The Wire: In Discussion - Especially the Lies

In association with Star Trek Club Stoke, this time we're digging into Deep Space Nine's second season instalment, The Wire.

This episode focuses on Garak, the Cardassian tailor and possible spy and his unlikely friendship with Doctor Bashir. Garak suffers debilitating pain, which he initially tries to hide until he eventually collapses. Bashir discovers he has been fitted with a device by the Cardassians which is degrading his nervous system (presumably, this is the ‘wire’). Is this some kind of punishment?

As Bashir seeks further information, Garak tells various tales of his fall from favour in the eyes of Obsidian Order overseer Enabran Tain. This in turn caused his exile to Deep Space Nine although each of the explanations turns out to be false and subsequently replaced by new lies as Garak becomes increasingly hostile and deranged. Did he betray his friend Elim or did Elim betray him? Did he murder Bajoran children or save them?

Garak's nuances and frailties would only be covered again through his claustrophobia in In Purgatory's Shadow and this instalment gives Deep Space Nine fans a rare chance to see the chinks in the armour of the most secretive man on the station. You have to wonder if there would be a point at which he would give up anything he was asked but we never quite reach that point. Ironically it's a device implanted to create euphoria and counter torture that has the potential to end Garak's life.

Bashir has to be strong enough to navigate the lies and hostility, eventually tracking down the now retired Tain who seems to retain a fondness for Garak and gives Bashir the information he needs. The episode ends with a now recovered Garak joining Bashir for lunch, telling him that all his stories were true; ‘especially the lies’.

From the outset this appears to be an episode to explore, after two years, the background of Garak even if it all turns out (or doesn't) to be lies. With the benefit of hindsight and a further five years of stories, do we ever really get to a finite answer on this episode? Do we really ever know why he was exiled from his homeworld? Simply, no. The nearest we probably get is his reunion with a dying Tain in By Inferno's Light but that only confirms that Garak might be Tain's biological son as it's not firmly set out in the dialogue, only inferred.

What The Wire actually turns out to be is a coming of age story for Bashir. Initially seen as young and naive especially back in Emissary and any away missions thereafter (note to The Storyteller, Battle Lines...) but here in the latter half of season two there's definite change in the character noticeably from Armageddon Game and here. The arrogant self-belief that he has all the answers has long since dissipated, replaced with a wiser, more open Julian Bashir who, in this case looks as though he might be beaten in a scenario where the patient is a "close friend". 

The discussion on the episode suggested this made him a match for Garak however it may be that by the end of the story he is seen as having more potential than the Cardassian initially believed. Julian has to see past the lies and try and discover what actually happened and how Garak ended up in this state. The weird thing is that by the end titles we're no clearer on anything apart from two things; Garak's first name is Elim and secondly that you can't trust a word that comes out of his mouth. 

It was also suggested that Garak’s cryptic references to his ‘friend’ Elim could support the fan rumours that the Garak character is either gay or bisexual. Indeed, it was pointed out that he had been the one to initiate the relationship with Bashir back in Past Prologue and continues it to the conclusion of the show although nothing is ever made of this directly on screen.

The Wire is a definitive moment in the relationship of the doctor and the tailor, cementing their unusual friendship and exploring both in a new and unexpected way that looks at the way in which they are seen from the outside - and are not quite the same individuals by the end. It's also the first time we get to hear about the Obsidian Order (much more on them over the next few years) plus we're introduced to The Never-Ending Sacrifice and Meditations on a Crimson Shadow - two of the finest pieces of Cardassian literature written.

Thanks to Alan Boughey for his assistance in this discussion summary of The Wire.

It's a Fake - and a Good One at That! The Official Starships Collection Issues 76 and 77

Two entries from the latter 25 years of Star Trek history this time and more precisely two that made their first appearances in 1997 and 1998. Even more notable, they're both shuttles...  

Issue 76 is one that will divide fans purely because of its character association. It's Neelix's shuttle Baxial. Likely to be remembered for being one of the heaviest additions to the series, the Baxial is a surprisingly detailed little ship. 

While its sporadic appearances in Voyager (just three) didn't give us too much time to see it clearly, the model does it a lot of justice. The metal front and spine are connected to the chunky rear section with the two mid-section side pods and the two landing pads constructed in plastic. The underside of the engine block and the nose are also plastic so the entire lower half looks to be a "slot in" to the metal upper. 

