The electrifying space epic reaches an explosive climax when one techno-mage battles the ultimate evil
As billions die and the flames of destruction rage unchecked, the Shadows seem poised for absolute victory. Soon the entire galaxy will fall to their evil. But the war isn't over . . . not yet. At long last, in a forgotten corner of the universe, Galen has finally won the Circle's permission to leave the techno-mage hiding place. He is the only mage who has faced the Shadows and lived, the only one who possesses the unstoppable Spell of Destruction.
Galen's orders are clear. Though the galaxy is being torn apart by bloody conflict–in which his powers might tip the balance–he is to locate only three key enemies and kill them. But Galen has unearthed the Shadows' darkest secret–and discovered a monstrous truth about himself.
In this desperate, apocalyptic battle, there's no telling who will be the victor. Or if there will be any survivors at all . . .
"Ms. Cavelos does a wonderful job of deepening the layers of the Babylon 5 universe. . . . A highly enjoyable reading experience with a powerful and chilling ending." --The Zocalo
"The plot involves realistic political intrigue, a sparking interstellar mystery and a sense of doom so thick you can smell it on the pages. This is no by-the-numbers knockoff." --Captain Comics, The Sunday Telegraph
From the Inside Flap
The electrifying space epic reaches an explosive climax when one techno-mage battles the ultimate evil
As billions die and the flames of destruction rage unchecked, the Shadows seem poised for absolute victory. Soon the entire galaxy will fall to their evil. But the war isn't over . . . not yet. At long last, in a forgotten corner of the universe, Galen has finally won the Circle's permission to leave the techno-mage hiding place. He is the only mage who has faced the Shadows and lived, the only one who possesses the unstoppable Spell of Destruction.
Galen's orders are clear. Though the galaxy is being torn apart by bloody conflict–in which his powers might tip the balance–he is to locate only three key enemies and kill them. But Galen has unearthed the Shadows' darkest secret–and discovered a monstrous truth about himself.
In this desperate, apocalyptic battle, there's no telling who will be the victor. Or if there will be any survivors at all . . .
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.
This review is from: Invoking Darkness (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
I wish I knew where Jeanne Cavelos learned to weave such wonderful tales, and I would send all potential science fiction authors to drink from the same well of wisdom. `B5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages' trilogy is probably one of the finest science fiction works I read this past year, and having it as a tie-in to the Babylon 5 universe is an added bonus. And a `tie-in' here is not just a reuse of characters created in the original series-it literally ties in to episodes that span the entire life of the series, in ways that are enlightening, entertaining and sometimes surprising.
'Invoking Darkness' picks up with the Shadow War raging, the Vorlon Kosh cut down on the B5 station, and the remaining techno-mages sequestered in their place of hiding. Seeds sown by Morden at the last techno-mage convocation several years previous have begun to come to fruition for the Shadows. Not only are Elizar and Razeel helping to wreak havoc wherever they can, some of the techno-mages at the hiding place now are beginning to think they should join the shadows as well. In an unexpected turn of events, Galen is given a mandate by the Circle to leave the hiding place and to locate and destroy the three people who threaten the techno-mages existence: Morden, Elizar, and Razeel.
Unexpected revelations are made about Anna Sheridan in her role as shadow servant, the role of "the First One" Lorian, and the fate of Wierdan-the first techno-mage. This is a tale not only of revenge, redemption and good over evil-but a wonderful examination of the human condition through each characters motivations and subsequent actions. Filled with tension, suspense and adventure, 'Invoking Darkness' gets my highest recommendation.
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This review is from: Invoking Darkness (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Jeanne Cavelos comes through with a stunning end to her "Passing of the Technomages" trilogy. Secrets first introduced in the first two books, Casting Shadows and Summoning Light, are brought to the surface and revealed; and Galen, the principal character, undergoes an unforgettable personal transformation.
Character development has been one of the trademarks of the trilogy, and Invoking Darkness is no different. Not only are past questions about some of the characters answered, new ones are raised as a result, all with the ever-present Shadow war as a backdrop. For those who've read the first two books, Invoking Darkness is a sure must-read. If you're a newcomer to the Babylon 5 universe, this trilogy is an excellent starting point.
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This review is from: Invoking Darkness (Babylon 5: The Passing of the Techno-Mages, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Most sci-fi and fantasy TV series that get translated to books -- from Star Trek to Smallville -- suffer greatly because the writer is not allowed to make any major changes or developments since the story has to fit seamlessly between episodes. With the more recent books, the Babylon 5 series has avoided that trap and told some great stories, "Invoking Darkness" being one of the best.
The reason the B5 books are working when so many others fail, I think, is because the series is over and the writers are allowed to tell real stories and not just filler. Peter David's "Legions of Fire" trilogy, for instance, showed the final fate of Londo Mollari. Jeanne Cavelos' "Passing of the Techno-Mages" trilogy, of which this is the last part, uses some of the lesser-explored but most intriguing characters in the B5 universe and journeys into the dark places the show never went.
Galen, the techno-mage, is in hiding with the rest of his order, avoiding the Shadows and, with them, their own responsibility to the outside universe. Without giving away too much of the story -- especially for those who have read the first two books but not this one -- Galen is sent back out into the galaxy to eliminate a threat to the mages, ultimately becoming wrapped up in the events of some of the best episodes in the run of the television series, but always behind the scenes.
For someone who's practically got the show memorized, as I do, this is a really great story. You know the fate of many of the characters, but there are plenty of minor characters and enough ambiguity left in the major ones to keep you anxious... you know Galen will survive since he went on to appear in the "Crusade" spin-off series, but when you realize where Cavelos is going with the story the question of HOW he's going to survive becomes just as gripping as any question of "if."
You also get to peek into the minds of characters from the show to explain why they were doing what they did -- the things that were done to Anna Sheridan, for instance, and how dark Morden's heart really was and how much was the influence of the Shadows. The book offers no easy answers, but instead leaves you asking eminently satisfying questions.
People unfamiliar with the show many not latch onto these books the way I have, but for those of you who've loved B5 since the beginning, this helps fill in some incredible gaps in an incredible epic.
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