Product Description
The electrifying space epic continues as Anna and John Sheridan battle deadly foes at opposite ends of the universe.

The dedication of the new Babylon 5 Station is fast approaching, and desperate enemies intend to see it end in catastrophe. The fate of the fledgling space alliance lies in the hands of John Sheridan, newly appointed captain of the spaceship Agamemnon. His orders are to stop the attack. Unless he first gets to the bottom of the near-mutinous behavior of the Agamemnon’s unruly crew, Sheridan and his spaceship will share Babylon 5’s doom.

Time is also running out for his wife Anna, headed to Z’ha’dum aboard the Icarus. Young, beautiful, and brilliant, she was thrilled to be appointed chief science officer of the follow-up mission to this mysterious planet on the edge of the known universe, where artifacts rumored to hold stupendous powers have been discovered. But the offer she could not resist threatens to become a dark destiny she cannot avoid, for an unimaginable horror lies somnolent on Z’ha’dum–and the monstrous consequences of disturbing the sleeping evil will haunt every living thing in the cosmos. . . .

Babylon 5 created by J. Michael Straczynski
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Customer Reviews (31)

"And in the darkness the watchers were watching." (p.222)
The Shadow Within is the seventh of the original nine novels. The story is set in November 2256 as Babylon 5's dedication ceremony nears, hence, serving as a prelude to the pilot episode.
Captain John Sheridan and his wife Anna are about get together and celebrate their anniversary when Sheridan's ship fails an inspection and the crew is grounded, while Anna is given the unique opportunity to be second in command of an archaeological expedition to Alpha Omega 3 in search of the remnants of an advanced alien civilization. Little do they both know that their actions will affect the future of the universe and its numerous peoples and worlds...
Jeanne Cavelos has done a good job of shedding light and filling gaps in the series by presenting pre-existing relations between the Minbari and the Vorlons, John Sheridan's command of the Agamemnon, Commander Sinclair's and Chief Garibaldi's preparations leading up to the dedication ceremony on B5, interesting information on Psi Corps and IPX, the fate of Anna Sheridan, the turning of Morden, and the coming of Shadows among other things.
On the downside, the writing is not something out of the ordinary and does not have memorable quotes or phrases apart from this reviews' title. Subsequently, the novel at times becomes slow to the point of actually being bland and boring.
However, it is the last twenty or so pages which is where all the money is, with great info on Anna Sheridan, Morden, and the Shadows, and a good deal of drama.
In short, with the main series over and as we wait to hopefully see some more (and much better) Lost Tales or another B5 spinoff, thank goodness for the novels. More novels please...

What Really Happened on Khazad Dum?
For those Babylon 5 fans who would like the whole story on what went on at Khazad Dum, when Sheridan's wife and her archeological team woke up the sleeping Shadows, this is the book for them.
It fills in the details of an important incident in the storyline alluded to, but not fleshed out, in the TV series.
For those who also wondered where the creepy Morgan character comes from, who ends up pulling Londo and all of Centauri Prime into the Dark Side, this book will satisfy your curiosity.
Definitely not a "side story"; this is intrinsic to much that follows.

Great read
This was a very good read i absolutly loved it if you are reading this buy this book.

Morden's backstory
This novel of the Babylon 5 universe fills in the blanks regarding one of the acclaimed series' most intriguing characters:Morden, mouthpiece of the evil Shadows.Even more, it also focuses on Anna, second wife of John Sheridan, and the tale of how she went from loving wife and archaeologist to mindless minion of those aforementioned Shadows.

"The Shadow Within" was originally published in 1997, and four years later the same author wrote a trilogy about the mysterious Techno-Mages, who appeared on the B5 space station in one episode of Season Two but whose story is incredibly fascinating.See the trilogy titled "The Passing Of the Techno-Mages" for more, especially since this book dovetails into that trilogy and serves as a prequel.I cannot recommend this set of four novels highly enough, although I do agree with another reviewer here that this volume is not as spectacular as the trilogy.

Great story from a great author!!
I found this novel to be a great intro to the Babylon 5 novel series.It gave a look at Captain Sheridan and Anna before the Shadow Warsand gives an inkling of what is to come.I also was lucky enuff to get a copy that was autographed by the author herself which makes this copy of mine even more treasured.This is definately a must read for any babylon 5 fan. ... Read more

