Spoilers SNW: Ring of Fire by David Mack Review Thread

[Elwro]

Just got to the part where Important Documents are signed and had to pause listening.

So some Starfleet people, it seems, could've at least partially eased one of our heroes' conscience. And they didn't, letting the person live with the guilt for years. Man, that's cold. Sometimes these Starfleet people behave as if they aren't really your friends! ;-)

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Now two chapters in, and appreciating how the references to Season 3 events are more "teasers" than "spoilers." And how having seen the first 60% of Season 3 isn't necessary (so far) to make sense of the book.
(I'm still waiting for the third season DVD set -- the officially licensed one, not the pirate ones that are already in circulation -- with a proverbial "worm on my tongue.")

But I think I'll be too busy tonight to get any further: not a lot of kids in the neighborhood, to whom I'll be handing out Cow Tales, but I'll also be seeing a double feature of Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Young Frankenstein.

 

[Elwro]

77% in the audiobook. Could anyone tell me what the relationship between the Enterprise's and the station's masses is, roughly? Someone in the book just said that the ship's mass was a few hundred times lower and I'm not sure if I heard right :-) somehow in my mind I pictured the research station as a lot smaller than the ship (which of course is not a reliable indicator of mass, but still). If I had a paper copy I'd just skim it for info but I can't do this with audiobooks ;-) thanks in advance!

 

[David cgc]

77% in the audiobook. Could anyone tell me what the relationship between the Enterprise's and the station's masses is, roughly? Someone in the book just said that the ship's mass was a few hundred times lower and I'm not sure if I heard right :-) somehow in my mind I pictured the research station as a lot smaller than the ship (which of course is not a reliable indicator of mass, but still). If I had a paper copy I'd just skim it for info but I can't do this with audiobooks ;-) thanks in advance!

The eBook and print version contain a diagram of the station. I also felt like it "read" as being fairly small, but it's apparently pretty huge and just sparsely crewed.

 

[Elwro]

The eBook and print version contain a diagram of the station. I also felt like it "read" as being fairly small, but it's apparently pretty huge and just sparsely crewed.

View attachment 49844

Ooooh, that's very helpful. Thank you very much!

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Now six chapters in. Lots of Season 3 teasers, but no real spoilers (thanks!).

I will note that there is an inconsistency between the illustration, and the description in the text: the text describes the "bottom" of the core as being smaller in diameter than the "top"; this doesn't match what's shown in the elevation view. Of course, with no idea of the internal arrangement of the station, "top" and "bottom" become meaningless in an exterior view of an object in space.

I will also note that the autopsy scene was remarkably detailed, and certainly consistent with autopsy scenes I remember from Quincy. Does @David Mack have any sort of background in forensic pathology?

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Finished it this morning.

Wow.

And I liked the name-drop of the USS Lovell.

 

[Elwro]

I'm nearing the end of the audiobook and there's a word which appears quite often which seems to sound like 'siph'. Does anyone have an idea what it could be?

 

[Christopher]

I'm nearing the end of the audiobook and there's a word which appears quite often which seems to sound like 'siph'. Does anyone have an idea what it could be?

I'm guessing SIF, structural integrity field?

 

[Elwro]

I'm guessing SIF, structural integrity field?

Thank you!

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

I'm guessing SIF, structural integrity field?

Seems the most likely to me, too. If I'd been the director/engineer/editor (assuming that's the case), I'd have had Petkoff go for another take of the paragraph, pronouncing it as an initialism rather than as an acronym.

Yet another reason why I prefer to read books myself, preferably in hardcopy, ideally a nice, Smyth-sewn hardcover.

Although I can see as how an audiobook is nice, especially if names of individuals, places, or species are not from any known Human language, and the text is read under the author's supervision. Not all authors are as good as ADF at coming up with pronounceable alien names, and even ADF occasionally comes up with a headscratcher.

Thank you!

I'll take that to mean that if fits the context, and that CLB was right?

 

[Elwro]

Yup, fits the context nicely!

 

[E-DUB]

Well, finally secured my copy today, almost a month after requesting it. But, in the meantime, my wife wanted me to read Babel, which is 500+ pages. And while I'm knee-deep in that one, I spot the new novel by Joe Hill, which is 800+ pages. I'll juggle two novels, but not three, so, sorry David, it may be a while before I can actually start this one.

BTW, for those not familiar with Joe Hill, he's supposedly Stephen King's son, but personally I think he's actually a clone. Seriously, have you seen pictures of this dude?

 

[Elwro]

Finished. I really enjoyed the main plot. And I do like which details the book is silent about; honestly, this way I don't feel *I'm* violating the relevant directive :-) I had a great time.

For me it seems the spies / saboteurs were hurdles to overcome in order to get to the main events :-) but I don't get one thing. As far as I understand, some series of bombs was set to detonate precisely right after the 'capture'. WHY? If the idea was to prevent the station from achieving its goal, they should detonate right *before* that, so that there wouldn't be time to repair the relevant machinery. What am I missing?

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

. . . . they should detonate right *before* that, so that there wouldn't be time to repair the relevant machinery.

As a certain character played by Robert Stack in my in-flight-movie of choice would put it,

That's just what they'll be expecting us to do.

My best conjecture is that the "after" bombs were insurance: an attempt to guarantee that if the station's mission succeeded, it would be lost in the accretion disk.

 

[David Mack]

^ Correct.