A Singular Destiny

Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Singular Destiny by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published February 2009
Read December 31^st 2019

Previous book (Chronological): Destiny, Book III: Lost Souls
Next book (Chronological): Titan: Over a Torrent Sea

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

Spoilers ahead for A Singular Destiny!

From the back cover: 

The cataclysmic events of Star Trek: Destiny have devastated known space. Worlds have fallen. Lives have been destroyed. And in the uneasy weeks that follow, the survivors of the holocaust continue to be tested to the limits of their endurance.

But strange and mysterious occurrences are destabilizing the galaxy's battle-weary Allies even further. In the Federation, efforts to replenish diminished resources and give succor to millions of evacuees are thwarted at every turn. On the borders of the battered Klingon Empire, the devious Kinshaya sense weakness -- and opportunity. In Romulan space, the already-fractured empire is dangerously close to civil war.

As events undermining the quadrant's attempts to heal itself become increasingly widespread, one man begins to understand what is truly unfolding. Sonek Pran -- teacher, diplomat, and sometime adviser to the Federation President -- perceives a pattern in the seeming randomness. And as each new piece of evidence falls into place, a disturbing picture encompassing half the galaxy begins to take shape...revealing a challenge to the Federation and its allies utterly unlike anything they have faced before.

My thoughts:

Star Trek frequently has an issue with following up on major events. With the exception of "Family" exploring the aftermath of the events of "The Best of Both Worlds" (as well as chapters of Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and more modern Trek), major happenings within the Star Trek universe are often treated in the episodic nature of the series in which they take place.

However, when the event in question involves the loss of over sixty billion people and the destruction of multiple worlds throughout the Federation, Klingon Empire, and beyond, exceptions must be made.

The Star Trek: Destiny trilogy by David Mack depicted a truly horrific cataclysm for the United Federation of Planets, as well as much of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. With such far-ranging and lasting consequences, it would be truly baffling if there weren't some sort of follow-up. Thankfully, the publishers of the Star Trek novels recognized this fact, and we were treated to the unorthodox and fascinating novel A Singular Destiny by Keith R.A. DeCandido. The book features a number of different plots and vignettes detailing the aftermath of the Borg invasion, from small personal stories of victims and survivors, to large quadrant-spanning political fallout among the major powers.

A Singular Destiny explores the inner workings of the Federation government, as Keith DeCandido has become known for doing.

The stories themselves are a fascinating insight into life in the Federation both on and off the bridge of a starship. As he has become known for, DeCandido does an amazing job of making the lives of characters within the Star Trek universe feel very real. We don't often get very much insight into the lives of civilians when we watch Trek, and it's refreshing to get that perspective.

With Destiny impacting all corners of the Trek universe, it makes sense that A Singular Destiny would touch on many different characters and situations throughout the intricate literary universe. In the pages of this novel, you will find stories involving the crew of the Enterprise-E, the Aventine, the Titan, the government of the Federation at the Palais de la Concorde in Paris, the crew of the USS daVinci from the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, the Klingon series I.K.S. Gorkon, and many more. However, I feel that it is not necessary to be up-to-date on all of those series in order to enjoy A Singular Destiny. I myself was not very familiar with the Corps of Engineers or the I.K.S. Gorkon stories when I first read this novel, and was still very much able to enjoy and understand it. I would say that Destiny is required reading, but anything beyond that, while certainly adding to the experience, is optional.

While A Singular Destiny features crews from across the Star Trek literary universe, the ship and crew that features most heavily is the USS Aventine and the crew under the command of Captain Ezri Dax.

A new character created for this novel is Professor Sonek Pran, recruited by Federation President Nan Bacco to troubleshoot various political situations between the Federation and the neighboring powers. In the wake of the Borg invasion, trade has been disrupted, refugees are numerous, and there are elements at work to take advantage of the precarious situation. Over the course of the novel, Sonek Pran will ultimately uncover the next "big bad" that will dominate the political landscape in the books that follow.

Additionally, there are a few tantalizing threads left hanging in this novel that will entice readers to continue on to the next Star Trek adventure. For example, pay close attention to a casualty list that appears at one point. There may be a familiar name or two that will pique one's interest...

Final thoughts:

I very much enjoyed A Singular Destiny, and this novel is a perfect demonstration of why I love Keith DeCandido's writing. The stories that are woven together form a fascinating tapestry of life within the Federation and beyond in the aftermath of one of the most horrific events imaginable. I have always loved stories that explore the politics of the Federation and its neighbors, and DeCandido has done so here in a way that makes that fantastical future setting seem very real. A Singular Destiny has at its core two main objectives: first, to take a breath after the action-packed Destiny trilogy and regroup, taking the time to really reflect on what the calamity and incredible loss of life from those novels has wrought. And second, to set up the shape of things to come by introducing the next major obstacle to challenge the Federation. In my humble opinion, it absolutely excels at both, while at the same time delivering all of the heart and humanity one comes to expect from a Star Trek story.