Product Description
By pushing science to its furthest, most marvelous extremes, "The X-Files" has captivated us with stories more strange and surreal than we'd ever dreamed possible.But are they as far-fetched as they look?With the help of leading experts, scientist Jeanne Cavelos explores the scientific theories--and supporting research--that shed light on some of the series' most bizarre and compelling episodes.Includes scientific examinations of: Could a man cause fungi to destroy everything he touched? How could a man made entirely of cancer cells grow back his decapitated head? What sort of nutrition could be derived from a diet of human livers? Could a man burn up in the sun--simply because he believes he's a vampire? How could a salamander hand grow on a man's body? Could concentrated human pheromones really make Scully do "the wild thing" with a stranger? Delve into the truth behind "The X-Files"--and wonders of science will never look the same again...Amazon.com Review
Jeanne Cavelos feels that "The X-Files is actually thetelevision drama most concerned with science today, incorporatingrecent discoveries and exploring the limits and values of science."Cavelos's guide to the science behind the stories can be a littleconfusing if you're not an X-phile (it could use a glossary), but itis a treasure-trove of gross science facts you'll enjoy even if you'venever seen the show. Disturbing birth defects, parasitic worms thatcome out of your eyes, killer fungi, cockroaches in serriedranks--whatever makes you go "Ewww," it's probably in here. Besidesthese monster-of-the-week topics, Cavelos gives a scientificbackground to the X-Files mythology: the web of aliens (gray,black oil, shape-shifting, whatever), hybrids, abductions, governmentcover-ups, and the looming figure of the Cigarette-SmokingMan. Whether you are a wide-eyed, broad-minded (gullible?) Mulder or askeptical, rationalist, cold-water-throwing Scully, this book has aninsight, a silly story, or a good quote for you. --Mary EllenCurtin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

The awful wonders to fill you with enlightened dread
This book is an excellent crash-course in fringe science. Topics touched upon include various discussions of cancer/mutations, extraterrestrial life/astonomy, various advances in VR and other forms of technology, andmuch, much more. Since I am not a great fan of X-Files, I cannot attestabout the book's fidelity to the show, but I should think that it is, sincethere is quite a number of quoted episodes. Even more than the show, thebook exudes a rather creepy feeling about just how fragile we are asindividuals, and in that respect it is inappropriate to especiallysensitive readers (if any of them enjoyed the show to begin with...). Thebook succeeds in that it makes most of the odd scientific data relativelyeasy to swallow and actually has the gut to admit that the writers did makeerrors. However, at no point did I feel that what I was reading was overlyincredulous, or that the author was overly condescending about the show'serrors.

Keep watching the skies for more books like this one.

Iguanas and slam dancing and cancer - - Oh My!
I had this be in my "to be read pile" for months. I would pick it up, peak at it and instead pick something I thought was more***important*** to read. Let's face it work, friends and other distractionsget in the way of reading - - hence I am forever behind. Big mistake on mypart. For one thing, the chapters in the book are strong enough to be readon their own. Secondly. this book is immensely enjoyable and intelligent. Ihad some reservations that the book may be dry and dense - - but I standcorrected. Reading this book is like listening in to wonderfulconversation. Jeanne Cavelos is witty, imaginative and brings the sciencedown to earth. Not only would I recommend this to fans of the X-Files, butto anyone who grooves on science or has a sense of humor. Read the book anddiscover the relationship between owls, people and grapefruit!

"Better Than The Movie" (and the show).
In this illuminating book,Jeanne Cavelos carries you far, far beyond the distorted and spacey feelings that some get from actually sitting too-still through the soma-like flow of the "X-Files". The book leaps andvibrates beyond the limits of the screen with a more immediate and grittyintellectual presence. Sometimes I watch the X-files...to relax.This bookis much more exciting than I expected because she helps you to believe thatmany of these bizarre things...can actually happen.I'ts a lot scarier,and vastly more interesting when you are shown that very much of what youthought was science fantasy(or science fiction)--is, more accuratelyembodied in the single root word...SCIENCE.

Okay book, but really, how far can you take this?
This was an interesting read, and yes, I'm a fan of the show, but really this book is aimed at those fan-boy types who have every other piece of X-Files memorobilia and need some more.The author does an excellent jobof applying ground-breaking scientific research to the scenarios which arepresent in the shows, however, I, at times found myself saying "Whocares that much?!?!"Also, the book makes no mention of all of theepisodes and phenomena for which there is no scientific explanation,theory, or even a guess.

All in all, it's an interesting read, but Ithink she's carried the X-Files a bit too far.

Peccadillos
Often in these book reviews if a book is generally rated four or five stars, there are occasional one star ratings.I understand that there is variation between different people, and what may be a masterpiece to oneperson is crap to another. There are many classics I perceive as crap. The idea I am getting at is: If a person is guaranteed to hate a book, thenwhy do they spend money on it? Why do they read it?Why do they review itfor crying out loud?An X-Files book should be read by fans of theX-Files.People who hate the X-Files should stay away from it.Instead ofcondemning 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' I write a deserved praising of 'TheFountainhead.'Yes, I have been been bitching about something that isunimportant.I don't care.The entire purpose of this review (Though I amnot actually reviewing the book.) is to raise the average rating of thebook. ... Read more

Product Description
The explosive space epic continues, as the techno-mages come face-to-face with the devastating evil of the Shadows . . .

War against the Shadows is inevitable, and the ruling Circle has ordered the techno-mages into hiding. Many are unhappy with this decision--none more so than Galen, the only mage who has faced the Shadows and lived. But the Shadows aren't Galen's only enemy--he is driven to hunt and kill Elizar, the traitor who murdered the beautiful mage Isabelle while Galen stood by helplessly, his hands tied by the Circle's sacred code he had sworn to follow.

Now a new mission awaits as the Circle contrives a plan that may enable the five hundred mages to escape without leaving a trace. Dispatched to the Shadow's ancient capitol to uncover the enemy's plans, Galen will find everything he so desperately seeks--including a shocking legacy that threatens to consume his very soul.

