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They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.
Mere days after the startling events of AVATAR, Dr. Julian Bashir faces his darkest nightmare when Section 31 compels him to undertake the mission to stop one of their own.
But this renegade is no ordinary agent. Like Bashir, Dr. Ethan Locken is genetically enhanced, a human superior in body and mind. But Locken dreams of remaking the galaxy in his own image -- and creating a new human empire based on the example of the infamous Khan Noonien Singh.
And as he begins to understand the terrifying truth about his opposite number, Bashir will learn more about himself than he ever wanted.
292 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 6, 2016
Even the most well intentioned organization like Starfleet has a dark side, and that is...Section 31!
This is an unusual novel part of the book series Section 31 from the franchise of Star Trek, since while it's the third book in the mentioned book series (each one has a stand-alone story centered in a different character from a different spin-off), this particular book is also the third book in the "Relaunch" expanded universe of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, following the events started on, the chronological previous, two-part books Avatar.
Terror always has a strategic value. Remember that.
THE PREMISE
An agent of "Section 31", a deep covered secret agency that almost nobody knows that exists inside of the Federation and Starfleet, approaches Dr. Julian Bashir forcing him to accept a secret mission to stop a maniacal scientist, who was a former Section 31's agent working in a secret project to develop an army to use against enemies of the Federation, but now he is attempting to use them to establish his own order in the Quadrant.
THE CHARACTERS
Dr. Julian Bashir
He is the Chief Medical Officer of the Deep Space Nine station. While he was still a child, his parents taken him to have an illegal medical surgery to become an enhanced human, with superior intellect and improved physical skills. This is a crime to Federation's laws, in the fear of possibility of the rise of another dictator like Khan Noonien Singh during the Eugenics Wars on Earth. When was discovered the enhancement of Julian, a couple of years ago, his father accepted to be put in jail to save the career and freedom of Julian.
In the story, he is promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and just when he is planning to take a vacations along with Ezri Dax to Earth, he is contacted by an agent of "Section 31" forcing him to accept a mission to stop a scientist with similar enhanced abilities like him, and that he was enlisted as well by Section 31 to develop a secret army to use against enemies of the Federation, but now he is planning to fabricate his own army of Jem'Hadar soldiers loyal to him to establish his own empire.
Lt. Ezri Dax
She was the Chief Counselor in DS9, but now she asked a change to Command division, to pursuit a new career's path in Starfleet. She is a Trill, having a symbiote inside of her who allow her to access to memories, experiences and skills of the eight past hosts of the mentioned symbiote. She is currently having a romantic relationship with Julian Bashir.
She pushes to go along with Julian Bashir to the secret mission.
Lt. Ro Laren
She is the recently appointed Security Chief in DS9. She is a Bajoran with a very troubled past, where she has been playing too many roles: Resistance Fighter, Starfleet Officer, Maquis Terrorist, etc... And now she is struggling to fit again on her own homeworld.
She is acquainted with the planet where the rogue scientist is hiding, so she accepts to go in the secret mission.
Taran'atar
He is a very recent arrival to DS9. He is an unusual Jem'Hadar soldier of 22 years old (many of them rarely got alive to 4 years due combat risks) and also he is free of the dependency to the Ketracel-white. He has been chosen by Odo for a special mission and living among the crew of DS9 to observe and learn from them, to show to the Jem'Hadar, other options of existing.
Due that the rogue scientist is creating his own army of Jem'Hadar soldiers only loyal to him, Taran'atar accepts to go in the secret mission since evidently he is an expert about Jem'Hadar behavior.
THE STORY
I liked a lot the story. However, it wasn't as I expected. While Julian Bashir is a pivotal character, hardly I could pick him as the main character, since Ro Laren and Taran'atar, also have very relevant in the story and with major development on their characters, even more than Bashir's, I think.
I don't say it as a bad thing, since I love Ro Laren and about Taran'atar is a truly great new character for the "Relaunch" expanded era of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Also, while the story about the rogue scientist is the major plot, you also have relevant development on the station with the personal sub-plots of Kira Nerys and Elias Vaughn. Again, it's not a bad thing, just unusual to find in a novel that was supposed to be part of a separate book series inside of the franchise of Star Trek.
I am fan of happy endings and those are quite often to find in Star Trek, however, oddly enough, I expected a very dark and kinda sad ending in this story, and since it's part of "Section 31" book series, I wouldn't be surprised and I would accepted quite well. However, without spoiling anything, the story ends quite nice and uplifted, and well, I didn't expected that. Sure, there are several dark and gross moments, but even so, it's still an adequate happy ending. Maybe for that reason I resolved to rated it with one less star.
Still, it's a great story, full of action and entertainment, with smart dialogues and wonderful character development. Highly recommended.
This is an unusual novel part of the book series Section 31 from the franchise of Star Trek, since while it's the third book in the mentioned book series (each one has a stand-alone story centered in a different character from a different spin-off), this particular book is also the third book in the "Relaunch" expanded universe of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, following the events started on, the chronological previous, two-part books Avatar.
Terror always has a strategic value. Remember that.
THE PREMISE
An agent of "Section 31", a deep covered secret agency that almost nobody knows that exists inside of the Federation and Starfleet, approaches Dr. Julian Bashir forcing him to accept a secret mission to stop a maniacal scientist, who was a former Section 31's agent working in a secret project to develop an army to use against enemies of the Federation, but now he is attempting to use them to establish his own order in the Quadrant.
THE CHARACTERS
Dr. Julian Bashir
He is the Chief Medical Officer of the Deep Space Nine station. While he was still a child, his parents taken him to have an illegal medical surgery to become an enhanced human, with superior intellect and improved physical skills. This is a crime to Federation's laws, in the fear of possibility of the rise of another dictator like Khan Noonien Singh during the Eugenics Wars on Earth. When was discovered the enhancement of Julian, a couple of years ago, his father accepted to be put in jail to save the career and freedom of Julian.
In the story, he is promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and just when he is planning to take a vacations along with Ezri Dax to Earth, he is contacted by an agent of "Section 31" forcing him to accept a mission to stop a scientist with similar enhanced abilities like him, and that he was enlisted as well by Section 31 to develop a secret army to use against enemies of the Federation, but now he is planning to fabricate his own army of Jem'Hadar soldiers loyal to him to establish his own empire.
Lt. Ezri Dax
She was the Chief Counselor in DS9, but now she asked a change to Command division, to pursuit a new career's path in Starfleet. She is a Trill, having a symbiote inside of her who allow her to access to memories, experiences and skills of the eight past hosts of the mentioned symbiote. She is currently having a romantic relationship with Julian Bashir.
She pushes to go along with Julian Bashir to the secret mission.
Lt. Ro Laren
She is the recently appointed Security Chief in DS9. She is a Bajoran with a very troubled past, where she has been playing too many roles: Resistance Fighter, Starfleet Officer, Maquis Terrorist, etc... And now she is struggling to fit again on her own homeworld.
She is acquainted with the planet where the rogue scientist is hiding, so she accepts to go in the secret mission.
Taran'atar
He is a very recent arrival to DS9. He is an unusual Jem'Hadar soldier of 22 years old (many of them rarely got alive to 4 years due combat risks) and also he is free of the dependency to the Ketracel-white. He has been chosen by Odo for a special mission and living among the crew of DS9 to observe and learn from them, to show to the Jem'Hadar, other options of existing.
Due that the rogue scientist is creating his own army of Jem'Hadar soldiers only loyal to him, Taran'atar accepts to go in the secret mission since evidently he is an expert about Jem'Hadar behavior.
THE STORY
I liked a lot the story. However, it wasn't as I expected. While Julian Bashir is a pivotal character, hardly I could pick him as the main character, since Ro Laren and Taran'atar, also have very relevant in the story and with major development on their characters, even more than Bashir's, I think.
I don't say it as a bad thing, since I love Ro Laren and about Taran'atar is a truly great new character for the "Relaunch" expanded era of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Also, while the story about the rogue scientist is the major plot, you also have relevant development on the station with the personal sub-plots of Kira Nerys and Elias Vaughn. Again, it's not a bad thing, just unusual to find in a novel that was supposed to be part of a separate book series inside of the franchise of Star Trek.
I am fan of happy endings and those are quite often to find in Star Trek, however, oddly enough, I expected a very dark and kinda sad ending in this story, and since it's part of "Section 31" book series, I wouldn't be surprised and I would accepted quite well. However, without spoiling anything, the story ends quite nice and uplifted, and well, I didn't expected that. Sure, there are several dark and gross moments, but even so, it's still an adequate happy ending. Maybe for that reason I resolved to rated it with one less star.
Still, it's a great story, full of action and entertainment, with smart dialogues and wonderful character development. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2015
This is the best of a lackluster Star Trek "quartet".
Section 31 is a fascinating plot device & meta-commentary for the Star Trek universe, and yet it is ill-used in this unconnected series of novels.
I've heard good things about Disavowed, however....
Section 31 is a fascinating plot device & meta-commentary for the Star Trek universe, and yet it is ill-used in this unconnected series of novels.
I've heard good things about Disavowed, however....
March 17, 2019
I'm always up for Section 31 or Bashir stories. A great plot, I could see it as a two part episode or movie.
August 13, 2021
2021 reads, #56. This is book #3 of my four-book read this month of the "Section 31" series of Star Trek "non-canon" novels, which by coincidence happens to be my first-ever read in my life of any of the now 850 Star Trek non-canon novels that exist, which gave me an excuse to write in much more general terms on the subject in my review of book #1, S.D. Perry's TOS-set Cloak, for those who might be interested in getting a primer on the topic. Following chronologically by show, that made book #2 set during the Enterprise of The Next Generation, Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels' disappointing Rogue (my review); while this third book is set among the characters of Deep Space Nine, which happens to be my personal favorite among all the Star Trek shows that now exist, as well as the show that happened to invent the idea of Section 31 to begin with.
