Facing It: Christopher L Bennett Returns to Classic Territory

With his latest work in the Star Trek literary universe, Christopher L Bennett has stepped out of prequel territory into the Kirk era.

Acting as something of a sequel to the first season episode The Corbomite Manoeuvre, The Face of the Unknown returns the USS Enterprise to the First Federation and to David Bailey who is still acting as ambassador to the secretive assembly.

Y'see it appears that the now legendary Balok puppet we all love so much is actually based on a supposedly extinct race called the Dassik who have, you'll be quite unsurprised to hear, returned from the dead to exact some form of revenge on the First Federation which was involved in assisting their neutering many moons ago.

The plot is actually ok here with the reasoning behind the downfall of the Dassik making a fair bit of sense as does why they are utilised as puppets for first contact however...

As regular readers will be aware I've skipped duty reviewing Christopher L Bennett's novels for a good four years now ever since I had a bad experience with one of his Enterprise; Birth of the Federation series. I found that long winded, dull and hard to keep focused on for 340 pages. After so long of personal boycott on Bennett's work I thought I would dig into this one because it's been so long and also because it's The Original Series rather than Enterprise. After all, it might just be that I don't like reading prequel series stories rather than the author as the only novels I've tackled of his are Archer and co.

I can now conclude that it's not that. I think I just don't like Bennett's style. That's not to say he isn't a decent writer nor are his books convoluted or terribly characterised in fact I'd go as far to say that his understanding of the NCC-1701 crew is superior to his precision with the NX-01 staff. The big issue I have is that Bennett will use a couple of thousand words when eight will do and then contrary to that will use a few to skip plot moments or technicalities such as escaping cells for instance. 

There are a number of sequences in the book where there's a lot of talking and nothing really happens. In the build up to the conclusion there's a plot twist involving Balok that seems odd it's not noticed by the crew sooner and then doesn't really get an acceptable pay off. Indeed the story wouldn't have suffered with its omission. There's an action sequence involving Sulu that doesn't really go anywhere either and The Face of the Unknown just comes across as somewhat bloated with great sequences that don't work or are filler. 

To some degree there is a lot going on here with the Enterprise under repairs at the hands of Scotty, Spock off doing his thing, Kirk captured, the Dassik, the mutiple races and personnel of the First Federation... the list goes on. It feels like a struggle at times to read with even Bailey sapped of that boyish charm and naivety that made him an interesting character to follow in 1966. 

While family, work and life in general meant that this was picked up and put down rather frequently it might have meant that some of the story lost its impact and power. I would suggest that to really get to the heart of this book you need to be reading it in significant chunks to keep track of the various threads but for me this one just lacked any conviction and left me pretty cold after reading The Long Mirage and even the uneven Headlong Flight. 

With the recent 50th anniversary I applaud Bennett's choice of source material for The Face of the Unknown and he does a decent job of answering some of the questions fans might have had since that classic episode aired however someone at the publisher needs to help him shave down the word count and cut to the chase. I managed to push on through to the end but found that was more a relief to have reached the final page than a success with some level of readership fulfillment. I think the next time there's a Christopher L Bennett novel dropping through the letterbox I'll be calling on Tiff to review.

Have you read The Face of the Unknown? Fitting sequel or mediocre followup to The Corbomite Manoeuver?

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Titan Time: Orion's Hounds

As we continue our voyage through the post-Nemesis reading list, Ian Kimmins takes us back on-board the USS Titan under Captain Riker. 

Orion's Hounds is written by regular Star Trek writer Christoper L Bennett and features the "star jellies" from Encounter at Farpoint. If you cast your mind back to that episode (has it really been 30 years?!) you will remember that they communicated via telepathy so you know this is going to be a Deanna Troi story and Bennett doesn't disappoint. 

As we kick off the novel, Titan has been given orders to explore the Gum Nebula - a region of space still unexplored by the Federation. As they arrive to begin their mission they discover the star jellies under attack by the Pa'haquel. Titan decides to intercede to resolve the issue but soon realises the issue is far more complex than they could ever imagine. 

The character work in this novel is excellent. Riker and Troi's relationship is moved on well here with first officer Christine Vale still struggling with having Riker's wife on the command crew. We even get excellent characterisation for some secondary characters such as Tuvok's wife T'Pel who fits seamlessly into the story. Tuvok also comes across as a much more interesting character than he did for most of Voyager. The only one I feel that suffers is Riker as outside of his relationship with Deanna he seems very like a "generic Starfleet captain". 