Babylon 5 created by J. Michael Straczynski

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Customer Reviews (28)

Slower Paced
This book was paced somewhat slower than the first in the series, and the scope more narrow. Whereas the reader is invited to feel wonder and fear as Galen learns about himself and his world in the first novel, this second book is filled with a bit drudgery. There was also a lot of introspection, which served to further weight down the story.

I've often thought that one the things that drew people to the Harry Pottery series was the constant sense of wonder and discovery. In fact, I suppose this is actually a characteristic of most good fantasy. Fiction spares us from the daily tedium that grinds wonder into the mundane.

I did enjoy this novel: It's not written poorly by any stretch, the prose flows well enough. And I love the idea of the Techo-Mages, the Shadows, and the Vorlons. --Reading this trilogy is a return to my favorite themes in the Babylon 5 world.

But to be sure, it's not as good as the first. And I'm still unsure if people other than a Babylon 5 viewers would enjoy the story as much as fans.

Mixed Feelings
I love how this book interweaves with the TV episode (though I don't think we needed to hear so much about the Green and Purple Drazi.) We learned about all the clever double meanings to events, and the larger picture taking place in the background. At the same time, this was much more tragic than I usually see in tv tie in books. From my perspective, too many beloved characters died needlessly. And the technomages were so nobly, tragically, self sacrificing that I wanted to kick them all in the head. It's well written with great detail, but be prepared for a lot of whams.

well written, but bizarre intertwining with tv episode
I do not know who (jms or the author) is responsible for the decision for books 2 and 3 of this series to closely interweave and usually re-write the significance of events in the tv series (in this book the season 2 ep. geometry of shadows is the main one), but I think a very good story from this theme could have been written without.so now the events in Geometry of Shadows have completely different meaning, including Sheridan knowing about the false departure tactic and aiding it, londo's apology being a trick from morden, and most annoyingly the fact sheridan saw the departure vessel explode, something WE didn't see.

I don't know why this sort of tactic for writing this story is used.4 stars for quality of writing, negative 2 stars for the episode tie-in tactic.I posted a similar note on novel 3 in this series.

Intense, Angsty, Amazing!
Whew. I thought the first part of the Technomage trilogy was great, but the second one surpasses it easily. A word of warning: this is a model example of a book that you just can't put down once you've gotten into it. You might waste a good night's sleep reading, like I did.

Take all the angst and all the action from the first book and multiply it by ten, and it might come near this. As troubled as Galen, the nearly initiated young technomage was in the first part, here he ends up going seriously dark side. His mentor, Elric, doesn't have a nice time, either, nor do any of the other colourful personalities among the technomages that were introduced in the first book. And there are some huge revelations too, which strongly remind me of the feeling I used to get from the suprise twists in B5 episodes, before I had seen them too many times over and the surprise wore out.

The book centers around the Babylon 5 2nd season episode "Geometry of Shadows", and certainly made me watch that episode with a whole new attitude. However, as the only complaint that I have about "Summoning Light", the episode and the book do not match perfectly - the way the episode ends and the corresponding event in the book feel a bit too different to be explained simply as an omission from the episode, a thing that wasn't shown and happened off screen, as obviously we see that it just doesn't happen... Ah well. Otherwise, the author does a magnificent job, writing stuff that happens before the episode and during it but unseen, so that it really does fit, and again writes a book that is much more than just a great TV-series extra/tie-in.

The Excitment continues
In this second installment to the B5 novelization emphisizing the Techno Mage characters. We learn about the secret history of the ancient technology called the Chrystalis and where it came from. We learn about the ecstacy and agony of the Mages. Their limitations and the extent of their dedication to; 'The Code'. However, I have heard that The Techno Mages are made up of numerous different species? Yet these novels only talk about two, Centauri and Human? ... Read more

Product Description
An all-new anthology of stories featuring THE ORIGINAL VAMPIRE HUNTER.

Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of the most famous novels in history. Both Dracula and Van Helsing have become icons: the vampire and the vampire hunter. Yet while the character of Dracula has been endlessly examined, Van Helsing is arguably one of the most well-known yet least explored characters in literature.

Now, Van Helsing gets his due as the stellar masters of horror and fantasy contribute their own unique take on the original vampire hunter.

The list of original stories featured in this unique anthology include such authors as:

Tanith Lee
Christopher Golden
Kathe Koja
Thomas Tessier
Kim Antieau
Steve Rasnic Tem & Melanie Tem
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Adam-Troy Castro
Lois Tilton
William D. Carl
and more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very Interesting
This means a lot coming from me because generally speaking I do not like short stories.This was thoroughly entertaining, well written, innovative, interesting.I would recommend it to others without reservation.I really enjoyed it.

A wide variety of takes on one mysterious man
When purchasing this book, I was interested to see so many different author's takes on one of the most elusive and interesting characters in vampire fiction. There is a wide range of takes on the character, with a great many centering around one of two women: either his insane wife (the vast majority) or Mina Harker (two or three). This son is also the focal point of quite a few, but by far my favorite story in the entire anthology is the first one, the Screaming by J.A. Knrath. It is a very delicious little tale and highly recommended.

