Warpath Discussion Thread (major, major spoilers)

[frkcd]

Oh, yes, to both.

Fearful Symmetry.

Yep, David. I meant at the time (when the crew and reader are under the belief that the Intendant is in control), that is how I felt. I knew by the end that she wasn't the one controlling him--that it was Illiana (spelling?).

Donnie

 

[Aatrek]

I just finished the book, and I want to see if I've got things straight:

1. Nerys is in the Infirmary, the Intendant is dead, and a third person who looks like Kira is now pretending to be the Intendant - possibly the surgically altered Cardassian Illiana Ghemor from Second Skin (who may have been betrayed by Dukat), or possibly from a seperate Mirror Universe. Kira3 was in control of Taran'atar the entire time; presumably she was dressed like the Intendant in that fuzzy video that Nog reconstructed.

2. Vaughn and Prynn are alive, but pretty damaged.

3. The "Cardassian Woman," Illiana Ghemor, is alive but damaged on Harkoum. She may actually be "mirror"-Illiana, if Kira3 is the Cardassian agent from our universe.

4. My head hurts.

 

[David Mack]

Very close. Pretty spot-on, actually. The one minor point is that the text never said that the woman the DS9 team saw in the recovered image was dressed like the Intendant; it said only that it was her face, and that she looked like Kira. The team then assumed that it was the Intendant.

As for #4, try ibuprofen. With a whiskey chaser. Works for me.

 

[Christopher]

It'd work better without the whiskey...

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/alcohol.html

 

[TerriO]

Christopher said:
It'd work better without the whiskey...

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/alcohol.html

*hangs head*

Dude, did you miss the appointment we made for you for the humor transplant again?

 

[frkcd]

David,

I went back and skimmed the book. Once one knows what, or who, is really the antogonist, it is so easy to see the assumptions made by the crew (and the reader) when Nog pulls up the image. Kudos.

I went back and skimmed "Facets and Omens" last night. I wished I'd realized how related your novel was to events in that novel. If I had I'd have re-read it. I saw Warpath as directly related to the ending of "Olympus Descending," and it is, but there are some really relevant pieces of the puzzle in the former novel. Reading the scene where Kira attempts to comfort Hovath's wife or partner was great fun (and more compelling) knowing now that the face of the person trying to comfort her was the face of the person who terrorized her.

Donnie

 

[Brendan Moody]

frkcd said:
I went back and skimmed "Facets and Omens" last night.

You skipped the title page, I take it.

 

[David Mack]

Thanks, Donnie. Glad you can see now how the puzzle pieces begin to fit together. The best part is, even I don't have all the pieces --- there are some details yet to be revealed that Marco wouldn't tell me. (He'd just say, "Have this scene go in this direction, and leave the rest to me..." Then he'd laugh maniacally and pet his white Persian cat. I managed to leave his office before the trap door opened under the chair I'd been sitting on.)

 

[frkcd]

Brendan,

Oh, crap. (Funny enough, there is a software package at work, where I am now and trying to do too many things in addition to post messages here, called Facets.)

I actually was thinking "Fragments and Omens."

Good catch!

DBG

 

[frkcd]

David,

You're welcome. Aha. It is, well...I'm not sure what--interesting, no, comforting (is probably the best word I can find at the moment; and even it doesn't express what I mean) to know that you're not graced with Marco's omniscience, even though you toiled on the novel.

(Lucky you. I have it from a reliable source that you wouldn't have beat the trap door had the Himalayan with the ice-blue eyes been in his clutches.)

Donnie

 

[Brynthe2]

David Mack said:
Glad you liked the Grennokar segments.

To answer your other queries:

1) Yes.

2) More than that, it sets up a shift in the continuing arc of the Kira Nerys character. Re-read just those chapters, then re-watch the various DS9 episodes in which Sisko dealt with the Prophets, then re-read the final Kira/Sisko scene in Warpath. This wasn't just a "foreshadow the obvious" vision. There's more, but you have to look for it.....

Whoa, whoa, whoa... I may be way off here, but after reading that comment, an idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Throughout my 4 hour marathon read through last night, I noticed numerous mentions of the prophet's "hand". Then Sisko refers to Kira as his "right hand". I knew there was some significance to this, but just couldn't put it all together. But based on your comments above, I'm coming up with the possibility for our next Bajoran Kai??? Again, I may be way off, I had always seen Sisko taking the job to be honest (at least that was what I had imagined, prior to his return) but Kira is clearly about to play a very large role in the near future. Whether that means she will be the one to help unite the Eav'oq and Bajorans against a common foe (the Ascendants?) or what is still beyond me, but I look forward to what is to come.

Now for a couple of comments regarding the book:

- Loved the Quark and Ro moments, I've been disappointed ever since every relationship in the series started to fall apart (or finally fell apart) in the WoDS9 series. I'm glad to see at least the remnants of this relationship resurface. edited to add, before Marco corrects me again: Okay, not EVERY relationship, but more than I had been prepared for.

- While I think I grasped the whole 'Kira Coma Extravaganza', I feel it did go on a bit much. It is most likely very important to the whole overall story arc, but it pulled me out of the current story a little bit too often.

- My favorite part of the book was Sisko telling Kira about the three brothers. I absolutely loved that tie in to the series and truly appreciated it.

- I need Chief O'brien. I know, I know.. he's on Cardassia, and it isn't really David's fault, but I'm going to complain about this one, every time he doesn't show up in a book.. hehe I miss him and the interactions between him and Bashir.

