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Babylon File (Vol 2): The Definitive Unauthorised Guide to J Michael Stracsynski's Babylon 5

Babylon File (Vol 2): The Definitive Unauthorised Guide to J Michael Stracsynski's Babylon 5

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A good, but not so great addition to Babylon Files series
Review: A splendid attempt to give information about the information not covered by the first volume. However i found that book was very lacking in background information. I don't know if this was done to keep the book size/cost down or he lacked the nessary information to fill the pages. Many points were missed and details that first Volume had which made it great, were not in the second one. The essays and insight by actual actress of the show were great! Window to why things were happening the way they did. I give the book 3 stars out of 5. There was considerably less book for the dollar than previous vol had. Mr.Lane should have reviewed the series more closely if he didn't delibrately leave inforation out.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ENTERTAINING , INSIGHTFUL SECOND VOLUME OF B5 GUIDE,
Review: Andy Lane's "BABYLON FILE -Volume 2" is a worthy successor to his first Volume. As with most "unauthorized" books of this type, Lane's guide is an easier read than the officially sanctioned "SEASON BY SEASON" books(as well as easier on the checkbook.) While volume 2 contains less 'behind the scenes' information, it benefits from Lane's essays, Jeffrey Willerth's Forward & Pat Tallman's Afterward. The book balances Lane's affection for B5 with the frequently heard lament

that the 5th season didn't come up to the standards previously set.Recommended for any BABYLON 5 enthusiast

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ENTERTAINING , INSIGHTFUL SECOND VOLUME OF B5 GUIDE,
Review: Andy Lane's "BABYLON FILE -Volume 2" is a worthy successor to his first Volume. As with most "unauthorized" books of this type, Lane's guide is an easier read than the officially sanctioned "SEASON BY SEASON" books(as well as easier on the checkbook.) While volume 2 contains less 'behind the scenes' information, it benefits from Lane's essays, Jeffrey Willerth's Forward & Pat Tallman's Afterward. The book balances Lane's affection for B5 with the frequently heard lament

that the 5th season didn't come up to the standards previously set.Recommended for any BABYLON 5 enthusiast

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: an honest opinion
Review: Certainly the book is overpriced and Andy Lane wears his bias on his sleeve.

On the other hand I concur entirely with the opinions expressed, especially over the hanging plotlines, some of which had been dangling for two and a half years. Moroever, the book at least challenges the official opinion and is a welcome breath of fresh air for that.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Personal disappointments do not a book make...
Review: I enjoyed the first volume very much, and so I was disappointed to find that the second volume was little more than an effort by the author to vent his anger. Many of his criticisms are inaccurate, and many of his details about production and scheduling are second-hand and extremely biased. I can understand that some fans of the show did not like the pacing and direction of the final season, but that is no reason to present an angry opinion as fact. This author's time would have been better served by actually researching the so-called problems instead of fabricating causes of his own.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bravo! He knew something we didn't..........
Review: I have been a loyal fan of Babylon5 since the first episode. This guide makes my time of watching each episode even more enjoyable, I always took a glance of the guide between commercials and, boys, the feeling is wonderful. (Too bad the first edition of this book only includes the first 3&1/2 seasons). Definitely, the author knew something we didn't, even though we have been watching the same episode several times. Whenever I use it, It's like open a secret chapter of the show.

PS: To all fans of STAR TREK, it's time to try something deep.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Better than the first
Review: I have not read this book yet because it will not be out until 1999. I have however read from cover to cover Andy Lane's first edition of this book and found it to be the best Babylon 5 refrence book I have ever used. Andy Lane divides each episode into different parts like plot, arc, questions raised, and good and bad quotes. He gives you all the numbers of the episodes like the episode #, the season/ episode #, the production #, and the name so no matter how you refer to an episode you can find it easily. This book is not just a synopsis of each episode it has tons of other information like the B5 military setup, foods, aliens, jokes, and just little tid bits of information you didn't know. The only thing I found that was bad about this book was it only had the first 3 1/2 seasons and no spinoff movie so I am sure this secound edition will be written with the same quality as the first with the rest of the episodes, spinoffs, and Books.

To anyone who calls them ! selves a B5 fan whether you've seen all the episodes or are just getting into the series This is a MUST HAVE BOOK!!!!!!! When the book comes out I am getting 2 copies, this book is worth the price and you will not be dissapointed.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Still the best B5 episode guide.
Review: I just bought this book yesterday and rushed home to read it. I have the first volume and have been waiting for some time for the second volume. I was a bit dismayed by the price of the book, more for what is nearly half the size of the original book (140,000 words in Vol 1 compared to 80,000 words in Vol 2). The first thing that became evident is that the author clearly has lost a lot of his enthusiasm for B5, a fact that he admits in the early part of the book. This is mainly due the fact that the author feels let down by JMS by the quality of season 5 and an ending to the series that did not do what JMS had promised. The way season five turned out was clearly due to the uncertainty that there would ever be a season 5 and thus a lot of the arc being tied up in season 4. One of the most disappointing parts of the book is that I felt there were no final words from the author about what the thought overall of B5. In fact, the final words are left to Pat (Lyta) Talman. However, with all these faults this book is a must for any B5 fan. It is the only episode guide that does more than just re-tell each episode, but offers insight and constructive criticism. I also liked the section that corrects all the errors from Vol 1, clearly an author that cares about his work. Because it is still the best episode guide to B5 but falls a little bit short of what I had hoped for and the dubious pricing I give it a 4 star rating.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Sad
Review: I loved The Babylon file, but the second volume was a dissapointment. It's cynical, it gives me the impression that the author hates Babylon 5, it seems to say "This is what I think, and I don't care what you think, because I'm right", and parts are just proven wrong by the episodes. This is not the same quality of writing from the first book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A good, if sometimes harsh, review of the last two seasons
Review: I too was disappointed that this book was smaller and it lacked a good index, which Volume 1 had. But I do understand Lane was reviewing considerably less material (including books, comics, etc.) than in the first book. And in spite of its shorter length, I found it fascinating reading, especially the foreword and afterword by Jeff and Pat. Also, Lane offers the most comprehensive, balanced "he said, she said" review of the JMS/Claudia feud I've found to date. True, Lane didn't like season five as well as the other four -- many fans felt the same way. Not liking something makes the review no more "biased," IMO, than the fact that he DID like the first three seasons made Volume 1 "biased." A must read for most fans. But those who want to hear only the "JMS can do no wrong" version should stay away from this one for the sake of their blood pressure.


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