Rating: 
Summary: I guess I'm the only one....
Review: I guess I am the only one who found this book to be a bit of a let down. There are just so many plot holes (not only between this book and the show, but between this book and the last book!). As I read it, I just kept thinking...."there are so many things he COULD be talking about....why is he wasting my time on this!" I guess I just dont jive with this author. I found the Bester books to be a completely believable addition to the B5 universe....as I read this....I just kept thinking....."Did JMS not even read this before it came out?" I dont know. I know he did the outline. But. Im disappointed. It felt like this guy manybe watched the show through once...and took a few notes. But thats about it. Oh well. Cant win them all. Maybe the Technomage books will be better. yeah. Ill give him that tho....he captured Galen pretty well.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best B5 Books
Review: I have read 10 of the 14 B5 novels (ignoring the novelizations of the TV movies). This is the best of the lot, in my opinion. There are suprises and excellent action. Vir starts to make much more sense as a character in the B5 universe with the growth you observe in this novel. His growth in this book lends credibility to the notion of Vir as Emperor, something that was much more difficult to believe before this work. I read this in one sitting-just a heck of a lot of fun for a B5 fan. Strongly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Vir's Growth Continues
Review: I have to say that I really like the way Vir is developing as a character in this book. Vir was always the bumbling aide de camp for Londo, but he has taken on an entirely new role during this crisis faced by his homeworld, and I must say that it rather becomes him.
This volume covers the time period from 2267-2273. Centauri Prime is falling deeper and deeper into the abyss and there is nothing Emperor Londo Mollari can do about it. Durla has all but taken over all of the functions of government in Centauri Prime and the anti-foreigner campaign is taking a new life among the Centauri.
A small number are prepared to resist this new order, led by Vir. Vir has help, namely from the mysterious technomages.
Garibaldi and G-Kar come into the story about halfway through the book, and President Sheriden at the end. This story very skillfully brings us from a hurting world, smarting from the beating it took at the hands of the Alliance to the subterfuge Durla and his followers use to rebuild Centauri strength.
Sure, Earth parallels are in evidence, as I suppose seem to be inevitable. However, for Babylon V fans, this storyline makes a lot of sense and is compelling. For those not familiar with the Babylon V universe, get familiar with it and read book one before picking up this volume. While this isn't heavy reading, the background information is highly useful for understanding what goes on in the book.
Rating:
Summary: Dissappointing addition to the B5 bookshelf
Review: I just finished reading Jeanne Cavelos series on the Techno-Mages before reading this series. The difference in quality is amazing. Deep vs. shallow. I read the book, but it had the cheap knock-off feel that so many spin off books have.
Rating:
Summary: A Nice Romp Through the B5 Universe
Review: I picked up this book with some trepidation, after being pretty disappointed in the first book of the series. But this one really redeemed itself. It's mostly a story about Vir and the technomages, and it omits a lot of the comic-book stylings of the first book. Many of the sections read like sections from a screenplay of a never-shown episode, grandiose speeches and all. It's not the best B5 book out there (that's still 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows'), but it's definately a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Continues in the grand tradition
Review: If you enjoyed the television series and have read the first book in this series, you will find Armies of Light and Dark to be very enjoyable. The character of Vir Cotto emerges as a strong and complex (and ultimately tragic) figure in this book. We continue to understand the story of Centauri Prime and how Londo is trapped as Emperor in a world he loves too much. A fast read and worth the investment.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Continuation of Gripping Story
Review: It's like watching a train wreck and knowing there is nothing you can do. In "Armies of Light and Dark," Book II of the "Legions of Fire," the reader gets an inside view of the struggle for the soul of the Centauri people. The book concerns the battle between the forces of evil that are manipulating the Centauri government for nefarious purposes and the resulting good guys who secretly mobilize to fight against them. The most interesting development is the leader of the "army of light." It's no other than the always affable, but rarely weighty, character of Centauri Ambassador Vir Cotto. In typical Babylon 5 fashion and somewhat reminiscent of his mentor turned unhappy Emperor Londo, Vir slowly evolves from meek and lovable to bold, manipulative, and fairly cold. This is not the same Vir of old. With the help of some other Centauri and a few Technomages, Vir shows he has the mettle to fight, if not the resources to win. Peter David spins another strong tale that neatly incorporates many elements and characters from the television series and the short-lived sequel Crusade. As the novel takes place in roughly the same time period as Crusade, fans of the series will appreciate the background that the novels lay, including some important details about the forces arrayed against Earth. "The Armies of Light and Dark" is a strong effort and a must read for "Babylon 5" fans.
