Spoilers ENT: To Brave the Storm by Michael A. Martin Review Thread

[MatthiasRussell]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Excellent point. However, Picard is going by memory and may be off but being a historian I doubt by much if at all.

There is a large gap between the NX and the Constitution and I think Drexler's refit is a perfect fill in. The nx refit could also be a test bed for incorporating Tellarite, Andorian, and Vulcan technology into Starfleet design whereas the Constitution becomes the integrated and mature cruiser.

I think a tale about integrating UFP species and navies into Starfleet would make a great story as well as a reflection of modern social issues.

 

[The Caprican]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I finished TBTS yesterday and wanted to let it sit for a day before I commented. (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD)





First of all, I loved the continuation of Trip's storyline. However, the rest of the book fell flat for me. And that's painful to say for me considering how much I LOVED the previous ENT relaunch novels and Martin (and Mangels') work in the past on other titles. To me, we spent far too much time with Admiral Valdore and with T'Pau and not enough with our core characters. Perhaps since (I am assuming) this book was rushed from Book 2 of 3 to 2 of 2, there was a lot left out. It seems most of the events on Enterprise happened "off camera" and we would only catch up with them every few months. Reed, Phlox, and Mayweather were all but forgotten. (Mayweather's reunion with Archer could have been very dramatic and heartwarming in such a hollow and depressing story) Hoshi gets a bit to do, but even though she begins a relationship with Major what's-his-name, we never SEE it. We get some foreshadowing in decon, a casual reference from T'Pol, and then they're married 25 years later. Bing bang done. The same with Archer's rise to the presidency, T'Pol and Trip's relationship, and Trip's eventual rescue from Romulan space. I feel like a good 300 pages were cut from what ended up to be another botched hatchet job of a finale. The crew of Enterprise deserved better. As this is most likely the last outing for this crew (unless we have some "Lost Years" books later on to fill in the gaps), then once again the crew received their Swan Song with the focus being on other characters. (As with the disasterous These Are the Voyages... being a Riker holodeck episode.)
I find it hard to blame Mister Martin as it was most likely the powers that be that ordered the end of ENT in print format. But with the destruction of the DS9 novel line scattering the characters to all corners of the quadrant (Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series) and now ENT, there doesn't seem to be a lot to offer the passionate Trek reader. The focus seems to be shifting to TNG and Titan books (which, granted, have been amazing to date!!) and TOS books that don't do much in terms of storytelling (The Children of Kings was the only book I have ever started and then put down because I was bored). With the exception of Unspoken Truth and Cast No Shadow, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of continuity of epic storytelling. So, all in all, a sad day for the continuation of the Star Trek print franchise. IMHO.

 

[toughlittleship]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series

I actually liked RBOE a lot more than Seize the Fire and Paths of Disharmony, but to each his own.

 

[The Caprican]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Rough Beasts of Empire SPOILERS

Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series

I actually liked RBOE a lot more than Seize the Fire and Paths of Disharmony, but to each his own.

I think my biggest problem with RBOE was the treatment of Sisko, Kira, and company. I felt like all of the story that had been built with the last (was it nearly 20?) novels for the DSN relaunch, were taken and thrown away like so much garbage. Break up Sisko and Kassidy, make Kira a Vedek, kill off Vaughn. I just felt it was gratuitous slashing of an entire novel series in the span of 40 pages. I don't think I ever gave the rest of the story a fair shake after that.

 

[The Caprican]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series

I actually liked RBOE a lot more than Seize the Fire and Paths of Disharmony, but to each his own.

I'm really trying hard to finish this. lol I'm finding it very difficult and I'm 213 pages in.

The way he writes its like you don't get to see anything happening. The ENT goes to the Kuiper belt and finds the problem. Then the chapter ends and you find out what happened but you don't get to see it!

Anyone else feel like this?

Yes!! That was my biggest problem with the novel. All of the events were terribly interesting. I wish I had seen them, instead of reading the after-action reports.

 

[JD]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

But with the destruction of the DS9 novel line scattering the characters to all corners of the quadrant (Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series) and now ENT, there doesn't seem to be a lot to offer the passionate Trek reader.

Rough Beasts of Empire SPOILERS

Rough Beasts of Empire was the only flawed entry in the absolutely EPIC Typhon Pact series

I actually liked RBOE a lot more than Seize the Fire and Paths of Disharmony, but to each his own.

I think my biggest problem with RBOE was the treatment of Sisko, Kira, and company. I felt like all of the story that had been built with the last (was it nearly 20?) novels for the DSN relaunch, were taken and thrown away like so much garbage. Break up Sisko and Kassidy, make Kira a Vedek, kill off Vaughn. I just felt it was gratuitous slashing of an entire novel series in the span of 40 pages. I don't think I ever gave the rest of the story a fair shake after that.

I have to disagree with you guys here. First off I don't think it was the destruction of the DS9 story, it was just the beginning of another part of the story. As for the things that happened, while I am frustrated with the way they jumped ahead, I'm very curious to see where exactly they are going with the characters now. I'm almost certain that what we got was the set up and introduction of new character arcs, not the destruction of the series.

The focus seems to be shifting to TNG and Titan books (which, granted, have been amazing to date!!) and TOS books that don't do much in terms of storytelling (The Children of Kings was the only book I have ever started and then put down because I was bored). With the exception of Unspoken Truth and Cast No Shadow, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of continuity of epic storytelling. So, all in all, a sad day for the continuation of the Star Trek print franchise. IMHO.

