I read the "Iliana" side first, and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Wow, after all that poor girl has been through, no wonder she's nuts! And Dukat... Just.... wow. And I thought he was a douchebag before...
Fearful Symmetry Review Thread (spoilers)
- Thread starter Brendan Moody
- Start date
Tell me about it. I was amazed something like that ever made it into a Star Trek novel, even presented obliquely as it was.
I picked up Fearful Symmetry yesterday afternoon, and I finished it by last night. I would like to say this is because it's a screaming fantastic read that I couldn't put it down. In reality, it's because with each turn of the page, my frustration continued to mount, and I wouldn't put it down because the main thought going through my head was "there has to be more plot development than this with the two year publication gap." The book plays like the opening moves of a chess game - move a certain piece to a certain point, and the execution comes later - except that we don't even have a hint as to the "later" at this point. Don't get me wrong, as a frustrating chess game, it's well written and engaging...it's just I can't help to feel that there were some missed opportunities, along with a general "that's it?" vibe to the book. More comments behind the tag...
It's entirely possible that when the next book(s) come out, I'm going to look back at this one differently. At the risk of using this comparison, it's like the new BSG to me - sometimes you don't know what to think of a given episode until the next one(s), and even if an episode is a misfire, it's usually still quality. That's my read on Fearful Symmetry - it'll be defined in light of what comes next, and even if it's a misfire, it's a quality misfire.
- Let's start with good stuff - from my view there are two "definitive" scenes. The first is the prologue, which adds a layer of mystery to the entire Mirror Universe theme, as well as the role of the Prophets in the multiverse. There's little resolution, but the meeting as described in the prologue is well executed and a very enjoyable read.
- The second scene is what other's have mentioned here - the big reveal as to where Ghemor has been for the last 15 years. Simply put, this may be one of the darkest, most evil developments ever seen in Trek. It is perfect in it's execution as much as it is disturbing in it's development.
- That said, that is the "best" part of the Ghemor storyline (and I say best not in terms that it was enjoyable, but more in the development of the character...I don't think there's a way to read that scene and "enjoy" it). The rest of the Ghemor side of the book is a little bit of a wash. Getting her into the Obsidian Order was completely predictable. By the middle of the second chapter, you know that 1) Ataan is not long for life and 2) Entek is going to be involved in shortening it. It plays almost like a literary cliche - lover of idealistic young woman is killed (eventually revealed to be caused by someone trying to recruit her), causing said woman to throw away everything to have a chance at revenge.
- I feel that there was a major missed opportunity here in relation to the "Terok Nor" books. Honestly, the entire Ghemor storyline, up to the point that Dukat shut down the operation could have fit perfectly into "Dawn of the Eagles." "Fearful Symmetry" could have then kicked off the with big reveal about Ghemor (which would have been a total punch to the gut start to the book), and then run with the story from "getting free" to "killing the Indendant" - unless of course the rest of the scattered details in Warpath and FS are all the "relaunch timeline" details of Ghemor's story that we're going to get. It was fun to see some of the threads crossing between "Terok Nor" and the Ghemor storyline, but the accelerated pace of the story and how much it jumps timeframes just doesn't do it justice.
- You'll notice I haven't said much about the DS9-R side of the book. Honestly, that's because there's not much to say. It's 100% movement of chess pieces. OK, sure, there's a little character development with Kira's trust issues as well as Ro's recovery issues (which is solved WAY too easily with Kol's involvement - oh, and quick aside about Kol...loved the quick and easy ret-con about the character that was pointed out when Warpath first came out
). And sure, there's some intrigue as to the wheels that Sisko is putting in motion, but that's just it - it's all wheels in motion with absolutely no payoff. It's not bad or anything...it just feels like a bit of a letdown with all things considered.
It's entirely possible that when the next book(s) come out, I'm going to look back at this one differently. At the risk of using this comparison, it's like the new BSG to me - sometimes you don't know what to think of a given episode until the next one(s), and even if an episode is a misfire, it's usually still quality. That's my read on Fearful Symmetry - it'll be defined in light of what comes next, and even if it's a misfire, it's a quality misfire.