From the pictures used to promote this model it did appear very crisp and clean with the two tone paint scheme dramatically different. The brown/cream combo on the ship here is much better with even the smallest panels well marked out on the hull especially on that upper spinal section. The forward cockpit windows are blacked out as we've seen very often with these smaller craft and it emphasises the very angular design of the craft itself and of the application of the paint scheme. 

Aside from the airlock on the starboard side it's difficult to find anything that resembles a curve - even the slightest turns in the panelling have an angle rather than a smooth line. The metalwork on the Baxial is much stronger in detail than the plastic with the rear end being the most impressive. With the exhaust mainfolds and further tiny panel detai,l the engine block also carries three translucent exhaust ports to add that final touch - and these were only added in its later upgraded state from the seventh season.

The plastic undercarriage sections are very plain in comparison to the rest of the craft especially on the landing pads. I guess there wasn't a great deal of attention paid since this was a rush job and I'd err that there were more important angles that needed to be covered. However the joins on mine linking the plastic segments together and then onto the metal craft are very tight and clean. Can't fault the construction on the Baxial at all. 

One thing that is a bit disappointing is the stand. A very large clip, the stand fits around the rear of the engine block and I'm not convinced by its structural integrity. That said there doesn't seem like any other decent way to hold the shuttle and it does give it that 'air suspended' effect which has made a lot of these ships look even better.   

In many respects the Baxial model is a lot cleaner than the 'real' ship and comparing it to the magazine this becomes vividly evident. The one thing that the model hasn't been able to replicate is some of the subtle paint nuances, the weathering and the handful of antennae that are to the front and rear. If you think back to the Nausicaan fighter from issue 30, Eaglemoss somehow managed to recreate the antennae there. Maybe they were just way too small on this occasion.    

Even if your dislike for Neelix is a factor when it comes to this craft you have to admire the detail that has gone into its creation down to some of those extremely small panels and the snaking exhaust manifolds on the engine block.   

In the magazine we get the overview of the craft and its functions plus a reminder of its activity when we first met Neelix in Caretaker. Now we only saw the interior of the craft at that point and it would take until season three's The Chute before we were given a good look at the exterior. There's not really anything here to tell us how Neelix came by the shuttle or what its function was before Voyager so expect the usual retelling of key episodes such as The Chute and Homestead.  

The plan views this time are very good, adding all that missing weathering from the model while also giving a clear visual on each side of the craft. The designing section is pretty sparce here with just three paragraphs to cover the creation of the ship's exterior. This does indicate just how quickly it had to be designed and done via CG which wasn't the usual way at the time. 

Later appearances would see upgrades to the Baxial that were not present during The Chute.  Before Key Appearances we have a six page chat with Ethan Phillips not just about his role as Neelix (final appearance was Endgame not Homestead) but also as two Ferengi and that cameo in First Contact. It's a trip down memory lane with the actor recounting everything from favourite episodes to the makeup process and to the development of the Talaxian over the course of seven years.   

Ok. Biggie next. Issue 77 is the Romulan Shuttle. First seen - and only seen - in the brilliant In the Pale Moonlight, it was the first new Romulan design since the late 80s and the Scout Ship and made one huge impact. Being in such a huge episode won't have been a bad thing and the result here - in which we get to see the whole craft not just one angle - is great.  I know my podcast co-host Tiff is screaming blue murder right now because I have this little gem in hand.

Coated in the familiar Romulan green this time there's a more metallic tinge to the finished article and in fact there's two shades of green with a darker coat lifting the bird-like elements embossed to the back of the hull away from that lighter base coat. Just a note here that the model seems to be missing a couple of the silver wing edge trimmings that are on the upper hull at the rear of the wing - in the mag there is no 2-gap-three but a straight run. Also there seems to be a few more minor hull "blips" towards the tail that aren't on the pics of the original model either. Minor I know but for some it will be an issue.

For many the front end looks like the child of a reboot Cylon and Boba Fett (it was actually the Warbird design and a Spartan helmet) but it's still ever so distinctly Romulan with that pointed nose and the elliptical double wing cleverly woven into the back of the craft. That curve is a bit of a trademark which began with the Warbird and is also very clear on the Valdore from Nemesis.

This may very well be the ship with the most hype and excitement from the most minimal of screen-time. It has to be less than a minute at best but it's so damn good looking as a finished ship you can't help but be impressed.

