NEWS: Cover and blurb for Una McCormack's The Crimson Shadow!

Just unveiled today, the cover art as well as the back-cover blurb for Una McCormack's book in The Fall miniseries, The Crimson Shadow:

From the back cover:

Cardassia Prime is home to a prideful people who, for centuries, forged alliances with those they believed would strengthen them and their place in the Alpha Quadrant, and expanded their empire at great cost to other worlds. For generations, dissenting voices were silenced either by fear or an early grave. When their wartime ally, the Dominion, suddenly turned on them, seeking to transform Cardassia into a tomb for every last member of their race, their old adversary—the United Federation of Planets—put an end to the carnage, and even now works to help rebuild Cardassia Prime. 

To celebrate this alliance, the Castellan of the Cardassian Union is to welcome the Federation president to Cardassia Prime. As a symbol of this deepening friendship, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E is tasked to carry the Cardassian ambassador to the Federation back home. For his part, Ambassador Elim Garak is working with Captain Jean-Luc Picard to oversee the diplomatic reception that will commemorate the last of Starfleet’s personnel finally leaving the homeworld. However, there are malevolent forces at work, who even now strive to “restore Cardassia to its proper place and glory,” and are willing to do anything to achieve their goal...

The Crimson Shadow is available for preorder! Follow the links below to reserve your copy:

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

A Choice of Futures

Star Trek: Enterprise
Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures by Christopher L. Bennett
Release date: June 25^th, 2013
Read June 25^th 2013

Previous book (Enterprise): The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm
Next book (Enterprise): Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel

Click to purchase A Choice of Futures from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures!

From the back cover:

A new nation has arisen from the ashes of the Romulan War: the United Federation of Planets, an unprecedented union of diverse species cooperating for the good of all. Admiral Jonathan Archer—the former captain of the Earth starship Enterprise, whose efforts made this union possible—envisions a vibrant Fed­eration promoting galactic peace and a multispecies Starfleet dedicated to exploring strange new worlds. Archer’s former crewmates, including Captain T’Pol of the U.S.S. Endeavour and Captain Malcolm Reed of the U.S.S. Pioneer, work with him to secure that bright future. Yet others within the Federation see its purpose as chiefly military, a united defense against a dangerous galaxy, while some of its neighbors view that military might with suspicion and fear. And getting the member nations, their space fleets, and even their technologies to work together as a unified whole is an ongoing challenge.

When a new threat emerges from a force so alien and hostile that negotiation seems impossible, a group of unaligned worlds asks Starfleet to come to its defense, and the Federation’s leaders seize the opportunity to build their reputation as an interstellar power. But Archer fears the conflict is building toward an unnec­essary war, potentially taking the young nation down a path it was never meant to follow. Archer and his allies strive to find a better solution...but old foes are working secretly to sabotage their efforts and ensure that the great experiment called the Federation comes to a quick and bloody end.

Notable quote:

"Our dead deserve to be honored, Phlox." 

"But do we really honor them by using them as an excuse to add to their numbers?" Phlox shook his head. "Sometimes, Thanien, you simply have to stop letting the past define your life and live for the future instead. After all, nothing we do can change the past—barring time travel, which in my experience causes more problems than it solves." Thanien stared, but the doctor didn't elaborate on what experience that might have been. "The only thing our choices can affect or change is the future. So it seems to me that the future is where our attention can be most usefully directed."

- Dr. Phlox and U.S.S. Endeavour's first officer, Commander Thanien, discussing past enmities and where the Federation should go from here.

My thoughts:

The United Federation of Planets: an astropolitical entity that will, by the late 24th century, encompass 150 member worlds spread across 8000 lightyears. The Federation is based on democracy and self-determination, and becomes one of the major players in the Alpha and Beta quadrants of our galaxy. One question that has always been on my mind: how did the Federation come to be? We know that shortly after the Earth-Romulan War, the governments of Earth, Alpha Centauri, Vulcan, Andor, and Tellar came together to found the Federation, but we've never gotten the story of what those early years were like. Until now.

Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures does a superb job of fleshing out those early days of the Federation. Published under the Star Trek: Enterprise banner, A Choice of Futures isn't exactly a continuation of the Enterprise television series, but rather shows the political and social landscape of Earth and the Federation several years later. Because of the time frame, the characters of Enterprise are major players in that arena, and thus are showcased in this novel.

I have to admit to a certain amount of giddy, fanboy excitement when I first heard that Christopher L. Bennett would be taking the reins of the Enterprise book series, an excitement that was magnified when I learned that this book would showcase the early years of the Federation. One of Mr. Bennett's true strengths as a Trek writer is his enviable ability to weave together disparate bits of continuity minutiae into a surprisingly cohesive whole. One need only see his brilliance at reconciling the various Trek depictions of time travel into something resembling a logical "grand unified theory" of Star Trek temporal physics in his Department of Temporal Investigations novels, most notably Watching the Clock, to understand why this sort of project is perfect for this particular author. This latest endeavour by Mr. Bennett continues the tradition perfectly.

The "Mutes," or "Vertians," originally seen in an episode of Enterprise, represent a threat to peace in Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures.

A Vertian starship, responsible for attacks on Starfleet and others.

With the birth of the Federation coming so soon after the end of the Romulan War, a period in which many Alpha Quadrant powers were threatened with war and destruction, how did the Federation manage to follow the path of peace upon which it seems to founded? Might it not have instead become another belligerent empire, imposing its will on its neighbours through unchecked territorial expansion? The struggle between these two ideologies is at the heart of A Choice of Futures. Both of these responses are exemplified through the reaction to attacks by a seemingly aggressive and territorial species, initially known only as the "Mutes." These aliens, previously seen in the Enterprise episode "Silent Enemy," have repeatedly threatened and attacked vessels from many of the powers in the region. However, their alien nature makes it nearly impossible to form any sort of connection. Communication seems completely out of the question. Those who are familiar with Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game and its sequels will recognize the concept of "Demosthenes' Hierarchy of Foreignness." Most of the alien species we see on Star Trek fall under the category of "Ramen"; that is, sentient beings who belong to another species, but with whom communication and understanding is possible. The "Mutes," or "Vertians," initially appear to be what Card's Demosthenes would call "Varelse." These are beings with whom no communication or understanding is possible, and there is no possibility of coexistence. It is only through the valiant and courageous efforts of our Starfleet heroes, in particular Captain T'Pol and Commander Sato, that we learn that the Vertians are not "Varelse," and that their motivations aren't what they first appeared to be. Rather than being the aggressive and violent people many assumed them to be, we learn that they in fact believe violence and killing of other sentient species to be morally reprehensible. If it weren't for the "cooler heads" prevailing, the many voices in the Federation that called out for vengeance and retribution could easily have carried the day.

Similarly, the U.S.S. Pioneer under the command of Captain Malcolm Reed finds itself imperiled, and the crew learns how to extricate themselves from the situation through discovery and cooperation with a previously unknown species. Through the determination of a member of the crew to use every possible second before their supposedly assured doom to expand the frontiers of knowledge and discovery, the crew communicates with and enlists the aid of an unlikely ally. It is through these formative events that the Federation will slowly build its foundation of cooperation, mutual respect for all species, and equality for all sentients.

At 336 pages, A Choice of Futures is not a particularly lengthy novel, but at the same time there is a great deal going on. Bennett manages to juggle all of the many story-lines deftly, without giving short shrift to any aspect of the story. In addition, our characters receive some lovely development along the way. In particular, Malcolm Reed is given a lot to do in this novel, and I thought that the author's use of his character was perfect. Bennett has the voices of the characters down pat, and this came across most strongly with Malcolm and his discomfort in dealing with his crew on a personal level.

One small final note: I love Christopher Bennett's inclusion of the refit NX-class starship in this novel! Ever since it was revealed by visual effects guru Doug Drexler, the design has fascinated me and added no small amount of regret to what I was already feeling that we didn't get further seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise. Designated the "Columbia class" by Mr. Bennett, this new design is a beautiful little "missing link" between the Enterprise NX-01 and the later Constitution class U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. I truly hope we get the opportunity to see this design grace the cover of a novel one day soon!

