Wednesday, November 2, 2011

To Brave the Storm

Star Trek: Enterprise - The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm by Michael A. Martin
Published October 2011
Read: October 31st, 2011

Previous book (Enterprise): The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing
Next book (Enterprise): Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures

Spoilers ahead for To Brave the Storm, previous novels in the Romulan War story arc, and Star Trek: Enterprise!


From the back cover:
EARTH STANDS ALONE.
The Coalition of Planets has shattered, with Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar abrogating the treaty.  Their pledge to come to the mutual defense of any power that is attacked has been shunted aside.  Horrified by how easily the Romulans can seize control of their advanced starships, turning them into weapons, Andor and Tellar have joined Vulcan on the sidelines.  Humanity is now the only thing that stands between the Romulan Star Empire and total domination of the galaxy. 
To drive humans from the stars, the Romulans employ ruthless and murderous tactics ... and even dare to strike on the Vulcan homeworld with the hopes of demoralizing their Vulcan brethren.  Heartened by their victories, the Romulans carry their all-out war assault closer to the heart of humanity - Earth.
But the tattered remains of Starfleet stand unwavering, with the resolution that never again would an enemy strike ever reach Earth.  On the front lines of the Earth - Romulan War is the United Earth flagship, the Starship Enterprise.  Her captain, Jonathan Archer, has seen his vessel of exploration become a battleship.  Once hailed for his work bringing the Coalition of Planets into existence, Archer is now a pariah.  Undaunted, the captain keeps fighting, searching for allies and determined to do his duty: to save Earth and forge a new federation of planets.

About the Novel:

 Continuing from the events of the previous novel, To Brave the Storm chronicles the struggle of Earth against the expansionist Romulan Star Empire.  The Vulcans and Earth's other allies in the fledgling Coalition of Planets continue to sit out the war, fearing that the Romulans' ship-capturing technology leaves them too vulnerable.  Trip Tucker continues his behind-the-lines espionage, and Romulan Admiral Valdore continues his efforts to bring humanity to its knees.
  

My Thoughts:

Originally, Michael A. Martin was to pen a trilogy of Romulan War novels, beginning with Beneath the Raptor's Wing, continuing into a novel entitled In Shariel's Jaws, and finally culminating in To Brave the Storm.  However, with the editorial shake-up at Pocket Books, it seems that this original trilogy was shortened to the duology we got.  This is very unfortunate, as it seems to have hurt the final product a great deal.  Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed reading To Brave the Storm.  Although this doesn't seem to be the consensus over at the Trekbbs forums, I enjoy Mr. Martin's writing a great deal.  Admittedly, his best work was when he was paired with Andy Mangels, but even solo, I enjoy his stories.

To Brave the Storm suffers in a number of ways, however.  Probably because it was shortened from the original story, it seems very rushed, and the narrative jumps YEARS in between chapters.  The prior novel, Beneath the Raptor's Wing, was a great deal longer and covered only one year in the war.  To Brave the Storm, meanwhile, covers the remainder of the war and the founding of the United Federation of Planets, a total of five years.

Because of the rushed feeling of the book, many character moments feel rushed.  While I didn't like the way Travis Mayweather's character turned against Archer so thoroughly in the previous novel, I felt that the reversal of that attitude in this book happened much too quickly without much explanation.  Similarly, many of the major actions in the war are glossed over, jumping from the build-up to the aftermath without time to appreciate what has happened.  For example, the cities of Madrid and Tunis are nuked by the Romulans in the course of the novel, events which should have a huge impact on the reader.  However, because it all happens so fast, there is barely any time to reflect on the scope of these incidents, and the reader is already off to the next event with barely a thought.

Final Thoughts:

I seemed to enjoy this novel more than most, but I still very much found it lacking due to the rushed nature of the narrative.  I really wish that we had gotten our trilogy, and while I enjoy Michael A. Martin's writing, the story suffered horribly from the editorial decisions.  I also really worry that this spells the end of the Enterprise novel line, which is unfortunate as there is still a rich history to cover and many gaps to fill.  Perhaps a resurgence of some sort of "Lost Era" line would be in order?

Also, as a side note, fans of Stargate: Atlantis should look for a small homage/easter egg at the end of the novel.

Final rating for To Brave the Storm: 6/10.  I really wish there were more to read!