Perhaps the shadowing and tones of the hull aren't as clear as you would see on the show and you do get less variation on a flat metal piece than the hull appeared in the show where space travel had (as with the Baxial) weathered it up. In fact pairing it with the Baxial this month is a bit of a stroke of genius since we have one very blocky shuttle and one curvy shuttle. 

It is, honestly, a great design, a beautiful model and one in my top ten for sure. I just love how they've replicated the lines, the curves and overall sleekness of this craft. While there are some highlights that the camera would pick out more I can't fault what Eaglemoss have managed with this shuttle and from every angle the finish (on mine!) is perfect. The metal/plastic joins are well hidden and defining what is made from what is actually a little more difficult. For reference the upper hull and the inside walls of the nacelles are in metal while everything else here is plastic - and its not to its detriment either.

The essence of the "bird" inspiration even goes down to the "feathered" tail effect that spikes from the rear of the main hull with the same ferocity as the fins on the engines. Finished off on the upper hull with the Romulan crest on the starboard wing and Romulan script on the port, the sides and bottom of the shuttle are perhaps even more delectable. Either side bears a silver toned hatch and panel markings all the way along and those twin warp engines have their own translucent blue collectors and warp field coils which offsets against the shine of the metallic green hull.

Apart from the horribly plain underside of the main/upper wing, the bottom of the Romulan shuttle is a ship fan's dream with every point of the hull surface etched with panels, machinery and even a couple of points of Romulan script on the smaller/lower elliptical wing. The level of reproduction here is mind-boggling and I would urge you to compare it with the photos of the screen-used model because it's virtually (not exactly) identical and only after a few glances can you notice the minor tweaks that were probably made to accommodate the detail in this much smaller scale for the collection.

As for the stand, it's a rear clip around the upper wing section and a very snug fit giving that "air suspended" feel once more. My clear plastic peg was a little big for the stand and did need a slight shave down to fit properly or the ship developed a lean after a few minutes. The Romulan shuttle is a clear work of art that somehow came together at lightning pace. Now perhaps as iconic as its lone episodic appearance, it's a niggle that it was never used again. 

So to the magazine and the 24 metre long shuttle (bit bigger than a Runabout) gets a little bit of its internals fleshed out as well as covering its armament, top speed and purpose which is more than we got for the Baxial. Mainly we get all the good stuff on page five before we're dropped into a synopsis of In the Pale Moonlight accompanied by a fair few screenshots from the episode itself. 

The plan views give is the ship from all the key angles and, as with the model, have some slight variances to the ship we received with the magazine. Bit odd that the collector's item is the anomaly here. We have four pages on designing the ship along with Doug Drexler's sketch and multiple shots of the filming model which was one of the last created for the series along with its landing bay set.  Quite funny to think the Baxial - which was seen more in Voyager only got two pages on its development. This was around for a blink-and-miss appearance and gets double that. 

As with the Baxial we also have a cast interview this time and it's with Andy Robinson who played Garak. While not obstensively focusing on the landmark sixth season episode featuring the shuttle, it does provide a look at Robinson's take on the role, Garak's relationships and his character transition from A Man Alone through to the finale, What You Leave Behind. Probably one of Deep Space Nine's most important characters, this is a worthwhile and interesting addition to the magazine

No prizes for guessing the Key Appearance section this week (seriously, do I have to say it?) with a good close up of the model which will have you squinting to check detail on your own miniature.

A strong month once again from Eaglemoss. Very, very strong and strong contenders for some of the best results to date (big statement but yes, I'll stick by it). Two solid ships where I really couldn't pick major fault. The build quality in recent times has picked up no end and these two are really nice to look at. Also note that this was a double shuttle entry to the series. We can effectively rule these two out from an alien set but doesn't this make a lot of small one/two person craft boxed very close together? We still have the Mission Scoutship from Insurrection close at hand as well and only recently we had the Bajoran Fighter for example.

Me probably being super-picky but hey, who cares what order they come in if they're as good as these two? As for next time we have the Voyager Aeroshuttle and Harry Mudd's Stella from the remastered The Original Series. After the brilliance of these two I'm happy to wait!

Was the Romulan Shuttle worth the wait? Is the Baxial actually damn good?

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The End: The Finality of Deep Space Nine Season Seven

After the excitement, action, adventure, character building and general all out war, season seven of Deep Space Nine had a lot to live up to.

Shame is that it followed the greatest season of Star Trek ever produced which meant it was on the back foot to start with and, honestly, it never recovered. Season seven is still brilliant and a fitting way for Deep Space Nine to end with a true closure of the multiple arcs that had run through the show since Emissary but it would be a heavy trip to the finale.