More about A Singular Destiny:

 
• Podcast: Literary Treks 293: And Then What Happened?
• TrekBBS Review & Discussion Thread

My next read:

Next up is a movie-era novel from back in the TOS numbered novel days: The Fearful Summons by Denny Martin Flinn!

Q & A

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Q & A by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published October 2007
Read July 2^nd 2019

Previous book (The Next Generation): Resistance
Previous book (Post-Nemesis Continuity: Titan: Orion's Hounds

Next book (The Next Generation): Before Dishonor
Next book (Post-Nemesis Continuity): Titan: Sword of Damocles

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

Spoilers ahead for Q & A!

From the back cover:

Nearly two decades ago, Jean-Luc Picard took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. The captain knew it was an honor without equal. His new command bore the name of Enterprise. The people who had commanded other like-named starships had gone down in Starfleet's annals. Some officers would be intimidated, but they would not have been given command of Enterprise. 

On her first mission, the Enterprise was sent to Farpoint Station. A simple, straightforward investigation. Perfect for a crew that had never served together. Then there was Q. An omnipotent lifeform that seemed bent on placing obstacle after obstacle in the ship's -- and in particular in Picard's -- way. And it hadn't ended with that first mission. When he was least expected, Q would appear. Pushing, prodding, testing. At times needling captain and crew with seemingly silly, pointless, and maddening trifles. Then it would turn all too serious, and the survival of Picard's crew was in Q's hands. 

Why was it today that Picard was remembering the day he took command of the Enterprise-D? Now he commanded a new ship, the Enterprise-E. His crew was different. There was nothing about Gorsach that in the least resembled Farpoint. But Picard couldn't shake the feeling that something all too familiar was going on. All too awful. All too Q.

My thoughts:

The post-Nemesis voyages of the Enterprise continue! In this novel, Picard is assigned to explore the planet Gorsach IX, a strange, seemingly artificial world with an odd symmetry to everything on the surface. Complicating matters is the appearance of Q, Picard's nemesis from the very earliest days of his captaincy of the Enterprise-D. It seems that Gorsach IX is much more than it appears, with the fate of the entire universe resting on Picard passing the latest of Q's tests.

Q's ultimate goals finally come to light in Q & A.

In my time reading Star Trek novels, I've likened Q to the Borg: both are elements of Star Trek lore that can be a little overdone. Many novels and comics have gone to the Q well, to the point that the stories get watered down and a visit from Q is no more exceptional than a trip to a nebula or another "planet of the week." So, years ago, it was with a bit of reluctance that I picked up Q & A by Keith R.A. DeCandido. After Q popping up in numerous novels, I dreaded yet another story that would use the character in a way that seemed less than warranted.

However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the story that Mr. DeCandido crafted. While the whole "fate of the entire universe" might feel a little over-the-top and overdone, DeCandido really makes it work here. In Q & A, he has woven together all of Q's canon appearances in TNG into one cohesive narrative, providing a reason for each and every action the supposedly-omnipotent being has performed, even if that reason was simply wanting to see how Picard looks in tights (referencing the escapade in Sherwood Forest in "Qpid").

Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed was the continued integration of the new crewmembers with the cast of characters we are already familiar with. Part of this involved Geordi coming to terms with Data's replacement, Commander Kadohata. There were some lovely scenes where Geordi becomes introspective and examines the reasons behind his feelings. He even seeks professional advice from the Enterprise's new Vulcan counselor, T'Lana (introduced in Resistance). I appreciate the illustration of how professional therapists can be useful in our day-to-day lives. Mental health is just another aspect of physical health and should not be ignored!

Leybenzon, another of the new characters, gets some attention in the novel as well. In his role as the Enterprise's new security chief, Leybenzon finds himself in a position unfamiliar to him: as an officer having to lead other officers. We are told that he started out as a non-commissioned officer, having earned a battlefield commission during the Dominion War. He still considers himself one of the "grunts," and found his career propelled in an unexpected direction when he takes the offer of the security chief position on the Enterprise. Save for Chief O'Brien, non-coms are rarely seen in Trek, and I appreciated this perspective, different from the ones we are used to.

Worf has come a long way since his earliest days aboard the Enterprise-D.

