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In the Beginning (Babylon 5)
 
 
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In the Beginning (Babylon 5) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Adapter), J. Michael Straczynski (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)


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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Battle of the Line is infamous in Earth history as the climactic campaign in a long and bloody war between Humankind and the alien Minbari race. But how did this apocalyptic conflict erupt? And how did this fateful clash of two civilizations ultimately lead to the creation of the Babylon 5 space station? Here, at last, the great space epic unfolds--in a new novel based on the first full-length Babylon 5 television movie.

Eager to expand their trade with other worlds, the people of planet Earth attempt to make contact with the mysterious Minbari, a race of proud and powerful warriors. But when communication turns to violence, Earth becomes the target of a latter-day holy war, waged by a civilization possessing vastly superior numbers and firepower.

And the Minbari will stop at nothing short of the total extermination of its enemy: the Human race . . .


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


Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 255 pages
  • Publisher: Del Rey; 6th printing edition (November 26, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0345424522
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345424525
  • Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,549,503 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #81 in  Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Media > Babylon 5

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Peter David
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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved the movie, really loved the book, May 5, 1999
By A Customer
By far the best of the Babylon 5 movies, the book form may also be the best of its kind. The Earth-Minbari war is one of the key elements of the Babylon 5 universe, but its origins and (more importantly) implications were not fully covered in the series.

The story is full, fast-paced, and totally consistent with the B5 universe. The book adds depth and character to the already rich scenes from the screenplay. Read it. Today.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best gap filling Babylon 5 book ever written, March 28, 1999
The movie "In the Beginning" has not yet been shown in my country and that is why I can not compare the book with the movie. Besides, I don't feel a good book should be compared with the movie it is based on. "In the Beginning" is a wonderful book. It keeps in line with almost everything in the Babylon 5 universe. Characters, dates, places, occurences, it all feells right. Any B5 fan, who has seen all of the show, such as myself, would feel at home. Although it is regretable that gaps in the story arc are filled in movies and books instead of in the show itself, the book is a "must read" for any one who wants to truly understand what led to the creation of the Babylon project, what really happened in the Earth-Minbari war and how it all comes together. Very important info is passed along in the book. The story itself is well written, fluent and enjoyable. I most deffinetly recommend!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant read, couldn't put it down., February 24, 1999
By A Customer
This book was an amazing read. It had some fascinating insights to the backstory and was so well-written that I really couldn't put it down. I read it during the course of a day and night and would happily read it again. From my point of view, if you take the film "In the Beginning", that really was a story for the fans as it was heavily arc-related and finally told the story that had been lying quietly in the background for five years. And so the book is the same, and I was expecting that. Overall, it was brilliantly done and I certainly don't regret buying it. Thanks JMS for coming up with such a fascinating universe, and let's hope to see more great B5 novels in the future. (I can't wait for all of the Dark Genesis Trilogy, from what I've heard, this is amazing!)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Peter David does a great job. . .
The tv-movie this is based on is great, but look to this book for extra insights and details. Paper backs are really affordable at the moment, so if you have a few dollars, why... Read more
Published on July 7, 2001 by Homa Woodrum

1.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Terrible
I'm amazed at the other reviews for this book. I found it to be one of the worst books I have ever read. Read more
Published on February 23, 2001 by David056

5.0 out of 5 stars A lot of Action!! Great Stroy too.
Wonderful book. It tells of what happened in the Earth/Minbari war. I also like the story because it incorperated a lot of the characters from the show.
Published on May 14, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars It kicked Butt!
Peter David is a wonderfull author and this is a wonderfull book. There was however one part that was contridicted in To Dream in the City of Sorrows, but that don't matter. Read more
Published on February 24, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it!
I have read many of Peter David's Star Trek novels before. Some of them were Ok and others were very good. However, this one is excellent. The writing was wonderful. Read more
Published on December 30, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect adaptation of a perfect movie
In The Beginning proved to be far greater than the movie, while still paying tribute to it. It describes more of the background behind the characters, including a conversation... Read more
Published on December 15, 1998

3.0 out of 5 stars A good story, with some unfortunate choices
Any fan of BABYLON 5 and the "In the Beginning" telefilm will likely enjoy this book. Fans of Peter David will certainly love it. Read more
Published on October 24, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING, a must read,an x-trecker
At 49, I must admit this book and the others with the series have given me so much entertainment that now after 30 years of Startrek, I am now a BABYLON 5 RANGER and proud of... Read more
Published on October 6, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best B5 book there is.
I read this book twice and I would say its better than the movie. Tells the story of the Earth-Minbari war, how it started and how it ended. It is a MUST read.
Published on September 27, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!
I couldn't put the book down. I read half of it in one night. Some nice things that are not in the movie. A must for any B5 fan.
Published on September 2, 1998

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