Crimson Shadow - backstory

[Claudia]

Just read Crimson Shadow which I really enjoyed.

Just one question: The whole backstory with Ghemor and Parmak, is that in "A Stitch in Time"? Or is there some other story that sheds light on those characters and their interaction with Garak? I'd like to read up on those events which are mentioned here, and I have to admit that I read ASiT when it first came out... but apparently suffer from memory loss as to the specific events and characters introduced there. *g*

 

[Jinn]

I'm not sure to what part of the characters backstory you specifically refer to, but generally the important post-series pre-The-Fall Cardassia stuff is in A Stitch in Time, Cardassia: The Lotusflower, The Calling and DRG3's Typhon Pact duology.

 

[Jarvisimo]

A Stitch in Time is the dominant background for McCormack's developments in The Crimson Shadow, as well as her own writing and Robinson's short story's 'The Calling' - where Garak is saved by Parmak, although I'm not sure if this fits into the novelverse's current continuity as it is set in 2380 when Garak has already been sent to Earth by this point.

If you look on Memory Beta for ASiT, the narrative of Garak's life is presented as:

• DS9 novel: Avatar, Book One - Set three months after the end of the series, in one scene Dr Bashir is seen reading a several hundred page autobiographical letter from Garak, presumably the letter which this novel consists of.
• Cardassia: The Lotus Flower (DS9 novel, in Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Volume One) - The continuing story of Garak and the Ghemor government on post-war Cardassian is told in this novel.
• The Never-Ending Sacrifice (DS9 novel) follows the story of Rugal, the Cardassian boy taken home in the events of "Cardassians", following his life through the events of the series and into the post-series period. It continues also Robinson's world-building, exploring in depth the districts he established for the capitol city in A Stitch in Time, as well as the fringes of the Cardassian society he established. Rugal's tale begins and ends with Mr Garak's interventions, and includes also the activities of Alon Ghemor during the novel's period. The novel also explores Garak's continuing service to post-war Cardassia for Ghemor's government, and by 2378 he is ambassador to the Federation on Earth.
• Star Trek: Destiny and Brinkmanship (Typhon Pact novel) continues the narrative of Garak as ambassador from 2381-2383.
• The Crimson Shadow (The Fall novel) shows Garak's return to Cardassia in 2385, which is still haunted by the genocide committed by the Dominion at the end of the war. It explores in particular the legacy of Garak's life as the protege of Tain, the legacy of the security state, Garak's relationship with the idea of home and his now-close friendship with Dr Parmak. The novel concludes with a short a letter from Dr Bashir that forms a kind of reply to the 'letter' A Stitch in TIme is described as being. The narrative for Garak esatblsihed in The Crimson Shadow is explored further by The Missing and Enigma Tales.

 

[Jinn]

Garak also appeared as anambassador in VGR: A Pocket Full of Lies. That's after Destiny but before Brinkmanship.

 

[Claudia]

A Stitch in Time is the dominant background for McCormack's developments in The Crimson Shadow, as well as her own writing and Robinson's short story's 'The Calling' - where Garak is saved by Parmak, although I'm not sure if this fits into the novelverse's current continuity as it is set in 2380 when Garak has already been sent to Earth by this point.

Okay, thanks! I am particularly interested in the backstory with Parmak whom Garak tortured but who's his best friend. So I'll look into "The Calling" and maybe give ASiT a re-read.

 

[Reanok]

Claudia You also maybe interested in the upcoming Ds9 novel Enigma Tales by Una McCormack Coming out in June 2017.. It has Garak and other Cardassians in the story and also deals with Political Dominion war related secrets that some out on Cardassia that causes an uproar.