Thanks for the comments! Although I'd say my exploration of the Tamarians was more than "window dressing." I put a lot of thought and research into it. Here are my story annotations and my notes on Tamarian grammar.
Thanks for the comments! Although I'd say my exploration of the Tamarians was more than "window dressing." I put a lot of thought and research into it. Here are my story annotations and my notes on Tamarian grammar.
The Long Mirage by David R. George III
In-Universe Date: 2386
Publish Date: February 28, 2017
I finally finished this one this week, and it took me a while mostly due to other circumstances (being sick and the annual inventory), but it does feel like a slow-paced book. There's more actively going on than the last few DRG books, as we have concurrent threads of Nog and Candlewood (who had a crush on nog in the past?) are investigating vic fontaine being kidnapped in the holosuite, Kira's return, and Ro and Quark going to track down Morn.
The two plots of what's going on in the holosuite and the Morn investigation eventually converge, where the reason Vic is in trouble is that Morn went into debt in the Las Vegas Program, and is out looking for a way to solve the trouble that he got Vic in. It feels a bit contrived but I liked it, as well as the discussion and ambiguity of whether or not Vic is Sentient.
Going to do I, Constable before original sin.
In-Universe Date: 2386
Publish Date: February 28, 2017
I finally finished this one this week, and it took me a while mostly due to other circumstances (being sick and the annual inventory), but it does feel like a slow-paced book. There's more actively going on than the last few DRG books, as we have concurrent threads of Nog and Candlewood (who had a crush on nog in the past?) are investigating vic fontaine being kidnapped in the holosuite, Kira's return, and Ro and Quark going to track down Morn.
The two plots of what's going on in the holosuite and the Morn investigation eventually converge, where the reason Vic is in trouble is that Morn went into debt in the Las Vegas Program, and is out looking for a way to solve the trouble that he got Vic in. It feels a bit contrived but I liked it, as well as the discussion and ambiguity of whether or not Vic is Sentient.
Going to do I, Constable before original sin.
I, The Constable is a nice little novella, with Odo being gruff but getting a bit into detective novels and the experience while investigating a disappeared quark. Once he determines Quark is Kidnapped, we get some alternating chapters from Quark's perspective. I liked seeing some more of Ferenginar, as well as Rom wanting to be an engineer and still being a bit of a clumsy lovable character. We also get some background allusions to Ro/Quark relationship fallout. The book takes place in the Long Mirage, after the dominion refugees come through the wormhole but before Odo and Kira reunite at the end.
This one was a quick read and I again wish we saw more star trek Novellas. When I finish all this and wheel of time, at least there's a lot of Warhammer novellas to experience.
Original sin is the first book I've encountered in the liverse I am aware of with an unabridged english audiobook. I am strongly considering listening to it instead of reading a little every night, but I'm still split on that.
This one was a quick read and I again wish we saw more star trek Novellas. When I finish all this and wheel of time, at least there's a lot of Warhammer novellas to experience.
Original sin is the first book I've encountered in the liverse I am aware of with an unabridged english audiobook. I am strongly considering listening to it instead of reading a little every night, but I'm still split on that.
In terms of post-destiny books, Original Sin is the first DS9 audiobook, and then it looks like enigma tales is the only other DS9 audiobook in the pre-coda litverse run, though I know there are others after the reset (pliable truths is on my list). There's 3 more TNG/Titan books and a e-novella that don't have an audiobook I have yet to read, then there's audio for prey through coda.
I think I'll probably just stick to reading unless I manage to get through a lot of wheel of time.
I have now, at long last, finished "Original Sin" by David R George III, published September 26, 2017.
Part of this was that other hobbies pulled me away (I played a lot of Hades II in bed instead of reading), and part of it was that the middle of this book really felt slow. We have two narratives, switching back and forth between them, which I've disliked before, and both stories seem to lull at the same time. The payoff for it at least is good, as the conclusion of the kidnapping of Rebecca story (which admittedly we know will conclude favorably because she is not dead) would drop the stakes a bit on the "kidnapping of all the children aboard the Robinson" storyline. The reveal here is that Rebecca has the ability to turn back time if in enough distress. This seems to work by moving her consciousness back in time in her body, but then unleashing a large amount of energy which both times alerts the searchers and allows her rescue. I was a little unsure of how the time travel worked at first, but I think that's how it does.
