Destiny: Gods of Night by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)
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Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
I knew that quest would be trouble.
Just want to add my own commendations to the bunch David. I'm reluctant to get too detailed as it's just the first part, but it sure is up there with your other fine works. I particularly enjoyed the Enterprise and Aventine sections (Leishman seems like a nightmare to live with ahahahaha).
And of course I cheered at the small inclusion of Ms Bacco - looking forward to her role in the next two volumes more than anything else now).
I knew that quest would be trouble.
Just want to add my own commendations to the bunch David. I'm reluctant to get too detailed as it's just the first part, but it sure is up there with your other fine works. I particularly enjoyed the Enterprise and Aventine sections (Leishman seems like a nightmare to live with ahahahaha).
And of course I cheered at the small inclusion of Ms Bacco - looking forward to her role in the next two volumes more than anything else now).
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
A very enjoyable read. Obviously, with it being the first part of a trilogy, there's a lot of setup, but that doesn't really hurt the book - there is a clear emerging plotline, and the way the four crews are connecting and interweaving their stories is compelling.
And we've had our first major character death.
Of course, the only problem is we now have to wait another month for part two!
A very enjoyable read. Obviously, with it being the first part of a trilogy, there's a lot of setup, but that doesn't really hurt the book - there is a clear emerging plotline, and the way the four crews are connecting and interweaving their stories is compelling.
And we've had our first major character death.
Of course, the only problem is we now have to wait another month for part two!
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Great book. I'm dying under the weight of reading and papers for graduate school, but this book I made time for. It'll mean a few very long nights towards the end of the week, but it was well worth it!
Obviously, as the first in the trilogy we've only just begun our journey down destiny's path, but what an opening! Wonderful references to other series - the inclusion of characters from DS9, Voyager, Articles of the Federation, a couple of mentions of New Frontier etc. and a very intriguing story behind the disappearance of the Columbia. Reading about the death of the Columbia cw was quite horrific.
What I loved most about this book was how David Mack completely left his pre-release detractors in the dirt. With mud on their faces. This was not in the slightest bit a Borg story and certainly not 'more of the same'. The Borg, I feel, were in many ways incidental to the character dynamics that were explored; Picard's (perhaps) descent into madness? Riker and Troi's marital difficulties, and the plethora of character moments throughout the book.
When the Borg killed Admiral Paris, for example, we didn't get a description of what was going on outside the Starbase because that didn't matter, but the touching struggle of an old man carrying a lot of pain trying to do his best to make things right with his son before he died.
And that's what the Borg should be about, which is something both Christopher Bennett and David Mack understand and is the primary reason why their Borg works leave the other two recent additions to the Borg pantheon (Resistance and Before Dishonor) in the dirt. It's never about The Borg. It's always about the characters.
I'm psyched to learn how the Caeliar and Captain Hernandez integrate into the Borg invasion storyline. I'm looking forward with excitement and fear as to what the Borg will do next, and how they may potentially alter 24th century Trek.
Next month can't come fast enough.
Great book. I'm dying under the weight of reading and papers for graduate school, but this book I made time for. It'll mean a few very long nights towards the end of the week, but it was well worth it!
Obviously, as the first in the trilogy we've only just begun our journey down destiny's path, but what an opening! Wonderful references to other series - the inclusion of characters from DS9, Voyager, Articles of the Federation, a couple of mentions of New Frontier etc. and a very intriguing story behind the disappearance of the Columbia. Reading about the death of the Columbia cw was quite horrific.
What I loved most about this book was how David Mack completely left his pre-release detractors in the dirt. With mud on their faces. This was not in the slightest bit a Borg story and certainly not 'more of the same'. The Borg, I feel, were in many ways incidental to the character dynamics that were explored; Picard's (perhaps) descent into madness? Riker and Troi's marital difficulties, and the plethora of character moments throughout the book.
When the Borg killed Admiral Paris, for example, we didn't get a description of what was going on outside the Starbase because that didn't matter, but the touching struggle of an old man carrying a lot of pain trying to do his best to make things right with his son before he died.
And that's what the Borg should be about, which is something both Christopher Bennett and David Mack understand and is the primary reason why their Borg works leave the other two recent additions to the Borg pantheon (Resistance and Before Dishonor) in the dirt. It's never about The Borg. It's always about the characters.
I'm psyched to learn how the Caeliar and Captain Hernandez integrate into the Borg invasion storyline. I'm looking forward with excitement and fear as to what the Borg will do next, and how they may potentially alter 24th century Trek.
Next month can't come fast enough.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
The Troi subplot had me riled up a bit. Especially, in Mere Mortals. I definitely see Troi's point of view, and am rooting for her despite the odds. Hey, it's Star Trek after all.
To quote Kirk: "I take it the odds are against us, and the situation is grim?"
Despite how it all turns out, it shows how good the writing is - introducing topics that make you think and get emotionally involved. Even if it's anger and frustration at the characters.
The Troi subplot had me riled up a bit. Especially, in Mere Mortals. I definitely see Troi's point of view, and am rooting for her despite the odds. Hey, it's Star Trek after all.
To quote Kirk: "I take it the odds are against us, and the situation is grim?"
Despite how it all turns out, it shows how good the writing is - introducing topics that make you think and get emotionally involved. Even if it's anger and frustration at the characters.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Great book... my compliments. Can't wait for 'Mere Mortals'.
I do see the point a poster made about Ezri being in command... does seem odd for her to get a state-of-the-art starship as her first command.
The only thing I didn't like is Melora... she's nothing more than a 24th century shut in. Didn't like the character in DS9, didn't like her in the Titan books and I don't like her here.
