Customer Reviews

Voices (Babylon 5, Book 1)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Voices is the 1st novel based upon the Babylon 5 series. It is a good novel, but fans of the television series may find it uncharacteristic or possibly a bit annoying. I tried to remind myself that it was written early in the series and that many of the plot and character developments that I was aware of had not yet been explored when this book was written.

The plot concerns the Psi Corp convention being held on Babylon 5 after their original location on Mars is blown up. During the convention another bombing takes place and Talia Winters (Babylon 5's resident commercial telepath) becomes the prime suspect. Talia manages to escape from Babylon 5 as she attempts to clear her name. Talia is a fugitive being chased by Psi Corp, the military, the police and Michael Garibaldi (Security Chief on Babylon 5). Garibaldi is desperate to find her before any of the other entities, especially Psi Corp, find her.

I found the scenes on Babylon 5 at the start of the novel very good. There was a lot of humor, the interaction between Captain Sheridan, Commander Ivanova and Garibaldi were terrific. There were also some very humorous parts as Garibaldi plots to keep the telepaths from Psi Corp visiting Down Below.

However, when the book left the station it got much less interesting. The scenes on Earth while important to the plot, were not very interesting. Talia's encounter with a tribe of anglos living as Native Americans in the Native American southwest was sort of interesting, but not much was done with it.

All in all this is a good book, but not a great one. If you've never seen the television series Babylon 5, you may find it interesting. If you've seen a few episodes, you'd probably enjoy the book. If you are a die-hard fan of the series, you may like it, but try to remember that it was written early in the series run and don't expect fully fleshed out characters and situations.

The book is very good, if you don't expect everything to be exactly like the television series.

The main idea and plot is very good and had a lot of potential that was wasted. However the major weaknesses was the chracterisations of the main 'cast' Mr. Garibaldi, Talia & Bester. The second problem was to me the wrap up being done too sudden and quickly. It was as though the writer was given a fixed number of pages and about 90% through realised he did not have many pages left and decided to squeeze everything in instead of rewriting for better pacing. I think the resolution should have been spread across at least another 20 pages or some editing of some of the earlier chapters of some unneccessary writing.

All in all worth a read but not a keeper, maybe a rewrite was in order and this book could have been a 5 star rating instead of 3-3 1/2 that I think it is now.

Apparently, the author had to write this novel in a month, and boy, does it show. The plot is ehhhh and the characterization is off. Bester's particularly painful to read -- between the author only having one show to go on ("Mind War") and the general tone of the novel, his characterization is really problematic.

The juvenile style of writing, and the way it tries to appeal to juvenile sensibilities, is the real problem with this novel, though. Characters speak in exclamation points; heck, there are exclamation points scattered all over the place. Some things come across as purely puerile. Garibaldi recognizes Talia by spotting her rear end in the crowd. A bomb mangles Bester's butt. Is there a fixation here, or what?

The sad thing is that there are some decent concepts here, but the execution is just terrible. I think the author misjudged his audience; the problems are far too severe to be just the result of over-hasty writing. The lack of subtlety in the writing -- again an artifact of a misjudged audience, I think -- also reduces some of the interesting implications of the whole "telepath problem".

This book's only worth it if you're a hard-core fan.

I recently purchased this book used while going through a Babylon 5 kick (gotta see and read it all).

Despite the "historian's note" stating its chronological context within the overal series arc, this book felt completely disconnected to the Babylon 5 universe. Having recently watched the episodes between which this is supposed to have taken place, I was further thrown off by the lack of continuity. The momentous events in this book simply could not happen and then receive absolutely no mention from the characters involved the next time they come into contact with one another in the show.

Having said that, the worst part of the book is the writing itself. Characters' motivations tend to change from page to page in order to serve the plot, the dialogue is painful, and the writer's tendency to refer to Talia Winters as the "shapely young telepath" (or some similar description) gets really old.

This book is best read like the early Star Wars novels (the first Han Solo trilogy and Splinter of the Mind's Eye, etc.), the ones that were "based on" the further adventures of Luke Skywalker. In other words, it's not canon, so if you don't read it, it won't affect the overall arc of the series.

Voices is the first of a series of nine novels. The book is set at the beginning of season 2, between "Points of Departure," and "A Race Through Dark Places." A Telepath conference takes place on the Babylon 5 space station following a terrorist attack on Mars that blew up the hotel where the Teeps where originally planning on holding their meeting. Another bomb though will throw the station into turmoil and turn one station resident's life into a nightmare...
At first I was simply amazed at the reviews this book had received; 1-2 stars??? I was thinking to myself `You gotta be kidding,' but half way through the book I started to realize why.
The first part of Voices describes events as they unfold on B5 and it is great! Although the novel focuses mainly on Talia Winters and Michael Garibaldi, it does a good job with the characters at hand, and the reader is able to read the protagonists' thoughts; the characters really do come alive!
John Vornholt makes use of existing B5 plots and subplots, e.g. the Mars Troubles, teeps vs mundanes/normals, the special relationship between Talia Winters and Ambassador Kosh.
In addition, the author provides a good description of several Babylon 5 sectors including Down Below.
The first half of the book is well written and presented, and the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense.
The description of planet Mars was simply breathtaking: "Mars was a place that couldn't possibly exist, yet here it was, a monument to humanity's determination to bring life to a dead planet. No matter how many buildings they put up, the edifices of man always looked tenuous on Mars, like vines trying to cling to a smooth metal door." (Page 238)
On pages 62-63 and 64-65 respectively, the author provides a good, albeit short, dose of humor with Lennier and Londo.
In addition, Talia's telekinetic powers (as seen in the episode "Mind War") are presented on page 110.
Finally, on page 105, the author foreshadows the erotic relationship between Talia Winters and Susan Ivanova.
Regarding the comments others have made about Talia being described too often as being "hot," let's face it, she is darn hot!
In short, it's all there and it's all good until the moment, half way though the book, when John Vornholt moves the story away from Babylon 5. From there it's all downhill:
1) The Bilagaani are like something out of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and are really not that interesting!
2) It's good to see Deuce again, but he doesn't act like himself, e.g. why would Deuce help Talia without any reward whatsoever?
3) Why does Gray go against Bester (!) for no apparent reason, especially when the book starts off by saying that he is the most powerful man in Earthforce? (Page 1)
4) Talia's escape from B5 as well as from the restaurant on Earth (with the old lady pretending to be the victim of a flasher!) was just sad...
5) The coincidences (e.g. Talia and Garibaldi on the same ship heading towards Mars, getting out of impossible situations over and over again) were just too much.
6) As other reviewers have also pointed out, why something so big/major is not mentioned in any of the following episodes?
7) The ace up Garibaldi's sleeve at the end is as lame as they get!

