Tribulations [Paperback]

J. Michael Straczynski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2000

ibooks is proud to present a little-seen thriller that shows once again why master storyteller J. Michael Straczynski is so revered...

A vicious killer stalks the streets of Los Angeles, and crime reporter Susan Randall is hot on his trail. When she meets Raymond Weil, she thinks she's found an ally-except his knowledge of the killer seems too complete....

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hugo-award winner J. Michael Straczynski is the author of over 500 published articles and short stories, roughly 200 produced episodes of television and seven produced TV movies, two novels, a published collection of short fiction, his own comics imprint, a dozen produced plays, a new radio drama series for the Sci-Fi Channel, and awards and award nominations in every category. In addition to creating Babylon 5 and its sequel series, Crusade, he served as writer/producer on Murder She Wrote, Jake and the Fatman, the new Twilight Zone, and other programs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Darktales Publications (August 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930997035
• ISBN-13: 978-1930997035
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,693,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. Michael Staczynski was born in Paterson, NJ in 1954, from a lower-middle-class blue-collar family that moved 21 times in his first 18 years. He began writing in earnest and selling at the age of 17 and hasn't stopped since. He graduated San Diego State University with degrees in Psychology and Sociology.

As a journalist, he has written over 500 published articles for such periodicals as The Los Anglees Times, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Penthouse, Writer's Digest, San Diego Magazine, the San Diego and Los Angeles Reader and TIME, Inc. He has also published numerous short stories in Amazing Science Fiction Magazine, Pulphouse, and various anthologies.

As a television writer and producer, he has written over 200 produced episodes, including workj on The New Twilight Zone, Nightmare Classics and Murder She Wrote. He also wrote, created and produced the series Babylon 5, Crusade and Jeremiah.

Moving from TV to film, he wrote Changeling (directed by Clint Eastwood), Ninja Assassin (produced by the Wachowskis), provided the story for Thor (directed by Kenneth Branagh), wrote Underworld 4 (starring Kate Beckinsale), and has written numerous other films that are currently slated for production.

He has won the Hugo Award (twice), the Saturn Award, the Eisner Award, the Inkpot Lifetime Achievement Award, the E Pluribus Unum Award from the American Cinema Foundation, the Space Frontier Foundation award, the Ray Bradbury Award, the Christopher Award, and over a dozen others.

He was also nominated for a British Academy Award (BAFTA) for his screenplay for Changeling.

He writes ten hours a day, every day, except for his birthday, New Year's Day and Christmas Day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Standard Tale Told EXTREMELY Well!, September 10, 2002

By 

Daniel V. Reilly (Upstate New York, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tribulations (Paperback)

I was drawn to Tribulations as a result of my love for the comic-book work of author J. Michael Straczynski (Known hereafter as "Joe" to save me a bout with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome....). I loved his work on Rising Stars and Midnight Nation, and I figured this would be worth a look.

First things first: This book is outrageously priced for such a slim paperback...

Aside from the sticker-shock, the book itself is quite attractive- Well designed and laid out. The story itself is pretty standard stuff- Another reviewer said it seems like a made-for-TV movie, and, plotwise, I guess it does. A reporter is investigating a serial killer, and becomes involved with a mysterious man who may is trying to stop the murderer using some unconventional methods. Since I knew almost nothing about the book when I started reading it, and enjoyed the element of surprise, I won't say anything else. Joe manages to deliver a few scenes that were goosebump-inducing creepy, and the characters are fun and interesting. The mystery managed to keep me guessing until the very end, and since I can usually see the end coming a mile off, that's high praise indeed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great thriller investigative mystery, June 21, 2002

By 

J. Lindsay (Vancouver) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tribulations (Paperback)

I love J Michael Straczynski's writings and this book is no exception. A page turner which always leaves the reader guessing. Dark and disturbing and very clever.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars As Not seen on TV!, May 18, 2001

By 

I. Cervantes "psipher" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tribulations (Paperback)

From the creator of Babylon 5 and Rising Stars comes a basic story of a newspaper reporter and a mysterious stanger on the trail of a serial killer with supernatural elements thrown in. This book lacks the grand epic scope of Straczynski's other work and reads more like a made-for-TV movie (you can almost imagine the commercial breaks between chapters). Its quick pace and peppering of social commentary saves this book and makes this a good beach reading material.