A Columbia-class starship, like the U.S.S. Endeavour in A Choice of Futures. This particular refit design of the original  NX-class was unveiled by Doug Drexler, and will be immortalized in styrene plastic later this year as a 1/1000 scale plastic model kit from Polar Lights/Round 2!

Final thoughts:

Unlike many of my fellow Star Trek fans, I rather enjoyed the television series Enterprise. The early days of Earth's interstellar space exploration always fascinated me, and these early days of the Federation are even more exciting. I believe that many people who didn't enjoy Enterprise would be hard-pressed to not love what Mr. Bennett offers in A Choice of Futures. Much like Kirsten Beyer's revitalization of the Voyager series, Christopher L. Bennett's take on the Star Trek universe post-Enterprise promises to be an excellent continuation and improvement upon what came before. I can't recommend this novel enough, and I very much look forward to next year's followup, Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel.

More about A Choice of Futures:

• TrekBBS Review and Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 29: Tripper John, M.D.

Also by Christopher L. Bennett:

• Star Trek: Ex Machina (2005)
• Star Trek: Titan: Orion's Hounds (2006)
• Star Trek: Mere Anarchy: The Darkness Drops Again (2007)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Buried Age (2007)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Greater Than the Sum (2008)
• Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Watching the Clock (2011)
• Star Trek: Typhon Pact: The Struggle Within (2011)
• Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Forgotten History (2012)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel (2014)
• Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: The Collectors (2014)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic (2015)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Live By the Code (2016)
• Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Time Lock (2016)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Face of the Unknown (2017)
• Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Shield of the Gods (2017)
• Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Patterns of Interference (2017)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Captain's Oath (2019)
• Star Trek: The Original Series: The Higher Frontier (2020)

My next read:

The first novel from 2004's pre-Nemesis book series, A Time to Be Born by John Vornholt.

The Shocks of Adversity

Star Trek: The Original Series
The Shocks of Adversity by William Leisner
Release date: May 28^th, 2013
Read June 3^rd 2013

Previous book (The Original Series): The Folded World
Next book (The Original Series): From History's Shadow

Click to purchase The Shocks of Adversity from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for The Shocks of Adversity!

From the back cover:

Located far beyond the boundaries of explored space, the Goeg Domain is a political union of dozens of planets and races. When the U.S.S. Enterprise arrives in its territory to investigate an interstellar phenomenon, Commander Laspas of the Domain Defense Corps is at first guarded, then fascinated to discover the existence of an alliance of worlds much like his own, and finds a kindred spirit in Captain James T. Kirk. And when the Enterprise is attacked by the Domain’s enemies, crippling the starship’s warp capability and leaving its crew facing the prospect of a slow, months-long journey home, the Goeg leader volunteers the help of his own ship, offering to combine the resources of both vessels to bring the Enterprise to a nearby Domain facility to make the necessary repairs.

But what at first seems to be an act of peace and friendship soon turns out to be a devil’s bargain, as Kirk and the Enterprise crew learn that there are perhaps more differences than similarities between the Federation and the Domain. When the Goeg’s adversaries strike again, the Enterprise is drawn deeper and inexorably into the conflict, and Kirk begins to realize that they may have allied themselves with the wrong side....

Notable quote:

Laspas quickly waved off his apology. "I shouldn't have even brought them aboard with me—too much risk of their being lost should anything happen. But it's nice to have this reminder of him. Besides which, I still enjoy the stories. Entertaining adventure tales with clear contrasts between hero and villain, good and bad." 

"Unlike real life," Kirk commented. 

"Yes, precisely," Laspas said as he gestured for Kirk to take a cushioned chair in the center of the room.

- Kirk and the Goeg Commander Laspas, discussing the black and white nature of fictional adventure stories. Life, and this particular story, isn't like that, sadly.

My thoughts:

This review has been some time in coming. There are a few reasons it took me so long to write this review, but I would have to cite procrastination as the primary reason. In addition, I feel as though the sheer number of TOS novels that have dominated the first half of this year may have led to a little bit of TOS fatigue on my part. This feeling was somewhat surprising to me, as I am a fan of Original Series novels in general. It is unfortunate that this fatigue has to led a delay in reviewing this particular novel, as William Leisner's Shocks of Adversity is, in my opinion, the top pick of the five TOS novels released this year. The Shocks of Adversity ends this five novel long Original Series streak and, in my opinion, ends it on a very high note indeed. William Leisner has managed to craft a tale that feels like a great TOS-style story, while at the same time bringing a freshness and "newness" to it.

In The Shocks of Adversity, we meet the Goeg Domain, a coalition of worlds that initially appears to be much like the Federation. The Enterprise, badly damaged in an attack by the Domain's enemies, finds itself facing a lengthy journey back to Federation space for repairs. A Goeg starship offers an alternative: the Enterprise would "hitch a ride," tethered to the Goeg vessel. Together, they would journey to a Goeg repair facility. Captain Kirk accepts the offer of assistance, and the vessels are linked together for the voyage. However, as we learn more about the Domain, we realize that it has a seamy underbelly that wasn't immediately apparent. Dominated by one species, the Goeg Domain has issues with race relations and inequality. In addition, the crew learns that the Domain's enemies, the "Taarpi," are citizens of the Goeg Domain who are in revolt, and that they may have legitimate gripes against the government. As the journey progresses, events begin to get out of Captain Kirk's control as it seems more and more apparent that the deal made with the Domain isn't so fortuitous as it once seemed.

Throughout the book, the physical connection between the Enterprise and the Goeg vessel serves as a metaphor for the relationship between Captain Kirk and the Goeg captain, Laspas, and by extension, the relationship between our crew and the Goeg Domain's representatives. At first, the bond is strong, and it seems as though each of the two crews have found common purpose and friendship in the other. However, soon those bonds begin to break down as the crews' differing worldviews and cultural norms come into conflict. Finally, at one point in the novel, the weapon systems aboard the Enterprise are commandeered by the Goeg vessel, and the will of Captain Kirk and his crew is subsumed and made subordinate to the wishes of Laspas and his crew.

The Shocks of Adversity is a compelling and realistic tale that illustrates the differences that could drive a wedge between cultures and individuals. However, like life, the Goeg Domain is not a black and white entity. There are people and forces at work within the nation that are generally positive. Captain Laspas, for example, is an example of someone who is willing to obey his principles and do what is right, while his first officer stands for maintaining the status quo and keeping the Domain xenophobic and maintaining the system of inequality among its citizens.

Nurse Chapel, often neglected story-wise,
is given a part to play in this novel.

The novel features some interesting subplots and relationships for a few of our characters. I especially enjoyed the semi-romantic flirtation between Nurse Chapel and a visiting doctor from the Goeg vessel. Chapel is a character that doesn't often get much exposure, so it was a treat to see her get something to do in this book. I also enjoyed Sulu and Chekov's experiences aboard the Goeg vessel, as well as Spock's and Scotty's interactions with various members of the Domain ship's crew.

The grappler of the Starship Enterprise,
 NX-01, featured in this novel.

The Shocks of Adversity also featured a few fun nods to continuity. The anomaly being investigated by the Enterprise at the beginning of the novel was originally observed by the United Earth Space Probe Agency's Friendship One probe, featured in the Voyager episode "Friendship One." Another piece of continuity fodder was the use of an "old-style" grappler, like the one seen in the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. In fact, there are indications that it is the same device, placed in storage aboard the current USS Enterprise. Small continuity bits like these may seem insignificant, but to my mind they serve a very useful purpose, in that they tie the story into the larger Star Trek universe. They serve to make the settings of the various series tie together into a cohesive whole, contributing to an overall narrative rather than feeling like separate, unrelated parts.

Final thoughts:

A definite recommend from me! The Shocks of Adversity is the best of the five TOS novels released so far this year. A fun and interesting story that has a lot to say about a variety of issues. A treat to read, and somewhat unfortunate that it is in danger of being lost in a flurry of TOS novels released in the first half of this year.

