Customer Reviews

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Fearful Symmetry (Star Trek Deep Space Nine (Unnumbered Paperback))

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

In my opinion, the negative reviews this book is getting are based solely on the fact that it didn't give people what they wanted. They expected Fearful Symmetry to continue the action of Warpath, to provide confrontation and lots of plot twists. I can see why they're disappointed, but I also think there's a ton of great stuff going on with this book. Keep an open mind, and you'll enjoy it.

Where Warpath was all about action and drama, Fearful Symmetry slows down and really lets the characters shine. Sisko's scene at the beginning of side 1 gives the purpose in a nutshell: to look at the possibilities and paths things might take. All of the characters get their screen time, even the minor ones. Olivia Woods has them all down pat, and does an excellent job of making you want to know what happens to them next. I'm sad that I have to wait another year for The Soul Key and The Never Ending Sacrifice (August and September 2009), but now I want to read them more than ever.

As for Iliana's story, yes, it's brutal. But it's not graphic...Woods doesn't get into detail for the brutal parts. What she does achieve, however, is to make Iliana Ghemor into a deep, sympathetic villain. I almost find myself rooting for her after reading her story. And the way the two sides of the flipbook intersect is brilliant. Just make sure you read side 1 first.

I would give the book five stars if it were longer. If Pocketbooks were serious about keeping these stories going, they should get them out more often. Otherwise, they're going to lose readers who are tired of waiting.

The good - I really enjoyed the writing. I'm not familiar with Olivia Woods, but I thought she had a pretty good handle on the characters and the story flowed fairly well.

Part one followed up nicely on the events in Warpath, but as others have noted, the story is much too short. I wanted more.

Part two follows Iliana Ghemor's journey from artist to member of the Obsidian Order to Kira's replacement. This part of the book has a major hurdle to overcome, because as other reviewers have noted, most of us want more of the main story, not Iliana's origin. So it was hard to start this side without a negative attitude, but the more I got into the story, the more I enjoyed it. It's a good look at the cruelty of Dukat and why Iliana wasn't subsituted for Kira (although that is actually also answered in the first part, but explored in more detail here). It's also a good behind the scenes look at Cardassian policies and politics.

The Bad: It's been a long wait to only get 130 pages or so of the main story. And according to the psiphiboards, it will be a long wait until we get the follow up novels "The Soul Key" and "The Never-Ending Sacrifice," which won't come out until August and September 2009.

Overall: Short, but good, and a must read if you're a fan of the DS9 novels.

I've been a trekkie (not treker) since the 60's...Read every genre. But I have to say, I had a real hard time keeping up with this one. Too many universes and too many incarnations of Kira and her counterparts. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who was not familiar with the Star Trek alternate universe theme. It's easy to get lost.

I have read every book in the DS9 relaunch, and this is the most disappointing one. It's not that Woods doesn't try, but she spends too much time focusing on Iliana Ghemor and the alternate universe characters (of which there are many!), thus spending far less time than she should have on developing the characters of the DS9 cast. About a third of the book is devoted to explaining how Iliana Ghemor of the "prime" universe managed to convince people in the alternate universe to help her in her quest to fulfill the role of Emissary. This chunk of story could have been alloted to Ghemor of the alternate universe, as readers will see that she is a very significant character, as well as to Kira, Vaughn, and Taran'atar. Woods sets each of them on an interesting path - Kira comes face to face with an alternate Opaka and Winn while Vaughn and Taran'atar both make difficult choices. Developing his arc -- along with Taran'atar's would have served the story -- and longtime fans -- much better. Of all the relaunch books, this is the first I did not have an urge to read through in one sitting. After waiting a year for this book and 4 years for the conclusion to the alternate universe plot, it is a little disappointing to see it done so poorly.

Nevertheless, Woods manages to set new plots in motion that will undoubtedly affect the future of those living aboard DS9 -- assuming that Pocket Books ever gets around to putting those plots into print. Woods ties the alternate Iliana into the metaplot for "season 9" in a very interesting way. The epilogue in this book is not to be missed if you've been following the series and plan to continue.

Years after Kira's surgical alteration by the Obsidian Order to resemble Iliana Ghemor, the implications of that mission resurface as Iliana is back, but there are two identities conflicting in her. Likewise, Kira's Mirror universe counterpart is dead thanks to Iliana, and the Mirror Iliana has crossed over to stop her. The undercover mission that Iliana was initiated, but something went tragically wrong. Something that only becomes apparent after reading Fearful Symmetry.

It was worth the wait and far too compelling at times to put down.

