It was the dawn of the Third Age of Mankind, twelve years after the Earth-Minbari War. The year is 2259. The place is Tuzanor, the City of Sorrows.Earth President Clarke recalled Commander Jeffrey Sinclair from Babylon 5 and appointed him the Earth Alliance Ambassador to Minbar. Upon his arrival on Minbar, Ambassador Sinclair discovers that his embassy has no budget, his office has no staff and he has no clothes -- they were misrouted to Australia. Things couldn't get any worse, or could they?
Unknown to Sinclair, the Minbari Religious Caste leaders have a hidden agenda: to fulfill the ancient prophesy of Valen's return. Valen was the greatest Minbari leader. He was a warrior-priest and a Minbari, not born Minbari. The leaders have decided that Sinclair is Valen reincarnated; his soul just doesn't know it, yet. By providing Sinclair with the resouces and support that Earth Gov(ernment) won't supply, the leaders trick, cajole and coerce Sinclair into taking on the role of the mythical Valen.These events attact the hostile attention of the Minbari Warrior Caste. Led by Alyt Neroon, the Warrior Caste leaders try to curtail Sinclair's cultural indoctrination and halt his military activities. All the while, Sinclair struggles against both castes to preserve his personality, his happiness and his life! At the end, a compromise is reached. A compromise is a solution that accommodates everyone, but pleases no one.
To B5 fans, this book is a long-awaited delight. It takes place from 2259 to mid-2260; it follows the television episode, "Chrysalis" and precedes "War Without End, Part I". The setting and dialogue rely heavily on the events in "Chrysalis" and the DC Babylon 5 comics #1 and #2. The confrontation between Neroon and Sinclair, that started in the "Legacies" episode, escalates to provide some of the most delightful passages in the book. 
This book also provides the explanations for items that were left out of the television series. The book provides the background for Neroon's rant in "Grey 17 is Missing," as well as detailing everything you ever wanted to know about Marcus Cole's life before his escape from Zagros 7. If you ever wondered what happened to Catherine Sakai, the answer is here, too. All the minutiae and events are solid JMS canon, which is no surprise, since the author's husband *is* The Great Maker.
The readers, who are not familiar with the television series, may be confused at first. To those readers, who have the patience and fortitude to explore the strange and wonderful universe of Babylon 5, I welcome them, in Valen's name.
<*> Ariann <*>