Mini-Review: Star Trek: The Fall, by multiple authors

About the Series: Star Trek: The Fall

Revelation and Dust, by David R. George, III

WELCOME TO THE NEW DEEP SPACE 9

After the destruction of the original space station by a rogue faction of the Typhon Pact, Miles O’Brien and Nog have led the Starfleet Corps of Engineers in designing and constructing a larger, more advanced starbase in the Bajoran system. Now, as familiar faces such as Benjamin Sisko, Kasidy Yates, Ezri Dax, Odo, and Quark arrive at the new station, Captain Ro Laren will host various heads of state at an impressive dedication ceremony. The dignitaries include not only the leaders of allies—such as Klingon Chancellor Martok, Ferengi Grand Nagus Rom, the Cardassian castellan, and the Bajoran first minister—but also those of rival powers, such as the Romulan praetor and the Gorn imperator. But as Ro’s crew prepares to open DS9 to the entire Bajor Sector and beyond, disaster looms. A faction has already set in action a shocking plan that, if successful, will shake the Alpha and Beta Quadrants to the core.

And what of Kira Nerys, lost aboard a runabout when the Bajoran wormhole collapsed? In the two years that have passed during construction of the new Deep Space 9, there have been no indications that the Celestial Temple, the Prophets, or Kira have survived. But since Ben Sisko once learned that the wormhole aliens exist nonlinearly in time, what does that mean with respect to their fate, or that of the wormhole . . . or of Kira herself?
The Crimson Shadow, by Una McCormack

Cardassia Prime is home to a prideful people who, for centuries, forged alliances with those they believed would strengthen them and their place in the Alpha Quadrant, and expanded their empire at great cost to other worlds. For generations, dissenting voices were silenced by either fear or an early grave. When their wartime ally, the Dominion, suddenly turned on them, seeking to transform Cardassia into a tomb for every last member of their race, their old adversary—the United Federation of Planets— put an end to the carnage, and even now works to help rebuild Cardassia Prime.

To celebrate this alliance, the Castellan of the Cardassian Union is to welcome the Federation president to Cardassia Prime. As a symbol of this deepening friendship, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E is tasked to carry the Cardassian ambassador to the Federation back home. For his part, Ambassador Elim Garak is working with Captain Jean-Luc Picard to oversee the diplomatic reception that will commemorate the last of Starfleet’s personnel finally leaving the homeworld. However, there are malevolent forces at work, who even now strive to “restore Cardassia to its proper place and glory,” and are willing to do anything to achieve their goal….
A Ceremony of Losses, by David Mack

THE NEEDS OF THE MANY

Despite heroic efforts by Thirishar ch’Thane, the Andorian species is headed for extinction. Its slow march toward oblivion has reached a tipping point, one from which there will be no hope of return.

THE NEEDS OF THE FEW

With countless lives at stake, the leaders of Andor, the Federation, and the Typhon Pact all scheme to twist the crisis to their political gain—at any price.

THE NEEDS OF THE ONE

Unwilling to be a mere bystander to tragedy, Doctor Julian Bashir risks everything to find a cure for the Andorians. But his courage will come at a terrible cost: his career, his freedom . . . and maybe his life.
The Poisoned Chalice, by James Swallow

One simple act, and the troubles of the United Federation of Planets have grown darker overnight. The mystery behind the heinous terrorist attack that has rocked the Federation to its core grows ever deeper, and William Riker finds himself beset by rumors and half-truths as the U.S.S. Titan is ordered back to Earth on emergency orders from the admiralty. Soon, Riker finds himself drawn into a game of political intrigue, bearing witness to members of Starfleet being detained—including people he considered friends—pending an investigation at the highest levels. And while Riker tries to navigate the corridors of power, Titan’s tactical officer, Tuvok, is given a series of clandestine orders that lead him into a gray world of secrets, lies, and deniable operations. Who can be trusted when the law falls silent and justice becomes a quest for revenge? For the crew of the U.S.S. Titan, the search for answers will become a battle for every ideal the Federation stands for. . . .
Peaceable Kingdoms, by Dayton Ward

Following the resolution of the fertility crisis that nearly caused their extinction, the Andorian people now stand ready to rejoin the United Federation of Planets. The return of one of its founding member worlds is viewed by many as the first hopeful step beyond the uncertainty and tragedy that have overshadowed recent events in the Alpha Quadrant. But as the Federation looks to the future and the special election to name President Bacco’s permanent successor, time is running out to apprehend those responsible for the respected leader’s brutal assassination. Even as elements of the Typhon Pact are implicated for the murder, Admiral William Riker holds key knowledge of the true assassins— a revelation that could threaten the fragile Federation-Cardassian alliance.

Questions and concerns also continue to swell around Bacco’s interim successor, Ishan Anjar, who uses the recent bloodshed to further a belligerent, hawkish political agenda against the Typhon Pact. With the election looming, Riker dispatches his closest friend, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth. But as Picard and the Enterprise crew pursue the few remaining clues, Riker must act on growing suspicions that someone within Ishan’s inner circle has been in league with the assassins from the very beginning . . . .

My Thoughts

This is a mini-series that spans the Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tie-in novel series. The bulk of the series takes place in the 2380s – years after Star Trek: Nemesis, years before Star Trek Online‘s resurrection of Data (or, for that matter, his alternate resurrection in the tie-in novels). It’s after the Dominion War, after and during the Typhon Pact series, and is comprised of five novels, each by a different author:

Revelation and Dust, by David R. George, III
The Crimson Shadow, by Una McCormack
A Ceremony of Losses, by David Mack
The Poisoned Chalice, by James Swallow
Peaceable Kingdoms, by Dayton Ward

What I love about contemporary Star Trek novels is that they expand the scope of the Federation to include much more than just Starfleet. We get to see how the different worlds of the Federation exist as compared to Earth, get a glimpse at the politics behind it all, get to meet characters who aren’t zipping around the galaxy in nifty starships all the time.

But, we also get to see how the lives of our favorite, familiar faces have changed. We see Picard as a husband and father. We see Worf as the first officer of the Enterprise, and in this mini-series, we see Will Riker being promoted to Admiral, and get to spend some time with Captain Ezri Dax. We see Bashir (and Pulaski) flouting security orders for the greater good, and we see Garak as a politician.

I said it, years ago, when I read Keith DeCandido’s Articles of the Federation: I would totally watch a series that was a sort of “West Wing in the Future” mixed with the more typical Trek stories, even if the episodes were half & half (think Law & Order). These books are the next best thing.

Because they’re all one story, told in five volumes, it’s difficult to separate plot elements. The president of the Federation is assassinated just as the Federation is beginning to pull out of Cardassia. The Andorians are suffering a health crisis on a genetic level, and the new Bajoran president pro tempore has his own, somewhat mysterious, agenda.

This series is political intrigue at it’s finest dressed in Starfleet colors, and it’s thoroughly engaging and entertaining.