The Dominion: Olympus Descending

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Three
The Dominion: Olympus Descending by David R. George III
Published February 2005
Read April 24^th 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed
Next book (Deep Space Nine): Warpath

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

Spoilers ahead for Olympus Descending and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

Since its defeat in the war for the Alpha Quadrant, the Great Link -- the living totality of the shape-shifting Founders -- has struggled with questions. At its moment of greatest doubt, its fate, and that of the Dominion itself, is tied to Odo's investigation of his kind's true motives for sending a hundred infant changelings out into the galaxy. As Odo searches for answers and takes a hard look at his past choices, Taran'atar reaches a turning point in his own quest for clarity... one from which there may be no going back.

My thoughts:

The Founders: revered as gods by the other species that make up the Dominion, an interstellar empire created by the Changelings to bring order to a chaotic galaxy. But what if these self-proclaimed gods had a god of their own? What would that mean for them? And perhaps more importantly, what would that mean for their followers? This is the idea that is at the heart of Olympus Descending. As Odo and Laas work to discover the Founders' motivations, a momentous event is portended by the appearance of a nova in sky near the Omarion Nebula.

Odo and Laas, having returned to the link, are working to rediscover their people after a long absence.

The god of the Founders, The Progenitor, is the real reason the Founders sent out the 100 newly-formed changelings into the galaxy, of which Odo was one. Hoping to lure their god back to their original homeworld in the Omarion Nebula, the Founders believe they have finally succeeded. However, is the Progenitor truly a god? And what has become of it? The answer to this question in particular has a huge impact on the Founders.

Taran'atar visits the Female Changeling in prison.

Meanwhile, back in the Alpha quadrant, Taran'atar requests permission to visit the so-called "female changeling," incarcerated in a maximum security facility since the end of the war. Upon learning from her that the Founders have a god of their own, Taran'atar's entire worldview is thrown into disarray. Increasingly disillusioned about the mission that Odo has sent him on, his experience at the prison is the final impetus to cause him to question the divinity of the Founders and the value of the task he has been assigned.

David R. George III has created a dark and brooding story that served to capture my attention from page one. I was completely enthralled with this story, both with the experiences of Odo in the Great Link and with the self-doubt and fear experienced by the Jem'Hadar, Taran'atar. In particular, the author's depiction of the Great Link and the perspective of a changeling within it were very interesting, and something we never really got in the television series.

Part of the story also featured Odo's remembrances of the conversation between him and Kira following the events of the season six "war arc" stories. In those episodes, Odo seemingly betrayed Kira and the rest of the resistance, only to have a change of heart at the last minute. Odo and Kira's relationship was extremely strained by those events, and the resolution to this happens very unsatisfyingly off-screen in a conversation held in the wee hours of the morning between the two characters. Olympus Descending finally gives us the content of that conversation, something that must have been very challenging for the author to write. However, he pulls it off very well, giving us a resolution for these characters that rings true.

We finally get a satisfying resolution to Odo and Kira's falling out at the beginning of season six.

Final thoughts:

An excellent story that sets up the next chapter in the Deep Space Nine saga in a very compelling way. There are a lot of hanging threads with regards to the fate of Taran'atar, as well as that of Captain Kira and Lieutenant Ro. I'm also fascinated to see where the story of the Founders goes from here, as the Great Link has fundamentally changed following the events of this story.

An excellent conclusion to the Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series, and a great jumping-off point for where the series will go from here.

More about Olympus Descending:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 124: Insert a Shudder Here

Also by David R. George III:

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #23: The 34th Rule with Armin Shimerman (1999)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma, Book One: Twilight (2002)
• Star Trek: The Lost Era: Serpents Among the Ruins (2003)
• Star Trek: Typhon Pact: Plagues of Night (2012)
• Star Trek: Typhon Pact: Raise the Dawn (2012)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: Allegiance in Exile (2013)
• Star Trek: The Fall: Revelation and Dust (2013)
• Star Trek: The Lost Era: One Constant Star (2014)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Sacraments of Fire (2015)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Ascendance (2016)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Long Mirage (2017)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Gamma: Original Sin (2017)

My next read:

Next up is my review of the all-new TOS novel by the talented Dave Galanter: it's Crisis of Consciousness!

Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Three
Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Published February 2005
Read April 3^rd 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Bajor: Fragments and Omens
Next book (Deep Space Nine): The Dominion: Olympus Descending

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

Spoilers ahead for Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

Quark's profit-driven homeworld is rocked with scandal as shocking allegations involving his brother's first wife, the mother of Nog, threaten to overthrow Rom as Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance. Making matters worse, Quark has been recruited by Rom's political adversaries to join their coup d'etat, with guarantees of all Quark ever dreamed if they succeed in taking his brother down. While Ferenginar's future teeters on the edge, the pregnancy of Rom's current wife, Leeta, takes a difficult turn for both mother and child.

