Scan barcode
vingilot's review against another edition
5.0
The edge of your seat conclusion to a remarkably unique trek saga, this is how you wrap up a story line with a nigh omnipotent antagonist.
The Shedai are captured, and the Tholians are coming to besiege Vanguard. The station will face its ultimate challenge as one scientist desperately works to save everyone involved in the most ethical way possible. Vanguard and its crew will never be the same again, some will end in massive triumph, others in the greatest tragedy.
Truly an amazing ride, Mack delivers as always. It’s often hard to bring a satisfactory conclusion to such a wide spanning tale, but Mack is more than up to the task.
The Shedai are captured, and the Tholians are coming to besiege Vanguard. The station will face its ultimate challenge as one scientist desperately works to save everyone involved in the most ethical way possible. Vanguard and its crew will never be the same again, some will end in massive triumph, others in the greatest tragedy.
Truly an amazing ride, Mack delivers as always. It’s often hard to bring a satisfactory conclusion to such a wide spanning tale, but Mack is more than up to the task.
graff_fuller's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was/is the most action passed book of the series. This was the climax of everything that had come before. I'm really interested in the last book...and what it will be about.
I do NOT like Admiral Nagora, but then again...I usually don't like MOST of the admirals of Starfleet.
Ming Xiong did his best to both be a hero and a mass murderer. This was his Kobyashi Maru.
T'Prynn was amazing in this story. One of emotional small moments, and the heights of tension, her calm resolve to do the right thing...trying to make up for all her "missteps" of her earlier career.
I didn't like a certain line in this book about Cervantes Quinn...and I hope it was wrong, but for some reason...I feel we may just have to accept it. Ugh.
Tim Pennington was a character that I didn't like at the beginning of the story, but by the end...he was/is one of the "good guys".
The crew of the U.S.S Sagitarius and Endeaver were amazing. RIP for the U.S.S. Buenos Aires and Panama.
The Tholians are 'hardcore' and hope to never have to deal with them again, and their ancestors, the Shedai. Yikes!
Commodore/Mr. Reyes was not always a person that I liked, but he turned out to be an honourable person.
...and there are so many other.
The Prologue and Epilogue were in 2270, and it was made to feel like the series ended, but there IS a ninth book...so I'm encouraged (for I was NOT ready to say goodbye, though it DID feel like a final book.
I really liked how the U.S.S. Enterprise was used in this book (2269). There were some epic lines and the characters seemed SO true to the end of Season 3 (2269) of TOS TV Series and before Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2273).
Now...there is something that I want to say...
In this book, Starfleet/Federation have discovered a power SO powerful that it reminds me of the book written by Kai Bird called American Prometheus (what was adapted into the movie called Oppenheimer). Like those scientists, who "dared" to test a weapon thought SO powerful that it may extinguish all life on earth, in this story...a powerful similar is being tested...the power to destroy the very existence of planets (without trace), but also using enslaved labour (the Shedai). Is this ethical? IF it continues to be experimented, it MAY even destroy the race of creatures that power the weapon, so in fact causing the genocide of this hostile race.
SO, to continue down this road of experiments may have a two-fold result. To build a weapon SO powerful to destroy another planet without trace that it ever existed AND by doing so, could (most likely) to cause a hostile sentient race to cease to exist. Honestly, this is a horrible position to be put in. Neither option is something that should be thought of, or put into motion. It is one thing to have built such a weapon and at such a cost, but what IF this weapon was stolen and used against US? No, this weapon and its research should be (for the sake of humanity and the Shedai existence) be destroyed and never spoken of again. That's my opinion.
I do NOT like Admiral Nagora, but then again...I usually don't like MOST of the admirals of Starfleet.
Ming Xiong did his best to both be a hero and a mass murderer. This was his Kobyashi Maru.
T'Prynn was amazing in this story. One of emotional small moments, and the heights of tension, her calm resolve to do the right thing...trying to make up for all her "missteps" of her earlier career.
I didn't like a certain line in this book about Cervantes Quinn...and I hope it was wrong, but for some reason...I feel we may just have to accept it. Ugh.
Tim Pennington was a character that I didn't like at the beginning of the story, but by the end...he was/is one of the "good guys".
The crew of the U.S.S Sagitarius and Endeaver were amazing. RIP for the U.S.S. Buenos Aires and Panama.
The Tholians are 'hardcore' and hope to never have to deal with them again, and their ancestors, the Shedai. Yikes!
Commodore/Mr. Reyes was not always a person that I liked, but he turned out to be an honourable person.
...and there are so many other.
The Prologue and Epilogue were in 2270, and it was made to feel like the series ended, but there IS a ninth book...so I'm encouraged (for I was NOT ready to say goodbye, though it DID feel like a final book.
I really liked how the U.S.S. Enterprise was used in this book (2269). There were some epic lines and the characters seemed SO true to the end of Season 3 (2269) of TOS TV Series and before Star Trek: The Motion Picture (2273).
Now...there is something that I want to say...
In this book, Starfleet/Federation have discovered a power SO powerful that it reminds me of the book written by Kai Bird called American Prometheus (what was adapted into the movie called Oppenheimer). Like those scientists, who "dared" to test a weapon thought SO powerful that it may extinguish all life on earth, in this story...a powerful similar is being tested...the power to destroy the very existence of planets (without trace), but also using enslaved labour (the Shedai). Is this ethical? IF it continues to be experimented, it MAY even destroy the race of creatures that power the weapon, so in fact causing the genocide of this hostile race.
SO, to continue down this road of experiments may have a two-fold result. To build a weapon SO powerful to destroy another planet without trace that it ever existed AND by doing so, could (most likely) to cause a hostile sentient race to cease to exist. Honestly, this is a horrible position to be put in. Neither option is something that should be thought of, or put into motion. It is one thing to have built such a weapon and at such a cost, but what IF this weapon was stolen and used against US? No, this weapon and its research should be (for the sake of humanity and the Shedai existence) be destroyed and never spoken of again. That's my opinion.
markmtz's review against another edition
5.0
An exciting finish to a fascinating series. Oh wait! Is there an epilogue of some kind on the way?
fbone's review against another edition
3.0
This was only so-so. All story lines ended rather neatly. No unexpected twists or turns. The most anti-climatic ending I've seen in a long time. A big letdown. Series not recommended.
toryp's review
5.0
4.75*
I had a little problem with it, but that can be discussed in a longer review... a stellar ending to the series!! Without a doubt the best installment. And fixed an issue I'd had with Vanguard since the beginning. Nice one David Mack!
I had a little problem with it, but that can be discussed in a longer review... a stellar ending to the series!! Without a doubt the best installment. And fixed an issue I'd had with Vanguard since the beginning. Nice one David Mack!
rdnlsmith's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
fbone's review against another edition
3.0
This was only so-so. All story lines ended rather neatly. No unexpected twists or turns. The most anti-climatic ending I've seen in a long time. A big letdown. Series not recommended.
bokelsker's review
4.0
Reluctantly giving this four stars for competent writing, though I do detest books that try to turn the utopian federation into some corrupt dystopia. Let me have my one bright vision for the future, there's plenty of grimdark and evil elsewhere.
More...