A complete list of the stories follows-

*** The Screaming by J.A. Knrath *** Poison in the Darkness by Rita Oakes *** Infestation in the Walls by Thomas Tessier *** Anna Lee by Kathe Koja *** Venus and Mars by Christopher Golden *** The Power of Waking by Nina Kiriki Hoffman *** The Life Imprisoned by William D. Carl *** The Tomb of Fog and Flowers by C. Dean Anderson *** So Far From Us in All Ways by Chris Roberson *** Sideshow by Thomas F. Monteleone *** Hero Dust by Kristine Kathryn Rusch *** Remember Me by Tanith Lee *** A Letter From the Asylum by Kris Dikeman *** My Dear Madame Mina by Lois Tilton *** Ardelis by Sarah Kelderman *** Abraham's Boys by Joe Hill *** The Black Wallpaper by Kim Antieau *** Brushed in Blackest Silence by Brian Hodge *** Empty Morning by Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem *** Fantasy Room by Adam-Troy Castro *** Origin of Species by A.M. Dellamonica

Over all, the only thing I didn't like is that all the stories are about Van Helsing the man. No adventures, really, and so many of them focus on his wife and child, leaving other ground uncovered.

Still for fans of Dracula or anthology lovers, highly recommended.

Good read!
As with any collection of short stories, I liked some more than others.But it was a good collection with lots of variety & a great subject.I really enjoyed it.

A Clever Concept . . . well exceuted
ALmost all of the stories fell within the theme of the book.Very few were just standard vampire hunters, and some like Chris Golden's and Joe Hill's were very much outside the box. While more traditional than some of the others, the Monteleone story very much captured the turn of the century sense of wonder and other-worldly aspect of Van Helsing's mission--and had a GREAT twist at the end.

This is a fun book. Get it.

Excellent concept, and what an anthology ought to be!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories in this intriguing book.What a pleasant surprise it should be to many readers to find an anthology like this these days, one that is NOT a shared world series based on a game or TV/Movie media tie-in.As such, this more "traditional" anthology might at first glance confuse some readers who are not used to having stories in an anthology sometimes contradict one another.But this is just the kind of anthology a great many readers should relish, presenting stories as it does with a variety of viewpoints from a variety of writers, each with a different take on the character created by Bram Stoker in DRACULA over one hundred years ago, Professor Abraham Van Helsing.For example, about all Stoker told us of Van Helsing's private life was that his wife was insane and his son dead.One of the stories in the anthology, "The Tomb of Fog and Flowers" by C. Dean Andersson, explores that theme and presents Van Helsing's first encounter with a supernatural force, but refreshingly, there are no Vampires and no Dracula present in Andersson's tale, which may surprise some who are aware of his "first person" Vampire novel, I AM DRACULA.Maybe someone will ask him to now do I AM VAN HELSING!However, other stories in this anthology do deal with events in Dracula, or with different kinds of Vampires.One even presents Van Helsing as a Vampire himself! All in all, I highly recommend this anthology.After all, the editor, Jeanne Cavelos, created and edited the excellent Abyss horror line at Dell Books a few years back, and anyone who read any of the Abyss novels should have a high regard for anything to which the Cavelos name is connected.In other words, I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ever wonder just how plausible the SW Universe is?
As a SW fan, I enjoyed most of this book that provides scientific insight into just how plausible the technical, astronomical and meta-physical aspects of George Lucas' fantasy galaxy are. The sections on planets andtechnology were my favorites and I found them very intriguing andfascinating. The section on the Force went a bit too far, though. Also,it's important to remember that SW IS ONLY A WORK OF FICTION! ... Read more

Product Description
The electrifying space epic reaches an explosive climax
when one techno-mage battles the ultimate evil

As billions die and the flames of destruction rage unchecked, the Shadows seem poised for absolute victory. Soon the entire galaxy will fall to their evil. But the war isn't over . . . not yet. At long last, in a forgotten corner of the universe, Galen has finally won the Circle's permission to leave the techno-mage hiding place. He is the only mage who has faced the Shadows and lived, the only one who possesses the unstoppable Spell of Destruction.

Galen's orders are clear. Though the galaxy is being torn apart by bloody conflict–in which his powers might tip the balance–he is to locate only three key enemies and kill them. But Galen has unearthed the Shadows' darkest secret–and discovered a monstrous truth about himself.

In this desperate, apocalyptic battle, there's no telling who will be the victor. Or if there will be any survivors at all . . .

Babylon 5 created by J. Michael Straczynski
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Customer Reviews (30)

If you need to find out what happened...
...you need to read this trilogy. I liked it overall. I could hear the actors in my head speaking many of the lines. Mostly I just wanted to know the "canonical" version of how the events unfolded. In that respect, my main disappointments were that the story of how the Drakh plague was cured (the would-have-been storyline of the Crusade TV series) and the story of the telepath war were not told in either this or the technomage trilogy. I also didn't think that Vir's necessary character change was at all portrayed in the TV series -- the episode where Sheridan dies or is assumed into Heaven or whatever. Vir shows no sign in that episode of having meanwhile been the leader of a terrorist resistance to free his planet or even to have fallen in love with one woman.