My thoughts:

Deep Space Nine accomplished many things during its seven-year run as a television series. One of the most important things it did was to redeem the Ferengi in the eyes of many Star Trek fans, including me. The DS9 Ferengi were no longer trying to be the supposed threatening antagonists they were branded as initially in TNG. Instead, through the characters of Quark, Rom, and Nog, we got to know the Ferengi on a more personal level. The Ferengi became people rather than comical profit-driven buffoons. While there was still a certain amount of buffoonery, these characters were now dynamic and certainly more realistic.

The government of Grand Nagus Rom is under threat in Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed.

Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed continues that trend admirably. While it certainly is comical, this story explores the Ferengi homeworld and presents it in a realistic way. From the perspective of the Federation and its values, the Ferengi can seem "backwards" or overly silly, but to the Ferengi, profit is a serious business. I enjoyed how even the non-Ferengi took the situation seriously when it would be easy to laugh off the politics of Ferenginar. Lieutenant Ro and her experiences on Ferenginar gave us an interesting outsider's perspective to the events in the novel.

I remember my trepidation regarding this novel years ago when I read the back-cover blurb. While I definitely understand that Quark is an old-school Ferengi who dislikes the direction the new Ferenginar is taking, I was worried about the damage done to his character if the story made him actually participate in a coup against his brother Rom. However, my fears were ill-founded, as DeCandido handles Quark's character with his usual sensitivity and style. I enjoyed the internal struggle that Quark experiences while wrestling with whether or not to support his brother's government despite his misgivings. The fact that his old adversary, the slimy FCA Liquidator Brunt, returns in this story makes Quark's decision much easier!

Once again, Brunt is scheming to become Grand Nagus.

The Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series is touted as a look into the cultures of Star Trek, in much the same way that Spock's World explored Vulcan. In that respect, Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed is very satisfying. While we visited Ferenginar a couple of times during Deep Space Nine, we never really got a feel for what life on the planet was like day-to-day. This novella gives us more of that experience, and we see a lot more of Ferenginar than we have before. Ferenginar feels like a real place in the pages of this story.

Final thoughts:

A generally lighthearted story that still has huge repercussions for the Ferengi. While there are many comical elements to the story, Satisfaction Is Not Guaranteed still treats the Ferengi with respect and dignity in the style of the best Ferengi episodes of Deep Space Nine. Over the course of the series, Quark turned into a truly round and multi-faceted character, and one of my favorites. I enjoyed the look into his beliefs and the choices that have led him to where he is now. The glimpses into the day-to-day life of the average Ferengi citizen was very interesting as well.

A great addition to the Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series, and one that any Quark fan should enjoy immensely.

More about Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 121: Wall Street of the '80s

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)
• 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)

My next read:

Next week, part four of the Slings and Arrows series: That Sleep of Death by Terri Osborne.

Bajor: Fragments and Omens

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Two
Bajor: Fragments and Omens by J. Noah Kym
Published May 2004
Read March 19^th 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Trill: Unjoined
Next book (Deep Space Nine): Ferenginar: Satisfaction is not Guaranteed

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

Spoilers ahead for Fragments and Omens and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

The honeymoon is over. Following the euphoria of Bajor's marriage to the Federation, the real work of making that union work has begun. But even on a world where politics and religion are intertwined, conflicting visions of Bajor's role in the interstellar arena divide the planet's leadership. As newly minted Captain Kira Nerys sets the tone for the kind of Starfleet officer she will be, First Minister Asarem makes a bold move to define Bajor's voice in the Federation, while the returned Benjamin Sisko prepares for a future that only he, as yet, can see.

My thoughts:

Bajor has entered an exciting and daunting new chapter. After having gone through long periods of occupation, rebuilding, and standing on her own, Bajor is now a fully-fledged member of the United Federation of Planets. As with any huge change, there are bound to be a few growing pains, but for the most part, the coming era of Bajoran prosperity is looking very bright indeed.

Until, of course, the unthinkable happens: Sidau, a village on Bajor, is completely destroyed in a huge explosion, seemingly perpetrated by off-world elements. Sidau turns out to have been the village from the first season DS9 episode "The Storyteller," in which a dying religious leader names Chief O'Brien as his replacement. The motive behind this heinous crime seems like it will be the impetus for the story of Deep Space Nine going forward.