Opening with the two-part continuation to Tears of the Prophets from season six, Image in the Sand and Shadows and Symbols take us to the heart of Sisko's dilemmas as visions, a stabbing and the return of Dax all happen within the space of 45 minutes - and then we get a yomp across the desert planet of Tyree and a spin off into the world of Benny Russell just to top it all off. As season openers go it's low on the bangs and effects but ticks the box for edge and sparkling story whether it's the Sisko line or effectively the alternate A-story with Kira holding the fort on the station with the Romulan Empire trying to assert its position.

The revelation that Sisko's mum was a prophet might get him on Jerry Springer in the 20th Century but for some reason it's not that hard to believe thanks to the arcs and threads woven through the previous six seasons of the show. It's a good one with a very different feel most likely due to those scenes on the desert planet. 

The thing is that introducing a new character in Ezri this late in the game was always going to be difficult but Afterimage does go some way to fill in the new Trill beyond a bout of space sickness and a badly fumbled, hasty joining. Garak is clearly the stronger character in the odd pairing but it's great to see the inexperience and exuberance of the new arrival attempt to take on the super-enigma of the Cardassian tailor/spy. Ezri is a great character but the series doesn't insist on spending a ridiculous amount of time introducing her and focusing on her as Voyager lavished on Seven of Nine. 

Instead we just get on with things. Take Me Out to the Holosuite is a cunningly little diversion from the upcoming finale, divulging us into the possibilities of the holodeck and also exploring those competitive tendancies that exist within Sisko. Facing him off against Captain Solok is a high point of the year and he might be the most unemotional Vulcan we've ever met - and that's saying something. 

Season seven does avoid the family thread that The Next Generation chose to weave in its final year but it does manage to tie up all those bits we've wondered "what happened to..." and Chrysalis is a perfect example. Following on from the introduction of the Jack Pack from Statistical Probabilities it's much more about the relationship between Bashir and Sabrina once she reconnects with the world. In the literary Star Trek universe this pairing is still going strong today (at least it was in the last Section 31 novel, Disavowed).

Likewise the later Prodigal Daughter rounds out the "Bilby" storyline from season six's Honor Among Thieves with O'Brien's involvement with the Orion Syndicate taking another turn as he tries to track down his former, deceased associate's wife. Simple enough but then this is Star Trek which also means it somehow manages to link up with Ezri's unsurprisingly dysfunctional family. Oddly this is an O'Brien episode where he's not in some sort of severe mortal peril and manages to survive dying at least once which makes it a good year for the chief but not so brilliant for the story quality.

Ezri does get one final solus episode in season seven with Field of Fire. It's something very different but draws on Dax's darkest rebirth using Joran to help catch a killer. Not being directed to the guilty party from the beginning is a hard call in the story but finding him isn't what this is about. The gun is pretty cool and the way in which the killings are taking place is cleverly executed. Joran's effect on Ezri's personality is fairly marked and Nicole De Boer puts in a fine performance here. 

While season seven rounds out stories it just manages to hit the mark on brilliance. Treachery, Faith and the Great River and Once More Unto the Breach which follow it really encapsulate a lot of the best and worst of the year. Both are effective follow-ups and round outs to stories, the former giving us a more insightful look at the background and origins of the Vorta while the latter closes off the "Kor Trilogy" which has taken us through Blood Oath and The Sword of Kahless to this point. Both have original, unique stories but somehow the greatness that was instilled into the sixth season just isn't quite there. 

Jeffrey Combs is superb as the faulty Weyoun defector and it does manage to also explore Odo's feelings about his connection to the Great Link and where he really stands with his people and those who regard them as deities. In a sense Chimera also touches on that aspect with JG Hertzler heavily disguised as Laas a Changeling with a far more advanced use of its shape-changing abilities. Laas is a much softer character for the Martok actor to play and I don't think he's 100% successful at it. Nor is the story a winner with Odo having to battle with his conscience and the ideals of his people all over again. It's a path that's been trodden numerous times especially since season three's The Search.

Perhaps it's expectation lets them down and even now I still feel a bit deflated watching this season - because I have some very clear recollections of these stories, because I'm just bidding time until the ten-parter and thirdly because I just know it's not totally delivering. Looking at it another way there is a lot that needs to be tied up and there may well have only certain manners in which this could be done and still leave enough to provide a decent final dash to the line with the closing arc but more on that in a bit.

