I think I have to make a thread talking about how awesome it is. Which I don't really do often, but I'd forgotten just how impressive it really is. I mean, as a rule, all short story collections ideally end up being greater than the sum of their parts. That's kind of the point, that’s why they’re interesting. But I think this one ends up doing so on like three separate levels simultaneously. First, on the usual level of short story collections, there’s an amazing amount of variety among the tales, from action to romance to politics to art and right back around again. And, as Dax’s hosts have varied tremendously in personality, even the main characters aren’t repetitive. So if nothing else, it succeeds brilliantly in its obvious mission statement to demonstrate what an amazing varied life Dax has had. And that’s just the beginning. Second, it works, oddly, as a historical narrative of Trill’s influence/acceptance of the outside world. From tentative steps, to scientific aid, to bad situations when more is revealed, to further disasterous secrets that Must Be Kept, and eventually back around to working with the Federation again, it kind of shows all sides of the issue, including (nicely enough) some of the dark sides to that amount of exposure. I thought it was surprisingly well-balanced, how Emony’s story showed that some aliens really did end up bigoted and hateful towards the Trill; so much of the stories around Trill paint them as idiotically secrecy-obsessed, but in a lot of ways that mindset does make sense, and I like that this collection showed that side of things too. And finally, it works as one, big character arc! This is most surprising to me, but if you map the prevailing emotion of each story, they tell a genuine emotional arc, from the realization of a scary outside world to awkward adolescence and early romance, tragedy and comeuppance, and to maturity with Curzon. Then we’re at Jadzia, who in the series took all of that and integrated it into one character, but who's purpose here is slightly different. Her story ties up the last couple of loose ends, setting the stage for both Ezri’s story in DS9-R and beyond (as the arc for Dax starts over again at awkward adolescence) and also Trill’s story of finally having everything come crashing down. This is beautiful, truly, and so nicely ties in to Trill's later story in the DS9-R that it almost defies belief. The book works so well as a unified whole that it almost feels weird to talk about individual stories, but some of them should be mentioned; the Reeves-Stevens’s, for instance, do a thoroughly remarkable job setting the tone for everything, combining infodump and sense of portent in a way that’s almost more gripping than the actual action sequences later on, and the sensitivity with which Barnes portrays Sisko is surprising and genuine. But the real major points have to go to S. D. Perry, proving she’s the one to start the series proper with both of her entries being clear highlights, especially the utterly stunning Joran story. The passion and art in that tale is at once creepy and bizarrely electrifying, anchoring the whole anthology and arc at its darkest point. It's true, there are a couple unfortunate missteps; I think Torias’s story is totally useless, and especially combined with Dax meeting Sarek’s dad, McCoy, Chris Pike, and the Parasites in other stories, starts to feel way too much like small universe syndrome. I also think, as much fun as it was to read, that Ezri was ostensibly the narrator and so taking a whole tale from Sisko’s perspective was sort of silly, and was the only time this felt like an anthology and not like a unified story. And also, really, Ezri’s big revelation at the end works nicely with the anthology, but is telegraphing too much too quickly, and should’ve been more low-key to fit into the DS9-Relaunch a bit better. But really, this is much better than any short story collection has any right to be, and demonstrated 2 years before the DS9-Relaunch started just how amazing it was going to turn out. Marco was just ridiculously good at coordinating all this, these authors were perfectly chosen, and each one nailed their tale. I think anyone reading the DS9-Relaunch from the beginning should start with this (and maybe A Stitch In Time too, which is next on my list.) Anyway, this was just awesome. Definitely too much awesome for the "what are you reading lately" thread to hold. Has anyone else happened back upon this decade-old piece of storytelling brilliance lately?