The Bajoran village of Sidau is completely destroyed in what appears to be a terrorist attack.

Over the course of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I have come to truly care for Bajor and her people, but I don't think I realized how much until reading Fragments and Omens. As Bajor faces this latest crisis, as well as the huge changes coming following joining the Federation, I found myself feeling very deeply for the psyche and the character of the people of Bajor. In one part of the story, Jake sets out on his own to "find himself," and ends up spending time with a young Bajoran woman named Rena. Through her and her friends, we see what the huge political changes Bajor is experiencing mean to the common Bajoran. Rena struggles between embracing the brave new future Federation membership will bring and maintaining her family's traditional way of life in the village of Mylea.

In Fragments and Omens, we meet Rena, a young Bajoran artist torn between embracing the future and honoring the past.

As Rena's story begins, we see her returning home to Mylea from university. Having experienced life outside of her home village, she has become somewhat jaded with her home community and circle of friends. I myself spent two years away from home teaching English overseas. Upon returning to my hometown in northern Alberta, Canada, I had an experience very similar to Rena's. My time away from home changed me in some fundamental ways, ways that I am still hesitant to share with my friends and family for fear that they won't fully embrace the ways I have changed. Rena's story, therefore, felt very familiar to me. I don't necessarily believe the old saying that "you can't go home again," but going home again can mean seeing it through changed eyes, and one may not always like what they see when they return.

Above all, this is a coming of age story, both for Bajor and for characters such as Jake and Rena. I loved this story's exploration of these changes through the experiences of the strong characters the populate the novel. As the Bajoran Militia aboard DS9 is folded into Starfleet, many Bajorans worry that their identity will be subsumed into the vast Federation. However, these changes will also bring about a lot of good on Bajor, and I believe that the message of the story is that the Bajoran people are strong enough to make their voices heard over the chorus of the Federation. If the characters we see in Fragments and Omens are any indication, Bajorans will be a prominent and vocal member of the Federation.

Final thoughts:

J. Noah Kym writes the Bajoran characters exceptionally well. Kira, Ro, First Minister Asarem, Opaka, Krim, Rena; all of the characters have a unique voice that really establishes the strength and diversity of the Bajoran people. If these stories truly purport to be the definitive representations of the worlds of Deep Space Nine, then Fragments and Omens succeeds brilliantly. Kym gives us a beautiful look at this world and her people, and sets the stage for the next chapter in the Deep Space Nine saga.

More about Fragments and Omens:

• Literary Treks 116: Bajor's John Hughes Story

My next read:

Next up: The all-new continuation of Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: it's Uncertain Logic by Christopher L. Bennett!

Trill: Unjoined

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume Two
Trill: Unjoined by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
Published May 2004
Read February 9^th 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Andor: Paradigm
Next book (Deep Space Nine): Bajor: Fragments and Omens

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

Spoilers ahead for Unjoined and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

They are a people with secrets. For centuries they kept their true nature hidden, even taking disturbing steps to protect the small population of near-immortal symbionts with whom a privileged few Trill are joined, body, mind, and soul. They are a people who hold memory to be sacred, yet deny their own past. Now amid a whirlwind of scandal, accusations, and growing civil unrest, Ezri Dax must penetrate millennia of lies and deceptions, and rediscover what should never have been forgotten, before her civilization rips itself apart.

My thoughts:

One thing that these "Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" stories have done well (so far) is to make the societies they highlight feel very real. This is especially true for Trill. In Unjoined, we see a planet in turmoil. The tension between the joined minority and the unjoined majority seems to be at a boiling point, with unjoined radicals employing violent methods to overthrow the joined.

Trill is also a society of secrets, and Martin and Mangels use that history to great effect in Unjoined. We learn about the origins of the parasites, which have been the primary antagonists of the Deep Space Nine book series of late, and where they come from is a very dark secret indeed. It would seem that their deep-seated hatred of the Trill may be somewhat understandable.

Not only does Unjoined delve into the society of the humanoid Trill, it also showcases and reveals much about the symbionts. These long-lived species are much more than the small slug-like beings we see joined with humanoid hosts; symbiont society exists also in the form of massive beings far underwater on Trill.

A Trill symbiont about to be joined with a humanoid host. These small symbionts, however, are very young compared to the massive creatures who live deep beneath the surface of Trill.

