The Ciaphas Cain novels seem to rub a lot of fans of the Warhammmer 40,000 science-fiction universe the wrong way, simply because they contain the one element which the WH40K universe seems to lack almost entirely -- humor.

This is not to say the adventures of Ciaphas Cain are absurd or goofy (they're not), rather that some WH40K readers absolutely demand that their WH40K material be nothing except nihilistic gorefests -- adolescent power-fantasies, in the very worst cases.

The Cain novels, however, borrow intentionally from out-of-genre characters like Harry Flashart and Edmund Blackadder, and bring a welcome wry humor to the overriding grimness of the Warhammer science-fiction setting.

The title character, Cain, survives the military facism of the 41st millenium through wry wit and cleverness, and manages to manipulate those around him by exploiting their dogmatism and their slavish devotion to blood and iron. In the greatest irony, Cain has become a hero to his narrow-minded kin (entirely in spite of himself) and these stories comprise his memoirs -- an attempt to tell "the real story" to a society which really doesn't want to hear it.

While the novels _are_ funny, they stop short of outright genre-breaking. Cain is completely plausible within the WH40K universe; in fact, Cain may be the most "human" character in the universe. He's more like us, perhaps -- trying to get by in a hostile universe with equal parts humor and intelligence.

In being so human, Cain also brings a level of plausibility to the Warhammer 40,000 setting which it can sometimes lack. Cain is no grim noir anti-hero, devoted to the destruction of his enemies -- he's simply trying to get by unscathed in what amounts to a terrifying and oppressive society.

Ordinary readers can identify with Cain more readily than the science-fiction warrior Ubermenschen of the other WH40K novels, I think.

I can't help but wonder if the reason that some Warhammer fans dislike Cain much is for the fact that, when Cain mocks the mindless jingoism and exaggerated machismo of the Imperium, he also ends up mocking those fans who take these same elements of Warhammer 40,000 _far_ too seriously.

They can have their Gaunt's Ghosts and their Kill Teams. If I ever found myself stuck Warhammer's 41st millenium -- and the Tau Empire wouldn't take me in -- Commisar Cain would be the man I'd want to know.

The one downside to this edition? Be aware that it's an omnibus paperback containing three novels and some short stories. As such, it's around two-to-three inches thick at the spine, and the type font within is smaller than average.

If you can handle the book's physical format, Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium is an unexpected treat. Wit and intelligence lighting the darkest of fascist futures. Recommended.

Yes, I want to buy this, but I'm concerned over the high price -- especially since it appears that Blu-Ray has recently beat out HD as the new high-definition standard in the DVD market.

Will I be required to buy this expensive set again, in Blu-Ray format, in a few months/years if HD format goes the way of Betamax video?

I got my copy delivered from Amazon Canada today, and I've already watched the 72-minute episode.

The Single-Sentence Verdict?

If you're a fan of Babylon 5 -- whether hardcore, or simply someone who enjoyed the series-long story arc while it was on -- I think you'll enjoy this if you pick it up.

To Elaborate:

I loved B5 for its series-long story arc, and for the breadth and depth of its storytelling (the new Battlestar Galactica wasn't first in that regard), but I don't own the DVDs and I haven't watched an episode in years. It didn't matter. This disc gives you enough right off the top to remind you of what you should know, and to get you back in the groove.

If you're completely unfamiliar with B5, you should consider buying the boxed DVD sets, and then pick this up. :-)

The Good

It's essentially two stories in seventy-two minutes and it shows as a labor of creative love.

Babylon 5 Creator/Writer/Director Straczynski's trademark sharp writing (and humor) are in full evidence. The acting is solid, even from lesser players. Boxleitner (Sheridan) has improved as an actor with age, in my opinion. He's subtler in many ways; less "showy".

The visual effects are beyond what I expected for this sort of Direct-To-DvD project. Very nice, and well-used. Since there are no commercial breaks (hooray!), shifts in the story are most often signalled by a quick cut to an exterior shot.

The visual effects detail is markedly better than on the original show. When I heard that this (projected) series would be using CGI green-screen for certain backdrops, I sort of cringed inwardly -- we've all seen how wrong that can go -- but, to my surprise, it was well done, particularly in the crucial aspect of "light-matching". In one setting, you can sort of notice that the background and foreground lighting don't precisely match, but for the most part, I was surprised and impressed by how well the CGI backgrounds were implemented.

For the B5 fan faithful, there are extras on this disc: "making of" segments; interviews; and even memorial spots where creator and cast reminisce about the two actors in the ensemble cast who have passed on since the series ended.

