Destiny: Gods of Night by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by haubrija, Sep 19, 2008.

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Grade "Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night"

  1. Excellent

    69.2%
  2. Above Average

    23.1%
  3. Average

    5.1%
  4. Below Average

    1.3%
  5. Poor

    1.3%
  1. Stevil2001

    Stevil2001 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Yes, but what can you debate about impending extinction? I don't think anyone here would disagree that it's a bad thing...
     
  2. Brefugee

    Brefugee No longer living the Irish dream. Premium Member

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Oh I don't know, the Borg could be an uber mass-extinction causing event!
     
  3. Baerbel Haddrell

    Baerbel Haddrell Commodore Commodore

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Probably not because I doubt it that there would be much of Star Trek left. :)
     
  4. MMCL

    MMCL Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Which could be quite interesting... an almost destroyed alpha/beta quadrant 'starting over' and learning to grow again... it'd be almost like a reboot without the big shoes ;)
     
  5. GHS

    GHS Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I thought Gods of Night was one of the better Trek books I've read -certainly in the top 10. David Mack seemed raring to take the story straight into territory other writers have til now either been too timid or never allowed to do previously.

    I came in unfamiliar with the newly created crew members and pretty much left that way, except for a handful that made an impression: Ree, Bowers, Vale. Keeping them all straight was something I stopped worrying about early on. "I head for licensed fiction to be with old friends, not make new ones", as Odo might say.

    I read this over the course of several weeks, which could be why I had an ongoing problem of not being able to recall what any of the 24th century ships were trying to accomplish when their storyline would pick back up ("let's see, were they tracking the pulse trail or investigating the dark planetoids?"). I found all the segments equally intriguing and never felt let down to be leaving one storyline to go back to another. Conversely, while the book was consistently excellent, I never felt like there was one moment that really floored me, either. The best laugh in the book for me (and the only one read out loud to my better half) was "Did you say girl?", followed by Ree's reaction. As to whether the 4 storylines meshed perfectly together, that I probably can't answer until book 3.

    Not to badmouth other authors, but I can imagine the Riker/Troi plot in other hands turning out painfully bad. Despite to spotty science applied, I thought it made great drama. What's more, I don't think Allyn's "Federation ban" explanation would have worked dramatically - the reader would just be constantly wiating for Dr. Ree to ignore the stupid rule in the sake of saving Troi. In retrospect, maybe David didn't make it "techobabbly" enough, since why she can't carry the fetus to term isn't the point.

    Can't wait for book two!
     
  6. William Leisner

    William Leisner Scribbler Rear Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I can only imagine if you did want to badmouth other authors...
     
  7. GHS

    GHS Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Well, since I said I'd like to see more of your work (like, five years ago?), and have yet to be offered a Trek novel of yours to purchase, I'm probably not referring to your talent
     
  8. Defcon

    Defcon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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  9. William Leisner

    William Leisner Scribbler Rear Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    And how does that make your comment any less insulting to all the other authors on this board?
     
  10. JoeZhang

    JoeZhang Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    What if it is? If that's his viewpoint, they will have to lump it.
     
  11. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I'm really enjoying Gods of Night so far. Though I do have one issue with it:

    Every single time I see the Borg declare, "You will be exterminated," I can't help but imagine the Daleks saying it. "YOU-WILL-BE-EX-TER-MI-NA-TED!" ;)
     
  12. Defcon

    Defcon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I guess Bill is a bit irritated, because GHS explicitly said that s/he doesn't want to badmouth other writers, and in the very next sentence more or less does so.

    But I guess the first part has as much meaning as "with all due respect". :lol:
     
  13. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I suppose that Star Trek conditions us to expect our characters to violate rules and regulations willy-nilly, because they're the heroes butting heads with a hidebound bureaucracy. We see them do this repeatedly, they get their wrists slapped, and the next week, the incident is forgotten.

    Despite all the medical technobabble I threw out pages and pages ago about mitochrondria and intestinal DNA, the fetus Deanna Troi is carrying in Gods of Night is not viable. The idea I tossed out -- that a ovum could be built from scratch using DNA from two sources, one that's not Deanna's -- is a workable future solution. Even if Ree suggested my idea -- and there are sound medical ethics reasons why he cannot -- it's not a solution to save the fetus. And Deanna, unless she's hellbent on a suicidal course of action, will have to abort the fetus.

    We could debate the ethics of the Federation's ban on genetic engineering until we're blue in the face. The fact remains, there is a ban in place, as we know from Julian Bashir. (And as we've seen in the literature, there are others, like Elizabeth Lense, who have gotten caught up in the effects of that ban.)

    Ree would have to violate his oaths as a medical doctor to even suggest that path of genetically rebuilding an ovum. He would be putting his career in jeopardy. And worse, by putting his career in jeopardy, he's putting the health and safety of the crew of the Titan at risk. Spock said it best -- "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

    Yes, a word or two from Ree could have given Riker and Troi hope. But it would also have set them -- and him -- down a path they don't want to go. It would endanger their careers and their liberties. There is a reason for rules. And there is a reason to follow them.
     
  14. Baerbel Haddrell

    Baerbel Haddrell Commodore Commodore

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I have a question: I know that there is a ban on genetic engineering that involves enhancing a sentient being. But would it also be illegal if, for example, Dr Bashir`s treatment would have turned him into a man with a high but not abnormal high intelligence and a body with no physical enhancements?

    I understand the law against genetic enhancements but not if it is also against repairing genetic damage.
     
  15. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I think UFP law allows for genetic treatment to correct life-threatening or crippling defects. So the kind of treatment that's been discussed above about using genetic therapy to correct the damage to Deanna's gametes would not be illegal. The reason Bashir's treatment was illegal was because his natural condition wasn't a threat to his survival or something insurmountably crippling; he was just somewhat limited in his intelligence and coordination.
     
  16. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    So if that stuff is legal, then why was Geordi left blind?
     
  17. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    I always assumed that they just literally could not fix it.
     
  18. Baerbel Haddrell

    Baerbel Haddrell Commodore Commodore

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    Thank you. That is my understanding as well.
     
  19. foravalon

    foravalon Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    It does make for awesome alliteration but, unfortunately, a terrible acronym. Especially when placed in the context "Cleaning up Mack's Mess." :cardie:


    Hmmmn, biomechanoid species known for having pronounced tubing and deadened expressions, H.R. Giger maybe?

    (P.S. Apologies for that terrible joke above)
     
  20. William Leisner

    William Leisner Scribbler Rear Admiral

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    Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Gods of Night - SPOILER Thread

    And the winner of the Sophia Petrillo Award for Thoughts That Should Not Be Expressed Out Loud...