Another character who has come a long way in his Starfleet career is Worf, currently serving as first officer of the Enterprise. Throughout TNG, Worf was characterized as being quick to fight, and often rushing headlong into combat without giving adequate thought to the consequences. Now, after having served for many years in Starfleet and even a stint as ambassador, we see a more mature and thoughtful Worf. When Q appears, it is Worf who suggests the tactic of ignoring him completely, much to the surprise of Counselor T'Lana who believed she had the Klingon pegged as a hothead. The fact that he has become much more cool-headed has shown that he makes a very good first officer. Also, the experience he had traversing quantum realities in the TNG episode "Parallels" comes into play in this novel, as the Enterprise faces a similar situation at the climax. It turns out, of course, that Q was responsible for the events of that episode, knowing that the knowledge Worf gained would come in handy at this juncture.

The episode that really ties everything together is "All Good Things...," the incredibly great finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In that episode, Picard learned what he needed to navigate the strange, multiverse-jumping finale of this novel. The conclusion of the plot in Q & A is equal parts silly and poignant, and perfectly keeping with the tone that Q has set for Picard in the past. I truly enjoyed how things played out, and I felt it was the perfect culmination to Q's shenanigans.

Final thoughts:

Q & A exceeded my expectations. In a literary universe that at times seems inundated with Q's misadventures, I was glad that this novel didn't feel like more of the same. It really did feel like the "ultimate" Q story, with meaning retroactively applied to all of Q's previous canon visits. The concept of Q is a dangerous one and very easy to overuse, but Keith DeCandido has the writing skill to make this feel fresh and unique. One of my favorite novels in the post-Nemesis continuity, Q & A was a lot of fun to revisit. Highly recommended for any fan of Q!

More about Q & A:

• TrekBBS Review & Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 275: Q is a YouTube Comment Troll

Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error (2000)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #61: Diplomatic Implausibility (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible, Part One of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible, Part Two of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Gateways, Book Four: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Demons of Air and Darkness (2001)
• "Horn and Ivory" from Star Trek: Gateways, Book Seven: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters (2001)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book One: A Good Day to Die (2003)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Two: Honor Bound (2003)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Time for War, A Time for Peace (2004)
• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ferenginar: Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed (2005)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory (2005)
• Star Trek: Articles of the Federation (2005)
• Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House (2008)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book VI: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (2008)
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny (2009)
• The Klingon Art of War (2014)

My next read:

The sequel to the classic novel The Vulcan Academy Murders - by Jean Lorrah: The IDIC Epidemic.

Articles of the Federation

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Articles of the Federation by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published May 2005
Read April 2^nd 2019

Previous book (Post-Nemesis Continuity): Titan: Taking Wing
Next book (Post-Nemesis Continuity): Titan: The Red King

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

Spoilers ahead for Articles of the Federation!

From the back cover:

Following the surprise resignation of Federation President Min Zife after the disastrous Tezwa affair, Nan Bacco of Cestus III has won a hotly contested election to become the new chief executive of over one hundred fifty planetary civilizations and their colonies. But no sooner does she take office than the Romulan Star Empire falls into chaos. With tensions already high, a Reman refugee ship is sighted approaching a Federation outpost, its intentions unknown. 

As the first year of the Bacco Administration unfolds, the Federation Council is slow to work with its new president, and not always supportive of her policies or her appointments to key council positions; a successful first contact suddenly becomes a diplomatic disaster; and the sins of President Zife prove difficult to lay to rest...as one celebrated Starfleet officer's career reaches a turning point.

My thoughts:

Outside of Star Trek, one of my favorite television shows of all time is The West Wing. I kind of categorize it with Star Trek: The Next Generation: both were shows about professionals working together to solve problems without rancor and animosity; seasoned, competent men and women led by a leader who wants only the best for the world, without personal greed or ambition getting in the way. Perhaps an outlandish fiction when it comes to politics, but certainly something I admired and wished the real world would aspire to.

Articles of the Federation is basically The West Wing in the 24th century, and I couldn't be happier!

Articles of the Federation combines two of my favorite things: it is basically The West Wing in the 24th century. In Star Trek, we usually follow the adventures of the officers of Starfleet as they explore space, defend the Federation, and engage in diplomacy. In this novel, however, we get a look at the Star Trek universe through a different lens: the civilian government of the United Federation of Planets, led by the newly-elected President Nanietta Bacco and her cabinet. The novel covers the first year of the Bacco administration, dealing with newly-admitted Federation members, crises involving the Federation's members and their neighbors, and fallout from the scandal that took down the previous administration of Min Zife.