The alternate universe stories provide us with a glimpse of what might have been. However this one becomes quickly confusing. I didn't know if the Cardassian Kira was acutally the Intendant Kira or the real Kira. I wonder if the idea from this came from the editor or was a creation of the author? After enduring three oversize trade paperbacks of mirrior universe tales, this was a stretch. I'd like to discover what events are unfolding in the current universe. A lot of story threads were left in the preceding novels. While I did enjoy this novel; it's time to return to the DS9 universe with the current timeline. I was hoping to see the consequences of the events in the Destiny trilogy.

Olivia Woods' 'The Soul Key' is a follow-up to her previous novel, 2008's 'Fearful Symmetry'. In all, I felt 'The Soul Key' was just okay. Compared to other books in the DS9-Relaunch series, it lacks a certain edge and emotional depth to it. It comes off as very comic-book like; more action than character development, lack of feeling, just not enough depth and a conclusion that lacked excitement.

The Good: This book wraps, for the most part, the Mirror Universe saga that's been played with for the past few years in the books. There are still some unanswered questions brought up by previous books, but 'The Soul Key' sets out to wrap and conclude the Iliana Ghemor arc that began in 'Warpath' and was the center of 'Fearful Symmetry'. Unlike that book, 'The Soul Key' fleshes out the Ghemor characters. We are treated to a host of Mirror Universe DS9 appearances, from O'Brien to a Mirror Universe Vaughn and even Winn and Opaka. In this way, it felt like a real Deep Space Nine story with many familiar characters being woven into the story.

The Bad: The book featured more action than it did character development. The main cast of characters really serve as a back-drop to this novel. Though Captain Kira and Commander Elias Vaughn are the main 'stars' of the novel, really, they aren't given much in terms of development. After waiting so many months for this novel, and years for this plot to be fleshed out, as a reader, I was expecting or wanting more movement in the plot surrounding the main group of characters of the re-launch series. We're only given a few moments that hint at what's in store for Dax; Ro Laren is reduced to nothing more than a cameo appearance. At the conclusion of the book, my reaction wasn't one of real excitement. Instead, it was a shrug and question. That's it? We've been waiting all of these months, these years, for this? The book itself is anti-climatic and seems (ultimately) beneath the quality of a majority of the relaunch novels.

In all, 'The Soul Key' is a quick read that suffers from a simplistic plot execution. If you come in expecting a lot of movement and development of the main group of characters - think again. It appears we'll have to wait another year or two before there's a novel that deals with the main core group. The book is also confusing in that much of the plot builds upon the previous novel and past novellas - all of which were published a year or more ago. It was hard, even having read all of the novels, to recall small plot details and facts. A decent read, not horrible, but confusing at parts and unsatisfying at the end.

This novel is the culmination of several plotlines of several earlier Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novels, so if you haven't read them, you'll be lost. But if you have, you'll find it a nice denouement to several of those stories, as well as a springboard to the next. It is also pretty clever how several chapters take place around events described in those novels.

As well as the novels, The Soul Key builds from episodes from the series such as "The Storyteller", "Crossover" and "Second Skin".

Theres not an awful lot to Fearful Symmetry, although its a case of quality over quantity. For a first time author, the characterisation was excellent; I could picture Avery Brooks, Nana Visitor, Alexander Siddig, Armin Shimerman, Nicole de Boer, Marc Alaimo etc delivering the lines written for the characters. Dukat was always the ultimate villain in Star Trek, yet Fearful Symmetry aids another layer to his character. Fearful Symmetry is Iliana Ghemor's story and it depicts her life over a fourteen year period. Similarities have been drawn to "A Stitch in Time", a fair analysis, although the scenes before Ghemor's imprisonment are brief.

YES, I too said this book was not any good when it first came out but now that I started re-reading all the CONTINUING STORIES FROM DEEP SPACE NINE (all of them) I finally got to this book and my mind was blown. I cannot believe what happened to Kira/Iliana for those 15 years she was locked up (this book is now over 2 yrs old - no spoilers here)
and so yes, like some of the others who are changing their votes, I too have changed mine. I still cannot believe what happened to her. My gods.
I am now seriously looking forward to reading "The Soul Key" which continues this story and hey, guess what, it's sitting on my table in the other room so I must leave you now to go read it.

THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY THIS BOOK IS TO RE-READ ALL THE DEEP SPACE NINE NOVELS (OVER AGAIN) THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED AFTER THE SERIES ENDED ON TV BECAUSE THAT WAY, THIS BOOK WILL NOT CONFUSE ANYONE LIKE IT DID ME THE FIRST TIME I READ IT.

IT TRULY IS A GREAT BOOK AND I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO THE AUTHOR FOR MY PRIOR NEGATIVE REVIEW.