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Spoilers Destiny: Mere Mortals by David Mack Review Thread

Grade "Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals"

  • Excellent

    Votes: 107 79.3%

  • Above Average

    Votes: 15 11.1%

  • Average

    Votes: 10 7.4%

  • Below Average

    Votes: 1 0.7%

  • Poor

    Votes: 2 1.5%
  • Total voters
    135
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

Again, a very enjoyable entry. Some thoughts:

It was a shame to see what happened to the Columbia officers that were stranded with Captain Hernandez. We sure are lucky it was her who toughed it out instead of one of the other officers though...I guess Captains are made of sterner stuff!

I was very interested in the other 'destinations' from the subspace tunnels. I was also thinking (as some have stated above) that that would be a good mission for Voyager. Not sure how/if that will play out now though.

I would have liked to have seen some of the battle with the Allies against the Borg ships. Did the Borg truly 'ram' them...simply plowing through the bulk of the fleet without firing a shot? Yikes.

I also very much enjoyed the parts where the Hirogen invaded both the Enterprise and Aventine. Some very descriptive and intense passages there. I particularly liked the crew woman who was Takaran (I think) and had no truly 'vital' organs. Is the Hirogen 'energy dampening' technology a holdover from Voyager? I don't remember it there.

Another great spot to end a volume of this trilogy. I got a very BoBW feeling from Riker at the end. I could even hear the music. I'm also wondering what it was Dr. Ree was doing to Troi...I hope it's not as disgusting as I'm thinking it might be.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

^ I honestly don't remember. I read pretty fast, and I think I read each within a 24-hour period.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

Okay...I JUST FINISHED....and I have two words: HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

WOW! There's going to be another one of my reviews, and yes, I plan on giving the book the same treatment I gave Gods of Night. But, simply put.... not only has Dave's writing matured, like I mentioned in the last review, but he kept his trademarks alive and well in this book..... I have smiles all over my face.

Just a few points: (YES, SPOILERS BEWARE!!!!!!)

1. Loved seeing Garak again. Interesting that there's a female castellan in charge of Cardassia now. I guess something to look forward to in the years ahead in DS9 literature.

2. Seven's endgame solution that got scoffed.... did NOT see that one coming, but in the sense of the situation, it made the most sense. I liked how all those in the halls of power scoffed at the idea of using it, but in the end, Seven was RIGHT.

3. What a great cliffhanger!!!! And, I say that on several fronts.... Troi/Ree, Riker,Hernandez and Titan, Picard and Ezri..... Lost Souls is going to be fantastic.

For those who moan excessively still about the Borg.... I want you all to consider something: Dave Mack's done something in his narrative that I cannot remember reading since I read The Lord Of The Rings, and he pulled it off very well. In The Lord Of The Rings, the whole story is centered on The War of the Ring and the Dark Lord Sauron, and the impending evil that broods behind Mordor, waiting to be unleashed. However, we barely see Sauron in the book or in the movie, yet his presence is always there. Dave's done the same with the Borg. You know they're there, and you know they're coming, but it doesn't consist of every scene dealing with the Borg. We saw politics, character dramas, freakin' Hirogen (tres cool), and for me, the gem of the story was the ongoing story with Hernandez and the role that story plays in the overall narrative. In short: AMAZING!!!!!

Like I said, review's forthcoming, but I just couldn't contain my excitement. Dave, great job. AGAIN!
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

wizkid said:
Chris McCarver said:
Crap! This is out already?!

Oh, fair warning if you want to stay spoiler-free for Lost Souls, Trekweb has an excerpt posted that spoils one of the cliffhangers.
Click to expand...