Other issues I had with it are just issues with the Bab5 universe or scifi in general. Time travel is almost never dealt with in a way that makes any kind of sense at all, and Bab 5 is no exception. If John Sheridan traveled in time, why would he not find himself in the same physical location where he left but at the future time? Why would he find himself inside his older body? And the idea the Delenn would consider it worth risking the Shadow War for the smallest possibility of saving John is preposterous.

I also don't consider that economics, particularly the systemic flaws of the intergalactic economic system, are at all addressed in any of the Bab5 stories. That's true of most scifi, though, and Bab5 does a much better job than Star Trek. Scifi writers in general don't seem to be able to grasp either the basics of economics or class or to have any idea how social change really happens. If social change does occur in scifi, it's almost always some weird top-down thing dependent on one (or at best a few) Fearless Leader(s). Bab 5 has its admitted royalty, and the only episode addressing the fates of anyone else is mere comic relief. Personally, I find the character of Delenn second only to Byron in annoyingness. She whines and manipulates her way through most of the events, and her grand moments in the TV series (the one where she breaks the Grey Council and the one where she arrives with the cavalry) are two of the few times I actually liked her. In this trilogy, she's even worse. She's been stripped of even her principles, in her willingness to trade the fate of the whole universe for an unlikely chance of having a few more years with her husband. She's like the worst possible caricature of a woman emotionally dependent on her man and her kid for her identity and reason to exist.

The kid... David... why bother? I thought they'd have some actual stories and revelations about him, as a character. As is, he's just a necessary plot point to get part of the action to happen. Boring. I basically decided he didn't really exist and replaced him in my mind with a black box (or perhaps an urn) labeled "necessary plot point to get Delenn & Sheridan to Centaury Prime."

But Londo and Vir are developed well in this trilogy. Nice juicy complex characters whose motivations are understandable even when they make hideous mistakes.

Worth reading if you liked the TV series. I sincerely doubt that it stands alone if you did not watch the TV series.

Must-have trilogy for Babylon 5 fans.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

By the end of the third book we know just about everything there is to know of the Technomages. Galen's story remains compelling to the very end. And revisiting the conflict between the Shadows and the Vorlons was a treat. I read this final book in just a few days; I couldn't wait to see how it ended.

In my previous reviews I remarked that I wasn't sure if someone unfamiliar with the series would enjoy the books as much as a Babylon 5 fan. The reason became clear to me while reading this final book, because much more time is spent with characters that were already well established in the Babylon 5 world. Although the characters are depicted true to the series, little time is spent developing their character in the novel; it is assumed that the readers are already familiar with their histories and motivations. Specifically, we spend several chapters with John Sheridan. But an unfamiliar reader would not gain any sense at all that this was the strong, dynamic leader of the alliance, save for being told so.

Speaking of fans, there is a parallel story that gives a behind the scenes look at major events from the television series. It rounds out several scenes that required a more than healthy dose of disbelief during the television series and make the book all the more interesting.

This is must-have trilogy for Babylon 5 fans and anyone who enjoyed Galen's character in Crusade.

On becoming more than you were created to be...
I have always been fascinated by those rare works of art which echo their own form or creation. Some artists, by conscious effort or fortunate instinct, manage to convey their messages not only internally in their art but also externally through the object of art and its place in the world. The multitalented Jeanne Cavelos manages to create just such a work in her Babylon 5 based trilogy The Passing of the Techno-Mages.

On one level Invoking Darkness, the final book in the trilogy, can be enjoyed as an adventure story. Techno-mage Galen finds himself as the lone member of his order fighting the destruction of the ancient and powerful Shadows. The usual rule of tie-in novels is use the popularity of the well loved characters all you want but don't interfere with the canonical plot. In contrast, Cavelos spends the first two books of the trilogies building up characters that can stand on their own, including humanizing the central character of Galen, previously appearing only as an intriguing but impenetrable wanderer in the short-lived Babylon 5 sequel Crusade. In Invoking Darkness the trilogy enters into well known territory of the Babylon 5 story. Rather than skirting the perimeter of the pivotal events, with the help of B5 creator Joe Straczynski's outline Cavelos seamlessly meshes her story with events well-known to fans of the series. Rather than undermining the stories that have already been told, the story becomes a new thread that can stand on its own or serve to enhance the broader story, revealing previously unexplained mysteries like the improbable survival of the Shadow agent Morden.

More important than Galen's fight against the Shadows, though, is the internal struggle in which he engages. Having learned the dark secret of the origins of the Techo-mages and their power--his power, and to a large extent who he now is--Galen struggles with the consequences. The central question of whether he can become something more than he was created to be is never far from his mind, a battle raging between his own doubts and the dying words of the woman he loved and lost.

It is tempting to speculate that on some level Galen's struggle is a metaphor for the questions that were running through the author's mind while the trilogy was being written. Having read more science fiction tie-in novels than I care to admit, I have found that the best among them offer the guilty pleasure of spending a few hours with some well-loved characters. Indeed, that is for the most part what they were designed to be. Writing under such constraints is it possible to create a work that is more than that, a novel that is a great story in its own right? Until I read Jeanne Cavelos's trilogy I would have said not.

