A novel of love, loss and artificial intelligence as Data -- among the most popular, paradoxical and intriguing characters on Star Trek -- uncovers the truth behind the destruction of another android. When a new android created by Starfleet is apparently destroyed in a freak explosion, Lieutenant Commander Data and the crew of the Enterprise-E embark on a search for the truth and find themselves thrust into a crossfire between a secret group of ancient androids and the immortal android maker, Flint. Along the way, Data is forced to confront issues of grief, love and immortality as we explore the nature of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human in the Star Trek universe.
Immortal Coil (Star Trek Next Generation (Numbered))
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Jeffrey Lang launched his Star Trek career with a contribution to the LIVES OF DAX anthology and is co-author of the Deep Space Nine volume ABYSS in the phenomenally successful Section 31 quartet.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the best Star Trek mystery ever,
By
This review is from: Immortal Coil (Star Trek The Next Generation) (Mass Market Paperback)
Science fiction mysteries are difficult to pull off well. Given the difficulty of science fiction in general to effectively mix science fiction worldbuilding with the conventions of the mystery thriller, one would expect (and find) that Star Trek's own track record with mysteries is dismal. "A Matter of Perspective"? Disappointing. "Suspicions"? Dreadful. "Ex Post Facto"? A laughingly bad homage to 1940s hard-boiled detective films. "A Man Alone"? The less said the better. Star Trek and murder mystery don't mix. In the wrong hands, even in the right hands, mixing Star Trek and mystery could easily be a recipe for disaster. On a distant scientific outpost one man is murdered, another is brutally beaten, and the culmination of their lives' work is destroyed. In the wreckage of their laboratory one of the victims scrawled a name in his own blood, the name of a person hundreds of light-years distant. Who attacked the laboratory? Why was one of the Federation's leading roboticists killed? Why was his partner left for dead? Why was the project destroyed? And why was the name "Data" found written in blood? From that premise Jeffrey Lang's Immortal Coil stakes its ground early on as a mystery and allows the story to unfold from there. Immortal Coil succeeds admirably, telling a compelling mystery mixed with a healthy dose of character exploration. Quite possibly, this is the definitive Data story. Comparisons to Asimov's Lije Baley/Daneel Olivaw novels come easily. In both cases we have a human detective (Lije Baley/Enterprise-E security chief Rhea McAdams) paired with a robotic companion (R. Daneel Olivaw/Data) to track down the murderer and solve the crime. Both explore how robotics and artificial intelligence have affected their respective universes. But where Asimov explores the sociological implications of human/robotic interactions and their influence on future human development, Jeffrey Lang delves into the secret history of artificial intelligence in the Star Trek universe. That exploration of artificial intelligence makes Immortal Coil the perfect venue for exploring Data's character. In the past, Data stories have tended not to dwell upon the ideas and implications inherent in what being an artificial being means. Data might in the course of the story learn something of where he came from and his developmental potential, but it never seems to matter--becoming human in Jean Lorrah's Metamorphosis prompted an "imaginary story" for Data, while installing the emotion chip in Star Trek: Generations had no lasting effects on his personality by the time Star Trek: Insurrection was released. Of all the Star Trek characters, Data is perhaps the most alien because he's the least human. Odo and the Doctor, while plainly not human, also recognize their non-human natures. Odo appears outwardly human because he wants to, but he also knows that he can be so much more. The Doctor also appears human, but he is limited by his semblance of intelligence and independence. But Odo can compare himself to the other Founders, and the Doctor is but one of many holograms that have grown beyond their original programming. Data, on the other hand, is alone in the universe. No one else knows what it means to be Data because there are no other Datas. Data has no frame of reference against which he can measure his development. Surrounded by humans, raised by humans, Data can only measure himself against them, but it's not a fair comparison. Data might look human, Data might have human emotions with his emotion chip, but Data isn't human. His actions are not human actions, his thoughts are not human thoughts, his reactions are not human reactions. Data exists as something else entirely. What that something else is, however, stands as the central question of Data's character, and a good Data story should, I think, explore the essential nature of Data's alienness. Immortal Coil succeeds here by using the trappings of the mystery story to propel Data into an exploration of his own origins and the artificial precedents that came before him. No other character, save perhaps Jean-Luc Picard, could explore the history of artificial intelligence, but even then Picard's interest would only be in the abstract sense, while for Data the exploration goes to the very root of his existence. Most impressive in Immortal Coil are the quiet moments. A conversation Data and Picard have about mortality and losing those closest to them. A middle-of-the-night call Data makes to Geordi asking for advice on when to call a woman after a date. The development and deepening of the relationship between Rhea and Data. Little moments don't make a novel, but they do humanize the characters. There is something in Immortal Coil for every Star Trek fan, of every series. From an exploration of the Doctor's holographic technology to the fate of some of the artificial intelligences James Kirk encountered in the 23rd-century, Jeffrey Lang ties together disparate threads of Star Trek history into a cohesive whole and spins a strong story. Above all, Immortal Coil was a book that demanded to be read and difficult to put down. I kept turning the pages because I wanted to know what happened next, what revelation would be made, what plot twist was coming. I was especially pleased with the novel's sheer accessibility; this novel could be read by someone completely unfamiliar with Star Trek and still be understood and appreciated. The book starts strong and never lets go, building a solid mystery and running with the implications as matters develop. For every naysayer who says that singleton Star Trek novels no longer have a place in today's market, they should read Immortal Coil for an example of an epic story that doesn't require six books and an uninspired hardcover to tell the tale. Immortal Coil is one of the best Star Trek books in recent memory, and looking at 2002's schedule, I can't imagine that more than a handful of Trek novels will compare.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended,
This review is from: Immortal Coil (Star Trek The Next Generation) (Mass Market Paperback)
I have been reading every Star Trek books I can get my hands on.This particular one is one of the best I have ever read. It was the last 2 pages of the story that raise the rating from 4 stars to 5. The author need not penned the last two pages but it is precisely these last 2 pages that bring a tear to my eye. I have a particular fondness for Data and his evolution. I too have wondered why there only one android whereas there were many encounters of androids in the Star Trek world. The story woved a thread connecting many aspects of STTOS and STTNG and the creator of Data including Flint. After reading the story, somehow it seems logical, but why didn't I think of it? If you like Data and would like some background on androids appearing throughout Star Trek time and space, check this book out.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerizing,
By
This review is from: Immortal Coil (Star Trek The Next Generation) (Mass Market Paperback)
"Immortal Coil" by Jeffrey Lang is an extraordinary book. I may run out of adjectives trying to describe this suspenseful mystery without spoiling it.At the heart of this story is one of trek's most beloved characters, Data. As the personnel of the Enterprise-E struggle to unravel the threads that hold the key to the mystery they uncover the hidden history of artificial intelligence. Data is poignantly forced to confront his past, his present and his future. As the story unfolds page by page the reader is drawn into a skillfully woven plot that exhibits an almost Machiavellian flair. Thanks to a fantastic story premise and the dexterous touch of author Jeffrey Lang, "Immortal Coil" is the type of book that leaves you quenched when you close the cover for the final time. As if you've just finished a large drink after being thirsty for a very long time. Lang manages to perceptively capture the characters, especially Data, whom he characterizes with an acuteness that makes him tangible. This is a character we know and love, but whom we've never seen or thought of in this way before. "Immortal Coil" is a book to relish. Charming, fascinating, complex, and masterful. A book that leaves you savoring the story long after you finish reading it.
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