If there is one thing that the writing team of Martin and Mangels excels at, it is world-building. The revelations about Trill's society and past are alarming and very well-written. One criticism, however, is their handling of the relationship between Bashir and Ezri Dax. There were times where it felt very ungenuine. While the final development in this novel between the two of them is not wholly unexpected, it was still disappointing. I feel that these two characters deserve better than what was portrayed here. However, this may just be hurt feelings on my part on behalf of both characters. Relationships are difficult, and not every one turns out the way you would like.

Ezri Dax and Julian Bashir

Final thoughts:

A very good exploration of Trill society that doesn't shy away from examining big issues. Secrets are anathema to open, functioning society, and Unjoined illustrates this beautifully. I enjoy the writing style of the team of Martin and Mangels, and the way they craft their story is fun to watch unfold. For example, at the beginning of the novel, we see Bashir bristling at the way that the Trill hospital he is in is favoring the treatment of joined patients while neglecting the unjoined ones. The reader, of course, agrees with Bashir that this is wildly unfair, and we are left thinking that the protests are overwhelmingly justified. However, later in the story, we learn the reason for this preferential treatment in this specific case, and new light is shed on the situation. The universe is most certainly not black and white, and the authors do an excellent job of showing this.

More about Trill: Unjoined:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 114: An Overabundance of Colons

Also by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels:

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma, Book Three: Cathedral (2002)
• Star Trek: The Lost Era: The Sundered (2003)
• Star Trek: Titan: Taking Wing (2005)
• Star Trek: Titan: The Red King (2005)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Last Full Measure (2006)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: The Good That Men Do (2007)
• Star Trek: Excelsior: Forged in Fire (2007)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Kobayashi Maru (2008)

My next read:

Next up is my review of the brand-new TOS novel by Tony Daniel: Savage Trade. Until then, LLAP!

Andor: Paradigm

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume One
Andor: Paradigm by Heather Jarman
Published May 2004
Read January 17^th 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Cardassia: The Lotus Flower
Next book (Deep Space Nine): Trill: Unjoined

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

Spoilers ahead for Paradigm and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

On the eve of a great celebration of their ancient past, the unusual and mysterious Andorians, a species with four sexes, must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to ensure their survival. Biological necessity clashes with personal ethics; cultural obligation vies with love -- and Ensign Thirishar ch'Thane returns home to the planet he forswore, to face not only the consequences of his choices, but a clandestine plan to alter the very nature of his kind.

My thoughts:

Thirishar Ch'Thane, DS9's science officer,
and one of the most interesting additions
to the DS9 panoply of characters.

The Deep Space Nine relaunch introduced readers to a slate of new characters to go along with the familiar DS9 characters who remained on the station following the series finale, "What You Leave Behind." Among my favorites of these newcomers was a young Andorian ensign named Thirishar Ch'Thane.

Until Star Trek: Enterprise, none of the Star Trek television series really explored this fascinating species in detail. Thankfully, the novels existed to pick up the slack. In the pages of the post-finale DS9 novels, we learned more about the Andorians than ever before. Their unique four-sex biology was explored (extrapolated from a throwaway line by Data in the TNG episode "Data's Day"), and much was revealed about their culture and societal obligations through the character of "Shar" and that of his "Zhavey," Charivretha zh'Thane.

In Paradigm, Shar returns home to Andor at the request of his zhavey, who is a prominent politician in the Federation. While there, he encounters Dizhei and Anichent, the surviving members of his "bondgroup," following the suicide of Thriss in the novel Cathedral.

The characters are by far where Paradigm shines. There is a lot going on at this point in Shar's life: he has recently dissolved his relationship with his remaining bondmates, possibly ending the chance to conceive a child; he is estranged from his own family, which has made life difficult not only for himself but for his mother's career; Shar's life is truly at a crossroads, and it isn't clear the direction he should take next.

Paradigm also serves as an interesting exploration of Andor and its culture. Some of the things it establishes are later contradicted by Star Trek: Enterprise, most notably in the episode "The Aenar," but with minimal squinting the differences are minor and go unnoticed. Jarman does an excellent job of making Andor (or Andoria) feel very real, and depicting a multi-faceted culture with deep traditions and values that often divide its people.

Enterprise later explored Andor and its people, but Paradigm got there first!

Final thoughts:

I really enjoyed Paradigm, and I felt that Heather Jarman delved deeply into the characters in this story. The emotions experienced by Shar and the other Andorian characters felt very real, while at the same time seeming genuinely "alien," different from the human norm we are used to. Shar deals with a lover's recent death, has to face her family (along with dealing with his own estranged mother), and is beginning to grow closer to Prynn Tenmei, an outsider that Andorian society would never approve of; it's some pretty heady stuff, and Jarman does a good job navigating the complex issues at play.