I have to disagree with you in a HUGE way here. Because I've been really impressed with the diversity of the line lately. In the past year we've gotten, The Sorrows of Empire, Inception, Children of the Kings, Unspoken Truth, Seven Deadly Sins, Shattered Light, , Indistinguishable from Magic, Watching the Clock, Cast No Shadow, and those are on top of the books continuing the ongoing story arcs.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I have to disagree with you guys here. First off I don't think it was the destruction of the DS9 story, it was just the beginning of another part of the story.

It somewhat reminds me of ST:TMP. That picked up the characters after a jump of several years and showed they'd undergone major changes -- Kirk had lost the ship and become a deskbound admiral, Spock had abandoned his friendship with Kirk and become a monk, McCoy had left Starfleet and become a hermit. But that wasn't meant to "destroy" or reject what had come before, it was meant to set up a story arc wherein the divided characters came back together and learned some things.

True, the transitions in the DS9 line are more radical and the resolution won't necessarily be a return to the status quo. But stories are about characters dealing with problems. So a good way to start a story arc is by starting off with the characters in a difficult situation. Maybe we're supposed to be dissatisfied with where the DS9 characters are now because that's the problem they have to address over the books to come, the beginning of a new journey rather than just the end of the old one.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Yeah, I was unhappy with what DRG did with Sisko and still largely am but my favorite real life heroes had very flawed personal lives. We have to accept they are human and sometimes they screw up and other times they are put in situations where no choice will make everyone happy, even the protagonist. Though I was angry with DRG, I've come to accept his route and anticipate what he will do next. Though Rough Beasts angered me when I read it, I can't deny that it was a good book with great characters.

As for DS9 itself, I think the "DS9" saga is over and I say that as a HUGE DS9 fan. The Cardassians and Dominion are no longer a threat, Bajor is a UFP member world, and the main characters have mostly moved on in their careers/lives as you would expect. How many serve in one place their entire career. DS9 had a story to tell, and it did it well but Unity really concluded it. That said, the franchise can still tell great stories that involve DS9 and its main characters. I like what Mack and DRG did in the Typhon Pact by using DS9 characters, continuing their stories but not telling DS9 stories.

And though I would love more O'Brien; I feel he has had a hard life; let him have his rest and family time on Earth free of risking his life. He's earned it. My fictional heroes deserve their rest and retirement even as my real ones do.

 

[JD]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I also think it's worth pointing out that Zero Sum Game does end with "THE SAGA OF DEEP SPACE NINE WILL CONTINUE". So obviously the Typhon Pact books aren't intended as to be the end of the DS9 series.
And while I would love to see the post-finale characters return, I'm still open to reading a Deep Space Nine series following Capt. Ro and her DS9 crew. As unhappy as we might be with the fact that they've moved alot of our favorite characters into different places, I don't see any reason to believe that we can't be introduced to a new group of characters who could become just as beloved as the characters introduced Avatar. And so far none of the existing characters have been put into a place where they couldn't continue to play a supporting role.
I keep hearing people calling Vaughn dead, but that is not the case. I just reread the last scene with Vaughn and while they did remove his respirator, and discussed removing his feeding tube, at the end of the book he was still alive. And until we actually "see" his dead body, and are told point blank he is dead, I'm not gonna write him off.

 

[ToddCam]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

In the past year we've gotten, The Sorrows of Empire, Inception, Children of the Kings, Unspoken Truth, Seven Deadly Sins, Shattered Light, , Indistinguishable from Magic, Watching the Clock, Cast No Shadow, and those are on top of the books continuing the ongoing story arcs.

Isn't Children of Kings specifically not in-continuity?

 

[JD]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

It was, but that just makes it an even better example of the variety of books we've been getting.

 

[JB2005]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I'm 50 pages in...and so far I'm enjoying it! I had very low expectations, but this book is going a lot better than I was expecting.

 

[Relayer1]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

My love for DS9 exceeds that for other Trek by a good margin, but I do rather think that DS9 as we knew it (i.e. the station based ensemble) is pretty much over.

There are great stories to be told of the characters spreading out into the greater Trek universe and continuing with their lives and careers. Some of this may well include the station and Bajor, but it's no longer the centre of everything...

 

[JD]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Sure, but that doesn't mean we can't be introduced to a new station based ensamble that we grow to love just as much as we did the other two groups.

 

[JB2005]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Finished it...I'm sorry, I'm not seeing the complaints really...it read like it had had to compress stuff...but I didn't think there were problems with it! I enjoyed it very much!

 

[Reanok]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I liked the the new Enterprise Novel I enjoyed reading it I was happy we got to see the Enterprise characters had alot more to do in this book to fight against the Romulans and gathering information about their enemies and also the Triip&T'Pol storyline in the book i was so glad to see how they were finally brought togethre at long last.

 

[Corran Horn]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Finished it...I'm sorry, I'm not seeing the complaints really...it read like it had had to compress stuff...but I didn't think there were problems with it! I enjoyed it very much!

You don't have to apologize for liking something.

 

[JB2005]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

I feel I should apologise to Michael Martin! I went in, thinking I'd hate it!

 

[Kertrats47]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it. I definitely want to see more of the post-series Enterprise era. I mostly just wanted more in the story, that's all. Not a bad complaint, I think!

 

[Stephen!]

Re: Enterprise: The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm review thread

How many of their NX Class ships does Starfleet actually lose by the end of the war?