Tribulations
A novel by J. Michael Straczynski

More often than not, when a television or film writer crosses over into the prose world, the results tend to be, well, less than cinematic. Many have put forth the effort -- Steven J. Cannell (The Rockford Files, Hunter -- Book Review Editor's Note: You forgot Booker!) wrote several potboiler mysteries with names like The Devil's Workshop and (yikes) Riding the Snake; Wes Craven (Scream) tried his hand with The Fountain Society. But audiences who are willing to set aside time to veg out to the exploits of a televised private detective or to shell out eight bucks to watch terrorized teens get carved into lunchmeat generally aren't as interested in the literary aspirations of the folks who provide them with solid couch potato time. It's a different demographic. This pretty much falls into the category of "obvious."

So it's quite the genuine cause for praise when a writer is able to successfully bridge the gap between styles and mediums, as is the case with Tribulations, the tense, supernatural thriller from Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.

Tribulations follows the adventures of Los Angeles News-Tribune crime reporter Susan Randall, who, after nearly losing her life in a gangland slaying during a routine police ride-along, finds herself embroiled in the exploits of a particularly vicious serial killer that seems to be targeting Hollywood's homeless contingent. The killer, adroitly dubbed "The L.A. Slasher" by the press, apparently defies all the preconceived tenets set down by the F.B.I.'s Violent Crimes Unit and, as happens in stories of this type, he eventually establishes a line of communication with none other than Susan Randall herself. Thus, a very familiar cat and mouse game is set up in which Randall must track the killer while ensuring that she does not become the next victim.

She finds assistance in the unlikely form of Raymond Weil, a hardened ex-mercenary with a shady past who keeps popping up in unexpected places. Having forsaken the deeds done in his former life, Weil has embarked on a crusade to stop the killer: a killer he believes to be an emissary of evil sent by -- yep, you guessed it -- good old Satan himself. Why Raymond's belief in this prospect remains so fierce is, of course, the story's prime mystery. And it's a mystery that Straczynski wisely takes his time to unravel. In the midst of all the grisly goings-on, we're also treated to wry commentary on everything from the daily trials faced by a crime reporter to the plight of the homeless, to the media's fascination with serial killers, to the "true" cause of the Los Angeles Riots.

Straczynski is undoubtedly most famous for Babylon 5, which was the first case of a show being planned as a "novel for television," and he exercises the same story sensibilities to a lesser degree with Tribulations. And, although it's a smaller story than his sci-fi opus, Tribulations ends up evoking many similar themes. It's fairly well-known that Straczynski is a professed atheist -- what's amazing is how comfortable he seems working within the confines of such an overtly religious story. There's no room for interpretation here, as it becomes plain very early on that the various cosmic forces of Good and Evil are heavily involved in some sneaky supernatural chicanery. It's his respect for this belief in the ever-after that elevates Straczynski's story beyond the conventions of most contemporary dark fantasy novels on the shelf today. Add to that the fact that the book is available for free on Bookface.com, and it's a sure bet that it's probably one of the finest novels ever published online. Seek it out, as it may be the last, best hope for online publication.

RE-READ FACTOR: A breezy roller-coaster ride that you'll undoubtedly read in one sitting, but there's no real need to double back any time soon.

SEQUEL FACTOR: Since the storyline nicely closes itself out at the end, there's no point. However, the characterization is so strong and evocative that it might be nice to see these people again in another story.

STRONG CHICK FACTOR: Susan Randall is shaded and intriguing. Most of all, her interior monologues never once seem forced. She's about as real as a female character written by a male author can get.

-- David Rosiak

Tribulations, published by Darktales Publications, is currently available in paperback from Darktales' website, and can be read on-line at Bookface.com.

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