Showing posts with label Seekers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seekers. Show all posts

Sunday, November 8, 2015

All That's Left

Star Trek: Seekers #4
All That's Left by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Release date: October 27th 2015
Read November 6th 2015

Previous book (Seekers): #3: Long Shot
Next book (Seekers): #5:
MMPB: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

 Spoilers ahead for All That's Left!

 From the back cover:
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?

My thoughts:

For this, the fourth entry in the young Seekers series, we return to the U.S.S. Endeavour with a new novel by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore. Responding to a distress call from Cantrel V, the Endeavour and her crew get caught up in a centuries-old plot by a race of "parasites" called the Lrondi.

The idea of a parasite taking control of a humanoid host and the two living as a conjoined being is certainly not a new one, and Star Trek has tackled the issue several times itself, most notably through the Trill. However, the Lrondi as presented in this novel are unique, and truly terrifying to me: a species that "co-exists" with you, but seems to subtly influence you so that you are totally "okay" with going along with whatever they want. Some of the actions taken by someone who had been "collected" seemed to be willing, but there was enough influence and manipulation there to completely frighten me.

The whole "sentient parasite" concept has been done many times before, but is nonetheless a very frightening concept.

There is a lot in this novel to recommend it. While the plot takes a little while to kick into high gear, once it gets going, we get a fascinating adventure with a creepy psychological aspect to it. As with previous novels in the Seekers series, my favorite part is the characters. The Endeavour crew is always a pleasure to read about, and the side characters in this story really stand out as well. It was a lot of fun to see Commander Al-Khaled again! I'm just now reading the S.C.E. story Foundations, which is the introduction of this character, so the timing couldn't have been better.

Another surprise in All That's Left is the appearance of Ensign Tropp, a Denobulan crewmember who will presumably become the Dr. Tropp that is featured in the Next Generation novels as a doctor on the Enterprise-E. We already know from Enterprise's Dr. Phlox that Denobulans are very long-lived, so it makes sense to have Tropp in Starfleet already at this point. Why make up a new Denobulan character when you have a great one already? As far as I know, Tropp has not appeared this early in the chronology before, but if he has, I'm sure one of my intrepid readers will be quick to correct me!

A standout scene for me comes right at the end of the story, featuring two characters becoming closer due to their shared experiences with the Lrondi. Something about their connection really rang true for me, and it's little character moments like this that really make me appreciate Ward/Dilmore stories.

I have gushed about the amazing artwork of the Seekers novels before, but this one deserves a special mention. Rob Caswell has knocked it out of the park with the cover art for All That's Left. A gorgeous scene featuring the Endeavour crew attempting to gain entry to the mysterious alien ship is hands down my favorite Star Trek cover this year, possibly of all time. Beautiful!

Rob Caswell has posted the complete cover art without titles on his DeviantArt page - click here to see it in its entirety.

I'm curious, however, as to when we might next see a Seekers novel. David Mack, the other author involved in the series, has said that he has a rather lengthy break in his Trek novel writing in order to focus on his series of original novels (which look great, by the way; I hope you check them out!). If the Seekers format of alternating between Mack and Ward/Dilmore stories is the way they intend to continue to do them going forward, it may be some time before Seekers appears on the schedule again.


Final thoughts:

Another fascinating entry in the Seekers series. Although the story starts off a little slow, patience is rewarded as the story sucks the reader in. It will insinuate itself into your brain like some kind of mind-controling parasite as you find yourself pondering the implications of the plot long after you've put the book down. How much of the actions of the "collected" really were free will, and how much was simply the influence of the parasite? And... *gasp*... what if the Trill operate in a similar fashion? Is there really a way to know for sure? Creepy.

Four out of five is my ranking for All That's Left. If you're on board with the Seekers one-off story concept, you'll enjoy this as a classic "planet of the week" story.

 More about All That's Left:

Also by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore:

Next time on Trek Lit Reviews:

Book five in the TOS e-book series, Mere Anarchy: it's The Darkness Drops Again by Christopher L. Bennett!



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Sunday, August 9, 2015

Long Shot

Star Trek: Seekers #3
Long Shot by David Mack
Release date: July 28th 2015
Read July 31st 2015

Previous book (Seekers): #2: Point of Divergence
Next book (Seekers): #4: All That's Left

Spoilers ahead for Long Shot!