- Overall it was a gripping story, one that left me wanting more. I'm not sure how I feel about heading into, what appears to be, another major conflict just yet though. However, in true DS9 fashion, it answered some questions, posed new questions, had some laughs, had some tears, and even left me saying WTF? in a few places, all of which are reasons I watch/read DS9 in the first place. Great job David.

 

[Doctor Phlox]

Well, I finished this book rather quickly, and I find myself rather anxious to learn what happens next. This is only the second Mack novel I've read, and I loved it. The action scenes were particuraly captivating, especially the fights with the Cardassian woman. Now that I've become an official Mack addict, I've started reading A Time Too Kill (which is also excellent).

I have to say though, I think I maybe watching too much 24 (like that's possible). In the early parts of the novel, during Taranatar's escape, I found myself imagining split screens from various angles accompanied by a porno flick soundtrack (which had to be Sean Callery's). Also, when an officer would tap their communcator BAM! split screen. (It wasn't quite the same without the cell phones though.) When I saw the names "Kiefer Sutherland" and "Kim Raver" appear, I knew that I was sick.

But none of that would have been possible without the engaging and ridiculously exciting prose provided by the good Mr. Mack. Thanks for a wild thrill ride!

To ask a small question, is the Jem'Hadar on the cover Remata'Klan from the episode "Rocks and Shoals?" I'm almost certain it is which is interesting because that's who I've always pictured as Taranatar.

Again, great read!

 

[David Mack]

^ Thanks, Doc! I'll take your evocation of 24 as a compliment, since that's also one of my favorite shows.

Hope you enjoy A Time to Kill and A Time to Heal -- those two together make for a wild ride, I'm told . . . .

 

[LightningStorm]

I've finished Warpath... and all I have to say is DAMN! That was good! Loved the Kira-coma sequences. Loved the all the death and mayhem. Loved the foreshadowing. And it seemed like this book was more of a setup for things to come than anything else, which I usually don't like, but this one was done quite well.

Dammit David Mack, you are hijacking my Trek Top Ten list! With Harbinger, "Twilight's Wrath" from TotDW, and Warpath you're taking up three whole spots! Heaven forbid I actually manage to get back to the A Time to Series, from what I've heard Kill/Heal want a space too.

 

[David Mack]

^ Thanks, LS! You've brightened my morning.

 

[frkcd]

Brynthe2,

Whoa x 3.

Thanks for posting. I really enjoyed Kira's sequences in the Celestial Temple and in the distant past even though I felt like I was missing what was being intimated. After intially reading the quote of David's that you referenced, I went back and skimmed sections and concluded simply that the prophet's were referring to Benjamin (as their hand) and Ben was telling Kira he needed her (as his hand)--that whatever they needed done would be done by Ben who would need Kira. (Yeah, I have a hard time gleaning or making sense of metaphor in books.)

But your supposition is brilliant. It may be wrong, but it is still brilliant. I'd not thought about the fact that there is a vacancy as Kai until you mentioned it (and after I'd skimmed through "Fragments and Omens").

Donnie

 

[Christopher]

frkcd said:
After intially reading the quote of David's that you referenced, I went back and skimmed sections and concluded simply that the prophet's were referring to Benjamin (as their hand) and Ben was telling Kira he needed her (as his hand)--that whatever they needed done would be done by Ben who would need Kira. (Yeah, I have a hard time gleaning or making sense of metaphor in books.)

No, Sisko is their Emissary. Kira is their Hand. I figured out they were talking about Kira as soon as they started mentioning their hand, because it kinda fit the pattern of the way the Prophets talk to people. I mean, why mention it to her, specifically, if it wasn't about her?

But I don't buy her becoming the Kai. The term "hand," symbolically speaking, implies the instrument by which a higher entity exerts its will or takes action. The hand holds the tools, wields the weapon, forms the fist, pushes aside the obstacle, writes the text. I'd say a religious leader like the Kai is more like the heart or mind; the hand would be the person who goes out and spearheads the action, like a champion, a paladin, a general. Much like the role Kira played in her vision.

Although I should stress that I'm just guessing. I have no inside info about what's coming in future books. Well... almost no inside info. Just a bit of thematic stuff (most of which I probably could've divined from Warpath anyway), but no plot details.

 

[David Mack]

As usual, Christopher is right on target.

For those of you who usually skip the poetic epigraphs at the front of the book, keep in mind that the Wordsworth quotation, from "She Was a Phantom of Delight...", is meant to specifically foreshadow Kira's storyline in Warpath and beyond:

A being breathing thoughtful breath,
A traveler between life and death;
The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;
A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort, and command.

 

[frkcd]

Christopher,

(It's the same suggestion whether in elementary school or taking the GRE: don't second-guess your answers.)

At first, I thought Kira was their Hand for the same reason you mentioned. Later, I dismissed that idea, thinking that their Hand was the person who has always acted for them: Benjamin.

You're right (but you don't need me to tell you that; David already did) and your reasoning makes perfect sense. I like how you described the Hand as an active force. That is Kira.

Donnie

 

[Aatrek]

Well, Kira is arguably the single most powerful Bajoran around. There's no Kai yet, right? And the Council of Ministers is a whole group of people. Sure, there's the First Minister, but Kira's the top Bajoran in Starfleet, as far as we know, and she's in charge of the station, the Defiant, the sector, and the Wormhole.