How did Janeway ever get a command?

[SolkaTruesilver]

Come to think of it, they almost set him up perfectly to BECOME an S31 agent.......seems rather a let down that he didn't.

Ah well, maybe as his ideals become a bit more ground away, and he becomes a realist, he'll join up.

I like the direction the DS9 Relaunch took with that.

But, I know, I know, not canon.

[Deepcrush]

May not be canon but there's nothing wrong with liking it.

[Graham Kennedy]

What direction is that?

[SolkaTruesilver]

What direction is that?

The new Defiant's CO (and Cnl/Captain Kira's XO) is a guy named Cmdr Vaugh, very experienced Starfleet Intelligence operative who asked for a "frontier" assignment 'cause he wanted to become more of a vanilla Starfleet officer that gets to explore, etc...

He also happens to be part of a very shadowy faction of Starfleet officers who try to counter Section 31's influence and operations, and he kinda teach Bashir that to beat S31, you gotta stop making huge outcry to Starfleet Command about them, and try to be a step ahead of them instead, like how Bashir beat Sloan.

I recommend reading "Abyss", it's the Relaunch's first take on Section 31. It's very well written, with philosophical discussion between Loyal and Deviant Jem'Hadars about Godhood, about Bashir's true mental capacity and the Federation's hypocrisy about Genetic Engineering.

It also features Ro Laren as DS9's new head of security (regular cast of DS9 Relaunch), a Jem'Hadar ambassador sent from Odo to Kira. Since it's the 2nd novel in order of continuity (after Avatar part I and II) you don't need to be THAT knowledgeable of the new cast members.

(Avatar is still a pretty good story to read. Remember the guy Sisko told "You don't belong here, go home"? He's a major character now)

When I think of it, Graham, if you disliked the whole "Prophets are True Gods", you will LOVE the new take on the Bajoran religion.

[Graham Kennedy]

Sounds interesting. I used to like the TOS novels a long time back, I read a whole bunch of them and they really captured the spirit of the series without some of the silliness and cheese that often went with it. Then I read some TNG novels, and boy they were AWFUL for the most part. I only remember one or two that really caught me... Dark Mirror being one of them. They put me off Trek novels for the most part.

Maybe it's time to try a couple more...

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I recommend them to, Graham. barring some of them, the relaunch novels are pretty damned good and interconnected, but not in a way that means you have to read others from other series, like Star Wars currently is... *Sharpens vorpal blade for the snicker-snack*

[SolkaTruesilver]

Sounds interesting. I used to like the TOS novels a long time back, I read a whole bunch of them and they really captured the spirit of the series without some of the silliness and cheese that often went with it. Then I read some TNG novels, and boy they were AWFUL for the most part. I only remember one or two that really caught me... Dark Mirror being one of them. They put me off Trek novels for the most part.

Maybe it's time to try a couple more...

They certainly caught some of the gritiness, strong character and intricated plot spirit existing in DS9. Their take on the Andorian specie is incredibly well done, and ultimately tragic. Nog/Quark/Rom are very nicely installed too, and you don't get an easy way out regarding some huge logical flaws that existed in the serie (Rom as the Nagus = Disaster in waiting).

Ezri also really starts to tap into her Dax essence as a whole, which.. actually make her mature and makes her a dominant character at last. Let's just say she ain't the little lost girl she was in Season 7. Kira is just as imposing as Sisko was, and much better written than Janeway ever was, when it comes to having a female in charge.

Again, very few bad books. Good stories. Worth the money I spent on them.

[Mark]

The only novels I'll touch are the DS9 ones, and the New Frontier series.

[SolkaTruesilver]

The first book of the USS Titan (with Capt Riker) was very good, with Tuvok as one of the main protagonist. Thing is, I don't know how it goes after that.

My favourite book has to be The Left Hand of Destiny, probably one of the greatest Klingon Epic. It was cheesy, but darn was it good. Gave a whole new perspective on what Klingons are, compared to what they should be.

