans, it's an absolute must.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! Recommend even to non B5 Fans, March 13, 2001

By 

Daimajin "daimajin" (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casting Shadows (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Of all of the beings in the B5 universe, the TechnoMages were some of the most intriguing and least known. This book helps you to understand them very well, and you will be surprised at what you find out. I know I was. I didn't realise how diverse a group they were, and I always wondered about their origins.

The book tells the story of Galen, Elric's apprentice, and how he came to be a TechnoMage. I enjoyed his character very much and seeing the TechnoMages and the upcoming Shadow war from his eyes was interesting. We gain lots of insight into TechnoMage culture, what it takes to be one, and how powerful they are. We learn much about their origins and the "tech" that gives them their power.

This book is just plain fun to read. I have read the Centauri Trilogy and the Psi-Corp trilogies, but this one has a very different feel to it. I actually found it similar to Harry Potter books in a way. Don't shoot me! It's true! The beginning of the book got me thinking of the 4th Potter book in that it was a great gathering of technomages of all sorts, and at its core it's the story of two mage initiates who are trying to solve a mystery involving a powerful enemy.

You don't need to know much back story to understand what happens here. It can stand alone as it's own miniseries. So, you don't have to be a rabid B5 fan to enjoy this book. If you enjoy fantasy stories of powerful wizards and evil forces, of magic and mystery, you will enjoy this book, too.

Trust me.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best - without a Shadow of a doubt!, March 14, 2001

By 

Mitch Obrecht "www.isnanchordesk.com" (Omaha, NE United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Casting Shadows (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Casting Shadows is a novel that, in my opinion, should be at the top of any must-read book list.

As with her previous work, Shadow Within, a knowledge of the Babylon 5 universe is not required to enjoy this, but for those who have been following the series for some time, Casting adds a new depth, new layers, that have not been shown in any previous tie-in book.

It is the rare book that not only matches the quality of the material it is based upon, but surpasses it.

While I would recommend reading Shadow Within before Casting, it is not required to enjoy the novel.

The majority of the action takes place in November and December of 2258, the end of the first season of B5, and the ending leads into the events seen in Geometry of Shadows, which featured Elric - Galen's mentor and teacher.

There are appearances by many people we've seen within the B5 and Crusade universe, including Galen, Elric, Alwyn, Isabelle, Blaylock, Morden, Anna Sheridan, and "Johnny" Sheridan.

Something I found highly unusual was the author's characterizations. They were ALL dead-on, portrayed exactly as seen on-screen, in a very three-dimensional light. The characters were, quite simply, brought to life.

Events range from falling-out-of-your-chair laughter (just picturing Alwyn in a probe-spitting contest was deadly for the mountain dew I'd just swallowed!) to ripping-your-hear-out sadness.

I have heard people talk before about books they just couldn't put down, that they needed "just one more chapter" before bed, but I had never experienced that feeling. Until now.

It's almost twice as long as Shadow Within, and it leaves you waiting with breathless anticipation for the next one, due in July. I don't know how we will survive the wait.

Would I recommend this to others? Without a Shadow of a doubt.