While there are many familiar faces in Articles of the Federation, the novel features original characters not seen on television for the most part. Nan Bacco herself has long been one of my favorite litverse characters, and it was great to see so much focus on her here. Bacco's chief-of-staff, Esperanza Piñiero, is another character I appreciated. Following Bacco from her time as governor of Cestus III, Piñiero knows the president better than anyone else and is an invaluable member of her team. I also appreciated Jas Abrik, Bacco's security advisor, who joined the Bacco administration after serving as campaign manager for Bacco's main rival in the election, Arafel Pagro. His status as a sort of outsider leads to some interesting tensions in the novel. Finally, another of my favorite characters is Kant Jorel, the press liason for the Bacco administration. A Bajoran, Jorel's handling of the media was a highlight of the novel for me.

Articles of the Federation serves to move various plots in the post-Nemesis shared continuity forward, including the disarray in the Romulan Empire following the defeat of Shinzon in Star Trek Nemesis. A refugee crisis involving the Remans is one event that the new administration must navigate, as is the potential rocky relationship with the Klingon Empire following the actions of Min Zife, which are still being kept secret. This book also introduces a Trill reporter named Ozla Graniv who is hot on the trail of the Tezwa scandal, and the administration must find a way to keep the events a secret to protect the Federation's relationship with the Klingons.

It is truly a shame that we never got an Articles of the Federation 2, as I truly enjoyed this novel and hold it up as one of the greats of the entire Star Trek novel line. I am happy, however, that the characters we see in this novel will continue to make appearances in many more novels to follow. Articles of the Federation impacted the novels in a big way, and going forward, there would be a greater focus on the politics of the Federation. If nothing else, I appreciate that this story allowed the scope of future Star Trek stories to widen, so that we don't just see the impact of decisions on the crew of a ship or a station, but rather to the Federation as a whole and the government in particular. Star Trek features a vast universe in which many stories are possible, and politics and governance are some of my favorite arenas for compelling stories. Thank you, Mr. DeCandido, for putting the government of the Federation front and center and allowing us a peek into this fascinating corner of the Star Trek universe!

Final thoughts:

While this novel came out in 2005, for some reason I never got around to reading it until just this year, despite the fact that the subject matter is right up my alley. This has proven to be a glaring oversight, as Articles of the Federation has now firmly established itself as one of my all-time favorite Star Trek novels. Full of memorable characters and finally showing how the government of the Federation operates on a day-to-day basis, this novel was a heck of a lot of fun to read. I wish there was a lot more focus on the governance of the Federation in Star Trek, as it is fertile ground for new and different stories set in my favorite science fiction universe!

More about Articles of the Federation:

• TrekBBS Review and Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 265: The Music of Big Pink - Exclusive interview with author Keith R.A. DeCandido

Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error (2000)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #61: Diplomatic Implausibility (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible, Part One of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible, Part Two of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Gateways, Book Four: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Demons of Air and Darkness (2001)
• "Horn and Ivory" from Star Trek: Gateways, Book Seven: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters (2001)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book One: A Good Day to Die (2003)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Two: Honor Bound (2003)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Time for War, A Time for Peace (2004)
• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ferenginar: Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed (2005)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory (2005)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A (2007)
• Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House (2008)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book VI: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (2008)
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny (2009)
• The Klingon Art of War (2014)

My next read:

Next up is book four of the New Earth miniseries: The Flaming Arrow by Kathy & Jerry Oltion!

A Burning House

Star Trek: Klingon Empire
A Burning House by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published January 2008
Read January 30^th 2019

Previous book (I.K.S. Gorkon): Book Three: Enemy Territory

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

Spoilers ahead for A Burning House!

From the back cover:

They have been the Federation's staunchest allies, and its fiercest adversaries. Cunning, ruthless, driven by an instinct for violence and defined by a complex code of honor, they must push ever outward in order to survive, defying the icy ravages of space with the fire of their hearts. They are the Klingons, and if you think you already know all there is to learn about them...think again.  

From its highest echelons of power to the shocking depths of its lowest castes, from its savagely aggressive military to its humble farmers, from political machinations of galactic import to personal demons and family strife, the Klingon Empire is revealed as never before when the captain and crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon finally return to their homeworld of Qo'noS in a sweeping tale of intrigue, love, betrayal, and honor.

My thoughts:

After the first three books in the I.K.S. Gorkon series, the entire series was re-branded Klingon Empire. Sadly, it would last only one more book: A Burning House would be the only novel published under the Klingon Empire banner. This is highly unfortunate, both because I've really enjoyed the exploits of the crew of the Gorkon up to this point, and because A Burning House is such a good novel that it practically begs for the stories to continue! Not to mention the obvious plotlines that DeCandido clearly set up for future novels that will most likely never come to pass.

