Showing posts with label The Lost Era. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Lost Era. Show all posts

Friday, March 29, 2019

The Sundered

Star Trek: The Lost Era
2298
The Sundered by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels
Published August 2003
Read December 18th 2018

 Next book (The Lost Era): Serpents Among the Ruins
Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for The Sundered!

 From the back cover:
Five years after the presumed death of Captain James T. Kirk, the U.S.S. Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu, is at the forefront of exploration, diplomacy, and the defense of the Federation. 
Unprecedented peace talks with the violently xenophobic Tholian Assembly trigger a deadly confrontation aboard the Excelsior. Now Sulu and his crew -- including Chekov, Rand, Chapel, Tuvok, and Akaar -- are thrust into an unexpected conflict between the Tholians and a mysterious new enemy, the Neyel...whose origins, if revealed, could lead to war with Earth itself. 
As the Tholians weave a web of vengeance, the Excelsior is flung beyond the galaxy to discover the hidden truth about the alien Neyel, forcing Sulu to question where his responsibilities lie -- with the fragile peace he must preserve, or with the victims of his own world's tragic past.

 My thoughts:

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was the first Trek film I saw in the theatre. I remember being amazed at seeing my heroes on the big screen; Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock leading the charge in preserving peace between the Federation and the Klingons and defeating the nasty General Chang. However, what really captured my attention was the U.S.S. Excelsior and her captain, Hikaru Sulu. I recall marveling at the decision to take an existing crewmember and promoting him, giving him his own ship, and making it one as cool as the Excelsior (even though I had a heck of a time pronouncing it properly at the time). I am sure I was not alone in wanting a George Takei-led Star Trek series featuring the adventures of the Excelsior under Sulu's command. In fact, at the time, I assumed it was just a given that we would be getting that series!

Captain Sulu and the crew of the U.S.S. Excelsior are featured in The Sundered.

Alas, that was not to happen. We did get a bit of a taste of what might have been with the Voyager episode "Flashback," but that was not enough to whet my appetite for the adventures of Captain Sulu. Thankfully, we have the novels to fill that need! There have been a number of novels over the years that chronicle Sulu's command of the Excelsior, a couple of which I have covered before: The Captain's Daughter by Peter David is one, as is Forged in Fire by Martin and Mangels, the authors of the subject of this review.

This novel, The Sundered, kicks off the Lost Era series, chronicling events that take place between Kirk's presumed death aboard the Enterprise-B in Generations and the start of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. This particular adventure takes place in 2298, five years after the incident in Generations, and features Sulu taking on a mission to negotiate with the reclusive Tholians, first seen in the TOS episode "The Tholian Web." Aboard the Excelsior is a Federation diplomat, Aidan Burgess, who at first seems to fulfill the Trek trope of the Federation official who makes the lives of our heroes difficult. She has a very clear plan for dealing with the Tholians and sees Sulu and his crew as obstacles in the way of the negotiations, which causes a great deal of tension between her and the Starfleet officers.

We soon learn that the Tholians are battling a mysterious race that has entered their space through a sort of spatial rift. The history of this new species is really quite interesting: calling themselves the Neyel, they were originally humans who lived in habitats operating near Earth at the LaGrange points in the 21st century. A warp field experiment propelled them into interstellar space, where their first encounters with extraterrestrials made them extremely wary of other lifeforms. From there, another event propelled them even further, out into the Small Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring "dwarf galaxy" just outside the Milky Way galaxy.

The Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that neighbors our own Milky Way, is the adopted home of the mysterious Neyel.

To me, the Neyel are the most fascinating part of this novel. Reminiscent of the sundering of the Vulcans and Romulans thousands of years ago, the Neyel represent an offshoot of humanity that evolved in very different conditions from those of their counterparts on Earth. They are an interesting exploration of the "path not taken," having to adapt to living in extreme conditions by natural adaptations as well as focused genetic engineering that has resulted in a species that appears very different from what we would consider "human." We are all a culmination of our experiences, and in the case of the Neyel, they have experienced extreme hardships and have thus been extremely hardened, both physically and with respect to their culture and outlook on the universe. I also found the names that they have taken on to be very clever; "Neyel" represents a form of language drift, adapted from the name of their original habitat, which was an "O'Neill" station. Their leader is called a "Drech'tor," which of course derives from "Director," the leader of the original colony. This reminded me of a much more recent example of this in Star Trek: the Short Treks episode "Calypso" featured a glimpse at the future of the galaxy, 1000 years beyond the 23rd century, in which a group of humans are fighting an enemy called the "V'Draysh," which turns out to be the "Federation."