 More about To Brave the Storm:

 Also by Michael A. Martin:

 My next read:

The next novel I will be reviewing is Kevin Dilmore and Dayton Ward's Vanguard: What Judgments Come.  I look forward to writing again soon!
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Declassified

Star Trek: Vanguard: Declassified
An anthology by Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore, Marco Palmieri, and David Mack
Published July 2011
Read: July 25th, 2011

Previous book (Vanguard): Precipice
Next book (Vanguard): What Judgments Come
Spoilers ahead for the four novellas in Declassified and the rest of the books in the Vanguard series!

From the back cover:

The Taurus Reach: the source of a secret that has driven the great powers of the 23rd century to risk everything in the race to control it.  Now four new adventures -- previously untold tales of the past and present, with hints of what is yet to come -- begin the next great phase in the Vanguard saga. 
Witness the dawn of Starbase 47, as Ambassador Jetanien faces choices that will shape the future of Operation Vanguard; follow journalist Tim Pennington as he reaches a crossroads in his search for the truth; see how the crises on two colonies transform the lives of Diego Reyes and Rana Desai; and travel with Cervantes Quinn to a deadly confrontation that will change everything -- all in one unforgettable Star Trek collection.

"Almost Tomorrow" by Dayton Ward:

Serving as a prequel for the Vanguard saga, "Almost Tomorrow" features the arrival of a new JAG officer (Captain Rana Desai), the uncovering of a Klingon spy ("Anna Sandesjo" aka Lurqal), and the events that lead up to Starbase Vanguard being established.  I found this story to be very much "paint by numbers," and we learn pretty much nothing that we didn't know before.  It was a little disappointing, but it did fill in the blanks in the story.  Unfortunately, it didn't do it in a way that was surprising or unexpected.  I think that the story was a little unnecessary, as we already knew the outcome.  Final score for "Almost Tomorrow": 3/10.

Also by Dayton Ward:


"Hard News" by Kevin Dilmore:

As you can guess from the title, "Hard News" centers around crack journalist Tim Pennington.  The story takes place shortly after his publication of evidence of Starfleet's true mission in the Taurus Reach.  He finds himself cut off from his sources and "persona non grata" in the eyes of Starfleet.  During this troubled period, smuggler Cervantes Quinn offers to help, and a young reporter looking to make a name for herself also helps Tim in his quest to learn more about what is going on.  I enjoyed this story much more than "Almost Tomorrow."  I felt that the reader gained real insight into Tim Pennington's character.  The story made use of the first-person narrative, which really allows the reader to get inside the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist.  I give "Hard News" a respectable 7/10.  A little predictable, but it certainly held my interest.

Also by Kevin Dilmore:


"The Ruins of Noble Men" by Marco Palmieri:

When Vanguard's colonial relations officer goes missing while visiting a colony in the Taurus Reach, Captain Desai and Dr. Fisher go there to investigate.  The colony in question wishes to sever ties with the Federation, so naturally the death seems doubly suspicious.  However, the truth is something no one suspects.  When Dr. Fisher also goes missing, it's up to Captain Desai to find him and to discover the cause of the disappearances.  While this story doesn't have much to do with the Vanguard story at large, I found it a very interesting tale.  Marco Palmieri was the developing editor for the Vanguard series, and it was enjoyable to read a tale penned by him for once.  Engaging and thoughtful, "The Ruins of Noble Men" earns a 7.5/10.


"The Stars Look Down" by David Mack:

"The Stars Look Down" follows Cervantes Quinn and his partner in Starfleet Intelligence, Bridy Mac, as they undertake a mission to steal intelligence from a ship in Gorn custody.  This information could lead to the next breakthrough in Operation Vanguard's mission to study the Shedai "meta-genome."  The story is quite expansive, and while some may think that it packs too much into such a short format, David Mack is very much able to manage the pacing and tone required for this novella.  The ending is shocking, and it sets up the next chapter in the Vanguard saga.  This story alone makes purchasing Declassified worthwhile.  The events of this story will most certainly reverberate through the next chapter in the Vanguard tale.  Very well done!  "The Stars Look Down" definitely earns a high rating.  I give it a 9/10.

Also by David Mack:

More about Declassified:

My next read:

With this review, I have finally finished writing up my thoughts on the novels I read this past summer!  I have recently finished Michael A. Martin's latest Star Trek: Enterprise novel, The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm, and I will be posting a review of it soon.

Right now, I am reading the penultimate novel in the Vanguard saga, What Judgments Come.  You can expect a review of it soon!

LLAP!

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Monday, October 31, 2011

The Struggle Within

Star Trek: Typhon Pact: The Struggle Within by Christopher L. Bennett
Published October 2011
Read: October 27th, 2011

Previous book (Typhon Pact): Paths of Disharmony
Next book (Typhon Pact): Plagues of Night

Spoilers ahead for The Struggle Within and other novels from the post-Nemesis TrekLit relaunch!

From the "back cover":
An original e-novella in the acclaimed Typhon Pact series!
The Enterprise-E is on a diplomatic mission to the Talarian Republic, the last holdout in the Federation's efforts to expand the Khitomer Accords in response to the emergence of the Typhon Pact.  In the wake of Andor's recent succession, the Federation is more concerned than ever with strengthening its alliances.  The Talarians have been a tenuous potential partner at best, given the history of conflict and mistrust between them and the Federation.  But the negotiations between Picard and the Talarians are disrupted by a growing public protest of those who are demanding greater rights -- and before long, it becomes clear that the dissidents are not limiting themselves to nonviolent means ...

About the Novel:

The Struggle Within is a very short "e-novella," written by Christopher L. Bennett (writer of one of my favorite novels from the past year, Department of Temporal Investigations: Watching the Clock).  It follows two stories.  In the first, the Enterprise is assigned to negotiate with the Talarians (first featured in the Next Generation episode "Suddenly Human") in an effort to ally them with the Federation as a counter to the formation of the Typhon Pact, the alliance between the Romulan Star Empire, the Gorn Hegemony, the Breen Confederacy, the Tholian Assembly, the Tzenkethi Coalition, and the Holy Order of the Kinshaya.  Formed following the events of the Star Trek: Destiny series of books, the Typhon Pact has risen as a major power, challenging the Federation in a series of Cold War-style confrontations.  During the negotiations, a number of women disrupt the meeting between Picard and the Talarian government.  It turns out that the women of Talar are unhappy with their treatment by the government, and in a series of ever-escalating demonstrations and attacks, they mean to get their point across.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Jasminder Choudhury and Lieutenant T'Ryssa Chen travel undercover to a world within the borders of the Holy Order of the Kinshaya.  Disguised as Romulan members of Spock's unification movement, Choudhury and Chen are there to gather intelligence on this little-known member of the Typhon Pact.  While there, they observe peaceful protests against the theocratic Kinshaya government.  However, the reaction to these protests takes a much deadlier turn than those on Talar, and the two Starfleet officers find themselves caught in the middle of it.

 My Thoughts:

As a fan of Christopher L. Bennett's writing, I really enjoyed The Struggle Within.  However, I found that this story might not have been the best fit for the e-book format.  There is a lot happening, crammed into too few pages.  It really is a credit to Mr. Bennett's writing that, throughout the novella, I kept wanting more.  I would have enjoyed seeing this story expanded to the length of a novel.  As it stands, it was very interesting and filled in a bit of information about one of the pact members whom we didn't know much about, but I certainly could have used more.

The positives:  I like the fact that we learn more about the Kinshaya, a race whose membership in the Typhon Pact was ignored for the most part in the previous Typhon Pact series of novels.  Even though it was very short, it was nice to get a supplemental entry to the series.  Also, I really enjoy the character of T'Ryssa Chen, and it was great to see her front and center in this outing.  I finally feel like I'm getting to know Choudhury a little better too, and she is starting to feel a little more fleshed-out now.  Another positive is the inclusion of a large role for Beverly Crusher, who often seems to get short-shrift these days.

The negatives:  As mentioned, the short format of the story didn't allow for as much build-up and payoff as I would have liked.  The scenes in Chen and Choudhury's story, for example, felt as though they only took a couple of days, as opposed to the few weeks they were supposed to represent.  Also, and this is a very minor quibble, I would have liked to see a representation of either Choudhury or Chen on the cover, as opposed to Worf who didn't play much of a pivotal role in the story.


Final Thoughts:

High quality of writing means that I wish the story were longer and more drawn-out.  Hardly a negative appraisal, I should think!  As it stands, things wrap up a little too quickly.

Final rating: 7.5/10.

 Also by Christopher L. Bennett:

My next read:

Look for a review of Vanguard: Declassified coming soon.  I am also reading the latest Star Trek: Enterprise novel: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm by Michael A. Martin.  Reviews coming soon!

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Sorrows of Empire

Star Trek: Mirror Universe: The Sorrows of Empire by David Mack
Published January 2010
Read: July 14th, 2011

Previous book (Mirror Universe): Shards and Shadows (Anthology)
Next book (Mirror Universe): Rise Like Lions


 Spoilers ahead for The Sorrows of Empire!