And the great news here is that, after three books, I've finally hit upon one that is fully firing on all cylinders, a fantastic example of why people become fans of non-canon novels in the first place. For one basic thing, for example -- and I didn't realize how important this issue would be until I actually started reading franchise-related books -- this book assumes on page one that you wouldn't have bought it in the first place if you weren't already a fan of the franchise it expands; and so unlike the other two Star Trek novels I've read so far, this one doesn't bother pounding you over the head with simplistic reminders of the main characters' traits ("'As a robot, I fail to understand your point,' said Data robotically, because he's a robot and that's how robots act when something confuses a robot, which Data is"), but rather takes their characterizations as a given and then moves on to new territory right in the first chapter. Then for another example, the authors of this book understand that they're actually writing a novel, one that will never be adapted into a TV episode and so therefore doesn't have to worry about the budget and FX restraints that a TV show would have to contend with; and so unlike the previous two books, this one's storyline has a grand and sweeping scope that's more akin to a hundred-million-dollar full-length movie, which as a fan of the original TV series is an exciting and pleasurable thing to see, all of these characters and situations I already love so much but now reimagined as an entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the like.
Most importantly, though, the book is simply written with the quality and complexity of high-tier science-fiction, belying the "freelancer ghetto" reputation that non-canon franchise novels (somewhat justifiably) have, a book that could stand on its own just as a cracking story whether or not there was already a famous TV show associated with it. Abyss is as much a character study as it is a space-opera potboiler, taking the Trekkie concept of a "mini-Khan" to do a dark and meandering exploration of the ethics behind genetic engineering, how the subject might influence the relationship between those who have been genetically engineered and those who haven't, whether half-animals who have been specifically bred to be super-soldiers could ever develop a sense of humanity under such circumstances, the ramifications of a high-profile hero within a religious society who is suddenly shunned by that society's religious elite, and a lot more fascinating food for thought, a book I would've loved even if I had never watched an episode of Deep Space Nine in my life, high praise indeed for an entire book line that only exists in the first place precisely to sell to existing Star Trek fans and no one else.
Of course, after finishing the book and doing a little research, I realized one of the big reasons that this turned out so excellently; and that's because one of its co-authors was David Weddle, who with his partner Bradley Thompson was not only on the writing staff of the original DS9 TV show (including writing the first-ever Section 31 script), but has gone on to pen episodes of the Peabody-winning Battlestar Galactica reboot, Apple+'s darkly complex alt-history show For All Mankind (where he also serves as one of the executive producers), Guillermo del Toro's The Strain, and a lot more. (For what it's worth, the other co-author is Jeffrey Lang, a seven-time Star Trek novelist who seems to be much more in the "freelancer ghetto" vein of typical non-canon authors, and who today officially enters my "Read More Of" list that apparently all Star Trek novel fans maintain while making their way through the more than 850 titles that now exist.) After starting these Star Trek books with some trepidation, it's exciting to finally confirm that some of these novels can actually be amazing, even if (I suspect) that's only going to be once in a blue moon; that's just enough to keep me motivated to reading more of them, starting later today with book #4 of this particular series, the Voyager-set Shadow by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Keep an eye out for my review of that here sometime next week.
And the great news here is that, after three books, I've finally hit upon one that is fully firing on all cylinders, a fantastic example of why people become fans of non-canon novels in the first place. For one basic thing, for example -- and I didn't realize how important this issue would be until I actually started reading franchise-related books -- this book assumes on page one that you wouldn't have bought it in the first place if you weren't already a fan of the franchise it expands; and so unlike the other two Star Trek novels I've read so far, this one doesn't bother pounding you over the head with simplistic reminders of the main characters' traits ("'As a robot, I fail to understand your point,' said Data robotically, because he's a robot and that's how robots act when something confuses a robot, which Data is"), but rather takes their characterizations as a given and then moves on to new territory right in the first chapter. Then for another example, the authors of this book understand that they're actually writing a novel, one that will never be adapted into a TV episode and so therefore doesn't have to worry about the budget and FX restraints that a TV show would have to contend with; and so unlike the previous two books, this one's storyline has a grand and sweeping scope that's more akin to a hundred-million-dollar full-length movie, which as a fan of the original TV series is an exciting and pleasurable thing to see, all of these characters and situations I already love so much but now reimagined as an entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the like.
Most importantly, though, the book is simply written with the quality and complexity of high-tier science-fiction, belying the "freelancer ghetto" reputation that non-canon franchise novels (somewhat justifiably) have, a book that could stand on its own just as a cracking story whether or not there was already a famous TV show associated with it. Abyss is as much a character study as it is a space-opera potboiler, taking the Trekkie concept of a "mini-Khan" to do a dark and meandering exploration of the ethics behind genetic engineering, how the subject might influence the relationship between those who have been genetically engineered and those who haven't, whether half-animals who have been specifically bred to be super-soldiers could ever develop a sense of humanity under such circumstances, the ramifications of a high-profile hero within a religious society who is suddenly shunned by that society's religious elite, and a lot more fascinating food for thought, a book I would've loved even if I had never watched an episode of Deep Space Nine in my life, high praise indeed for an entire book line that only exists in the first place precisely to sell to existing Star Trek fans and no one else.
Of course, after finishing the book and doing a little research, I realized one of the big reasons that this turned out so excellently; and that's because one of its co-authors was David Weddle, who with his partner Bradley Thompson was not only on the writing staff of the original DS9 TV show (including writing the first-ever Section 31 script), but has gone on to pen episodes of the Peabody-winning Battlestar Galactica reboot, Apple+'s darkly complex alt-history show For All Mankind (where he also serves as one of the executive producers), Guillermo del Toro's The Strain, and a lot more. (For what it's worth, the other co-author is Jeffrey Lang, a seven-time Star Trek novelist who seems to be much more in the "freelancer ghetto" vein of typical non-canon authors, and who today officially enters my "Read More Of" list that apparently all Star Trek novel fans maintain while making their way through the more than 850 titles that now exist.) After starting these Star Trek books with some trepidation, it's exciting to finally confirm that some of these novels can actually be amazing, even if (I suspect) that's only going to be once in a blue moon; that's just enough to keep me motivated to reading more of them, starting later today with book #4 of this particular series, the Voyager-set Shadow by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Keep an eye out for my review of that here sometime next week.
August 20, 2009
Of the four Section 31 novels, this is the one I was looking forward to the most. After the nicely done re-launch of the DS9 saga in S.D. Perry's Avatar duology, I was eager to get my hands on this story to see how the story would continue to grow and develop.
Needless to say, I was not disappointing. The authors do a nice job of combining now only Bashir's mission to stop a Section 31 operative gone rogue, but also giving us some nice moments with the new regular DS9 cast (with the exception of Jake, but if you've read Avatar, you'll know why.) The most intriguing are Kira as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that she's been banished from public practice of her faith and Vaughn, who seems to be a bit more mysterious than he's actually telling. But the real stars of the book of Bashir and Ezri Dax, who get some nicely done development. Bashir's horror at discovering another genetically engineered person who has aspirations of being the next Khan is nicely done.
What the books does best is that it paints things in shades of gray. Yes, the new villain has aspirations of being Khan but the authors show some compelling reasons as to why this might occur.
All in all, this books is what it should be--a character driven piece that develops the characters in new and interesting ways. The DS9 relaunch is the most exciting thing to happen to Trek fiction since New Frontier. I can't wait for the next installment.
Needless to say, I was not disappointing. The authors do a nice job of combining now only Bashir's mission to stop a Section 31 operative gone rogue, but also giving us some nice moments with the new regular DS9 cast (with the exception of Jake, but if you've read Avatar, you'll know why.) The most intriguing are Kira as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that she's been banished from public practice of her faith and Vaughn, who seems to be a bit more mysterious than he's actually telling. But the real stars of the book of Bashir and Ezri Dax, who get some nicely done development. Bashir's horror at discovering another genetically engineered person who has aspirations of being the next Khan is nicely done.
What the books does best is that it paints things in shades of gray. Yes, the new villain has aspirations of being Khan but the authors show some compelling reasons as to why this might occur.
All in all, this books is what it should be--a character driven piece that develops the characters in new and interesting ways. The DS9 relaunch is the most exciting thing to happen to Trek fiction since New Frontier. I can't wait for the next installment.
August 26, 2021
I find myself peeved.
Things I liked: Ro.
My issues with this book in ascending order of This Does Not Matter:
First: needs more Quark (and Nog, Shar, Kas, JAKE, even Kira). Pretty sure I have Bashir and Ezri poisoning. This does not matter.
Second: the B-plot was so boring that around 2/3rds of the way through the book I literally thought to myself: "man, this sure could use a B-plot that takes place on the station" only to realize that there was a B-plot I just could not bring myself to care about. I blame Vaughn. This does not matter (much).
Third: At one point, Bashir quotes Corinthians and refers to it as the "Judeo-Christian Bible" which, like, if I need to explain to you why you shouldn't refer to the New Testament as 'Judeo', all I can say is... goyishe kopf. This matters a little. *
INFINITY: Bashir's genetic enhancement is reimagined as an emotional source of superiority for him -- as in, he has all the classic genius white man angst about being better than everyone and having to hide it, the only one who understands him is the villain (new Khan) who is misguided yet sympathetic (he did terrible things... but great!). What makes this especially obnoxious to me is the way Bashir's character has always subverted the classic eugenic storyline - in that it's allegorical to medical trauma, in/visible disability, neurodivergence, being intersex, etc.... but no, he's just the Special-est Boy who is forced to spend his time around inferior beings. Most notably, the JemHadar, who are giving off some serious pre-9/11 orientalist energy. Also in general there's some intense Colonial-Look-How-Cute-Yet-RUTHLESS-These-Natives-Are Shit a la Ewoks in the Ro storyline. THIS. MATTERS.
