Spoilers Section 31: Control by David Mack Review Thread

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Defcon, Mar 17, 2017.

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Rate Section 31: Control

  1. Outstanding

    57 vote(s)
    58.2%
  2. Above Average

    27 vote(s)
    27.6%
  3. Average

    7 vote(s)
    7.1%
  4. Below Average

    5 vote(s)
    5.1%
  5. Poor

    2 vote(s)
    2.0%
  1. Defcon

    Defcon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I doubt it, espescially now that the English versions are published by a different publisher. I guess nobody will stop the authors from making references, but I would be surprised if Prometheus would be handled differently than lets say IDW's comics for example.
     
  2. Kilana2

    Kilana2 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Just finished it. Holy shit! The final showdown was like a ride with the rollercoaster. An emotional up and down.

    (Voted outstanding of course)
     
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  3. hbquikcomjamesl

    hbquikcomjamesl Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Yes. That's what pulled it up to "Average" for me. That and the fact that it was slightly less bleak and dystopian than usual for a S31 story. I don't like dystopian. Which is probably why I like ST, and why I like Humanx Commonwealth.

    Typical S31 stories, whether prose or drama, are doing well if they get a "below average" out of me. Especially now, given that the mamzer in the White House imparts a "too close to home" quality to anything about S31.

    As to how I came to write a Borg origin fanfic, and a Salt Vampire fanfic, in spite of my loathing for both, well, they actually came about in part because of that loathing. Out of a desire to make some kind of sense out of them.

    But even if S31 hadn't just been explained, I wouldn't touch that origin with a 10-parsec pole.
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2017
  4. Kilana2

    Kilana2 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Just to elaborate: first I wasn't sorry for Sarina, changed my opininion quickly just to feel sorry for her despite what she had done.
    She was already dead long before she finanally killed herself.
     
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  5. jaime

    jaime Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Killed in a naked torture scene. Even O'Brien feels sorry for her.
     
  6. Kilana2

    Kilana2 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Was there any reaction from O'Brien yet? Garak definately feels sorry. I'm looking forward to seeing if and how he is up to the task of being a nurse.
     
  7. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I've been wondering what's going to happen to Julian Bashir in upcoming Ds9 novels. I hope this will be a storyline in a book and how Garak handles the situation.
     
  8. Kilana2

    Kilana2 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    There is a 'to be continued' implied on the last page without being printed..... At least that's what I hope.

    I also hope that there will be a reencounter with Data and Lal.
     
  9. jaime

    jaime Vice Admiral Admiral

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    You just want to imagine him in a wipe clean nurse outfit, and know that the world is doing the same ;)
     
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  10. rfmcdpei

    rfmcdpei Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Why wouldn't O'Brien, or anyone else, feel compassion for someone so thoroughly brainwashed by a malign entity that she could only free herself by committing suicide?

    I get that a lot of people may not like Sarina Douglas for whatever reason. I just don't understand how people could read Control and not feel sorry for her. She is the person who made the decisions which led to the Federation being freed of Section 31 and Uraei, based on moral convictions that we can reasonably presume her readers share, and she suffered and died terribly because of it. There is no ambiguity about what happened to her not being terrible.
     
  11. jaime

    jaime Vice Admiral Admiral

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    You are missing the point in my post. Traditionally in Ds9, it's the kind of thing that would happen to O'Brien. In fact it's basically his Tuesday, and Section 31 probably don't use him to get leverage on his best mate precisely because he is probably impossible to break by this point. 'I've been killed in alternate timelines, had my wife possessed by a demon, lost my kid, got my kid back as a feral survivor, given her up again, had my wife possessed by an alien demon and threatened by terrorists, she was also once turned into a twelve year old...and spent a lifetime in simulated prison where I killed my only friend, done time in a cardassian prison, been possessed, and fought Jem hadar in only my pants in the woods...what is this a fecking spa day?' Would probably be his response .
     
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  12. MadeIndescribable

    MadeIndescribable Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    In his interview with Trek FM, David Mack said he had been talking about the situation with Una McCormack, who was also writing Enigma Tales at the time. Although it's a different story and won't specifically follow Bashir, I think it's fair to assume he'll at least make a brief appearance.
     
  13. jaime

    jaime Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Katherine Pulaski will probably star in Star Treks own version of awakenings....not counting Sarinas first appearance. XD
     
  14. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Maelindescibable thanks for the news about Davis Mack talking to Una about her story Enima tales and specifically a follow up anot Julian. It will be interesting to see what happen Julian and how it will be dealt with that something I'm definitely looking forward to raeding about in the upcoming ds9 booka..
     
  15. Brefugee

    Brefugee No longer living the Irish dream. Premium Member

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    I know there is an old Scrubs song that relates to this, but I don't think Julian's pain can be remedied this way, hell, it might hurt him even more.

     
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  16. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Uh, no. O'Brien has certainly suffered awful tortures, but he never suffered the kind of telepathic assault Sarina suffered.

    And nobody is impossible to break.
     
  17. Idran

    Idran Commodore Commodore

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    jaime was joking about O'Brien's normal treatment. That was facetious.
     
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  18. SolarisOne

    SolarisOne Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Just finished reading the book. It was good, but I was left raging over what happened to Sarina and Bashir. I'm just going to ignore that part in my personal headcanon. :P
     
  19. woodstock

    woodstock Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I recommend resurrecting the 2387 thread that had been discussing these issues previously (and not just because I started it. :D)
    I would assume that the powers that be that make money off all of this would realize there is a conflict here and that the literature needs to be able to move forward and continuity preserved if they want to continue making said money. If Romulus' star does not go kablooie next year (meaning 2387), it will be hard to continue following the literature with such a huge gap in the continuity.
     
  20. trampledamage

    trampledamage Clone Admiral

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    Just finished it. Loved it - the ending for Bashir shocked me though, I did not see that coming.