In addition to the Neyel, The Sundered also features a cast of interesting characters that make up the crew of the Excelsior, a few of whom we will meet again in later Star Trek installments. Thanks to Voyager's "Flashback," we have Tuvok as a part of the crew, along with Leonard James Akaar, whom fans of the novels know will go on to become commander-in-chief of Starfleet in books set in the post-Star Trek Nemesis era. Other characters I found interesting included Commander Lojur, a Halkan who was exiled from his planet due to his deviation from their philosophy of complete pacifism, and of course familiar faces Chekov, Rand, and Chapel.

There are a number of memorable moments in this novel, including an intense duel between Captain Sulu and a Tholian using a "monomolecular blade," a nasty weapon that sounds far too dangerous for me to even consider getting near. A highlight to me as well was the final decision by Ambassador Burgess to remain with the Neyel at the end of the novel, making me appreciate the character all the more. The events of this novel will also feature in future stories, most notably the second novel in the Star Trek: Titan series, The Red King, which Bruce Gibson and I will be reading soon for an upcoming episode of the Literary Treks podcast.

 Final thoughts:

A very memorable story that serves as a terrific start to the Lost Era series. The Neyel are a fascinating exploration of a branch of humanity that is nearly unrecognizable, but still ultimately human for good and for ill. There was also a great deal of insight into the Tholians, which I really appreciate, as they are a species that I always love to learn more about. I enjoyed the authors' efforts at reconciling various accounts of the Tholians into a cohesive version of them for this novel. A strong story featuring interesting characters and a setup from which to launch future stories, The Sundered really is Martin and Mangels at their best, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying every aspect of the book.

More about The Sundered:

Also by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels:

My next read:

Book three of the I.K.S. Gorkon series: Enemy Territory by Keith R.A. DeCandido.

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Thursday, February 2, 2017

The Buried Age

Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Buried Age by Christopher L. Bennett
A Tale of The Lost Era
Published July 2007
Read April 21st 2016

Previous book (The Lost Era): The Catalyst of Sorrows
Next book (The Lost Era): Terok Nor: Day of the Vipers

 Previous book (The Next Generation): Death in Winter
Next book (The Next Generation): Resistance



 Spoilers ahead for The Buried Age!

 From the back cover:
Jean-Luc Picard. His name has gone down in legend as the captain of the USS Stargazer and two starships Enterprise. But the nine years of his life leading up to the inaugural mission of the USS Enterprise to Farpoint Station have remained a mystery—until now, as Picard's lost era is finally unearthed. 
Following the loss of the Stargazer and the brutal court-martial that resulted, Picard no longer sees a future for himself in Starfleet. Turning to his other love, archaeology, he embarks on a quest to rediscover a buried age of ancient galactic history… and awakens a living survivor of that era: a striking, mysterious woman frozen in time since before the rise of Earth's dinosaurs. But this powerful immortal has a secret of cataclysmic proportions, and her plans will take Picard—aided along the way by a brilliant but naïve android, an insightful Betazoid, and an enigmatic El-Aurian—to the heights of passion, the depths of betrayal, and the farthest reaches of explored space.

My thoughts:

The Buried Age begins with the depiction of a much-discussed event: The battle betwen the U.S.S. Stargazer and an unknown adversary, later learned to be a Ferengi vessel. Although Picard defeated the Ferengi using what later came to be known as the "Picard Maneuver," the Stargazer was too badly damaged and had to be abandoned.

The origin of the "Picard Maneuver" (no, not that one) is explored in The Buried Age.