Am I the only person who does not like being asked to believe all this extra stuff we never see in z'ha'dum?
This, like book 2, borrows heavily from the TV show, mainly the last episode of season 3, and expects us to believe all this other stuff was going on at the same time that we never saw, such as but not limited to (spoilers) galen helping sheridan fight drahk and others on z'ha'dum, even telling him so, galen saving morden from the nuke blast, galen meeting lorien, galen planting the idea to see the imminent attack pattern in shadow dancing, there are more than I can easily recall.Also, a fair amount of the novel is regurgitation of events directly from tv episodes.

I don't know if this was the author's idea or specific to JMS's outline to write this this way, but it really violates the 'you expect me to believe this after you showed me something different in the tv series and JMS's own considerable comments on his episodes over the years?' rule - this applies to book 2 also.The book is well-written, though as others have noted galen is not a sympathetic character much of the time.

A Happy Ending to a Wonderful Trilogy
Sigh. It's over - no new techno-mage books left to read. That's the one thing that's very wrong about this book: it's the last one of the trilogy, and still leaves quite a gap between its end and the B5 movie Call to Arms, the first TV-thing that includes Galen. Also, one big question remains at the end, and I doubt we'll ever hear the answer: What happens to the techno-mages? Does the "Passing" in the title just point to their passing into hiding and away from the world, or their actual death and the end of the order?

Invoking Darkness is both the saddest and the happiest book in the trilogy. Again, there is death, suffering and chaos, and Galen learns secrets even more horrible than the ones in the previous books. Still, at the end, as open as it might be, there is a wonderful feeling of resolution, a real happy end after all the trouble and angst.

Just as Summoning Light built around and beyond the episode Geometry of Shadows, Invoking Darkness has a lot to do with Z'ha'dum, one of my all-time favourite episodes. At first, I was a bit shocked at the idea that I was supposed to believe that all this stuff was happening in the background of that episode and is just never shown - but it does make a lot of sense and explain some things. Everything the B5 characters, such as Kosh, Morden and Anna Sheridan do and their thoughts as they are described make perfect sense and are completely in character.

Then there is Galen, of course, at the center of it all, whose story these books are. From the eager though shy novice at the beginning of the first book, he grows and evolves into something far more complex, yet more whole than he has ever been. Watching Galen in Crusade is a whole new thing now that his backstory has been described in such detail and colour.

This is certainly the best TV-series-based trilogy I have come across so far. If you're into B5, you absolutely must read this. Even if you aren't, I'd still give it a try. It's probably worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
The spectacular space epic continues, as the techno-mages face the growing threat of the Shadows . . .

As Elric and his student Galen watch with taut anticipation, dragons, angels, and shooting stars rain from the sky, heralding the arrival of the techno-mages on the planet Soom. It's the first time Elric-a member of the ruling Circle-has hosted such a gathering, and if all goes well, Galen and the other apprentices will emerge triumphant from the grueling initiation rites, ready to embrace their roles as full mages among the most powerful beings in the known universe.

But rumors fly of approaching danger and Galen and his young lover, Isabelle, are chosen to investigate the dark tidings. An ancient race has awakened after a thousand years, thirsty for war, slaughter, and annihilation. Will the techno-mages be the deciding factor in the war ahead? Or the first casualties?
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Customer Reviews (48)

Pleasantly surprised!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this novel! On several occasions I laughed out loud or proclaimed, "Oh no!" And I don't think I can give a novel any higher praise than that.

I stumbled across Casting Shadows while doing a search on Amazon for the Babylon 5 spin-off Crusade. I was looking for reviews after watching Crusade because it was so terrible; I was curious if others thought it as bad as I did. While reading those reviews I saw an ad for this book.

Though I didn't like the series, I was intrigued with the idea of the Techno-Mages while watching Crusade. In fact Galen and the Techno-Mages were the only thing I really enjoyed about the series, and so my curiosity was piqued. When I also saw how many good reviews had been posted for this book, I reluctantly decided to give it a try.

The book was a quick, easy read, and well written. In fact, I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed all the characters, and fans of Babylon 5 will find the Babylon 5 universe faithfully reproduced.

Casting Shadows tells the story of Techno-Mages leading up to the Shadow War. Those familiar with Crusade will recognize the main character Galen right away. The novel follows him as he completes his training and becomes a Techno-Mage in his own right.

My only disappointment as I write this is that the next novel in the series hasn't arrived yet in the mail. Sadly these books are out of print and so I've had to order them used. I don't mind ordering used books at all, but book dealers seem to recognize that they can squeeze the fans for a little extra cash here. I paid about $10 a piece for the 1st and 3rd book. For the second book I shelled out $25.

I think Babylon 5 fans will love this book; I highly recommend it. I don't know if those unfamiliar with the Babylon 5 story will enjoy it quite as much, though I do think it stands on it's own and is a good read regardless.

Anticipation
I've been a major devotee of Babylon 5 from its inception (although starting with Season 2 in particular), but up until today hadn't been aware that canon storyline continuations existed.

