Rating: 
Summary: excellent background info., good prose style and char. dev.
Review: Though I was not especially interested in the Psi Corps story line and bought the book simply to get a fuller view of the B5 universe, the story won me over. Dark Genesis fills in great background info. on the discovery, and subsequent treatment of, the telepaths and Psi Corps at the same time that it provides an additional layering of meaning and understanding regarding the Vorlons and Shadows. It's also intriguing to see the social background and ancestry of specific B5 characters such as Talia Winters, Lyta Alexander, and, of course, Alfred Bester. Occasionally, the chronology is a bit confusing, but all in all it's a great read. Nice prose style and good character development. Keyes helps the reader understand, and even care about, the "bad" guys as well as the "good" guys. He also does a nice job of giving a satisfying end to this novel while at the same time arousing one's interest in the next two novels.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must For B5 Fans. But Only for Fans.
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 Alfred 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, than a novel. 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 extremely 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.
Rating:
Summary: The Mother and Father of the Corps
Review: This book, based on an outline from Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski (so you know it's official), covers the period in B5's history detailing the discovery of telepaths on Earth in 2115 and the early years of the Psi Corps. I was stunned at the revelations in this book, including the appearance of the ancestors of several of B5's (in)famous telepath characters and briefly touches upon the first contact with the Centauri. But the thing that got me the most, and this is a small spoiler (but it's right at the start of the book), but the discovery of telepaths was the result of a joke. Yes, two medical students had to write and research a paper on the most outrageous topic they could think of as part of a hazing ritual, so they chose mind-reading. Imagine their surprise when they tested and found people who could actually do it. Keep that in mind the next time you're watching Babylon 5 and it's an episode involving human telepaths. Sure, it would've been discovered sooner or later, but you have to appriciate the irony involved that the discovery of telepathic abilities, and all their subsequent problems, is the unintended side effect of a prank. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit of a rush, and two nits, but a great B5 addition
Review: The first of the new original "Babylon 5" novels from Del Rey is with us. The earlier nine from Dell weren't much more than filler, apart from the good #7 and the excellent #9, but Del Rey knows SF, and it shows. The book takes place from about 2115 to 2195, and gives the history of the beginnings of the Psi Corps. (By the way, although the DC B5 comic book #11, "The Psi Corps and You", is a "reprint" of a "real" Psi Corps propaganda piece, this book takes care to be consistent with those parts of the comic that one would reasonably expect to be true in the B5 universe -- a nice piece of work, keeping the B5 universe seamless.) We see the first discovery of telepaths by scientists, the public panic, the growth of government control, and the growth of the first resistance movement. We meet the ancestors of a few old friends, and answers are suggested to several questions about just what Psi Corps is up to in B5's time. The time period of the book also covers the first contact with the Centauri, but this is played down, except insofar as it influences the characters. My complaints are few. First of all, this is a short novel for an 80-year plot, and it sometimes made me feel like a child running downhill, shouting, "I can't stop!" But that was really implicit in the book's agenda. Second, I suspect an offhand reference to an already-free Narn is chronologically too early, though I could be wrong; if it is an error, it could be corrected with a word or two. Third, one simply cannot establish a synchronous orbit over the polar region of a planet -- but this, too, could be corrected as easily as a typo. All in all, a very good beginning for Del Rey's new series, and a _must_ for "Babylon 5" fans.
Rating:
Summary: A great B5 Book, the best in this trilogy
Review: This books goes further into the past with the B5 plot then any book did before. its writen well, and despite the fact that it happens well in the past, its still a great reading for a B5 fan.
it was a pleasure reading it again after the nightmare trilogy of the passing of the thecho mages.
Rating: 
Summary: So you'd like to . . .
Review: . . . Know how it's all started ? You've come to the right place .