The main antagonist in the present-day storyline is an interesting sci-fi species known as the Glant, which each have a unique body plan. They kidnap the children, as is eventually revealed, because they engineer their next generation but need malleable minds to transfer into them. They attempt to negotiate with the starfleet crew but essentially consider the humanoids as inferior and will not give the children back because they want them for their next generation. It's a bit unclear as to how the mind transfer works, since Rebecca is transferred but keeps all her memories (maybe it wasn't complete?), and I would imagine their society would have a lot of issues with children blaming the species for abducting them. It's horrifying, to be sure, and is a good reason for why starfleet cannot negotiate with them.
I'd say the sagging middle, plus the lack of distinct focus on any character, made this one rank lower than the other post-destiny/fall DS9 books. I think there are some interesting concepts here, but it could have been trimmed or combined with others.
At this point I assume there won't be any more of Rebecca Jae Sisko. I was interested to see what more they would do, but perhaps that's a stone best left unturned. Next up for me, I think I'll try the section 31 stories before a treat of Enigma Tales.
Part of this was that other hobbies pulled me away (I played a lot of Hades II in bed instead of reading), and part of it was that the middle of this book really felt slow. We have two narratives, switching back and forth between them, which I've disliked before, and both stories seem to lull at the same time. The payoff for it at least is good, as the conclusion of the kidnapping of Rebecca story (which admittedly we know will conclude favorably because she is not dead) would drop the stakes a bit on the "kidnapping of all the children aboard the Robinson" storyline. The reveal here is that Rebecca has the ability to turn back time if in enough distress. This seems to work by moving her consciousness back in time in her body, but then unleashing a large amount of energy which both times alerts the searchers and allows her rescue. I was a little unsure of how the time travel worked at first, but I think that's how it does.
The main antagonist in the present-day storyline is an interesting sci-fi species known as the Glant, which each have a unique body plan. They kidnap the children, as is eventually revealed, because they engineer their next generation but need malleable minds to transfer into them. They attempt to negotiate with the starfleet crew but essentially consider the humanoids as inferior and will not give the children back because they want them for their next generation. It's a bit unclear as to how the mind transfer works, since Rebecca is transferred but keeps all her memories (maybe it wasn't complete?), and I would imagine their society would have a lot of issues with children blaming the species for abducting them. It's horrifying, to be sure, and is a good reason for why starfleet cannot negotiate with them.
I'd say the sagging middle, plus the lack of distinct focus on any character, made this one rank lower than the other post-destiny/fall DS9 books. I think there are some interesting concepts here, but it could have been trimmed or combined with others.
At this point I assume there won't be any more of Rebecca Jae Sisko. I was interested to see what more they would do, but perhaps that's a stone best left unturned. Next up for me, I think I'll try the section 31 stories before a treat of Enigma Tales.
Section 31: Disavowed is a mirror universe jumping spy thriller.
It's fine. I don't have much to say about it. It also adds more to the breen scientist/manager we've been following over many of the typhon pact books, by having him fall in love with the tzenkethi scientist he was working with. I found this out of left field, but if we actually get to following up with how the tzenkethi, who's society is rigidly engineered and xenophobic, would treat him as a defector.
Beyond that, Julian and Sarina do violent spy things and try to work against section 31 while working for the good of the federation. This is somewhat contrasted with the Memory Omega organization in the mirror universe, who seems to be a force for good but also falls into the "big shadowy organization" camp. I think there's potentially more exploring that could have been done with those themes, but it's fine.
I've started the next few chapters of "control" and I'm finding it more engaging, despite it still being full of crazy spy action scenes. I'm sure part of that is I hadn't read any of the other mirror universe books for disavowed, and that I feel the themes in control are more relevent.
It's fine. I don't have much to say about it. It also adds more to the breen scientist/manager we've been following over many of the typhon pact books, by having him fall in love with the tzenkethi scientist he was working with. I found this out of left field, but if we actually get to following up with how the tzenkethi, who's society is rigidly engineered and xenophobic, would treat him as a defector.
Beyond that, Julian and Sarina do violent spy things and try to work against section 31 while working for the good of the federation. This is somewhat contrasted with the Memory Omega organization in the mirror universe, who seems to be a force for good but also falls into the "big shadowy organization" camp. I think there's potentially more exploring that could have been done with those themes, but it's fine.
I've started the next few chapters of "control" and I'm finding it more engaging, despite it still being full of crazy spy action scenes. I'm sure part of that is I hadn't read any of the other mirror universe books for disavowed, and that I feel the themes in control are more relevent.