In short Orion's Hounds is a well written story and while not the best one in this continuity it is the best Titan book by far. 

Google Image of USS Titan from Tobias Richer's Lightworks.

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Just Be A-Ware with Bennett's Live by the Code

Tiff takes us into the expanded Enterprise story with the next in Christopher L Bennett's series....

Following on from Uncertain Logic, Christopher Bennett’s Live by the Code is the fourth book in the Rise of the Federation series. 

Again, I must warn you that this review does contain spoilers.

A big fan of Bennett’s, I was avidly looking forward to reading his new release. The story begins solidly with Captain Archer settling into the position as Chief of Staff, before quickly events spiral.

With the continuing search for the creators of the Ware technology bringing its own problems, an attack from the Klingons also seems on the cards. As in the previous novels, it is very easy to jump into this without knowledge of his previous outings as the situation is neatly summed up in the first few pages.

We start off on board the Andorian Cruiser, the Vol’Rala. Sharing the name Enterprise this ship is where we jump into several story threads. Initially the mission to shutdown the Ware technology seems to be pretty straightforward, however gradually; it becomes apparent that it will be a difficult undertaking.

From this intriguing perspective, Federation ships are seen as an invading force, Bennett enables us to visualize events from the ‘other side’ so to speak. The situation is further complicated by the interference of the Klingon QuchHa’ (those Klingons afflicted by the Qu’Vat Virus), which literally means ‘Unhappy’ or ‘Deprived of Forehead’. They are seeking to use the Ware to take control of Qo’nos owing to the death of the previous Chancellery has left the current Empire in disarray.

Bennett’s characterisation is, as ever extremely good and he has an excellent grasp of people within their surroundings.  

“Shran could keep up a good sulk for months.” (Archer’s observation of the Andorian Commander)

And during the wedding of Dr Phlox’s daughter, his explanation of the Denobulan family tree is quite frankly baffling as you realise that every single Denobulan on the planet is related to each other by marriage!

And his knowledge of Star Trek is equally far-reaching as he draws on various sources for the story, such as Requiem for Methuselah when reintroducing us to Willem Abramson, known here as Akharin and in the future, Flint the Immortal. There is also a wonderful First Contact reference!

His illustrations of the issues surrounding the newly formed Federation are just as good. He elaborates on discussions and decisions to be made regarding the new ships to be constructed and this is a delightful read for the ardent fan of all things starship

Ultimately this is a story about division, Klingon partisan in-fighting, personal doubt and disillusionment, and above all the upheaval and damage done to those worlds that have tried to utilize the Ware.

Just as the diversity in cultures were overcome and embraced when forming the Federation, so must the divisions within our own lives be conquered? 

Historically this makes us stronger, better people for it, but the process is ever painful. There are obvious allegorical nods to our current society, maybe this a flaw in Bennett’s writing, and perhaps we are looking for escapism in Star Trek rather than a moderately preachy manifesto

He is an excellent author with many good novels under his belt, but to any real Trekkie, this is a message that doesn’t need to be spelt out.  We understand diversity and revel in it. ‘Infinite Diversity - Infinite Combinations.’ But Bennett appears to have lost the real message of what it means to love Star Trek. Let’s hope that he regains that form for his next outing.

Have you been following the Rise of the Federation? Where do you think we're heading?

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What Would You Choose With Uncertain Logic?

Following on from, Tower of Babel, Christopher Bennett's Uncertain Logic is the third book in the Rise of the Federation series and once more we're welcoming Tiffany Groves back to give her opinion on the most recent Enterprise expansion.

Again I must warn you that this review contains spoilers!

The Kir’Shara, the long lost writings of Surak were unearthed by Jonathan Archer and T’Pol years ago and heralded planetary reform of Vulcan to a more peaceful era. But when the artefact’s authenticity is called into question by loyalists of the old High Command, Archer and T’Pol’s involvement threatens to undermine the efforts of the Federation and the Vulcans to affirm change.

Bennett’s portrayal of the main players seems more evolved than in his previous outings and there is a better sense of their personalities and motivation.This aids the author in weaving several plotlines around the main event. 

We are re-introduced to Enterprise regulars Malcolm, Trip and Mayweather as they contend with the re-emergence of The Ware (An automated starship repair station as previously encountered by Enterprise in the second season episode Dead Stop) These stations are in fact found to be utilising sentient beings as ‘components’ to power their computer core.

