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vingilot's review
5.0
So this is it... Wildfire, something I truly consider the best written Star trek story regardless of format! Will it hold up? We shall find out, but first 2 preamble stories...
Enigma Ship
Another nice problem solving story, nothing really stands out in it as good or bad. Just the average SCE quality story which is pretty damn good already. I did like the how to know if you're in the matrix or not angle.
War Stories
Okay this is quite good, we finally get the background of stories hinted at throughput the seires so far, of what out crew was upto during the dominion war. I specifically liked seeing the meeting of Bart and Marc, but also to see what hell caused Lense's PTSD was fantastic. There is once again a current day framework, however this one feels a lot less clunky. It is worth noting that it does seem to set up a story line and threat that as far as I remember was never revisited. If I am wrong about that I will find out soon enough.
Wildfire
I try to stay spoiler free, but I cannot do that with this one. Without spoilers I will just say that this is trek writing at its finest. David Mack before he got famous with the Destiny trilogy. This is apparently a retelling of a story he wrote for DS9 which was adopted into Starship down, and excellent episode but if his original treatise was anything like Wildfire, it could have been the greatest episode in the history of trek. That being said I do not think this story could have worked in a mainline show in the nineties, for reasons I will cover in the spoiler part.
once recommended the SCE series to two Trekkie fans, they took the recommend and loved it. They actually read at the same pace, and we chatted about the books regularly. All was fun and games until they reached this one. They both yelled at me. They didn't know whether they were happy with me recommending the series, or angry at not warning me for the tragic masterpiece that is wildfire. If you think you fall into the latter category, but have not yet read it please continue reading.
The whole story will keep you on the edge of your seat, truly the best trek I have ever read, or even watched. Go read this book, but not until you have read the rest of the series, because only then will it hit you as powerfully as it did me. I even shed a few tears which I rarely do while reading.
Enigma Ship
Another nice problem solving story, nothing really stands out in it as good or bad. Just the average SCE quality story which is pretty damn good already. I did like the how to know if you're in the matrix or not angle.
War Stories
Okay this is quite good, we finally get the background of stories hinted at throughput the seires so far, of what out crew was upto during the dominion war. I specifically liked seeing the meeting of Bart and Marc, but also to see what hell caused Lense's PTSD was fantastic. There is once again a current day framework, however this one feels a lot less clunky. It is worth noting that it does seem to set up a story line and threat that as far as I remember was never revisited. If I am wrong about that I will find out soon enough.
Wildfire
I try to stay spoiler free, but I cannot do that with this one. Without spoilers I will just say that this is trek writing at its finest. David Mack before he got famous with the Destiny trilogy. This is apparently a retelling of a story he wrote for DS9 which was adopted into Starship down, and excellent episode but if his original treatise was anything like Wildfire, it could have been the greatest episode in the history of trek. That being said I do not think this story could have worked in a mainline show in the nineties, for reasons I will cover in the spoiler part.
once recommended the SCE series to two Trekkie fans, they took the recommend and loved it. They actually read at the same pace, and we chatted about the books regularly. All was fun and games until they reached this one. They both yelled at me. They didn't know whether they were happy with me recommending the series, or angry at not warning me for the tragic masterpiece that is wildfire. If you think you fall into the latter category, but have not yet read it please continue reading.
Spoiler
Everything changes with Wildfire, the crew will never be the same after they face their toughest challenge yet. The story is a gripping tale of a starship stuck in a gas giant, slowly sinking to its doom. Half the crew compliment will not make it out of the giant alive. Including beloved character Kieran Duffy. He sacrifices his life for his ship, and an alien civilization in a truly tragic way. This is Spock's sacrifice all over again, except Spock got to come back. The author even toys with you, making you think that he might make it after all, and well... He does not. Everything changes after this story, and that is why this could not have worked in the DS9 episode. Even DS9 couldn't do something this game changing.The whole story will keep you on the edge of your seat, truly the best trek I have ever read, or even watched. Go read this book, but not until you have read the rest of the series, because only then will it hit you as powerfully as it did me. I even shed a few tears which I rarely do while reading.
lefthandedmatt's review
4.0
Star Trek does The Abyss!
The biggest issue I've had with the SCE books so far is the lack of character and personality they have, along with the haphazard variety in the storytelling. Twenty tales in and I could barely tell you anything but the most basic details about any of the characters. Captain Gold is... Jewish? Duffy is sarcastic?
The stories contained in this omnibus finally managed to rectify that. For the first time I felt the characters defined and they became interesting. Two of the stories are flashbacks which help fill out some of the back stories, but the two-part Wildfire tale is the best thing the series has done so far and actually brought some emotion and care to proceedings.
I was on the verge of abandoning these books, but this has hooked me back in.
The biggest issue I've had with the SCE books so far is the lack of character and personality they have, along with the haphazard variety in the storytelling. Twenty tales in and I could barely tell you anything but the most basic details about any of the characters. Captain Gold is... Jewish? Duffy is sarcastic?
The stories contained in this omnibus finally managed to rectify that. For the first time I felt the characters defined and they became interesting. Two of the stories are flashbacks which help fill out some of the back stories, but the two-part Wildfire tale is the best thing the series has done so far and actually brought some emotion and care to proceedings.
I was on the verge of abandoning these books, but this has hooked me back in.
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