Rating:
Summary: Fine Continuation of Gripping Story
Review: It's like watching a train wreck and knowing there is nothing you can do. In "Armies of Light and Dark," Book II of the "Legions of Fire," the reader gets an inside view of the struggle for the soul of the Centauri people. The book concerns the battle between the forces of evil that are manipulating the Centauri government for nefarious purposes and the resulting good guys who secretly mobilize to fight against them. The most interesting development is the leader of the "army of light." It's no other than the always affable, but rarely weighty, character of Centauri Ambassador Vir Cotto. In typical Babylon 5 fashion and somewhat reminiscent of his mentor turned unhappy Emperor Londo, Vir slowly evolves from meek and lovable to bold, manipulative, and fairly cold. This is not the same Vir of old. With the help of some other Centauri and a few Technomages, Vir shows he has the mettle to fight, if not the resources to win. Peter David spins another strong tale that neatly incorporates many elements and characters from the television series and the short-lived sequel Crusade. As the novel takes place in roughly the same time period as Crusade, fans of the series will appreciate the background that the novels lay, including some important details about the forces arrayed against Earth. "The Armies of Light and Dark" is a strong effort and a must read for "Babylon 5" fans.
Rating:
Summary: Vir Cotto The Brave!
Review: Never in a million years would a B5 fan expect Vir to pull out from his timidity and face the unknown with such termerity. Or maybe we would.. Remember his reluctant calm while meeting the techno-mages in Londos behalf shown in the B5 episode "The Geometry of Shadows"? Admirable.In this installment of LEGIONS OF FIRE , Vir has to cobble together a resistance movement -with the help of some inept seeming mages- and keep himself alive amongst the Drakh infested Centauri inner circle all the while being his Vir-like self. There is a great deal of pure adventure in this book, a well written tale... to be continued of course. But to fans of The Excalibur storyline.. Guess where Galen turns up? mmmhmmm! Londo has his cross to bear and as we know (or do we?) it will be the death of him. Our reassurance that Vir is in fact still harmless in Drakh thinking comes from the thoughts of Emperor Mollari himself. A worthy read. Essential to the legend.
Rating:
Summary: More of the Episode That Never Was...
Review: Once again, as in the previous book in the series, I had absolutely no trouble seeing this played out in my mind's eye. The characters and dialogue are again very consistent with the TV series. The book moves swiftly and there are several striking scenes, impressive even if I had never seen the series. I was fascinated by the growth and the depth of Vir Cotto, who I always thought was an underused character on B5. Unlike other reviewers I thought that the treatment of Vir Cotto, and the changes he goes through here, were entirely consistent with the character and with the B5 storyline. One of Straczynski's recurring themes (and his imprint is all over this book) is that sometimes good people must do horrible things in order to accomplish what must be done for the good of all. This book explores that theme deeply. Vir's interior dialogue and the conflict between his heart and mind, as he does what most be done to save Centauri Prime, are well written. The book is darker and more sober than the first volume in the series, but the subject matter deserves the treatment. There are parts of the book where the action seems a bit hurried, but this does no damage to the overall storyline. As with the first book, I ripped through it; I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. This book is entirely worthy of the Babylon 5 imprint, and like the first in the series, it's probably one of the best spinoff-of-a-TV-series novels I've ever read, if not the best. I highly recommend it for B5 fans, and even for those who are not familiar with the series, it's a great page-turner.
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