The novel follows a number of storylines as the Gorkon returns to Qo'noS for repairs while the officers and crew take shore leave. After some persuasion, Leader Wol accompanies two of her warriors, Kagak and Goran, to Kagak's home village for a traditional Klingon festival, "yobta' yupma'." Along the way, she learns to trust her fellow warriors and decides to be more open with them, no longer hiding her past from those around her.

A map of Krennla, as seen in Dayton Ward's Travel Guide to the Klingon Empire.

Meanwhile, another member of the 15th squad, G'Joth, returns to his hometown of Krennla. I found this part of the novel to be an excellent exploration of the idea that "you can't go home again." G'Joth finds that his experiences as a member of the Klingon Defense Force have changed him, and Krennla is no longer the place it was in his youth. It is now more impoverished than it was when G'Joth was growing up, and many of his friends and family resent him for leaving. This part of the story also features G'Joth's sister, Lakras, who is part of a theatre company putting on an opera of "The Battle of San-Tarah," which took place in the first two novels of the I.K.S. Gorkon series. Because G'Joth took part in the actual events, he is brought on as a "consultant" for the opera. I felt like this novel had a lot to say about a creative work vs. objective reality, and how compromises are always made in order to account for the artistry of a performance or other work of art. I've always learned to take "based on a true story" with a huge grain of salt, and G'Joth's experiences in this novel back up that instinct.

Another major plot in the story involves the Gorkon's medical officer, B'Oraq, and her experiences with the "Klingon Physicians Enclave," which is hosting a medical conference for the first time. B'Oraq, whose ideas of medicine are borrowed from her experience as a student in the Federation, is not welcomed by most Klingon medical professionals, who tend to believe in a much "cruder" form of medicine. It was interesting to get a look at this part of Klingon society through B'Oraq's eyes.

After having the story build upon itself for the past few novels, we finally get payoff for the story of Rodek. As we all know, Rodek is actually Kurn, Worf's brother, who had his memories altered in the Deep Space Nine episode "Sons of Mogh" when he could no longer live with the shame of being a part of the dishonored House of Mogh. That memory "overwrite" has now begun to undo itself, with his memories as Kurn beginning to surface. In this novel, he learns the truth and confronts Worf with the knowledge of what was done to him. This aspect of the story also intertwines with the conflict between Captain Klag and his brother, Dorrek, who uses Rodek's predicament to his advantage when he turns "Rodek" against Klag. The conclusion tho this part of the story turned out much differently than I was expecting, and I was very happy to see this plot finally explored.

The young Toq, rescued by Worf from a Romulan prison camp, and now the first officer of the I.K.S. Gorkon.

Finally, we come to Toq, who is now the first officer of the Gorkon. His story was probably my least favorite of the plots in the novel, but was nonetheless quite interesting. We see him come into contact with his old home on Carraya IV, the site of a Romulan prison camp that held survivors from Khitomer and their descendants. We find out that it has been attacked by a Klingon seeking revenge against L'Kor, one of the Khitomer survivors. This story results in the rescue of Ba'el, whom we originally met in the TNG episode "Birthright, Part II." I was happy to see her story resolve in this way, as I always found it very sad that she wasn't able to leave Carraya IV because of her mixed Klingon and Romulan heritage. Lorgh, who adopted Toq and is a member of Imperial Intelligence, obviously has a few storylines that he wants to continue in later novels, but sadly, it seems as though they will end here.

Ba'el begins a new chapter of her life at the end of this novel.

As is obvious from the preceding wall of text, there is a lot going on in this novel! There are so many storylines, but everything holds together very well. After four novels, plus Diplomatic Implausibility, I find myself very invested in these characters. It is profoundly sad that this is the final novel to feature the crew of the Gorkon in a starring role, especially since I believe this one to be the best of the four. There are so many small moments for the characters that were so perfectly written that I haven't even touched on in this review.

Final thoughts:

It is definitely with not a small amount of sadness that I say goodbye to the crew of the Gorkon. They certainly leave on a high note, as A Burning House wound up being my favorite book of the series. I love strong character moments, and this novel is packed full of them. I loved the look at Klingon culture in ways that we don't usually get: rather than the usual focus on the lives of Klingon warriors, we see farmers, actors, doctors, and see the effects that poverty and change have on the lives of average Klingons. I felt that A Burning House was an excellent exploration of Klingon culture in general, and I would have loved to see where the series would have gone in the future. As it stands, the four books that make up the I.K.S. Gorkon/Klingon Empire series are some of the best Trek novels I have read, and it is almost criminal that Keith R.A. DeCandido doesn't currently write for the Star Trek novel line. Come on, Simon & Schuster: give this man another contract!

