Rating: 
Summary: Utterly Mesmerizing
Review: "Unity" draws together all the threads of the previous relaunch novels in a story that is in turn compelling, shocking, exciting, enlightening and uplifting. From beginning to end "Unity" is utterly mesmerizing.If it's been some time since you read the previous novels you don't have to worry about feeling lost. The first thing you'll discover when you open the cover of "Unity" is a complete timeline that recounts the main events that have occurred since the final episode "What You Leave Behind" right up through the divergent endings of "Rising Son" and "Lesser Evil" when the U.S.S. Defiant is about to return to the station through the wormhole following their exploration of the Gamma Quadrant. After a brief prologue the story picks up right where it left off and upon returning those onboard the Defiant are immediately confronted with the reality of Bajor under siege by the parasites. Given how complex the ongoing story has grown over through the various relaunch novels I had to admit that I had my doubts about whether or not "Unity" could live up to it's expectations but S.D. Perry delivers the goods. Her gripping narrative easily transports the reader right smack dab into the middle of the crisis while at the same time she manages to reverentially, and at times even tenderly, address the personal issues confronting the various characters. With real virtuosity "Unity" manages to be both the perfect ending and a new beginning all at the same time. The three hundred pages that tell this tale fly by in the blink of an eye and there is an incredible amount packed into those pages. Reading "Unity" left me feeling unreservedly contented and completely satisfied.
Rating:
Summary: "Unity" has give me reason to like DS9
Review: Although I never liked the DS9 television series and leaned more toward the other Star Trek incarnations (having first been a huge fan of the Original Series, then and now), I have to admit that this book was genuinely exciting and made for great sci-fi in general. I now proudly add it to my collection of sci-fi and space opera that includes: "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Puppet Masters", "Foundation", "2001", "2010", "Rendezvous with Rama", "Ringworld", all the "Star Wars" books and, of course, "Star Trek" books, as well as books as new to the genre as "Advent of the Corps" and others.
Rating:
Summary: Unity delivers!
Review: As an avid fan of the television series, but generally not a fan of the Star Trek books, I must say that SD Perry and the other authors have done an absolutely magnificent job of reviving the series with intricate, complex plots and richly textured characters--I have been eagerly awaiting Unity's release for several months now. Unity is aptly titled--it is a spectacular conclusion to several stories that have been building over the course of several books, and supremely satisfying in its treatment of the characters and resolution of plotlines new and old. My one qualm with the novel is that at 300 pages, it seemed compressed--particularly towards the end. Perry deftly builds the anticipation and races us through a pulsing climax, but then she only has a very few pages left at the end to wrap up several storylines (and, unfortunately, she leaves--and it feels unintentional--some key threads untied. Perhaps for the next novel?). It was almost as if Pocket Books forced Perry to keep the novel relatively short. . .Even so, for those true DS9 fans, Unity, and all of the books that led up to it, are indeed DS9's "eighth season." Perry has captured everything we loved about the series. Can't wait for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: The Promise is Delivered
Review: At long last the arrival of Unity completed the storyline started in the DS9 final episode. The book promised to deliver the strings nicely tied and it does. What happens next? I will have to read the next book to find out.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for DS9 fans
Review: DS9 first aired in 1993 and hooked me from the beginning. Its seven years put both the characters and the viewers through a lot. Then, in 1999, it was over. Fortunately, in 2001, Pocket Books restarted the series in book form, acknowledging the major changes made in the series finale, putting familiar faces in new positions, adding new characters, and carrying on the Deep Space Nine saga. After two and a half years and a number of superb novels, the saga reaches something of a climax in Unity. It's not the end of the series (for which I'm very glad), but a number of major plot lines are resolved. Although there's a very helpful timeline summarizing the events in the previous novels, I don't recommend starting here. Too many events will lack the resonance they should have if you haven't read what's been building up over the course of the previous books. But if you have been reading the books and you haven't read this yet... what are you waiting for? Don't wait for the paperback. It's worth buying the hardcover. If you were ever moved by past Star Trek stories like The Wrath of Khan, The Inner Light, All Good Things..., The Visitor, or What You Leave Behind, well, Unity packs the same kind of punch. Action, suspense, great character moments, major developments in the ongoing storyline... all here. Some developments that we've hoped for and expected happen, but never in a predictable way. And there's so much more yet to be told... some storylines aren't resolved, and others will be generated by the changes made here. Consider this the end of the first phase of the DS9 relaunch and the beginning of the second phase.