Waiting for the Kindle version. gON came out very quick via Kindle, this one has eluded me so far. I may not be able to wait as I finished gON last night. Great book. DMack is my new favorite Trek author.
Click to expand...
Mere Mortals is available for the Sony Reader
http://ebookstore.sony.com/product/400/000/000/000/000/097/174/400000000000000097174.html

It's also available in Mobipocket format at Fictionwise, BooksOnBoard, & Cyberread.
http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook75426.htm?cache
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=335062
https://www.cyberread.com/Star-Trek-Destiny-Mere-Mortals/David-Mack/?info/78056/

Cyberread is having a 1/2 price sale using the code THKU08 which drops the price down to $3.50.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

I just wish one of the importers would release it in the UK already - and not charge between ten and twenty pounds for it.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

tenmei said:
I just wish one of the importers would release it in the UK already - and not charge between ten and twenty pounds for it.
Click to expand...
If you were to purchase it as an eBook and read it on your computer, you could have it today for less then £10.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

ebooks just aren't my thing. I like the feel of having the book in my hand and being able to see them all on the shelf. But that's another discussion.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

KRAD said:
^ I honestly don't remember. I read pretty fast, and I think I read each within a 24-hour period.
Click to expand...

I was about the same - except the final volume, where I took the phone off the hook and sat for five hours straight beginning to end!

Paul
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

JeremyW said:
Okay...I JUST FINISHED....and I have two words: HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

WOW! There's going to be another one of my reviews, and yes, I plan on giving the book the same treatment I gave Gods of Night. But, simply put.... not only has Dave's writing matured, like I mentioned in the last review, but he kept his trademarks alive and well in this book..... I have smiles all over my face.

Just a few points: (YES, SPOILERS BEWARE!!!!!!)

1. Loved seeing Garak again. Interesting that there's a female castellan in charge of Cardassia now. I guess something to look forward to in the years ahead in DS9 literature.

2. Seven's endgame solution that got scoffed.... did NOT see that one coming, but in the sense of the situation, it made the most sense. I liked how all those in the halls of power scoffed at the idea of using it, but in the end, Seven was RIGHT.

3. What a great cliffhanger!!!! And, I say that on several fronts.... Troi/Ree, Riker,Hernandez and Titan, Picard and Ezri..... Lost Souls is going to be fantastic.

For those who moan excessively still about the Borg.... I want you all to consider something: Dave Mack's done something in his narrative that I cannot remember reading since I read The Lord Of The Rings, and he pulled it off very well. In The Lord Of The Rings, the whole story is centered on The War of the Ring and the Dark Lord Sauron, and the impending evil that broods behind Mordor, waiting to be unleashed. However, we barely see Sauron in the book or in the movie, yet his presence is always there. Dave's done the same with the Borg. You know they're there, and you know they're coming, but it doesn't consist of every scene dealing with the Borg. We saw politics, character dramas, freakin' Hirogen (tres cool), and for me, the gem of the story was the ongoing story with Hernandez and the role that story plays in the overall narrative. In short: AMAZING!!!!!

Like I said, review's forthcoming, but I just couldn't contain my excitement. Dave, great job. AGAIN!
Click to expand...

This is also some thing that J.K. Rowling did well in Harry Potter with Voldermort. I give Mack all the credit for making this about the characters of Star Trek and not the villain. He has given depth to some people I never thought we would see. Great work!
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

Here's a question for David Mack:

Were you influenced at all by the movie The Fountain in writing Hernandez's story? Not only does she name a new-found planet (star?) Xibalba, but Iynx speaks about death as a disease, using language very similar to words spoken by Hugh Jackman. Both stories also deal with different aspects of immortality. Or is this just a case where both your story and The Fountain's story just happen to be sharing similar themes? Certainly, the Mayan afterlife, curing death, and immortality aren't exclusive to The Fountain... but the similarities did catch my attention.

Also, I think this may be the first Trek story to reference masturbation, when Fletcher is needing a good shag, Hernandez mentions something like "going into your room and being your own best friend" or such like that. I was wondering how four humans in isolation would deal with their relationships. Libido is certainly a powerful drive in the human experience, and it was good to see that addressed in this situation.

