TNG: Silent Weapons by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

[BillJ]

Above Average.

It definitely got better as the story progressed.

A few thoughts...

* Don't see the big deal about the Unitarian Church?

* The Esperanza-bot was a nice curve-ball, I never saw it coming.

* Crusher came across as very shallow in the book. She only wants to be around "Action Picard" when they're on the Enterprise?

* The funeral was the piece that pushed the book from 'Average' to 'Above Average'. Very nicely done.

[j3067]

SicOne wrote:

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While reading the posts herein and some of you were quibbling back-bitingly about the accuracy of characterizations of real-life Earth religions as applied to Trek fiction, I could not help but notice as I was consuming a Ziploc bag of malted milkballs and Kraft carmels how much they resembled mini-Borg cubes and spheres. Of course, the colors were off and the dimensions were WAYYYY off, but while we're talking about Mack's book and given his work with the Borg, it seemed apt to share my tangentially and marginally relevant observation. As you were, gentlemen.

Lindor Truffles are the only correct candies to consider when contemplating Borg spheres. Malted Milk Balls are an absurd comparison.

[SicOne]

^ I'm a simple man with simple pleasures. Whoppers were what I had.

[Snaploud]

I was surprised by Data's willingness to hook his brain up to Breen technology. Noonien Soong made a point of being more careful in book 1, and Data has all of those memories. I wonder if that type of carelessness is going to have consequences in book 3.

Also:

Did the Breen plan on Data showing up to save the day? If not, was there another way they were planning to convincingly keep their operatives from killing Bacco and the Gorn leader (other than just by having both short-circuit)?

[Paper Moon]

BillJ wrote:

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* Crusher came across as very shallow in the book. She only wants to be around "Action Picard" when they're on the Enterprise?

I don't think that's quite all of it. I think what was more important to her was that a) it seemed out of character for him [which bothers her] and b) it was hypocritical of him, since he explicitly forbade Jack Crusher from doing the same thing all those years ago. From where she's sitting, it's a matter of him having his cake and eating it too, at her expense.

That said, I'm not sure I disagree with your assessment of her being shallow in this book. But I think your reasoning misses some points, is all.

Snaploud wrote:

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Did the Breen plan on Data showing up to save the day? If not, was there another way they were planning to convincingly keep their operatives from killing Bacco and the Gorn leader (other than just by having both short-circuit)?

No, I think the plan always was to cut the transmission at the last moment. As it happened, the transmissions were clearly cut, but I think it's left a little vague whether or not that was because Data destroyed the transmitters or because the Breen cut the transmissions themselves (and lied to the operatives afterwards). I think we are supposed to think, though, that Data and Starfleet believe that they themselves stopped the operatives. And yeah, I think that, had Data not interfered, the androids would've appeared to short circuit at the last minute and the UFP and Gorn would've believed that the Breen simply had poorly designed androids.

[Deranged Nasat]

I'm about two-thirds of the way through. It's a solid book to be sure, and a good continuation of both the "Data resurrected" plot and the Typhon Pact arc, but I'm surprisingly unable to engage with it to the degree that I did with previous novels, including book one of the trilogy. Whether that's just me being distracted by other matters or whether some quality that usually graces David Mack's work is at slightly reduced strength this time, I couldn't say. This isn't a complaint or a moan - Silent Weapons is so far enjoyable, intelligent and well-plotted - it just feels a little flat compared to the first book. I wish I could explain why it feels that way, or indeed if it's even a difference in the novels and not just my mood colouring things unduly. And there's still a third or so left to read, of course, so maybe it will impress me on the same level as book one when I've finished.

I guess what I'm saying here is that not every novel can be "outstanding" and so far this one is a good, solid Trek book that doesn't quite shine the way certain previous Mack books have shined.

I'm really liking the use of the Gorn, and the whole set-up with their political dilemma and potential marginalization within the Pact. They've often been a difficult people to easily define (besides, "they're lizards with big fangs"), but this book presents them in such a way that they're easy to get a grip on. The descriptions of their suite and their artwork were interesting and helped flesh them out nicely, while the various highly specific ritualized titles reinforced the sense that this is a very old, very tradition-heavy culture.

The characterization of the various Breen continues to be engaging, and I like how Picard and Crusher are either changing or becoming more aware of their capacity to change now that they've had a few years as parents. I'll have more to say when I finish, no doubt.