Covenant too is a sequel of sorts although if it was necessary I'm never totally sure. It does follow on from Empok Nor and reminds us of the many talents of Dukat but it doesn't seem to give anything at the end and reflecting on the later episodes and how the former Cardassian gul is portrayed I'm not sure that this exposure was required. It does mean that Kira gets one last chance to go head to head with him and who can scoff at any opportunity to see Visitor and Alaimo sparring once more.

Continuing the sequel and closure aspect of season seven is the atrocious Emperor's New Cloak. Now Resurrection last year was poor and Bareil tended to leave me cold on a good day but this one is my low point of the whole season and one of the lowest of the show as a whole. The Mirror Universe was a brilliant addition to the Deep Space Nine mythology and made it feel a lot closer to The Original Series than The Next Generation thanks as well to those classic Klingons and a magnificent 30th anniversary episode. Yet once we'd closed the show on Shattered Mirror and taken a season break from the adventures of Smiley and the Terran rebellion it all seemed to take a slide didn't it?

Making this a Ferengi Mirror Universe episode frankly took the p**s. Sorry, yes I swore but there's no excuse for this one and having Vic Fontaine turn up was butt-clenchingly awful and shocker, Ezri appeared too. All a bit convenient and self-indulgent. I bet Avery Brooks was glad he'd been killed off over there after Crossover.

But then there are some stunners that kick where it matters. The mid-year eps are a bit average yet The Siege of AR-558 is brilliant. Dark, uncomfortable and horribly close to the bone in its portrayal of ground war it contrasts starkly with the space-bourne warfare we're usually accustomed to. Nor the Battle to the Strong in season five had shown the aftermath of a ground battle but here we see the beginning, middle and end in all its gory detail with It's Only a Paper Moon two stories later dealing with the fallout as only Deep Space Nine can. While these two can make uncomfortable viewing they highlight the show at its finest and I can never imagine The Next Generation and certainly not Voyager ever attempting to deal with such events and then have the balls to tackle it again all within the space of a few episodes of the final year. Kudos where due, a great move.

Another hat-tip has to be made to Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges or, "In Times of War the Law Falls Silent". With the benefit of hindsight you can see where the Section 31/Bashir arcs have evolved from because this is Julian playing the spy game for real. He's indulged in holodeck adventures as a secret agent but the reality is nearly as bleak as The Siege of AR-558. Adding in the Romulans just teases the excellence of the episode and having it all turn a bit sour for the doctor is a nice move - again as with It's Only a Paper Moon, only Deep Space Nine could have nailed it this well.

Which brings us, triumphantly to the final spread of episodes encompassing all from Penumbra through to What You Leave Behind. And what an arc that is. It seems that everyone gets their fair share of action here so let's head on through.

Starting out with Worf missing and Ezri determined to find him leads us into the revelation that the Breen are now allied with the Dominion which then narks off Legate Damar who finally sees that the writing is on the wall, makes it clear he's going rogue and leads to the formation of the Cardassian terrorist group and a visit from Kira, Odo and Garak. Of course there are two memories we all carry from this line of the story - Damar's "For Cardassia!!!" and Colonel Kira getting herself a Starfleet field commission.

Back on the station Sisko gets married and discovers he's going to be a dad and then leads the fleet to the Cardassian homeworld where the war is put to rest and Martok gets to sup some blood wine. Sadly that's not the end of the road because as we know, Dukat has been wooing Kai Winn and turned her, successfully, over to the Pah Wraiths. Cue ultimate showdown between Sisko and Dukat and the captain's apparent demise as he enters the Celestial Temple.

Jeez. That was the briefest summation of all time. Now I adore the final ten episodes of Deep Space Nine like no other multi-episode arc. It is still unrivalled in Star Trek history in terms of scope, continuation, finality, characterisation and overall damn greatness. The 10 part arc does everything you could expect and more - even to a point where I felt disappointed by What You Leave Behind... because it was so final. I love what the novels have done since 1999 however the show is a perfect bottle, a beginning, an end and one heck of a middle. Look at what is achieved here and you realise how much had gone into the seven seasons and how the producers ensured that the viewers were paid off as best as possible and as fully as possible. 

