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| Ancient mysteries, modern conflicts at The Tombs of Kobol. Art by Bob Larkin. |
With the success of the first two
Galactica novels for Berkley Books, a third was inevitable and welcome for fans, as Glen A. Larson and Robert Thurston delivered their next exciting adaptation- this time for the classic two-parter
Lost Planet of the Gods, renamed as the more-exciting-to sell-books titled
The Tombs of Kobol. This adaptation particularly follows the original scripts from Larson and Donald P. Bellisario very closely, whilst also expanding the story and characters, plus fixing any discrepancies, character inconsistencies or small plot holes.
Here's a look at some of the notable interesting changes/additions:
The late Serina's involvement in the story is told through her eyes in the past tense, as a grieving Apollo discovers and plays recording crystals from her telling the adventure- part of her job to keep the history of Humanity and the rag-tag fleet preserved. This idea temporarily replaces the Adama Journals of the previous two books.
Unlike the TV version, it is the walking computer egotist Lucifer (not a Cylon itself but built by them) who stops Baltar from being executed, and convinces the Imperious Leader to let the freed human pursue the Galactica and destroy it with a baseship under his command. There is no talk of peace as seen at the end of the original Saga of a Star World TV pilot.
The writers clearly have fun writing for Lucifer's character - his ego, his functioning systems and his later command of the baseship to attack Kobol. His observations of the humans Baltar and Starbuck, especially the latter, making a great impression on him for all the wrong contaminating reasons. Lucifer also plays cards with the captured Starbuck at one point, and, despite all his intellect and logic, loses to the pilot.
At the asteroid with the Cylon outpost, it is Boomer who catches the disease- an ungloved hand catching some moisture from a rocky surface that he passes onto Jolly inadvertently. Unlike the TV version, the duo enter Decon on their return to Galactica but it fails to take out the virus. This is well handled and smooths over some of the inconsistencies of the TV version. Once on the medical asteroid, Dr. Salik discovers that a dose of Potassium will wipe out the disease organism.
Like the deleted scenes from the Blu-ray, the Star of Kobol is seen prior to the wedding of Apollo and Serina and shines brightly as they get sealed.
Cassiopeia isn't happy that Starbuck will be with Athena training the new pilots. Athena, having always been a viper pilot in the book, helps train the female pilots with Starbuck and Apollo and equally doesn't like the way her former lover is enjoying their company. The training scenes are adjusted from the TV version.
Amongst the female pilots, a new heroine called Gemi, unsure of herself and feeling inadequate compared to the beauty of the other women pilots, is introduced by the authors. She tries but fails to win the attention of Starbuck- too ordinary, and is tragically killed during the final space battle above Kobol with barely a remembrance by him. I suppose Gemi was introduced to counterbalance the the beautiful female heroines introduced and to restate how delicate and brief life can be as a Colonial viper pilot.
There's some fascinating new background on the Lords of Kobol and the exodus of the Thirteenth Tribe, in a sequence where Serina secretly records a conversation with Adama prior to exploring the lost planet.
Jenny the launch officer makes a little cameo giving the recovering Boomer a quick kiss for luck as he leads all but the too-ill warriors in their cockpits out of the Galactica launch bays to help the Cylon-attacked cadets.
Athena shows her pilot skills to save Starbuck, caught in a Cylon pinwheel attack, in an extended sequence where the other female pilots continue their erratic combat skills against the enemy.
Serina's novelisation death is different and more heroic. Unlike the version on TV, where she is shot in the back by one of the original Cylon fighter escorts to Starbuck, this sees her shot whilst helping Apollo, Athena and an ankle- injured Starbuck fight off four Cylons alongside a sneaky Lucifer, the latter ultimately rescuing Baltar and carrying him back to its ship for escape.
