New Babylon 5 novels ???

[BabylonRebel]

To Dream in the City of Sorrows is Pretty Much all of 2259, until about September/October 2260.

Personal Agendas is right before the Cartagia assassination episode I believe.

 

[Mark Dunder]

I missed a lot of the B5 show, plan to watch it on DVD sometime soon I hope. It's great they are finally getting all these TV series out now, only way I got to see all of Firefly.

For some reason, I rarely read novels about any TV series. But would like to read one about B5. What is the first book anyone would recommend before the Mongoose ones come out?

 

[lastbesthope]

For some reason, I rarely read novels about any TV series. But would like to read one about B5. What is the first book anyone would recommend before the Mongoose ones come out?

To Dream In The City Of=Sorrows, #9 in the series, but you kind of have to knw a little of the plot of the show to get the most out of it.

LBH

 

[lastbesthope]

I heard a little about a potential submission for one of the new novels this weekend.

LBH

 

[Black Omega]

JMS finally breaks cover on the canon issue....and gives a big thumbs down

Just to confirm, however: these books have nothing to do with B5
continuity or history from a canonical point of view. They are
operating totally outside the loop of what has been authorized before
from a creative perspective, and any claim that these "wrap up" any
sort of timeline within B5 is rather grandiose at best. That timeline
can't be "wrapped up" by anyone who doesn't know what was coming, and
the only person who knows what was coming is me.

As far as I'm concerned, these books have nothing to do with the show.

Laura Appelbaum wrote:
> So basically, they're WB authorized fan fiction?


At best, yeah, which is why I in all good conscience cannot endorse
them.

jms

 

[wargame_insomniac]

JMS finally breaks cover on the canon issue....and gives a big thumbs down

Just to confirm, however: these books have nothing to do with B5
continuity or history from a canonical point of view. They are
operating totally outside the loop of what has been authorized before
from a creative perspective, and any claim that these "wrap up" any
sort of timeline within B5 is rather grandiose at best. That timeline
can't be "wrapped up" by anyone who doesn't know what was coming, and
the only person who knows what was coming is me.

As far as I'm concerned, these books have nothing to do with the show.

Laura Appelbaum wrote:
> So basically, they're WB authorized fan fiction?


At best, yeah, which is why I in all good conscience cannot endorse
them.

jms

Thats a shame. But is it better to have everything 100% canon but dead. Or things not 100% canon but still alive and developing.

I would wish that JMS was somehow involved in how Mongoose develop B5 Universe. But if he wants too much money to make it worth his while to take his attention of his other interests.....

Cheers

James

 

[narrativium]

Having read Visions of Peace, I have to say, it shows.

JMS's history suggests he's generally happy to keep Babylon 5 moving (as for example, the graphic novel he's writing to finally complete the Crusade story), but he doesn't think it's wrong to receive payment for his work. He's defended members of the B5 cast who refused to do interviews for the DVDs on the grounds they weren't getting paid for it.
I don't have figures, I've only just heard about JMS's comments myself, so I won't defend blindly, but if he's going to be working on something, he deserves the credit for it.

 

[wargame_insomniac]

Having read Visions of Peace, I have to say, it shows.

JMS's history suggests he's generally happy to keep Babylon 5 moving (as for example, the graphic novel he's writing to finally complete the Crusade story), but he doesn't think it's wrong to receive payment for his work. He's defended members of the B5 cast who refused to do interviews for the DVDs on the grounds they weren't getting paid for it.
I don't have figures, I've only just heard about JMS's comments myself, so I won't defend blindly, but if he's going to be working on something, he deserves the credit for it.

But there is a balancing act between being paid something for contribution and demanding too high a price. Only Mongoose and JMS know exactly where they both were on this balance.

My point was that if JMS is understandably tied up with other projects to not be abkle to spend much time on B5 anymore, we have a choice. We either accept a slowly dying B5 Universe but one that is 100% canon. Or accept that we have a live and ongoing universe even if not 100% canon.

I am not trying to apportion blame or take sides between Mongoose & JMS. I would just prefer that the B5 Universe endures and grows.

Cheers

James

 

[Ulkesh]

(as for example, the graphic novel he's writing to finally complete the Crusade story),

Wow cool didnt know that, by any chance is their any link to the source information? Might go get it since i thought Crusade had a lot of potential.

 

[Aramanthus]

I think JMS has a prefectly good right to declare them NON-Canon! It is his creation, we all just live in it. We have to support his rights. And it wasn't as if he was offered that much money. Mongoose could have offered him more. They are doing probably better than most of the companies out there putting D20 and OGL stuff. And we know their stuff sells! I'll still buy the B5 stuff from Mongoose.

 

[ATimson]

I think JMS has a prefectly good right to declare them NON-Canon! It is his creation, we all just live in it.

He may have created it, but WB owns it; they're the ones with the rights to declare it canon or non-canon.

 

[Aramanthus]

WB may own it! But will I or my friends accept anything that isn't from JMS? That is the question. If you chose to do that, that is your decision. As far as I am concerned JMS is canon for me!

