Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 4: The Young
Warriors (published 1980)
based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Young Lords."The timeline below chronicles the events depicted in the Berkley series of Battlestar Galactica novels that were published between 1978 and 1988.
These novels were written to be consistent with Battlestar Galactica and its sequel series, Galactica 1980.
Most of the novels are adaptations of episodes, but the last four were original works. All of the novels feature some material additional to the series.
The timeline is given in "Earth" years, based on the dates from Galactica 1980.
The novels were not quite published in the order they take place, and not all episodes were adapted.
Timeline
In the beginning.. on Kobol
The beings who later appear to the Galacticans aboard the "Ships of Light", intervene at the beginning of human development. Adama refers to these beings as the "Mother Race." (War of the Gods)
c. 4,000 BCE
The beginning of recorded human history, on the mother world - the planet Kobol ("Saga of a Star World", less 6000 years).
The Exodus (year uncertain)
The original 13 tribes leave Kobol and head out into space. Twelve of the tribes settle near each other in the area known as the Twelve colonies. The remaining Thirteenth tribe heads to Earth.
c. 2620 - 2480 BCE
The Great Pyramids are constructed during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt on Earth. They are apparently based on the ancient pyramids of Kobol ("Lost Planet of the Gods")
c.2000 BCE
Xavier visits the time of Moses and is pursued by Troy, Dillon and Jamie (Galactica Discovers Earth novelization)
c. 50 BCE
The Colonies begin to re-establish their space travel capabilities. At this time, the Colonials were using sub light craft reminiscent of the early space vehicles launched from Earth in the 1960s and 70s. ("Hand of God")
just prior to AD 950
The Cylons, a humanoid race, are taken over by their robot slaves. A machine ruler, known as The Imperious Leader, comes to rule the Cylon Empire. Count Iblis may have provided the voice for the Imperious Leader at the time of his assembly. ("War of the Gods")
c. AD 950
The Colonials intervene to assist the Hasaris in their struggle against the Cylons.
The Thousand Year War between the Colonials and Cylons begins.
c. AD 1450
The Galactica is first launched. Back then, the Celestial Temples on the Galactica were used to confirm navigational headings. ("Hand of God")
c. 1930
After one of the first Cylon attacks on Caprica, the people of the farm village of Umbra are scattered. One of the members of the community, Chameleon is separated from his son, Starbuck, who is later found alone at the edge of the Thorn Forest and is presumed to have been orphaned. ("The Man With Nine Lives")
late May, 1944
Xaxier arrives in Nazi Germany and poses as a British scientist and Nazi sympathizer. He volunteers to work with the V-2 rocket program and introduces Colonial technology, in hopes of changing history by ensuring a Nazi victory in World War Two.
June 5-6, 1944
Robyn, Troy and Dillon arrive in Nazi Germany a day before the D-Day invasion. With the help of a U.S. agent, they locate Xavier and force him to return to 1980.
1947
The United States Air Force begins Project Blue Book, an investigation into unidentified flying objects.
1948
The Fifth Fleet engages the Cylons at the Battle of Molecay. The Battlestar Pegasus is the only Colonial vessel to survive. Commander Cain, realizing there will be Cylons lying in wait along the entire route back to the colonies, orders the Pegasus out into deep space. ("The Living Legend")
c. 1949
The Pegasus continues heading into deep space, eventually winding up in the Delphian Empire, which is in the process of falling to the Cylons. ("The Living Legend")
1950
Destruction of the Colonies.
Novelization: Battlestar Galatica (published 1978) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "Saga of a Star World."
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 3: The Tombs of Kobol (published 1979) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "Lost Planet of the Gods."
Battlestar Galactica episode "The Lost Warrior." - no novel
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 10: The Long Patrol (published 1984) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Long Patrol."
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 2: The Cylon Death Machine (published 1979) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "Gun on Ice Planet Zero."
Battlestar Galactica episode "The Magnificent Warriors." - no novel
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 4: The Young
Warriors (published 1980)
based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Young Lords."
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 6: The Living Legend (published 1982) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Living Legend."
Battlestar Galactica episode "Fire in Space." - no novel
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 7: War of the Gods (published 1982) based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "War of the Gods."
Battlestar Galactica episode "The Man with Nine Lives." - no novel, but the events of this episode were referred to throughout the novel, "Die Chameleon!" (see below)
Battlestar Galactica episode "Murder on the Rising Star." - no novel
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 8: Greetings from Earth based on the Battlestar Galactica episode "Greetings from Earth."
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 9: Experiment in Terra (published 1984) based on the Battlestar Galactica episodes "Baltar's Escape" and "Experiment in Terra." The novel strung these two novels together as a single story.
Battlestar Galactica episode "Take the Celestra." - no novel
Battlestar Galactica episode "The Hand of God." - no novel
(Somehow, a signal from Earth from the year 1969 reaches the Galactica during this episode - apparently travelling backwards in time.)
1951
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 11: The Nightmare Machine
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 12: "Die, Chameleon!"
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 13: Apollo's War
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 14: Surrender the Galactica! (published 1988)
1952 - 1979
The period between the original Battlestar Galactica novels and Galactica: 1980.
Apollo dies.
Lt. Boomer is promoted to Colonel.
Adama grows a beard.
Starbuck is stranded on "Planet Starbuck" ("The Return of Starbuck.")
Dr. Zee is born. ("The Return of Starbuck")
Dr. Zee's ship catches up to the Fleet.
1969
Apollo 11 makes its transmissions from the Moon, which are received from the Galactica.
1980
The Battlestar Galactica and the Colonial Fleet arrive at Earth.
Novelization: Battlestar Galactica 5: Galactica Discovers Earth (published 1980) based on the Galactica 1980 episode: "Galactica Discovers Earth."
In the novel, events differ considerably from the broadcasted version:
After retrieving Xavier from World War Two, he escapes back to the time of Moses. Troy, Dillon and Robyn follow him there, then follow him again to Ancient Greece. Eventually, realizing that due to time paradoxes the Galacticans can always beat him to a given destination, he gives up, but seems to remain in the past. (The visit of Xavier to Revolutionary America, which is mentioned in the television episode, is not mentioned.) The Galacticans agree that no further time travel is necessary.
Galactica 1980 episode: "The Super Scouts."
Galactica 1980 episode: "Spaceball."
Galactica 1980 episode: "The Night the Cylons Landed."
Galactica 1980 episode: "Space Croppers."
Galactica 1980 episode: "The Return of Starbuck."
1981
Events that take place after the Galactica: 1980 series
Adama dies, Troy becomes Commander of the Galactica. (Living Legend novel) Adama was over 131 yahrens old at the time of his death. (he was over 100 in 'Lost Planet of the Gods")
Troy reads his father's logs, and reviews the records of the Galactica's encounter with the Battlestar Pegasus and Commander Cain. (depicted in the first few pages of the Living Legend novel)
In the Berkley continuity, we end the story with Troy in command of the Galactica, Boomer as his second in command, and Dillon presumably leading Blue Squadron.
The Cylons have still not discovered Earth nor the Fleet, and the Galacticans are presumably continuing their policy of gradually introducing technological change to the Earth.
Eventually, the plot as outlined would seem to point toward a final confrontation between the forces of the Cylon Empire and the combined forces of humanity, and some time in the not too distant future.
Before this event, Troy would presumably lead a first contact mission to Earth.
1982?
Cylons discover Earth. Confrontation between humans and Cylons at Earth. (speculation)
After their victory over the Cylons, Troy leads the Galacticans to settle on Earth. (speculation)
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Last Updated on Monday, April 18, 2005