In short, the first half of the book is close to 5 Stars, while the second half is a poor 1 Star, the average being 3 Stars.
With the series over, thank goodness for the novels, though Voices does disappoint a bit.
More novels please, and... bring back the SHOW!!!

As the first book based on the SF TV series "Babylon 5", _Voices_ has a great deal to live up to, and unfortunately, doesn't quite succeed. The characters are not quite up to the standard of the show, which is somewhat understandable, as _Voices_ was written in June, before the airing of the second season, in which it takes place. I found the situation improbable, and there were a number of glaring mistakes (the temperature on Mars) that, unfortunately, caused problems for my enjoyment of the book. However, as this was the first one, Vornholt was entering unmapped territory. With a bit of luck, _Blood Oath_, the third Babylon 5 novel that will also be written by him, will be more in tune with the Babylon 5 universe as it is perceived by the fans.

No doubt I was harsher on it while the show was on the air and the characterizations fresher in mind, but after the years the characterizations read true. I can't think of a thing that really struck me as out of character where I couldn't hear the actors' voices in my head.

The other reviewers have captured the plot lines pretty concisely, so I will not reiterate.

Normally I stay away from movie and tv show tie-ins. They frequently disappoint. But I had heard good things about the B5 (Babylon 5) novels and was missing the old show. So I picked up several of the novels, found a nice, cozy spot, and began to read.

At first it was nice to revisit the characters. As I read, I could hear their voices once again. I could see Babylon 5 itself, and hear the constant murmur of visitors coming and going. It felt comfortable and familiar.

The book is set near the beginning of the second season, and starts rather well. The idea of 400 psi-corp telepaths aboard B5 for a convention was both surreal (a convention? Don't worry, there's a good reason for it) and a little thrilling considering what was to follow within the story arc of the tv show. The bloom comes off the rose rather quickly, however. Mr. Gray, a telepath attached to the military, comes across as the rather decent individual that was portrayed on television, but he's also becomes a love-struck, pathetic wimp who stops just short of stalking the object of his affection, Susan Ivanova. Talia Winters, around whom the story revolves, is constantly referred to as "shapely", "sexy" and "beautiful". Oh yeah, "smart" is thrown in there a few times, apparently, to try and ward off the sex symbol stereotype. This is so overdone that the only reason Garibaldi is able to find Talia after she flees B5 is that he recognizes her ..... from behind.

This really wouldn't be so bad in a much better, more interesting novel. They could be accepted as charming idiosyncracies of the characters. The problem is that they are among the more endearing qualities of the novel. A great part of the novel is spent on Talia fleeing to earth to try and clear her name. Actually, most of that time is just spent getting to earth. On a freighter. Alone except for a criminal stowaway. The very criminal that helped set Talia up to begin with. One that then helps Talia for, in the end, no real reason. Oh, and Talia lets him go without even trying to discover what his role in her set-up was, even though it might have cleared her name. Ummm..... what else? Oh, they run into a sort of Native American tribe made up of white people. Ahhhh .... well, that's really it, actually. A major part of the novel where nothing of any consequence happens. Except Talia finds a wig she quite likes. That was nice.

And just what was the title, "Voices", really referring to? The novel leaves you with a couple teasing ideas, but never actually makes its point.

There are a couple of positives. First, the drive and amoral ambition if the psi-cop Bester is made even more apparent, as is an interesting plot for the future control of Psi Corp. Second, the book expands, a little, on some story elements hinted at in the TV show but never expanded upon (apparently the studio made the shows creator, J. Michael Straczynski, cut back on some episodes). This includes Talia's new telekinetic ability and Kosh's interest in her. By why Straczynski, a man known for his rigid control over his intellectual property rights, would approve this weak introduction into B5 novelizations is puzzling.

Whatever the reason, `Voices' is mildly interesting and tolerably written. Read it if you are a B5 fan. Stay away from it if your new to the B5 universe. Go watch season one on DVD instead.

I found this a surprisingly good novel! Most media tie-in novels are mediocre, but Voices was an exciting read. Set in the second season, the plot concerns a terrorist bombing of a Psi-Corp conference. Talia is framed for the bombing and has to go on the lam. The novel focuses mostly on Talia and Garibaldi, with a healthy dose of high-quality Bester. Highly recommended!

This book was not quite as good as i had hoped. there were many things i was unhappy about, but also some very good concepts. I liked Harriman Grey being in the story but the author did not really get Talia Winters right. In his defense he had book 1. His was the first and with mr Bester he had been in only one show. If you are a B5 fan get it and give it a read. it is still good for a collection.