 

[Morden]

As someone who is starting a B5 novel as we speak, it saddens me that JMS is unwilling to work with Mongoose on this.

That said, based on what I've seen, Mongoose has done an excellent (and quite reverent) job running the universe in his absence. WB owns the rights to it, so it's really up to them to declare something as canon or not. I also know that Mongoose tried to work things out with JMS and it appears that he's not having any of it.

As far as I'm concerned, everything Mongoose produces is canon unless JMS releases material that contradicts the novels; and by material I mean film, novels, or graphic novels (not outlines, or vague contradictory statements). In my mind, this situation is no different than the one that exists between Lucasfilm and the Star Wars novels.

 

[frobisher]

As someone who is starting a B5 novel as we speak, it saddens me that JMS is unwilling to work with Mongoose on this.

He's willing to work with them, for the right price, and his time is more expensive than Mongoose can afford for this project, hence the current stance.

Basically jms is not a charity and that should be remembered. The fault lies with neither party here.

 

[Oldbury]

I think while it's sad that JMS has said this it is indeed fair of him to say this. I want to be an author but if i invented and came up with something like Bablyon 5 i think i would be in the same situation as him. Who know's maybe if these books really take off and mongoose make a big profit from it they may be able to persuade him to come help out?

Regards Oldbury

 

[Tanit Ironwolf]

I completely agree JMS and crew have a right to get paid for work they do. but Mongoose has posted they tried to contact JMS to negotiate on this. JMS never replied back. So Mongoose continued on with their plans, with WB approval. I'd say if it wasn't for Mongoose. Babylon 5 would be like Lost in Space. Cause by the time JMS gets around to doing a film. It will be a flop like the Lost in Space movie and JMS's Ranger series.
Which now that I think about it. What has JMS done involving a tv series, show or movie since B5?? Only thing I know of is a book & comics? He makes good money doing what he loves. But for him to say since he didn't approve it, then its not canon. Well I'll use his own words when fans pointed out the errors in canon on his canon approved show. "the show is the show." Then he'd add some line about due to budget or time restraints or the SFX team messed it up and it was to late to correct. So to finish up my tirade here. I'm a fan of B5, not JMS. I'm a fan of movies, not the actor or director who made it. I'm a fan of books, not the author. So I'll buy Mongooses novels and base them on how much I enjoyed them. Not on who wrote it or who approved it.

 

[Oldbury]

well said; personally i think mongoose may struggle to get into the publishing market because of the phenominal costs involved but hey if they produce anything i'll buy it and support it.

Regards Oldbury

 

[Morden]

That timeline can't be "wrapped up" by anyone who doesn't know what was coming, and the only person who knows what was coming is me.

See, this is the portion of the statement that I find troubling. What he's attempting to say is that the only person who can write anything in the Babylon 5 universe is him, or perhapse someone who is writing from one of his outlines. Despite this, when the deals were made for Babylon 5 to get made in the first place, WB was established as the owners of the property. Yes, it was JMS's universe, but he doesn't own it.

Saying that the universe can't continue because he isn't in charge is the same as saying that Greyhawk can't continue without Gygax personally signing off on everything that gets published, or like Star Trek not continuing without Roddenberry's approval, or like Forgotten Realms not moving forward without Ed Greenwood's personal stamp of approval. We all know how those turned out. The fact is that if JMS wants to retain creative control over Babylon 5, it would behoove him to attempt to work with Mongoose. Since he's not willing, or the money isn't right, or whatever, he is essentially allowing himself to become divorced from what is obviously one of his most beloved creations.

The problem here isn't between JMS and Mongoose, but rather between JMS and Warner Brothers. In essence, he's saying that Warner Brothers is authorizing material that they shouldn't be. It's too bad that he couldn't work this out with Warner Brothers and Mongoose privately rather than dragging this dispute into the public. Then again, it's public knowledge that JMS's disputes with MGM and TNT have spelled the death of two television shows.

 

[frobisher]

The problem here isn't between JMS and Mongoose, but rather between JMS and Warner Brothers. In essence, he's saying that Warner Brothers is authorizing material that they shouldn't be. It's too bad that he couldn't work this out with Warner Brothers and Mongoose privately rather than dragging this dispute into the public. Then again, it's public knowledge that JMS's disputes with MGM and TNT have spelled the death of two television shows.

The problem is that jms has always been open to answering questions from fans, and is accessible. He wasn't the one who dragged this out into the open, he was asked some pretty direct questions on an open forum.

 

[wargame_insomniac]

As someone who is starting a B5 novel as we speak, it saddens me that JMS is unwilling to work with Mongoose on this.

He's willing to work with them, for the right price, and his time is more expensive than Mongoose can afford for this project, hence the current stance.

Basically jms is not a charity and that should be remembered. The fault lies with neither party here.

Indeed- a bit like CC leaving after Season 4. Did n't want it to happen but could understand both sides positions. Would prefer that Mongoose and JMS could sort something out but can understand why difficult to do so. I just hope that they have n't burnt bridges and that something can be worked out in future.

Cheers

James