I'm with you she made me like Chakotay and I never thought that would happen in our prime universe
Spoilers TNG, DS9, and VOY - Where is a Good Place to Start?
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I'm with you she made me like Chakotay and I never thought that would happen in our prime universe
Not really. I've hopped around the stories and they still made sense. I read "Unity", "Rising Son" and "Avatar" and Mission Gamma 1 ten years ago, but then I didn't read the remaining 3 MG books until the last two years, even though they've been on my shelf for the last ten, and I still need to read the "Left Hand Of Destiny" duology.
Making sense and getting the full impact are two very different things though. I would agree, there's nothing stopping you from enjoying and understanding them while skipping around, but they were certainly meant to be read in a particular order and that's the only way you experience them the way they were intended.
You wouldn't get just as much impact of The Empire Strikes Back if you had watched the prequel trilogy first. The most impact will always be gained by the creator intended order.
But you're not getting to follow the storylines as they build and grown from book to book. Sure you can read them in a different order, but there's no way it would be the same experience as if you read them in the intended order.
Since it's impossible for one person to judge both methods how about we leave the subject of reading in order vs dancing around alone for now. Thank you 
Since it's impossible for one person to judge both methods how about we leave the subject of reading in order vs dancing around alone for now. Thank you
To be fair though, isn't that what makes it such a good conversation topic? Because the only way to get the other perspective is to talk to another person about it?
Section 31: Abyss - B
Just finished Abyss today, and I really enjoyed it, but I didn't really like it as much as Avatar. Maybe it was just the subject matter (I've found stuff dealing with the Bajoran faith and the political aspects of it a lot better than the Genetic Engineering plots) but while there was a lot of political intregue and conspiracy in Avatar, Abyss came across as more of an action thriller.
I also think it might be the timing of reading this. When I got to the end of the book, my first thought was this is Enterprise's Augments Trilogy meets DS9's Inter Arma Enim Silit Leges. Yeah, the book came out way before the Augments trilogy (Which I think happened in 2004, the book came out in 2001 if I recall), but the plots were similar, based on my memory of the episodes.
Like Avatar, I liked the character relationships in this book, especially between Bashier and Ezri. They were able to take center stage and have an adventure together. Also liked getting to know Taran'atar more, who really shined in this book.
As for the plot with Locken, this really was a vehicle to explore Bashier's Genetic Engineering in a way the series could not. Basically the plot is this Locken guy is the new Khan, and wants to create a new world order with Bashier's help. In this plot we got to discover the internal psyhological effects of that Genetic Engineering and how Bashier does feel alone. It really is those character development moments that I liked more than the actual plot and, like Avatar, this book captures that pretty well.
Overall, I liked this book, but I did have some reservations. For one, I thought it took a little while to get to the actual plot, and the pace felt slower than the pace of Avatar. Maybe I should have let Avatar sink in before I moved to the next book, but I was excited to delve further into the relaunch. I also think the mention of Jake seemed out of place with the rest of the novel. I understand it was there to establish that he is missing, but I almost think it would have been better had the Kassidy scene played as a prologue to the book and then the stuff at the end served as an epilogue. To put it in with this section 31 story made it feel out of place.
Not sure when I will start the next one, but I noticed it's written by a member of the forum (Or used to be member of the forum, KRAD). He's been on quite a few trek media areas so I'm looking forward to his work.
Just finished Abyss today, and I really enjoyed it, but I didn't really like it as much as Avatar. Maybe it was just the subject matter (I've found stuff dealing with the Bajoran faith and the political aspects of it a lot better than the Genetic Engineering plots) but while there was a lot of political intregue and conspiracy in Avatar, Abyss came across as more of an action thriller.
I also think it might be the timing of reading this. When I got to the end of the book, my first thought was this is Enterprise's Augments Trilogy meets DS9's Inter Arma Enim Silit Leges. Yeah, the book came out way before the Augments trilogy (Which I think happened in 2004, the book came out in 2001 if I recall), but the plots were similar, based on my memory of the episodes.
Like Avatar, I liked the character relationships in this book, especially between Bashier and Ezri. They were able to take center stage and have an adventure together. Also liked getting to know Taran'atar more, who really shined in this book.
As for the plot with Locken, this really was a vehicle to explore Bashier's Genetic Engineering in a way the series could not. Basically the plot is this Locken guy is the new Khan, and wants to create a new world order with Bashier's help. In this plot we got to discover the internal psyhological effects of that Genetic Engineering and how Bashier does feel alone. It really is those character development moments that I liked more than the actual plot and, like Avatar, this book captures that pretty well.
