TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Sho, Oct 21, 2012.

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Rate The Persistence of Memory.

  1. Outstanding

    71 vote(s)
    55.5%
  2. Above Average

    43 vote(s)
    33.6%
  3. Average

    12 vote(s)
    9.4%
  4. Below Average

    1 vote(s)
    0.8%
  5. Poor

    1 vote(s)
    0.8%
  1. David Mack

    David Mack Writer Rear Admiral

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Part of my family history is Polish, and my brother has been researching our family tree. Consequently, he took up the study of the Polish language, which in turn stoked my own curiosity.

    When I'm looking for non-English names for other cultures' ships, etc., I also look frequently to Finnish, Swahili, or Welsh.
     
  2. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    I suspected there could be a family factor :)
     
  3. Deranged Nasat

    Deranged Nasat Vice Admiral Admiral

    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Priority Communication to Central Command, Clearance Level Semtuk-Seven-Red.

    Gul Re'jal is believed to be a Breen infiltrator. Revoke all command codes and security clearances immediately.

    :shifty:
     
  4. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Oh, you silly monolingual. Of course it didn't occur to you that Gul Re'jal learnt Breen to spy on them, did it? :cardie: :rofl: [​IMG]



    I've finished the book and I have "double-feeling", as the book included two stories.

    I enjoyed the Enterprise parts very much. Packed with events, action, and a surprise (even though I'd known Choudhury's fate, I didn't know when, why or how, so it took me by surprise).

    The Soong part was a lot tougher to get through. Diary, everyday life stories with no clear plot, mystery or any other "lure" are not my cup of tea. I understand it was necessary for the whole story and it's not time wasted, but it didn't hold my interest as the other parts of the book.

    Now, to Book II :)
     
  5. Deranged Nasat

    Deranged Nasat Vice Admiral Admiral

    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    :lol: Ouch!

    Still: learning other languages? Preposterous! Loudly insist that other people learn your language and look down on them as inferiors if they don't. That, my dear Gul Re'jal, is how an Englishman do. You'll never fit in with your current attitude, I assure you! :p
     
  6. Gul Re'jal

    Gul Re'jal Commodore Commodore

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    You should have issued that warning a while ago, before I learnt 4 languages...

    No, wait, if I didn't I wouldn't understand you anyway.

    But keep going, please do! My job is secure as long as there are real Englishmen :D ;)
     
  7. TV's Frank

    TV's Frank Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    I have to jump into this thread and state that am more than halfway through this novel and thoroughly enjoying it. It's been an excellent, thoughtful and engaging read, I keep coming back back to it, even though there are other books I have waiting. Despite being such a fervent TNG fan, I haven't read as much of their lit adventures, even though I wanted to. I am really pleased with how Mack is detailing those post-NEMESIS years. I am also learning that I should really go back and read his "Destiny" trilogy, right? :)
     
  8. Markonian

    Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Yes, aboslutely, I do indeed concur wholeheartedly.
    It's a good jump-in point for the current continuity if you accept there have been changes on Enterprise since NEM.
     
  9. TV's Frank

    TV's Frank Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Do you think it's fine for me to continue reading the "Cold Equation" trilogy, then go back and read "Destiny"? Or should I finish book 1 of "Cold Equation", then read "Destiny" and pick up with book 2 of "Cold Equation"?
     
  10. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    No reason to do that. Destiny is important for general background on the state of the universe at this point, but it isn't immediately or directly relevant to Cold Equations. If you're already reading stuff that comes after it, you've already become aware of the changes in the status quo, so discovering how those changes occurred can be left for another time.
     
  11. Paper Moon

    Paper Moon Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Oh yeah, I think you should just go on and read the rest of Cold Equations. First, you actually get a not bad summary of the events of Destiny from another character's perspective in The Persistence of Memory. But furthermore, while Destiny is a great jumping off point, its key events and ramifications are very easy summarized, and always are in any sequel that needs to address them.

    I actually think that Destiny is somewhat overrated, or at least, over-recommended for TrekLit newbies. It's an epic story, yes, but mainly because we get an amazing pay-off in the second half of the third book. The first two-and-a-half books are great drama, but they're pretty bleak, and can honestly be a slog.

    I think a better jump-off point would actually be the immediate sequels, A Singular Destiny, which introduces the Typhon Pact, and Losing the Peace, which addresses the humanitarian crisis left behind after the events of Destiny, in, frankly, what I think is a much more interesting fashion.

    Alternatively, Q&A is an amazing novel. Not too long, a fun romp, but also epic in scale. It comes just before Destiny and it's a much lighter book among many heavier stories.

    All that said, Destiny is a great trilogy, and it might work great for you. But don't get discouraged if you don't enjoy it, and don't feel like you need to finish.

    And as Christopher said, by the time you finish this book, you'll know most of the big changes.
     
  12. TV's Frank

    TV's Frank Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Thanks very much for the replies on this! I went ahead and ordered Book 2 of Cold Equation, just wrapped up Book 1 last night on my flight back to L.A. from Vegas. I was both surprised and very moved by that novel's ending, it was very effective. Looking forward to the next installment and I will plan on reading Destiny soon. Q&A is a novel I wasn't aware of, so I'll see about adding that one to my wish list! I am really finding the post-NEMESIS timeline and adventures engaging and exciting, especially as there is much history and character from which to mine in terms of events in TNG and DS9.
     
  13. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    If you haven't already been linked to it, the flowchart in my signature will help you figure out what order things go in and how they fit together. As everyone has said, you can pretty much jump in wherever - you don't have to follow in order - but it'll help get you oriented at least :)
     
  14. TV's Frank

    TV's Frank Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Thanks Thrawn, this helps greatly! I hadn't realized how many of the recent novels intersected across the various crews and characters, especially in that Typhon Pact series, it seems. And hey, even another book in The Motion Picture era besides "Ex Machina" - sweet!
     
  15. Ronald Held

    Ronald Held Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Any chance of Soong being recalled in flashbacks from Data in the future?
     
  16. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Just finally looked at that - how the %^$£ did you al come up with that monster?

    Don't get me wrong, it's a hell of a piece of work - but, where on earth did you start?
     
  17. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Well, from mid-2008 to the end of 2010 I went on a huge binge and read 215 Star Trek novels, so it was all relatively fresh in my memory. And then people kept asking how it all fit together, and after like 15 threads giving the same explanations, it made more sense to just draw it all. My original version was about half of what you see now, excluding New Frontier and a lot of the backstory categories, as well as obviously everything released in the last couple years. Most of the growth since then has been 8of5, with occasional input from me.

    For what it's worth, when I made it, I started from Destiny and worked backwards and forwards from there.
     
  18. Relayer1

    Relayer1 Admiral Admiral

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    I may be wrong, but with what Data has of Soong, I think he could create a Soong 2.0 in the same way Soong made Data 2.0 from B4's 'recordings'.
     
  19. Ronald Held

    Ronald Held Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    Now that would make for a good long term theme for these books. Anyone else think this is a good idea?
     
  20. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: TNG: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack Review Thread (Spoile

    It's a pity we're lacking likes functionality on this board Thrawn!