Book1 of the Psi Corps trilogy, Babylon 5 tie-in fiction
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Boxtree Ltd; paperback / softback edition (6 Nov 1998)
ISBN-10: 0752221124
ISBN-13: 978-0752221120
Copy: Bought second hand
On the back of the book:
Long before the Babylon 5 space station brought humans face-to-face with alien races, they discovered an extraordinary breed among their very own…
The year is 2115. Shock waves follow in the wake of astonishing news: science has proven the existence of telepaths. Amid media frenzy, panic and bloodshed, Earth’s government steps in to restore order – and establish tight control over the newfound special population… by any means necessary.
Ambitious senator Lee Crawford spearheads the effort, overseeing the creation of the Psi Corps – an elite unit charged with tagging and monitoring all telepaths “for their own protection.” But the real agenda behind the crackdown is one of government control. Many question the telepaths’ origins, while others view them as a coveted weapon. As the Corps tightens its iron grip, the stage is set for a cataclysmic confrontation – one in which the future of Earth will be decided.
For me, Babylon 5 was the best sci-fi series on TV ever, but strangely I never knew there was tie-in fiction until I found Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps in a second hand bookshop. My favourite character in the TV series was Alfred Bester*, who, surprisingly only appeared in 12 episodes over the five seasons. He was a senior Psi Corps officer who was particularly devious and not averse to breaking the rules on using telepathy when it suited his own agenda. When I spotted a book that promised to fill in the Psi Corps back story, I just couldn’t resist!
Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps covers a timespan of around 100 years, opening with the publication of a scientific research paper proving the existence of telepaths. Once the news breaks, fear and paranoia lead to violence and the persecution of anyone suspected of having telepathic ability. An opportunist politician uses the discovery to further his ambition and is instrumental in setting up the Psi Corps, an organisation created not only to protect telepaths but to identify and control them too. All persons with Psi abilities are required to either join the Corps, face lifetime imprisonment, or submit to a lifetime of drug treatments to suppress their abilities A resistance movement emerges, comprised of ‘rogue’ telepaths who resent the pseudo-fascist culture of the Corps, who by now were attempting to increase their power by selectively breeding highly talented telepaths.
Being already familiar with the Babylon 5 universe, I found Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps an enjoyable read. It was fast paced and had some excellent plot twists along the way. There were also small details that only someone familiar with the TV series would pick up on, which I particularly savoured. I thought the reaction of the general population to the discovery of telepaths in their midst was, sadly, all too realistic as was the response of the cynical senator Lee Chapman. Some of the darker aspects of human nature are explored here, but not in the depth I would have preferred.
One notable disappointment was the characterisation. I felt it was too one-dimensional at times. However, given that this book is the first in a trilogy focussed on Alfred Bester, it gives us the history of the Psi Corps that made him the sinister person we know from the TV series. I was pleased to see the appearance of a Vorlon, the enigmatic race personified by Kosh in his encounter suit in the series. Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps is an appetiser, a taste with the promise of much more to follow and it does require some prior knowledge of the Babylon 5 universe.
Overall, my view is that this is one for the fans. It is a good read, but I think someone with no prior knowledge of Babylon 5 would struggle a bit. But I am a big fan and I am seeking out the 2nd and 3rd books as I really, really want to read more about Alfred Bester.
*Note: J. Michael Straczynski named the character after the science fiction writer Alfred Bester, since telepathy is a recurring theme in his work (most notably The Demolished Man). Alfred Bester was played by Walter Koenig, otherwise know as Pavel Chekhov in the original Star Trek.
It is worth pointing out that J.Gregory Keyes (also known as Greg Keyes) has since gained success as both a Fantasy and a Science fiction author. He wrote the steampunk/alchemical quintet The Age of Reason and also the Fantasy series The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone.
Plot: 7
Characters: 5
Style: 6
Overall rating 6/10
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