Bennett utilizes themes and parallels within the book, allowing us a sense of familiarity and 

recognition of the nature of the events. This is a pleasing device when reading Star Trek novels because you want to feel immersed inside the universe you feel comfortable with.

The Ware has, over time, infiltrated many worlds and this technology had become integrated into their very existence. On a planet called Vanot, Ware technology has being heralded as indigenous to its own evolution (unfortunately these advances were routinely horded by the top echelons of society) Essentially Vanot is allegorical for 20th Century capitalist Earth; the technology is beyond their capability to manage, having not been developed and integrated at a natural pace. There is frustration at the retention of the highest technology by the elite of society (echoes here of Earth’s very own frustration at the Vulcan ‘drip down’ of knowledge and the impatience therein).

The story is purposely exaggerative portraying an immature race ill-prepared for advanced 

technology but sometimes allegory must be painted with a broad brush to lay a foundation for the moral objective of a story The disruption that follows Mayweather’s interaction with the Vanot is intended clearly to illustrate the necessity for rules (the soon to be introduced ‘Prime Directive’).

Unquestionably the novel has flaws; Bennett introduces us to numerous species and Star Trek lore (Deltans and the effect that they have on humans for instance) But he veers away before any in depth sub plot or element of the story that may include such species and so these sometimes feel like signposts and unnecessary nods to the side.
individuals that will be encountered in future

That being said this is a series that is set to continue, so perhaps these are early introductions to future characters?

This is a story about Choice, from misdirection and callous lies must come the truth and choosing one’s own path. There is a speech about choices, given by a Cardassian on the Endeavour; this is reflective of the choices faced in the story. Much is made of the nature of identity, something we can relate to in the current political spectrum. Earth itself now faces the burden of important choices and Bennett handles these elements superbly.

The book was Star Trek at its introspective best and I am genuinely looking forward to the next instalment.

Have you been following the Rise of the Federation? Enjoyed it or found it not to be "quite" the Enterprise you were hoping for?

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Returning to Enterprise - that isn't Enterprise: Tower of Babel

Now for a guest review from friend of SKoST Tiffany Groves. This time we're tackling Tower of Babel by Christopher L Bennett and while I wasn't thrilled with its predecessor, here's another take on the series...

This is the second book in the series of Rise of the Federation and before I go any further, I must warn you that this review does contain SPOILERS!!

The story continues on from A Choice of Futures and the focus of this novel is the struggle to bring the Rigel System into the fledgling Federation. This is no easy task as the diversity of its inhabitants and trading practices continue to be at odds with the newer Federation values. It’s obvious that Bennett has done his research here and drawn on various Star Trek television programmes, films, books, comics and the like to create his compelling cast. 

One particular example are the ‘Zami’, Rigellians that bear physical similarities to Vulcans (note - not a dissimilar thread to the recent The Original Series novel Crisis of Consciousness), their name derived from the ‘Zamiar’ (Rigel IV in the Decipher Code Role Playing Game) Despite this attention to research, I felt that the characters were still rather two dimensional. This isn't necessarily the author’s fault as source material for this rather unknown and unrepresented time zone is limited.

A much better portrayal is afforded the more familiar characters though and his depictions of Archer, Trip, T’Pol and Reed are very well rounded the author makes good observations of familial gestures and expressions which make you feel that you are reuniting with old friends. There are also references to the past which regular Star Trek viewers will find re-affirming such as the Xindi attack on Earth.

The novel’s focus however does seem to be mainly non-Federation, Reed and T’Pol given more of a back seat in favour of newer Starfleet officers (Sam Kirk and Valeria Williams) and whilst their development is intriguing, Archer seems almost to be an afterthought with very little to do!

Bennett’s easy writing style draws you in to the novel straight away and although there is a lot of socio-political content, he manages to interweave the subject rather nicely with the other elements of the plot so we are not subjected to eye watering pages of political blurb!! 

I do feel overall the central plot was somewhat lacking. There were several minor plot lines introduced throughout the novel, the affect of which, didn't occur until nearly halfway through the book. 

The author risks losing his readers at this point, unfortunately, once the main threat was identified, Bennett seems to lose pace and the structure of the story falls apart with loose ends tied up far too neatly for my liking. 