Based pretty much solely on Darren Sumner's (creator of GateWorld) recommendation -- reinforced by very positive reviews given by others -- I'm going to order this book now, and assume that I will love it. Ever since Babylon 5 came to an end, I've been wanting to know more about its world.

Talk about insight to the Techno-Mages!
I found this book both interesting and very helpful in understanding the Techno-mages and in particular, Galen. The back story to what happened to Isabelle and how it affected the young mage is insightful to his later character as seen on Crusade. It also explains his friendship with Alwyn, his relationship with Elric, and why the mages decided to flee known space and hide during the Shadow war. I also liked the explanation on how the technology they used fused to their bodies, how they were trained, and how they graduated from apprentice to mage. The story is fast paced and a fascinating inside view of the mysterious Techno-mages and their society. Proves how developed the B5 universe was since the writer, Jeanne Cavelos, used an outline by J. Michael Straczynski. I really wish the books could have been made into films so the fans could have gotten an inside look. A must have for any B5 reader or fanfiction writer.

Well-written, usually interesting
This is a well-written novel spinoff from the Babylon 5 and Crusade television series.

Writing is enjoyable, the author appears to have the background data down correctly, and while only 1 character spent any time as a tv character (galen, probably less than 10 crusade episodes + call to arms?) 'early year' books always get some leeway on character development.Obviously Elric was a character in 'geometry of shadows' but 5 minutes of dialogue (if that) is just the bare-bones of a written character.

It was an enjoyable read, and didn't feel contrived or poorly constructed.

My main complaint is why anyone wants to read about the adventures of Anna as a shadown warship cpu.Those pages were skipped.Maybe there is a future plot reason to bring it out now.

The fact book 2 is apparently out of print and sold for multiples of original cover price (as well as the 3rd centauri prime book) is absurd.I am not sure I have ever heard of a published paperback only a few years old being hoarded or sold at absurd mark-ups to this degree....clearly the publisher is in need of a market economics course.

Tech Wizards
Cavelos has created the best B-5 trilogy yet.Her novels (Casting Shadows, Summoning Light, and Invoking Darkness) flesh out the background of the techno-mages and Galen's past. She meshes her material with the television series seamlessly and brings out nuances in character and situation. The relationship between the techno-mages and the Shadows is revealed in a striking manner that will satisfy any B-5 fan.

Though the most exciting B-5 trilogy I have yet read, Cavelos has a tendency to focus on emotional-turmoil and bringing the pacing of the plot to a complete and utter halt so a character can brood, mope, brood some more, mope again. Making matters worse, she repeats the same trite descriptions describing these feelings of melancholy and worthlessness over and over. But the rewards of completing this trilogy is worth the pitfalls in the prose. A must for any B-5 fan.
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Product Description

The element of Star Wars that is most true to science is the sense of wonder it calls forth, which has very little to do with how close it is to a possible future. Or, as Steve Grand, director of the Cyberlife Institute, said to Cavelos: "I never try to let scientific implausibility get in the way of a good story!" --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Original Trilogy meets Cosmos
The author clearly loves Star Wars (original trilogy).She saw it when she was 17 and explains some interesting Cosmos (Carl Sagan) type concepts related to Star Wars.e.g. could a planet have 2 visible suns (as Luke looks), is there enough moisture for condensers on a desert planet, why Ewoks seem unlikely to have evolved the fighting tools they use in ROTJ, etc.Also, several other PhD types give various input in the chapters - like saying "we all know there is no explosion noise in space, but it makes the Sci-Fi movie fun".So, this would be a 4 star book for the select audience that is science geeks like me, and loves the original trilogy films.The 5th (of 5) chapters gets weak and lowers this book a star for me.The author covers "The Force."In this chapter she brings up Remote Viewing, ESP, clairvoyance, etc. with quotes fromnon-credible scientific types like Dr. Utts.My issue is that the author is scientific and wise enough to know science from pseudoscience yet gives far more credibility to farce.Dr. Utts is referenced on 13 pages with gems like "although each ESP experiment may be flawed, since all show some effect, there MUST be some real phenomenom there."Really?Try to get a peer-reviewed journal article published under that guise Dr. Utts.Meanwhile, voices of sanity like James Randi (his Flim Flam book is excellent by the way) get referenced on merely 4 pages.I understand the author wants to give "A New Hope" that these sci-fi fantasies are possible, an "Undiscovered Country" (ooops, Star Trek ref), but this is irresponsible to present known frauds from the fringe with equal (or in this case greater) treatment.The last 20% of the book really turned me off and it is a shame, because the prior 4 chapters, although more scientific than some may like, appealed to me.Also, I did enjoy that the author clearly loves the Star Wars movies and books.The Phantom Menaces stuff is tacked on and other than the minor stuff about Jar Jar Binks eye placement and heat disapating ears, nothing to write hope about.However, I'm an original trilogy guy, and that is what this book dives into - so that is good too.I would hope a future edition would refute the pseudoscience about ESP and other stuff as fiction (as the author does do well with the Leia in the Box argument about quantum mechanics).

