Customer Reviews

Trial by Error

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The best thing that I can say about this book is that, unlike many mass-market genre paperbacks, there aren't a whole lot of typos and other sloppy editing mistakes in it. There are a couple, but not enough to complain about. And the characters are resonably, if not exceptionally, well-handled.

Unfortunately, the basic plot is silly, it is handled poorly, and resolved in a very unsatisfactory way. Granted, it isn't the worst Star Trek novel I've read -- not by a long shot -- but it's definitely in the bottom third. I wouldn't bother with it unless you're just desperate for a Star Trek novel and the only other ones handy that you haven't read are ones that I've given one-star reviews to; there are a few of those.

Although Sisko and O'Brien are on the cover, this DS9 novel is about the trials and errors of Quark. Greed and the need for more profit are the evils which bring about the plot of this novel.

Although not the best of the DS9 novels, a definate must for Quark fans.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Trial by Error written by Mark Garland is a Quark book, as Quark hatches another scheme and his greed brings Deep Space Nine under attack.

This book lays a ground work and starts out slow, but don't lose heart as it wraps-up with plenty of action. Quarks is known for his enterprising schemes some of which are suspect for being legal. Odo wouldn't mind seeing Quark falling flat on his face while a scheme backfires, we see Quark trading with a Gamma Quadrant race... a lucrative deal to trade trellium crystals from the gamma Quadrant for gold-pressed latinum. Quark will realize enormous profits, but there is a catch.

Quark thinks this is too good to be true... and of course it is as we see Quarks scheme beginning to fall apart as the Gamma Quadant race, Quarks trading partners has enemies. Now, this distrust begins to tarnish the deal as a third alien race from the Gamma Quadrant begins to suspect theft, piracy or worse... as we known things that a Ferengi is good at including guile, cunning, trickery, and deceitfulness.

Now, all three alien races begin to distrust each other and the well-being of Deep Space Nine is in jeopardy. Klingons and Ferengi also get involved and now a shooting war breaks out and the action really gets heated-up. I found the book to be a quick, fast read as Quark's brokering gets him into trouble. The book fleshs out the character of Quark and we get a better sense of to what extent Quark will go to make gold-pressed latinum.

It took me awhile to finally read 'Trial by Error.' When I did, I found the characters jumping off the page: Sisko's coolness in handling the diplomats, and the phantom vessels (that act as the villains of the piece); Odo's raspy voice; O'Brien's quips, Kira's diplomacy under fire; Dax's supportive demeanor....Quark's quirks...

[I'm going to skip summarizing, and get to my thoughts on the book].

The story is written well (up until the end), and it seems as if there should have been an extra chapter or two to explain what or who these phantom villains are.

The author makes the 'phantom villains' out to be literally transparent beings that can be impervious to phaser fire, but later on in the story, they become solid. It is assumed (by Jake) that these beings are child-like, and they are mimics.

We don't learn if Sisko actually tries to find out the origin of these beings, or what their purpose is. The reader is left hanging.

The 'B' story--where Quark has made a deal with two warring factions that goes wrong--is somewhat resolved with all the factions coming together in an agreement.

As aforementioned, however, the book doesn't seem finished.

Quark gets in trouble for trying to broker to a race that is on bad terms with another race. A third race is mad at the other two. Sort of predictable.

Had hoped for much more... it's the type of book that sets up the conflict for 200 pages, massages it for 60 more, and then resolves it in only 10!! VERY unsatisfying ending.