I did like Ro's stuff, though I missed seeing her butt heads with Kira. I don't think I'd be this mad if I hadn't enjoyed S.D. Perry's first two installments as much as I did.
*So, to clarify, the only text I consider sacred is, obviously, The Rules of Acquisition, but dear god please fuck right off with that Judaism is part of Christianity bullshit. "Judeo-Christian" is only ever used by people who: A. believe Jews are Incomplete Christians, B. are trying to actively differentiate and isolate Islam from the other Abrahamic religions, or C. are unaware of either of these connotations and have just heard this term thrown around and didn't know. A and B are invalid, and C was only valid until you finished reading the last sentence so sorry.
Things I liked: Ro.
My issues with this book in ascending order of This Does Not Matter:
First: needs more Quark (and Nog, Shar, Kas, JAKE, even Kira). Pretty sure I have Bashir and Ezri poisoning. This does not matter.
Second: the B-plot was so boring that around 2/3rds of the way through the book I literally thought to myself: "man, this sure could use a B-plot that takes place on the station" only to realize that there was a B-plot I just could not bring myself to care about. I blame Vaughn. This does not matter (much).
Third: At one point, Bashir quotes Corinthians and refers to it as the "Judeo-Christian Bible" which, like, if I need to explain to you why you shouldn't refer to the New Testament as 'Judeo', all I can say is... goyishe kopf. This matters a little. *
INFINITY: Bashir's genetic enhancement is reimagined as an emotional source of superiority for him -- as in, he has all the classic genius white man angst about being better than everyone and having to hide it, the only one who understands him is the villain (new Khan) who is misguided yet sympathetic (he did terrible things... but great!). What makes this especially obnoxious to me is the way Bashir's character has always subverted the classic eugenic storyline - in that it's allegorical to medical trauma, in/visible disability, neurodivergence, being intersex, etc.... but no, he's just the Special-est Boy who is forced to spend his time around inferior beings. Most notably, the JemHadar, who are giving off some serious pre-9/11 orientalist energy. Also in general there's some intense Colonial-Look-How-Cute-Yet-RUTHLESS-These-Natives-Are Shit a la Ewoks in the Ro storyline. THIS. MATTERS.
I did like Ro's stuff, though I missed seeing her butt heads with Kira. I don't think I'd be this mad if I hadn't enjoyed S.D. Perry's first two installments as much as I did.
*So, to clarify, the only text I consider sacred is, obviously, The Rules of Acquisition, but dear god please fuck right off with that Judaism is part of Christianity bullshit. "Judeo-Christian" is only ever used by people who: A. believe Jews are Incomplete Christians, B. are trying to actively differentiate and isolate Islam from the other Abrahamic religions, or C. are unaware of either of these connotations and have just heard this term thrown around and didn't know. A and B are invalid, and C was only valid until you finished reading the last sentence so sorry.
July 21, 2018
Dax realized then that Bashir hadn't needed to stay and watch the explosion, but had forced himself to, making himself face the reality of his decision to employ the methods of his adversaries in order to defeat their purpose - knowing that he'd have to live with that decision to the end of his days.
3 1/2 stars. This was a well written and thought out story for Bashir. Considering his history with Section 31 in the DS9 episode Inter Arma Enim Silent Legis this didn't feel like "just" another good Section 31 novel, but more like a natural continuation of the DS9 relaunch focusing on Bashir as a character. The story uses both Bashir's history with Section 31 and him being genetically engineered and combines this into a really good and interesting story.
What I liked most about this novel, I think, is the character development of Julian Bashir. I really felt that I got to know him a little bit better through this novel. There's a lot of depth to his character, and his will to expose Section 31 draws me in. Even here, where he's helping them in a common goal, he's still not working with them.
Cole lifted a finger to his upper lip, patted it several times, then said, "You know, Doctor, I'm not sure. I'm afraid none of us knows everything everyone else in the organization knows. Security measure, you understand. It certainly sounds like the sort of thing we would hear about long before Starfleet Intelligence. ...
Section 31 in itself is something that intrigues me. The fact that they've been around for such a long time protecting the Federation according to their own rules - or lack thereof - and they're still shrouded in mystery. This novel ends in a way that makes me want to read more novels in the future that will center around Section 31.
Also, the side story with the Ingavi people and Ro's connection to them was also something that I really liked about this novel. They were an interesting species to read about.
April 22, 2015
Really just 3 1/2 stars. Just a pretty fun ST, with pretty good writing. Fairly similar story to Zero Sum Game & Disavowed in that Bashir reluctantly accepts a covert Section 31 mission. Just not quite as good as Zero Sum & Disavowed but still entertaining. Teran'atar (the Jem'hadar who Odo assigned to DS9) plays kind of a big comrad in arms supporting role, which supplies alot of hand to hand combat/phaser blastin' cool action sequences. Which has really made me want to read David Mack's Warpath, in which Teran'atar is the primary character. But all in all a good read that Trekkers will enjoy.
October 18, 2015
The best of the first 3 Section 31 novels- great adventure for Bashir, Ezri and Ro.
September 6, 2019
Review forthcoming
July 8, 2021
I’ve been reading the DS9 relaunch books, most of them for the first time. In “Abyss”, a Section 31 agent named Cole sends Bashir on an assignment to find and stop another genetically engineered superhuman named Locken. Ezri, Ro, and Taran’atar (a Jem’hadar introduced in previous books, sent to DS9 by Odo to observe) go with him. The planet where they find Locken is in the Badlands and was once considered to be used as a base by the Maquis. Because of that, Ro had previously visited the planet and is familiar with the aliens who live there, the Ingavi, and had made friends with them. It is interesting to see how she interacts with and truly cares about the Ingavi. We also see that Locken is “making” his own Jem’hadar army because, hey, he’s genetically enhanced, so he’s smart enough to do that.
It is interesting to see how Bashir copes with being the only genetically engineered person on DS9 and how he has lived with himself all these years. The books has some good self-examinations of Bashir. There is also good exposition between Bashir and Ezri. They are in a romantic relationship now, and the book examines how their relationship flows and how she feels about his enhancements.
The dialog by Taran’atar is one of the best parts of the book. The Jem’hadar on the show never had much personality, but this one does. He is studying the Alpha Quadrant people, as Odo ordered him to. As a Jem’hadar, he just has no idea how to relate to people, so his talk is very deadpan, almost like Data’s naivete in not understanding the nuances of regular conversation or the customs of people who aren’t soldiers at war.
I enjoyed this book immensely. I liked all the characterizations and how the stories flowed seamlessly from the previous books, Avatar 1 and 2. It gave us some insight into “supermen” like Khan. The ending was a bit predictable but still satisfying. Oh, and I also like how Vaughn, one of the new DS9 relaunch characters, was woven into the story. You may be disappointed if you want to learn more about Section 31. After all, it was marketed as a Section 31 book. But if you want a good Bashir story or a good Ro story, I highly recommend.
It is interesting to see how Bashir copes with being the only genetically engineered person on DS9 and how he has lived with himself all these years. The books has some good self-examinations of Bashir. There is also good exposition between Bashir and Ezri. They are in a romantic relationship now, and the book examines how their relationship flows and how she feels about his enhancements.
The dialog by Taran’atar is one of the best parts of the book. The Jem’hadar on the show never had much personality, but this one does. He is studying the Alpha Quadrant people, as Odo ordered him to. As a Jem’hadar, he just has no idea how to relate to people, so his talk is very deadpan, almost like Data’s naivete in not understanding the nuances of regular conversation or the customs of people who aren’t soldiers at war.
I enjoyed this book immensely. I liked all the characterizations and how the stories flowed seamlessly from the previous books, Avatar 1 and 2. It gave us some insight into “supermen” like Khan. The ending was a bit predictable but still satisfying. Oh, and I also like how Vaughn, one of the new DS9 relaunch characters, was woven into the story. You may be disappointed if you want to learn more about Section 31. After all, it was marketed as a Section 31 book. But if you want a good Bashir story or a good Ro story, I highly recommend.
March 12, 2021
This was a fun continuation of what we saw in the Avatar duology. Focusing on Dr. Julian Bashir, along with his relationship with Ezri, this novel sees Bashir fight his way once again through the shadowy intrigue of Section 31.
Along the way, Bashir works with Ro Laren and the station’s new resident Jem’Hadar to stop an enhanced individual like himself from committing genocide.
There are some nice threads in this novel that connect to the previous one. Nog’s plan to power the station works wonders. Vaughn and his daughter’s relationship is elaborated. Kassidy is given a bit part, though Jake’s cliffhanger ending from the previous novel is really ignored.
4/5 stars. It was a fun read, but there were parts that weren’t really interesting, mostly focused around the resident Furbies on the planet where the story mostly takes place.
Along the way, Bashir works with Ro Laren and the station’s new resident Jem’Hadar to stop an enhanced individual like himself from committing genocide.
There are some nice threads in this novel that connect to the previous one. Nog’s plan to power the station works wonders. Vaughn and his daughter’s relationship is elaborated. Kassidy is given a bit part, though Jake’s cliffhanger ending from the previous novel is really ignored.
4/5 stars. It was a fun read, but there were parts that weren’t really interesting, mostly focused around the resident Furbies on the planet where the story mostly takes place.
June 19, 2013
The best of the Section 31 series, set in the DS9 era after the television series ended. A genetically-enhanced Starfleet scientist calling himself the second Khan is building up his own Jem'Hadar army, threatening the peaceful local population (the arboreal Ingavi) and trying to start a war on a massive scale.
Our Heroes are Dr. Bashir, Ro Laren, Ezri Dax, and liberated Jem'Hadar Taran'atar. The story is fast-moving, with great characterization, and some interesting new developments. Also, a good ending.