I do feel that writing within the confines of established lore has made the author perhaps too comfortable with this knowledge. It could be argued that this has made him slightly lazy with the plot? But flaws aside, I did enjoy reading this novel and it was very easy to immerse yourself within the familiar surroundings of Star Trek and it’s characters. Will I read the third book in the series (An Uncertain Logic)? Of course I will!!

Thanks to Tiffany for her time to review the novel. I suspect we'll be seeing her back with a review of the next Enterprise novel fairly soon...

Fan of the Enterprise continuation? Not fussed by the expanded prequel or cautious about it's angle?

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Rounding Up and Coming Up

Hold the front page!

What a weekend! While we didn't manage to make it to Destination Star Trek we did get some interesting updates especially from our favourite Official Starships Collection.

Now we know a LOT more about the coming years. The end of October (30th to be precise) will see the arrival of the USS Vengeance which looks oh so sweet from every angle but also that the fifth special in the series will be (not much of a shock) the USS Kelvin. Do we take it then that the sixth will be the model that Ben Robinson has openly declared is his biggest nightmare, the Narada?

Destination Star Trek gave fans the chance to get up close with the models and some of the ones yet to be released but it was also revealed that the NX-01 refit would be among those released and that a Borg cube was still a possibility as a special edition not just as a fancy plastic light up box for subscribers. Also the Norway Class would make an appearance after some serious rebuilding after it was deleted a long time ago. Ben explained to those in the audience at the Excelsior stage that he would want to make it super-detailed.

On news of the USS Titan petition, Robinson also ensured fans that if 5000 signatures on it were received there would be a model. If you've not signed it, get over there now.

So the big news that was tweeted out live by Collection fan Dennis Mosselmans is that issues 51 through to 55 were confirmed and here they are...

Issue 51 - Hirogen Hunter

Love it. I've been waiting for this beauty - we needed one of the more major enemy race ships from Voyager and now we'll have it - in about two years time...

Google Images

Issue 52 - Centaur Class

One of the two ships we were told "had been involved in a big battle" when issues 41 - 50 were announced. It was also one of the ships on the original announcement posters. Nice design but not the one I was quite waiting for. More on that shortly....

Memory Beta

Issue 53 - Klingon Attack Ship

The one from the three-part Augment story in the fourth series of Enterprise. Also not a very popular ship but it does tick the box for "ship that was hijacked" - my guess of the Enterprise-A got blown out then.

Ex Astra Scientas

Issue 54 - Steamrunner Class

Now THIS is the one I'm ticking off the days on my calendar for. One of my ultimate favourite starship designs of all time. Not one of the classic hull/two nacelles/saucer designs it just looks damn brutal and I want it. Now.

Google Images

Issue 55 - D'kyr Class

A second entry in the series for the Vulcans after the Surok Class in the mid-30's. Still busting that central ring design, I did consider that this might have been the T'Plana'Hath.

Memory Alpha

So what else can we reveal today (or at least update you on?) How about the next few months worth of releases from Simon and Schuster?

October

Star Trek: Voyager - Act of Contrition - Kirsten Beyer

Sequel to this year's Protectors.

November

Star Trek: Section 31 - Disavowed - David Mack

Could this resolve Bashir's predicament from the superb The Fall series?

Star Trek Ships of the Line - Doug Drexler

Hubba hubba - the return of the best visual Star Trek book ever, revamped with a whole load of new images and pics from the last few years of calendars.

December

Star Trek: The Original Series - Foul Deeds Will Rise - Greg Cox

Interesting choice of cover art with the movie uniforms...

January 2015

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Missing - Una McCormack

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Takedown - John Jackson Miller

February

Star Trek: The Original Series - Savage Trade - Tony Daniel

No details at present.

March

Star Trek: Rise of the Federation - Uncertain Logic - Christopher L Bennett

Another in the faux-Enterprise series overseen by Christopher L Bennett. 

Are there any of these releases you're looking forward to? Which ones are getting you itching for publication date? Let us know!

A Novel Start to 2014

Welcome to the new range of books from Simon and Schuster for 2014!!!

Let's dispense with the waffle and cut to the meaty stuff. Book four of The Fall is already out on general sale (I spotted a copy in Glasgow a few weeks back) and this month we get the finale of this brilliant quintology...

The Fall: Peaceable Kingdoms

Courtesy of Simon and Schuster

The Federation is rocked to its core as the Typhon Pact is suspected of being behind a barbarous act that shatters the fragile peace of the Alpha Quadrant. An original Star Trek novel, this is the final part of a five-book story arc that takes place over a sixty-day period, but it is not necessary to read each novel in order to follow the storyline (although we at Some Kind of Star Trek are trying valiantly to do that), which involves all aspects of The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine universes.