More about A Burning House:

• TrekBBS Review & Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 258: Inaccurate Operas Will Be Performed of This Day!

Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error (2000)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #61: Diplomatic Implausibility (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible, Part One of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible, Part Two of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Gateways, Book Four: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Demons of Air and Darkness (2001)
• "Horn and Ivory" from Star Trek: Gateways, Book Seven: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters (2001)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book One: A Good Day to Die (2003)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Two: Honor Bound (2003)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Time for War, A Time for Peace (2004)
• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ferenginar: Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed (2005)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory (2005)
• Star Trek: Articles of the Federation (2005)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A (2007)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book VI: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (2008)
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny (2009)
• The Klingon Art of War (2014)

My next read:

Next up is Triangle: Imzadi II by Peter David!

Enemy Territory

Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon
Book Three
Enemy Territory by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published March 2005
Read December 30^th 2018

Previous book (I.K.S. Gorkon): Book Two: Honor Bound
Next book (Klingon Empire): A Burning House

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

Spoilers ahead for Enemy Territory!

From the back cover:

The Elabrej Hegemony 

For centuries, the Elabrej firmly believed that they were alone in the universe, and that no sentient life existed outside their home star system. But their beliefs are shattered when a controversial exploration vessel of their own making encounters -- and fires upon -- an alien ship. The aliens return fire and destroy them -- then come to Elabrej to investigate....   

The Klingon Empire 

While exploring the uncharted Kavrot Sector, the crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon learn that their brother ship, the I.K.S. Kravokh, was fired on by an alien vessel and subsequently destroyed it. After setting course to investigate this new people, the Kravokh disappears -- but a massive alien fleet is gathering at their last known location. Captain Klag must determine what has happened to the Kravokh, and who this new foe of the empire is.... 

As two civilizations prepare for war, the secret agendas of both the Elabrej oligarchs and Klingon Imperial Intelligence may serve only to deepen the conflict -- and Captain Klag may also face a mutiny.

My thoughts:

The adventures of the crew of the I.K.S. Gorkon continue in the third book of the series. Continuing to explore the Kavrot sector, one of their fellow Chancellor-class starships, the Kravokh, is attacked and destroyed by a ship hailing from a planet governed by the "Elabraj Hegemony." A civilization that has just recently acquired warp drive, the Elabrej have not encountered extraterrestrial intelligence until their fateful meeting of the Klingons. The Gorkon sets course to investigate this new world and to determine the fate of the Kravokh, and possibly avenge their deaths.

The Elabrej turn out to be a non-humanoid species who find the Klingons as "weird" looking as they themselves are to the Klingons. I enjoyed this look at the Klingons (and by extension other "humanoid" species") through the eyes of an alien species who would find them repulsive. Star Trek has occasionally presented things from the perspective of the "other," most notably in the TNG episode "First Contact." As the novel progresses, we learn more about the Elabrej society and see the social stratification at work. I found their interactions with the Klingons to be a truly interesting juxtaposition to what we're used to with Starfleet crews encountering alien societies. The influence that the Klingons have on their society flies in the face of the values we usually see espoused in a Star Trek novel, but since this series focuses on the Klingon perspective, that seems to very much be the point.

The characters of I.K.S. Gorkon continue to impress me in this novel. Wol in particular is an absolute joy to read about. As leader of the 15th squad of the Gorkon's troops, she provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Klingon "ground-pounders," a perspective we don't usually get, as most Trek stories, Klingon or otherwise, tend to focus on the officers. In Enemy Territory, she has the challenge of dealing with changes in her squad and being captured and experimented on by the Elabrej. Her subsequent escape and rescue of the remaining crew of the Kravokh cemented her in my mind as an all-time favorite character in Star Trek literature. After her ordeal in this novel, Wol bares her soul to her squad, and finds herself the subject of praise from them, even after admitting she was actually from a noble house and not the person they initially thought her to be.

Kurak's trials and tribulations continue in Enemy Territory.

Another character whose story is explored further in this novel is Kurak, the reluctant chief engineer of the Gorkon. A ship designer by trade, she was forced into serving the Klingon Defense Force due to familial obligations, and very much does not want to be serving aboard the Gorkon. Her severe depression over this has led her into becoming an alcoholic and exhibiting severe despondency, which is threatening her health and quality of life. This exploration of depression, from a Klingon perspective, was wholly unexpected and a welcome part of the novel. I suspect that a lot of people will find themselves identifying with Kurak's stuggle, as she feels trapped by forces beyond her control. The journey to mastering those forces and taking charge of one's life can seem to be an impossible one, and the pain that Kurak experiences in Enemy Territory certainly impacts her in destructive ways.