Our Heroes are Dr. Bashir, Ro Laren, Ezri Dax, and liberated Jem'Hadar Taran'atar. The story is fast-moving, with great characterization, and some interesting new developments. Also, a good ending.
July 14, 2020
Sitting around a 3.5 for me. Obviously I would have loved to see the characters I know and love but the new cast are suitable. The ending pushes it above 3 stars. Alluding to more, the reveal of those who oppose 31 and a happy ending for the Ingavi. Otherwise it was a completely serviceable novel and an excellent Bashir focused one at that.
April 27, 2021
The DS9 relaunch is renowned for great characters, and interesting stories. And of course this novel continues where Avatar leaves off, but this time focuses on Bashir, with supporting characters Ezri, Ro & Taran'atar. Recommended!
November 16, 2023
Summary: Nog drops out of warp near DS9 with a fleet of 9 Federation ships, having towed Empok Nor from 3 light-years away. They plan to use the base's lower core to replace DS9's core, since it had to be jettisoned after being sabotaged by a Jem'Hadar soldier.
Since the station will be powered down while the new fusion core is installed, Kira orders all non-tech personnel off the base. Ezri and Bashir are planning to visit Earth together.
Bashir goes to retrieve his bag from his quarters and finds a Section 31 agent named Cole waiting for him. He says another genetically enhanced person, Dr. Ethan Locken (who was present for the massacre at New Beijing), was trained by Section 31, but has betrayed them. Locken was sent to a planet in the Badlands called Sindoren that houses an unfinished Jem'Hadar hatchery. Section 31 wanted to use it to engineer soldiers loyal to them, but believe Locken killed off the other agents with him and has started creating Jem'Hadar to follow him; he's been attacking Cardassian ships in the area. Cole says Bashir is one of the select few who are on equal footing with Locken, and that if he can't stop him, a war could break out. Bashir reluctantly agrees to help.
Bashir tells the senior staff about his mission from Cole. Ro says she's familiar with the planet from her time in the Marquis, and volunteers to go along. Bashir says he'd also like Taran'atar to come along; Kira says she'll ask him to go along. Ezri also wants to go. Bashir later confides to Kira that he thinks it's strange how Vaughn didn't react to learning about Section 31; she says not to question his loyalty.
Vaughn sees the team off. He takes Bashir aside and tells him to do the job and come home; any attempt to expose 31 will not end well.
Before long, they come across a derelict Romulan vessel that has been hulled, with no lifesigns. They beam over and find what's left of the crew dead, one mutilated with a sun and moon carved into their forehead; an emblem used by Khan Noonien Singh. An automated message from Locken plays, saying that this is New Federation territory, and to keep out. Bashir tells Taran'atar to blow the warpcore so the Romulans don't think this is the work of the Federation, then they get back on their way.
They enter the Badlands, make it though an intense plasma storm, and find themselves at Sindoren. They're immediately attacked by a cloaked Cardassian weapons platform, then by 3 patchwork ships, and the shuttle plummets to the planet. Bashir beams off Ro and Taran'atar, who see the shuttle streak below the horizon. Bashir and Ezri don't reply to their calls, but Taran'atar does spot the shimmer of someone shrouded nearby.
After reporting the others, there's only enough power to cycle the antigravs, so and Ezri and Bashir have to do a controlled fall in the shuttle.
Kira gets a call from First Minister Shakaar. He lists the numerous disasters that have occurred on the station in recent weeks, and says the Federation thinks the station might be better served by sending a captain to return to the previous command structure; she says his information is one-sided and she is perfectly capable of handling things herself. He agrees, but says she's made a lot of powerful enemies, and hasn't sent any reports to him herself. After the call, she realizes he was just testing her, and is relieved that he didn't revoke her position.
Ro and Taran'atar are caught in a heavy storm. When it finally ends, Taran'atar says there is someone up ahead, but not other Jem'Hadar. Ro says they're friendlies, a species called the Ingavi who crash landed here while fleeing the Cardassians--who occupy their planet, like they did Bajor. She says she was caught in a mudslide when she was here with the Marquis, and learned about them and their arboreal lifestyle while she convalesced.
An Ingavi named Kel takes them to a system of underground caves to meet an Ingavi elder named Tan Mulla, the one who rescued Ro all those years ago. He says that the Dominion occupied their planet after the Cardassians, but they left abruptly. Now there are more, following someone they call the Khan. Ro says they're there to help, and even though they don't fully trust Taran'atar, they trust her. Taran'atar doesn't understand why they should help the Ingavi, but agrees to follow Ro.
Bashir and Ezri are captured and imprisoned by Locken's Jem'Hadar. Locken seems somewhat smitten with Bashir, and knows quite a lot about the goings on if DS9. He invites the doctor and Ezri to dinner, then shows them around his secret base, all the while recounting the Jem'Hadar massacre of New Beijing, how he hid and fought to survive, and how it was Starfleet's fault. He says a Section 31 agent named Merra approached him during the cleanup and recruited him. He also mentions that he's not a monster, and that the missing agents are still alive; Ezri says that's contrary to the evidence they saw on the Romulan ship, and he says that was war, letting his cool temperament slip.
Locken takes them to the lab where he produces his version of ketracel-white, something Federation scientists weren't able to do, then to the factory where he produces his Jem'Hadar, of which he has nearly 200. After ranting about how much better the Federation would fare against enemies like the Borg if they would embrace genetic enhancement, Ezri and Bashir tell him he's a maniac with nothing to offer humanity. He then shows them the numerous clones he's made of himself. He says he just needs to work out the memory engram transfer, but that Bashir's work on the Klingon Kurn may hold the key. Ezri is mortified, especially when Julian doesn't appear to be.
Kel takes Ro and Taran'atar to the most ancient forest on Sindoren, a sacred place to the Ingavi. In the mist, she finds countless children's bodies nailed to the trees; Kel says Locken would sit and watch the children slowly die, just because he could.
After updating Kira on the status of the Defiant, he asks Ensign Tenmei if she'd like to have dinner with him, to which she replies that she'll work with him in public, but he can go to hell.
Ro and Taran'atar find the downed shuttle, surrounded by a handful of Jem'Hadar; Taran'atar easily dispatches them. Ro starts the shuttle up, but Taran'atar has to hold off and incoming force of 20 more Jem'Hadar while the power cycles. Taran'atar fends off most of the attackers, but a lucky shot injures him and he is surrounded just as Ro takes off.
Back in their cell, Julian broods in bed. When Ezri tries to ask him what he was thinking, he tells her he's tired of living a lie just to fit in. Locken appears shortly thereafter and Julian says he's ready to join him. Ezri punches Bashir, and he easily subdues her, then leaves with Locken. She gets to work on the communicator part that Julian shoved in her mouth.
Vaughn stops at Quark's for a beer. When Quark sees him eyeing Prynn Tenmei, he jumps to the wrong conclusion, and Vaughn angrily tells him that Prynn is his daughter. Later, an Orion named Malic tells Quark he has a business proposition for him.
Taran'atar is taken too a facility and questioned by Khan's First, who believes Khan is a god. Taran'atar says Khan is an imposter, that the Founders truly created the Jem'Hadar, but the First says if they really are gods, they've forsaken him. Later, he tells Taran'atar that he is a slave to Khan, and asks why Taran'atar doesn't realize he's a slave too--even if he can make his own ketracel-white.
Locken shows Bashir a prion he's engineered that will effectively turn any living organism's brain into mush. He has a rocket ready to launch it at a Romulan protectorate planet the following day, with his larger plan being to start an Alpha Quadrant-wide war that will ultimately result in the genetically-modified humans ruling the galaxy.
Ezri uses the communication parts to drop the forcefield off her cell. She incapacitates the guard, then escapes into an air duct.
Joseph Sisko calls Kassidy to check on her. When she asks about Jake, he has no idea what she's talking about, despite the fact that Jake told her he was leaving for Earth 2 weeks ago.
Ezri drops out of a vent and into a dark lab where she finds 7 bodies in stasis tubes. Unsure of who they are, she looks through Locken's logs and finds a folder named "failures", filled with hundreds of holovids of test subjects dying horribly. She decides to leave and come back for the living test subjects later.
Ro and the Ingavi easily take out 9 Jem'Hadar guards. She is sure something is wrong with them.
Locken analyzes the ketracel-white and realizes there's something wrong with the formula that's making the Jem'Hadar sluggish. He accuses Bashir of sabotage, and decides to launch his prion missile before Julian can sabotage that as well; however, Bashir already has, and the missile explodes harmlessly in space. He proceeds to tell Locken that none of his plans are his own: Cole from Section 31 was on New Beijing with him, deliberately feeding the Dominion intel so they would destroy the colony and lead Locken into Section 31's open arms. Furious, he tells his Jem'Hadar guard to kill Bashir, but it's Taran'atar.
Locken flees, but Bashir tells Taran'atar not to shoot him; he wants him taken alive. However, in the next room Locken finds that his Jem'Hadar have turned against him: Taran'atar convinced the First that Locken was a false god, and they all simultaneously fire their phasers at him, vaporizing him to atoms. Ezri drops out of a vent, and Ro shows up looking worse for wear, with only half of her Ingavi army in tact. She says the Jem'Hadar eventually stopped firing on them and started killing each other instead; Ezri admits that she tainted the white, and Bashir says any imbalance can cause aberrant behavior.
Taran'atar says they must leave immediately as the Jem'Hadar start killing each other, but Bashir says they have to copy Locken's files first. While they download to a tricorder, he and Ezri search a suspicious empty area they saw on the building's schematics. Inside, they find more cloning vats, only these ones are filled with clones of Bashir, even a female one. Julian fires his phaser rifle at each, destroying them.