This leads into an event I was excited to read about: the trial of Jean-Luc Picard and his culpability in the loss of the Stargazer. In the second season TNG episode "The Measure of a Man," it is revealed that the case was prosecuted by Phillipa Louvois, who was an old flame of Jean-Luc's. I've long been interested in seeing this fascinating backstory play out, so I was happy to learn that it would be featured in this novel. However, during the trial, Louvois came across differently than what I was expecting. I found her character just a little bit too unlikeable, especially with how her actions were regarded by the other characters involved in the trial. In "The Measure of a Man," I had the image of someone who was a little overzealous and a stickler for the law, but in The Buried Age she comes across as almost crazed in her attempt to prosecute the Stargazer case. I suppose that this accounts for the reception Picard gives her in the TNG episode, but I felt that it didn't cast her character in the best light here. Still, the outcome of the trial was a fascinating piece in the puzzle of the life of Jean-Luc Picard.

Phillipa Louvois was one of my favorite guest characters in early TNG, and I was a little disappointed by her portrayal in The Buried Age. Still, it does make sense given the feelings of animosity that Captain Picard has towards her in "The Measure of a Man."
After the fallout from the trial, Picard resigns from Starfleet to pursue academia and archaeology. This was an interesting period in Picard's life, and it was fun to see the former captain free from the world of Starfleet. I'm reminded of Professor Galen's admonition to Picard that he should not be in Starfleet, and should instead be traveling the galaxy with him on archaeological expeditions. The fact that Picard has pursued this for a period of time and come out the other side with the realization that Starfleet is the better choice was illuminating. Although, in this case, it may be that Picard was pressured back into the service, but it is a calling that has certainly dominated most of his adult life.

Much of The Buried Age follows Picard as he attempts to unravel an ancient mystery left behind by beings that lived in our galaxy millions of years ago. One such being is revived from an eons-long sleep by a team led by Picard, investigating an ancient base of operations. Seemingly devoid of any memories, she is called Ariel by her rescuers. Picard feels an immediate attraction to her, and the two of them soon find themselves in a serious relationship. However, because Ariel is so ancient and so far beyond Picard, the end result is all but inevitable. I have recently begun watching Doctor Who, and I feel like this vast power difference is how a relationship between The Doctor and any of his companions would actually play out. A being that is so ancient and evolved would see a human as little more than a pet, and in this way, Ariel is able to thoroughly manipulate Picard to her own ends. The betrayal is equal parts inevitable and shocking in that it happens so fast. Reading this part also reminded me of elements of the film Ex Machina.

One really fun aspect of this novel which I was not expecting was the immediate lead-up to the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation. We see the first meetings between Picard and a few of his senior staff. Of particular interest to me was Picard's recruitment of Data as his Operations Manager. Data's posting prior to meeting Picard was basically as a file clerk aboard a Starbase. Recognizing the great potential that Data possesses, Picard chose him to join a mission, and subsequently offered him a post on the Enterprise. I have to admit, I never gave much thought to Data's career before TNG, and it was interesting to see Bennett's take on his story.

An interesting revelation in The Buried Age is that Picard rescued Data from a dead-end career when he recruited him for a position on his crew.

Jean-Luc Picard in season one of TNG is a hard man to get to know by all accounts, and in The Buried Age, we learn a lot about why that might be. Picard is a man who is shaped by his experiences, and the huge betrayal by Ariel has led him to be a private man who holds himself at a distance from the people around him. Kudos to Christopher Bennett for crafting a fascinating story that explores the motivation behind this character. Picard has always been a favorite of mine, and this story chronicles a very important chapter in his life.

 Final thoughts:

As someone who reads a ton of Star Trek novels, a few author names always seem to float to the top of the pile. Christopher L. Bennett is one of them. His stories often have a huge scope and weight to them, and although this word is overused, his works can easily be described as "epic." The Buried Age is quite possibly the quintessential expression of this. A huge story spanning millions of years is the backdrop for an astounding character piece that examines the life of Jean-Luc Picard and explains what made him the man we see when the TNG series begins. At times feeling a bit like Stargate SG-1, The Buried Age is a fun story dealing with ancient races and hidden secrets, while at the same time being a great Star Trek story, celebrating the thrill and excitement of exploration.
5/5 stars.

 More about The Buried Age:


Also by Christopher L. Bennett:

My next read:

The final part of William Shatner's first Trek trilogy: Avenger!


