The Never Ending Sacrifice (Sept. 2009!)

[Darth_Pazuzu]

I just saw the recent news article on the Pocket Books Star Trek book schedule for 2008-09, and I saw that Una McCormack is going to write The Never Ending Sacrifice! I'm rather psyched about that because I'm a great admirer of her past work in Trek Lit (The Lotus Flower, Hollow Men, the short story Face Value). But the question is, will it actually be the much-talked about Cardassian literary masterwork, or will it pick up where we last left off with Elim Garak, the Oralian Way and the rebuilding of Cardassian society.

I'm not asking for spoilers, mind you, but I wouldn't mind learning just a little more!

 

[Trent Roman]

The only description we have says that it will continue the post-DS9, so no, I think we can safely say that it won't be a kind of in-universe literary production. (Although, who knows - maybe Una will give us some exerpts!)

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I much, much, MUCH rather have a story about Cardassia than an in-universe literary production. Excerpts are fine, but ever since reading A Stitch in Time, I've become a huge fan of Cardassian society and its history. The post-finale Deep Space Nine books and the Terok Nor trilogy (which I'm only slightly halfway through) have only heighten my love for it, so this is my second most anticipated book (after New Frontier: Treason, of course).

 

[tenmei]

I hope this doesn't divert too much from the main thrust of the DS9 Relaunch - unless it's the "Season 9" equivalent of Rising Son of course, telling us the story that has occured whilst we've been looking elsewhere but still providing stuff to tie in with the actual ongoing arc.

I mean, I read the DS9 Relaunch to read about Kira, Vaughn, Nog, Ro, Bashir, Ezri, Tarana'tar, Quark, Tenmei (duh!), Cenn and Shar and not some bit-part Cardassian - so, hopefully we'll at least meet up with our regulars in the tome.

 

[Trent Roman]

Well, O'Brien, Garak and Keiko were all on Cardassia last time we visited the planet; they're not Relaunch regulars, but the first two were certainly presences in the TV show. I wouldn't be surprised to see Macet in there, either.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[JD]

Weren't there some story threads left hanging at The Lotus Flower?

 

[Christopher]

I hope this doesn't divert too much from the main thrust of the DS9 Relaunch - unless it's the "Season 9" equivalent of Rising Son of course, telling us the story that has occured whilst we've been looking elsewhere but still providing stuff to tie in with the actual ongoing arc.

Keep in mind that The Never Ending Sacrifice comes out just one month after The Soul Key, Olivia Woods' conclusion to the story she began in Fearful Symmetry. The reason FS was a shorter, less conclusive story than many expected is because it turned out to be such a big story that they needed to split it in two. So the "main thrust" of the Relaunch will indeed be felt next August, with TNES following it in September.

 

[JD]

So FS was pretty much just a set up for the big stuff in The Soul Key, then?

 

[Christopher]

I think maybe calling it the setup is selling FS a bit short. Think of it more as the first part of a duology.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

Weren't there some story threads left hanging at The Lotus Flower?

Yes. I enjoyed the events in that novel *so* much, and I'm finally glad we get to return to Cardassia.

 

[Fist McStrongpunch]

Oh man. I saw the title and got so excited to actually read the great repetitive epic. I am sad now.

 

[MHJH]

Anybody else thinking we could possibly get a "Spock's World" or "The Romulan Way" out of The Never Ending Sacrifice? You know, a book that portrays a culture by way of alternating chapters of an historical bent with a modern day narrative. I'd definitely be up for that. Any more details on the Oralians and Cardassian culture would be more than welcome, and it'd be nice to see what Alon, Garak, and O'Brien are up to on Cardassia as well.

 

[DeVario]

Anybody else thinking we could possibly get a "Spock's World" or "The Romulan Way" out of The Never Ending Sacrifice? You know, a book that portrays a culture by way of alternating chapters of an historical bent with a modern day narrative. I'd definitely be up for that. Any more details on the Oralians and Cardassian culture would be more than welcome, and it'd be nice to see what Alon, Garak, and O'Brien are up to on Cardassia as well.

I'm all for that. A Cardassian equivalent of "Spock's World" would be an epic win.

 

[nx1701g]

All I know is that it's on my list for next year. I'm going to have A LOT of reading...