More about Paradigm:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 109: Andorian High School Musical

Also by Heather Jarman:

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma, Book Two: This Gray Spirit (2002)

My next read:

Looking forward to reviewing this month's new release: The Next Generation: Takedown by John Jackson Miller, New York Times bestselling author!

Cardassia: The Lotus Flower

Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Volume One
Cardassia: The Lotus Flower by Una McCormack
Published May 2004
Read January 8^th 2015

Previous book (Deep Space Nine): Unity
Next book (Deep Space Nine): Andor: Paradigm

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

Spoilers ahead for The Lotus Flower and the rest of the Deep Space Nine relaunch!

From the back cover:

The last world ravaged by the Dominion War is also the last on which Miles O'Brien ever imagined building a life. As he joins in the reconstruction of Cardassia's infrastructure, his wife Keiko spearheads the planet's difficult agricultural renewal. But Cardassia's struggle to remake itself -- from the fledgling democracy backed by Elim Garak to the people's rediscovery of their own spiritual past -- is not without opposition, as the outside efforts to help rebuild its civilization come under attack by those who reject any alien influence.

My thoughts:

When I began doing the Deep Space Nine relaunch reviews for this site (starting way back with Avatar, Book One), it was meant to be a re-reading project. However, I was surprised to realize that I had never actually read the Worlds of Deep Space Nine novels! Discovering this fact has meant that a wealth of DS9 stories that I have never read can be enjoyed for the first time now, including one of Una McCormack's first professional Trek stories: Cardassia: The Lotus Flower. Regular readers of Trek Lit Reviews will know that I think very highly of Una McCormack's work, having given very high marks to every one of her novels that I have read. So, what were my thoughts on The Lotus Flower?

Unsurprisingly, McCormack's work here is up to her usual excellent level. After the explosive "finale" of S.D. Perry's Unity, this first story in the Worlds of Deep Space Nine anthology felt much like some of DS9's season premieres: a soft re-tuning of the series' premise and a continuation of the story in a somewhat unexpected direction. This story of Cardassian recovery from the horrors of the end of the Dominion War is the perfect story to continue the saga of Deep Space Nine.

Keiko gets a storyline of her own in The Lotus Flower.

McCormack has a terrific handle on her characters. Miles O'Brien's terror and anger at the jeopardy that Keiko is in felt very real, as did Keiko's steely resolve in the face of the threats and crises she faces. Keiko O'Brien was never one of my favorite characters on Star Trek (possibly unfairly so). She was often given the role of the "nagging" wife, with only occasional work done with her character to chart her own course apart from that of her husband, Miles. She gets her best storyline to date in this novel, in my opinion. In The Lotus Flower, she is not merely Miles' wife or Molly and Kirayoshi's mother, but a character in her own right.

Also written extremely well was, of course, Garak. Everyone's favorite "tailor" is back in this story, and he is up to his usual standard of excellence. Any time Una gets the chance to write Garak, I am on board. No other author, with perhaps the exception of Garak actor Andrew Robinson himself, has the ability to write him as well as McCormack can.

Garak plays political operative in Cardassia's young democratic government.

At one point in the story, the situation Cardassia faces following the Dominion War is compared to the state of Bajor following the Occupation. This juxtaposition is used to amazing effect and was a stroke of brilliance on the part of the author. This accompanies some strong character development for Vedek Yevir, the Bajoran religious figure to issued the attainder to Colonel Kira. I felt that The Lotus Flower continued the character redemption (or, at the very least, rehabilitation) of Yevir from the final two books of the Mission Gamma series. As with any truly round character, Yevir is revealed to have many facets. He is not simply a foil for Kira or anyone else; he is, in fact, much more.

Final thoughts:

An excellent continuation of the Deep Space Nine post-finale stories. Una McCormack has a great ear for the characters, and writes them extremely well. I love that Deep Space Nine delves into the lives of the secondary characters so deeply, and The Lotus Flower continues that tradition admirably.

More about The Lotus Flower:

• Podcast: Literary Treks 108: Star Trek Beyond the Thunderdome

Also by Una McCormack:

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Hollow Men (2005)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Never-Ending Sacrifice (2009)
• Star Trek: Typhon Pact: Brinkmanship (2012)
• Star Trek: The Fall: The Crimson Shadow (2013)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Missing (2014)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Enigma Tales (2017)
• Star Trek: Discovery: The Way to the Stars (2019)
• Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope (2020)

My next read:

Next week, the second story in Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Volume One, namely, Andor: Paradigm by Heather Jarman.