Twilight (Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

by David R. George III (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"After seven addictive seasons...the best sci-fi soap opera of them all" -- The Times "The best incarnation of Trek yet" -- Starburst

Product Description

THE TIME HAS COME...for a new era of exploration. With the Dominion War behind them, the crew of the U.S.S. Defiant journeys through the wormhole as Commander Elias Vaughn leads a "corps of discovery" to blaze new trails into the unexplored reaches of the Gamma Quadrant.

THE TIME HAS COME ...for a civilization to reach a crossroads. As political forces throughout the Alpha Quadrant intersect at Deep Space 9™ to determine the future of Bajor, the planet's theological unity threatens to shatter. And for Colonel Kira Nerys, the path of the Prophets may become a road to ruin.

THE TIME HAS COME...for a father and daughter to confront their past while a mother and son fight for the future, for lovers to be tested and for friendships to transform, and for worlds on opposite ends of the galaxy to face the dusk...or the dawn.

TWILIGHT

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Star Trek (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743445600
• ISBN-13: 978-0743445603
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #437,553 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a continuing Trek, September 12, 2002

By	Michael Hickerson (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews

DS9 was the richest and most textured of any of the modern Trek shows, so the idea that it could continue long beyond our television screens and in a series of novels wasn't exactly a huge stretch. But the fact that it would continue and continue as well as it has is nothing short of a miracle. The DS9 saga continues on the printed page and if you're a fan of DS9 or just looking for a good Trek saga, you can't really go wrong with Twilight.

Twilight is the first of a four-book arc that delves into the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant. The story builds slowly, continuing the events of the last time we saw the DS9 crew in the Gateways saga. It then is content to move into the build-up to and exploration of the Gamma Quadrant by the Defiant. But there's a lot more being explored here than just space itself. The relationships between characters are also being explored--from Vaughn and his daughter Prynn to Quark and Ro to Bashir and Ezri to Kira and her relationship with Bajor and the Federation now that she's been Attained. It's the character exploration that really powers the story and keeps the pages turning. And there are a good number of pages to be turned--this book checks in at just over 500 pages. But it's worth it.

There are some major surprises in here and some things that will have great interest to the on-going DS9 storyline. I won't ruin them here for you--it takes out part of the fun. David R. George also takes on the length of the Star Trek universe by bringing in some old friends and new some races as well. It all adds up to what may be one of the most enjoyable Treks published this year--and with Greg Cox's latest Khan masterpiece, In the Name of Honor and Immortal Coil all lurking out there, that is saying a great deal.

I will say this--if you've not read any of the other DS9 re-launch novels, I'd sugget picking them up first. It will make this reading experience that much more rich and enjoyable. This is the kind of book that makes me anxious for the next installment and restores my faith in Trek publishing.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Starts with a bang and rarely lets up., September 16, 2002

By A Customer

I will give David R. George credit for one thing ... he writes Trek action better than any other author who's attempted to craft a story in one of the most well loved fictive universes out there.

The story begins with Defiant on the run from some very xenophobic aliens last seen in the Gateways saga, and George makes you feel as if you're right on the bridge of the battleship, feeling the intensity and danger along with the characters. From that point forward, George deftly manages numerous plot threads introduced since the DS9 re-launch, handling both the political intrigue on the station itself, as well as the marvelous sense of exploration that Trek does so well, as Defiant heads into the Gamma Quadrant to renew the United Federation of Planets mission of exploration and peaceful first contact.

While there are some of my favorite DS9 characters conspicuously absent in the re-launch (Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire most prominent amongst them), the characters that have been introduced manage to be both well-rounded and yet still have that signature DS9 chip on the shoulder. The strained relationship between Commander Elias Vaughan and his daughter (also serving on DS9) is a prime example of the gritty relationships that have always been a hallmark of this incarnation of Star Trek. Their conflict is resolved in a very satisfactory manner, with both characters having to go through sheer emotional and physical hell before finally letting go of old grudges and hatreds in order to heal a wounded relationship between father and daughter, and the beefy length of the book (500+ pages) allows you time to get to know and care about these two before things end up happily ever after.

This book is the first of four in the "Mission Gamma" series. Here's hoping the following 3 authors can follow David R. George's excellent opening chapter.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow-This is GREAT stuff!, September 13, 2002

By	Jacqueline Bundy (Calabasas, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When a novel lingers in your mind days, even weeks after you have read it you know you've got a winner. And that's exactly what you get when you delve into Mission Gamma Book One: "Twilight": a novel so meticulously plotted and excellently crafted that the pleasure of reading it envelopes you long after you finish the final sentence.

The first novel of a series is usually evincive of what is to come and with "Twilight" author David R. George III has set the bar mighty high for the authors of the other three novels in this series. At over 500 pages (and over 200,000 words) "Twilight" is extraordinarily rich in descriptive narrative and character development as the next chapter in the ongoing saga of Deep Space Nine continues.

"Twilight" grabs you right from the opening sentence and as the story unfolds, layer by layer, and the plot threads begin to weave their magic, a tapestry begins to slowly take shape. A tapestry populated by a diverse group of characters so well drawn that is as if you are watching the events unfold before your eyes. Those events would not evoke the same emotional response if you know what to expect.

"Twilight" will induce a wide range of emotional responses from the reader. Excitement, compassion, horror, delight and surprise to name just a few. It will also expand the reader's insight into the characters as the events are utilized to explore the characters thoughts and motivations.

Filled with political intrigue, adventure and exemplary characterization "Twilight" is a novel to savor and enjoy again and again. So lock the door, turn off the phone and lose yourself in the beginning of a saga that is sure to enchant and enthrall anyone who appreciates a truly exceptional book.