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Thursday, November 20, 2014

Dawn of the Eagles

Star Trek: Terok Nor (A Saga of The Lost Era)
Dawn of the Eagles, 2360 - 2369 by S.D. Perry & Britta Dennison
Published June 2008
Read October 24th 2014

Previous book (Terok Nor): Night of the Wolves
Next book (The Lost Era): One Constant Star
Purchase (MMPB): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Purchase (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Dawn of the Eagles and the Terok Nor miniseries!

 From the back cover:
As violence all across Bajor continues to escalate, Cardassian forces tighten their grip on the captive planet, driving back the resistance at every turn; but on Terok Nor and elsewhere, the winds of change are stirring -- the beginnings of a hurricane that will alter the landscape of the Occupation. And while secret dealings, shifting alliances, and personal demons buoy the wings of revolution, a mysterious shape-shifting life form begins a journey that will decide the fate of worlds.

My thoughts:

In the first book of the Terok Nor trilogy, Day of the Vipers, James Swallow presented us with the seeds of the occupation: the initial contact and eventual entrenchment of the Cardassians on Bajor. In book two, Night of the Wolves, Perry and Dennison show us a world under the heel of Cardassian authority: bowed, but not completely broken. It is in this final book that the future of Bajor is to be determined. Will this world and her people bow to Cardassian rule and continue down the path of enslavement and eventual extermination, or will the Bajorans finally come together to throw off the shackles of Cardassian oppression once and for all? And, perhaps more importantly, how many more tired literary cliches can I include in this review? Read on to find out!

Natima Lang and Quark
As in the previous novel, there is a lot going on in Dawn of the Eagles. The story follows the paths of a great many characters as the final years of the Cardassian occupation are chronicled. There are a number of stand-outs: Kira and the Shakaar resistance cell dealing with the extreme conditions created by the anti-Bajoran sensor system implemented by the Cardassians was a compelling tale. Natima Lang, the Cardassian propagandist-turned-dissident and her ill-fated relationship with Ferengi bartender Quark was also a treat to read about. The authors obviously have a firm grasp on the characters in their story, and do an excellent job of making their motivations and actions seem realistic. However, my favorite character in this part of the trilogy was Odo.

In Dawn of the Eagles, we learn the true extent of Odo's role in the final years of the Cardassian occupation. Were it not for Odo, some of the Bajoran resistance's greatest triumphs would never have come to pass. We see this young and in some ways naive Changeling on a journey that will have him work for the Cardassians on Terok Nor, yet never truly be called that most dreaded of titles: "collaborator."

Odo as head of security on Terok Nor under the Cardassians.

At this point in his journey, Odo is still quite inexperienced in his dealings with "solids," an aspect of his character that the authors illustrate very well. Often perplexed at humanoid behavior, Odo sees his way through the world with an overriding sense of justice, and applies that philosophy to every situation he comes across. While Gul Dukat dreams of turning Odo to the Cardassian cause, Odo himself only sees that idea of justice as his master. It is fascinating to see him confront the situation on Bajor and Terok Nor, and witnessing these events through his eyes lends a new perspective to the Cardassian occupation.

As I mentioned above, there is a great deal happening in the pages of this novel. We see a myriad of plot threads tied up, and most importantly, we see characters we've grown to love over seven years of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and beyond at the beginning of their journeys. Readers who want to understand the motivations of characters such as Kira Nerys, Odo, Kai Opaka, and even Gul Dukat will love where this series takes their characters.

 Final thoughts:

An eminently satisfying conclusion to the Terok Nor trilogy. While the final push by the Bajoran resistance leading to the Cardassian withdrawal felt a little rushed, the true heart of the story was what really counted: the characters. Perry and Dennison have a great feel for what makes these characters tick, and that expertise came through on every page of Dawn of the Eagles.

As a whole, the Terok Nor trilogy was a rewarding read for someone like me, who is a very big fan of Deep Space Nine. This trilogy of books makes an excellent companion piece to both the Deep Space Nine television series and the "relaunch" post-finale novel series.

 Also by S.D. Perry & Britta Dennison:

My next read:

Next up is the resolution to The Left Hand of Destiny by J.G. Hertzler and Jeffrey Lang!