 From the back cover:
SCIENCE GONE MAD... Bizarre sensor readings lead the Starfleet scout ship USS Sagittarius to an alien world where efforts to harness a dangerous and unstable technology have thrown the laws of probability out of balance. Now, events that might have occurred only one time in a trillion are happening constantly—to deadly and dazzling effect.

 A PLANET IN PERIL... As disasters and miracles multiply globally at an ever-increasing rate, it’s up to Captain Clark Terrell and his crew to shut down the experiment-gone-wrong before its storm of chaos causes the planet’s destruction. But the odds against their success—and their survival—might be too great to overcome.

My thoughts:

When Seekers was first announced, I was very excited. I had absolutely loved Vanguard, and another series by the same authors featuring some of the same characters was an exciting prospect. The first two books, Second Nature and Point of Divergence weren't bad. I enjoyed the story well enough, but it felt like there was something missing. It didn't quite have that one-two punch I'd come to expect from the authors of Vanguard. Still, I loved the premise of Seekers, including the fact that it represented a return to "one and done" style stories. I really do love the interconnected stories of the post-Nemesis novels, but the idea of having exploration-based "planet of the week" stories on occasion is very welcome. So, with all of that said, what did I think of the latest adventure of the crew of the Sagittarius? In short: I loved it.

It is in this novel that I feel these characters have really found their "voice" again. I really enjoy the dynamics between the characters. Captain Terrell is fast becoming one of my favorite lit-only commanding officers, and the relationships between characters such as Theriault and Dastin, and between Ensign Taryl and Torvin brought a smile to my face as I read this novel. I think this series sets the record for novel-only characters, with the only "canon" character being Captain Terrell. This doesn't hurt the story in the slightest, as I found myself empathizing with every character on the Sagittarius and genuinely concerned about their personal stories.

Captain Clark Terrell - the only canon character aboard the Sagittarius.

Another aspect of Long Shot that I really appreciated was the lack of a villain. These days, it seems that a story can't be told unless there is some kind of villain bent on universal domination or a madman out for revenge or a manipulative evil genius attempting to gain power. Thankfully, this novel breaks with that tradition, instead giving us a "man vs. nature/expanding field of weirdness" type story (it's Star Trek; that's totally a valid category). In some ways, it reminded me of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the only Trek film in which the crew isn't fighting some oppressive evil enemy (The Motion Picture sort of gets a pass as well).

This smaller adventure gives the author time to focus on great character development. The quadrant-spanning sweeping epic adventures are great, but I feel like they sacrifice some of the smaller stories due to their scope. This smaller, planet-of-the-week adventure really lets us get into these characters' heads and see what makes them tick. There is not a single character in this novel that I didn't like, and the story itself was compelling and fun to read.

In the second season DS9 episode "Rivals," alien gambling devices alter probability all over the station. Is the device in this episode based on the same principle on a grander scale?

As far as the plot goes, the idea of a probability field affecting the outcomes of random chance was a fun concept to explore on a planetary scale. I wonder if the small "gambling devices" from Deep Space Nine's "Rivals" operated on a similar principle? It was interesting to see this idea writ large, and the true consequences of mucking about with probability. I'm curious who initially set the "trap" for the people of this world. Perhaps they are an antagonist we will meet in future Seekers adventures?

Blink and you'll miss it:

David Mack continues his tradition of including little "easter eggs" and in-jokes for readers to find. My favorite? A subtle reference to the "Thanks, Obama!" meme.

 Final thoughts:

Like so many Star Trek novels, it is a love of the characters that really makes this story shine. David Mack has created a group dynamic that is a hell of a lot of fun to read. Combined with a fun, high-stakes adventure, Long Shot makes for a great read. I'm very interested to see where these characters go in the future, and where certain relationships will end up. Some great character development for the small crew of the Sagittarius gives me a lot of hope for the future of Seekers.

With an already-excellent year in Trek lit to this point, it is no small praise to say that Long Shot is my favorite novel of the year so far.