Rom becomes Nagus, Bashir and O'Brien nigh on cose down Section 31 and Garak gets to go home. Even a couple of straggly bits from The Next Generation were closed (Gowron!) but the pace never slowed and there was still character evolution to the bitter end especially around the brilliant roles of Kai Winn, Odo and Dumar who all take big steps within the overall story here.

I have no doubt I will cover off the arc in more detail in a separate pot in the future because a season overview is the last place I'll do it any justice but here are some of Deep Space Nine's strongest stories, its most inspired moments and heartbreaking goodbyes. All even better a second, third or fourth time round. This was the first time I've watched it all the way through from Emissary and certainly you do appreciate the box-ticking closure that Deep Space Nine attempts in season seven a lot more than either The Next Generation or Voyager managed effectively.

For everything it got right or wrong though, season seven of Deep Space Nine is the strongest and most concrete ending to any Star Trek series ever. There is nowhere left to go, the character arcs are resolved and we have a firm conclusion to 176 episodes both with the 10 episode arc and the double-length finale.

So that's it for Deep Space Nine. I'll leave the season one Voyager review over to Matt but I'll return shortly with my look at the second year of Janeway and crew in a short while.

Fan of the final season? Was it the best closing year of any Star Trek show?

The Fall: The Poisoned Chalice is a Cup of Excellence

Damn you James Swallow. Damn you all the way to the Archanis system.

It took a while for The Poisoned Chalice to arrive and after the ups and downs of the first three novels in The Fall quintology I was expecting something of a loss of power here, a hiccup, the stumble, the filler.

Well I'm sorry but that just ain't the case but be warned, we might have some SPOILERS ahead so just watch out.

So why am I all Damn You James Swallow? Because I couldn't put this book down. Now unless +Carl Thomson can say otherwise with Peaceable Kingdoms which I myself have yet to read, this is the jewel in the crown as far as I'm concerned. While we've been adding question upon question through the preceding novels it seems as though we're finally getting payoff here.

Split into three clear narratives around the continuing story concerning the assassination of the UFP President Naniette Bacco and the troubles of Andoria, it could be construed that this would put a strain on the novel as a whole. Instead it only enhances the story. Riker, now promoted for a whole bunch of secret hush hush reasons to Admiral tackles the conspiracies on Earth which harks back to The Next Generation's Conspiracy and perhaps moreso Deep Space Nine's Homefront and Paradise Lost. Then there's Commander Vale heading off on her own little adventure on the Nova Class USS Lionheart and a third strand that's taking Tuvok and Nog off on another tangent. Talk about packing out a story, this has it all.

Swallow has mastered all of the characters from the off. Riker is perfected and shows the resilience that we saw back in The Best of Both Worlds when realising it's down to him to sort out this god awful mess on Earth as well as start to unravel the mystery as to just who is pulling the strings and what all the fragments mean when they come together. Having Riker finally captaining his own ship was one thing but taking the step up to a desk job is another - and the question that hangs is whether or not it'll be as short as Kirk's stint. He does seem capable in this new role if not 100% at home to begin with and his interactions with Deanna, just as they were in that career conversation in The Best of Both Worlds are quite telling about his thoughts on the change in rank.

Swallow does well to maintain the interest in this line of the story and it could have become quite plodding but by dropping little asides and constantly questioning both Riker's and those around him in their actions there's always something to think about. Of the three strands this is probably the most important but not the most interesting as the stories off-world have much more of a punch. Riker in some ways is the chessmaster here. moving his pieces into play against a devious enemy. Of course a big difference in Riker now besides the rank is that he has both a wife and daughter (Deanna and Natasha) who make appearances. We see perhaps a little wisening in the admiral as it's not just about him anymore, the safety of his family is also at stake as he investigates the assassination.

Vale's story on the medical USS Lionheart has some brilliantly realised characters especially her first officer, Commander Atia and the chief medical officer who is less than human - or bipedal for that matter. While they are a good group of Guest Starrings it's the destination that proves the intrigue and when that's revealed we get to see a different aspect to the arc that's been driving this story forward. For a character I'm not very familiar with I understood her very quickly and there are certainly shades of Riker dripped into her personality as she investigates some less than reputable goings on. Anyone else who read this think they could get a few novels out of the crew of the Lionheart?

As we've discussed, so far in The Fall we've had beginnings and middles and here it seems the crew of the Titan are intergalactic caretakers sweeping up all the rubbish from across the quadrant. At times the story dives into secrecy, espionage and off-the-record meetings where those in question are in danger just from being in the same place through to all-action special operations territory that I would more imagine between the cover of a Tom Clancy novel. 