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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Night of the Wolves

Star Trek: Terok Nor (A Saga of The Lost Era)
Night of the Wolves, 2345 - 2357 by S.D. Perry & Britta Dennison
Published May 2008
Read September 22nd 2014

Previous book (Terok Nor): Day of the Vipers
Next book (Terok Nor): Dawn of the Eagles
MMPB: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

Spoilers ahead for Night of the Wolves and the Terok Nor miniseries!

 From the back cover:
Eighteen years into the Occupation, a new star rises in Bajor's sky. It is the seat of power in this system, a place of slave labor and harsh summary judgments, the symbol of Cardassian might and the futility of resisting it. But even as the gray metal crown of Terok Nor ascends to its zenith, ragtag pockets of Bajoran rebels -- including a fierce young fighter named Kira Nerys -- have begun to strike back at their world's oppressors, and they intend to show the Cardassians that the night belongs to them.

My thoughts:

Night of the Wolves, the second book of the Terok Nor trilogy, continues the story of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. Whereas the first book in the series focused on the lead up to the occupation, here we see life on Bajor under Cardassian rule. It is not a pretty picture.

One huge difference between this novel and the previous one is the way in which it tells its story. In Day of the Vipers, there was a very clear narrative progression, and the sense that one single story was being told. Night of the Wolves (and presumably the third book, Dawn of the Eagles) feels much more like a snapshot of events during this period, jumping from one story to the next in rapid succession. This is not necessarily a bad thing; the authors do an excellent job in stitching together much of the references and flashbacks to the occupation from episodes of Deep Space Nine while filling in the blanks with storytelling of their own. The result is a coherent picture of what the occupation did to Bajor.

A young Ro Laren, her life forever shaped
by her experiences under Cardassian rule.
The Cardassian annexation was a formative event for many of the characters we know and love in Trek. Most notably, Kira and Ro are permanently scarred by their experiences, as are countless other players, both large and small. I was especially enthralled with Ro's back-story as related in Night of the Wolves. The young Ro Laren is representative of one of the most insidious aspects of military occupation: the loss of culture and feelings of resentment and anger in the youth. All that the younger generation has ever known is occupation by the Cardassians. They no longer buy into the beauty and wonder of their own culture, hence Laren's disillusionment with the Bajoran religion. This generation was robbed of their childhood and innocence. This story gives her actions and behavior later in life added meaning and explanation.

At times dark and depressing, Night of the Wolves nevertheless shows glimmers of hope. In the face of Cardassian oppression, a resistance movement has formed, made up of Bajoran freedom fighters intent on reclaiming their world. However, we know from the bits and pieces of the history of the occupation gleaned from episodes of Deep Space Nine that it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

There are some truly exciting scenes in this novel, most notably the depiction of the Shakaar resistance cell's liberation of Gallitep, a Cardassian mining camp filled with Bajoran slaves marked for death. Referred to in the DS9 episode "Duet," seeing the liberation play out was very exciting.

Survivors of Gallitep, a brutal mining project using Bajoran slave labor. Gallitep was liberated by the Shakaar resistance cell, and Kira Nerys played a major role in that operation.

 Final thoughts:

In many ways, this miniseries suffers from some of the same problems that the Star Wars prequel films did: it tells a story that does not end well. While the trilogy has to end with the liberation of Bajor, we know that there is going to be a lot of suffering before that happens, which is something that can sour a reader on this series. However, if one can get past that initial trepidation, Terok Nor is a trilogy with an excellent payoff: very well-written books telling an enthralling story about some of my favorite characters in Star Trek.

As a continuity buff and a huge fan of Deep Space Nine, reading this trilogy has been a huge treat for me. In this second book, Perry and Dennison have crafted a stark and brutally honest look at the occupation and the hellish conditions it produced for Bajor and her people. While this is easily one of the darkest chapters in Star Trek history, the long night must eventually end; dawn is coming.

 Also by S.D. Perry & Britta Dennison:

My next read:

If all goes according to plan, look for my review of David Mack's brand-new entry into the 24th century storyline, Section 31: Disavowed, one week from today!