 More about Seekers #3:

Also by David Mack:

My next read:

Next week: my review of the second part of the e-book series, New Frontier: The Returned by Peter David!


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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Seekers #2

Star Trek: Seekers #2
Point of Divergence by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Story by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore and David Mack
Release date: August 26th 2014
Read September 5th 2014

Previous book (Seekers): #1: Second Nature
Next book (Seekers): #3: Long Shot
Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Seekers #1, #2, and the Vanguard series!

 From the back cover:
The Taurus Reach. Once the conquered realm of a powerful alien species, this region remains largely shrouded in mystery even as it brims with potential for exploration and colonization. The Federation has sent in two of its finest starships on a quest to uncover the secrets it may yet hold...
The Tomol are a primitive civilization occupying a lone island on a remote world. Their culture is an enigma, centered on every member’s commitment to a painful, fiery self-sacrifice upon reaching maturity. But one of their clan has shunned this obligation, triggering a transformation into a new, powerful life form. Answering the distress call of the U.S.S. Sagittarius—which has crashed on the planet following a fierce battle with the Klingons—Captain Atish Khatami and the crew of the Starship Endeavour must now attempt a rescue mission…even as they are locked in battle with the evolving, increasingly malevolent Tomol who, if allowed to escape their home world, pose an imminent threat to the entire galaxy!

My thoughts:

Among my favorite aspects of Star Trek: Vanguard were the dual crews of the U.S.S. Sagittarius and the U.S.S. Endeavour. The Sagittarius, a small Archer-class scout, was quite unlike any other Starfleet vessel seen on Trek before. The other, the Endeavour, was a little more familiar: a Constitution-class heavy cruiser like the Enterprise. The Endeavour takes center seat in this, the second of the Seekers novels.

The U.S.S. Endeavour is the focus of Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore's entries in the Seekers series.
There is a great deal to like about this novel. The writing team of Ward and Dilmore is back writing Trek together again for the first time since Vanguard: What Judgments Come back in 2011. Together they have crafted a solid second entry in this fledgling series, topping off an exciting story with a conclusion that is ultimately quite satisfying.

Much like the previous novel, one area in which this book excels is with the character work. The relationships between the characters are a joy to read, particularly the interplay between Dr. Leone and nearly every other character. Also a treat was the captain to captain relationship that developed between Captain Khatami of the Endeavour and the Klingon Captain Kang. The grudging respect that Kang initially shows towards Khatami evolves into a true recognition of her skill and honor as a ship master, and I loved Kang's comparisons of Khatami and Kirk.

The legendary Kang is the Klingon foil to Captain Atish Khatami in Seekers #2: Point of Divergence.
The pacing of the novel is quite good, and I found that I finished it quite quickly. It was a little slower than book one, but still a very engaging and a fun read. While the action sequences aren't quite as nail-biting as the ones in Mack's Second Nature, I still found the story very gripping.

I very much enjoyed the twist with regards to the nature of the Tomol and the role that both the Shedai and the Preservers played in their history. The end of the novel and the resolution to the Tomol crisis had a very Star Trek feel to it, in the best sense of the term. Throughout both books, the Changed among the Tomol have been set up as an implacable foe with no discernible reason governing their actions. However, the final resolution shows that even the most fearsome enemy can be reasoned with, and that there is no such thing as absolute evil. As I mentioned above, it is a very Star Trek ending.

Blink and you'll miss it:

On page 214, keep an eye out for a reference to Fight Club. It's not exactly subtle, but it was still a pretty cool reference to catch.

 Final thoughts:

As usual, a very fun, well-paced outing from the team of Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore. With the conclusion of this two-part story, the Sagittarius and the Endeavour are ready to head out on their dual missions of exploration in the Taurus Reach. If this story is any indication, I am very much going to enjoy following these crews on their voyage into the unknown. More Seekers, please!

 Further resources:

Also by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore:

My next read:

Coming up: The new Deep Space Nine e-book novella by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann: Lust's Latinum Lost (and Found)!


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Sunday, August 31, 2014

Seekers #1

Star Trek: Seekers #1
Second Nature by David Mack
Story by David Mack and Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Release date: July 21st 2014
Read July 31st 2014

First in a new series! Leaves off from Vanguard: Storming Heaven
Next book (Seekers): #2: Point of Divergence
Paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Kindle: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Seekers #1 and the Vanguard series!

