Section 31

[dispatcher812]

While looking for another book to read on my Kindle I came across the Section 31 books. They look intersting but I am a little confused as to the order. It may not make a big deal in reading but according to the Amazon site, there is a book 2 (TNG), book 3 (TOS) and two book 4s ( VOY and DS9). Please advise. Kevin

 

[Defcon]

The books have no relation to each other (aside from involving Section 31 obviously), so the reading order doesn't really matter. The DS9 entry is part of the DS9 Relaunch though.

And I don't think there was an actual numbering, but FWIW according to Memory Beta the TNG & Voyager entries were published in May 2001, and the TOS & DS9 entries in July of the same year.

 

[dispatcher812]

Thats what I though but just wanted ti check, Thanks Defcon

 

[dispatcher812]

I just finished the TNG Section 31. I liked it alot but what was the point of starting off with Picard thinking about what had Happened to Sean Hawk in First Conatact, then have the book go into the main part of the book which is in the past compared to where the book started, to come back to Picard on Mars to meet Hawks Family. It did not make sense to me.

 

[Christopher]

I just finished the TNG Section 31. I liked it alot but what was the point of starting off with Picard thinking about what had Happened to Sean Hawk in First Conatact, then have the book go into the main part of the book which is in the past compared to where the book started, to come back to Picard on Mars to meet Hawks Family. It did not make sense to me.

Why not? The main body of the story revolved largely around Hawk. The goal was to take this character we'd briefly met in First Contact, a character that many fans were curious about, and to look back and fill in his backstory.

 

[dispatcher812]

Why not? The main body of the story revolved largely around Hawk. The goal was to take this character we'd briefly met in First Contact, a character that many fans were curious about, and to look back and fill in his backstory.

I understand that point but to me it did not flow right. HAd it all been at the end then it would have made a little more sense. Are they all set like this?

 

[Steve Roby]

It sounds like you've encountered a flashback. This is a common literary and dramatic technique. You can read a brief description of the flashback concept at wikipedia, here.

 

[JD]

Yeah, quite a few of the Trek books do this. Are you new to Trek Lit?

 

[dispatcher812]

Yeah, quite a few of the Trek books do this. Are you new to Trek Lit?

I am not new to Trek lit at all. I have been reading it for at least 20 years. I know what a flashback is and the concept behind it but I just don't see how it fit. I see what Christopher was saying about background behind a certain character but it just felt weird having a "present" moment to a flash back for the meat of the book and then a "present" moment again.

I just started the Voyager book in this series and the same thing. Hmmm.

 

[Christopher]

It's called a frame. It's a common storytelling device.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FramingDevice

As the linked page points out, the same basic format was used in DS9's "Trials and Tribble-ations," except with the frame interrupting the main story a couple of times. And of course "The Menagerie" serves as an extended frame story for "The Cage."

 

[JD]

Not to mention the hundreds (probably) of other shows and movies that have done this over the years. It's a very common thing, I'm surprised you haven't run into it in some form before.