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Thursday, October 2, 2014

Day of the Vipers

Star Trek: Terok Nor (A Saga of The Lost Era)
Day of the Vipers, 2318 - 2328 by James Swallow
Published April 2008
Read March 18th 2014

Previous book (The Lost Era): The Next Generation: The Buried Age
Next book (Terok Nor): Night of the Wolves
Purchase (MMPB): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Purchase (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Day of the Vipers and the Terok Nor miniseries!

 From the back cover:
A seemingly benign visitation to the bountiful world of Bajor from the resource-poor Cardassian Union is viewed with cautious optimism by some, trepidation by others, and a calculating gleam by unscrupulous opportunists. What begins as a gesture of compassion soon becomes something very different. Seen through the eyes of participants on both sides -- including those of a young officer named Skrain Dukat -- the personal, political, and religious tensions between the Bajorans and the Cardassians quickly spiral out of control, irrevocably shaping the futures of both worlds in an emotionally charged and unforgettable tale of treachery, tragedy, and hope.

My thoughts:

The Cardassian occupation of Bajor is a 60-year period of history that was explored at various times in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and the aftermath of which is the setting of the series itself. In the course of several episodes (such as "Necessary Evil," "Things Past," and "Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night"), we have seen what Bajor and Terok Nor were like during the occupation, but what about before the Cardassians arrived? What was Bajor like, and what led to the beginning of the occupation? It is the answers to these questions that make Day of the Vipers so compelling.

Many episodes of Deep Space Nine have shown us flashbacks of Bajor during the occupation (such as this scene from "Ties of Blood and Water"), but how did the occupation begin? Day of the Vipers answers this question.

Dramatic irony is used throughout the story. As readers familiar with the occupation of Bajor, we know where this is all headed: to a very dark, disastrous place. However, the characters in the story aren't privy to that information, and their plight is made all the more tragic due to the inevitability of what is to come. At times, you just want to reach into the pages to grab characters by the lapels and scream, "don't you see what is happening?!?" It is frustrating to witness the mistakes and deceptions that led to the horrors of the Cardassian occupation.

The true tragedy is the fall of two worlds, Bajor and Cardassia. Like Bajor, Cardassia was once a verdant planet with a population that lived in peace with nature. However, Cardassia has forgotten this and is now a desolate wasteland, home to a people who are desperate. This desperation is visited upon the Bajorans, who can't conceive of a people who would take what is theirs because they have none of their own.

The occupation is not only the story of Bajor, but of Cardassia as well. The famine and hardships experienced by that world directly led to the occupation of Bajor, a resource-rich world that proved extremely tempting to the resource-poor Cardassians.

Reading a few on-line reviews of Day of the Vipers, I noticed that some readers seemed to have been put off by the slower pace of the novel. However, I felt that the pacing of the story was very fitting. The Cardassian occupation was not an event that happened all at once; rather, there was a slow build-up. The Cardassians didn't arrive and invade Bajor militarily en masse, but instead insinuated themselves into Bajoran government and day-to-day life. The build-up to the occupation was slow and methodical, culminating in a horrific "false flag" incident in which a Bajoran fleet was destroyed by Cardassians acting as allies, while pinning the blame for the attack on the Tzenkethi. The slow build-up was perfect for the monumental importance of these events.

 Final thoughts:

Day of the Vipers is an excellent beginning to the Terok Nor miniseries, setting up the horrors of the Cardassian occupation very well. At times quite dark and depressing (we all know where this story is headed), this novel nonetheless shows the resilience and pride of the Bajoran people. This is not the most accessible of Star Trek novels. I think that a casual fan of Star Trek would have a much harder time picking up this novel than a more conventional TOS or TNG novel. However, for ardent fans, Day of the Vipers introduces a pivotal piece of Star Trek history, and I would recommend this novel for any reader who loves Deep Space Nine and the rich, well-developed lore of that series.

 Also by James Swallow:

My next read:

Continuing my series of reviews of the Deep Space Nine relaunch novels, my next review will be for S.D. Perry's Rising Son. Look for that soon!


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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

One Constant Star

Star Trek: The Lost Era
2319
One Constant Star by David R. George III
Release date: May 27th 2014
Read June 16th 2014

 Previous book (The Lost Era): Terok Nor: Dawn of the Eagles
Previous book (Enterprise-B Adventures): The Lost Era: Serpents Among the Ruins
Purchase (MMPB): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
Purchase (e-book): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for One Constant Star!

