Rating: 
Summary: Historical Fiction of the Future Past
Review: The conclusion to the Psi Corps trilogy delivers something that the other B5 books (notably the end of the Centauri trilogy), what most other BOOKS miss completely: the characters were king. The flow of this novel was sufficiently fresh that a non-B5 fan who hadn't read the first two could pick it up and get into it. A cloak-and-dagger, character driven chase turning the classic formula backward -- witty, intelligent, learned *villain* against the world. And, oh yes-- that's the brilliance of the book. You forget at times Bester's the villain. His earnest appreciation of France almost reads like "A Year in Provence" rather than B5. This is why I call it Historical Fiction of Future Past -- if you didn't know better, you'd think you were reading a speculation on the life of a Nazi war criminal. In the last decade several former Nazis, people who did terrible things and allowed terrible things to be done in their name were finally found; often having started a new life, and new family with a loving wife and friends, in places like Brazil, where they weren't recognized for who they were, and became... a person, not a monster. This is what we see in this book -- Bester as a fully-fleshed out historical figure; you forget that he's made up. This book is just deliciously good in it's subtle portrayal of future Earth, with sci-fi tidbits worked into the everday life of 23rd century France, and most of all, the heart-wrenching development of Bester into a person that you'd love to hate. It doesn't leave you thinking about How Fast a WhiteStar Can Go, or Can Telepaths Really Exist, but rather about the nature of people, evil, good, and everything in between.
Rating: 
Summary: Bester Senile in His Old Age?
Review: I like Babylon 5 and most of its tie ins, and this one wasn't much different. I would have liked a little more details on the Telepath War only hinted at here, much I can forgive that, since it is a tale for another time. There is one thing that bugged me throughout the book, though-if Bester is a notorious war criminal known the world over, how can it be so hard to recognize him when he just has a beard as a disguise. His crippled hand should give him away quickly. Isn't that what everyone would be looking for? I think Keyes attempted to make Bester a bit sympathetic here by having him fall in love while also showing his cold-blooded side, but I was not impressed. The Garibaldi-Bester encounter, though, was very interesting. This is the weakest of the Psi Corp Trilogy, only for completists and Garibaldi fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book in a great series.
Review: This is a must-read for every B5 fan, with unanswered questions resolved, and even some new ones raised. Mr. Keyes does a wonderfull writing job in drawing the craracters' minds for us to see. And even if the plot of this novel isn't perfect, together with the othe two books, it makes a perfect trilogy.
Rating: 
Summary: Shouldn't this be book 4?
Review: Just a warning; if you're looking for info concerning the Telepath War (often hinted at as "coming" in the B5 series), it's not in this book. The trilogy started strong enough, with the discovery of telepaths on Earth, and the 2nd installment was very well done. What happened? It feels like an entire book is missing. "Deadly Relations" leaves us with Bester ready to take up the search for Jason Ironheart (resolved in the series' episode "Mind War" from the 1rst season). "Final Reckoning" picks up the story, many years later, with Bester on the run and a new Psi Corp risen from the ashes of destruction. What happened is only alluded to-at best. The time spent on character development for an aging Bester could have been put to much better use; anyone with a degree of familiarity with Babylon 5 knows Bester, and frankly, I think Keyes missed a great opportunity to explain danglng plot lines. Oops, that probably means there will be another trilogy to fill in those details. Still, Garibaldi finally gets his revenge and Bester is brought down. Too bad he had to go with a whimper uncharacteristic for the personae of Bester. Too bad there was so much left unexplained. Too bad that the devout B5 fan will have to buy this book anyway-and you will.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for B5 Fans. A Good Read for Others.
