Roman Reviews "Death in Winter"

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Trent Roman, Nov 20, 2007.

  1. Trent Roman

    Trent Roman Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Death in Winter has everything going for it: a deadly plague, a friend presumed dead, a mission in the hands of a potentially unstable ex-con, a native rebellion fighting against cruel oppressors, an old love rekindled, an origin story for Crusher, espionage, double-crossing, Romulan politics, and an aborted civil war and coup attempt in one of the quadrant’s major powers. In terms of content, DiW is just jam-packed with good stuff.

    So then why the heck is it so dang boring?

    It took me over a week and a half to get through the book, mostly because I could always easily think of five other things I’d rather be reading. DiW has no grip, no traction, no suspense and no momentum until the final fifty pages. It’s a great example of how a plot can look simply awesome in theory only to flop in execution. And, unfortunately, I feel the blame must be placed squarely on Michael jan Friedman’s uninspired style.

    Reading DiW is an exercise in mechanics; little feeling ever comes through, which is particularly damning given some of the plot threads the novel is supposed to tackle, like Crusher’s history and her relationship with Picard. The characters, by and large, have little depth beyond what they’re doing at the moment; when it comes to examining the interior life of Picard, Crusher and Greyhorse, Friedman substitutes biography for psychology, bringing up the relevant moments in their shared history but not what their thought process is beyond of a string of the usual clichés. And speaking of which, I was absolutely amazed that Friedman choose not to pursue the flashback sequence started at the beginning of the book in finishing Crusher’s origin story. The story of teenaged Beverly having to helplessly watch her first love slowly waste away should have been the most gripping, tragic scene in the book; instead, it’s recounted in a cold retrospective. While I do appreciate that Friedman avoided anything over the top, frequently a pitfall of shipper texts professional or otherwise, particularly in the final scenes, overall I just felt too distant from the characters, totally disinvolved from their eventually union.

    I wasn’t particularly involved by the plot, either. Although politics and espionage have great dynamic potential, it was stilted by the utter lack of mystery. And I’m not just talking about how early Crusher is revealed as still being alive, although that was irritating (honestly, we should have just been told she was alive from the beginning or kept in the dark until the end – having her pop up again a few chapters in serves no dramatic purpose, because she hasn’t been presumed dead long enough). Eborion’s schemes are made explicit almost as soon as we meet him; we find out that our spy has two masters from the moment we start getting scenes from his perspective; Sela, a character known for duplicity, is blunt and straightforward. I had the Romulan defector pegged as dead before the book was through the moment he came onboard, and I’m sure I wasn’t alone. Just having characters plotting against each other is not enough to create suspense when the so-called ‘twists’ are telegraphed fifty pages in advance. By the time the action finally does get interest when all the various plot threads and opposing groups conflict in a final shoot-out in the blizzard, it's too little, too late.

    There were only two real question marks in this story: the traitor among the natives, and Greyhorse. The first was so minor as to be next to irrelevant; the second just fizzled out. I have to wonder why Greyhorse was portrayed being off-kilter and potentially unstable, even in scenes from his own perspective, when in the end, there’s zero payoff. Greyhorse, and for that matter Pug Joseph, just vanish into the background as characters who do their job and that’s it. Couldn’t we have had some tension, some conflict, some insight into the psyche of these characters looking to right past wrongs, anything except for ‘lucky marble’ pseudo-characterization?

    And speaking of plot threads that go nowhere, what the devil was the point behind LaForge and Worf trying to find out where Picard and Crusher had went, only to have Janeway pop in to give them a slap on the wrist? (Incidentally, despite complaints I’ve seen floating about her role in the TNG-R, I don’t think Janeway was out of character here; she was gently reproachful and a bit of a control freak, which we’ve seen plenty of before.) The entire sequence makes them seem inept, given how long it takes them to figure things out, and then get caught, plus there’s a pointless sequence where Worf calls Asmund only to have her tell him she knows nothing. Since there’s no chemistry between the characters, this could have been something easily told in retrospective. (And since when does Worf call Dr. Crusher "Beverly" anyway? That really threw me out.) Quite honestly, I would have been much happier not having Worf and LaForge in this book at all other than the opening chapters, and go with the assumption that they were carrying out their duties on the Enterprise in a professional manner off-screen. Of course, they’re hardly the only useless characters in the book; the defector springs to mind, as does the novice rebel who never interacts with the major characters in any significant fashion but doesn’t have a particularly interesting story in and of himself.

    Overall, I must say I’m disappointed with Death in Winter. A dull, predictable, distant and mechanical offering, and with a surprising number of continuity goofs (Wesley, twelve years old in “Farpoint”?) for such a veteran author of Trek fiction. The potential of the story, both in terms of developing the Crusher/Picard dynamic, furthering the political situation on Romulus, and tackling a world beset by plague and oppression, demanded much, much more.

    Oh, well. Resistance next. I’m eager to see how the Relaunch will go about its goal of making the Borg seem more menacing (they’ve always been plenty threatening to me).

    Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
     
  2. donners22

    donners22 Commodore Commodore

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    Are you familiar with the backstory of Greyhorse from the author's other Stargazer novels? The characterisation in this case is not to build to any potential pay-off in this story, it is consistent with the portrayal of the character as he has been depicted in previous works.

    I found this an enjoyable book, though I do agree there are some odd character moments. Worf in particular had one line that sounded absolutely nothing like something he would say - and after so many episodes featuring the character, I think we have a fair idea of what to expect from him.
     
  3. Tino

    Tino Captain Captain

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    I think you covered quite well why. The book had me bored and disappointed, too. Such a potential but written so dull, I had to drag myself through it though. It also took me more than a week.

    Look on the bright side, "Resistance" will grab you much faster. I was through in three days which is very fast for my standards.
     
  4. Tirius

    Tirius Captain Captain

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    Just a quick comment on this one: I think it was KRAD's Diplomatic Implausibility where I first noticed this. Worf and Beverly are discussing the problems with coping with a new host for a Trill they loved when Worf, trying to get his point across says "Doctor... Beverly," and Crusher interrupts by laughing because Odan called her "Doctor Beverly". There you go.
     
  5. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    I quite enjoyed "Death in Winter". When it was first announced, and again when the cover art was first previewed, I was utterly convinced that Beverly was being killed off. I then became convinced of a last-minute reprieve but I was really taken by surprise at the twist at the end.

    While the rescue was a bit underwhelming, I thought the Greyhorse sequences were excellent. I really didn't expect him to turn up, and it was great to see a post-"Reunion" Greyhorse.

    But I agree, it did lack suspense at times. I'm accustomed to ST hardcovers which are impossible to put down, but I do feel that it made a good introduction to the relaunch. As "Resistance" was also a bit "TNG lite", I'm glad they switched the original concept of a hardcover to MMPB followed by two more MMPBs.

    Three consecutive sequels to "Death in Winter", by different authors, has been a good idea.
     
  6. Hardin

    Hardin Captain Captain

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    I quite enjoyed DiW: I was very much afraid Beverly was going to be killed off and so I guess I read it with a sense of urgency, I think you could say... anyway, I think it improved the book for me tremendously and the ending felt extremely satisfying.

    In retrospect, it was silly of me to think she could be really killed off but between the title, the cover, the greater amount of creative freedom Trek writers have had in the last few years and the way the movies almost completely forgot about the character, it did seem possible. Very glad it didn't happen.
     
  7. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Yep. Sense of urgency; my feelings exactly. I imagine if someone doesn't particularly like Beverly as a character, then they really wouldn't care if a novel had killed her off.
     
  8. Kopernikus

    Kopernikus Commander Red Shirt

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    I'm currently somewhere around 200 pages and so far I think it's an quite enjoyable novel (Haven't read any of Stargazer so far, I'm not familiar with those references and Characters). Sure, it's not a Masterpiece like Reap the Whirlwind, Orion's Hounds or Crucible: McCoy, but it's also far away from being boring. I also liked the Idea of bringing Sela back, but hopefully no more long missing Characters will appear, that would certainly be a bit too much "Small Universe Syndrome", so far the mix of new and well known Characters is quite ok.
     
  9. Trent Roman

    Trent Roman Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I am, and I don't agree. Greyhorse's psychological problems were obsession: first on Gerda, and then on a notion of avenging her. The kind of vacillating, off-kilter psyche in DiW is of a completely different order of (potential) mental imbalance, and Greyhorse himself thought he was concealing something (what that might be is never revealed). And, I say again, that one shouldn't make the psychological stability of a character an issue unless you intend to have it manifest some way; typically, by having it turn out to be true, or having the character overcome the distrust and accusation of another character (or something totally original), but not nothing. That just makes every inquiry into Greyhorse's mental state seem like a waste of space, and frankly means his role could just as easily have been filled by, say, Dr. Tropp for all the conflict the setup promises but never delivers.

    I didn't remember that. Honestly, it still feels weird to have someone as stiff and formal as Worf referring to a colleague by their first name, even in his thoughts.

    That might make a difference. I knew going in that Crusher would survive (the large gap of time between the hardcover and paperback, and my own delays in obtaining this, made that spoiler impossible to avoid). But then, like I mentioned, I didn't find the set-up particularly suspenseful, even if I hadn't known she would make it. I mean, if they're going to kill off a major character, you don't really think they're going to do it at the beginning of the book? (And she comes back after a hundred pages anyway.)

    EDIT: On reflection, I suppose you could have thought that the initial 'death' and the rapid revelation of her survival was a sleight of hand, playing off the audience's expectation formed by the back cover blurb among other things, only to have them really kill Crusher off at the end (which I knew wasn't going to happen). That actually would have bit a real kick in the balls, plot-wise, but then the predictable nature of the rest of the book pretty much counters the idea that the author could be that devious.

    Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
     
  10. donners22

    donners22 Commodore Commodore

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    ^ "If, in act one you have a pistol hanging on the wall, be assured it is fired before the end of act two."