I'm on Chapter Nine right now, and so far my theory, since the chapter that details the surveillance program, is that the mysterious leader of section 31 that's referred to only as "Control" is in fact the program, as they keep talk about it being sentient. The only thing I'm unsure about is if it wants to be found out or wants to kill Julian/Sarina (as it stated it wants to do at the end of a recent chapter).
I'll keep reading and find out!
I'll keep reading and find out!
I have now finished reading it, and it seems like my predictions rang true.
"Section 31: Control" by David Mack, published in April 2017, seems well-executed, but it's "section 31" taken to the logical extreme, which is not my favorite concept. Nobody likes a lack of free will, which is I suppose the point. Hopefully this doesn't become our actual reality.
This will be brief. I enjoyed all the characters we had in the book, they all seemed fairly well written and in character. I was a bit dismissive of the action scene at the start of the book, but when we revisit that scene in the climax, there's so much subversion of your initial expectations through what I assume was clever wording at the start. I do somewhat want to compare them, but don't have the time for that now.
The change in the status quo here is section 31 is gone, which is a big news event, but the large AI who was controlling it remains secretly at large, and then Sarina dies and Bashir is traumatized by this. I think her death and Bashir's worry over her are handled well. At the end, Bashir is put in custody of Garak, and it's a bit clear that Garak still has some feelings for him in earlier scenes. It seemed like earlier books were giving him a husband figure, but I'm excited to read some follow-ups.
I suppose I'm going to read The end of this day's business now, then Enigma Tales. I'm unsure if The end of this day's business wasn't published because it tells an alternate story to control, or if it builds on it, but I guess I'll find out. Then it'll be on to TNG/Titan books!
I also now have editing permissions on startrekreadingorder.com, so I'll be doing some order adjustments, and adding new books/comics, getting us caught up and then adding new things as they come out. Once I get caught up with this reading backlog, I'll ideally read new releases as they come out.
"Section 31: Control" by David Mack, published in April 2017, seems well-executed, but it's "section 31" taken to the logical extreme, which is not my favorite concept. Nobody likes a lack of free will, which is I suppose the point. Hopefully this doesn't become our actual reality.
This will be brief. I enjoyed all the characters we had in the book, they all seemed fairly well written and in character. I was a bit dismissive of the action scene at the start of the book, but when we revisit that scene in the climax, there's so much subversion of your initial expectations through what I assume was clever wording at the start. I do somewhat want to compare them, but don't have the time for that now.
The change in the status quo here is section 31 is gone, which is a big news event, but the large AI who was controlling it remains secretly at large, and then Sarina dies and Bashir is traumatized by this. I think her death and Bashir's worry over her are handled well. At the end, Bashir is put in custody of Garak, and it's a bit clear that Garak still has some feelings for him in earlier scenes. It seemed like earlier books were giving him a husband figure, but I'm excited to read some follow-ups.
I suppose I'm going to read The end of this day's business now, then Enigma Tales. I'm unsure if The end of this day's business wasn't published because it tells an alternate story to control, or if it builds on it, but I guess I'll find out. Then it'll be on to TNG/Titan books!
I also now have editing permissions on startrekreadingorder.com, so I'll be doing some order adjustments, and adding new books/comics, getting us caught up and then adding new things as they come out. Once I get caught up with this reading backlog, I'll ideally read new releases as they come out.
It wasn't published because the novel continuity ended due to new canon. Control came out in 2017, 3 months before Enigma Tales, and Business was meant to be the sequel to Tales, so you should read it after.
The End of This Day’s Business—or, My Life as Repetitive Epic - Uncanny Magazine
In the twenty-second episode of the second season of Star Trek: Deep Space 9, “The Wire” (which is a holy text), we learn of the existence of a genre of Cardassian literature called “the repetitive epic.” The text under discussion, in this particular meeting of Garak and Bashir’s Lunch Time...
www.uncannymagazine.com
Whoops! I misreadIt wasn't published because the novel continuity ended due to new canon. Control came out in 2017, 3 months before Enigma Tales, and Business was meant to be the sequel to Tales, so you should read it after.
The End of This Day’s Business—or, My Life as Repetitive Epic - Uncanny Magazine
In the twenty-second episode of the second season of Star Trek: Deep Space 9, “The Wire” (which is a holy text), we learn of the existence of a genre of Cardassian literature called “the repetitive epic.” The text under discussion, in this particular meeting of Garak and Bashir’s Lunch Time...
as "between" multiple times, then realized it was wrong, then forgot again. Thanks for the reminder!