More about The Shocks of Adversity:

• TrekBBS Review and Discussion Thread
• Podcast: Literary Treks 24: The Heroes Of Their Own Story - Interview with William Leisner

Also by William Leisner:

• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows, Book III: The Insolence of Office (2007)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: Losing the Peace (2009)

My next read:

I am VERY excited for the next new novel to be released: by Christopher L. Bennett, the next chapter in the on-going saga of Enterprise, featuring the early years of the United Federation of Planets. I am currently reading Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures. I promise a review of this one shortly after I finish reading it. Coming soon!

Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness by Alan Dean Foster
Novelization of the film from Paramount Pictures
Release date: May 21^st, 2013
Read May 25^th 2013

Previous book (Kelvin Timeline): Star Trek

Next book (Kelvin Timeline): The Unsettling Stars

Click to purchase Star Trek Into Darkness by Alan Dean Foster from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for Star Trek Into Darkness!

From the back cover:

Months after the dramatic events seen in the 2009 blockbuster film Star Trek, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—including Captain James T. Kirk, First Officer Spock, Doctor Leonard McCoy, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, and Ensign Pavel Chekov—is called back home. But an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has declared all-out war on Starfleet and everything it stands for, leaving Earth in a state of crisis. Now with a personal score to settle as a result, Kirk must lead a covert manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. As these valiant heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Captain Kirk has left: his crew.

My thoughts:

Readers of this website may have noticed that I haven't done reviews of novelizations in the past. In fact, when reading Star Trek, I tend to steer clear of them for the most part. However, since beginning this project in 2010, I have made a point to read every new Star Trek novel as it is released. Initially, I went back and forth on reading Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the new film, but obviously, I decided to go ahead with it in the end.

Star Trek Into Darkness - The novelization. My first foray into books made from films on this review site.

In my mind, novels excel at telling stories that are not necessarily possible in a visual medium. The best stories are those that communicate ideas and images in a fun and exciting way, allowing the reader to form those images in his or her mind with only imagination being the limit, without a thought to effects budgets or casting limitations. Novelizations, however, are simply re-telling the story that has already been presented in a film or on television. While reading this novel, I couldn't help but visualize it in my mind the way I had already seen in in the theatre. Aside from a few short snippets of extra dialogue or a little bit of extra insight into what the characters are thinking, it's difficult for me to find any sort of added experience from reading this book that the film didn't already provide me.

The Wrath of Khan by Vonda McIntyre.
A Star Trek novelization done perfectly.

This is not to say that novelizations can't be great. One need only look to the novelizations of The Wrath of Khan, The Search For Spock, and The Voyage Home by Vonda McIntyre for truly great reading experiences. Those novels not only recounted the events of the film, but expanded upon them, using material from scenes that were cut from the films as well as the author's own imagination. Relationships between the characters were examined in greater detail, and the reader got a great deal more insight into the story. It seems to me that writers of past novelizations had a great deal more freedom in crafting their stories. I wonder if today's novelization writers simply aren't allowed to take the same sort of liberties that writers like Vonda McIntyre were previously able.

As for the book itself, the story is competently adapted by Alan Dean Foster. Regardless of my personal feelings about novelizations, I found that his style of writing was particularly suited to a project such as this. Because the vast majority of readers will have seen the film, Foster doesn't spend a great deal of time on descriptive prose, instead launching the reader into the action and presenting the story in a fast-paced manner. After all, we've already seen the sets, characters, and action sequences; why waste time describing every minute detail over again? As far as the plot of the story goes, because the author didn't have much of a hand in crafting it, criticism or analysis of the events of the story feels far too much like a film review. I will say, however, that the written word allows for more careful analysis of the plot, and parts that passed by too quickly in the film are allowed greater scrutiny in this medium. In that way, I suppose I can see the value in a film novelization.

Foster doesn't waste time with lengthy descriptions of visuals. After all, we've already seen this on the big screen!

Why are film novelizations made? If I were to allow myself a certain amount of cynicism, I might say that they are simply made to make money and cash in on the popularity of a film at a particular time. Although, is that even necessarily a bad thing? Publishing in general tends to be a little more cash-strapped, particularly now. How can I possibly begrudge something that makes the industry more money?

