DS9: Hollow Men, by Una McCormack
Book Review by Jason Garza
Have you read this book?
For seven seasons, there was this great show called "Deep Space Nine". It presented a more realistic, gritty vision of the Federation and Starfleet. I'll undoubtedly bias myself by saying that "Deep Space Nine" is my favorite of all five series'; it was a pleasure tuning in every week to see what would happen next. Its finest hour was in a sixth-season episode entitled, somewhat poetically, "In the Pale Moonlight". For years, I found myself wondering why Sisko got away with double murder, even as an accessory. I wondered why Garak never had to pay the piper, as it were, and just how and why Starfleet could condone the actions that lead to the assassination of Senator Vreenak (last seen drawing breath in Serpents Among the Ruins).
And then this Una McCormack comes along and puts my questions to rest, which means I can finally get a good night's sleep, although I do admit losing sleep so I could finish Hollow Men, the story that would have been too epic for TV.
On Earth for a trilateral conference between the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan empires (as well as members of Cardassia's euphemistically labeled "government-in-exile" [read: two low-end opportunists]), Captain Sisko and the erstwhile tailor Garak find themselves coming face-to-face with a Romulan woman whose constant stares elicit fear and questions. Sisko proves that a guilty conscience can be a deadly thing as both he and Garak meet the anti-war delegation. On Deep Space Nine, an Hamexi antique dealer's arrival coincides with that of one-hundred vials of gold-pressed latinum. And there is nothing better than the philosophical, ideological, and political interplay betwixt Sisko an Garak; every page the two of them interact is a moment of genius.
There is a lot going on in Hollow Men, so pay attention; it might take two or three reads before everything sinks in. Or maybe that was just me, needing the second go-around. If you were a fan of the show, this will most definitely appeal to you; if you like your Trek suspenseful and gritty, it is for you as well. But, if your view of the Federation is idealistic...well, this might crush that little spark once and for all. Still, that shouldn't deter anyone from reading; this is one of those rare novels that could have cross-genre potential. McCormack is a talented, gifted writer, her style very fluid and poetic, her dialogue crisp and real, her characters—familiar and new—richly drawn and believable. This is one of those can't-miss titles, and it continues the fine storytelling established not only in "Deep Space Nine," but in more recent Trek novels as well.
And then this Una McCormack comes along and puts my questions to rest, which means I can finally get a good night's sleep, although I do admit losing sleep so I could finish Hollow Men, the story that would have been too epic for TV.
On Earth for a trilateral conference between the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan empires (as well as members of Cardassia's euphemistically labeled "government-in-exile" [read: two low-end opportunists]), Captain Sisko and the erstwhile tailor Garak find themselves coming face-to-face with a Romulan woman whose constant stares elicit fear and questions. Sisko proves that a guilty conscience can be a deadly thing as both he and Garak meet the anti-war delegation. On Deep Space Nine, an Hamexi antique dealer's arrival coincides with that of one-hundred vials of gold-pressed latinum. And there is nothing better than the philosophical, ideological, and political interplay betwixt Sisko an Garak; every page the two of them interact is a moment of genius.
There is a lot going on in Hollow Men, so pay attention; it might take two or three reads before everything sinks in. Or maybe that was just me, needing the second go-around. If you were a fan of the show, this will most definitely appeal to you; if you like your Trek suspenseful and gritty, it is for you as well. But, if your view of the Federation is idealistic...well, this might crush that little spark once and for all. Still, that shouldn't deter anyone from reading; this is one of those rare novels that could have cross-genre potential. McCormack is a talented, gifted writer, her style very fluid and poetic, her dialogue crisp and real, her characters—familiar and new—richly drawn and believable. This is one of those can't-miss titles, and it continues the fine storytelling established not only in "Deep Space Nine," but in more recent Trek novels as well.
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