Meanwhile, there is also a mutiny in the works on the Gorkon, led by crew who have transferred over from the I.K.S. Kreltek, a ship that fought on the side of General Talak in the previous novel, Honor Bound. Through this part of the story, we get to see how the security chief, Lokor, operates. He has access to a great deal of intelligence on the crew of the Gorkon, and utilizes any means necessary to get information and quell threats to the security of the ship to a quite frankly frightening degree. It is also opposition to this mutiny that finally prompts Kurak to pick herself up and perform her duty when she takes command of the Gorkon at a critical moment in the novel.

Rodek's true identity seems to be threatening to come out.

Finally, there is also movement on the Rodek story. You may recall that "Rodek" is actually Kurn, Worf's brother, surgically altered and with his memories adjusted to lead a new life as Rodek when the House of Mogh was disbanded during Deep Space Nine, as seen in the episode "Sons of Mogh." Ever since an injury in an earlier I.K.S. Gorkon novel, Rodek has been experiencing flashes of memory of his life as Kurn, as well as gaining more confidence and a more forceful personality. While things don't come to a head yet in this novel, it's clear that his memories as Kurn are being set up to return to the forefront in the next novel.

Final thoughts:

Enemy Territory continues the excellent I.K.S. Gorkon series with terrific character development for this crew of Klingons whom I have come to love as much (if not more) than any of the Starfleet crews of other novel series. Keith DeCandido has managed to imbue these characters with a life of their own, and I find myself truly invested in the outcome of the lives of the crew of the Gorkon. Add to that the truly fascinating world-building and the story of cultures clashing, and Enemy Territory ends up hitting all the right notes for me. I.K.S. Gorkon continues to be one of my favorite corners of the Star Trek literary universe!

More about Enemy Territory:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 255: The Hammock Planet: They Don't Have Butts

Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error (2000)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #61: Diplomatic Implausibility (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible, Part One of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible, Part Two of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Gateways, Book Four: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Demons of Air and Darkness (2001)
• "Horn and Ivory" from Star Trek: Gateways, Book Seven: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters (2001)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book One: A Good Day to Die (2003)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Two: Honor Bound (2003)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Time for War, A Time for Peace (2004)
• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ferenginar: Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed (2005)
• Star Trek: Articles of the Federation (2005)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A (2007)
• Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House (2008)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book VI: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (2008)
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny (2009)
• The Klingon Art of War (2014)

My next read:

Next up is my review of the third and final Star Trek: Prometheus novel: In the Heart of Chaos, the English translation of the novel by Christian Humberg and Bernd Perplies.

A Time for War, A Time for Peace

Star Trek: The Next Generation
A Time for War, A Time for Peace by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published October 2004
Read November 30^th 2018

Previous book (A Time To): A Time to Heal
Next book (The Next Generation): The Sky's the Limit (anthology)

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

Spoilers ahead for A Time for War, A Time for Peace!

From the back cover:

Following the scandalous Tezwa affair, the Federation president's resignation forces an election, with the future of the United Federation of Planets to be determined by who emerges victorious from a hotly contested vote. But it is the fate of the entire galaxy that may actually be decided on Qo'noS, as the Federation embassy is seized by terrorists whose actions expose intrigue reaching the highest levels of Klingon government -- and it will take all of Ambassador Worf's skills to keep the fragile Federation-Klingon alliance from collapsing. And while this potential intergalactic chaos looms, Commander Riker finds his plans for command and marriage soured by a brutal, high-level inspection of the ship from which the crew may not escape unscathed....

The epic miniseries comes to a shocking conclusion -- one that will leave the Star Trek universe changed forever.

My thoughts:

A Time for War, A Time for Peace is the ninth and final novel in the A Time To series. Unlike other entries in the series, this novel is not a part of a duology, and is the only book in the series penned by author Keith R.A. DeCandido.

After Picard's "fall from grace" in the first novel of the series, A Time to Be Born, the time has finally come for the Enterprise's performance over the past few novels to be assessed. To that end, Starfleet dispatches a team to conduct an inspection, consisting of Captain Wai-Lin Go, Dr. Toby Russell, and Sabin Genestra. Dr. Russell you may remember from the TNG episode "Ethics"; she came aboard the Enterprise to assist in treating Worf for injuries sustained in an accident, and butted heads with Dr. Crusher which led to a pretty nasty professional falling-out. Sabin Genestra was the assistant to retired Admiral Norah Satie during her witch-hunt aboard the Enterprise in the episode "The Drumhead." And Captain Go was a close personal friend of Captain Leeden of the U.S.S. Juno, the starship that was destroyed in the Rashanar Battle Site, seemingly due to the actions of Captain Picard earlier in this miniseries. Needless to say, the odds appear to be stacked against a fair ruling for Picard and his crew. Montgomery Scott, head of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, seeing this bias, volunteers to be a part of the inspection team as well.

