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Title: Catalyst of Sorrows (Star Trek: The Lost Era, 2360) by Margaret Wander Bonanno ISBN: 0-7434-6407-9 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.62 (8 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Bravissima!!!
Comment: I remember how thoroughly I enjoyed reading Margaret Wander Bonanno's early Star Trek novels, Dwellers in the Crucible and Strangers from the Sky, way back in the days when I didn't know a Romulan from a doorknob. I knew then that only an exceptional storyteller could weave a Trek tale that even a non-Trekker like me could follow and enjoy. You can imagine, therefore, how much more gratifying it was for me, now that I'm so much better versed in Trek culture, to delve into Ms. Bonanno's newest saga, Catalyst of Sorrows, and meet the author on her own terms!
It's been so long since I was able to lose myself in a such an excellent novel, one that beckons to me again and again after I've set it down. And given my time constraints, and the snail's pace at which I normally read, you have to figure that I was forced, like it or not, to set the book down a lot over a 3-4 week period. Any author who can hold my interest for that long deserves my deepest gratitude and respect.
Catalyst was engrossing from beginning to end, and a sheer joy to read. That's more than I can say about most of the books I've picked up over the last ten years. I should point out that this is by no means a simple, mono-dimensional story to follow, what with the frequent scene shifts and flashbacks, all the different characters and points of view that Ms. Bonanno introduces. This multi-level back-and-forth technique has always characterized her writing, and she has developed it into an art form. I say that to her credit The critic who likened her to a skilled juggler who could keep so many plots in the air at one time wasn't exaggerating.
Catalyst unfolds like a movie, and that's just how the scenes played out in my mind. The transitions were seamless, each section building upon or embellishing another. Wherever Ms. Bonanno went, she took me with her. Not only was I able to follow the story's progress (zig-zags and all), but I could appreciate the way all the puzzle pieces fit together, the way she strung the reader along, letting out the proverbial line a little at a time, feeding him constant information, yet without revealing too much too soon. Even though she often took me by surprise with a new character or story element, I learned early on to trust her to reveal the connection. She never let me down.
Take note: The chapter dealing with the split between the Vulcans and the Romulans is an extraordinary piece of writing! I enjoyed it so much, I read it twice.
Of course, the heart of any great Star Trek saga is its humanity---or "humanoidity" as the case may be. Character development was so rich, and the interplay among the leads was so right on, I felt as though the author knew these people better than I know myself. Much as I would love to recommend Catalyst to Trekkers and non-Trekkers alike, I have to say that the reader does need a prior knowledge of the principle players to fully appreciate just how vividly Ms. Bonanno portrayed them: their personalities, idiosyncracies, speech patterns, all the emotional and quirky nuances that make them ring true and come to life before one's eyes. It takes a special skill, I think, and a prodigious amount of research, to develop and add dimensions to pre-established characters in a Trek saga without altering them or overstepping their parameters. The same holds true for Trek history and chronology. Call it literary "Prime Directive", if you will.
Catalyst of Sorrows is a rich, absorbing tale told by a master story teller at the height of her powers. Heartiest kudos to Margaret Wander Bonanno for a job well done! And to any fans of hers who have not yet read her Dwellers and Strangers, I say: You don't know what your missing!
Rating: 4
Summary: Welcome back, Margaret
Comment: "Catalyst of Sorrows" is one of the most engrossing, intelligent pieces of Trek literature to come down the pipeline in quite some time. Margaret Wander Bonanno's presence has been sorely missed, and this proved to be well worth the wait. "Catalyst" is one of the few Trek novels that binds together the disparate elements of every series from TOS to the New Frontier novels (excluding, of course, "Enterprise"). This was a common enough theme in The Lost Era cycle, but Bonanno pulls off a great finale, writing an engaging medical thriller that serves as both adventure and character builder, which is what truly defines a "great" Star Trek novel; we are able to glimpse additional facets to our favorite characters' personalities.
The plot itself seems convoluted, but it is not so; at the core is a group of Starfleet officers and a Romulan psuedo-defector attempting to seek out the source of a deadly virus, known to the Romulans as the Gnawing. There is a lot of medical terminology tossed about, but with the inclusion of the all too human Uhura, this is easily explained in laymans terms (quite an effictive literary tool; it not only allows the layreader among us to not feel ignorant, but it also shows us that Admiral Uhura does not know everything). There are fascinating glimpses into the construction of the virus and its devastating effects.
There are frequent point-of-view shifts and these occur sometimes two or three times in a section; one moment we will be in McCoy's head, the next Uhura's, the next Selar's, but the transitions are seamless and easy to follow. This is not an easy read by any means, but this is fortunate; it serves to drive the plot and score the importance of the task at hand. Indeed, it is a true master of the craft that can manage such a task with ease.
As for the characters themselves, we are given a glimpse into the past lives of Drs. Crusher and Selar, Tuvok, and a young engineer named Benjamin Sisko. Along for the journey are Admiral Tal of the Romulan Empire, best known for his stint in "Vulcan's Heart" and the Original Series episode "The Enterprise Incident," and Curzon Dax, making yet another appearance in "The Lost Era." Sisko is a brash lieutenant concerned with phase coils and his new family while Crusher is a dedicated young physician raising a son by herself. Zetha, the Romulan girl sent by Senator Cretak, is herself something of an anamoly; whose agenda is she working towards, and what is her parentage? This is the most telling question of the novel, and Bonanno skillfully manipulates the readers' emotions and makes us truly care about this new character. Her innocent, freckled personage is perhaps the most intriguing character in the book.
While this is not the easiest novel to read by any means--it did take me a couple of weeks to finish; in parts, it was somewhat plodding--it is a worthwhile read, and fans of Bonanno's earlier Trek novels "Dwellers in the Crucible" and "Strangers From the Sky" will thoroughly enjoy this book, as will loyal fans looking to fill in lost pieces of the vast tapestry that is Star Trek.
Rating: 3
Summary: Not what I expected
Comment: This novel proved to be a very complex read. There were various twist and turns I did not expect and the interaction of multiple characters from various show/books helped reduce some of the complexity.
There are many jumps from one point of view to another and at times, this is very distracting. There are often times where two characters are talk and the audience needs to know about a specific event. Well it just happens that we had a few other characters involved in that event and it happened a few minutes ago. Therefore, we jump back to that event and only that one event, then right back to the other current scene.
All the point of view changes, moving forward and backwards through the timeline of the story, provide the most complexity. Only a single major character was created for this story, a young innocent Romulan. The remainder of the cast is from familiar shows and books and not a lot of development was put into them.
The epilogue, the last twelve pages, drove this book up a full rating in my opinion. Favorite characters are shoved forward into the lives we know they will lead and we get to see one of my favorite minor characters.
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Title: Well of Souls (Star Trek: The Lost Era, 2336) by Ilsa J. Bick ISBN: 0743463757 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Art of the Impossible (Star Trek: The Lost Era, 2328-2346) by Keith R.A. DeCandido ISBN: 0743464052 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Serpents Among the Ruins (Star Trek: The Lost Era, 2311) by David R. George III ISBN: 0743464036 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: A Time to Be Born (Star Trek The Next Generation) by John Vornholt ISBN: 0743467655 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 February, 2004 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: A Time to Die (Star Trek The Next Generation) by John Vornholt ISBN: 0743467663 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 March, 2004 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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