Rating: 
Summary: Star Trek with a twist
Review: Book 1 of two based on the Mirror Universe as established on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, this book and it's companion title are a very entertaining read. Set before the crossover episodes on the series, it's the story of the struggle for power within the Alliance. The story opens with Obsidian Order operative Annika Hanson on assignment to assassinate Duras. Let the political intrige, corruption and betrayal begin!The story grabs you from the start and holds you enthralled. The characters are not just the ones you would expect to see in the Mirror Universe, such as Intendent Kira, Regent Worf and Sisko. Characters from TNG and VOY populate the story as well. Bottom line-fun for any trek fan!
Rating: 
Summary: Bleh
Review: I had such hope for this two-book novel, if for nothing else than the delicious cover art. Unfortunately, it fell short of the mark. The cover art was pretty much the best thing. Now, I *know* the story was about characters from the Mirror Universe, most of whom we hadn't ever met before, aside from Intendant Kira and Regent Worf, but I still could not get my head around the characters as written. This is not necessarily Susan Wright's fault. She is limited, like all the pro-novelists are, by canon. Some things just *cannot happen,* even in the Mirror Universe. But still, the thing that disappointed me the most (and I guess this *is* Susan Wright's fault), the novel ultimately turned out NOT to be about "the strong women of the Mirror Universe," but was instead a thinly veiled story about Our Girl Not A Borg In This Universe But Still A Mighty Well-Stacked Terran Raised By Cardassians Member Of The Obsidian Order Seven-of-Nine. Sigh...even in the Mirror Universe, she gets top billing.
Rating:
Summary: Bleh
Review: I had such hope for this two-book novel, if for nothing else than the delicious cover art. Unfortunately, it fell short of the mark. The cover art was pretty much the best thing. Now, I *know* the story was about characters from the Mirror Universe, most of whom we hadn't ever met before, aside from Intendant Kira and Regent Worf, but I still could not get my head around the characters as written. This is not necessarily Susan Wright's fault. She is limited, like all the pro-novelists are, by canon. Some things just *cannot happen,* even in the Mirror Universe. But still, the thing that disappointed me the most (and I guess this *is* Susan Wright's fault), the novel ultimately turned out NOT to be about "the strong women of the Mirror Universe," but was instead a thinly veiled story about Our Girl Not A Borg In This Universe But Still A Mighty Well-Stacked Terran Raised By Cardassians Member Of The Obsidian Order Seven-of-Nine. Sigh...even in the Mirror Universe, she gets top billing.
Rating: 
Summary: Female Power!
Review: I loved it! We all adore Seven of Nine with her strong Borg identity but it is an even greater pleasure to read about her alternate character as an agent of the Cardassian Obsidian Order. And what an opening scene : to have her assassinate that Klingon in cold blood...immediately the tone is set for this series. Susan Wright is the next in line to write a very good novel about this merciless realm. It will certainly appeal to all readers who go for a little more "adult" adventures of our well known Star Trek characters. I am sure Susan had great fun in writing this story about the Mirror Universe and its wicked women who go boldly were no man has gone before! A Best-Seller!
Rating:
Summary: Female Power!
Review: I loved it! We all adore Seven of Nine with her strong Borg identity but it is an even greater pleasure to read about her alternate character as an agent of the Cardassian Obsidian Order. And what an opening scene : to have her assassinate that Klingon in cold blood...immediately the tone is set for this series. Susan Wright is the next in line to write a very good novel about this merciless realm. It will certainly appeal to all readers who go for a little more "adult" adventures of our well known Star Trek characters. I am sure Susan had great fun in writing this story about the Mirror Universe and its wicked women who go boldly were no man has gone before! A Best-Seller!
Rating:
Summary: Extra Ravings
Review: I loved the freedom that the author had with all the characters in this book. Since the setting was in the mirror universe, anything could and did happen. I would love to see a new series of books develop from this.
Rating:
Summary: Not your father's star trek!
Review: I must say I love Pocket Books new daring take on the Star Trek franchise. The New Earth series, Millenium, Gemworld, Dark Matters, and now the latest the Mirror Universe duology Dark Passions. This book is filled with many of beloved characters, but with a charming dark twist. Politics is the game of the day and the characters shine with all the double dealing going on behind the scenes. Intendant Kira shines as much in the novel as she did when Nana Visitor brought her to life on Deep Space Nine. The story telling is tight, the characters believable, and my only complaint is that these two books should have been one novel, much like the SwordHunt duology should have been. Looking forward to book two!
Rating:
Summary: Sci-fi + Political thriller
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the storyline progressed wonderfully. Now, not everyone who loves Star Trek will enjoy this book though. This book isn't full of a bunch of space battles and techno-babble. It's more like a political thriller set in the Star Trek mirror universe. So, if you like assinations and political intrigue with a sci-fi twist you'll love this book.
Rating: 
Summary: It had so much potential...
Review: I thought the concept behind the 2 "Dark Passions" books was terrific--but the results were less than I'd hoped for. Some of the characters were very well drawn--Seven of Nine, for example--while others were rushed or glossed over: why does the second novel's cover prominently feature Crusher and Janeway, when Janeway played a minor role in the text and Crusher was barely mentioned? The plot also wavered, with parts being brisk and exciting while others felt rushed and not very well thought out. On the plus side, the author did a good job including characters from all three contemporary Star Trek series, and the relationships between them were, for the most part, believable (if occasionally thin). All in all, not a bad pair of books, but not all they might have been.
Rating:
Summary: The Women of Star Trek get it on in the Mirror Universe
Review: I went off in search of the "Dark Passions" books because of a friend who wanted to know if I had read the Star Trek books with the lesbian encounter. However, if you think I am going to give away who the happy couple are in the first of Susan Wright's two books, you are sadly mistaken. What we have in "Dark Passions" are the evil twins of the 24th-century women of Star Trek in the Mirror Universe where humanity has been enslaved by the Klingon, Cardassian, and Bajoran Alliance. Book One features: Kira Nerys, the Intendant of Bajor; Deanna Troi, the Intendant of Betazed and Imzadi to Worf, the Klingon Regent; and Annika Hansen, the trained assassin of the Obsidian Order. Sisko, O'Brien and Keiko are wandering around as supporting characters, but the emphasis is most definitely on the ladies. Wright is providing the backstory on when Major Kira and Dr. bashir rediscover the Mirror Universe where Kirk encountered Mr. Spock with a goatee way back when. As such "Dark Passions" does not really intrude on any of the Deep Space Nine episodes where the two universes temporarily collide. Everybody is making a grab for power in the new order where the number one rule is not to trust anybody as the games within games are played out. Half of the fun is the way these familiar characters are twisted in the Mirror Universe. Sure a few things get forced--Annika Hansen is known as Agent Seven of Corps Nine for the Obsidian Order--but there always has to be well grounded ironic relationship between the known and alternative realities. Too bad we have to go to the Mirror Universe to see the ladies rule.
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