Spoilers DS9: Enigma Tales by Una McCormack Review Thread

Totally agreed. The same goes for the cover for the new Enterprise novel coming later this year. The instertion of Trip into that cover is so badly done, I can't understand how it was ok'ed.

 

I read the sample chapter on Amazon.com yesterday . I can't wait to read this book. Even if I don't really care for the coverart. I do like the Enterprise book cover with Trip though.

 

So, from the preview on Amazon, this is set in 2388 or 89. The first clue was 'Doctor Peter Alden', who completes his PhD in record time (but under a year would be ridiculous - 2/3 makes more sense). Then....

At last, we move past the dreaded year

 

Does it have a Historian's Note?

 

I'm basing this off the preview, and Garak was elected in October 2385. So it must be about then. The preview also lists quite a good bit of achievements:

And yes, Bashir is being kept in-residence, and Parmak also notes “It’s some time since you’ve been to see him."

I'd just run with three years, so late 88 or early 89. Other things in the preview suggest the greater amount of time too. Needless to say, this is a beautiful opening chapter, opening with distinctive second person narrative like other McCormack texts.
It recalls the strengths of both The Never-Ending Sacrifice and The Crimson Shadow. Somehow, her writing always makes me think of someone like Peake too, and Smith. Playful, dark.

The university sections are also great - they feel real. I love Lang's reflections on her best past work. And then the Entoks. Mothers, teachers and professionals, the old, middle-aged and young - the concerns of McCormack from the Lotus Flower on. Always a treat.

And Pulaski - so good to see her again. The Missing's miracle recreation of her continues.

Tuesday seems so far away ...

 

It is released this Tuesday?

 

Indeed and seeing how the three people who already read it voted outstanding we have much to look forward to.

 

Yes. Although I must ask, are you naturally forgetful as you have asked the very same question, or a variant of this question numerous times in the last few months. Trek books get uploaded to ebook readers on the last Tuesday of each month, if Christmas falls on that date, it may not, but for the most part that is what happens and that has been happening for years.

 

In Germany the Seven Sleeper's Day is next Tuesday, I say that counts at least as much as Christmas does.
(I had to look that up. Still no idea what the hell the Seven Sleeper's Day is but apparantly it is important to German weather lore. No clue what that is...)

 

Hey @Jarvisimo and @Jinn ... I just read the historian's note. Says it is in late 2386. Una made a mistake, it seems, when she said Garak has been Castellan for 3 years. At this point, he's just finishing his first year or so...

 

Isn't it more of an editorial mistake?

 

I guess. Does it matter? I said Una as she was the writer. I would say they both erred I guess, as it was editorial's duty to catch all errors.

 

Aaaaaand hype's over.

 

Oh that's so sad, but also it doesn't matter really But it also doesn't make sense that Alden would do a doctorate that quickly two years for a PhD is almost miraculous (and usually comes with work before the thesis), and one even madder. But mature students often can be very primed, and Alden could have been such a person. But I guess an editor said 'turn this back two years' from when McCormack wanted to set it, as the text in that opening chapter screams however silently that more than one year has passed (the legislation, the long time Garak has not seen Bashir, etc), but shrug.

So what months do you think Control or Hearts and Minds were set? The texts don't give any clues.

Finally, something fun - audio book preview of the book, a letter from Garak to Bashir! "You are here now, Julian, and it is not how I imagined it"

But on a side note, what do you value more, the note or the text? I don't care, but if the text is just always 3 years later, what does that suggest?

 

A little under half way through but I voted Outstanding. This is freaking amazing. I have enjoyed all of Una's Books but this one takes the cake. Slight spoiler I guess, just to be safe.

Spoiler: Enigma Tales meaning

An enigma tale in Cardassian literature is a mystery tale but it goes further. It's a tale that deals with guilt.

 

I ordered this book and look forward to reading it . I've enjoyed reading all of Una's Ds9 books.

 

So now reading and loving it. However the jamais-vu sense of three-years futurity continues.

Spoiler: timing

Garak commissioned the inquiry two years before the present (it contains 'over two years' work'), including choosing an assemblywoman, Carnis, to lead it. This is definitely not something he could have done on Earth as an ambassador. Indeed, a few pages later, Garak mentions 'This was part of the manifesto on which I was elected.'

But yes, the chronological note mentions it is only weeks after Control. But frames are as much manipulation as part of a work.

 

These kind of mistakes have happened in the past. Like in Cold Equations references popped up to it being 25 years since Farpoint, despite it actually being closer to 20 years in-universe.

I suspect the three years reference comes from it having been three years since The Fall in the real world and adjusting to in-universe was just overlooked. It happens.

 

True, I guessed this too - but the references aren't one offs, they keep happening, and it just makes more sense for the text to be further in the future, to be the three years since The Fall, due to events in it:

Spoiler: Three years

Garak ordered a deep review, which wouldn't happen quickly (see above); and then Pulaski's interview, where her rhetorical point about infrastructure is dependent on HARF being 'gone a few years now' - not something to say 13 months after a withdrawal.

Honestly does it matter if the book is in 2388/9? Does it change it? No. If it's in 2386, then it seems a bit unlikely to have had everything mentioned happen - but then across Treklit a lot has happened in that year already, so it can be let flu

But clearly three years later was the authorial intention, and it's quite nice. At some point maybe the actual text will say it's been a few weeks since Control, but ... it hasn't yet (admittedly at one quarter so far)