Included in the inspection team that will evaluate the Enterprise and her crew is Dr. Toby Russell, one of a number of team members who seem to have a bias against Picard and his crew.

Meanwhile, following the surprise resignation of Federation President Min Zife in the previous novel, the race to replace him has been heating up, with two candidates at the forefront: Fel Pagro and Nan Bacco. Pagro's campaign is marked by an agressive stance towards the Klingon Empire, while Bacco's campaign espouses a preservation of the Klingon/Federation alliance and an emphasis on peace making. I really enjoyed this focus on the politics of the Federation, and following a presidential campaign was a fun way to get a look at the nuts and bolts of the political process in the Federation. I still have not read Articles of the Federation, so I am very much looking forward to more storytelling in this rich arena.

While all of this is going on, a crisis is brewing on the Klingon homeworld. The Emperor, Kahless, has gone missing, replaced by a hologram. Seizing upon this, a group of radicals capture the Federation embassy on Qo'noS, trapping the embassy staff along with Alexander, Worf's son. Worf himself has managed to elude capture, and finds himself having to take on the terrorists himself and recapture the embassy. This was a really fun part of the novel, with Worf acting as a sort of John McClane figure, or perhaps Jack Bauer. It really did feel like Die Hard but with Klingons. How does that elevator pitch NOT sound amazing?

Ambassador Worf gets to flex his muscles as a counter-terrorist prowling the halls of the Federation embassy on Qo'noS in the pages of this novel.

The result of all of these stories running in tandem is a novel with a perfect balance between action, story, and character. Keith DeCandido has such a strong feel for these characters that the voices of the actors can easily be heard while reading A Time for War, A Time for Peace. Even a character such as Alexander Rozhenko gets some great moments as he subtly manipulates the Klingons holding the Federation embassy staff hostage. This novel is a collection of truly terrific character moments held together by a plot that was a lot of fun, and topped off with a fascinating exploration of the politics of the Federation. It's as though Keith DeCandido sat down and asked himself, "what sort of novel would Dan Gunther *really* enjoy?"

As a coda for the A Time To series, this novel succeeds on nearly every level. It brings to a satisfying close all of the outstanding story elements from throughout the previous eight books, while transitioning very well into the events of Star Trek Nemesis. The end of the book actually features some events that occur after the end of Nemesis, which allows the author to deal with some of the fallout from that film while setting up the novels that follow it, in what has come to be known as the post-Nemesis novel continuity. This came as a bit of a surprise as I did not realize that this novel would deal so directly with some of the events of Nemesis.

Final thoughts:

Another excellent novel from Keith DeCandido, A Time for War, A Time for Peace puts a very excellent cap on the A Time To series and sets everything up nicely for Star Trek Nemesis and the myriad changes that occur following that film. A major turning point in the lives of many of the characters, this novel puts a great deal of humanity into the story that was sorely lacking in Nemesis.

More about A Time for War, A Time for Peace:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 252: Continuity Cop - Exclusive Interview with author Keith R.A. DeCandido!

Also by Keith R.A. DeCandido:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error (2000)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation #61: Diplomatic Implausibility (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible, Part One of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible, Part Two of Two with David Mack (2001)
• Gateways, Book Four: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Demons of Air and Darkness (2001)
• "Horn and Ivory" from Star Trek: Gateways, Book Seven: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Here There Be Monsters (2001)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book One: A Good Day to Die (2003)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Two: Honor Bound (2003)
• Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ferenginar: Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed (2005)
• Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon, Book Three: Enemy Territory (2005)
• Star Trek: Articles of the Federation (2005)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A (2007)
• Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House (2008)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book VI: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment (2008)
• Star Trek: A Singular Destiny (2009)
• The Klingon Art of War (2014)

A Time To...

• A Time to Be Born by John Vornholt
• A Time to Die by John Vornholt
• A Time to Sow by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
• A Time to Harvest by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
• A Time to Love by Robert Greenberger
• A Time to Hate by Robert Greenberger
• A Time to Kill by David Mack
• A Time to Heal by David Mack
• A Time for War, A Time for Peace by Keith R.A. DeCandido

My next read:

Next up is an older novel set during The Original Series: Star Trek #12: Mutiny on the Enterprise by Robert E. Vardeman.