The Coming of Shadows (Babylon 5, No 2) [Paperback]

Jane Killick (Author)

Book Description

Series: Babylon 5, Season by Season | Publication Date: April 14, 1998

Now in its fifth hit season, Babylon 5--TV's hottest interstellar science-fiction phenomenon--has spawned its own series of definitive episode guides! Catch up on all the action, show by show, from the very beginning with the Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks.

Babylon 5: The Coming of Shadows, opens with "By Any Means Necessary: Making Babylon 5 on a Budget," a behind-the-scenes account of how series creator J. Michael Straczynski and his production team bucked the system to create the extraordinary twenty-first century world that would change the face of sci-fi TV. Then, in a thrilling second season overview, experience the arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as John J. Sheridan, new captain of the Babylon 5 station, and the looming threat of the sinister Shadows.

In-depth, episode-by-episode summaries--with detailed analysis by author and B5 expert Jane Killick--cover all of the second season's twenty-two shows, including "Points of Departure," "Spider in the Web," "Comes the Inquisitor," and the dramatic season finale, "The Fall of Night."

Veteran viewers or first-time fans, relive the adventure--or find out what you've been missing--with the complete companions to Babylon 5!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Through trial and error (and books I won't name) I learned a hard lesson: don't do books unless the source material is good. Books based on movies and television have to stand on their own, entertain without the benefit of a screen. Exciting characters, action, mystery, political intrigue, technology, race relations, romance--excellent fiction incorporates all of the genres. With Babylon 5, the series had been envisioned as a five-year epic, and that epic sports one helluva backstory. That backstory has held the attention of millions of viewers for five seasons--these are dedicated and constant supporters.

All well and good, but I'd been stung before. Initially, I was skeptical. It wasn't until I visited the Babylon 5 studios, met with series creator J.Michael Straczynski, watched the actors at work, that I saw the creative spirit that drove them. The hours they put in are painful to watch. I'm pretty sure Straczynski doesn't actually sleep--he wrote the lion's share of the episodes, including two that won Hugo Awards.

So I was convinced. Now we've got four million hard-core viewers to convert. At least we know the target audience.

--Steve Saffel, Senior Editor

From the Inside Flap

Now in its fifth hit season, Babylon 5--TV's hottest interstellar science-fiction phenomenon--has spawned its own series of definitive episode guides! Catch up on all the action, show by show, from the very beginning with the Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks.

Babylon 5: The Coming of Shadows, opens with "By Any Means Necessary: Making Babylon 5 on a Budget," a behind-the-scenes account of how series creator J. Michael Straczynski and his production team bucked the system to create the extraordinary twenty-first century world that would change the face of sci-fi TV. Then, in a thrilling second season overview, experience the arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as John J. Sheridan, new captain of the Babylon 5 station, and the looming threat of the sinister Shadows.

In-depth, episode-by-episode summaries--with detailed analysis by author and B5 expert Jane Killick--cover all of the second season's twenty-two shows, including "Points of Departure," "Spider in the Web," "Comes the Inquisitor," and the dramatic season finale, "The Fall of Night."

Veteran viewers or first-time fans, relive the adventure--or find out what you've been missing--with the complete companions to Babylon 5!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (April 14, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345424484
• ISBN-13: 978-0345424488
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,644,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jane Killick made a name for herself writing magazine articles for the likes of SFX, TV Zone and Starburst where she specialised in media science fiction, especially cult television shows. It was a career that led to many exciting adventures, including causing £250 damage to a rental car on the Isle of Mann ("the stationary object came straight at me"!) and using Gerry Anderson's home toilet (yes, the Thunderbirds man!). Books naturally followed, the most famous being the Babylon 5: Season-by-Season Guides.

Meanwhile, she continued her radio career, having trained as a radio journalist. She presented the afternoon show at BBC Three Counties Radio for about a year, and can still be heard on the station reading the news.

These days, she's concentrating on writing fiction, with her science fiction novel for young adults, Perceivers, under the name J. Killick

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Guide to a Great Series, September 3, 2003

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Coming of Shadows (Babylon 5, No 2) (Paperback)

Babylon 5 was unique in television. The main plot for the entire series was mapped out before the show even started. As a result, it developed a loyal fan base that still loves it.

This book is the second in a series of five episode guides to the series. Covering the second season, it has a separate chapter for each of the twenty-two episodes. Each starts with a plot summary, but then goes into behind the scenes stories and commentaries. Through interviews with cast, crew, and creator J. Michael Straczynski, author Jane Killick is able to give a full picture of what went into each episode. Some of my favorite parts are the stories of bloopers or jokes the cast played on each other. I also find the summaries useful if I'm looking for a particular episode to rewatch.

Starting out the book are two essays. The first provides insight into the challenges faced in producing Babylon 5 on the tight budget they had and the creative ways that the crew overcame them. The second in an introduction to the second season, painting broad strokes of the story arcs introduced and developed over the course of the season.

Any fan will love to have this well researched book for a behind the scenes look at a wonderful piece of science fiction television history.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book series, but if you are new to the show..., October 24, 2001

By 

4 a.m. Reader (Southwest US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Coming of Shadows (Babylon 5, No 2) (Paperback)

This is a really good book series for B5 fans. It makes a great companion & fun reading after you have watched each show. But I would recommend it mainly for those that have seen the series & are watching it again. The reason I say that is because it is laced with spoilers all throughout the commentaries. That's fine if you've seen the whole thing already, but it stinks if you are watching it for the first time. If you don't mind that sort of thing...go for it, but this is the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. For a good "non-spoiler" companion guide, I highly recommend The Babylon File: The Definitive Unauthorized Guide to J. Michael Straczynski's TV Series Babylon 5 by Andy Lane (Versions 1 & 2). He shows no mercy sometimes. If he does or doesn't like the show, he let's you know. But it's a blast to read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading for the B5 Viewer, November 7, 2002

By 

Jason Montgomery "Journ" (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Coming of Shadows (Babylon 5, No 2) (Paperback)

The Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks are an essential read for fans of the TV series. Containing photos, interviews, essays, and in-depth rundowns of each episode, each book is indispensable for B5 vets and newbies alike. Strongly recommended.