Peter David and JMS: Wow (long)

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: jbonetati at aol.com (JBONETATI)
Date: 5 Nov 2000 10:53:10 -0700
Lines: 46

Peter & JMS:

I just finished the last of the Centauri Prime books and I'm stunned.  Really,
you'd think I'd get used to it by now, wouldn't you? How many times has JMS
repeated that it's the journey that counts even though you already know the
destination; and we've seen that characters do grow and change in the B5
universe.  And if anybody ever doubted that 'somebody' was paying attention to
all of the questions and nits picked about the series this last book should
certainly teach them better.

I'll never know exactly what pieces of the trilogy were completely JMS' and
which were Peter's but it matters not at all.  Peter has definitely grasped the
characters 'voices' correctly and managed to show an amazing growth believably
and touchingly.  As another poster noted, even knowing exactly what happened in
the throne room, what I was reading was still new.  That's some good writing
there.

Once again I read what I can only think of as a roller-coaster style of writing
and I've gotten off the ride weak at the knees.  Book one was interesting and
laid a lot of groundwork; you could tell that the coaster was being pulled up,
sometimes more slowly than the reader wanted and you had to have faith in the
ride; even so, you know that it was something new and different.  Book two gave
some swoops and loops and built up momentum; you started to feel like it was
time to hang on and  hope you didn't regret getting on because things were
about to drop out from under you.  In book three you not only got the huge drop
that left your stomach behind, you went through a few tunnels and took a few
bumps that left you breathless. Even though you'd seen the big drop and knew
about the tunnel before you got on, the experience was other than you expected.
 Then, all too suddenly, the ride was over and you immediately wanted to get
back on again and do it some more.  Now the wait begins again.  C'mon February!

I feel sorry for the vocal ones who've said that they'll no longer buy the B5
books because they were disappointed before.  Of course they were *looking* for
things to dislike and that's an easy wish to fulfill.  Even so, both the Psi
Corp/Bester trilogy and the Centauri/Londo/Vir trilogy have woven whole new
panels in the tapestry of the B5 universe. The original story was no less
satisfying before they were written but they certainly help ease the hunger for
more stories.  And whet my appetite for still more.

JMS, Peter (and Gregory and Jeanne and Fiona), thanks.

Jan
(metaphor generator off, now <g>)   




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 6 Nov 2000 22:12:43 -0700
Lines: 19

Thanks.  I really wanted these books to fill in the gaps and broaden the story
in a way that moved people.  I'm happy they did.

The next volume of the techno-mage trilogy should arrive in my hands in draft
form probably in another week or so.  I'm very much looking forward to reading
it.


 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2000 by
synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
to reprint specifically denied to
SFX Magazine)




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