Spoilers VAN: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Sho, Mar 19, 2012.

?

Rate Storming Heaven.

  1. Outstanding

    68 vote(s)
    71.6%
  2. Above Average

    24 vote(s)
    25.3%
  3. Average

    2 vote(s)
    2.1%
  4. Below Average

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. Poor

    1 vote(s)
    1.1%
  1. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    David, since you are monitoring this thread, any idea when we'll get to see some Cold Equations cover art?
     
  2. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Not too much longer. I've seen a comp for book one's cover, and it's very close to what I suggested to the editors. I'm not sure where they are with respect to art for books two and three, however.

    No time at all, since I remember asking myself that very question (i.e., how long did the battle last?) during the writing of the novel. ;)
     
  3. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    It was quite the battle and ending. I think it struck me even more the second time I read it, especially Pennington and the flower from the Bombay tree. For some reason, Oriana's death really stuck with me throughout this serires, probably due to the loves I've lost.
     
  4. Patrick O'Brien

    Patrick O'Brien Captain Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Cool, I just pre ordered all three books for my kindle:bolian:
     
  5. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Why? I don't order books for my Kindle until the day before?
     
  6. Defcon

    Defcon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    ^ I don't know why Patrick does it, but I preorder the Star Trek Kindle books at amazon.de because a) I buy them anyway and b) so I get the cheapest price between my order and the release (there are sometimes fluctuations because of the $/€ exchange course).
     
  7. Patrick O'Brien

    Patrick O'Brien Captain Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Force of habit I guess:shrug: Though it does prevent me from forgetting a release date. Don't publishers track pre order sales? Maybe if demand is strong they will force Dave to write more:D
     
  8. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Maybe if demand is strong enough, they'll invest in cloning David so we can have that many MORE novels!
     
  9. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Dear God, no. Then I'd have to split my royalties and share my scotch. The horror!
     
  10. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    I voted "outstanding". Wonderfully written, great ending to a great series. (Though, I confess, I did not read Books 3 or 4...)
    I know, lame.
    The scenes with Kirk, the showdown at the station, everything was SO well done! It's almost on par with my favorite TV series. (DS9)

    Speaking of which, before reading, the FIRST thing I listened to was the theme from DS9, which fits Vanguard rather well.
     
  11. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    It worked out fairly well for Michael Keaton in Multiplicity and if it doesn't you just do what Hugh Jackman did in the Prestige.

    Besides, getting drunk with yourself could be fun.
     
  12. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    It would be terrible. I already know all my own jokes and stories.
     
  13. Jedi Marso

    Jedi Marso Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Finished the series this past week- the Vanguard series remains the only new Trek lit I've read in well over a decade, and I'm glad I took the journey. The TOS era has been and always shall be my favorite era, and the writing team brought it to life.

    It was funny, but even some of the descriptions of equipment and lighting and such brought to mind TOS production values, which made me wonder if the writers were shooting for that or not, but it happened in my mind even so.

    Loved the tight timeline scripting- the way events were interwoven with the Enterprise five year mission and the mentions (and sometimes ripples) of TOS series missions affecting events in the Reach.

    Although I laugh like hell when I read them, I thought there were just a couple too many 'Zett's dead, baby' little moments. Very cleverly done but they jerk me out of the milieu. Hard to resist for a witty writer, though. :)

    Very good stuff overall, and the only thing that killed me at the end was the loss of the station itself. Starbase 47 had a lot more stories and adventures in it, I felt, but it did sort of give a sense of finality to the series.

    My new hierarchy of top Trek lit is as follows:

    1. The Final Reflection
    2. Federation
    3. The Vanguard Series

    And nobody should be insulted by making #3 on that list (actually filling out the top ten, if you want to count it that way). I started reading Trek books back in the late 70's and didn't really stop until the mid-90's.
     
  14. Jedi Marso

    Jedi Marso Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    One other point: So that's what happened to Ceti Alpha VI, eh? ;)

    And here I was laughing at that one ep of Enterprise when the survivors from Earth ended up on Ceti Alpha V. I was thinking: "poor, stupid bastards!" But I guess in the case of the Vanguard canon those survivors in that timeline would have been okay after all. At least until the Xindi found them. :p
     
  15. stonester1

    stonester1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Wow...what a story...what an ending. And no wonder the Tholians STILL carry a grudge.

    This was epic...the ending bittersweet. Glad some found peace and/or happiness in the end. Good to see Kirk and co once again, too.
     
  16. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    ^ Glad you dug it! :)
     
  17. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    The book was great, and I did love the little nod to TNG and DS9:

    The Breen and the Cardassians being discussed, and Severson's ironic and amusing understatement:
    "...might be real trouble in the next few decades." :rommie:
    "Might be?" lol..
     
  18. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    ^ I thought that was a nice touch. It was interesting seeing these future antagonists mentioned as known entities on the frontier. I remember reading that part and thinking, "You guys have NO idea."
     
  19. RPJOB

    RPJOB Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    Finished it up the other day <sob>. A great rollicking adventure with a beginning, middle and an end. It did seem a bit rushed to me. Too many things wrapped up a bit too fast. All in all though, taking the series as a whole, it's the best Trek novel series by far. Bravo!

    A few little nits in the finale:

    The Enterprise coming to the rescue not once but twice. Skating close to making the stars guest stars in their own swan song like TATV. The Enterprise made it's closing bookend appearance. The rescue at the battle of Vanguard was too much. Let the crews of the series face their end together.

    The end of the Orion story was, unfortunately, offscreen and a bit of a letdown. It does, however, fit with the idea that the Federation is not the goody-goody entity of the later series.

    The biggest letdown was the final fate of Reyes.

    I cannot believe that he got a happy ending and with Rana no less! After letting civilians colonists settle on a planet that he was pretty sure was going to come under Shedai attack and not doing anything to stop them the bastard should have died. I guess there really is no justice.

    There were deaths that were shocking, surprising and unexpected. Some died that I thought would live. Some lived that I felt sure would die, One in particular felt like they were just hanging around until the end. Wish they had more to do in the rest of the book before meeting their end.

    8/10 for storming heaven
    9.5/10 for the series as a whole

    And, as cool as the explanation was, I still have trouble believing that Terrell and Chekov and the crew of the Reliant can't count! :rommie:
     
  20. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Vanguard: Storming Heaven by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

    ^Wow. I agree that the destruction of the Omari Ekon should have been covered better. It was such a major player in the series that I feel its destruction meritted a chapter of its own rather than a passing mention. But on the other 2 points, I couldn't disagree more.

    If the Enterprise hadn't entered the fray, every one of the main characters would have been killed. I honestly wouldn't have believed them winning, nay, surviving, with the resources they had at the beginning of the battle. Besides, with the Enterprise being prominent in Book 1 and the series shedding light on TOS throughout, I find it appropriate the Enterprise should be there in the end.

    I don't understand how you come down so hard on Reyes. If Nogura had been commanding during the Shedai massacre, he would have given the order to glass the planet without any visible remorse and definitely wouldn't have leaked information. Reyes tried to convince his ex and her people to not turn down UFP support and she wouldn't listen. He then tried to warn others of the Shedai threat and was crucified for it by Starfleet. The burden of those deaths go to Starfleet command and Reyes' ex.

    I feel Reyes and Desai did their share of suffering and I was happy they got an appropriate ending. I further appreciate this knowing that in the beginning of the creative process, there was no plan for Reyes to face court martial at all.