If you're reading these lines , chances you are a Babylon 5 long lost fan , that wandered through the Internet looking for something new regarding the series . If so , I am certain you have always wanted to know the origins of one of the series' most interesting and thrilling 'alien' species . Inside is the beginning of everything you've always wanted to know . This is the story of the Telepaths , the mind readers . Starting with the discovery of their existence , through their gathering to become the formidable and powerful force of the "Psi Corps" . Then , the counter formation of the Resistance , the actions and reactions of both , up until the birth of the most dreadful telepath to be , Alfred Bester . The way I see it now , it's absolutely imperative that every real fan of the series put his hands on this book ; If you really loved the show , there is no better way , nowadays that the program is gone , to keep the flame burning . The moment I got into it , after 20-30 pages or so , I realized this had been what I needed . That resulted in an almost uninterrupted read to the end . Wow , that hasn't happened to me for a long time , but then again , I haven't read fiction books for quite sometime . . . The graces of the book are embodied in keeping the spirit of the Babylon 5 Universe . As Londo Mollari once said , the universe is based on three elements : spirit , matter and personal interests ; different characters are driven by power hunger on one side , and desire to be free on the other side . One can really see them function as real characters in a B-5 episode . The tension is high , as in the series . Bad and good things happen all the time (depends on your point of view) . The reader can understand the motivations of both sides , and in that the author does a nice job of not openly indicating who the bad guys are and who aren't . You can wind up finishing the reading not knowing who is right and who is wrong , just like in the series (recall Zahadum and the disclosure of the Shadows), and in real life . Let me inform you of what not to expect . First of all , this is not a masterful literature , but more of a script , in case it were to become a movie ; don't expect a thorough and satisfying character development . What Mister Keyes has done here is squeezing something like 70-80 years in 267 pages , with something like eight(!) leading figures to make things going . He could have easily filled in a 500-pageturner with much thicker scope . I think us readers deserve more , but I have to remember , as you have to too , that these kind of books were primarily written aiming at teens , as the style and language represent that aim . Aside from that , there are , of course , the constraints the editors posit in regard to the book's extent and length , so Keyes may not be totally responsible . Don't expect an easy track of the events . The author , in a peculiar way , spared a solid timeline to help us understand who lives and who doesn't and when , not to mention their current age in the time certain events take place . This defect is one of the most irritating misdeeds of the author (there aren't many , by the way), and I truly don't reckon where the editor was when he should have stepped in . To sum everything up , regarding it as a fun and superficial read , without high hopes for a masterful fictional creation , makes it worth the while . I did wind up knowing a lot more about the Corps , and it did satisfy my hunger for knowledge .
Watch out for my upcomimg review of the second book of the trilogy in the near future .
Rating:
Summary: Good future history
Review: This is one of my favorites of the B5 trilogys. Probibly no. 4 after the Techno mages volumes. It does not have any of the series characters in it but instead it has their progenetors. it moves around fast teling various episodes of a splintered story. yet it is put together very well. i think i will read it again.
Rating:
Summary: I don't watch B5 but I really enjoyed this book...
Review: I found this book sitting on my bathroom sink. I just picked it up and started reading it. This book is trying to tell a very large story in a very short way...it's like reading AP news clippings instead of a full article. However, I really enjoy cultural geography...how people move/change and why. This book is futuristic cultural geography. You don't have to know anything about B5 to read this book. I think it could be longer and more in depth.
Rating:
Summary: At least I like it
Review: This book is about the discovery of telepaths, the results of that discovery, and the creation of the Psi Core. This is get another book where Keyes really does his research. You get the origin not only of the Core but of Talia, Lyta, and Bester. I really enjoyed the book. I'm seeing a lot of critism I agree with about the book being difficult. Yes, at time it is. That's because of the shear lenght of time covered. I thought that each character was well developed, especially considering how many their are. I don't know if non-fans of the show woud like it. Another thing some people may not like is that it doesn't deal directly with anyone we know, until the very end.
Rating:
Summary: If you're not a fan of B5 don't read; don't expect too much
Review: I am a die hard fan of B5 and have watched all of the series and movies more than once. I had high expectations for this book but the book let me down. Basically, you will not learn anything new from the book. If you watched the series the book will just rehash what you already know. And it will do it quickly without reason. For example, it took only two chapters in the book for the key players to know how telepaths were created. In the series, it took four years for everyone to figure this out. The other problem with the book is that it jumps around A LOT. It starts off with a character then jumps in time to another. While this is a good writing technique you never really find out too much about the characters and never really understand them. Maybe that is why the author just comes out and tells you about them because there never really is enough time to develop the characters. The real disappoint is that the author never explains a lot in the book. For example, initially the Psi Corps is called the "Kith." Then one chapter later the author is using the new name of Psi Corps. No explanation of why the change. Another example of not explaining anything is in the first chapters the author describes a telepath tugging on his black gloves. No explanation of why he is wearing gloves or any other mention of it. It just happens. The biggest flaw I see is that the book seems a little out of time sequence. It puts Bester's age in the series as if Bester was in his early 70's. While the series did mention that humans can live to 100's it seems out of sync to make Bester a 70 year old man. If you like B5 you might like the book if you have no expectations. If you have never seen B5 I don't think you will like the book.
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