Looking at it from a somewhat less cynical perspective, perhaps film novelizations stem from the perception of books as inherently valuable experiences, a viewpoint that I can definitely appreciate. However, I prefer when the various mediums are able to do something different with the story. For example, many people complain when television or film adaptations of books don't strictly adhere to the story as laid out in the book. However, I understand that the two mediums are very different, and I find myself separating the two in my mind. Game of Thrones is an excellent example. A few of my friends complain bitterly that the HBO series doesn't follow the plot of the books exactly. To my mind, however, we've already gotten that story in the books; why shouldn't the series do something a little bit different? I suppose I feel the same way about novelizations. We've already gotten the film. I would love for the novel to take it in a different direction, or perhaps even just offer us a little bit more. Reading the exact same story I saw on the screen is superfluous.

Novelizations, in my opinion, work best when providing details and insights not in the original film. I would definitely have appreciated more information on Benedict Cumberbatch's character's background and recent experiences, for example. Alas, such detail seems to be beyond the scope of the Into Darkness novelization.

Final thoughts:

Well, this review turned into more of an analysis of novelizations in general than a strict review of Into Darkness! As for the book itself, I found Foster's adaptation to be ably written, with an eye to getting the story across without bogging the reader down in exposition that was already presented in the film. I have a hard time reviewing the plot of the story, as Foster didn't exactly have a hand in crafting it. Extra details or some elaboration on the part of the author would very much have been appreciated, but I understand if the guidelines for writing the novelization didn't allow for that sort of embellishment.

More about the Star Trek Into Darkness Novelization:

• TrekBBS Review and Discussion Thread

Also by Alan Dean Foster:

• Star Trek: The Unsettling Stars (2020)

My next read:

At the moment, I'm reading the latest release from Pocket Books, William Leisner's Original Series story, The Shocks of Adversity.

NEWS: Cover revealed for first book of The Fall!

The cover for David R. George's forthcoming inaugural book of the miniseries, The Fall, has been revealed. The first book, entitled Revelation and Dust, centers around the Deep Space Nine portion of twenty-fourth century TrekLit, and the cover is very pretty:

The first novel in an electrifying The Next Generation/Deep Space Nine crossover event!

The Federation is rocked to its core as the Typhon Pact is suspected of being behind a barbarous act that shatters the fragile peace of the Alpha Quadrant. An original Star Trek novel, this is part of a five-book story arc that takes place over a sixty-day period, but it’s not necessary to read each novel in order to follow the storyline, which involves all aspects of The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine universes.

Revelation and Dust is set to be released on August 27th. You can pre-order it from Amazon.com by following this link.

Check out all of the forthcoming releases in 2013 on my 2013 Releases page!

Interphase, Part One

Star Trek: S.C.E. #4
Interphase, Part One of Two by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
Published February 2001
Read January 27^th 2013

Previous ebook (S.C.E.): #3: Hard Crash
Next ebook (S.C.E.): #5: Interphase, Part Two of Two

Originally published as an ebook. Later published as part of the S.C.E. compilation Have Tech, Will Travel in January 2002.

Compilation of the first four SCE stories

Original ebook cover

Click here to purchase the Star Trek: S.C.E. omnibus #1, Have Tech, Will Travel from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for Interphase, Part One and the rest of the Corps of Engineers series!

From the back cover:

More than a century ago, the U.S.S. Defiant disappeared with all hands into an interspatial rift deep in Tholian territory. Now the derelict ship has been seen drifting in and out of ordinary space, and the Tholian authorities have reluctantly agreed to let Starfleet retrieve the Defiant from the rift. Perhaps, at long last, the lost ship can be brought home and its valiant crew paid their final respects. Captain David Gold and an S.C.E. team from the U.S.S. da Vinci succeed in boarding the Defiant, but their investigation soon uncovers a dangerous secret. For more than a hundred years, an ancient super-weapon has been hidden away within the scarred and lifeless starship, along with evidence of a long-forgotten atrocity -- evidence that could ignite a vast interstellar war!

