The Long Night of Centauri Prime

Babylon 5: Legions of Fire: The Long Night of Centauri Prime. Peter David. 1999.

Prologue: The Drakh felt sorry for him. Londo Mollari would have been surprised to learn that such considerations went through the Drakh's mind. Had the Drakh's sentiments been relayed to him, he would have been even more surprised to learn precisely why the Drakh felt sorry for him. 


Chapter one: When Londo saw the creature emerging from the chest of the Drakh, it was all he could do not to scream.

The Long Night of Centauri Prime is the first in a must-read trilogy of books for Babylon 5 fans. For this trilogy answers so many questions! This trilogy addresses so many prophecies and visions seen in the show! Because it is a continuation of the story, the drama, I feel it is a must read for anyone who watched the show from start to finish.

Is this book all about Londo? Yes and no. It is about what happens to him after he becomes emperor of Centauri Prime. It is from his perspective--for the most part. But to say it is all about him, well, that just wouldn't be the case. It features characters we've met before (Vir, Timov, Mariel, etc.) and introduces new characters (Shiv'kala, Durla, Senna, etc.) It also reintroduces the technomages.

Centauri Prime is in very bad condition. And what they need is a good leader, a strong leader, a leader not under the influence.

I loved so many things about this one. I did. I loved how Peter David captured the characters just right. Especially in how he depicts Londo and Vir. Their separate scenes are good, some are even great, but to see these two together again, well, there's just something wonderful about it all. My favorite new character was Senna. 

Read The Long Night of Centauri Prime

• If you're a fan of Babylon 5
• If you're a fan of science fiction
• If you're a fan of science fiction focusing on politics and war, good and evil
• If you want to know what happens to Londo after he becomes emperor, after his nightmarish reign begins,
• If you want to know what happened to Londo's wives
• If you want to know what happens to Vir.  If you LOVE Vir, this book will make you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him.
• If you want to see the long-term effects of the Shadow War

And now to share some quotes:

When Londo first meets Senna...

"She simply uses words now, not stones. It is a funny thing about words. They cannot harm you unless you allow them to...unlike rocks, which tend to act as they wish." (35)

Londo and Vir speaking about Durla:

"Well, here's a late development. I do not like him, Londo. This Durla. Not one bit." Vir was speaking in a whisper, albeit an angry one.
"Durla? What is wrong with Durla?" Londo sounded almost shocked.
"Look, don't take this wrong, but...in some ways, he reminds me of you. That is, the way you used to be."
"He doesn't remind me of me at all."
"Are you kidding? All those things he was saying about what he wants us to be? Doesn't that sound like something you might have said once?"
"No. I never would have said any such thing."
Vir rolled his eyes in annoyance as Londo guided him down one of the large corridors. "Where are we going?" he asked.
"On a tour. Much work has been down on the palace since you were last here." He glanced at Vir. His vision appeared a bit bleary. "So let me understand this: you say that Durla reminds you of me, and on that basis you don't like him. I suppose I should be insulted, no?" (89)

Vir on lying:

As Zack checked through the computers, Vir's mind was racing. Lying simply was not his strong suit. He felt tremendously uncomfortable and very exposed whenever he was trying to do it. One would have thought that, working with Londo for so long as he had, he would have acquired a knack for it. The one thing he had going for him was that he tended to babble to the point where people would accept whatever he was saying, just to shut him up. With one lie, he was ineffective. With an avalanche of lies, he could squeak by. (101)

Yet another starring Vir!

"Nervous?" laughed Vir. "Why would you say that?"
"Well, when you're nervous about something, you tend to flap your hands about a bit...kind of like you're doing right now."
"What? Oh, this. No, no...I'm just having some minor circulation problems, so I'm trying to get the blood flowing." He flailed his hands for a moment, then said, "Well, that seems to have done it," and folded his arms tightly across his chest. (105)

And another...

Time flies when you're having fun. Or when you're having...well...whatever it is that I have. (214)

Mariel and Vir:

"You made me laugh. It's not always easy for a man to get a woman to laugh, but you managed it so easily. You had a charming facade you created back then, although I could see through it rather easily, of course."
"What...facade would that be?"
"An air of barely controlled panic."
"Ah. Well," and he laughed uncomfortably, "you saw right through that, I guess. Clever you." (217)

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews