Literary Treks 125: The Prophets' Dynamic Duo

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Warpath by David Mack

Deep Space Nine was the one Star Trek series that was not afraid to show the darker side of the universe, so it should come as no surprise to readers of the relaunch novels that the books continued that tradition as the story continued to unfold.

In this episode of Literary Treks, Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther talk about David Mack's book Warpath. We discuss going from bad to worse, lack of direction, main characters that aren't main, Prynn and Vaughn, setup syndrome, a trip to Bajoran Minis Tirith, and our ratings.

In the news segment, we judge the cover to James Swallow's upcoming book The Latter Fire and talk about the latest issue of Star Trek/Green Lantern and Ongoing's 50th issue.

Literary Treks 125: The Prophets' Dynamic Duo
Deep Space Nine: Warpath by David Mack

Previous episode: Literary Treks 124: Insert a Shudder Here

Next episode: Literary Treks 126: From a Certain Point of View

Release Day! Seekers #4: All That's Left

Star Trek: Seekers #4: All That's Left
by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore

Stunning art and a Constitution-class starship on the cover of a novel by New York Times bestselling author Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore? It can mean only one thing: Seekers continues!

The fourth book in the young series comes out today. Pick it up wherever you get your Trek novels! Look below for the back cover blurb and links to purchase from Amazon.

My review

Publisher's description:

An all-new novel in the acclaimed Star Trek: Vanguard spin-off series!

Initially charted by Starfleet probes dispatched to sur­vey the Taurus Reach, the planet Cantrel V now plays host to a budding Federation colony as well as a com­bined civilian/Starfleet exploration team. Ancient ruins of an unknown civilization scattered around the planet have raised the curiosity of archaeologists, anthropolo­gists, historians, and other interested members of the Federation scientific community. Together, they are attempting to shed light on the beings that once called this world home.

After a large, unidentified vessel arrives in orbit and launches a seemingly unprovoked orbital bombardment, the U.S.S. Endeavour responds to the colony’s distress call. As they attempt to render assistance and investi­gate the mysterious ship, Captain Atish Khatami and her crew begin to unlock the astonishing secrets the planet has harbored for centuries. Does the survival of a newly discovered yet endangered alien race pose a threat not only to Cantrel V, but to other inhabited worlds throughout the Taurus Reach and beyond?

Purchase All That's Left:

Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Previous Release: Titan: Sight Unseen

Next Release: The Original Series: Child of Two Worlds

Q-Space

Star Trek: The Next Generation #47
The Q Continuum, Book 1 of 3
Q-Space by Greg Cox
Published August 1998
Read August 21^st 2014

Previous book (TNG Published Order): Planet X
Previous book (TNG Numbered): #46: To Storm Heaven
Next book (TNG Numbered): #48: The Q Continuum, Book 2 of 3: Q-Zone

MMPB: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Q-Space!

From the back cover:

The unpredictable cosmic entity known only as Q has plagued Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise since their very first voyage together. But little is known of Q's mysterious past or that of the unearthly realm from which he hails. Now Picard must learn Q's secrets -- or all of reality may perish!

Ever since its discovery, the great galactic barrier has impeded humanity's exploration of the universe beyond the Milky Way. Now a brilliant Federation scientist may have found a way to breach the barrier, and the Enterprise is going to put it to the test. The last thing Picard needs is a return visit from an omnipotent troublemaker so, naturally, Q appears.

But Q has more in mind than his usual pranks, and while the Enterprise struggles to defeat a powerful inhuman foe, Captain Picard must embark on a fantastic odyssey into the history of the Q Continuum itself, with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance.

My thoughts:

I have long been a fan of Greg Cox's Star Trek novels. Although I haven't had the opportunity to review them for this site (yet!), I loved his Eugenics Wars novels, chronicling the rise and fall of Khan on Earth. Years ago, when I first read the Q Continuum trilogy, I loved them just as much. So, all these years later, how do they hold up?

This first novel, Q-Space, shows a lot of promise. First, there is the enticing mystery of the "galactic barrier," an energy field surrounding the Milky Way galaxy, effectively sealing us in. The Enterprise is en route to carry out an experiment in which the Enterprise will breach the barrier. The experiment is the brain child of Dr. Lem Faal, a Betazoid dying of a degenerative illness who hopes to live long enough to see his life's work come to fruition.

The Enterprise-E takes part in an experiment to breach the galactic barrier, first introduced in the Original Series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before."

