Destiny: Gods of Night by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by haubrija, Sep 19, 2008.

?

Grade "Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night"

  1. Excellent

    69.2%
  2. Above Average

    23.1%
  3. Average

    5.1%
  4. Below Average

    1.3%
  5. Poor

    1.3%
  1. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2003
    Location:
    New York, NY
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    However, there's no reason not to share your new review of Mere Mortals — again, the first of its kind online or in print. Brava!

    Its money quote (in my opinion):
    "Mere Mortals ends on a major cliffhanger that left me on the edge of my seat. I'm eagerly awaiting the conclusion — Lost Souls, set to release in late November. Again, Star Trek fans, don't miss this crossover trilogy!"​
     
  2. SciFiChick

    SciFiChick Ensign Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2008
    Location:
    Indiana
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Oops. I guess I could have linked to it. Thanks, David!
    I may not be good at a lot of things, but I am a fast reader.
     
  3. Baerbel Haddrell

    Baerbel Haddrell Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2003
    Location:
    GB
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I have read about two thirds of the book and I will say much more in a few days. (My review is already 5 pages long and I am not sure how much longer it will get)

    I do like Dr. Ree but his treatment and attitude towards Deanna leaves a lot to be desired. I had to remember what Dax told Bashir in an episode, it is arrogant to believe that because he can`t find a cure that there isn`t any.

    Even assuming that Deanna will really never be able to use her eggs, her womb is perfectly fine. Suggesting that she should have a hysterectomy is even worse than trying to force her to have an abortion. Even today, in the real world, women who can`t use their eggs can become pregnant. Dr. Ree has no right whatsoever to take that away from Deanna
     
  4. Daddy Todd

    Daddy Todd Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2004
    Location:
    Utah
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I cracked open "Gods of Night" yesterday, planning to read a couple chapters to pass the time while I was home with a cold. Instead, I was immediately captured by the narrative and the great writing.

    I only stopped reading because it was nearly midnight and I was falling asleep over page 307 (remember, I have a cold -- rest assured I wasn't nodding off from boredom!)

    This is awesome stuff... I want to try and ration out the rest so I don't have a big wait until Book II shows up, but I know that the next time I open it, I won't put it down until I'm done. Thanks, Mr Mack, for a great read!
     
  5. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2004
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, so I was curious if we have seen any of the major changes, or huge impact the books are supposed to have yet? I'm not looking for specifics, just a general yes or no.
     
  6. Enterpriserules

    Enterpriserules Commodore Commodore

    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    You can feel the setup and foundation that has been laid, but the mystery of what the impact will be is still there. There are some smaller things that have happened though.
    Like the death of Admiral Paris
    .
     
  7. Daddy Todd

    Daddy Todd Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2004
    Location:
    Utah
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I have a question, which may be a spoiler for another book...

    Namely, Kobayashi Maru: does Columbia's storyline pick up directly from her disappearance in KM, or does it start sometime later? I just read KM a week or so ago, butit isn't clear to me that the mission during which the Columbia disappeared in KM is the same mission we see her undertaking in Gods of Night.
     
  8. tenmei

    tenmei Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2004
    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    About one hundred pages into it, this is blooming magnificent. I love the Aventine crew and would love to see a story about their adventures, assuming they survive the next two books, or even a prequel that sees Dax take command at the end, unless that'll be featured in the DS9 Relaunch eventually.
     
  9. Sto-Vo-Kory

    Sto-Vo-Kory Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2008
    Location:
    Battle Creek
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I'm about half-way through the book and I'm spent. SO much is going on: the tension keeps ratcheting up, the mysteries keep deepening, the Borg keep coming...
    I don't know if I'll be able to survive this book, but I'd rather die than not finish it.
    I've not read ANY of the TNG, VGR or DS9 relaunch books but I'm still enjoying the hell out of this book. Kudos, Mr. Mack, for making a thoroughly entrenched crossover novel that is still accessible to new readers (like me). No easy feat.

    I have a few questions:

    Worf remembers an encounter with Spock -- where did this happen?

    I assume that the bridge of the Ent-E looks like it did in "Nemesis" -- what do the bridges of the Titan and the Aventine look like?

    Loved the brief mention of the Excalibur -- will we ever read a more detailed account of what happened with Calhoun's crew and that cube?
     
  10. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    It isn't the same mission. KM takes place in July 2155, just at the start of the Earth-Romulan War, and Columbia is last seen at Alpha Centauri. The NX-02 scenes in GoN take place in the more distant Onias sector sometime in 2156, during the war.


