In the Beginning (Novelisation)

Chilli · June 24th 02, 14:56

I just finished reading the Novelisation of in the Beginning..and I must say I'm gravely dissapointed. Setting up the novel the way it is with having Londo tell the story and telling everything we see in 2278 as Londo talking in the present form just doesn't work. It just seems stupid somehow. Also, in the story, so much of it lets me to wonder how the hell Londo would know, how the hell he would remember the dialogue word for word if he also just got it second hand and so on and so on. I think Peter David should have skipped the whole part with the future and just Tell the Story of the Earth Minbari War in 3rd person.

I did however enjoy some of the input that was made, diaglogues and meetings that don't happen in the movie, like Sheridan's trip home. Plus, I loved finding out that Sheridan's family resides in my very own hometime of Boulder, Colorado [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img] Also if I don't live there at the moment I might eventually end up mooving back there someday..hell..for all that I know I could be Sheridan's great-great-whatever-grandfather..I do after all have the habbit of saying "cool" [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

What about the other 2 Novelisations? Are they any good -- do they give insights to things we do not see in the movie itself the way the Novelisation of In the Beginning does?

Recoil · June 24th 02, 15:22

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
Originally posted byChiLIBeserker:
It just seems stupid somehow. Also, in the story, so much of it lets me to wonder how the hell Londo would know, how the hell he would remember the dialogue word for word if he also just got it second hand and so on and so on.

[/quote]
I do believe this was explained in the Centauri Trilogy. You see, Delenn and Sheridan were in captivity. A lot of the story Londo knew from his own exploits. But there was a part in the Centauri Trilogy where Londo went to Delenn and asked him to explain how it all started. I dont remember the details, but I do remember that Delenn told him the story of the Earth-Minbari war. After the whole story was told he said something like "Wow, it was all about me. The whole thing is about me," which in some way is true. A lot of B5 is the story of Londo Mollari.

Anyway so he basically went from questioning her, goes back to his throne room, finds the kids there, and tells them the story as it was just told to him --- filling in the points where he knew from personal experience.

I rather liked the POV being told by Londo in 2278. I thought it was a neat touch and kind of brings things full circle. Remember it was Londo who gave the narration at the begining of The Gathering who said "I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind." He HAS sort of been the center of things if you really think about it.

That all being said I never read the novelisation, so I am just commenting on your views of Londo knowing how it all happened.

Chilli · June 24th 02, 17:11

In the movie, It works. In the book, He is constanly narrating stuff like what's going through a Ganja Ivanov's mind right before he gets blasted from the sky and stuff like this. He would never know and never tell it into the detail he does in the book. It just doesn't make sense. It seems to me that Peter David forgot that it was Londo telling the story a few sentences into each chapter and writes on as the omipotent storyteller.