I back your motion.
Spoilers VOY: Acts of Contrition by Kirsten Beyer Review Thread
- Thread starter Sho
- Start date
Hello friends....
I continue to enjoy the comments on the book. You guys are terrific.
Am popping in to infuriate you. Because, I have no choice. As someone pointed out above, I have no control over the release schedule. I just meet my deadlines and the rest is out of my hands.
I have been advised that the final book in this trilogy, Atonement, will be released on September 1, 2015.
So not a whole year from now...but almost.
Needless to say, I'm sorry for the longish wait. I assumed we would be on a similar timeline as we had between Protectors and Acts of Contrition. But apparently, no.
The good news is that the book that will follow, A Pocket Full of Lies, which I am writing now, should follow less than a year after Atonement. Obviously no release date is set yet, but given that it should be done in the next few months, I am hoping for a quicker turn-around.
Sorry.
KMFB
I continue to enjoy the comments on the book. You guys are terrific.
Am popping in to infuriate you. Because, I have no choice. As someone pointed out above, I have no control over the release schedule. I just meet my deadlines and the rest is out of my hands.
I have been advised that the final book in this trilogy, Atonement, will be released on September 1, 2015.
So not a whole year from now...but almost.
Needless to say, I'm sorry for the longish wait. I assumed we would be on a similar timeline as we had between Protectors and Acts of Contrition. But apparently, no.
The good news is that the book that will follow, A Pocket Full of Lies, which I am writing now, should follow less than a year after Atonement. Obviously no release date is set yet, but given that it should be done in the next few months, I am hoping for a quicker turn-around.
Sorry.
KMFB
Wow! I just finished reading this book the ending is one heck of a cliffhanger leaving a lot of unanswered questions about what's going to happen at Starfleet Medical and the Full Circle fleet in Confederacy space who can and can't be trusted .Who the Full Circle fleet can they trust be an ally or who's their enemies are. We'll see more mysteries ne to reveiled .Kirsten certainly will have everyone wanting to know what's going to happen in Atonement. This is a great novel I really liked surprise and turns this story took with all the characters bravo!
Last edited:
I don't know... I see where you're coming from (though I didn't catch on to anything with mind control...), but I kind of got the impression from the sections done from his point of view that he was your classic "conflicted" character. He regretted inflicting harm but felt that he had no other choice. Unlike Crell Moset or Frankenstein, he didn't delight in experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what he could do, but he felt it was necessary for the greater good.
If not for the Doctor's discovery that they should already know there is no way to cure the plague and that people are purposely being infected in order to continue the existence of the plague, I would really think that he was genuinely searching for a cure. Yes, he's causing damage along the way, which isn't exactly commendable, but it is more understandable. He really does seem to care about the people and seems very invested in the work he's doing, but yes, also hardened and like he's justifying causing harm to others in order to further his own research. I imagine there are a couple of other significant pieces to that puzzle that we don't yet have access to in order to see the full picture of what is driving him in his actions and attitude.
As for the delay in the next book, I'm disappointed. I would think they would try to expedite publishing books in a trilogy or duology such as this... Knowing the quality of Kirsten's books, I'm sure it will be worth the wait, but it's one of the few times that it's a bad thing that she's such a good writer... That cliffhanger was just TOO good, and the idea of waiting nearly a full year for the resolution is not pleasant.
Last edited:
I voted Outstanding. I liked how the chapters flipped back and forth between the DQ stories and the Federation stories. Usually in books of this format, I find myself rushing through one (occasionally boring) story to get to the other more exciting one (Revelations and Dust is a good example - I rushed through Kira's story to get back to DS9), but here, every storyline was exciting and interesting. Well done, Kirsten, and I can't wait for Atonement!
I really appreciate an author who can quote The West Wing.
I really appreciate an author who can quote The West Wing.
Kirsten, did you watch "Hope and Fear" while writing Acts of Contrition? I recently was on YouTube and saw the part where Arturis rants at Janeway for being a stranger to the quadrant, ruining everything for his species by allying with the Borg, etc. I thought his points echoed those that Kashyk made in Acts of Contrition.