Except that that would require relaunch fans to read Terok Nor for closure (and vice versa). Speaking as someone who has no plans to pick up Terok Nor, I'm pleased they didn't do that. Besides, chopping Iliana's backstory in half would damage its flow and narrative intensity. I appreciate the desire for more to happen in the relaunch, but that's a series-wide problem, and squeezing part of the story into another book won't do much to solve it.
OK, I can buy that up to a point. At the same time, 1) it's not unlike Trek books to borrow characters at various points and provide backstory (Vaughn being a very obvious example), and 2) more importantly, I think we're in disagreement about the "narrative intensity" of Iliana's backstory. We already know quite a good about her by the end of Warpath, combined with some of the "Second Skin" details. In fact, everything up until the operation is just padding details around stuff we already know - in which it closely resembles what was done in parts of the Terok Nor trilogy, which is why I figure it seemed like a better fit there.
Now, as I'm writing all this, there's only one detail that I think goes against me, and that's the entire Ataan/memory thing. Don't get me wrong, I still think the Ataan part was totally telegraphed...but the combined memory of both sides of that event, added onto what Dukat did to her at least goes to her mind getting completely and utterly hosed. OK, reasonable payoff, but is having a full third of the book to get there worth it? I'm not so sure. If her development story was part of "Dawn," a slight explanation in FS (which, IIRC was done at other brief parts when dealing with overlap - I'm going through it a second time to catch stuff I may have missed) still gets the payoff with more opportunity to explore that forward.
All that said, I think you're right saying it's a frustration with more wanting to happen with the series. Call it being a victim of the series own success...such a high bar was set from the start. Although, I'm going to make a bold prediction here (or, maybe not so bold since it might be in another thread, but I'm not digging through 400+ posts to find out)...I have to believe that something in the Destiny trilogy is going to significantly move this side of the storyline along.
Now, as I'm writing all this, there's only one detail that I think goes against me, and that's the entire Ataan/memory thing. Don't get me wrong, I still think the Ataan part was totally telegraphed...but the combined memory of both sides of that event, added onto what Dukat did to her at least goes to her mind getting completely and utterly hosed. OK, reasonable payoff, but is having a full third of the book to get there worth it? I'm not so sure. If her development story was part of "Dawn," a slight explanation in FS (which, IIRC was done at other brief parts when dealing with overlap - I'm going through it a second time to catch stuff I may have missed) still gets the payoff with more opportunity to explore that forward.
All that said, I think you're right saying it's a frustration with more wanting to happen with the series. Call it being a victim of the series own success...such a high bar was set from the start. Although, I'm going to make a bold prediction here (or, maybe not so bold since it might be in another thread, but I'm not digging through 400+ posts to find out
)...I have to believe that something in the Destiny trilogy is going to significantly move this side of the storyline along.
Yes, but those are optional cameos. You're talking about carving out a major chunk of the backstory for the Relaunch's current antagonist- like if the Trill story from Worlds of DS9 had been done half in that miniseries and half in a TNG book.
In a technical sense it may be "padding details," but I don't think you get what I mean by "narrative intensity." Iliana's story in Fearful Symmetry is about a series of identity-destroying transformations- fledgling artist to bitter government agent to faux-Kira to trauma victim to megalomaniac. The fact that we know the bare outlines of half this arc doesn't make fleshing it out a mere game of connect-the-dots. It works by isolating the reader within Iliana's viewpoint as she survives two decades' worth of losses and defeats. That effect would be diminished by putting 3/4 of it into a book that's principally about other things and sticking the other 1/4 into a story that extends beyond her last transformation. The Iliana side of Fearful Symmetry isn't just "160 pages of Iliana's life"; it's the story of how she developed emotionally into the villain she is in the relaunch. Her activities in 2376 aren't omitted because there was no more room; if the editor and author had wanted to detail that they could have. They're omitted because that story is distinct from this one dramatically, and (I imagine) because its details will give away plot points that are important to the next book.
Although, I'm going to make a bold prediction here (or, maybe not so bold since it might be in another thread, but I'm not digging through 400+ posts to find out
I doubt it. The editor of the relaunch has said that he didn't want to give too much about its development away during Destiny, so he identified a few characters who could be used in the trilogy without requiring a major role for the relaunch itself.
