^An accident on Caldik Prime. He covered it up, but the ghosts of those three cadets returned to teach him the true meaning of Christmas (his joke, not mine)
My thoughts on Protectors:
Very engaging as always; genuinely character-driven, and more than ever the series needs to be, given what the characters have been through lately. After reading The Fall, the concluding novel of which went out of its way to finalise the set-up for transition back to a gentler, more stable Trek 'verse, this was a return to the aftermath of Destiny, when the cultural wound the Federation suffered is still raw. There's much uncertainty, lots of confusion, and a great deal of free-floating grief. Very astute and interesting observations are made here that show us a real appreciation for how the wider culture of the UFP has been changed and marked by these events. For example, commenting on Farkas' bluntness, Chakotay deciding that people are more frank now; they have less use or time for pointless niceties. There’s two traumas that are central to this book, then; Janeway’s own incredible ordeal and the wider cultural trauma she’s managed to miss (and which some will hold her partially responsible for, no less). It's similar to the original tension between the Voyager crewmen who were on the journey those seven years and those who fought the Dominion War, as seen in Spirit Walk. Cambridge insisting that Janeway has to work this through, to set aside the time to deal with it or it will cripple her in the long run, is quite appropriate, and I'm glad the consequences to Janeway's sense of identity are being explored in full. A few reviewers have suggested there’s a little too much angst or emotional turmoil in the book, but it feels entirely appropriate and natural for me, given the time in which the story is set.
I loved that Janeway’s mother was given the attention she deserves. Family is very important to me, and it was great to see that Sisko isn't the only captain who retains a close relationship with a parent. Beyer does this sort of thing a lot, of course – it was her String Theory book that was the first, as I recall, to pay attention to the fact that Janeway has a sister.
I particularly enjoyed the wonderfully-written scenes between Janeway and Picard. Both characters had a warmth and a richness to them that really did Beyer proud. Also, I must say that Picard shaking his fist skywards at Q (so to speak) was hilarious - in the best possible way. Speaking of Q, I mentioned back in my Eternal Tide review that a highlight of that book was how it developed and detailed the reciprocal mentorship and philosophical coaxing that came to define the relationship between Humanity and the Q Continuum. A counterpart or balance to Q and A, in which humans 'return the favour', confirming that Q and humans are allies, even friends. The Janeway/Picard conversation really reinforced that notion, and was a wonderful coda to the Q-human relationship. I actually hope that Q doesn’t show up that often anymore – this was a very satisfying and appropriate place to leave his story.
The Worlds of the First Quadrant seem an interesting addition to the Trek 'verse, and I like that the Full Circle fleet now potentially has a home base in the Delta Quadrant. The backstory for the region is a rich one, and I appreciate how they’re introduced at the tail end of a scientific expedition, rather than having Voyager drop out of warp and there they are. Much as I like the political side of the Trek novels, we do need some variety, and Beyer's good at the "wonders and dangers of space" approach, with emphasis pleasingly on the former but the latter well respected. As it should be. And alongside this new alliance – which, as Markonian so rightly says, reminds me of the Goeg Domain in its flavour (and of the Venette Convention in its insular policies) – we have the Delta Quadrant’s own Typhon Pact as well, it seems. The Vaadwaur and Turei have worked something out and have teamed up with the Devore. Well, it’s about time that “I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of them” was confirmed for the Vaadwaur, isn't it?
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Looking forward to hearing another interview with Kirsten.