 From the back cover:
When Captain Demora Sulu leads the crew of U.S.S. Enterprise-B on a mission near Tzenkethi space, they explore Rejarris II, a planet they cannot explain. A strange structure on the surface could hold answers, but when a landing party transports down to study it, chaos erupts. After communication fails with one officer and another is horribly injured, Captain Sulu deems the planet too dangerous to continue exploring. She decides to leave Rejarris II, but not until she can retrieve her lost crew member. But when contact is ultimately severed with the captain, a Tzenkethi force subsequently appears. Could they be behind the mysteries on the planet, or the disappearances of the Enterprise officers?
Once, John Harriman commanded the Enterprise-B, with Demora Sulu by his side as his first officer. Eight years after stepping down as a starship captain—in the wake of the Tomed Incident—Harriman now serves as an admiral based out of Helaspont Station, on the edge of the Tzenkethi Coalition. When he receives a mysterious message from Rejarris II, Harriman realizes that he might hold the key to finding his former crewmate. In choosing to help recover Demora Sulu, though, he could risk losing everything he holds dear. What price is Harriman willing to pay to attempt to rescue his longtime friend?

My thoughts:

When I first heard that David R. George III would be writing a new Lost Era novel, and that it would feature Captain Demora Sulu and the crew of the Enterprise-B, I have to admit that I was expecting another political thriller in the vein of his earlier Enterprise-B novel, Serpents Among the Ruins. However, One Constant Star turned out to be anything but. With more of a "strange new worlds" or planetary mystery feel, One Constant Star sets aside the political landscape of the Federation and its surrounding neighbors for awhile and focuses on a Captain and her crew trying to overcome adversity, with repercussions that are far more personal for Captain Sulu than she expected.

Demora Sulu, seen here as an ensign in her very short amount of screen-time in Star Trek: Generations, is now a captain and the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B.
One aspect of One Constant Star that I really enjoyed was DRG's use of attention-grabbing action sequences. There are a number of scenes in this book that had me turning pages late into the night, including a harrowing attack on our heroes by a number of hideous spider-like beings, a fun sequence in which a fleet of shuttlecraft transport a large object from the surface of a planet into orbit, and finally a nail-biting portrayal of a starship's final moments as it is ripped apart by an alien device. The author is very good at writing action, and these sequences really grabbed hold of me and pulled me into the story.

When it comes down to it, One Constant Star is a story about responsibility. When a crewman is injured and becomes stranded on an alien world, Captain Demora Sulu feels individually responsible for ensuring his safe return. When Demora herself goes missing, her former commanding officer, Admiral Harriman, feels responsible for getting her back. He, in turn, is responsible to another: his wife, Sasine. Responsibility is at the core of the human experience and informs everything we do. One Constant Star explores this facet of humanity quite well.

Finally, One Constant Star made me truly care about these characters. DRG had his work cut out for him writing this novel (and his prior Lost Era stories) when he had to come up with an entire command crew for the Enterprise-B, most of whom have never had any screen time in a Trek episode or film. Characters such as Sulu's second in command, Linojj, really made the story come alive. Her attempts to deal with a horrific injury were particularly great to read. DRG was able to make these characters meaningful, with experiences and reactions that felt very real. Finally, the reveal of Demora Sulu as a bisexual (or possibly pansexual) woman was a welcome surprise, as was what is possibly Trek's first flirtation with the idea of open (or perhaps even polyamorous?) relationships.


Final thoughts:

While One Constant Star was not the political thriller I was initially expecting, I was still pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this story. A tale of trust and responsibility to the people in one's life, One Constant Star continues the tradition of Star Trek exploring something greater than the vastness of the cosmos: our own human frailties and strengths. As it says at the end of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the human adventure is just beginning.

Further resources:


Also by David R. George III:

My next read:

Next up in the summer reading catch-up is the recent e-book release by Scott Pearson: The More Things Change. Coming soon!