They return to find Ro's tricorder has been infected with a virus, and an the files purged. On the monitors, they see Section 31 operatives infiltrating the base, killing any Ingavi and Jem'Hadar in their way. The First sees this and decides to rally what's left of the Jem'Hadar to meet their makers. The away team finds a teleport pad, beams back to the shuttle, then heads for home.
They return to DS9 in about 12 hours to find it fully lit up again. Empok Nor has been towed to Cajara, another planet in the Bajoran system. They debrief with Kira, and Ro is quite upset about leaving the Ingavi to their fate. Kira tells Bashir not to even think about sneaking off to Sindorin later; she's got all ports monitored, and he did what he was sent there to do. Taran'atar asks Kira how she can have so much blind faith in her gods, and she says she draws strength from having her faith challenged; Nerys tells him that if nothing else, they should both believe in Odo, and he says they finally have some common ground.
Bashir goes to Empok Nor to confront Vaughn, asking him how he knew what Section 31 was going to do, insinuating that he's part of it. Vaughn tells him that he's not in 31, that he's been fighting them longer than Bashir has been alive. He reveals a cloaked holoship docked at the station, and says it was created by 31 to relocate people from a planet in the Briar Patch; the paperwork said the ship was destroyed, but he secretly confiscated it. He says (most of) the Ingavi are aboard, and Ro is addressing them right now. The plan is to take them back to Ingav, with is a Federation protectorate these days.
Review: 3 stars. A pretty mediocre story that was badly paced, and the deranged, superhuman genius the story is about is such a pushover that the protagonists defeat him without much effort at all. The climax is very rushed, and really needed fleshed out better--but also, I'm glad it wasn't, because at least the book was short. I would've given it 2 stars, but the last chapter saved it for me.
Since the station will be powered down while the new fusion core is installed, Kira orders all non-tech personnel off the base. Ezri and Bashir are planning to visit Earth together.
Bashir goes to retrieve his bag from his quarters and finds a Section 31 agent named Cole waiting for him. He says another genetically enhanced person, Dr. Ethan Locken (who was present for the massacre at New Beijing), was trained by Section 31, but has betrayed them. Locken was sent to a planet in the Badlands called Sindoren that houses an unfinished Jem'Hadar hatchery. Section 31 wanted to use it to engineer soldiers loyal to them, but believe Locken killed off the other agents with him and has started creating Jem'Hadar to follow him; he's been attacking Cardassian ships in the area. Cole says Bashir is one of the select few who are on equal footing with Locken, and that if he can't stop him, a war could break out. Bashir reluctantly agrees to help.
Bashir tells the senior staff about his mission from Cole. Ro says she's familiar with the planet from her time in the Marquis, and volunteers to go along. Bashir says he'd also like Taran'atar to come along; Kira says she'll ask him to go along. Ezri also wants to go. Bashir later confides to Kira that he thinks it's strange how Vaughn didn't react to learning about Section 31; she says not to question his loyalty.
Vaughn sees the team off. He takes Bashir aside and tells him to do the job and come home; any attempt to expose 31 will not end well.
Before long, they come across a derelict Romulan vessel that has been hulled, with no lifesigns. They beam over and find what's left of the crew dead, one mutilated with a sun and moon carved into their forehead; an emblem used by Khan Noonien Singh. An automated message from Locken plays, saying that this is New Federation territory, and to keep out. Bashir tells Taran'atar to blow the warpcore so the Romulans don't think this is the work of the Federation, then they get back on their way.
They enter the Badlands, make it though an intense plasma storm, and find themselves at Sindoren. They're immediately attacked by a cloaked Cardassian weapons platform, then by 3 patchwork ships, and the shuttle plummets to the planet. Bashir beams off Ro and Taran'atar, who see the shuttle streak below the horizon. Bashir and Ezri don't reply to their calls, but Taran'atar does spot the shimmer of someone shrouded nearby.
After reporting the others, there's only enough power to cycle the antigravs, so and Ezri and Bashir have to do a controlled fall in the shuttle.
Kira gets a call from First Minister Shakaar. He lists the numerous disasters that have occurred on the station in recent weeks, and says the Federation thinks the station might be better served by sending a captain to return to the previous command structure; she says his information is one-sided and she is perfectly capable of handling things herself. He agrees, but says she's made a lot of powerful enemies, and hasn't sent any reports to him herself. After the call, she realizes he was just testing her, and is relieved that he didn't revoke her position.
Ro and Taran'atar are caught in a heavy storm. When it finally ends, Taran'atar says there is someone up ahead, but not other Jem'Hadar. Ro says they're friendlies, a species called the Ingavi who crash landed here while fleeing the Cardassians--who occupy their planet, like they did Bajor. She says she was caught in a mudslide when she was here with the Marquis, and learned about them and their arboreal lifestyle while she convalesced.
An Ingavi named Kel takes them to a system of underground caves to meet an Ingavi elder named Tan Mulla, the one who rescued Ro all those years ago. He says that the Dominion occupied their planet after the Cardassians, but they left abruptly. Now there are more, following someone they call the Khan. Ro says they're there to help, and even though they don't fully trust Taran'atar, they trust her. Taran'atar doesn't understand why they should help the Ingavi, but agrees to follow Ro.
Bashir and Ezri are captured and imprisoned by Locken's Jem'Hadar. Locken seems somewhat smitten with Bashir, and knows quite a lot about the goings on if DS9. He invites the doctor and Ezri to dinner, then shows them around his secret base, all the while recounting the Jem'Hadar massacre of New Beijing, how he hid and fought to survive, and how it was Starfleet's fault. He says a Section 31 agent named Merra approached him during the cleanup and recruited him. He also mentions that he's not a monster, and that the missing agents are still alive; Ezri says that's contrary to the evidence they saw on the Romulan ship, and he says that was war, letting his cool temperament slip.
Locken takes them to the lab where he produces his version of ketracel-white, something Federation scientists weren't able to do, then to the factory where he produces his Jem'Hadar, of which he has nearly 200. After ranting about how much better the Federation would fare against enemies like the Borg if they would embrace genetic enhancement, Ezri and Bashir tell him he's a maniac with nothing to offer humanity. He then shows them the numerous clones he's made of himself. He says he just needs to work out the memory engram transfer, but that Bashir's work on the Klingon Kurn may hold the key. Ezri is mortified, especially when Julian doesn't appear to be.
Kel takes Ro and Taran'atar to the most ancient forest on Sindoren, a sacred place to the Ingavi. In the mist, she finds countless children's bodies nailed to the trees; Kel says Locken would sit and watch the children slowly die, just because he could.
After updating Kira on the status of the Defiant, he asks Ensign Tenmei if she'd like to have dinner with him, to which she replies that she'll work with him in public, but he can go to hell.
Ro and Taran'atar find the downed shuttle, surrounded by a handful of Jem'Hadar; Taran'atar easily dispatches them. Ro starts the shuttle up, but Taran'atar has to hold off and incoming force of 20 more Jem'Hadar while the power cycles. Taran'atar fends off most of the attackers, but a lucky shot injures him and he is surrounded just as Ro takes off.
Back in their cell, Julian broods in bed. When Ezri tries to ask him what he was thinking, he tells her he's tired of living a lie just to fit in. Locken appears shortly thereafter and Julian says he's ready to join him. Ezri punches Bashir, and he easily subdues her, then leaves with Locken. She gets to work on the communicator part that Julian shoved in her mouth.
Vaughn stops at Quark's for a beer. When Quark sees him eyeing Prynn Tenmei, he jumps to the wrong conclusion, and Vaughn angrily tells him that Prynn is his daughter. Later, an Orion named Malic tells Quark he has a business proposition for him.
Taran'atar is taken too a facility and questioned by Khan's First, who believes Khan is a god. Taran'atar says Khan is an imposter, that the Founders truly created the Jem'Hadar, but the First says if they really are gods, they've forsaken him. Later, he tells Taran'atar that he is a slave to Khan, and asks why Taran'atar doesn't realize he's a slave too--even if he can make his own ketracel-white.
Locken shows Bashir a prion he's engineered that will effectively turn any living organism's brain into mush. He has a rocket ready to launch it at a Romulan protectorate planet the following day, with his larger plan being to start an Alpha Quadrant-wide war that will ultimately result in the genetically-modified humans ruling the galaxy.
Ezri uses the communication parts to drop the forcefield off her cell. She incapacitates the guard, then escapes into an air duct.
Joseph Sisko calls Kassidy to check on her. When she asks about Jake, he has no idea what she's talking about, despite the fact that Jake told her he was leaving for Earth 2 weeks ago.
Ezri drops out of a vent and into a dark lab where she finds 7 bodies in stasis tubes. Unsure of who they are, she looks through Locken's logs and finds a folder named "failures", filled with hundreds of holovids of test subjects dying horribly. She decides to leave and come back for the living test subjects later.
Ro and the Ingavi easily take out 9 Jem'Hadar guards. She is sure something is wrong with them.
Locken analyzes the ketracel-white and realizes there's something wrong with the formula that's making the Jem'Hadar sluggish. He accuses Bashir of sabotage, and decides to launch his prion missile before Julian can sabotage that as well; however, Bashir already has, and the missile explodes harmlessly in space. He proceeds to tell Locken that none of his plans are his own: Cole from Section 31 was on New Beijing with him, deliberately feeding the Dominion intel so they would destroy the colony and lead Locken into Section 31's open arms. Furious, he tells his Jem'Hadar guard to kill Bashir, but it's Taran'atar.
Locken flees, but Bashir tells Taran'atar not to shoot him; he wants him taken alive. However, in the next room Locken finds that his Jem'Hadar have turned against him: Taran'atar convinced the First that Locken was a false god, and they all simultaneously fire their phasers at him, vaporizing him to atoms. Ezri drops out of a vent, and Ro shows up looking worse for wear, with only half of her Ingavi army in tact. She says the Jem'Hadar eventually stopped firing on them and started killing each other instead; Ezri admits that she tainted the white, and Bashir says any imbalance can cause aberrant behavior.
