To Dream in the City of Sorrows

To Dream in the Cityof Sorrows
Author(s)	Kathryn M. Drennan
Published By	Del Rey
Release Date	July 18, 1997
Pages	278
ISBN	0-440-22354-7
Canon	Yes
Timeline	Main narrative February to November2259 - Framing story December 6 2260
Preceded By	Personal Agendas
Followed By	Dark Genesis

To Dream in the City of Sorrows is the ninth book in the series of original Babylon 5 novels. It was written by Kathryn M. Drennan, who also wrote the television series episode By Any Means Necessary and was the wife of Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski. It is one of only two books of the initial novel series that is considered canon by Straczynski (the other being The Shadow Within.)

It was later re-released with a new cover, which does not mention its status as #9 in the novel series (presumably to distance it from the non-canon books).

Blurb

Original book cover for "To Dream in the City of Sorrows"

They called them the first line of defense. They called them Rangers.

Ambassador to the alien world of Minbar, former Babylon 5 commander, Jeffrey Sinclair, is one of the first to learn the truth about the Shadows, the ancient race pursuing the destruction of the galaxy. Sinclair also discovers a startling secret: he is the linchpin in the legendary Minbari warrior group, the Rangers. But it may cost him his one chance to love... and his life.

To Dream in the City of Sorrows

Catherine Sakai, commercial pilot and planetary surveyor, has lost her heart to Jeffrey Sinclair. Not even an attack by the Shadows can stop her from getting to Minbar to join him... and the Rangers. As she trains with other pilots, including the mysterious Marcus Cole, the time is coming when their skills will be tested on their first mission. Led by Sinclair, they will venture into deepest space, into a battle of stealth and might, and toward a fate none but the bravest can face... and none but the luckiest will survive...

Synopsis

The narrative of the book tells the story of Jeffrey Sinclair, Catherine Sakai and Marcus Cole starting three weeks after Sinclair's arrival on Minbar, in February 2259 until Marcus' departure to Zagros VII at the end of 2259. 'To Dream in the City of Sorrows' framing story starts December 6 2260 with Marcus having returned to Minbar to heal following his Denn-shah with Neroon on Babylon 5 (See: "Grey 17 is Missing")

Related Articles

People Jeffrey Sinclair Catherine Sakai Marcus Cole William Cole Hasina Mandisa Hank Valen Delenn Jenimer Rathenn Neroon Turval Durhan Kosh Ulkesh Venak Inesval Draal Nelier Quinton Orozco Bill Mitchell Senator Balakirov Peverell Meugnot Zack Allan Michael Garibaldi Esperanza Gemma Gildea Sinclair Zathras Lennier Susan Ivanova Lillian Hobbs John Sheridan Raffelli David Sinclair Malcolm Sinclair	Places Minbar Tuzanor Yedor Ranger Compound Arisia III Arisia Mining Colony Fensalir Ymir Glasir Skirnir Mjollnir Epsilon III Great Machine Babylon 5 Sector 14 Babylon 4	Ships Skydancer Prototype Hybrid Fighters Minbari cargo ship Shadow Vessels Shadow Fighters XO-Sphere Personal Flyer Life Forms Human Minbari Vorlon Temshwee Misc Hyperspace Hyperspace Travel Syndrome Quantium 40 Diridium Earthforce Academy Mars Food Riots Universal Terraform Department of Energy and Natural Resources	Minbari Federation Grey Council Council of Caste Elders Eighth Fane of Tredomo F'hursna Sech Worker Caste Warrior Caste Religious Caste Se n'kai Sha'neyat Denn-shah Anla'Shok Anla'Shok Na Entil'Zha Denn'bok Real world Ulysses Tennyson Marcus Aurelius Meditations

Notes

• The book's introduction written by J. Michael Straczynski contained the following passage :

“

"To Dream in the City of Sorrows is not simply a licensed book set in the BABYLON 5 universe."
"While most of the Dell books to date have contained some elements that are considered canon, this is the very first one that is considered canonical in every small detail."
"What you hold in your hand is an official, authorized chapter in the BABYLON 5 story line."
"This is the definitive answer to the Sinclair question, and should be considered as authentic as any episode in the regular series."

– J. Michael Straczynski Executive Producer/Creator BABYLON 5
19 February 1997

• It is thus the only standalone novel to be considered fully canon. The only other novel to be considered canon, The Shadow Within, is only considered partially canon, and only because the Icarus storyline was deemed canonical by Straczynski himself and is referenced in the unambiguously canon Technomage Trilogy.
• The Boxtree edition states that the gap in Sinclair's memory is 48 hours long, not 24 as stated on screen. In the later reprint of the novel, the error was corrected.
• This novel contains the only in-universe naming of Ulkesh. At all other times in-universe he is unnamed or referred to as "Kosh" or simply "The Vorlon Ambassador".

External Links

• Lurkers Guide about this novel