Wrong time frame. The DS9-R is set in 2377, while Destiny will be set in 2381.
I'm thinking (always a dangerous thing...) that we will find out when the next DS9-R book will be out at the Shore Leave convention. I'm hoping that it will be in one of the as yet unannounced slots for 2009. Hopefully.
I just finished this book and I was
I was glad to see
I hope the next book in the series will be coming out next year. I liked the book it was a fast paced read. I didn't want the book to end. I wanted to find out what happens with that kind of Cliff hanger.
I was really shocked how dark Illiana's story.It was really shocking to see this happen to her. It shows how depraved Dukat is a despot of the worst kind.And why she's insane.What happened to her for 15 years it was terrible what she went through.I wish Illiana's story was a little longer length
That Ro finally confessed to Etana how she trusted Taran'tar too much and how upset she was about what happened to her the attack and how she was trying to help put the puzzle together the attack at Sidau and what happened to Kira also.
You may have a point...
After reading both sides of Fearful Symmetry, I would like to warmly welcome Olivia Woods into the great fraternity of Star Trek writers! She really came out of the gate swinging with this particular tale, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next (Trek-related or otherwise).
Having said that, one aspect of the story that struck me as rather ominous was the fact that, in the prologue, we don't know exactly what Sisko's multiple multiverse counterparts told him he must do about his Mirror Universe counterpart during his Orb vision, and that later on at the end of the story, when Sisko tells Vaughn exactly what he must do, Woods makes it clear that he's "betraying" Vaughn in some way!
Yeah, my mind's just as blown about the fate of Ileana Ghemor and the further revelations of Gul Dukat's depraved machinations as everybody else. But it's this Sisko/Vaughn/MU thing that's really got me eagerly anticipating the followup!
And did anybody catch the little in-joke reference to the actor Vaughn Armstrong (Gul Danar) on page 95 of Side Two (the Ileana story)?
P.S. Hey, guys! Speaking of spoilers, exactly how does one conceal text within those "spoiler" tags? If you feel I've blabbed a little too much in this post, then you might want to educate me on how to do this.
Having said that, one aspect of the story that struck me as rather ominous was the fact that, in the prologue, we don't know exactly what Sisko's multiple multiverse counterparts told him he must do about his Mirror Universe counterpart during his Orb vision, and that later on at the end of the story, when Sisko tells Vaughn exactly what he must do, Woods makes it clear that he's "betraying" Vaughn in some way!
Yeah, my mind's just as blown about the fate of Ileana Ghemor and the further revelations of Gul Dukat's depraved machinations as everybody else. But it's this Sisko/Vaughn/MU thing that's really got me eagerly anticipating the followup!
And did anybody catch the little in-joke reference to the actor Vaughn Armstrong (Gul Danar) on page 95 of Side Two (the Ileana story)?
P.S. Hey, guys! Speaking of spoilers, exactly how does one conceal text within those "spoiler" tags? If you feel I've blabbed a little too much in this post, then you might want to educate me on how to do this.
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The comments made above about the use of spoiler code in a spoiler thread are fair enough...
...however, it can't hurt to have an extra level of protection for people who don't exactly want spoilers but can't resist clicking on the thread, plus...
...nothing motivates me to maintain a stylistic quirk like someone being displeased by it. 
I liked what I read but when I was done I felt like I had read half a book. I mean, after two years we don't even get a complete story. And I'm not talking about not tying every last thread up because you want to keep some interest going for the next book. But to have have a cliff hanger ending in a book that's not advertised as part 1 of what ever and there's not even an announcement of the next book?
At the end of part one we get a cliff hanger. I was fully expecting part 2 to be in the mirror universe. Instead it's a jump back in time to some back story. And it was GREAT back story, I'm not saying it's not, but I just read 3 great books of back story. I was expecting the relaunch to move forward and it didn't.
I'm pretty happy with the Trek line of books a as a whole and I'm a HUGE fan of the DS9 relaunch but I just don't get the thinking behind the idea that this is going to satisfy anybody.