Taran'atar says they must leave immediately as the Jem'Hadar start killing each other, but Bashir says they have to copy Locken's files first. While they download to a tricorder, he and Ezri search a suspicious empty area they saw on the building's schematics. Inside, they find more cloning vats, only these ones are filled with clones of Bashir, even a female one. Julian fires his phaser rifle at each, destroying them.
They return to find Ro's tricorder has been infected with a virus, and an the files purged. On the monitors, they see Section 31 operatives infiltrating the base, killing any Ingavi and Jem'Hadar in their way. The First sees this and decides to rally what's left of the Jem'Hadar to meet their makers. The away team finds a teleport pad, beams back to the shuttle, then heads for home.
They return to DS9 in about 12 hours to find it fully lit up again. Empok Nor has been towed to Cajara, another planet in the Bajoran system. They debrief with Kira, and Ro is quite upset about leaving the Ingavi to their fate. Kira tells Bashir not to even think about sneaking off to Sindorin later; she's got all ports monitored, and he did what he was sent there to do. Taran'atar asks Kira how she can have so much blind faith in her gods, and she says she draws strength from having her faith challenged; Nerys tells him that if nothing else, they should both believe in Odo, and he says they finally have some common ground.
Bashir goes to Empok Nor to confront Vaughn, asking him how he knew what Section 31 was going to do, insinuating that he's part of it. Vaughn tells him that he's not in 31, that he's been fighting them longer than Bashir has been alive. He reveals a cloaked holoship docked at the station, and says it was created by 31 to relocate people from a planet in the Briar Patch; the paperwork said the ship was destroyed, but he secretly confiscated it. He says (most of) the Ingavi are aboard, and Ro is addressing them right now. The plan is to take them back to Ingav, with is a Federation protectorate these days.
Review: 3 stars. A pretty mediocre story that was badly paced, and the deranged, superhuman genius the story is about is such a pushover that the protagonists defeat him without much effort at all. The climax is very rushed, and really needed fleshed out better--but also, I'm glad it wasn't, because at least the book was short. I would've given it 2 stars, but the last chapter saved it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2017
If you stare long enough into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you.
Bashir receives a visit from a shady representative of Section 31 who wants him to track down a fellow genetically enhanced doctor who appears to have gone rogue. Ethan Locken was a pediatrician on the New Beijing colony until the Dominion wiped it out; the event sent him off the rails, and he headed to planet Sindorin in the Badlands where he took control of an abandoned Jem'Hadar breeding facility.
With Abyss' spotlight directed towards the good doctor, many of the storylines left hanging on the station are shelved for this opus. Once I accepted that "Abyss" wasn't going to be a third-act to the Avatar duology, I settled in and started to enjoy it for what it was: an isolated adventure which serves to highlight some of the fallout of Bashir's genetic enhancement which wasn't really dealt with in the series. While Bashir's allegiance to Starfleet and the Federation was never really in question, I enjoyed the writers' use of Locken to allow us to access some of Bashir's innermost thoughts and frustrations. Case in point: we learn that Bashir doesn't actually need a full night's sleep, he simply conforms to the patterns established by his "normal" crewmates and lays awake crunching statistics and playing through scenarios. Deep Space Nine's writers openly admitted to never embracing the genetic enhanced nature of the Bashir character, quickly reverting to the same character traits before the revelation (albeit with the odd nudge and wink to his abilities). From that standpoint, I like that Abyss takes some time to explain the quick return to the status quo.
Ro's character continues to grow on me in the Deep Space Nine universe, with her selfless desire to save the native Ingavi from the Jem'Hadar threat on Sindorin a real high-point. The aliens themselves, however, are fairly standard fare and not all that interesting. Indeed, I was far more invested in seeing the interactions between Ro and Taran'atar: both characters displaced and somewhat directionless, but each with very different ideas about the world around them. Ro's impassioned plea to Taran'atar to respect the Ingavi's right to survive (despite their weak nature) was very well written, and Taran'atar's (initially) brutal response of "let them die" was a shocking reminder of just how different the Jem'Hadar are from the other Alpha Quadrant powers.
The Ezri/Julian relationship is starting to annoy me again. There are times when the authors push the couple to the point of breaking, but they always seem to snap back again. I'm at the stage now where I genuinely want to see them part company: they're not working as a couple, and I feel that the relationship is starting to damage the potential of both characters. Ezri needs that breathing room to come into her own, and Julian needs to regain some of his strength and independence that set him apart in the series. More than that: he needs Miles O'Brien back to fill that "best friend" role.
The main plot, at times, feels a little claustrophobic, and I found myself wishing for a slightly different focus away from the action on Sindorin and back stationside. Still, I suppose it's the nature of the beast with a novel like Abyss. Nevertheless, the authors wrote a killer scene between Kira and Shakaar as the fallout of her being attainted in "Avatar" is realised. Kira has made her fair share of enemies, and I love how Shakaar manages to rile her up despite being (eventually) on her side. It was a great opportunity to see Kira firing at full throttle, and a welcome reminder of what makes her character so great.
Other than that, Jake's plotline is advanced... slightly... but I'm still waiting for it to kick into gear. Oh, and the whole idea of 10 starships towing Empok Nor back to DS9 just to use its fusion core? All rather silly. Why not simply detach the fusion core and *then* tow it? Hopefully they'll *do* something with Empok Nor in future books rather than just leave it abandoned in the Bajoran system.
All in all, a satisfactory continuation of the DS9 relaunch, although not quite reaching the heights of "Avatar".
Bashir receives a visit from a shady representative of Section 31 who wants him to track down a fellow genetically enhanced doctor who appears to have gone rogue. Ethan Locken was a pediatrician on the New Beijing colony until the Dominion wiped it out; the event sent him off the rails, and he headed to planet Sindorin in the Badlands where he took control of an abandoned Jem'Hadar breeding facility.
With Abyss' spotlight directed towards the good doctor, many of the storylines left hanging on the station are shelved for this opus. Once I accepted that "Abyss" wasn't going to be a third-act to the Avatar duology, I settled in and started to enjoy it for what it was: an isolated adventure which serves to highlight some of the fallout of Bashir's genetic enhancement which wasn't really dealt with in the series. While Bashir's allegiance to Starfleet and the Federation was never really in question, I enjoyed the writers' use of Locken to allow us to access some of Bashir's innermost thoughts and frustrations. Case in point: we learn that Bashir doesn't actually need a full night's sleep, he simply conforms to the patterns established by his "normal" crewmates and lays awake crunching statistics and playing through scenarios. Deep Space Nine's writers openly admitted to never embracing the genetic enhanced nature of the Bashir character, quickly reverting to the same character traits before the revelation (albeit with the odd nudge and wink to his abilities). From that standpoint, I like that Abyss takes some time to explain the quick return to the status quo.
Ro's character continues to grow on me in the Deep Space Nine universe, with her selfless desire to save the native Ingavi from the Jem'Hadar threat on Sindorin a real high-point. The aliens themselves, however, are fairly standard fare and not all that interesting. Indeed, I was far more invested in seeing the interactions between Ro and Taran'atar: both characters displaced and somewhat directionless, but each with very different ideas about the world around them. Ro's impassioned plea to Taran'atar to respect the Ingavi's right to survive (despite their weak nature) was very well written, and Taran'atar's (initially) brutal response of "let them die" was a shocking reminder of just how different the Jem'Hadar are from the other Alpha Quadrant powers.
The Ezri/Julian relationship is starting to annoy me again. There are times when the authors push the couple to the point of breaking, but they always seem to snap back again. I'm at the stage now where I genuinely want to see them part company: they're not working as a couple, and I feel that the relationship is starting to damage the potential of both characters. Ezri needs that breathing room to come into her own, and Julian needs to regain some of his strength and independence that set him apart in the series. More than that: he needs Miles O'Brien back to fill that "best friend" role.
The main plot, at times, feels a little claustrophobic, and I found myself wishing for a slightly different focus away from the action on Sindorin and back stationside. Still, I suppose it's the nature of the beast with a novel like Abyss. Nevertheless, the authors wrote a killer scene between Kira and Shakaar as the fallout of her being attainted in "Avatar" is realised. Kira has made her fair share of enemies, and I love how Shakaar manages to rile her up despite being (eventually) on her side. It was a great opportunity to see Kira firing at full throttle, and a welcome reminder of what makes her character so great.
Other than that, Jake's plotline is advanced... slightly... but I'm still waiting for it to kick into gear. Oh, and the whole idea of 10 starships towing Empok Nor back to DS9 just to use its fusion core? All rather silly. Why not simply detach the fusion core and *then* tow it? Hopefully they'll *do* something with Empok Nor in future books rather than just leave it abandoned in the Bajoran system.
All in all, a satisfactory continuation of the DS9 relaunch, although not quite reaching the heights of "Avatar".
August 14, 2020
This book was much more enjoyable than the rest of the Section 31 series. It seemed to actually be about 31 without it just being tacked on the end. Or maybe it was because it was a Deep Space Nine Book with Bashir as this is where the Section 31 idea was established.
However, if you have not read the following books, it makes it difficult to understand what’s going on, as there has been such a massive change of crew since the final episode of the TV series.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Avatar (Books One and Two)
You don’t need to read the other Section 31 books to enjoy this one as there are sadly no connections, which I feel was a missed opportunity.
It may also help you to enjoy this volume if you can remember the events or re-watch the following TV episodes and films.
Star Trek - Series 1/Episode 22 - Space Seed
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Series 7/Episode 24 - Pre-emptive Strike.
Star Trek (The Next Generation) IX: Insurrection.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine -
Series 3
Episode 6 - The Abandoned.
Series 4
Episode 3 - Hippocratic Oath.
Episode 14 - Sons Of Mogh.