That Tuvok/Nog thread which also brings back the much underused Tom Riker (why no third episode huh?!) and is fairly key in understanding what has been happening while Admiral Riker is seeking the why aspect. The one directive they have grows and morphs as events unfold increasingly making you more unsettled as things turn out to be less than straightforward or legal. Placing such upstanding characters as Nog and Tuvok in this situation is a great move as both are men of very high standards and morals. As their story expands we can see how there are choices that have to be made and we can see to which side of the line they fall. Admittedly it's a fairly thick line  that could probably be seen from the International Space Station.

Associating with a group of mercenaries the scenes on board their suped-up transport ship are something akin to Aliens or Predator with lots of macho bonding and suggestions of ruthless, cutthroat individuals of a less than admirable past. It is a bit cliched but then in such instances these days it's very hard not to be.

Each of the threads is not what it appears at first hand and where this novel starts is a big jump from it's somewhat foreboding conclusion. Swallow has had a lot to work with here, bringing in pieces from all three of the previous novels so that those reading out of sequence can still dive in and enjoy.

I would question once again the logic of choosing to do that and have found reading the earlier books to be key in totally understanding the narrative arc. It can be done as a one-off but I wouldn't recommend it. Reading The Poisoned Chalice before reading A Ceremony of Losses would guarantee you would be handed the outcomes to a number of surprises from the book and make going back to it irrelevant. However, perhaps it's not about seeing the "answers" if you will if you don't truly understand the question and that might be the beauty of The Fall series. Throwaway references to the other titles do make you sit up and ask what have you missed especially in regards to The Crimson Shadow which I reviewed earlier this year. There's much more to the whole Cardassian/Andorian/Tzenkethi issues than we've been told before. Not bad to still be punching out some new shockers in the closing stages of a well-formulated saga.

At the time that seemed to be the weakest link but having pounded through The Poisoned Chalice that second novel looks like it is the cornerstone of the quintology, giving much more than you expected. The way in which James Swallow funnels the three stories together means that Dayton Ward has something of a big job ahead to ensure finality to The Fall. It's a well-realised novel which focuses heavily on the characters and their motivations. All are asked to work outside what would be their usual framework - their box - and come up with on-their-feet solutions on more than one occasions. Effectively their paths are marked out when they complete their own threads but this is a journey in each case that it is necessary to understand before they make their final, decisive moves in Peacable Kingdoms.

I'm sure there are bits from David R George III, Una McCormack and David Mack's efforts that I've forgotten and will play a part in the conclusion of this superb storyline. Now the threads are passed onto the fifth author and we'll be discussing the no doubt epic and explosive novel very soon.

The Poisoned Chalice is available now from Simon and Schuster priced £6.99 ISBN 9781476722221

Carried Away by a Crimson Shadow: Una McCormack Books into The Fall

Welcome back weary traveller to the second installment of The Fall. We're spent some time on Deep Space Nine so what's happening over there on the USS Enterprise? Well let me tell you...

For fear of falling into the one trap we avoid, this book is again set within a tight sixty day window. Not sure why? Well there is a reason which is pretty much explained in every book. If you've not read any we won't give it away but it's a nice little twist. As always, dear reader, SPOILER ALERT - we don't mean to but sometimes it's unavoidable. Sorry.

From the cover of The Crimson Shadow you might assume that the focus is going to be on the crew of the Enterprise however Picard and his officers actually don't stand on the front line here as the limelight falls much more solidly on one Elim Garak.

Now the Cardassian ambassador to the United Federation of Planets this is quite an individual story in which Garak is extremely influential. It's not something I was expecting but it works particularly well - at least to being with. The concept is great and having Garak as our guide really marks this novel out from the rest of the series which appear to stay on safer ground using more familiar characters to lead the action. Introducing each chapter with a letter from the spy/tailor/ambassador adds something of a flair to proceedings however after a while it gets a bit bland and getting half way through there was enough political intrigue to crash a Jem'Hadar cruiser. It's not that it's badly written but McCormack does go on for a while as Garak has a televised debate, gets an undercover officer out of prison, discusses the troubles of Cardassia (which reminded me of The Circle) and the like. 