At the end of part one we get a cliff hanger. I was fully expecting part 2 to be in the mirror universe. Instead it's a jump back in time to some back story. And it was GREAT back story, I'm not saying it's not, but I just read 3 great books of back story. I was expecting the relaunch to move forward and it didn't.
I'm pretty happy with the Trek line of books a as a whole and I'm a HUGE fan of the DS9 relaunch but I just don't get the thinking behind the idea that this is going to satisfy anybody.
I liked the book and the fact we finally found out what happened to Illiana. It was really dark in places what happened to her and to Kira and I'm glad we got to see some mysteries solved and some questions answered. I just hope when the next book comes out it will coming out next year.Nice to see Sisko again and Vaughn too. I'm glad we got to see Ro help with the investigation and found some important facts that she was still important to the team. I like the new Bajoran deputy helping Ro out.He'a an interesting new character.
Well I got my copy last friday and finished it weds night. Man, I know its been worth the wait and to finally get a new DS9R novel as well. I liked how everything was picked up right off and to see a little bit of the Mirror Universe as well. I especially like the Prologue section as well. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't post anything spoiler wise but its a great book.
When I read Side 2 of Illiana, well I was just surprised and shocked at how everything fits w/ the episodes. I was telling a friend about this book and if the series had still been on, this would have been one hell of an episode. I am just wondering alittle bit what is going to happen in the next book. I might see a connection to Destiny here, even through its not really?
When I read Side 2 of Illiana, well I was just surprised and shocked at how everything fits w/ the episodes. I was telling a friend about this book and if the series had still been on, this would have been one hell of an episode. I am just wondering alittle bit what is going to happen in the next book. I might see a connection to Destiny here, even through its not really?
There is no significant connection between Fearful Symmetry and the Destiny trilogy.
And not really much connection to the Mirror Universe, I mean there was the alternate Illiana Ghemor from there, but really aside from that little scene through the fuzzy viewscreen, it was like that episode "Resurrection" all over again. I'm glad they took a tale from the "Mirror Universe" or whatever off the cover(s).
I did dig the book a lot, especially the cardassian side, very La Femme Nikita. But the two sides of the same story turned out to be about our universe's Kira and our universe's Illiana. Which does turn out to be awesome, (Welcome to the fold Olivia and Excellent Job! ) but I would like to know a bit more about the Alternate Illiana's story up until the point we see her in Warpath and frankly more about the our Illiana up to her shenanigans in Sidau. Revelations about the Orb fragment bracelet and its capabilities, communications and conspiracies set into motion from a universe away, these are big events that were only hinted at, I'm hoping some more light will be shed on events like these in the next book.
I'm also hoping Vaughn doesn't get too pwn'd in the next book too. What can I say, I love the guy.
I did dig the book a lot, especially the cardassian side, very La Femme Nikita. But the two sides of the same story turned out to be about our universe's Kira and our universe's Illiana. Which does turn out to be awesome, (Welcome to the fold Olivia and Excellent Job! ) but I would like to know a bit more about the Alternate Illiana's story up until the point we see her in Warpath and frankly more about the our Illiana up to her shenanigans in Sidau. Revelations about the Orb fragment bracelet and its capabilities, communications and conspiracies set into motion from a universe away, these are big events that were only hinted at, I'm hoping some more light will be shed on events like these in the next book.
I'm also hoping Vaughn doesn't get too pwn'd in the next book too. What can I say, I love the guy.
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Let me sadly agree with that. I enjoyed the first half and expected to really enjoy the second, but the beginning of the story with Iliana was loaded with cliches (the childhood friend ending up in the military and being killed and that turning Iliana from a passive artist into a belligerent espionage agent, for example). If her trainer had ended up being Garak, I was going to be very frustrated.
The second half of the second part was more "enjoyable," if that's the proper term. I was glad to understand Iliana's desire to eliminate all the other Kira Neryses in existence, but to the writer's credit, it was both hard to read and hard to put down.
I hope we'll learn about the next book soon.Alright, thanks for confirming that Mack. I just wasn't sure at first but glad to hear it from you.
Well, Shore Leave is coming up in about a month, and that is the most likely place to learn about the next book.
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