Book Review: Battlestar Galactica

Few television science fiction series have had the enduring appeal of the original, late 1970s Battlestar Galactica. Despite lasting only one season (1978-1979), almost half a century later Battlestar remains a cultural touchstone and major influence on genre productions in a variety of media. For all its popularity, however, Battlestar remains a largely unstudied series, with relatively few resources available for those interested in learning more about the show, including both its development and its afterlife.

This companion is the definitive resource for fans of the series. It contains all the essential facts that fans would expect, such as plot and other details of each episode, but uniquely also explores the scholarly and philosophical influences on the series. Battlestar Galactica borrows extensively from classical mythology and biblical sources, as well as from myths and folklore associated with nation-building and the timeless wonder of travel stories. In many regards, Battlestar is nothing less than an Aeneid in outer space, telling the story of how an exiled, defeated people seeks a return to their ancestral home, surmounting countless perils along the way. Fratantuono brings his expertise in classical mythology and ancient history to bear on the series.

Battlestar Galactica: A Companion to the Original Series by Lee Fratantuono will be published November 30, 2025. Pen & Sword provided an early galley for review.

I remember sitting in front of the TV in our family room on Sunday September 17, 1978, to watch the three hour debut of this show. At age 13, I was all in on sci-fi thanks to Logan's Run and Star Wars from a few years before. I watched every week faithfully. I even bought the comic books published by Marvel and the novelization. I even once started writing my own sci-fi story inspired by Galactica. So, seeing this cover brought back all those nostalgic feels for me.

Fratantuono gives love to this single season of televison. His dedication to the show is on full display in this book. i appreciated the inclusion of eight pages of color photos in the book as well.