From the back cover:
One man can change the future ... but at what cost? 
"In every revolution, there is one man with a vision." 
Captain James T. Kirk of the United Federation of Planets spoke these prophetic words to Commander Spock of the Terran Empire, hoping to inspire change.  He could not have imagined the impact his counsel would have.
Armed with a secret weapon of terrifying power and a vision of the alternate universe's noble Federation, Spock seizes control of the Terran Empire and commits it to the greatest gamble in its history: democratic reform.
Rivals within the empire try to stop him; outside enemies unite to destroy it.
Only a few people suspect the shocking truth: Spock is knowingly arranging his Empire's downfall.  But why?  Have the burdens of imperial rule driven him mad?  Or is this the coldly logical scheme of a man who realizes that freedom must always be paid for in blood?
Spock alone knows that the fall of the empire will be the catalyst for a political chain reaction -- one that will alter the fate of his universe forever.

About the Novel:

In the mirror universe, immediately following the events of the Original Series episode "Mirror, Mirror," Spock kills the mirror Captain Kirk and takes command of the Enterprise.  He begins formulating a plan to seize control of the Empire and take it down the road of democratic reform.  Marlena Moreau, the former "Captain's woman" of Captain Kirk, helps him by showing him the Tantalus field, the fearsome device Captain Kirk used to kill his enemies.  Using it to eliminate those who threaten him, Spock begins to acquire more and more power until he eventually rivals the Empress, Hoshi Sato III.

Now in control of the Terran Empire, Spock initiates a series of reforms to change the Empire into a more benign Republic.  However, his actions seem to have the effect of weakening the Empire significantly, opening it up to attack by the enemies that surround it.  Unknown to most, however, is the fact that Spock has begun a secret project called "Memory Omega," designed to store the sum total of the knowledge and culture of the Terran civilization.  The hope is that the Republic would be conquered by her enemies, and the former citizens would be enslaved and persecuted.  After many years of subjugation, the people would rise up and overthrow their oppressors, forming a new society formed on the foundations of freedom and liberty.  The beginning of Spock's vision comes to pass when an alliance between the Klingons and Cardassians attack and conquer Earth, and ultimately, the entirety of the Terran Republic.  However, scattered throughout the former Empire are Vulcans who have been employed as sleeper agents, awaiting the day when the plan to overthrow the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance can be put into motion.
  

My Thoughts:

When Peter Allan Fields and Michael Piller wrote "Crossover" in Deep Space Nine's second season, their aim was to show the unintended effects of Kirk's influence on the mirror Spock in the original mirror universe episode.  I always felt that this was a very interesting choice: there is a reason that empires can be so brutal.  Often, the "barbarians" are just outside the city gates waiting for the empire to show a little weakness.  According to "Crossover," that's just what happened.  Or is it?  We see here that Spock's weakening of the empire was all part of a ploy, a long-term strategy to establish a civilization based on peace and freedom.  While I always admired Deep Space Nine for taking a contrary view of the mirror universe, I was always disappointed that Spock seemed to lack the foresight to avoid that outcome.  David Mack has solved this problem with The Sorrows of Empire.  Far from being blindsided by "the barbarians," we see that Spock is playing the game four or five steps ahead of everyone else, which makes the mirror universe episodes of Deep Space Nine that much more satisfying!

I love the breadth and scope of this story, spanning so many years, places, and events in the mirror universe.  I also loved the inclusion of many characters whose counterparts in the Prime universe are known.  For example, what were Admiral Cartwright, Valeris, Dax, Gorkon, etc. all up to in the mirror universe?  In The Sorrows of Empire, we find out!

At times the story seems a little rushed, which is amazing seeing as The Sorrows of Empire was originally much shorter.  It was initially published as a novella, part of an anthology of mirror universe stories in a collection called Glass Empires in 2007.  Mack's story was so good that it was requested that the story be expanded and published in a stand-alone paperback.  Rightfully so, I might add.  In this new, expanded format, The Sorrows of Empire is much better able to tell its story fully.


Final Thoughts:

One of the best Star Trek novels I've had the pleasure of reading.  Also, there is a follow-up to be published in December of 2011 entitled Rise Like Lions, which will see the 24th century conclusion of the Memory Omega storyline.  I cannot wait to read it, as The Sorrows of Empire has made me thirsty for more of David Mack's vision of the mirror universe.

Final rating: 9.5/10.

 Also by David Mack:

My next read:

I am almost finished catching up reviewing all of the books I read this summer!  The next (and last) on the list is an anthology of Vanguard novellas, entitled Declassified.

I'm also currently reading Christopher L. Bennett's The Struggle Within.  I will try to post reviews of both in a timely fashion.  Until next time, take care!

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