    If Chekov supports your approach on the use of Greyhorse, I will not disagree. :)
     
  11. SiorX

    SiorX Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I got DiW as soon as it came out, because Beverly is probably my favourite Trek character of any series, and yet I don't recall being afraid for a minute that they'd actually kill her off.

    I thought perhaps that that had been made clear in some of the pre-release information? That or I'm just far too trusting of TPTB :borg:

    Either way, I agree with the OP. Potentially, DiW should have been the best thing ever. Intrigue. Spies. All-action Beverly (backstory included). P/C romance. Yet, somehow it all fell sort of flat through lack of suspense and pacing.
     
  12. VanCardboardbox

    VanCardboardbox Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    The abortive Geordi/Worf story is just weird. It seemed like an editorial error to leave that in there. It would have been preferable to simply excise the bit rather than let it stand as it was.

    Character identifies a goal. Character peruses goal but is comes into conflict with antagonist who attempts to thwart Character's ambition. Character immediately gives up. The end. This isn't good story telling.
     
  13. Hardin

    Hardin Captain Captain

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    yes, that's exactly what I thought and it felt plausible because it would have been, I think, a great way to kill a major character off, counting on the fact that no reader (or very few readers, apparently just me and Terin ;)) would have believed it possible.
     
  14. Dancing Doctor

    Dancing Doctor Admiral Admiral

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    I'm still torn in regards to my opinion on Death in Winter.

    I liked the Picard/Crusher, or what there was of it. What I especially liked was that it was more Beverly, and it rounded her out a bit more beyond "Picard's love interest who happens to do doctor stuff, likes plays and productions, and is headstrong". We see Beverly kick ass, Beverly think back to old crushes and her past, Beverly doing cool Starfleet things.

    However, the book should have billed as a "Romulan Empire plot with some Picard and Crusher and Starfleet action thrown in", because, in essence, that's what it really was.

    The Romulan plot was pretty good, actually. The thing about that, though, is that it looked more like MJF had spent more time planning that out than the rest of the story. By the end of it, I didn't care about the natives on that planet. In fact, I don't even remember their name, or the planet. It's a "K-something", I believe. And that's not good. When a population is being ravaged by a plague and is crushed under the boot of the Romulan Star Empire, and you could care less about whether they actually survive, something's not right.

    The Worf/Geordi scenes made it seem like MJF was sitting there, thinking "I have a hundred + pages I still need to fill, and I've got everything else all filled...I know! Worf/Geordi! Everyone loves Worf/Geordi! I'll have them try and "help" Picard out, only to have their plans get cut off! Teehee!"

    I'm obviously exaggerating, but it felt like it was mindless filler. And a chance for MJF to sneak in another Stargazer character.

    There was a bit too much fluff in some parts for me. The prison sounds more like a resort (in fact, I believe Picard even makes that comparison) and the director's little shpiel kinda slowed me down. And the little snippets on the rituals of the natives seemed pointless as well.

    Something about certain parts in the Romulan sections seemed disjointed, like they were happening way ahead of the actions of the other plot areas. And Eborion getting knocked off for being a sneak was fairly transparent.

    The ending was the best, because it tied up the P/Cness, and it ended Death in Winter.
     
  15. donners22

    donners22 Commodore Commodore

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    Oddly enough, I actually prefer the author not going the usual route and having the cavalry come in to save the day.

    I recall one DS9 episode where the Defiant was searching for some missing crew and had a deadline - and rather than going the usual way of breaching orders and continuing with the search, or making a last-minute rescue, they actually called off the search. Actually, that's only a vague memory, but I certainly recall in the DS9 companion a writer said they wanted to defy the usual practice in that regard. I think there was an element of that here.
     
  16. Turtletrekker

    Turtletrekker Admiral Admiral

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    ^I believe the episode in question is "Waltz".
     
  17. Hardin

    Hardin Captain Captain

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    or maybe (or also) the one in which the Defiant is looking for Worf during the final arc in season 7 (can't recall the episode title). Although I guess there it was probably more a plot device to have Dax and Worf stranded alone behind enemy lines and eventually captured.
     
  18. Dancing Doctor

    Dancing Doctor Admiral Admiral

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    ^That episode is Penumbra, I believe.

    And Turtletrekker, it isn't so much not having the cavalry come in. It's more about the fact that if Geordi and Worf weren't going to be of any help anyway, why include them? Since their efforts were going to come to naught, they might as well have not been included, except maybe at the beginning, when Picard leaves the Enterprise to carry out the mission.
     
  19. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    A novel can't include a few red herrings?
     
  20. Dancing Doctor

    Dancing Doctor Admiral Admiral

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    Well yes, but not to the extent that Death in Winter had in regards to Geordi and Worf. They take forever to figure out the location, and when they do BAM! Admiral Janeway arrives to prevent them from assisting. Why not just have her arrive from the beginning and tell them to not go after Picard and Beverly, and devote more time to character advancement and plot fine-tuning?