Series 5
Episode 16 - Doctor Bashir, I Presume.
Episode 24 - Empok Nor.
Series 6
Episode 9 - Statistical Probabilities.
Episode 18 - Inquisition.
Series 7
Episode 5 - Chrysalis.
Episode 16 - Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges.
Episode 23 - Extreme Measures.
Episode 25/26 - What You Leave Behind.
Perhaps it would have been easier to supply a list of events at the beginning of the book, as per Avatar (Volume One) to bring the reader up to date. Especially as so much changes within that storyline.
I still like the fact that Sisko doesn’t feature in this book and again I didn’t really notice the absence of O’Brien, Odo or Worf, who I think has been replaced with a far better character in the form of a Jem Hadar called Taran’ Atar, sent by Odo to observe “Solid” behaviour. His character really adds to this book. Also I am growing more accustomed to Ezri, who finally starts to explore what it truly means to be a joined Trill as she starts to use the experience of her previous hosts more effectively, although I would still rather the prophets turned her back in to Jadzia.
I would like to have seen more of Nog, but I understand that he wasn’t that relevant on this occasion, but I think that Garak was missed and would have made a great addition to the storyline.
I didn’t miss Jake in this book either as I never found him particularly interesting, but was annoyed to see that yet again I will need to buy another book just to find out what happened to him after the events of the Avatar series and a brief mention in this book. It’s starting to really get on my nerves that the publishers seem to be taking advantage of a loyal fan base, because they know they will buy anything Trek related, by spreading Jake’s story over at least four books. Colonel Kira’s tale is left open as well, which probably means buying yet a further volume. It’s a good job I enjoy the series, but as I was only initially interested in Abyss as part of the Section 31 series, believing that they were connected, I have already had to spend more money on books I didn’t really need, just to even try to understand what’s going on. If you can read this book without the others then I commend you, because I personally long for the days when a story was contained within one novel or at the very least a story in its own right, as part of a larger story arc, without the need to do research before to make sense of it or follow up in others to tie up all the loose ends.
Apologies, I’m ranting again.
Abyss is a good story, with interesting characters and it is easy to connect with. The cast are well written and easily recognisable. You can visualise their activities and hear their voices through accurate dialogue and description. It flows well until about chapter 16, where it seems to jump ahead a bit and slightly rushes the ending, but you still end up satisfied with the conclusion.
However, if you have not read the following books, it makes it difficult to understand what’s going on, as there has been such a massive change of crew since the final episode of the TV series.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Avatar (Books One and Two)
You don’t need to read the other Section 31 books to enjoy this one as there are sadly no connections, which I feel was a missed opportunity.
It may also help you to enjoy this volume if you can remember the events or re-watch the following TV episodes and films.
Star Trek - Series 1/Episode 22 - Space Seed
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Series 7/Episode 24 - Pre-emptive Strike.
Star Trek (The Next Generation) IX: Insurrection.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine -
Series 3
Episode 6 - The Abandoned.
Series 4
Episode 3 - Hippocratic Oath.
Episode 14 - Sons Of Mogh.
Series 5
Episode 16 - Doctor Bashir, I Presume.
Episode 24 - Empok Nor.
Series 6
Episode 9 - Statistical Probabilities.
Episode 18 - Inquisition.
Series 7
Episode 5 - Chrysalis.
Episode 16 - Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges.
Episode 23 - Extreme Measures.
Episode 25/26 - What You Leave Behind.
Perhaps it would have been easier to supply a list of events at the beginning of the book, as per Avatar (Volume One) to bring the reader up to date. Especially as so much changes within that storyline.
I still like the fact that Sisko doesn’t feature in this book and again I didn’t really notice the absence of O’Brien, Odo or Worf, who I think has been replaced with a far better character in the form of a Jem Hadar called Taran’ Atar, sent by Odo to observe “Solid” behaviour. His character really adds to this book. Also I am growing more accustomed to Ezri, who finally starts to explore what it truly means to be a joined Trill as she starts to use the experience of her previous hosts more effectively, although I would still rather the prophets turned her back in to Jadzia.
I would like to have seen more of Nog, but I understand that he wasn’t that relevant on this occasion, but I think that Garak was missed and would have made a great addition to the storyline.
I didn’t miss Jake in this book either as I never found him particularly interesting, but was annoyed to see that yet again I will need to buy another book just to find out what happened to him after the events of the Avatar series and a brief mention in this book. It’s starting to really get on my nerves that the publishers seem to be taking advantage of a loyal fan base, because they know they will buy anything Trek related, by spreading Jake’s story over at least four books. Colonel Kira’s tale is left open as well, which probably means buying yet a further volume. It’s a good job I enjoy the series, but as I was only initially interested in Abyss as part of the Section 31 series, believing that they were connected, I have already had to spend more money on books I didn’t really need, just to even try to understand what’s going on. If you can read this book without the others then I commend you, because I personally long for the days when a story was contained within one novel or at the very least a story in its own right, as part of a larger story arc, without the need to do research before to make sense of it or follow up in others to tie up all the loose ends.
Apologies, I’m ranting again.
Abyss is a good story, with interesting characters and it is easy to connect with. The cast are well written and easily recognisable. You can visualise their activities and hear their voices through accurate dialogue and description. It flows well until about chapter 16, where it seems to jump ahead a bit and slightly rushes the ending, but you still end up satisfied with the conclusion.
March 15, 2018
Bashir x Khan.
Section 31 pulls Julian back in for another mission to take on another genehanced individual. This book isn't terrible, and at least tries to do some interesting stuff with Julian (is he at all tempted to join Khan 2.0???), Ezri (will she be slightly miffed if Julian joins Khan 2.0???), Ro (she hangs out with a race displaced by the Dominion War and gets to show off her knowledge of the Badlands), but the main crux of the story (will Julian be swayed?!) is a nonstarter since we've seen neo-Kahn's senseless cruelty before we ever meet him. The ship he waylays is described as an abattoir; no matter how logical his arguments might be, we know Julian would never actually go along with him.
Fairly forgettable, but not egregiously bad. So far the relaunch has felt more like a revisiting of themes, or a greatest hits album, rather than its own story. I wonder if that will change at some point.
Section 31 pulls Julian back in for another mission to take on another genehanced individual. This book isn't terrible, and at least tries to do some interesting stuff with Julian (is he at all tempted to join Khan 2.0???), Ezri (will she be slightly miffed if Julian joins Khan 2.0???), Ro (she hangs out with a race displaced by the Dominion War and gets to show off her knowledge of the Badlands), but the main crux of the story (will Julian be swayed?!) is a nonstarter since we've seen neo-Kahn's senseless cruelty before we ever meet him. The ship he waylays is described as an abattoir; no matter how logical his arguments might be, we know Julian would never actually go along with him.
Fairly forgettable, but not egregiously bad. So far the relaunch has felt more like a revisiting of themes, or a greatest hits album, rather than its own story. I wonder if that will change at some point.
January 15, 2009
Interesting plot and good psychology, although there was one major disruptive pace change just before the book's climax. It was almost as though the author realized that he was nearing his quota of pages and had to skip over a few scenes. I literally had to go back and make sure that I did not accidentally skip a chapter.
Also, as a fan of the television seires, I had a difficult time hearing the characters speak the dialogue in the novel, which is a disappointing contrast from Avatar. Randomly, the one character whose dialogue was actually handled well was Sisko's father, who appeared for all of two pages.
Also, as a fan of the television seires, I had a difficult time hearing the characters speak the dialogue in the novel, which is a disappointing contrast from Avatar. Randomly, the one character whose dialogue was actually handled well was Sisko's father, who appeared for all of two pages.
January 26, 2011
I enjoy reading books that star Dr. Julian Bashier. He really is a "gentleman black ops" spy.
And reading about Kahn in this book was never a bad thing....the DS9 relaunch really captivates me, and it plays out as well, if not better than its TV Show counter part.
One more book, and that will finish up the novels in the Twist of Faith Anthology
And reading about Kahn in this book was never a bad thing....the DS9 relaunch really captivates me, and it plays out as well, if not better than its TV Show counter part.