Review: Spin-offs from television series usually leave a lot to be desired. But Babylon 5 was no ordinary series. And while the five year series was complete unto itself, questions were left unanswered and fascinating side trips were unexplored. This isn't a complaint, it's part of what made the series so unique and special. The Psi Corp trilogy (made up of: 1) Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corp; 2) Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant; and 3) Final Reckoning: The Fate of Bester) provides critical background B5 fans will relish and entertaining insight into what made Al Bester one of Babylon 5's most fascinating characters. The fact that they're based on an outline by J. Michael Straczynski makes all three books "authorized" B5 history. The first book, Dark Genesis, is the weakest of the three. While the topic will be of interest to Babylon 5 fans (and of little interest to anyone else), it can't help but come off as anything more than a travelogue populated by cardboard characters. Too much needs to be explained to allow much focus on plot or character development. Instead, the book often comes off less like a novel and more like a "script bible" for the television series, painting the back story for episodes featuring the Psi Corp. In the final two books of the trilogy, however, Keyes does a fine job of capturing Bester, one of the series most intriguing characters. He not only relates his life, but he even makes him likeable - at times. Deadly Relations takes place before most of the events covered by the television series; while the majority of Final Reckoning occurs subsequent to the series' timeline. And, as is a prerequisite in books of this genre, he weaves in events and characters from the series. But Keyes does it very well without the cameos seeming out of place at all. I'm purposefully not addressing the story line. If you're a B5 fan reading all three books is almost mandatory. It adds greatly to the saga. If you're not a fan of Babylon 5, you can definitely skip Dark Genesis. However, you may find Deadly Relations and Final Reckoning worthwhile. This isn't Nebula material, but it's fun. FYI: I gave Dark Genesis just two stars as it was less a novel and more a quick overview of the birth of Psi Corps. I gave Dark Genesis three stars because it's a solid, stand-alone novel, but fairly basic science fiction. Final Reckoning gets four stars because: a) it's better than the other two; b) it's a good standalone novel; and c) its got Garabaldi in it. Need I say more?
Rating:
Summary: Quest of Fate
Review: Greg Keyes brilliantly caps off his Psi-Corp trilogy with the twilight of Bestor's career. Although initially put off by the break between books II & III, embracing the latter years added twists and towers that could never have been conquered otherwise. It is a tremendous expose in its own right. The travels through Paris delighted; the desperation of the war criminal chilled; the love of a woman touched. Greg Keyes has, in 3 books, a short story, & B5 scripts, elevated to heights in my eyes reserved for the Asimov, Gaiman, Poe, and yes, Straczynski. D**n, that was good.
Rating:
Summary: The Subtle, Ironic Passing of Alfred Bester
Review: Not subtle in the substance of the story, which is as good as it gets, my B5 brethren,- but the way Bester melts into the wood- work of Paris (a city, if we remember, Bester has always had a little trouble hiding in),carving his way into the minds and lives of the unfortunates he meets. Here he is not overt or flamboyant about his work, rather, he is...subtle. The time left to our imagination here, his role in the Psi-Wars - full of dark atrocities I imagine - only serves to make him a more mysterious character to us. Bester is more like unto Carlos the Jackal than Adolf Hitler in this. It is easier to imagine a Jackal involved in a romance than a Hitler or other appropriate villian. Bester gets into our heads, charming, erudite, his humor...subtle. But there to save us from being taken in is our good friend Mr. Michael Garibaldi, thank goodness. His tracking and capture of Mr. Bester is one of the crowning moments in the history of just revenge tempered by reason. I really figured that Bester would be "spaced" for his crimes, but the sentence suited the crime so much more elegantly.Subtle...ironic.The final few pages will force a few tears for Stephen Dexter, but Michael Garibaldi can walk into B5 history without looking back. If ever there was a "we're quits",oh, man this was it.Great, Great, Great. To answer the critics who say too much about the Psi-War was ommitted... Hey, there's another trilogy in that. Don't gripe us out of more B5!
Rating:
Summary: The titile says it all!
Review: This is the third and final installment of the story of Alfred Bester. Like or dislike of the character is not as important as learning the real motivations behind what makes that character. I found myself feeling the gambit of emotions for this man, from love to hate, compassion to rooting for his demise. This series gave you insight into the Psi Corps, and it's background. It spans from well before show's time frame until well after it. It was well written, and very engaging. The moral questions that were raised here continue the tradition of Babylon 5's thought provoking storytelling. If you like B5, read this series!
Rating:
Summary: a let down from the first two
Review: The first book of this Psi Corps series promised so much then got side tracked into Bester's life. I didn't like him as a character on the show, I liked him even less in the books. At least he gets his "reward" in this one and even managed to stir a small bit of empathy from me.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the other two Bester books
Review: I got a better feel for the Bester character from this book and when he met his final fate in this book, it seemed to make sense for me. No, it does not tie up all the Psi-Corps loose ends from the series, but it does a halfway decent job at fleshing out the character of Bester. Trouble is, if you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy, it's not going to make a whole lot of sense to you to read this all on its own. I'm a hard grader when it comes to the B5 books, pretty much all the rest of them rate only one or two stars with me.
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