My thoughts:

The U.S.S. Defiant, NCC-1764, trapped in interphase

"The Tholian Web" was one of my favourite Original Series episodes when I was a kid, and I found the mystery of "interphase" and the fate of the Starship Defiant to be very compelling. In Interphase, the S.C.E. crew aboard the U.S.S. da Vinci has a hand in deciding the ultimate fate of that tragic vessel. Lost in a rift for a century, the Defiant is discovered by the Tholians in their space. The da Vinci is assigned to the salvage operation, and heads into Tholian space to recover the lost starship. Captain Gold leads a team aboard the historic vessel in order to get it out of the interphasic rift, while the da Vinci holds position outside the rift, all under the watchful gaze of the Tholians.

Kieran Duffy, second officer of the da Vinci

For the most part, I enjoyed the first part of this two-part story. Each of the characters gets something interesting to do. We get to see Captain Gold in action, and through him we experience the reverence that people of this generation have for the twenty-third century and what (to them) are the pioneering days of space exploration for the Federation. Other characters, such as Dr. Lense and the Nasat crewmember, P8 Blue ("Pattie"), each get their chance to shine in the book. Of special note is Lt. Commander Duffy, who commands the bridge of the da Vinci for an extended period for the first time. I'm interested to see where his command goes in the next part of the story.

One character I'm not really warming up to yet is the chief of security, Lt. Commander Domenica Corsi. However, I believe that this is by design. Her abrupt manner makes the rest of the crew bristle, and to be perfectly frank, it makes me uncomfortable as well.

One bonus of using the S.C.E. series to tell the story of the Defiant is the fact that the series features a character who was present for the events of "The Tholian Web": Captain Montgomery Scott, the head of the Corps of Engineers. At the beginning of the book, he expresses a desire to be on-hand for the recovery, but alas, there is not enough time for him to accompany the mission. His first-hand knowledge of events of over a century ago provide for an interesting dynamic in the beginning of this story.

The cliffhanger ending was a good one, and it made me eager to go on to part two. I do find it odd that part one of this story is in Have Tech, Will Travel, but readers have to wait for the next volume, Miracle Workers, if they wish to read the second part. I personally would have preferred to have both stories collected in the same omnibus.

Final thoughts:

An interesting beginning to what I think will wind up being a very compelling story. The Tholians are engaging and enigmatic antagonists, and I enjoy seeing them used in Trek fiction. The cliffhanger ending works very well, and each of the featured characters are placed in positions where they are being tested, Duffy most of all. I'm eager to read the second half of the story and see where it all ends up. It is somewhat unfortunate that this story isn't compatible continuity-wise with the Enterprise two-parter "In a Mirror, Darkly." However, this isn't a roadblock to enjoying the story; each of the "versions" of the events surrounding the final fate of the Defiant can be enjoyed regardless of their incompatibility.

Thus ends the first four S.C.E. stories! I hope you enjoyed the week's reviews all posted in a row. I'll very likely do something similar when I get around to reviewing the next S.C.E. collection, Miracle Workers.

Also by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore:

• Star Trek: S.C.E. #5: Interphase, Part Two of Two (2001)
• Star Trek: A Time to Sow (2004)
• Star Trek: A Time to Harvest (2004)
• Star Trek: Mere Anarchy, Book 1: Things Fall Apart with Kevin Dilmore (2006)
• Star Trek: Vanguard: What Judgments Come (2011)
• Star Trek: Seekers #2: Point of Divergence (2014)
• Star Trek: Seekers #4: All That's Left (2015)
• Star Trek: Legacies, Book 3: Purgatory's Key (2016)

My next read:

Next review will be for Alan Dean Foster's novelization of the new film, Star Trek Into Darkness. Coming soon!

Hard Crash

Star Trek: S.C.E. #3
Hard Crash by Christie Golden
Published October 2000
Read January 25^th 2013

Previous ebook (S.C.E.): #2: Fatal Error
Next ebook (S.C.E.): #4: Interphase, Part One of Two

Originally published as an ebook. Later published as part of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers compilation Have Tech, Will Travel in January 2002.

Compilation of the first four SCE stories

Original ebook cover

Click here to purchase the Star Trek: S.C.E. omnibus #1, Have Tech, Will Travel from Amazon.com!

Spoilers ahead for Hard Crash and the rest of the Corps of Engineers series!