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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Serpents Among the Ruins

Star Trek: The Lost Era
2311
Serpents Among the Ruins by David R. George III
Published September 2003
Read February 11th 2014

 Previous book (The Lost Era): The Sundered
Next book (The Lost Era): The Art of the Impossible
Next book (Enterprise-B Adventures): One Constant Star
Purchase:
Mass-market paperback: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
E-book (Kindle): Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

Spoilers ahead for Serpents Among the Ruins!

 From the back cover:
THE YEAR IS 2311
It is a year of infamy, a year that later generations will remember as one that altered the course of history at the cost of thousands of lives. It is the year of the Tomed Incident, and its tale can at last be told.
In the midst of escalating political tensions among the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Federation, Starfleet goes forward with the inaugural flight of Universe, a prototype starship that promises to revolutionize space exploration. But the Universe experiment results in disaster, ravaging a region of space dangerously close to the Romulan Star Empire, apparently confirming suspicions that the Federation has begun testing a weapon of mass destruction.
As the military buildup accelerates on both sides of the Neutral Zone, Captain John Harriman of the Federation flagship U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B is fated for a final confrontation with his oldest enemy at a flashpoint in history -- with the Beta Quadrant one wrong move from the outbreak of total war.

Serpents Among the Ruins features the voyages of the Enterprise-B under the command of Captain John Harriman.
My thoughts:

The Tomed Incident. First mentioned in the TNG season one finale, "The Neutral Zone," it was reportedly the last known contact between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire (minus a ret-conned encounter between the Enterprise-C and Romulan forces attacking a Klingon outpost at Narendra III). What could possibly have happened to make the Romulans retreat behind their borders and avoid contact with the Federation for decades? In Serpents Among the Ruins, we find out the answer to that question.

Never let it be said that David R. George III can't craft a compelling and engrossing story. From the first page, Serpents Among the Ruins grabbed my attention and held it. He does an excellent job at showing us a quadrant on the brink of warfare, a veritable powder keg waiting for the smallest spark to set it off. It is in this volatile environment that Captain Harriman finds himself. Both the architect and the engineer of a complicated operation to counter the Romulan threat, Harriman gambles with the lives of people on both sides of the conflict.

Captain Harriman's character recovers somewhat from his embarrassing ordeal in Star Trek: Generations.
Serpents Among the Ruins continues what I like to call the redemption of the character of Captain John Harriman. This process was begun in Peter David's novel The Captain's Daughter, where we finally get to see Harriman as a competent captain rather than the one-note foil for the awesomeness of James T. Kirk in Generations. Here, we see a veteran captain who has commanded the Enterprise for the past 18 years.

Where Serpents Among the Ruins kind of falls down a bit (for me, at least) is the cynicism with which it portrays the Federation and its dealings with its neighbors. The operation that Harriman undertakes is a massive deception which implicates the Romulan Empire in the deaths of Federation citizens. While I understand that the world is generally a messier place than we'd like it to be, Star Trek has tended to be above that. When the conspiracy became apparent in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, it was understood to be the work of a few rogue elements within the Federation. However, Harriman's deception in Serpents has the approval and blessing of Starfleet and the Federation. This, to me, is somewhat problematic. However, if we take as granted the repeated assertion that the Federation is on the brink of war and that nothing short of the plan we see in the novel would have stopped it, it becomes somewhat more palatable.

Azetbur, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire.
This is not to say that Serpents Among the Ruins is not entertaining! Of the original run of Lost Era books, Serpents remains my favorite (with the possible exception of Keith DeCandido's The Art of the Impossible). This novel is a rollicking adventure that doesn't let up until the final page is turned. David writes great scenes for all of the characters, including a lot of the secondaries such as Romulan ambassador Gell Kamemor and Klingon Chancellor Azetbur. I had a hard time putting this one down in the wee hours of the morning.



 Final thoughts:

A great, fast-paced story of political intrigue and covert operations. Non-stop from cover to cover, Serpents Among the Ruins was a lot of fun to read. Some Star Trek fans might balk at the morality of the overall plan by the Federation, but if you can get past that bit of unpleasantness, Serpents is a truly great read.

Further resources:

Also by David R. George III:

My next read:

 Next up, I continue my re-read of the Deep Space Nine relaunch with the final entry in Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil by Robert Simpson.


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