One more book, and that will finish up the novels in the Twist of Faith Anthology
July 2, 2008
i really enjoyed this book, which happened to be about my favorite character (Bashir) and would recomend it to anyone, as a Highly suspenseful and angsty thriller
April 13, 2018
Section 31: Abyss sees Bashir and Dax getting involved on combating a oneabee Khan - Dr Ethan Locken! :D As they are set on his trail by an Agent of Section 31 named Cole who as you would expected clearly has other motivations up his sleeve! :D Under Kira's orders the take Ro and Taran'atar! :D This sets the stage for their encounters on the planet that Locken has positioned himself on! :D
The interactions between this team and local sentients like Kal who Ro has formally met really puts the mission on a different footing as they have to protect these beings at the same time though we also get to see more of what Ro was getting up to in the past with her Marquis compatriots! :D We also get to see the character of Taran'atar developing even more as she encounters these people and you can start to see the struggle that his character is going through as he starts to realise there is more to the universe than the Dogma from the Founders he has got! :D The scenes with them encountering the first really bring this home and at the same time really set things up for further development of the characters and the plots there! :D
Meanwhile the station is in the process of getting fixed up so also get to see how Kira is adjusting to being persona non grata and how the Bajoran people are reacting to her! :D Also throughout there are appearances by Quark and co who we get to see up to his usual trick for example the scene with Vaughn is hysterical! :D The scenes with Bashir Vaughn though really cut an set things up brilliantly for future developments as Bashir realises he is not alone in his quest to set things right and bring down Section 31! :D
On the subject of Section 31 they are still as nefarious and amoral as you can imagine they send chill waves through the character and the reader everytime that they are on! :D This book a while different spin and you never know when they are going to pop up and Agent Cole seems to have been cut from the same cloth as Slone so Section 31: Abyss also serves as a great introduction to another sinister agent! :D
Section 31: Abyss is chilling, clever witty and and grandstanding in that ask big questions about genetic engineering and it consequences! :D At the same though it doesn't spare the adventure and action that is on every page that is full of great characterisation, epic world building, plots being set and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended go and have the next book to hand! :D
The interactions between this team and local sentients like Kal who Ro has formally met really puts the mission on a different footing as they have to protect these beings at the same time though we also get to see more of what Ro was getting up to in the past with her Marquis compatriots! :D We also get to see the character of Taran'atar developing even more as she encounters these people and you can start to see the struggle that his character is going through as he starts to realise there is more to the universe than the Dogma from the Founders he has got! :D The scenes with them encountering the first really bring this home and at the same time really set things up for further development of the characters and the plots there! :D
Meanwhile the station is in the process of getting fixed up so also get to see how Kira is adjusting to being persona non grata and how the Bajoran people are reacting to her! :D Also throughout there are appearances by Quark and co who we get to see up to his usual trick for example the scene with Vaughn is hysterical! :D The scenes with Bashir Vaughn though really cut an set things up brilliantly for future developments as Bashir realises he is not alone in his quest to set things right and bring down Section 31! :D
On the subject of Section 31 they are still as nefarious and amoral as you can imagine they send chill waves through the character and the reader everytime that they are on! :D This book a while different spin and you never know when they are going to pop up and Agent Cole seems to have been cut from the same cloth as Slone so Section 31: Abyss also serves as a great introduction to another sinister agent! :D
Section 31: Abyss is chilling, clever witty and and grandstanding in that ask big questions about genetic engineering and it consequences! :D At the same though it doesn't spare the adventure and action that is on every page that is full of great characterisation, epic world building, plots being set and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended go and have the next book to hand! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2022
Continuing immediately after the events of the Avatar duology by S.D. Perry, this successfully extends the Deep Space Nine franchise into what might have been its eighth season. Here, the focus is on Julian Bashir and his relationship with the secretive Section 31. I imagine Gene Roddenberry would have hated the concept of Section 31, as it is filled with shady characters who may or may not have the best interests of the Federation at heart. But I think it is one of the better ideas to come out of Deep Space Nine's run, giving some much needed conflict to some often bland storytelling. The writing captures the voices of the actors from the series and adds some interesting new characters to the mix. I especially liked the Jem'Hadar Taran'atar who makes the average Klingon look like a weakling. I also liked seeing Ro Laren, a fan favorite from Next Generation, back as a major character. The ostensible villain, Dr. Ethan Locken, a genetically enhanced human in the mold of Khan Noonien Singh, didn't get enough "stage time" to be much more than a two-dimensional mustache twirler, unfortunately. The authors of this book are credited as David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang, but I suspect Weddle (an Executive Story Editor on the TV series) mainly contributed the basic ideas and made sure it all conformed to established canon while Lang did most of the actual writing. It doesn't really matter; this was a comforting adventure with some of my favorite characters, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of these DS9 novelizations.
June 30, 2024
Star Trek: Section 31: Abyss by David Weddle, Jeffrey Lang
Adventurous, challenging, dark, emotional,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0 Star
I need to think about how I feel about this story. I've got good thoughts, and bad thoughts. It eventually did a good job, showing the knife's edge that is needed for this type of work, but also how it effects the people you are around.
I will come back...with more thoughts...later.
I'm back.
Section 31 is one of those departments with Starfleet that is complicated. They do things that NO one wants to be responsible for their actions. Yes, they've done good things, but they have also done HORRIBLE things. There's a balance, but I fear that Section 31 is a group of people that stand ABOVE the law, and I'm not good with that.
I understand Bashir's frustrations with being genetically altered, without his desires being taken into account (his father is now bearing the burden of his actions). I do believe that Bashir is trying to do his best...with who/what he is.
On the other hand, Lachen is NOT like Bashir. They are similar in being genetically altered, but one is doing MORE harm, but Bashir's trying to "Do NO harm."
The story isn't perfect, but it gets this point across fairly well...and enjoyed it.
Next...to read...Demons of Air and Darkness. So, that's what I'll be reading next.
Adventurous, challenging, dark, emotional,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0 Star
I need to think about how I feel about this story. I've got good thoughts, and bad thoughts. It eventually did a good job, showing the knife's edge that is needed for this type of work, but also how it effects the people you are around.
I will come back...with more thoughts...later.
I'm back.
Section 31 is one of those departments with Starfleet that is complicated. They do things that NO one wants to be responsible for their actions. Yes, they've done good things, but they have also done HORRIBLE things. There's a balance, but I fear that Section 31 is a group of people that stand ABOVE the law, and I'm not good with that.
I understand Bashir's frustrations with being genetically altered, without his desires being taken into account (his father is now bearing the burden of his actions). I do believe that Bashir is trying to do his best...with who/what he is.
On the other hand, Lachen is NOT like Bashir. They are similar in being genetically altered, but one is doing MORE harm, but Bashir's trying to "Do NO harm."
The story isn't perfect, but it gets this point across fairly well...and enjoyed it.
Next...to read...Demons of Air and Darkness. So, that's what I'll be reading next.
September 9, 2021
This book started off with a James Bond/Mission Impossible sort of vibe and basically forgot halfway through. That would be fine if something compelling was going on, but there wasn't. Because this is a novel that bases itself in a franchise and references several books that came before it, which you don't need for reading this if you wanted to know, maybe there was a time crunch or a word count that they ran up against. Too bad, because the promise had its moments, but the last five chapters basically crash to something like a finish.
Characters were inconsistent in their behaviors, and the side story in this book just seems like a filler for time that needs to pass for the main characters in the prime story. Action is minimal, and so there is little to distract from what is going on in certain scenes. There are several times that important things are happening off page and we only get the result. If it was meant to pay off some sort of suspense or create shock it really missed the mark.
Fine for a quick read, but don't expect to feel like you've advanced anyone from the Deep Space Nine crew.
Characters were inconsistent in their behaviors, and the side story in this book just seems like a filler for time that needs to pass for the main characters in the prime story. Action is minimal, and so there is little to distract from what is going on in certain scenes. There are several times that important things are happening off page and we only get the result. If it was meant to pay off some sort of suspense or create shock it really missed the mark.
Fine for a quick read, but don't expect to feel like you've advanced anyone from the Deep Space Nine crew.
January 5, 2022
This is it! The first time I've been genuinely excited to read on in the Star Trek novel series.
Not that the other books I've read have been bad, but they never reach the point that the series do, in my opinion.
This book changes all that. Especially that ending, where Vaughn and Bashir team up to take down 31!
Another couple points I loved:
The relationship between Ezri and Julian, which is this great nuanced look at an adult relationship (that feels so doomed).
The end with the cloning factory (that got dark).
Ro finally being a hero and not annoying me so much.
And the way the characters feel so real but also so Trekky. This is the perfect balance between a cast of smart, professional characters as well as all of them being normal human beings.
I really had fun with this one! Hyped for more.
Not that the other books I've read have been bad, but they never reach the point that the series do, in my opinion.
This book changes all that. Especially that ending, where Vaughn and Bashir team up to take down 31!
Another couple points I loved:
The relationship between Ezri and Julian, which is this great nuanced look at an adult relationship (that feels so doomed).
The end with the cloning factory (that got dark).
Ro finally being a hero and not annoying me so much.
And the way the characters feel so real but also so Trekky. This is the perfect balance between a cast of smart, professional characters as well as all of them being normal human beings.
I really had fun with this one! Hyped for more.
April 7, 2018
Section 31 pressures Bashir into leading a team consisting of Ro Laren, Ezri Dax, and Taran’atar on a mission to stop a genetically enhanced individual from building his own invasion force of Jem Hadar warriors.
Like most Trek novels, it drags in places, but for the most part it is a terrific adventure that does a good job of developing characters and situations in the post-DS9 TV show relaunch. Sisko, Odo, and O’Brien are missed, but new characters like Vaughn and Taran'atar are welcome additions, and the return of Ro Laren is appreciated. DS9 was always the corner of the Star Trek universe with the most shades of grey and it is gratifying to see that the relaunch novels are continuing that so effectively.
Like most Trek novels, it drags in places, but for the most part it is a terrific adventure that does a good job of developing characters and situations in the post-DS9 TV show relaunch. Sisko, Odo, and O’Brien are missed, but new characters like Vaughn and Taran'atar are welcome additions, and the return of Ro Laren is appreciated. DS9 was always the corner of the Star Trek universe with the most shades of grey and it is gratifying to see that the relaunch novels are continuing that so effectively.
November 15, 2023
Es ist etwas unglücklich getimed, dass bereits das dritte (und auch das vierte) Buch des Neustarts der Serie, Teil eines großen Crossovers ist, die Geschichte um Section 31 selbst ist aber relativ unabhängig und passt natürlich gut in das DS9 Universum. Trotzdem wirkt es an dieser Stelle etwas gezwungen hineingepresst. Die Autoren setzen den Fokus auch eher auf die Charakterentwicklung und die Integration der neuen Figuren in den bestehenden Cast. Das funktioniert eigentlich ganz gut, drängt aber die eigentliche Story sehr in den Hintergrund. Stören tut das nicht, da die Charaktere deutlich wichtiger sind als die Handlung an sich.
February 11, 2024
A Section 31 book by one of the guys who helped create it? Yes please! Thought the story was great and it felt like a Bond novel set in space with the mastermind trying to tempt the hero. There were actual laugh out loud moments for me in this and I did enjoy Bashir's and Ezri's banter. Taran'atar playing a larger role in the story was a cool highlight as well as the reader gets to know him more from the little we saw of him in the Avatar books. This series has been great thusfar so looking forward to Shadow to close it out for me for the moment until I can pick up the last two books years from now I would guess.
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