What is a completely different tack from the last 12 months worth of Star Trek novels is that it relies on the strength of a regular recurring character to carry the show but you do welcome any appearance of the Enterprise crew namely Picard or Worf to provide some form of respite along the way. They do appear and while they act as more of sub-characters to the events on Cardassia it's nice to have them along. Smrhova and Glynn Dygan also return for The Crimson Shadow with the latter having a much greater role since he is himself Cardassian. However, whatever angle I tackle their involvement it still feels like they are tacked on to the story rather than integral to its narrative and conclusion. Sorry, Una but I was expecting more from our regulars.

The characters of Mhevet and Temet in comparison are interesting asides however they never seem to break out as strong personalities and I found that after a prominent debate Temet shrank away. Mhevet does come away better as a law enforcement officer investigating an apparent murder but it all seems a bit wishy washy. They do appear to be the typical security officer and political opponent respectively but the events around them are more interesting than the characters themselves. The political instability around the Federation withdrawl is certainly a parallel to real events we know of in this day and age. In that frame, McCormack hits the mark because Star Trek never shied away from attempting an angle on the surrounding world's troubles. Cardassia is recovering and Temet in particular acts as the link back to the old ways, the times before the arrival of the Dominion.

Against Garak, the leader of Cardassia First makes an interesting counterpoint to one who used to operate for the Obsidian Order and, effectively, everything that Temet rallies in favour of returning. This Garak is much more forward thinking, open to new ideas rather than dug-in concepts. Nevertheless there are occasions where we can see him just as confrontational but purposeful in his beliefs. His discourse with the Cardassian castellan is especially telling of his changed character; more thoughtful, less brutal and maybe understanding his place in society and his responsibilities a little more. This Garak is markedly different to the character we knew of old. He's "grown up" if you will, looking out for Cardassia's best interests rather than wholly self-preservation. Being home has altered his primary goal in life.

An ambassador he may be but his loyalty is clearly to his homeworld and his personal beliefs. I liked that but, as I've just said, he is very different. There are some hints of the past which remind us effectively where he has come from but that sneakiness is pretty much non-existent. At times I waited for some of the old Garak to slip out - the only piece I could note was his love of Cardassian literature which he fondly shares with Picard and gives the novel it's title.

I really hoped that the second book would bring more excitement than the first but I found I was getting jealous of +Mark Thwaite who had dibs on Book Three and a return to the world of Deep Space Nine. 

I do squirm a bit because this isn't a badly written book at all and if you like crime novels it's probably up your street; I just found it, well, forgettable. Saying that, you might be wondering how it all fits with the rest of this loose five book arc. I can assure you it does and there is an element which, quite late on, does segway into the events that transpired in the (much better) first book, Revelation and Dust. I'm upset in some respects because it takes so long to reach that point and I found myself questioning the relevance of the previous 200 something pages. However,The Fall, as I found with Cold Equations is about the sum of the parts.

I admit too that I've had to write this review over quite a long time period for no other reason than I didn't know what to say. Usually I can hammer out a review and discuss every aspect of it, where it succeeded, failed or was just plain mind-blowing but here it's all very average; straight-forward and matter of fact. There's no real big revelation and it feels like the characters are wasted in what is a quite wordy novel which misses some serious action to spice it up. 

Individual stories do run through them but there is still an overriding arc to follow. While it has been said they can be read out of order my experience with the first two books is that I definitely wouldn't follow this advice because of the later revelations. I would hate to read three, four or five and find then that I should have read The Crimson Shadow. I might even suggest that reading it later with perhaps knowledge of the later stories and twists could ruin enjoyment of this book further. My opinion - don't take it as gospel!!!

Overall then, is it worth the cover price? If you're intending to buy the whole series then absolutely and you'll, if nothing else, get to understand all the machinations, the twists and events happening all across the galaxy in this tight 60 day period. I suspect that events alluded to here will be played out/referred to elsewhere but then again, there might be assumptions made (?) as to the reader's knowledge in books three, four and five. Certainly this will fit into the overall tapestry leading from the events of Revelation and Dust and will conclude in Peaceable Kingdoms but my fascination is how it will all come together. Will it only make sense if I read all five (in whatever order I choose) - will all the clues be explained at the end or is it necessary to have, at the least, read all of them to understand the big reveal? Phew. Hope that made sense because this could get very confusing...might have to set myself up one of those situation boards just to work out where everyone is....

Next up we're with +Mark Thwaite as he takes us back for a second trip to Deep Space Nine in A Ceremony of Losses. This review will be LIVE on 26th January!

The Crimson Shadow is available now from Simon and Schuster priced £6.99; ISBN 9781476722207

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