Review of
Rise of the Federation: Uncertain Logic
Published:
March 2015
Reviewer Rating:
Avg User Rating:
(3.50)
The two storylines in this book are equally entertaining and exciting. I was engaged with the whole novel and really couldn't wait for the next turn in the story. It's also intriguing that both stories pick up plot threads from the TV show and develop them beyond what we saw on the screen. While on the surface, the Kir'shara story was a complex heist, but beyond that there were so many issues relating to politics, religion, culture and wisdom. We tend to view the Vulcans as always logical and emotionless, but this story really brings many underlying issues to the forefront. It's fascinating to see the Vulcan people brought to the brink of civil war through this clash of ideologies. Very compelling!
Similarly, the Pioneer's pursuit of the Ware was also engrossing. The idea of this technology penetrating societies so deeply along with the moral issues of these cultures "feeding" it people to get the benefits was darkly intriguing. There are a lot of moral issues in this book and I always find it interesting to see how the characters navigate through those waters.
Just about every regular character makes a contribution to the storylines - admittedly Phlox is a bit in the background, but he gets a few scenes where his humor provides a nice break to the drama. While Mayweather is sidelined for a portion of the book as seems to be his lot in life, he does get to be involved in the story in a few different ways that make a difference. There are several supporting characters that fill out the cast nicely and there's a lot of definition and development in them as well.
This one felt more "Star Trek" then several of the previous books. Even though it still included a large political component, it didn't feel mired in tedium or cliched elements. I could understand the views of the Vulcan antagonists and see how they were manipulated and misdirected by one person with his own agenda.
This was a really good read that I would recommend to anyone who watched the series.
Similarly, the Pioneer's pursuit of the Ware was also engrossing. The idea of this technology penetrating societies so deeply along with the moral issues of these cultures "feeding" it people to get the benefits was darkly intriguing. There are a lot of moral issues in this book and I always find it interesting to see how the characters navigate through those waters.
Just about every regular character makes a contribution to the storylines - admittedly Phlox is a bit in the background, but he gets a few scenes where his humor provides a nice break to the drama. While Mayweather is sidelined for a portion of the book as seems to be his lot in life, he does get to be involved in the story in a few different ways that make a difference. There are several supporting characters that fill out the cast nicely and there's a lot of definition and development in them as well.
This one felt more "Star Trek" then several of the previous books. Even though it still included a large political component, it didn't feel mired in tedium or cliched elements. I could understand the views of the Vulcan antagonists and see how they were manipulated and misdirected by one person with his own agenda.
This was a really good read that I would recommend to anyone who watched the series.