 From the back cover:
An all-new Star Trek series begins! 
A NEW MISSION 
The late twenty-third century—Starfleet’s golden age of exploration. Desperate to stay one step ahead of its rivals, the Federation sends two starships, the scout Sagittarius and the cruiser Endeavour, to plumb the secrets of the vast region known as the Taurus Reach.
A DOOMED RACE 
Drawn by mysterious energy readings to a lush green world, the crew of the Sagittarius find the Tomol: a species whose members all commit ritual suicide just as they reach the cusp of adulthood.
AN OLD FOE 
The crew of the Sagittarius wants to save the Tomol from their cycle of self-destruction, but first they’ll need to save themselves—from the most nefarious Klingon starship commander in history.

My thoughts:

 Here it is: one of the most anticipated new Star Trek novels of the year: the first instalment of the all-new series, Seekers. How does it fare?

To start with, a bit of history of Seekers. After the end of the incredibly great Vanguard series, David Mack, Dayton Ward, and Kevin Dilmore were inspired by the art of Rob Caswell, who had done a series of faux covers in the style of the old James Blish Star Trek novels, which he titled The Seekers. These covers featured an Archer-class ship, just like the U.S.S. Sagittarius from Vanguard. At the end of the Vanguard series, the Sagittarius and the Endeavour were both sent out on missions of exploration in the Taurus Reach. These missions would serve as the backdrop for this new series, Star Trek: Seekers. Because of the inspiration his work had provided, not to mention the high quality of it, Caswell was invited to create the covers for the Seekers novels!

In the Seekers novel series, David Mack's novels feature the U.S.S. Sagittarius, while the novels penned by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore will showcase the U.S.S. Endeavour.

Seekers #1 is an exciting beginning to this new series. Bringing together characters we're familiar with from Vanguard along with a few new faces, the story serves as an excellent re-introduction to the Sagittarius. Under the command of Captain Clark Terrell (later seen as the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Reliant in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), the Sagittarius is unlike any of the other Starfleet vessels featured in novels or on televised Trek. Much smaller than the larger Constitution-class starships, the Archer-class scout is only a few decks tall and features some very cramped quarters, in every sense of the word. The crew dynamic is much more laid-back than the reader might be used to. With a much smaller crew, the Sagittarius seems to boast a much more informal command structure. This leads to some interesting interactions among the crew, which some readers may find a little jarring.

The story itself is a fascinating one. We're introduced to the Tomol, a species with a surprising dark side. Just as its members reach adulthood, they commit ritual suicide by casting themselves into a fire pit. The society teaches that this is necessary, and most of the Tomol don't question it. However, one Tomol resists and manages to evade being cast into the pit (with the help of some Klingon interlopers). Turning the Trek trope of "we know better than you, and your quaint beliefs are wrong" on its head, it turns out that this ritual suicide might be a good idea after all; Nimur, the Tomol who escapes the fires, undergoes a frightening metamorphosis that has some very surprising connections to a prior threat from Star Trek: Vanguard.

Mack is a master of writing action and suspense. Near the end of the novel, when the Sagittarius is plummeting towards the planet surface, I was on the edge of my seat. Of particular note is a sequence in which Master Chief Illuci is attempting to get a critical component back on-line, and the bypass line he has rigged is only a few centimeters too short to reach the port. I was terrified for the safety of the ship! While Mack can also write epic, sweeping stories, it is the very human struggles of the characters in his novels that provide the true drama.

 Final thoughts:

A few months ago in an interview on Trek.fm's Literary Treks podcast, Star Trek book editor Margaret Clark said that the reason the second Seekers novel was being released immediately after the first was because readers wouldn't be able to stand it otherwise. After reading this novel, I am forced to agree. An exciting and action-packed beginning to what looks to be an extremely promising new series, this novel earns top marks from me. I can't wait to read the conclusion to the story in Seekers #2: Point of Divergence.

 Further resources:

Also by David Mack:

My next read:

A favorite of mine from the past few months: The Klingon Art of War by Keith R.A. DeCandido!


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