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mkpatt2024's review against another edition
4.0
Better than the first. More action and good story flow. Not enough participation from known characters and the new characters weren't that sympathetic. All in all though, an enjoyable read.
katvi's review
Excellent! At one point I was so distraught I wanted to toss the book violently across the room and sob inconsolably into my mug of red leaf tea.
shereadsshedrinks's review
5.0
One of my favorite Star Trek novels to date. Una McCormack is so talented.
jazzypizzaz's review against another edition
4.0
An exciting Cardassian plot, full of political intrigue and crime noir and heart-stopping twists. Excellent Garak characterization-- expertly balances his charm, sentimentality, and intelligence with his deviousness and danger. McCormack's background in sociology shines through to create a nuanced, fascinating portrait of Cardassian society-- rebuilding post-war and attempting to become independent without falling into old destructive habits. My only critique is relatively minor-- the exceptional dramatic tension through the first 3/4 of the book means that the last 1/4 is spent unravelling all the twists introduced and wrapping up the story, which feels unbalanced. Overall, a book that cements McCormack as a favorite scifi author.
francis_deer's review against another edition
4.0
I did not read the other books in "The Fall" series nor do I intend to. I picked this one simply because it's Garak-centric and I'm in the mood for Garak-centric novels apparently. ;-)
As to the timeline of Garak novels, this one occurs before "Enigma Tales".
Picard and Worf and very briefly Beverly make an appearance, but 90 % of the novel focus on Cardassian politics and sociology. All in all, I preferred "Enigma Tales" because it has a wistful/haunting quality that this book lacks. Still, I was captivated by all the scheming going on, absolutely loved the Garak scenes ("electric blue" comes to mind) and enjoyed his literary gift exchange with Picard. So neat to have Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" come up in a Star Trek novel. Oh, and Garak reading "Emma" by Jane Austen for relaxation also made me smile.
Last but not least, the final two chapters of this book stood out for me: They cover endings and beginnings and touch on despair and hope.
As to the timeline of Garak novels, this one occurs before "Enigma Tales".
Picard and Worf and very briefly Beverly make an appearance, but 90 % of the novel focus on Cardassian politics and sociology. All in all, I preferred "Enigma Tales" because it has a wistful/haunting quality that this book lacks. Still, I was captivated by all the scheming going on, absolutely loved the Garak scenes ("electric blue" comes to mind) and enjoyed his literary gift exchange with Picard. So neat to have Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" come up in a Star Trek novel. Oh, and Garak reading "Emma" by Jane Austen for relaxation also made me smile.
Last but not least, the final two chapters of this book stood out for me: They cover endings and beginnings and touch on despair and hope.
siria's review against another edition
2.0
This is the kind of undemanding read that's ideal for those times when you're waiting for a delayed flight in an airport—but the picture of Cardassian politics in general, and the maneuverings of Elim Garak in particular, that it presented was a little too straightforward for me to really buy.
atlantic_reader_wannabe's review against another edition
5.0
I you are a Trek fan who loves the character of Garak, then I think you will really enjoy this book as it takes place on Cardassia and Garak is one of the central characters. The strength of this novel makes me want to go read the other books in the series that I've ended up missing!
kstep1805's review
3.0
Writing books that follow well known characters from TV shows is always a challenge. Picking lesser known and new characters helped make this book much more readable than others I've read. The story was full of intrigue and Garak is one of my favorite DS9 supporting characters.
lindsb's review against another edition
4.0
Without giving away too much (spoilers!), I loved this! But about half way through it I decided I was going to hate The Fall series. But there were so many turns that it was like a truly great mystery book.