This series has been so memorable and cleverly woven together by the five authors. To review them as a team we have read them separately but one or two contributors are planning to read them in sequence of release. Whether it's action, characterisation, politics or just a fine read then this has had it all plus the kitchen sink in there for good measure. A must of 2013 and an essential purchase for the New Year.

Peaceable Kingdoms will be available in the UK from January 16th 2014.

Voyager: Protectors

Courtesy of Simon and Schuster

Following the destruction of four fleet vessels at the hands of the Omega Continuum, the USS Voyager and USS Demeter set course for a region of the Delta Quadrant far beyond anything previously explored. Captain Chakotay is determined to prove to Starfleet Command that the fleet's ongoing mission is vital to Federation interests…and the key to doing so may lie in a distress call Voyager received nine years earlier, but could not investigate.

Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway is recalled to the Alpha Quadrant for an evaluation period to determine her next assignment. Given the trauma she has recently endured, Admiral Akaar, Starfleet's Commander-in-Chief, questions Janeway's fitness to command the fleet. Janeway's primary concern remains the fleet's safety. For their mission to continue, she must find a way to secure the resources they require. But the uncertainty of her superior officers has left her powerless to act in theirbest interests. The USS Galen is dispatched to return Janeway to Earth and tasked thereafter with a mission to a remote Starbase in the Beta Quadrant where an individual they believe to be a member of the Caeliar gestalt has been recovered. The Doctor's experience with Seven of Nine is vital to their efforts, but he soon discovers that their patient is more than meets the eye.

As the remaining fleet struggles to communicate with a dangerous and mysterious alien technology that may hold the key to unlocking an ancient civilization, Janeway searches for the path to her future and The Doctor finds himself forced to betray one he holds dear to prevent the spread of a new plague now ravaging several Federation worlds.

So February will see the first Voyager novel for some time takes us back into the Delta Quadrant - but are we really fussed with all the shenanigans going on with Deep Space Nine and the Picard-led Enterprise? Well, we'll find out in February and I can say that this is one book we are hotly anticipating due to the noticable absence of Janeway and co. 

The Original Series: No Time Like the Past

startrek.com

Stardate 6422.5. A diplomatic mission to the planet Yusub erupts in violence when ruthless Orion raiders attempt to disrupt the crucial negotiations by force. Caught in the midst of tense and dangerous situation, Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise finds an unexpected ally in the form of an enigmatic stranger who calls herself "Annika Seven."

Stardate 53786.1. Seven of Nine is taking part in an archaeological expedition on an obscure planetoid in the Delta Quadrant when a disastrous turn of events puts Voyager's away team in jeopardy-and transports Seven across time and space to Yusub, where she comes face to face with one of Starfleet's greatest legends.

Stardate 6422.5. Kirk knows better than most the danger that even a single castaway from the future can pose to the timeline, so he and Seven embark on a hazardous quest to return her to her own era. But there are others who crave the knowledge Seven possesses, and they will stop at nothing to obtain it-even if this means seizing control of the Enterprise!

Calm it down there. Yes, really - Kirk and Seven. Either a novelised match in Heaven or something that in years to come will be regarded as the biggest crash since Troi helmed the Enterprise (D or E it makes no difference). Hopefully Greg Cox has pulled a gem out of the bag that will top last year's average helping, The Weight of Worlds. We know to some degree that he can handle The Original Series but the real test is mixing up two very different generations and two of the most popular characters in that. Good to see that we get another helping of Voyager this year even if it is under The Original Series banner. (Cover art not approved in the UK; novel due March 2014).

Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel

Having survived its first major crisis, the Federation turns to nation-building as Admiral Jonathan Archer works to bring the worlds of the powerful Rigel system into the young union of the United Federation of Planets. But factions both within the Federation and among its enemies oppose the alliance, and Archer will need all the skills of his former Enterprise crewmates to prevent them from plunging Rigel into a system wide war.

Christopher L Bennett is back with another chunk of Enterprise-that-isn't-actually-Enterprise with Tower of Babel. I (Clive) wasn't a fan of the 2013 offering A Choice of Futures and my review didn't hold back. This time our resident Archer-ite Carl will be handling the novel. Rumour is that this is a much better read so we might get a pleasant surprise but it has to be less of a political drag and more upbeat. While it does focus on the characters of Enterprise the strands holding it to that name are getting a little worn. Drop the moniker and just go with Rise of the Federation. Note for Carl if you're reading, the picture of Pothos is dedicated to you (cover art unconfirmed - book released April!).