[Deranged Nasat]

Finished it. It definitely picked up toward the end. I loved how complicated the Breens' scheming was (some of them really, really want to close that propulsion gap don't they?), and how many folds and twists were brought into play; it became quite engaging. A very well-crafted plot (meaning Mack here, not the Breen ). It was definitely satisfying to see Brex removed from his position after he overextended himself. And I'm amused that after stealing from the Dominion, Tran now wants to steal from the Mirror Universe. Let's see if Pran will wean his people off this obsession with out-propelling the Federation, because this was quite the disaster for them.

There were some very memorable scenes in that final third of the book - Data defending Bacco and Sozzerosz, Esperanza's funeral (it really did justice to the character's death, and I'm glad she was seen as meriting the attention) and Crusher + Picard's last scene, which leads me to wonder if the trilogy will indeed end with the two (well, three) of them moving on.

Finally, the epilogue is a intriguing set-up for book three. I await it eagerly.

[Mage]

Just realized, this could be waiting for me when I arrive at work today.

[Enterpriserules]

Working on my Trek.fm review today! Hope to have it out soon, this book was awesome!

[MatthiasRussell]

Some random thoughts of mine from while I was reading Silent Weapons:

Picard recalls that Bateson commanded the 1701-E during its shakedown cruise which is a referral to “Ship of the Line” which was over-written by DTI. It looks like an element of that book survived.

Picard tells Bateson that they are of the same rank before Bateson retorts that orders show he has authority in that sector. As a captain of a tactically identical ship with a century as captain, isn’t Bateson the ranking captain, even without orders?

While on Orion La Forge covers his cybernetic eyes to be incognito. Are cybernetic eyes that identifying? Aren’t there enough blind people (from birth or injury) who have these to make seeing cybernetic eyes not that big of a deal?

It is good to know Jack Daniel’s still exists in the future and is served on alien worlds.

It is interesting that when Bacco mentions losses to the Typhon Pact, she doesn’t mention how they played a major part in driving away a founding member of the UFP.

Picard doesn’t seem to know how to handle the Gorn but he was involved in the Gorn Crisis which was mentioned in “Rough Beasts of Empire” as having happened. Then the Gorn who Picard speaks to wants to leave politics to become an artist. Don’t the Gorn have separate political and artistic castes?

The androids are able to change height and mass to change their appearance according to Geordi but in Insurrection, didn’t Data say his design requires him to stay the same height and mass in order to function?

I like that Starfleet has a starship Nogura. Nice salute to Vanguard.

Spot was mentioned at the beginning of book 1 but no mention since. Isn’t Data interested in his cat and perhaps like to see her again? I hope book 3 with have a Data/Spot reunion because I would like to see how she interacts with new Data.

Jarvisimo wrote:

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One thing I didn't understand was why the Atlas had to go. Perhaps because two ships threatened the Gorn one, but after the detente, I don't see why it could not return. It felt a bit silly: even the moment of Chen sending it off felt silly or contrived. And since the Atlas's senior staff were at the reception, it seems hard to imagine or incongruous that they were evacuated pronto with the captain stopping their flight.

I thought Chen's order made sense. Atlas made an aggressive move it so would be viewed as a belligerent to the Gorn. I think the ship, if not the crew, from that point forward could have hurt Starfleet's diplomatic efforts. What I found interesting is the Atlas' CO didn't question the orders of an inferior officer.

[ATimson]

MatthiasRussell wrote:

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I like that Starfleet has a starship Nogura. Nice salute to Vanguard.

Or to The Motion Picture.

[Ronald Held]

Finly should get to start to read this book by Sunday.

[MatthiasRussell]

ATimson wrote:

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Or to The Motion Picture.

True. But since Mack wrote it, I'm assuming Vanguard.

[BillJ]

MatthiasRussell wrote:

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True. But since Mack wrote it, I'm assuming Vanguard.

Either way, it all leads back to TMP.

[Thrawn]

I haven't read these yet (swamped at work); just a quick question. I bought the Destiny trilogy for my dad last year for Christmas - he decided to give TrekLit a chance, for the first time, and he LOVED it.

Do you think he could go straight from Destiny to Cold Equations, as someone that doesn't care very much about continuity as long as he can recognize most of the characters, and not be lost? Is it as good? (I ask now because the third won't be out until after Christmas anyway.)

Thanks.