I’m going to say this with all honesty – Day of the Vipers the first entry in the Terok Nor trilogy (which I read a few weeks back) isn’t just a good Star Trek book, it is a good book. Really. Night of the Wolves, the continuation, is a piece of junk, but an okay Star Trek book, if that makes any sense.
The first entry (by a different author) is a well thought out examination of how a culture (Bajor) could willingly give itself over to an evil empire (Cardassia.) The parallels with the Third Reich or the Bush Administration or even Coruscant are right there for anyone who wants it.
Part two of this Deep Space Nine backstory collection is just for the hardcore fans. We psychopaths who really thrive on intense scrutiny of every inch of the Trek Universe. The plot lumbers along spasmodically, introducing then dropping characters, with little dramatic tension – just plot plot plot – describing in full detail what the camera is seeing. It lacks the coherence or drive of a single television episode, it is just stuff on the page. Still, I read it rather quickly and already bought the just issued Book Three. So what does that tell you?