From the back cover:

An alien starship of unknown origin has crashed into a planet inhabited by a large and populous civilization. Accompanied by Geordi LaForge, temorarily on loan from the Starship Enterprise, the S.C.E. investigates the mysterious vessel, only to discover that the ship was not nearly as damaged as it first seemed. Now the berserk ship, which seems to possess its own life and intelligence, is on a rampage across the surface of the planet, and Captain Gold and his crew face the awesome challenge of trying to stop a starship gone insane!

My thoughts:

No idea why this works in my head...

In Hard Crash, we see a few other members of the da Vinci crew in action. In particular, we learn more about Bart Faulwell, the chief linguist. I really enjoy his character. He has a thoughtful way about him, and seems to be incredibly kind. He truly cares about his fellow crewmembers, which can easily be seen in the compassion he feels for 110 and his plight. In addition, he is shown to be in a same-sex relationship. I love the way this is handled in this story. The relationship is mentioned as being a loving one, and while his partner, Mark Anthony, is living quite far away, Faulwell is seen to be writing thoughtful and detailed letters to him. It saddens me that televised Trek hasn't shown a long-term same-sex relationship in this manner. There seems to have been plenty of opportunity to do so, and the reluctance of the producers to do so is quite maddening. If shown with half the sincerity and loveliness with which Bart and Mark's relationship is showcased here, it could have been a truly groundbreaking and wonderful thing. As a side note, for some reason, based on the description we get of Faulwell in this story, I couldn't get the image of Krieger from the cartoon series Archer out of my head. For some reason... it works! Please bear in mind that the only things about Krieger that I apply to Faulwell's character are his looks and voice; otherwise, I certainly don't think their characters are anything alike!

Dr. Elizabeth Lense, from "Explorers" (DS9)

We also see Dr. Elizabeth Lense, chief medical officer of the da Vinci, in action. Last seen in Deep Space Nine's "Explorers," Lense is that specter from Julian Bashir's past who beat him out to become valedictorian of their class at the academy. In this novella, we get hints about her character that lead me to believe there's more here than we're being told. Her attitude and work ethic seem off, somehow. Her relationship with the da Vinci's emergency medical hologram program is an interesting one as well, with Lense seeming to take on the role of the holographic doctor's mentor. I'm interested to see where this relationship, and Lense's character, goes in the future.

Finally, Hard Crash provides something of a resolution to 110's character arc, ending with his decision to remain aboard the da Vinci as a solitary Bynar. Taking on the name "Soloman," he will have to come to terms with his life as a Bynar separate from his partner and from the rest of his species. I look forward to seeing where his journey takes him.

Hard Crash is a fascinating story, and much like the prior two stories, ends in a way that defies the reader's expectations. The resolution to this story is heart-wrenching, and touched me in a way I wasn't expecting. The narrative style throughout the novella is interesting as well, providing small hints about what is really going on. The nature of the crashed vessel is hinted at through the pleas of an unknown person, calling out to someone named Jaldark. Early on, this really grabbed my attention and held my curiosity.


Final thoughts:

Hard Crash surprised me with the emotional punch that it packed. I truly wasn't expecting the ending that it had, and the emotional resonance that it held. Very well-written and with some fascinating character moments, Hard Crash made me very happy that I've finally decided to give the Corps of Engineers series a try. I'm certainly not regretting that decision thus far.


Also by Christie Golden:

• Star Trek: Voyager #16: Seven of Nine (1998)
• Star Trek: Voyager: Gateways, Book 5 of 7: No Man's Land (2001)
• Voyager: In the Queue, from Star Trek: Gateways, Book 7 of 7: What Lay Beyond (2001)
• Star Trek: Voyager: Homecoming (2003)
• Star Trek: Voyager: The Farther Shore (2003)
• Star Trek: Voyager: Spirit Walk, Book One of Two: Old Wounds (2004)
• Star Trek: Voyager: Spirit Walk, Book Two of Two: Enemy of My Enemy (2004)

My next read:

The final novella in the S.C.E. omnibus #1, Have Tech, Will Travel: Interphase, Part I by Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore. Coming tomorrow!