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Babylon 5: Wheel of Fire

Babylon 5: Wheel of Fire

List Price: $15.00
Your Price: $10.20
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Guide to a Great Series
Review: Babylon 5 was unique in television. The main plot for the entire series was mapped out before the show even started. As a result, it developed a loyal fan base that still loves it.

This book is the fifth in a series of five episode guides to the series. Covering the fifth season, it has a separate chapter for each of the twenty-two episodes. Each starts with a plot summary, but then goes into behind the scenes stories and commentaries. Through interviews with cast, crew, and creator J. Michael Straczynski, author Jane Killick is able to give a full picture of what went into each episode. Some of my favorite parts are the stories of bloopers or jokes the cast played on each other. I also find the summaries useful if I'm looking for a particular episode to rewatch. Since the fourth season finale was actually the first episode of the fifth season production schedule, it's actually the first episode discussed here, creating a bonus, twenty-third chapter.

Starting out the book are two essays. The first is a summary of just what the show accomplished over its five year run. While fans and those reading these books will find little new, it's nice to have it all summarized in one place. I especially like the page of quotes from cast members about what the show meant to them. The second in an introduction to the fifth season, painting broad strokes of the story arcs introduced and developed over the course of the season.

Any fan will love to have this well researched book for a behind the scenes look at a wonderful piece of science fiction television history.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Guide to a Great Series
Review: Babylon 5 was unique in television. The main plot for the entire series was mapped out before the show even started. As a result, it developed a loyal fan base that still loves it.

This book is the fifth in a series of five episode guides to the series. Covering the fifth season, it has a separate chapter for each of the twenty-two episodes. Each starts with a plot summary, but then goes into behind the scenes stories and commentaries. Through interviews with cast, crew, and creator J. Michael Straczynski, author Jane Killick is able to give a full picture of what went into each episode. Some of my favorite parts are the stories of bloopers or jokes the cast played on each other. I also find the summaries useful if I'm looking for a particular episode to rewatch. Since the fourth season finale was actually the first episode of the fifth season production schedule, it's actually the first episode discussed here, creating a bonus, twenty-third chapter.

Starting out the book are two essays. The first is a summary of just what the show accomplished over its five year run. While fans and those reading these books will find little new, it's nice to have it all summarized in one place. I especially like the page of quotes from cast members about what the show meant to them. The second in an introduction to the fifth season, painting broad strokes of the story arcs introduced and developed over the course of the season.

Any fan will love to have this well researched book for a behind the scenes look at a wonderful piece of science fiction television history.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A solid digest of the 5th season of B5
Review: Compliments the other books in the series quite well. A bit less detailed than the 4 other series guides, in my view, but still a welcome non-on-line resource for the series.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Excellent addition to the series of plot summaries.
Review: I got the British edition at a convention and the book is well-worth waiting for. It ties up the five-year story arc and fills in some details of each story with plenty of back plotting and insights into the actors in each story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The US Version is Excellent
Review: I've read Jane Killick's other episode guides, and I thought this was the best of the lot. It was a real treat to watch the cast and crew bring the 5th season, and the show, to its long-awaited end. Reading about how they felt when filming their last scenes, watching the sets being pulled down, and saying their last farewells, on and off the screen, was a very moving experience. This one will become a "keeper" for me.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great addition to the set
Review: Like the series, this book caps the progression of events and adds some behind the scenes notes. I enjoyed reading about episodes that I had missed and loved reliving the ones I had seen. I hope that Jane Kiillick continues her association with Babylon 5 and does the same thing for Crusade.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Essential Reading for the B5 Viewer
Review: The Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks are an essential read for fans of the TV series. Containing photos, interviews, essays, and in-depth rundowns of each episode, each book is indispensable for B5 vets and newbies alike. Strongly recommended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Essential Reading for the B5 Viewer
Review: The Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks are an essential read for fans of the TV series. Containing photos, interviews, essays, and in-depth rundowns of each episode, each book is indispensable for B5 vets and newbies alike. Strongly recommended.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: JMS' didn't like it...
Review: The writer/producer/creator of Babylon 5 did not like this book. He said that the author's commentary about season 5 (mostly negative) was mainly opinion based on dubious facts. One example of a dubious fact used by the author was the reduced shooting time from 7 to 6 days. The author claimed this contributed to season 5's less-than-stellar plot. According to JMS, it was not a factor, because previous seasons *already* were shooting 6 day schedules with the 7th day used in only rare circumstances. This is just one example of many inaccurate "facts" that J. Michael Straczynski disputes.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: JMS' didn't like it...
Review: The writer/producer/creator of Babylon 5 did not like this book. He said that the author's commentary about season 5 (mostly negative) was mainly opinion based on dubious facts. One example of a dubious fact used by the author was the reduced shooting time from 7 to 6 days. The author claimed this contributed to season 5's less-than-stellar plot. According to JMS, it was not a factor, because previous seasons *already* were shooting 6 day schedules with the 7th day used in only rare circumstances. This is just one example of many inaccurate "facts" that J. Michael Straczynski disputes.


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