Book #9 - Drennan

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: Laura Appelbaum <l-appelbaum at usa.net>
Date: 15 Jun 1997 23:02:02 -0400
Lines: 55

Charles Goetz wrote:
> 
> Purchased and finished K. Drennan's book in a day and a half.  Far and
> away the best written of the books I have read, which happened to be those
> touted here as the best.
> 
> A few points.
>  (1) I loved the fact that Sinclair returend, if only for the novel.  What
> I found distressing was Joe's comments beginning the book, which were to
> the effect that some mistakes cannot be corrected.  While he was speaking
> about threads that did not get finished, I couldn't help but get the
> feeling that he was speaking about O'Hare/Sinclair too.
>  (2) W/o heading into Spoilers territory, good to see Sakai, and glad to
> see things worked out as they did, couldn't have happened any other way,
> knowing as we do who went back with B4.
>  (3) The concluding line "That Valen would someday return," is rather
> annoying.  I welcomed it, in that it continued the Arthurian aspect of the
> story, but at the same time hated it, in that it was something of a
> tease.  All we hear here is that currently there is not O'Hare / B5
> relation, meaning no O'Hare return.
>  (4) I thought the Sheridan / Sinclair tie was somewhat forced, but we can
> all see what it was deemed necessary.
>  (5) So too did I get the feeling there was some de-mythologizing of the
> character going on, an attempt to make him more human and his motivations
> more simple.  At points thise really started to feel a bit forced, e.g.
> I'm just a fighter pilot, etc.
> 
>  All in all, a very good read judged by the standards set by the other
> novels.  If you haven't already, go and buy this one, you will not be
> disappointed.  I rank it far and away the best.
> 
>  (If you have read it, send along an email to JMS to pass along to the
> spousal overunit, having chatted with her for all of five minutes one day
> I get the feeling she would sincerely appreciate a kind word for her
> efforts.)
> 
>  Lastly, my overall impression from this novel is that Sinclair is deeply
> missed in the series.
> 
>  Any other thoughts?
> 
What really annoys me is how much BETTER the already great series would
have been if jms had simply worked some of the content of this book into
the first four or five episodes of the second season as a "B" or "C"
plot.  It would have been quite easy to show us Sheridan taking command
of the station and at the same time showing us what we learn in this
book Sinclair was going through as Ambassador to Minbar/Ranger One in
training.  The show has always cut around from B5 to Centauri or Narn,
or whereever -- it would have been 1.Quite natural, 2.Allowed those of
us who loved Sinclair to let go of him easier and welcome Sheridan
better, 3.Given jms even MORE chances for foreshadowing and all in all,
been more just to the fans AND to Michael O'Hare who did such a fine job
of bringing the character to life and has gotten the short end of the
stick ever since.  
LMA

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 16 Jun 1997 22:26:55 -0400
Lines: 19

"It would have been quite easy to show us Sheridan taking command
of the station and at the same time showing us what we learn in this
book Sinclair was going through as Ambassador to Minbar/Ranger One in
training."

We have 43 minutes per episode.  It would've been impossible to go back
and forth in this fashion and make it in the least intelligible or
coherent; you'd have to break up an episode ino 20 or so minutes and do
separate stories in that time if you want to go back and forth in an
episode, and the one could have nothing to do with the other...or you
would alternate episodes which would eliminate any kind of continuity and
momentum you'd build up.

It's as if you tried to do Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and alternating
stories with her family back home on the East Coast.  You would end up
falling between chairs and satisfying *nobody*.


 jms
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