The Not-So-Good

Creator Straczynski has said up-front that this whole direct-to-DVD distribution model for an SF series is a big experiment/gamble. He's also said that their budget (at least, if and until this proves to be a succcessful distribution format) is significantly less than what a regular, network-produced SF show would get.

To their credit, you don't see any "cheapness" here. I've seen cheaper-looking shows done by the Sci-Fi network in the US, for example. As above, the CGI visual effects are first-rate -- more than I ever expected.

The major way the lesser budget shows through is in the lack of physical sets. A lot of scenes take place in corridors, or smaller rooms. The C&C (Command and Control -- i.e. the "bridge") of the Babylon 5 station is mentioned, but we never actually go there.

Given the fact that this release is a "pilot project", I can understand the creators wanting to put their finite budget where it would have maximum effect, rather than spending money on building a bunch of standing sets which might potentially never be used again, should this distribution model fail, and we see no more episodes.

If this distribution model does prove a success -- and I hope it does -- I would expect to see at least a few standing sets built. I mean, how many times can station commander Colonel Lochley have meetings in her quarters, before it all starts to seem a bit odd?

Still, what the episode lacks in physical substance, they cover with good lighting, inventive camera work, and solid editing. The score is orchestral and professional.

The only other place in which the lack of budget shows through is that both stories in the episode are very character- and dialogue-centred.

If you're looking for ferocious fights, with exploding scenery, and stunt people flying everywhere, it's not in this installment. We get some brief space-based CGI "blowin' stuff up real good", but nothing with live actors in fake peril.

The two stories here are all about character, and Straczynski's sharp dialogue. In fact, the first story in the pair is positively philosophical in tone -- bringing in topics like God, the devil, heaven and hell into the mix.

The actors are universally solid, so I found both stories interesting -- but if you're the kind of viewer who loses interest unless somebody's getting punched in the face, or something's on fire, this episode probably isn't for you.

In Conclusion

I hope this DVD sells well enough to deem its distribution model a success -- not only so we can see more Babylon 5, with (hopefully) bigger budgets thanks to profits -- but so that it opens the door for other quality direct-to-DVD series of this type. I can't be the only one who'd like to see a little more Firefly, for example.

For that reason, I'd say buy this if you're interested. Send a tangible message that you like the distribution model, as well as the specific content, in a way that renting or pirating the DVD won't do.

Will we see more Babylon 5 this way? Time will tell -- but I certainly hope so.

This book is getting panned in certain quarters, but I think that's a result of certain readers (i.e. the Trek phanboi contingent) not having their very rigid expectations met . This is not a "Big Cosmic Struggle" (tm) Trek novel -- it's a murder mystery starring Kirk and Picard, set on Bajor.

It's definitely more character-driven than many current Trek novels, and the Reeves-Stevenses (Judy, I think, was the main author on this one) give a fair amount of insight into the workings of Kirk's mind, something I found interesting. More than that, the characterization of Kirk as an older man (i.e. as the older Bill Shatner, who's decidedly more philosophical these days) rang true for me. It's still Kirk, but it's a Kirk who has learned to leaven his impulsive, pro-active nature with a certain amount of conscious consideration.

Picard is well-drawn also, and the book's two authors (two-point-five? I'm led to understand that Shatner contributes/discusses plot ideas, and that the Reeves-Stevenses `make it so') have finally made me begin to believe a Kirk-Picard friendship is plausible. Why? Because the two captains *don't* see eye-to-eye; they are very different men, and they know it. Their friendship seems to come out of the fact that they are peers for one another -- they are, in effect, the only two who have an innate understanding of what it means to be considered "living legends", and who know the reality of carrying the burden of such status.

Another thing I liked? This novel is essentially self-contained. Oh sure, the groundwork is set for the next book, but this story is not a cliffhanger. You get a complete tale for your money, even as you know there's something brewing for the next volume.

And, surpringly, Bajor worked for me as a setting. I always wanted to like Deep Space Nine better than I did -- but I just had real problems with the erratic writing quality on the show. This book made the planet Bajor "real" to me in ways the show rarely did. I don't know why -- I just got a sense with this novel of how interesting the setting could be if handled well. It made me interested in Bajor and the Bajoran people for the first time in a long time.

So, there you have it, a non-spoiler review. If you're the kind who buys Trek novels only for galaxy-shaking plots of peril, then you probably won't like this book. However, if you can appreciate a well-written Trek mystery, featuring strong characterization of James T. Kirk, then I recommend Captain's Peril to you.