In any case, excellent writing. It's kind of sad that Trek novels are relegated to a small shelf space in the back while other properties get greater exposure, especially since the writing has been so top-notch lately! Reading a Trek novel isn't just reading another media tie-in. There are times when I know I'm reading quality writing and very thoughtful and imaginative science-fiction. Destiny is capturing one of the core parts of Trek—and indeed of literature in general—where the most epic journeys are the interior human ones.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

My totally unsubstantiated guess is Iliana Ghemor. But I'm not sure which one.
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

As long as the Castellan screams at some point, "No, not the Mind Probe!" I'm not sure that it really matters. ;)
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

Aranamac said:
Also, I think this may be the first Trek story to reference masturbation, when Fletcher is needing a good shag, Hernandez mentions something like "going into your room and being your own best friend" or such like that. I was wondering how four humans in isolation would deal with their relationships. Libido is certainly a powerful drive in the human experience, and it was good to see that addressed in this situation.
Click to expand...

I sort of smiled at the masturbation/"shag" references myself. Not something one reads in just any Trek novel. :)

But I do have to say, after reading from the lower half of page 180 through the upper half of page 185, my first thought was, "If Ingmar Bergman made a Trek movie, it would be like this."
 
Re: Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals - SPOILER Thread

ScottDS said:
But I do have to say, after reading from the lower half of page 180 through the upper half of page 185, my first thought was, "If Ingmar Bergman made a Trek movie, it would be like this."
Click to expand...
I have to say, as a recovering film major, I take that as a compliment. :)

Aranamac said:
Here's a question for David Mack:

Were you influenced at all by the movie The Fountain in writing Hernandez's story? Not only does she name a new-found planet (star?) Xibalba, but Iynx speaks about death as a disease, using language very similar to words spoken by Hugh Jackman. Both stories also deal with different aspects of immortality. Or is this just a case where both your story and The Fountain's story just happen to be sharing similar themes? Certainly, the Mayan afterlife, curing death, and immortality aren't exclusive to The Fountain... but the similarities did catch my attention.
Click to expand...
There was some influence, but it's not what you might think.

I didn't see the movie The Fountain (or read the graphic novel) until after I had finished writing and editing the Destiny trilogy. I had seen the trailers for the film (which include the signature line about death being a disease).

For me, however, the real influence was the soundtrack to the film, composed by Clint Mansell and performed by Kronos Quartet. It is, put simply, the most heartbreaking music I have ever heard in my life. It ranks right up there with Yo-Yo Ma's final track on the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon score in the list of music that can reduce me to tears on its own merits.

I first heard it in 2006, around the time that I had been approached to write the trilogy. And as Marco can probably confirm, one of the things that I said to him around that time was, "I want to write a novel that feels like this sounds."

Most of the sequences involving the Caeliar in the trilogy can probably be better understood if you listen to that soundtrack while reading the relevant chapters in Mere Mortals.

Also, one of the tracks on the CD is titled "Xibalba." I Googled it and was intrigued by the meaning of the name, hence its inclusion in the story. And the imagery of the pool with the tree in Axion was inspired by this image from the movie:

http://www.infinitydog.com/photos/fountain_tree_gal.jpg

Also, I think this may be the first Trek story to reference masturbation, when Fletcher is needing a good shag, Hernandez mentions something like "going into your room and being your own best friend" or such like that. I was wondering how four humans in isolation would deal with their relationships. Libido is certainly a powerful drive in the human experience, and it was good to see that addressed in this situation.
Click to expand...
I'm glad that it worked for you. I wasn't sure that would make it past licensing, but I'm happy that it did.

In any case, excellent writing. It's kind of sad that Trek novels are relegated to a small shelf space in the back while other properties get greater exposure, especially since the writing has been so top-notch lately! Reading a Trek novel isn't just reading another media tie-in. There are times when I know I'm reading quality writing and very thoughtful and imaginative science-fiction. Destiny is capturing one of the core parts of Trek—and indeed of literature in general—where the most epic journeys are the interior human ones.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much — it's very kind of you to say so, and it's always nice to hear.

I hope that Lost Souls continues to live up to the expectations set by the first two books of the trilogy.
 
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