Before the Enterprise can carry out the experiment, Q shows up (along with his wife, Q, and their son, q), imploring Picard to stop the experiment and turn back. Naturally, our intrepid captain demands an explanation, and the ever-petulant Q balks. With Q refusing to offer any kind of explanation, Picard orders the Enterprise forward to the barrier, where another familiar "face" greets them: the Calamarain, a gaseous collection of entities (first seen in the TNG episode "Deja Q").

The Calamarain.

While the Calamarain threaten the Enterprise, Q whisks Picard away, ostensibly to explain to him why the experiment must be halted. What follows is a whirlwind tour of Q's "youth" and his encounter with a strange entity known only as "0," a being seemingly from another reality with powers that are similar to Q's, but with a menace to him that seems very ominous.

Q-Space is a fascinating beginning to this trilogy, showing Q to have a vulnerability we have never seen before. Seeing him in his youth is an interesting perspective on the entity, and I look forward to seeing where his and Picard's journey take them.

Throughout the novel, there are hints of a dark menace lurking on the outside of the barrier. The implication is that the barrier exists not to keep us in, but rather to keep something terrible out. The origins and identity of this menace are not shown in this volume, but are mysteries that we will have to wait for the next books to reveal.

Final thoughts:

While this is a fun and interesting beginning to this story, that is all it is: a beginning. It is difficult to judge the story thus far as it is frustratingly incomplete. What is Q trying to tell Picard? Why are the Calamarain being so belligerant towards the Enterprise? What is the menace that lurks outside the galactic barrier? As we learn more about 0 and his relationship with the young Q, hopefully these questions and more will be answered.

More about Q-Space:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 195: Big Q, Big Q, and little q

Also by Greg Cox:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation #48: The Q Continuum, Book 2 of 3: Q-Zone (1998)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #49: The Q Continuum, Book 3 of 3: Q-Strike (1998)
• Star Trek: The Rings of Time (2012)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Weight of Worlds (2013)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: No Time Like the Past (2014)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Foul Deeds Will Rise (2014)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Child of Two Worlds (2015)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Miasma (2016)
• Star Trek: Legacies, Book 1 of 3: Captain to Captain (2016)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Antares Maelstrom (2019)

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Next week: #15 in the S.C.E. series: Past Life by Robert Greenberger.

New cover art! TOS: The Latter Fire

The cover reveals for 2016 continue with the unveiling of the cover art for the April novel, The Original Series: The Latter Fire by New York Times bestselling author James Swallow, thanks to a "first look" exclusive on StarTrek.com. A slightly redesigned logo graces the cover of this novel, giving it a unique look. The gorgeous shot of the Enterprise makes this cover a winner!

Look below for the back-cover blurb and links to pre-order from Amazon. You'll be helping us out here at Trek Lit Reviews!

Publisher's description:

The five-year mission of the Starship Enterprise has brought the vessel and her crew to the forefront of an important first contact operation. Under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, the ship is heading to the planet Syhaar Prime in the Beta Quadrant—the homeworld of an alien civilization preparing to take its first steps onto the galactic stage. One year earlier, the Enterprise came across a badly damaged Syhaari explorer vessel drifting in deep space. In collaboration with the explorer’s captain, Kirk and his crew were able to restore the ship to full function and send it on its way. And now, as the Syhaari display rapid technological progress in the past year, hard questions must be asked. Is it possible that the Enterprise crew leaked advanced technology or information to the Syhaari during their first encounter, in violation of the Prime Directive?

Pre-order The Latter Fire from:

Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

Literary Treks 124: Insert a Shudder Here

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Dominion: Olympus Descending by David R. George III

As Deep Space Nine ended, The Dominion was left in disarray; they had lost the war and found themselves without clear direction. As Odo rejoins the Link, he works to influence it, sharing his experiences among the solids with the changeling community with the hope of fostering change. But something else has captivated the Link, and it’s nothing Odo could have ever predicted.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther discuss the last Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine book: Olympus Descending. We discuss Great Link confusion, Changeling culture, some long awaited resolution, a really hard time, what we place our faith in, massive disappointments, and our ratings.

Literary Treks 124: Insert a Shudder Here
The Dominion: Olympus Descending

Previous episode: Literary Treks 123: The Line is a Dot to You

Next episode: Literary Treks 125: The Prophets' Dynamic Duo

Shadows of the Indignant

Star Trek
Mere Anarchy, Book Three
Shadows of the Indignant by Dave Galanter
First Published November 2006
Re-published in the omnibus collection Mere Anarchy in March 2009
Read August 22^nd 2015

Previous book (Mere Anarchy): The Centre Cannot Hold
Next book (Mere Anarchy): The Darkness Drops Again

Original e-book cover

Trade Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle E-book: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Shadows of the Indignant and the rest of the Mere Anarchy series!

