Thursday, March 26, 2009

ST Mirror Universe: Shards and Shadows

This anthology continues stories from various MU timelines, many of them as written in "Glass Empires", "Obsidian Alliances", and "Infinity's Prism". Dave Stern's "Nobunaga" details The Empress Sato One's efforts to eradicate rebellion against her rule.
Dayton Ward and Kevin Dillmore's "Ill Winds" is a prequel to TOS Mirror UNiverse, taking place before Captain Christopher Pike takes command of the Enterprise.
Margaret Wander Bonnano's "The Greater Good is also a prequel, taking place three years before the events of "Mirror, Mirror".
"The Black Flag", by James Swallow, is a tale of Vanguard in the Mirror Universe.
IN "The Traitor", Micheal Jan Freidman looks at the MU through the eyes of the Stargazer crew he introduced in Reunion.
In "The Sacred Chalice", Rudy Josephs gives new meaning to the ancient Betazed artifact entrusted to Lwaxana Troi.
"Bitter Fruit" by Susan Wright has the MU Kes, stranded in the Alpha Quadrant, and kept a secret from all- even the man she loves.
Keith RA DeCandido's "Family Matters" is the only story in the book I couldn't finish- although usually love DeCandido's work, the "subspace communications transcript" style was a bit dry.
IN Peter David's "Homecoming", Soleta returns to Romulus- with deadly cargo.
Jim Johnson's "A Terrible Beauty" answers many question about why Keiko Ishikawa came to Terok Nor, but leaves many more unanswered.
Christopher L Bennet's "Empathy" brings together members of the standard universe Titan crew in a web of love, deceit, and telepathy.
The anthology is brought to a close with David Mack's "For Want of a Nail" brings together the unlikely duo of K'Ehlyer and Barclay as a team raised from childhood to protect the secret of Memory Omega.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Deep Space 9 : Twist of Faith (Omnibus)

This volume contains 4 novels and a short story which begin the authorised continuation of Deep Space 9 following "What You Leave Behind".
Avatar, Books 1 and 2, by SD Perry introduces us to many of the characters who will populate the post series DS9 universe, and leads us into the continuing lives of well loved personages. IN the wake of Benjamin Sisko's dissapearance, Colonol Kira is now in command of the station. A vedek brings a mysterious artifact to Jake Sisko in the digs at B'hala, comes to the station- and is soon murdered. A long considered heiretical prophecy causes Jake and Kira both to take drastic action- and both their lives are changed.

Abyss, by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang, brings back the nuch beloved Section 31. With Sloan dead, a new agent has come to change Julian Bashir's plans. A genetically enhanced doctor has found and abandoned Jem Hadar factory and has set himself up as the new Khan. Can anyone but Bashir bring him down?

Demons of Air and Darkness by Keith RA DeCandido is part of the timeline spanning Gateways series. Havoc is wreaked on the sector when Gateways start opening above and on planets. A group of aliens appear claiming to be the ancient Iconians, and they want to bargain for exclusive rights to the Gateway technology. When Nog and the Andorian Shar discover a gap in the Gateway network around the wormhole, they are able to disrupt the Gateways- and expose the aliens.
However, Kira's fateful step into a Gateway is further explored in the short story Horn and Ivory, also by De Candido. Stranded on a planet in the Delta quadrant, Kira was presented by a Gateyay- the went beack and forth between Ops on DS9, and the Celestial Temple. When she stepped through hover, she found herself 30, 000 years in Bajor's past, before B'hala, and at the time the Pah Wraiths ensconced themselves in the Fire Caves. Her journey back to DS9 is one both physical and spiritual.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Star Trek Alien Spotlight Volume 1 by IDW Comics

Funny story about this one. We got a box from Brian's best friend sent from Amazon, with no explanation of what books were meant for whom. One thing was clear though- everyone hoped that when we heard back from him, they would learn that Alien Spotlight was meant for them.
And the winner was- Andrew. Yes, the kid who could barely read and who less than year ago was as likely to eat a book as to read it.
Luckily, he was willing to share.
This collection of previously released comics spotlights The Gorn, the Romulans, the Vulcans, and the Borg. It spans from a TOS to TNG, and includes the crews of Pike's Enterprise, the Reliant, the Enterprise D, and the Romulan ship from "Balance of Terror".