The Original Series: Serpents in the Garden

Early in his five-year mission commanding the USS Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk found himself caught up in a growing conflict on the planet Neural. To maintain the balance of power against a force being armed by the Klingons, he provided weapons to his friends, the Hill People. Years later, Admiral Kirk learns that the Klingon presence on the planet has grown considerably, in possible violation of the Treaty of Organia. Did his impulse as a young captain turn out disastrously wrong? Should he - could he - have done more to eliminate the Klingon threat? To find out, he embarks on a secret mission back to Neural - where he might just be the only person who can prevent an interstellar war.

Ahhh. He doesn't trust the Klingons does he that Admiral Kirk! Tracing back events before The Original Series and seen in the second season story A Private Little War we're expecting Klingons, rifles and the odd Mugato to be thrown together here. Surely any novel that deals with Klingons is a sure-fire winner. This will mark Jeff Mariotte's follow up to The Folded World which was a mighty good read. I hope this is just as good and we'll discover just how much in May which is also when the Klingon Art of War will be available.

The Lost Era: One Constant Era

A novel from The Lost Era. When John Harriman took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise-B, it was the most benighted launch of a starship in more than 200 years. This is that story, as well as that of the powerful officer who believed in Captain Harriman and convinced him not to resign his command.

Now if I'm correct here that reference to a powerful officer is alluding to the fan-produced and Tim Russ-directed Of Gods and Men which states that Chekov was the man who helped save Harriman's career following the apparent death of Kirk on the Enterprise-B. I'm not familiar with The Lost Era but I think it's self-explanatory from the title. I know there were a rack of titles a few years back that focused on the Enterprise-B but I never managed to get to them. This now comes along and should make up for at least some of that blip in my reading. I liked the character of Harriman to some degree but by god was he a bad choice to captain that ship. We'll see this on shelves in June.

The Next Generation: Light Fantastic

The continuation of the epic story begun in the New York Times bestselling The Next Generation trilogy Cold Equations is here (later this year). A now-resurrected Data and his android "daughter" Lal must face off against the holographic entity James Moriarity, who is determined to acquire android bodies in order to live a "real-world" immortal life.

That's a lot of "quotes" there which doesn't sit well. Now this was one of those books that HAD to happen I suppose. There was no way to avoid the finale of Cold Equations so a reborn Data story was always going to be on the books. Interested? Yes, but there are more stellar titles competing for our money this year and that's before we even reach the release date of Light Fantastic which is set for July.

Seekers: Second Nature

Image from David Mack's website

Despite heroic efforts, 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. 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. 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…

We at Some Kind of Star Trek have ranked this as the must buy novel of the year. Taking a totally different line on the universe and boarding a ship that isn't from the mainstream has proved a hit in the past. We're expecting big things from this series and doubt we'll be disappointed considering it's the work of Dayton Ward, David Mack and Kevin Dilmore. Apparently following on from Vanguard it's not a completely new step but I don't expect many be familiar faces from the TV shows.

Beyond that release in August the year has yet to be revealed. What do we think then? A good selection or retreading ground? Are the new titles of a good original nature? What are your experiences with the authors we'll be seeing in print in 2014? Why not let us know...

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Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures

My last encounter with Enterprise as a series was the final episode back in 2005 and that was, as we will all remember, less than stellar.

So this latest Enterprise novel from the halls of Simon and Schuster is something of a voyage into the unknown. A lot seems to have happened since the final episode and in essence only the characters actually align this to the show in any manner. So be warned there might be SPOILERS as we open the pages and read on...

There is no Enterprise and for me the whole nature of the show was about those first exploratory steps and initial technological advances. It's a difficult concept to grasp but in some respects it is honouring the memory of the short-lived series by expanding the story into the evolution of the Federation.

In A Choice of Futures things have moved on and the beginnings of the Federation are starting to evolve but as always there are some dark nasties looking to cause trouble from the wings and disrupt everything. Our familiars from the series have all moved on, whether into command of other starships or more senior positions at least. Even dead ones seem to have, as seems to be the trend with Star Trek, the ability to return from beyond the grave.

