Last night I finished reading
Ex Machina. TOS books always take longer time for me to finish for some reason.
I failed to detect unusual amounts of continuity porn. The characterizations were enjoyable, including the fleshing-out of species like the Rhaandarites, Betelgeusians and Megarites. The mention of an Eeiauoan is appreciated - I like that older standalone adventures don't necessarily mean they're forgettable in the long run.
I'm a sucker for species diversity in Starfleet and this novel had a TTN-vibe to it, almost like a spiritual sequel to the later book series.
A major theme was the struggle between civilization and religion. To mature socially, a culture needs to learn to go beyond war, disease, poverty and religion although it cannot be achieved overnight. I sympathized with Commissioner Soreth's point of view but recognized that the Lorini required time (and patient schooling) to throw of the shackles of oppression, something that Natira realized as well in the end.
A further aspect I liked was the sudden death of a 'redshirt', a classic TOS trope, but where the redshirt was a developed character and his loss regrettable.
Picking up the novel, I expected round characterization, an intriguing plot, diverse species and a revisit to a familiar but until now underdeveloped place. My expectations were met and I'm happy to have finally picked up the book.