From the back cover:

As Admiral James T. Kirk adjusts to life at Starfleet Operations on Earth, he discovers some shipping irregularities centered around Mestiko. Authorized to go on a fact-finding tour to the planet, Kirk takes along his old friend Dr. McCoy, now a civilian "old country doctor," to investigate.

What Kirk finds is a web of intrigue, complicated by his status as Dinpayav, an outsider. He must convince Raya elMora--now a major player in the ad hoc world government of Mestiko in the years following the disaster--to help him before Mestiko becomes the pawn of someone else's political game...

My thoughts:

Mere Anarchy is a miniseries of e-books originally conceived of to provide a continuing story across all of the various "eras" of Original Series Trek. One period of time that hasn't had a lot of exploration, either on-screen or in other media, is immediately following The Original Series and before Star Trek: The Motion Picture. This was a time of transition for our heroes, with Kirk taking a desk job with the admiralty at Starfleet Command, Spock leaving Starfleet to pursue Kolinahr on Vulcan, and McCoy retiring from active service. Shadows of the Indignant reveals what a couple of these characters were up to during this period of time.

Admiral Kirk enlists the aid of an old friend.

Shadows of the Indignant is unique in that it follows just two characters: Kirk and McCoy. In his new position as Chief of Starfleet Operations, Admiral Kirk has discovered several anomalies in Mestiko's records: strange shipping errors and other mysterious happenings that lead him to one conclusion: Klingon involvement. Kirk intends to uncover what is happening on Mestiko, but is unable to go through Starfleet channels to do so. He decides to go undercover in the black market tied to Mestiko, but first he must recruit an old friend to help him out: Leonard McCoy.

This was a fun story. The focus on just two characters instead of the entire ensemble gave the story a unique feel for this unique time in Trek history. The changes that occurred after end of the 5-year mission have turned the world on its ear for these characters, and the story reflected that reality quite well.

Reading Shadows of the Indignant, one gets the sense that Admiral Kirk is still struggling with his decision to accept promotion.

The mystery behind the irregularities that Kirk investigates plays out fairly by the numbers, with a few small twists and turns here and there. However, it is a fun read because Dave Galanter has such a good grasp of these characters' voices. McCoy's discomfort with returning to the "Starfleet lifestyle" was amusing and felt very genuine. Kirk's unease with his new role as an admiral while at the same time defending the decision as a good one felt perfect for this stage in his life.

Final thoughts:

A generally good story featuring one of my favorite relationships among the TOS crew. Kirk and McCoy are the sole focus of this story, which lends a unique perspective. Almost a "buddy cop" story, Shadows of the Indignant continues the story of Mestiko into the movie era, featuring a glimpse into a period of time not often explored. Solid, with not a lot of surprises, Shadows of the Indignant gets the characters just right.

More about Shadows of the Indignant:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 118: Footie Pajamas

Star Trek: Mere Anarchy:

• Things Fall Apart by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
• The Centre Cannot Hold by Mike W. Barr
• Shadows of the Indignant by Dave Galanter
• The Darkness Drops Again by Christopher L. Bennett
• The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Howard Weinstein
• Its Hour Come Round by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Also by Dave Galanter:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #11: Ambush with Greg Brodeur(2001)
• Star Trek: Troublesome Minds (2009)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Crisis of Consciousness (2015)
• Star Trek: Discovery: Dead Endless (2019)

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Next week, an old favorite from Greg Cox: Book one of the Q Continuum trilogy, Q-Space. Let's see how it holds up!

Literary Treks 123: The Line is a Dot to You

Titan: Sight Unseen
Interview with James Swallow, New York Times Bestselling Author!

The Fall series brought about massive changes for the crew of the Titan as the ship was recalled from the Gum Nebula region, and Riker was promoted to Admiral. The changes continue as the ship receives a new mission and some new crew members.

In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Matthew Rushing and Dan Gunther are joined by James Swallow to talk about his book, Sight Unseen. We discuss Titan’s new course, Riker and Vale, the new characters, juxtaposition, survival, horror Trek, bringing things back, personal moments, new elements, James’ other projects, and our final thoughts.

In the news segment, we judge the cover of Voyager: Pocket Full of Lies.

Literary Treks 123: The Line is a Dot to You
Interview with James Swallow, author of Sight Unseen

Previous episode: Literary Treks 122: Foibles of Human Nature

Next episode: Literary Treks 124: Insert a Shudder Here