Joined: Aug 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 742 Location: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens..
Battlestar Galactica novelization « Thread Started on Jun 18, 2009, 11:04am »
I have recently reread the Battlestar Galactica Saga of a Star World novelization and it dawned on me the differences between the novel and the tv show. I thought I would write down those differences so anyone who has not read the novel can see how it was a bit different.
I have broken up the types of information into two categories: expositional - the information does not contradict what was seen in the tv show, it just tells us more about a topic; contradictory - the information contradicts what was seen in the tv show.
Battlestar Galactica novelization:
* Zac is a battle-hardened Lieutenant, not an Ensign on his first patrol (contradictory) *Zac is assigned the mission with Apollo by Col. Tigh as punishment because he was caught fooling around with one of Dr. Paye's nurses (contradictory) * To engage the Viper's turbo engines, a pedal must be pushed (contradictory) * President Adar has a long, gray beard (contradictory) * Baltar is very fat (contradictory) * Baltar is a self-proclaimed count who was a trader in rare items (expositional) * The fleet is said to have 5 battlestars (expositional) * The Battlestar Pacifica was said to have been the largest battlestar but she had already been destroyed thus making the Galactica the fleet's largest (contradictory) * The Galactica was commissioned 200 years ago.(expositional) * Commander Adama has commanded the Galactica for 25 years (expositional) * Jolly's and Greenbeans' names were given to them by their squadron mates due to their appearances (expositional) * Cylons are actual creatures who have many eyes on their heads and can change the shape of their heads at will (contradictory) * Athena has blonde hair (contradictory) * Vipers have to taxi to their launch point (contradictory) * There are battle cruisers with the fleet indicating another type of warship (expositional)
* The Imperious Leader is 700 years old (expositional) * Imperious Leaders serve a term of 75 years (expositional) * Boxey is not Serina's son (contradictory) * There is a camouflage force field around the Galactica and the fleet (contradictory) * Prina is Serina's sound technician on Caprica (expositional) * Morel is Serina's cameraman (expositional) * One of the other battlestars at Cimtar is the Solaria (contradictory) * The rag tag fleet is composed of 22,000 ships (contradictory)
* Cassiopiea is dark haired and has dark eyes (contradictory) * Sire Uri is actually arrested and taken away from his party onboard the Rising Star (contradictory) * Adama resigns as President of the Council of the Twelve (contradictory) * It is Adama's idea to go to Carillon, not Apollo's (contradictory) * Some of the ships jump to the Carillon sector and leave the rest behind (contradictory) * They are surprised to find that the approach to Carillon is mined (contradictory) * It is Adama's plan to clear the mines, not Apollo's (contradictory) * There is no Nova of Madagon (contradictory) * There are three types of mines, one which just explodes on contact, another that gives off a blinding flash of light, and the third are electronic jammers (contradictory) * Apollo, Boomer and Starbuck fly blind and form a wedge to blow a path through the minefield (sort of contradictory) * Some Cylon worlds practice monogamy and the IL vows to stamp it out (contradictory) * A whole crop can grow in one day (expositional)
* Ovions were enslaved and transported to Carillon by the Cylons (expositional)
* Adama goes down to Carillon (contradictory) * Apollo wears dress blues on Carillon as do most of the other warriors (contradictory)
* Lotay, the Ovion queen, has drugged the leaders to influence them into staying (contradictory) * The three warrior "imposters" who Apollo and Starbuck chase into the elevator are captured by the Ovions (expositional) * The three "imposters" are then rescued by Apollo and Starbuck (contradictory) * Starbuck kills Lotay (contradictory) * Muffit is shot by a Cylon (contradictory) * Col. Tigh is on Carillon at the ceremony (contradictory) * Col. Tigh is wounded in the ground battle (contradictory) * Rain is falling as the Colonials evacuate Carillon (contradictory) * Starbuck and Cassiopiea pilot an Ovion transport full of Tylium up to the Galactica (contradictory) * No direct mention is made of Carillon actually exploding, although they do mention the possibility of it occurring with all of the Tylium on fire (contradictory) * The Imperious Leader is not present at Carillon and therefore does not die (contradictory) * Baltar is executed (contradictory in tv version) * Sire Uri resigns from the council (expositional) * The Cylons are defeated at Carillon but another force attacks the fleet ships which had been left behind by the Galactica (contradictory) * The Galactica and vipers jump back to the fleet and rout the Cylons there as well (contradictory) * They eat mashed potatoes (expositional)
Joined: Jul 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 299 Location: lost......
Re: Battlestar Galactica novelization « Reply #1 on Jun 18, 2009, 1:14pm »
* The viper scanners do not work in the minefield (contradictory)*
Are you sure, I remember the Galactica had to direct the fire control on the Vipers to hit the mines because, in the minefield (Nova of Madagon) the scanners were burning up.... Did I miss something? I am also sure it made landing a Viper with the cockpit enclosed completely a little interesting.....
Joined: Aug 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 742 Location: Somewhere Beyond the Heavens..
Re: Battlestar Galactica novelization « Reply #2 on Jun 18, 2009, 3:27pm »
They do state that their scanners are burning up, but I think they do work to some degree. The scanner shots you see I believe are inside the vipers...but overall, you're right, they do state that they can't see anything through their scanners and the Galactica has to guide their firing...
Since that is not contradictory and it's not new, I have taken that line out of my post...
It was surprising how different the novel was to the Televised version. I think it might be very interesting to see the pilot altered to fit the novel a little more. Mind you not change the ladies hair color but still
If you read Tombs of Kobal, Athena is already a Viper Pilot and helps Starbuck and APollo Train the Other lady Viper pilots. I found this a nice change, and explained why Athena had always been refered to as a Warrior.
Yeah. Sort of a little project I have is to do this with all of the 10 Galactica novels out there based upon one of the televised episodes just to see how they differ from what was seen on screen and how the script or story was treated in the novel.
It's not too bad, I have read I think 4 or 5 of them so far. After a few you have original Storioes, so You can't do the compairison really. I did like Apollo's War though. Nice additional little story.
Re: Battlestar Galactica novelization « Reply #6 on Oct 31, 2009, 9:24am »
I also have that book. Athena with blonde hair? hmm.... better as a brunette I think that maybe this book was written before the premiere movie was filmed and the TV series airing...it would explain the differences... They also released a comic book which had Serina's character named Lyra...
Joined: Dec 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 224 Location: Somewhere out there
Re: Battlestar Galactica novelization « Reply #7 on Oct 31, 2009, 9:38am »
Yra was her original name, and Athena was blond and Cassie was a brunette. It does seem that the novel was based more on Larson's original, precasting ideas.
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