I have two differing opinions on this novel. One says to me that Enterprise novels should be confined to the arc of the series but in another heartbeat I know that moving events forward in time and defining the galaxy of the 23rd and 24th Centuries. What we get is kind of a mix up of lots of things and at the end of it not a lot to show. 

I spent a great deal of the first 200 pages not really getting where this was going. There were some nice chats about promotions, lots of talking about what they might do, some chats about relationships, a few words about an enemy called the "Mutes", a bit of eating and two thirds of the book seemed to have drifted by. I was not impressed and I got the sense that there was a lot of filler here. Most of the focus is on Archer, T'Pol and Reed with Sato and Mayweather filling out the background. For a lot of the time they are barely more than bit parts which is a shame but reflects exactly how they were in Enterprise.

Don't get me wrong, Christopher L Bennett tries to make this interesting but it's as though he's not got a lot to work with and fills out the novel with lots of nice little character bits but no serious, hard-hitting stuff until much later but the problem is that by that stage I really didn't care. I was looking forward to getting into this book BUT the problem is that it's all buildup with a group of characters that just don't seem to lift off the page and do anything vaguely interesting.

Archer for one seems totally neutered as an admiral, spending time hoping around between ships and the Federation Council playing mediator. Sitting on that very council is Enterprise guest-star favourite Shran and his initial introduction belays that the character has chilled out since we saw him in the series. That in itself is a real shame as I would have hoped that this individual would have managed to light some kind of fire within this book and make it engaging. Sadly that's not the case and Shran spends a lot of time doing a lot of time sitting around...chatting.

The villain here in the form of the Mutes just don't get that threatening and I never really believe their case because the bulk of the book does what it does best - talks about them, builds them up and then leaves them in a position which can only make them something of a disappointment. Their reveal could have been great and pivotal to the plot but after dragging out the "action" for a long time I didn't care that much. Sorry; I just wasn't fussed.

Aside from the fact that Enterprise is missing the Enterprise in all but a few off-hand "oh yeah, this is based on that series" references the crew are just bland, even more so than many fans may regrettably recall from the series. Bringing Trip "back" from the dead might have seemed like a great idea somewhere along the line but it just adds a further insult to the injury that was These Are the Voyages.... While that might not have been the author's fault you do get the sense that he's had to work with it. Trip should have stayed dead because it only makes that error of a final episode even more horrid and his return feels apologetic - did we even need him to be in Section 31?!

OK, OK, it's pretty apparent that I am not giving this book a good review but there are some great redeeming points within the pages that are worth finding through all the misjudgements and stilted pacing. Bennett works a treat in around the transporter systems and their potential dangers. It's a great notion and something that only a couple of characters (McCoy and Pulaski) ever really hint at. Here those concerns are met and covered; the only thing is it's thought another one of Those Chats that litter this publication. 

Nicely for those who like a good bit of continuity we also get to meet one of the former Dax hosts, Tobin who is working on a project for the Federation of, without doubt, the utmost importance. It's a nice nod to the franchise and Deep Space Nine in particular which I would never have expected to be referenced in an Enterprise novel. There are more nods to the Kir'Shara, the Xindi and even, oddly at a time when I've just discovered a show is being made about Garth of Izar, Axanar which played such a pivotal role in his life and career (here's the link to their Facebook page)

Perhaps though a highlight of the book and one that did stick with me throughout was a section dealt with starship design and why the Federation would be going along the lines of Earth's ships rather than those of the Vulcans or the Andorians. It's a decent answer and I'll give that one to Christopher L Bennett, it's a question that I'd never asked but when it was proposed here it did make me think. The reasoning is particularly nicely explained. I also did like the way in which one story strand brought back the USS Essex and Captain Bryce Shumar who were featured in The Next Generation's Power Play. I didn't expect their addition so it was a nice diversion in the plot. The challenge with these s well as the extra crew involved on the Endeavour and the Pioneer is that they aren't the main cast and as such their relationships and input into the story just don't excite. Sorry, but while it does feel like they are essential to the story their personalities are a little on the flat side.

In the last year I've read a lot of Star Trek novels for SKoST and this has to be bottom of the pile by some distance. It would even make me reconsider reviewing any more Enterprise novels in the future. The recent Eaglemoss release of the NX-01 relit my interest in this much maligned spawn of Star Trek and when I come to rewatching the series in some months time I hope that time has been kind and that A Choice of Futures isn't how it was back in the day.