Overall, I liked this book, but I did have some reservations. For one, I thought it took a little while to get to the actual plot, and the pace felt slower than the pace of Avatar. Maybe I should have let Avatar sink in before I moved to the next book, but I was excited to delve further into the relaunch. I also think the mention of Jake seemed out of place with the rest of the novel. I understand it was there to establish that he is missing, but I almost think it would have been better had the Kassidy scene played as a prologue to the book and then the stuff at the end served as an epilogue. To put it in with this section 31 story made it feel out of place.
Not sure when I will start the next one, but I noticed it's written by a member of the forum (Or used to be member of the forum, KRAD). He's been on quite a few trek media areas so I'm looking forward to his work.
I miss the days of KRAD posting amazingly detailed Trek Lit trivia on demand.
Since it's impossible for one person to judge both methods how about we leave the subject of reading in order vs dancing around alone for now. Thank you
To be fair though, isn't that what makes it such a good conversation topic? Because the only way to get the other perspective is to talk to another person about it?
This is why I asked though. Different perspectives from the trek-lit experts on what a good experience is. Like I said, this is me digging into the trek-lit universe for the first time. I'm probably leaning towards Mission Gamma after I finish Twist of Faith, but I also do still own both Left hand of Destiny books and probably should read those, and I don't have to buy them.
I also was at Barnes and Noble last week and they don't have many Trek books at all. I guess it was mostly the new ones but it seems like if you want the older ones, it's best to get the E-Books or just buy them online. Might also check the library to.
I'm lucky, I live in an area where I have access to 4 different cities'/counties' library systems. 3 of them have almost no Trek books, but one has most of the Litverse books. Also I would recommend looking for used books from Amazon, sometimes you can find them for a penny plus shipping and handling, or if you have Prime, just a couple of bucks with free shipping and handling.
Demons of Air and Darkness - B+
I've been wondering how to write a review, when the books author is a member of this very board. I've heard KRAD in various interviews, but I haven't really interacted with him (Obviously I don't post in this forum very much until recently, when I decided to start the DS9 Relaunch) and this is the first book of his that I've read.
Well, if you're reading this, KRAD, I really liked it. It's not as good as Avatar (But then I've always loved the religious aspects of DS9, the prophets, prophecies, etc) but it's almost right up there. I loved how this book was formated, with each chapter taking place in a different location, and everything coming together at the end. My favorite parts were Kira and Taran'atar's story in the Delta Quadrant (and bringing in the Hirogen) but the stuff on Europa Nova was great too, and the stuff with the Orions provided levity.
The more I read of the relaunch, the more I'm starting to think about who my favorite characters are. So far, it's Ezri Dax, Kira, Vaughn (Even though he's not entirely been featured as much as in Avatar and the end of Abyss), and Taran'atar. I've been loving learning about the Dominion through this guy, as well as what it means to be Jem'Hadar. I think only Rocks and Shoals provided some insights and was a great episode, but the novels really do help expand that further.
I also loved the use of the Iconian gateways here. I'm hoping "Horn and Ivory" continues with where Kira went, but I'm starting that book soon so we'll find out.
Overall, great novel and in terms of the DS9 Relaunch, the first four books I've read have all been good. If I were to rank them though, from favorite to least favorite:
Avatar II
Avatar I
Demons of Air and Darkness
Section 31: Abyss
I've been wondering how to write a review, when the books author is a member of this very board. I've heard KRAD in various interviews, but I haven't really interacted with him (Obviously I don't post in this forum very much until recently, when I decided to start the DS9 Relaunch) and this is the first book of his that I've read.
Well, if you're reading this, KRAD, I really liked it. It's not as good as Avatar (But then I've always loved the religious aspects of DS9, the prophets, prophecies, etc) but it's almost right up there. I loved how this book was formated, with each chapter taking place in a different location, and everything coming together at the end. My favorite parts were Kira and Taran'atar's story in the Delta Quadrant (and bringing in the Hirogen) but the stuff on Europa Nova was great too, and the stuff with the Orions provided levity.