[Atekimogus]

Sounds interesting. I used to like the TOS novels a long time back, I read a whole bunch of them and they really captured the spirit of the series without some of the silliness and cheese that often went with it. Then I read some TNG novels, and boy they were AWFUL for the most part. I only remember one or two that really caught me... Dark Mirror being one of them. They put me off Trek novels for the most part.

Maybe it's time to try a couple more...

Could you give me a view pointes to good TOS novels?
Never read much Trek books but those I did were mediocre at best so I would be glad for a bit of advice. I was tempted for a time reading the Vanguard novels yet I am not sure if those are the right ones for me since they are described as much darker and more with a Galactica feeling. (For dark and depressing I read WH40k, I don't know why EVERYTHING nowadays HAVE to be dark, depressing doom and gloom. Dark =! Deep imho.)

As for the DS9 relaunch......I read a view reviews and summaries but what bugs me is that they finally send a ship back into to gamma quadrant to explore and what ship is it? The Defiant. I don't know that bugs me a lot. The only ship less suitable to explore than the defiant is your common runabout imho, they should prolly sent pretty much everything (Sov, GCS, Intrepid, Nebula) into the quadrant but a defiant.

[SolkaTruesilver]

As for the DS9 relaunch......I read a view reviews and summaries but what bugs me is that they finally send a ship back into to gamma quadrant to explore and what ship is it? The Defiant. I don't know that bugs me a lot. The only ship less suitable to explore than the defiant is your common runabout imho, they should prolly sent pretty much everything (Sov, GCS, Intrepid, Nebula) into the quadrant but a defiant.

The Defiant specifically went through a refit that increases facilities and scientific equipment. Don't ask how it fits

[Mikey]

[SolkaTruesilver]

It's just that it allowed for a very interesting split during a Tetralogy of 4 books named "Mission Gamma", where you have half the cast away in the mission and the other half still on the station, both having their struggles, specially with most of the Starfleet Scoutboys away, it allow for Cnl Kira and her staff to kick some asses

Oh, and the Parasite sub-plot introduced in early TNG is explained.

[Reliant121]

Sounds interesting. I used to like the TOS novels a long time back, I read a whole bunch of them and they really captured the spirit of the series without some of the silliness and cheese that often went with it. Then I read some TNG novels, and boy they were AWFUL for the most part. I only remember one or two that really caught me... Dark Mirror being one of them. They put me off Trek novels for the most part.

Maybe it's time to try a couple more...

Could you give me a view pointes to good TOS novels?
Never read much Trek books but those I did were mediocre at best so I would be glad for a bit of advice. I was tempted for a time reading the Vanguard novels yet I am not sure if those are the right ones for me since they are described as much darker and more with a Galactica feeling. (For dark and depressing I read WH40k, I don't know why EVERYTHING nowadays HAVE to be dark, depressing doom and gloom. Dark =! Deep imho.)

As for the DS9 relaunch......I read a view reviews and summaries but what bugs me is that they finally send a ship back into to gamma quadrant to explore and what ship is it? The Defiant. I don't know that bugs me a lot. The only ship less suitable to explore than the defiant is your common runabout imho, they should prolly sent pretty much everything (Sov, GCS, Intrepid, Nebula) into the quadrant but a defiant.

I adore the Vanguard novels. There is a lot of darkness, thats true (MILD SPOILER)

lots of people die.

But I like that element of it.

[Atekimogus]

I adore the Vanguard novels. There is a lot of darkness, thats true (MILD SPOILER)

lots of people die.

But I like that element of it.

I don't know, there is nothing wrong with being dark but in Star Trek? I found that Star Trek worked best for me when it depecited a bright, hopefull future I would like to be part of it and a crew dealing with the crisis of the week. Everything else nowadays is dark, vengeful, dystopian etc. I miss a bit the lightheartedness. I think thats the reason why - for me - DS9 didn't end well. I greatly enjoyed the Dominion War arc but they took far to long imho to resolve it. I think it should have ended in Season 6 with the last Season showing as how they deal with the aftermath and giving us a bit of joy and hope. (Bajor into the UFP, beginning peaceful exploration of the gamma quadrant etc.) That or they should have made an 8th season.