World Famous Comics: Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps (Babylon 5)
Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps (Babylon 5)
By: J. Gregory Keyes Publisher: Del Rey Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Del Rey Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 288 Publication Date: August 29, 1998 Release Date: August 29, 1998
Product Description: Long before the Babylon 5 space station brought Humans face-to-facewith alien races, they discovered an extraordinary breed among their very own . . .
The year is 2115. Shock waves follow in the wake of astonishing news: science has proven the existence of telepaths. Amid media frenzy, panic, and bloodshed, Earth's government steps in to restore order--and establish tight control over the newfound special population . . . by any means necessary.
Ambitious senator Lee Crawford spearheads the effort, overseeing the creation of the Psi Corps--an elite unit charged with tagging and monitoring all telepaths "for their own protection." But the real agenda behind the crackdown is one of government control. Many question the telepaths' origins, while others view them as a coveted weapon. As the Corps tightens its iron grip, the stage is set for a cataclysmic confrontation--one in which the future of Earth will be decided.
Tries and falls flat Babylon 5 is one of my all-time favorite shows. I decided that I wanted to see what else was offered in JMS's amazing universe and happened across this book first. I thought that learning the origins of the Psi Corps and the station's favorite telepath would be fun. Instead, I dragged myself through page after page of dull accounts and rapidly cycling characters and political dullness. I'm hoping that the books about Londo Molari are more interesting than this one was.
The Genesis of Psi Corps Interesting in that it goes into some detail about a period of Earth history when telepaths started to appear, and how Earth society dealt with it (hint: not well). Disappointing, though, to those Babylon 5 fans who expect something recognizable from the series. Because it mostly occurs a generation before the events of the TV series, you won't see any of your favorite characters in it. If that's important, then skip this one.
I feel my mind going... J. Michael Straczynski really fizzled when it came to the PSI Corps on the series Babylon 5. Getting the chance to have a fifth and final season, he builds on an impending war between the PSI Corps and normal humans ("Mundanes") then never delivers. Fortunately, he has allowed J. Gregory Keyes to flesh out the background of the PSI Corps, starting from its chaotic inception. The novels are somewhat dark and brooding. The first novel, DARK GENESIS: THE BIRTH OF THE PSI CORPS ends with Bester's birth and deliverance to the corps (after the loss of his parents). While it is interesting, most of it is hack.
The trilogy really takes off with the second edition, DEADLY RELATIONS: BESTER ASCENDANT, delineating Bester's PSI Corps training and rise to the top of the PSI Cops regiment. It is full of delicious details and insights. Unfortunately, it ends just as Bester is planning on going to Babylon 5 to round up Jason Ironheart.
The third installment (FINAL RECKONING: THE FATE OF BESTER) picks up the tale of Bester well after the telepath war is over. He leaves the fate of Lyta Alexander to speculation and instead concentrates on Alfred Bester and Garibaldi's quest for revenge. Many of the details of this novel read like a poorly written Danielle Steele novel, but in the end Keyes delivers a fine resolution that actually ties his triology together quite well. I will not provide spoilers, but this novel is certainly a must for anyone interested in whatever happened to Mr. Garibaldi and Mr. Bester.
Entertaining Story Dark Genesis follows the recognition of telepaths and the formation of the Psi Corps on Earth up to just past the birth of Alfred Bester. It portrayed well the sudden impact of a telepaths on human society, and the reaction to this impact that resulted in the Psi Corps creating a monster like Bester.
Babylon 5 backstory I very much enjoyed the details that "filled out" the B5 universe. The questions of how and why things became their current form has always interested me. The fact that J. Michael Straczynski has shared his detailed outline with other writers is great. I would have given this book a 5 star rating on content and story but I took a point away because of some technical writing errors. Any fan of B5 would enjoy this book.
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