The more I read of the relaunch, the more I'm starting to think about who my favorite characters are. So far, it's Ezri Dax, Kira, Vaughn (Even though he's not entirely been featured as much as in Avatar and the end of Abyss), and Taran'atar. I've been loving learning about the Dominion through this guy, as well as what it means to be Jem'Hadar. I think only Rocks and Shoals provided some insights and was a great episode, but the novels really do help expand that further.
I also loved the use of the Iconian gateways here. I'm hoping "Horn and Ivory" continues with where Kira went, but I'm starting that book soon so we'll find out.
Overall, great novel and in terms of the DS9 Relaunch, the first four books I've read have all been good. If I were to rank them though, from favorite to least favorite:
Avatar II
Avatar I
Demons of Air and Darkness
Section 31: Abyss
Horn and Ivory - B-
Again, I'm reviewing this from the perspective of the DS9 Relaunch, and I haven't read the other Gateway books.
This book was decent, but also a little disappointing. Basically, it was Kira stepping through the Gateway from the desert planet and ending up in Bajor's past, where she witnesses several wars between various factions and realzes what she needs to to accomplish as commander of DS9.
It was very well written, but felt incomplete. I was trying to get interested in what was happening in Bajor's past, and what happened next to General Torrana, but the book ends with Kira finding a Gateway and going home. It was a reflexive short story, but considering what has come before (Again, based solely on the Relaunch), it seems like other than the end, this book could easily be skipped.
Twist of Faith - A+
I think I bought this book for $11 or something around there and it was well worth it. My original question to this thread was where is a good place to start, and I have to say if you want to start with the DS9 Relaunch, just get this book. It's the first 5 stories and, since I got the Ebook version, it was really well organized.
I just bought Mission Gamma: Twilight last week but not sure whether I should start that series or finally go with Left Hand of Destiny. I kind of want to move forward though and get to Rising Son and Unity, which seem to bring back the qualities I loved from Avatar (The religious aspect, prophecies, what happened to Jake) but the MG series is 4 long books while LHOD is two somewhat quick ones.
I'm glad I'm finally getting into the Trek-Lit world. It really is exciting.
Again, I'm reviewing this from the perspective of the DS9 Relaunch, and I haven't read the other Gateway books.
This book was decent, but also a little disappointing. Basically, it was Kira stepping through the Gateway from the desert planet and ending up in Bajor's past, where she witnesses several wars between various factions and realzes what she needs to to accomplish as commander of DS9.
It was very well written, but felt incomplete. I was trying to get interested in what was happening in Bajor's past, and what happened next to General Torrana, but the book ends with Kira finding a Gateway and going home. It was a reflexive short story, but considering what has come before (Again, based solely on the Relaunch), it seems like other than the end, this book could easily be skipped.
Twist of Faith - A+
I think I bought this book for $11 or something around there and it was well worth it. My original question to this thread was where is a good place to start, and I have to say if you want to start with the DS9 Relaunch, just get this book. It's the first 5 stories and, since I got the Ebook version, it was really well organized.
I just bought Mission Gamma: Twilight last week but not sure whether I should start that series or finally go with Left Hand of Destiny. I kind of want to move forward though and get to Rising Son and Unity, which seem to bring back the qualities I loved from Avatar (The religious aspect, prophecies, what happened to Jake) but the MG series is 4 long books while LHOD is two somewhat quick ones.
I'm glad I'm finally getting into the Trek-Lit world. It really is exciting.
Interesting.
I hope you don't mind my jumping in, but I think Horn and Ivory might be the best thing KRAD's written for Trek. As a summary/exploration of Kira Nerys and her growth as a character, it's near-perfect. There are also a lot of surprising details that I thought suggested some very complex arguments on the part of the Prophets; for example, realizing that in the Ancient Bajor analogy, the Bajora play the role of the Dominion.
Interesting.
And I liked all that, but it ended abruptly. Just as things on Old Bajor get interesting, the book ends (maybe because it was meant to be a short story) and it felt abrupt. I did like the ending with Kira putting the Baseball away and the symbolism that Baseball has always had, now as a way to move on.
I think you'll find that's not the case as you continue reading. IIRC, its events have an ongoing impact on Kira. Perhaps that's why it felt incomplete -- because it wasn't a conclusive ending.
I look forward to any references to Horn and Ivory that happens next in the Relaunch. That might help me like it more than I did initially. Again, I didn't hate the book, but it felt like the book had to be kept short and the ended just happened. I got the point on how it changes Kira, I just wanted some more on Bajor's history, since that was most of the book in and of itself.
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