Section 31: Shadow (Star Trek Voyager) [Mass Market Paperback]

Dean Wesley Smith (Author), Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Section 31 | Publication Date: May 22, 2001

They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group committed to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.

Someone or something is trying to kill Seven of Nine. As the crew races against time to save millions of refugees from an imminent stellar cataclysm, the former Borg becomes the target of several seemingly random but potentially lethal "accidents." The investigation reveals a truth more terrifying than anyone ever imagined, as Captain Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the "Starship Voyager"(TM) fight for their lives against the most unexpected enemy of all.

NO LAW. NO CONSCIENCE. NO STOPPING THEM.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (May 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671774786
• ISBN-13: 978-0671774783
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #522,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting if flawed, May 22, 2001

By 

Michael Hickerson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Section 31: Shadow (Star Trek Voyager) (Mass Market Paperback)

Well, if it's summer time, that must mean Pocket Books is once again ready to foist another Trek crossover, multi-book Trek series upon us. Last year's New Earth was good at first, sagged in the middle only to be redeemed in the end. This year, the Section 31 set kicks off with a series of novels examining the secret organization and its affect on the four shows. On paper it sounds interesting and like it has some real potential.

First off (from what I've read you can read these in any order without really losing anything), there is the Voyager novel. The plot features a pretty standard civilization in danger and only Voyager can save them plot coupled with an attempt by Section 31 to do off with Seven of Nine. The main plot of the civlization in peril is a bit of a yawn at times--there are some nice characters but overall the dramatic thrust never materializes enough to be interesting--especially when it descends into cliches of the aliens not trusting Voyager and taking hostages. The more interesting plot is just why Section 31 considers Seven of Nine a threat and is out to irradicate her. It's interesting to read that the organization can reach out as far as the Delta Quadrant and how it does is interesting. However, the investigation into who is attacking Seven goes on a bit too long and some of the regular characters make unintelligent choices for the sake of prolonging the suspense of who is attacking Seven and why. Also, Sevens' characterization is bit off--she seems a bit too arrogant and unlikeable. She has these qualities in the show, but she becomes a two-dimensional character at times in this storyline. Of course, the two plots intersect each other at certain points in the book. To give away any details might take away some of the surprise, so I won't do that.

All in all, this book has potential, not all of it realized. I think the TNG and DS9 books have the most potential in the series. VOY suffers from the same things the show does--being cut off from the Alpha Quadrant means there's little or not consequences to the story or any type of meaningful follow up to the actions and events shown here.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent Star Trek: Voyager novel, November 7, 2001

By 

Edward Alexander Gerster "miamibooks" (South Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Section 31: Shadow (Star Trek Voyager) (Mass Market Paperback)

The premise of this short series of related Star Trek novels is an offshoot of a storyline that first manifested in ST: Deep Space Nine. The concept is that the ethical and altruistic Federation has a secret service equivalent to the Romulan Tal Shiar or the Cardassian Union's Obsidian Order. An amoral covert organization of espionage, sabotage and assassination designed to deal with dangers and problems that are not easily solved within Starfleet an Federation parameters of law and conduct.

Personally I find the whole "Section 31" concept to be antithetical to the reasons I have enjoyed the various Star Trek incarnations over the years. Gene Rodenberry would probably be appalled... With that said, I must say that I enjoyed this ST: Voyager novel immensely, and the Section 31 influence was perhaps the lightest here of all the books in this series. It is especially enjoyable having a novel that so well reflects the characters as they were portrayed in the TV series, with Seven of Nine and Captain Janeway being particularly well developed. The authors are to be commended on a tale well told.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Summer Fare., June 12, 2001

By 

Diane Bellomo (Baltimore, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Section 31: Shadow (Star Trek Voyager) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've been reading some of the other reviews, and I gotta tell ya, I'm wondering just what it *is* people expect from Star Trek! I'm not saying my bar is set low - though I AM easily entertained, which is something else entirely - I'm just saying some folks have a tendency to nitpick *quite* unnecessarily. This story is by no means the be-all and end-all of Trek tales, but it IS a decent read - nevermind that bitchin' picture of Seven-of-Nine on the cover! (Okay, so I buy for the covers as well as the story - this is wrong?) I will admit I have the distinct impression the Section 31 thing is just a trumped-up Paramount ploy to sell books and merchandise, but I'm not going to fault them for that, since it's probably true. The "aliens in trouble" plot was pretty basic (but the aliens themselves were *purple,* an added bonus that B'Elanna got a unique kick out of) and so was the whole Section 31 plot to kill Seven, but still, I didn't find it an unacceptable story. And the biggest bonus of all, Dean and Kristine name those rotten alien experimenters from "Scientic Method." After all they did to the crew, it's about TIME they got a name. Hey, I'm calling that name canon. Where's the harm in that?