Interesting approach
The book mainly deals at "how" some of the things (we all love) and see in the Star Wars films could be explained or achieved from a scientific perspective. Certain aspects and themes addressed in the book are interesting such as space travel, what would life in other planets look like, and gadgets such as lasers and lightsabers. The author however frequently gives oversimplified and "empty" solutions to these themes. Sometimes no solution at all. Probably because Star Wars is just that... a work of fiction and was not necessarily written to uphold any specific scientific laws. Other times the author gets a little bit too "technical" and scientific in her explanation which makes the reader get distracted (Unless you work for NASA or a fan of Stephen Hawkins). I do like her little humor bits and the allusions to IGMO (her Iguana pet)which she uses to illustrate certain points.
Overall I think maybe an interesting book to read for the Star Wars fan who are curious as to how science may one day "takes us" to a world (albeit far from the same) similar to what we see in Star Wars films.
May the force be with you.

Not so long or so far away, some of it could happen
Quality entertainment is its' own reward, so in many ways the plausibility of the scenarios is not an overriding concern. However, there is a threshold of believability that cannot be crossed, for if it is, it can cease to be entertainment. The quality of the entertainment has a great deal to do with the location of the threshold, if the story is very good, the bar is higher, but for a mediocre story it can be much lower. In the Star Wars movies, the bar is generally considered pretty low, as most people who watch them are fairly uncritical of the scientific basis for the events. George Lucas was brilliant when he opened the series with the phrase, " A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away." This is equivalent to the classic "Once upon a time" opening to fairy tales. By immediately giving the Star Wars events the status of a fairy tale, Lucas provides himself with a great deal of scientific poetic license in his Star Wars movies.
However, there are always people who examine the actions on the screen and consider the plausibility based on the current theories of science. In this book Cavelos critically examines the major events in the Star Wars series from the perspective of modern science. The opening chapter is a discussion of the major environments where the action takes place. It starts with the questions concerning how prevalent planets are in the universe. In this case, recent research indicates that there are an enormous number of planets, so the focus moves to planets that could support life, in particular, human life. Here, the odds drop substantially, as the range of temperature, gravity and atmosphere that humans can function in is in all cases very narrow. The existence of specific planets such as Tatooine with its' two suns, the moon "planets" of Endor and Yavin and the ice planet Hoth are all seriously examined. Given the constant number of new surprises that the study of planets in our solar system has provided, while unlikely, most of these environments cannot be ruled out.
Chapter two, which deals with the characteristics of alien life forms, was my favorite. Many of the main species, such as the Wookies, Hutts, Banthas, Jawas, and Ewoks are examined from a biological perspective. How their bodies are constructed and if they could function in their environment makes an interesting exercise in comparative biology. By examining Jar Jar Binks, one can reach many conclusions concerning how his species functions. This is a chapter that would make an excellent study topic in high school biology classes.
Chapters three and four deal with the technology, with chapter three devoted to the artificial intelligence (AI) of droids and four the technology of the spacecraft. Despite many problems in implementation, there appears to be no reason to doubt that droids with the capability of R2-D2 and C-3PO will eventually be constructed. However, the development of interstellar craft that travel through hyperspace will require substantial advancements in harnessing energy and the presence of scientific realities that we currently know nothing about.
The Force, that all-encompassing energy field, is the topic of the last chapter. It is also the most difficult to envision, although in many cases, it is just another name for God. The difference is of course that using the force would mean that an individual could channel the power of God for their own purposes, independent of the goodness rating of the action. Extra-sensory perception and the current "evidence" for it are also examined.
I am a devoted fan of Star Wars, and as I scientist I recognize when scientific laws are broken on the screen. Nevertheless, it was a very fun book to read, because there is scientific evidence that indicates that some of what happens in these movies could actually take place.

STAR WARS COULD HAPPEN!!?
What I loved about the Star Wars saga is the fact that travel
across the galaxy is as commonplace and taken for granted as
car and air travel is today. And I love the alien world our
heroes visit like the Fourth Moon of Yavin,the Moon of Endor,
Tatooine,Hoth,Bespin,Dagobah and Coruscant.

This book explores the possibility of rapid interstellar travel
and alien planets and extraterrestrial life and the even how to
build lightsabers and blasters with incredible detail. Cavelos

explains that such breaktroughs may or may not happen in a few
thousand years. Who knows what breaktroughs humanity will make?
We may not be at war with aliens or other civilizations and I
hope it won't happen. But I do hope that someday people will be
able to travel to other solar systems and galaxies as quickly
and easily as crossing our oceans. Cavelos gives interesting
detail on wormholes,warp drives,and even what it would be like
to travel at warp drive with the stars stretching into streaks
of light. That will be a very exciting time. I hope that galactic
travel and even intergalctic travel will be used for tourism as
well as exploration and colonization. People will travel to exotic planets and moons like Yavin 4,Endor,Hoth,Coruscant etc.
and even view our own galaxy from above as a glowing celestial
spiral. That would be a very exciting time!!Perhaps it
will happen in the next thousand years or so.

Very Good
I loved this book.Like all Star Wars books I read, I could barely put it down.The only reason it's not perfect is that the whole Star Wars series is very loosely based on science, so this book really has a very shaky fundamental basis.The fact that Jeanne Cavelos can write a great book around this weak foundation, though, is a testament to the skill with which the author writes. ... Read more