My interpretation was that the epilogue was Control “corncobbing” in its final moments, self-soothing during its death by deluding itself into thinking it has planned for that, too, and its defeat was actually its apotheosis into a being of pure thought, or super-meme, or the democratic mind-virus spreading across the galaxy or whatever it needed to tell itself to not feel like a failure.
Was this the one where Bashir meets the MU Founders? I found that part both a little fanwanky and kind of compelling.
Pardon, I don’t follow. Isn’t the decrease in authoritarian societies like Cardassians, Romulans, Klingons and Borg (to a degree), and outright democratization in the Cardassians’ case, a positive thing?
There is such a thing as positive viruses, and not just in Red Dwarf:
The Good that Viruses Do
The surprising and beneficial contributions that viruses bring to life
magazine.hms.harvard.edu
Sure, but I think Control taking credit for it as being exclusively the result of its master plan (or that Control had somehow reformed itself into the soul of liberal democracy as a concept and will live on through it controlling the little people’s minds in perpetuity) is delusional.
Enigma Tales By Una McCormack, Published 2017-06-27
There's a lot to love here, and after a few action-y books I am glad to have read this. The last chapter in particular was great to see everything fall into place, and I cried during the scene with Kukalaka.
I have no idea what the literary term may be for when the characters diegetically talk about literary devices and then the book uses those literary devices, but McCormack puts that to good use here, as the book talks in the early chapters about "Enigma Tales", pulp mystery novels, and then lays down a lot of pieces and puts them all together in the end.
I love Garak as a character, though he has done so many immoral things in his past, and it's hard to know truly if a character like that can be redeemable. This book's way of doing so is by showing he knows he is not what a new Cardassia deserves, and setting up Natima Lang to be his successor. It felt well executed and was again one of those missing puzzle pieces at the end.
In contrast, the Peter Alden stuff here felt mixed, trying to tie into the spy themes, but it does give him a reason to be there when Pulaski is looking for the kidnapping victim. Particularly after coming off a section 31 novel, I don't want more of that, but it's done well enough here. As Pulaski says, "Damn! I hate spooks"
I also love how tie-ins take Pulaski and run with her, keeping her abrasive but giving her a certain grow-on-you charm.
I'm excited to next read The End of This Day's Business, and stevil's review of Enigma Tales. Dumped TEoTDB on my e-reader to read. I'm also of course curious about how much of the regular processes it might have gotten through, or if some britishisms may have slipped through.
There's a lot to love here, and after a few action-y books I am glad to have read this. The last chapter in particular was great to see everything fall into place, and I cried during the scene with Kukalaka.
I have no idea what the literary term may be for when the characters diegetically talk about literary devices and then the book uses those literary devices, but McCormack puts that to good use here, as the book talks in the early chapters about "Enigma Tales", pulp mystery novels, and then lays down a lot of pieces and puts them all together in the end.
I love Garak as a character, though he has done so many immoral things in his past, and it's hard to know truly if a character like that can be redeemable. This book's way of doing so is by showing he knows he is not what a new Cardassia deserves, and setting up Natima Lang to be his successor. It felt well executed and was again one of those missing puzzle pieces at the end.
In contrast, the Peter Alden stuff here felt mixed, trying to tie into the spy themes, but it does give him a reason to be there when Pulaski is looking for the kidnapping victim. Particularly after coming off a section 31 novel, I don't want more of that, but it's done well enough here. As Pulaski says, "Damn! I hate spooks"
I also love how tie-ins take Pulaski and run with her, keeping her abrasive but giving her a certain grow-on-you charm.
I'm excited to next read The End of This Day's Business, and stevil's review of Enigma Tales. Dumped TEoTDB on my e-reader to read. I'm also of course curious about how much of the regular processes it might have gotten through, or if some britishisms may have slipped through.
Saw this in Stevil's thread, and I understand that reading, and think it's openly left open to interpretation, but it's the pessimistic novel so I assume the pessimistic outcome.
Where they reveal that they're benevolent, and theorize that maybe the Odo's got swapped. Which kinda works with the "mirror universe, everything's opposite" idea, but not everything is opposite, necessarily. I agree with you, it's a bit "ooohhh doesn't this explain everything" but then there's a little too much nature over nurture and I prefer each Odo to just be a product of their environment (and I don't mean ambient lighting).