    In the duology The Brave and the Bold.

    The latter hasn't been established, but I think the Titan bridge has been described in terms that suggest a hybrid of the E-D and E-E bridges, or something like that. I think Sean Tourangeau has done some conjectural artwork of Titan's bridge along those lines.
     
  11. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2002
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I just finished reading the Mere Mortals reviews. Interesting to see how the story continues where book 1 leaves off. I'm only halfway through the first book and like the story with Titan and Will and Deanna.And I hope that Deanna's baby can be saved.
     
  12. LutherSloan

    LutherSloan Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2008
    Location:
    Doing the Federation's dirty work
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    There was a brief mention of essentially what happened with the Excalibur. They tried to execute the same kamikaze tactic that the Ranger did against the Borg which destroyed the cube headed for Khitomer. However, the Borg had adapted already to that, so they executed another attack that I can't quite remember, which worked.
     
  13. Trippy

    Trippy NaNoWriMo Victim Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    Location:
    Ontar-ri-ario
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Just got my copy tonight...hope to read it this weekend, but I've had a killer sinus headache all week :(

    It sure looks good though!
     
  14. Thespeckledkiwi

    Thespeckledkiwi Vice Admiral

    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    One of the small complaints I've had since picking this book up is -- the small universe syndrome. While it is nice to have recognizable characters and such, I find it difficult to believe that unless there was a major blemish on Bowers' record, why isn't he a captain or at least a commanding officer on a smaller ship? He has a longer track record than Ezri and from what I understand there was a pressing need for capable officers after what has happened in the Federation.

    And then you have Simon Tarses as the chief medical officer. Seems like there are a few characters people are familiar with, even in passing, and with how large and diverse the Federation is?

    I know you want to populate it with characters known to fans and casual people but it sort of feels kind of small univerish.

    Unless there is an explanation for this in an upcoming novel. Even Titan didn't have a lot of familiar characters. I believe a minor and then Vale. Well Tuvok when they found him. Even Keru is sort of a new character. But for the most part they were new crew and new people, making it even a more diverse place.

    I think that it would have helped Ezri too, because as a councilor or someone that was a councilor, she would have to deal with people she doesn't know including her XO.
     
  15. KRAD

    KRAD Keith R.A. DeCandido Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 1999
    Location:
    New York City
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    ^ Except it's specifically stated in Gods of Night that Dax chose Bowers, Leishman, and Tarses because they were familiar faces and people whom she'd served with, whom she knew, and on whom she could rely.
     
  16. Cobalt Frost

    Cobalt Frost Captain Captain

    Joined:
    May 22, 2004
    Location:
    Cobalt Frost in Phineas & Ferb's backyard
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    OK, I can buy that. Pretty much how I figured it, anyway, some half-sized "decks" for machinery etc.

    Looking forward to it, then!
     
  17. fleetcaptain

    fleetcaptain Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2005
    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA, USA
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I have to say I got the book back on thursday and I have been enjoying this book so far. I'm already in the middle of Ch. 12 and know already I'm going to have it finished here soon. Just going to have to wait for book 2 in 3 weeks or so.
    I do like the jumping from one ship and crew to the next. Just gives a certain depth to the storytelling on in this series. Feels like if this was seen on tv or a movie, well I'm sure it would have been in the same format. Still trying to get use to Dax being a Captain already but that was going to come eventually.
    I also like how Mack did use the calendar image as a jumping off point as he said for the Columbia's crash and I also am glad that it was told from before the start of the Dominion War. With so much happening, that I don't think the Borg is going to let up til the last book.
     
  18. Thespeckledkiwi

    Thespeckledkiwi Vice Admiral

    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I know that BUT it still doesn't make sense that Bowers isn't a commanding officer on his own ship.

    Tarses doesn't bother me as much because he hasn't had a long career. But Bowers, Bowers just doesn't many any sense if the Federation is looking for capable officers since they are losing so many.
     
  19. William Leisner

    William Leisner Scribbler Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2003
    Location:
    Minneapolis, MN
    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Well, after that scandal with the Orion twins and the Horta, he's lucky to still be in Starfleet.

    Oops, sorry... DS9-R spoiler alert!
     
  20. Thespeckledkiwi

    Thespeckledkiwi Vice Admiral

    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    See, that's what I'm thinking is that Bowers got into a problem like Worf and he can't be in command.