How did I miss this coming out?! I just downloaded it so I will get to it very shortly! I started A Stitch in Time (the Garak book) earlier today so gonna finish that first.
Super stoked to have another Voyager novel to read and excited that we are guaranteed at least 2 more even if it is a longish wait.
Super stoked to have another Voyager novel to read and excited that we are guaranteed at least 2 more even if it is a longish wait.
Well, you've recently returned from being dead and saving the universe alongside the Q, so we can expect the little details to pass you by for a while.
Why is there no choice above outstanding for a book of this magnitude? This book is on the level of Una's Crimson Shadow. Kirsten MF Beyer is bringing it in this book. I had a list of all the social issues she commented on and it was an entire page. I appreciate that like all good sci-fi, Acts of Contrition was making me think long and hard about the world I live in.
For me, the thing that had me welling up was Tom's story line. Having been the black sheep of the family and dealing with my own bad choices in life, I resonate with Tom. He's felt the weight of having the people who believed in him for so long begin to question if they were wrong to do so and it's as painful as it gets. In the end, Tom knows how to forgive because he understands how much he has been forgiven. It makes him an even better man. Seriously was tearing up as this scene played out,
For me, the thing that had me welling up was Tom's story line. Having been the black sheep of the family and dealing with my own bad choices in life, I resonate with Tom. He's felt the weight of having the people who believed in him for so long begin to question if they were wrong to do so and it's as painful as it gets. In the end, Tom knows how to forgive because he understands how much he has been forgiven. It makes him an even better man. Seriously was tearing up as this scene played out,
This is what has made Kirsten's books so amazing, growth like this in characters I knew had it in them. Beyond brilliant. The more I think about it, the more I love this book.
^^Agreed on the characters.
Also, some of the characters are given more personality in the books than the show gave them. For instance, novel-Chakotay is way more believable as a former member of the Maquis than TV-Chakotay.
Also, some of the characters are given more personality in the books than the show gave them. For instance, novel-Chakotay is way more believable as a former member of the Maquis than TV-Chakotay.
Posted my review today. Wow. I mean seriously. Wow. Pretty sure Acts of Contrition just edged out The Light Fantastic as my favorite book so far this year. And by "edged out," I mean completely destroyed. Not that that's anything against The Light Fantastic, it's just that this novel was simply phenomenal.
Can you tell that I voted "outstanding"?
Can you tell that I voted "outstanding"?
Amazing novel, though I have to say, the entire Confederacy was amazing, with some good paralles to how we work in our society, and the continuing arc with Seven made me wonder and wonder....
However, I felt that when it comes to character work (something Kirsten is known for, and does very well) only one arc in the novel really worked with a character, and that was the Paris-arc. Here the development and exploration of character was at its best. Although in the other chapters, the characters were spot on and it felt like I was reading Chakotay or B'Elanna, it was in those chapters that Kirsten's skill really shone. Amazing work.
However, I felt that when it comes to character work (something Kirsten is known for, and does very well) only one arc in the novel really worked with a character, and that was the Paris-arc. Here the development and exploration of character was at its best. Although in the other chapters, the characters were spot on and it felt like I was reading Chakotay or B'Elanna, it was in those chapters that Kirsten's skill really shone. Amazing work.
Whoa... I hadn't thought of that. Gulp.
We do know this wraps up with the next book, so it will be interesting to see how far reaching it is.
Here is our interview with Kirsten about Acts of Contrition! She also lets slip some spoilers for Atonement!
Last edited:
I just finished listening to this episode and I am so pumped for Atonement!! I really love Kirsten as well as her writing, although I have very mixed feelings about the final books in trilogies. I will either end up overwhelmingly happy and walk around in a daze or will become so crushingly upset that I will walk around in a less pleasant kind of haze.
And to have Garak feature!! He was the last character I would have thought would to have a spot in a Voyager book, but I am so looking forward to his appearance. I'm about half way through Deep Space Nine and he's already a favourite, plus I've heard incredibly good things about Crimson Shadow and A Stitch In Time.
I cannot wait to see how she works in that character as well!