I definitely hope we're done with the Borg for a good long while after this series. So much of the TNG relaunch has been focused on them. Enough.
Great book... my compliments. Can't wait for 'Mere Mortals'.
I do see the point a poster made about Ezri being in command... does seem odd for her to get a state-of-the-art starship as her first command.
The only thing I didn't like is Melora... she's nothing more than a 24th century shut in. Didn't like the character in DS9, didn't like her in the Titan books and I don't like her here.
I definitely hope we're done with the Borg for a good long while after this series. So much of the TNG relaunch has been focused on them. Enough.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
^ I like Melora generally but I'm not a fan of this crazy holo-imaging device Ra-Havreii has made for her either.
Forgot to mention this earlier - I'm never been an Enterprise fan, so I know fairly little about it outside the main crew. Are the MACOs established in the series, or were they established in Last Full Measure? Additionally, what's their actual purpose/status etc?
ETA: also - Klingons vs Borg? Oh YES.
^ I like Melora generally but I'm not a fan of this crazy holo-imaging device Ra-Havreii has made for her either.
Forgot to mention this earlier - I'm never been an Enterprise fan, so I know fairly little about it outside the main crew. Are the MACOs established in the series, or were they established in Last Full Measure? Additionally, what's their actual purpose/status etc?
ETA: also - Klingons vs Borg? Oh YES.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
The MACOS were brought aboard so that the Starfleet people would have men to dance with.
(A play on an old Navy vs. Marines joke.)
The MACOS were brought aboard so that the Starfleet people would have men to dance with.
(A play on an old Navy vs. Marines joke.)
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Thank you all!
Thank you all!
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
First, okay, Troi has mitochondrial DNA damage. Are there no other Betazoids aboard the Titan that a mitochondria could be borrowed from? Or does the Titan's shipboard computer not have a sequencing of Betazoid mitochondrial DNA? Given that mitochondrial DNA is the most stable across populations, using another Betazoid's mitochondria (or rebuilding it from an established baseline, since Ree says that he can, in fact, rebuild DNA) should be feasible.
Second, the corruption of Deanna's ova DNA. Ree says that he can't rebuild that, because he doesn't know what to rebuild it to. The problem is that Deanna has a fuckload of cells in her body with the standard template. (Use the DNA out of the intestine, like "Up the Long Ladder.") I find it impossible to believe that by the 24th-century Federation medical science can't take a cell and induce meiosis upon its genetic material.
So, I'm forced to draw one or two conclusions. Either it's the Voyager problem -- technobabble for technobabble's sake to confuse the issue with nonsense -- or Dr. Ree is simply unwilling to help Deanna Troi. Given the conversation Ree and Vale have later, the latter is entirely possible, but I can't dismiss the former.
Ree's diagnosis of the underlying genetic problems is fine. However, there's not reason why the problems should be insurmountable in creating a viable ovum. And I'm calling bullshit on his final diagnosis.
First, okay, Troi has mitochondrial DNA damage. Are there no other Betazoids aboard the Titan that a mitochondria could be borrowed from? Or does the Titan's shipboard computer not have a sequencing of Betazoid mitochondrial DNA? Given that mitochondrial DNA is the most stable across populations, using another Betazoid's mitochondria (or rebuilding it from an established baseline, since Ree says that he can, in fact, rebuild DNA) should be feasible.
Second, the corruption of Deanna's ova DNA. Ree says that he can't rebuild that, because he doesn't know what to rebuild it to. The problem is that Deanna has a fuckload of cells in her body with the standard template. (Use the DNA out of the intestine, like "Up the Long Ladder.") I find it impossible to believe that by the 24th-century Federation medical science can't take a cell and induce meiosis upon its genetic material.
So, I'm forced to draw one or two conclusions. Either it's the Voyager problem -- technobabble for technobabble's sake to confuse the issue with nonsense -- or Dr. Ree is simply unwilling to help Deanna Troi. Given the conversation Ree and Vale have later, the latter is entirely possible, but I can't dismiss the former.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Hold on... you're protesting the use of bad science in the book... and then you're pointing to the science used in "Up the Long Ladder"???
Hold on... you're protesting the use of bad science in the book... and then you're pointing to the science used in "Up the Long Ladder"???
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Even without that, there's enough genetic material in Deanna Troi that Ree could assemble a working genetic sequence for her that he could then rip apart.
Except that the science in "Up the Long Ladder" is basically correct -- digestive tract cells turn over fairly rapidly.Hold on... you're protesting the use of bad science in the book... and then you're pointing to the science used in "Up the Long Ladder"???
Even without that, there's enough genetic material in Deanna Troi that Ree could assemble a working genetic sequence for her that he could then rip apart.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
I'm sorry.. I still get nervous spasms thinking about the "science" used in that episode...
I'm sorry.. I still get nervous spasms thinking about the "science" used in that episode...
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
I never feel like I've done my job as a Star Trek author until Allyn Gibson swoops in to take a huge post facto dump on my work. Now I can rest easy. Thank you, Allyn.
I never feel like I've done my job as a Star Trek author until Allyn Gibson swoops in to take a huge post facto dump on my work. Now I can rest easy. Thank you, Allyn.
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Dude, you haven't figured out by now that your friends are the least likely people to kiss your ass?
Dude, you haven't figured out by now that your friends are the least likely people to kiss your ass?
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread
Now I have to wait another month before discussing the big happenings in Mere Mortals.
This is where my Troi issues magnified (from my recent review). I wonder if men will have similar reactions, or at least fathers.
Now I have to wait another month before discussing the big happenings in Mere Mortals.
This is where my Troi issues magnified (from my recent review). I wonder if men will have similar reactions, or at least fathers.
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