by Dayton Ward, 2014
This is the fifth and final novel in the Star Trek: The Fall Series. After the mind-, heart-, and spirit-breaking “Phoenix” novels, I decided I needed to take a break from early Star Trek novel writing. Also, I received this in the mail and I cannot resist either packages or new books.
Geoffrey on Goodreads writes, “To a large degree, it … feels like the conclusion of a major story arc that began with the final Borg invasion of the Federation, continued with the Reconstruction, the rise of the Typhon Pact and then the events in this series, leading to the confrontations between the interim president, Ishan Anjar and his supporters and the more traditional elements of Starfleet.”
After the assassination of the UFP president, crews from DS9, Enterprise, and Titan try to find the assassin(s), the reasons, and the secrets of the interim UFP president. Riker is promoted to admiral, Dr. Crusher goes under cover, and Picard parents his 4-yr-old son.
It feels like this book was padded and the story kind of petered out. The padding feeling comes from the recaps, which appear about once every chapter. These recaps catch us up on the previous books, the previous chapters, and the previous paragraphs.
Random Thoughts Written Down as I Read:
Recap
There may be spies on the Enterprise. “Caution must be our watchword.”
Geordi relays the secret contents of an encrypted secret information chip over the ship’s intercom.
Recap
A top-secret briefing takes place in the Enterprise shuttlebay. Doesn’t seem like a very private place to me.
Geordi has a girlfriend! Geordi has a girlfriend! Geordi and Tamala, sittin’ in a tree…
There may be spies on the Enterprise.
Recap
Why are all Star Trek ambassadors so disagreeable?
Recap
Why would it be hard to program the replicators with a certain recipe? All I’m sayin’ is, in the future, your coffee shouldn’t taste bad.
There may be spies on the Enterprise.
Why would you expect to find records of the falsification of an identity? Isn’t that the point?
Recap
Have I mentioned there may be spies? On the Enterprise?
Recap
They have evidence that a high-ranking politician is not who he says he is in the form of a body and then they just leave the body lying around unguarded until someone destroys it by setting fire to the stasis unit. Don’t you think you’d put a guard on that? Or at least hide it?
Recap
There may be spies on the Enterprise.
They’ve found all the secret files, but instead of grabbing them and leaving, they sit down and start inventorying and reviewing the contents. And then Riker says, “Our top priority is getting all of this out of here.” Then do it! Oh, hey! Let’s make copies of it! Oh noes! They’re onto us before we can make copies! Run! Manufactured tension is manufactured.
They have evidence proving that the president is not who he claims to be, but they can’t come forward with it until they can prove who he IS? What?
Recap
Recap method of securing a covert communication. Every time there is one.
Why would you put a beeper on a bomb?
Description of the Federation Council Chambers (as depicted in “The Voyage Home.”)
How was the chief-of-staff rescued? Did I miss that? What happens to the mutinous crew of the Tonawanda? Or her by-the-book captain?
Admirals Riker and Akaar exchange a lot of glances and I realize I may be forever scarred by the “Phoenix” books.
WTF:
“Fools, every last one of you.”
The what, the who, and . . the 4 year-old Picard-fils? Egh! Too much! I get the same reaction when I pick up Star Wars novel, Marvel or DC comic too.