Wow, that's a great review, Thrawn. It's been a while since I've read it, but I do recall being impressed by the way in which the anthology gave us the story of the Trill society's interaction with outsiders as well as Dax's personal story, as you say. I particularly enjoyed the Lela and Audrid entries, which were strong character pieces and very much focused on Dax yet never lost sight of Trill as a whole, and the meaning Dax's actions would have for her entire race. The Trill never reached their full potential on TV, and "The Lives of Dax" was one of the first steps in Trek lit to remedy that, I think.
I can remember reading it while babysitting at a resort that I worked at years ago. The family told me ahead of time they were going to be out "late". I had the next day off and took the babysitting job anyway. Good for me. The family got home at 4:00 in the morning and I read most of the Lives Of Dax. I probably wouldn't rate it as highly as Thrawn did, but it was a good read.
I sadly, don't think I've ever read all of it. I only read the first couple stories and then the parasite one. For some reason when I was younger I would read a few stories and then never finish them. I stopped doing that years ago, though.
What I liked about it, especially, was that it worked well as a SF anthology and not just a Trek one.
I remember enjoying this book as well. Please remind me again what the big revelation at the end was? I remember Ezri was talking with Vic and later Bashir I believe. I'm now over halfway through Abyss just for spoilers sake.
Thrawn, what an enjoyable, insightful review you've written. I especially like the way you describe the book's overall character arc. I've read this book twice, and you've made me want to go back and read it again. (One of my two copies is signed by Nicole DeBeor on that gorgeous cover; I plan to carefully take off the cover and frame it one of these days. I've got another copy for reading!) I remember being touched by the story about Jadzia and her sister, and I remember not liking the Dax/McCoy story overmuch. But my general impression is that I loved this book both times I read it. I'm curious too as to what you're considering as the big reveal? Can you post it behind a spoiler tag?
Oh, I probably overstated things, but there's this big moment at the end where she looks up at the stars and sees that, because of Emony, she recognizes them. So she knows where she is. And she knows where she's going. And it's this big moment like she's finally come to terms with all of her past lives. Which sort of happens over again, much slower, across the first few actual relaunch books. So I thought it was sort of telegraphing her arc a bit too strongly.
^Great review, Thrawn! I regret to admit that I have yet to pick up The Lives of Dax, but you just made me FURIOUS at what I've missed.... Also, on the ending, it's nice to see a bit of Ezri's romantic side....
^Rush, you won't have any trouble finding a used copy, or even a copy at a library if you're lucky. Amazon Marketplace is great for used books, or half.com. And I just saw a copy of Lives of Dax at our local Half Price Books this weekend. It's worth the effort of tracking it down!
Hmm.... Well...I might as well. I mean, I've been scouring yard sales and used bookstores that sold Trek books for $0.25 and $0.50.... And they tend to have everything except what I want.... So...despite Amazon's "shipping-&-handling" thing...not to mention the many intances of "mistaken identity" as far as the sellers are concerned.... I might have to go there....*sigh*
^ Don't worry about fraud or anything with the sellers. I've never had a problem with that. The worst that might happen is that it takes a little longer than advertised to come.
^Well...it wasn't exactly fraud, so much as it was my ordering what I'd assumed to be a specific set of the Star Trek CCG game...only to get just a random assortment. Apparently, Amazon mistakely assumed that just because the card amount was identical, it should be listed as that particular set.... But, as I said before, another problem is pricing. I just checked the prices for TLOD and the other book I was looking for (Worlds of DS9, vol. 2). The cheapest was $2.30, or something--and then $3.99 shipping.... "But Rush, but Rush--that's DIRT CHEAP!" I know...but I've been to used bookstores that make those prices look expensive. And as the 3rd Rule of Aquisition says... "Never spend more for an aquisition than you have to." But...considering my rotten luck...I may have to....
Sorry for the necroposting, but I just finished this book and I can confirm that it's very good. Curzon story IMHO it's the apex of the anthology. I agree with Thrawn review for the rest. Unfortunately Jadzia confirm herself as the worst character of DS9 and every other Dax hosts, but one cannot have everything...