Rating:
Summary: Tightening the relaunch
Review: Due to two pregnancies (editor Marco Palmieri's wife and Perry herself), "Unity" was pushed back from its initial release of February. As such, fans of the relaunch have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of "Unity," which promises to deliver many of the answers fans have been waiting for. Indeed, it proves to wrap up old plot lines and create more, making for an extremely fast read (three hours); however, fans of Perry's previous work in the Trek universe already know of her fast-paced, well-written prose and deft characterization. One can almost hear the actors delivering their lines with customary inflection; from O'Brien to Kira to Opaka, the characters come alive on every page. If anything, the 330 or so pages are barely enough to contain the energy, development, and anticipation that build up through the entire novel. At the center of "Unity" is, of course, the parasite crisis; Bajor and DS9 are under seige and the Bajoran sector is under lockdown. Cardassian warships surround both planet and station, a communications blackout in effect. Gul Macet, previously seen clawing at his throat when a parasite launches itself at the Dukat-esque Cardassian, is in charge of the Cardassian contingent. This is the scene that Vaughn and the crew of the "Defiant" find themselves entering. Without revealing anything too much, "Unity" gives us more of the inner turmoil Vaughn finds himself facing after shooting the Borg-Ruriko in sickbay, the anger Prynn holds for Vaughn, the deep-seeded Trill desire for privacy in all matters internal, and, of course, Kira's Attainder. Ro and Quark are given a lot of face time, and not just towards their romance; each have their own demons to face: if Bajor joins the Federation, Ro fears she will be turned over to Starfleet for prosecution and Quark fears he will be forced to leave DS9 for more profitable pastures. Taran'atar bonds with Wex, the stowaway whom Jake Sisko encountered when fulfilling his part of the Avatar prophecy. While not everyone is who they appear, one person holds true to her nature; the former Kai, Opaka Sulan.
It is she who finds a Bajor in spiritual crisis, telling Vedek Yevir it is not the texts Kira uploaded that have caused the split in faith; it is the Attainder the Vedek Assembly placed upon the colonel that has lead to Bajor fractured. The former Kai does not step up to retake her mantle, instead opting to allow spiritual politics to play out as they will, acting instead as a spirtiual counselor to the lost Elias Vaughn. She exposes him to the Orb of Unity, allowing for Vaughn to come face to face with the man he first encountered in the Badlands after opening the Orb of Memory. His role is significant to the novel, and while he is not completely healed at the conclusion of "Unity," the centenarian commander is well on his way, thanks to the Prophets. Ultimately, we discover the fate of Sisko and Kasidy, see the true face of evil (read: parasite), and relish the return of the O'Brien's to the fore. We leave the novel with an Andor in a peril of its own creation and an Andorian alone, a Bajor redefined and a faith still fractured, a son coming to terms with his father's place in the universe, and, as the cover shows, a former Bajoran freedom-fighter trying out a new uniform. Sometimes frightening, sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet, and always breathtaking, "Unity" establishes Perry as the chancellor of the relaunch, leaving the reader satisfied yet wanting more.
Oh, I almost forgot; "somewhere on Bajor...a child long awaited is born."
Rating:
Summary: Tightening the relaunch
Review: Due to two pregnancies (editor Marco Palmieri's wife and Perry herself), "Unity" was pushed back from its initial release of February. As such, fans of the relaunch have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of "Unity," which promises to deliver many of the answers fans have been waiting for. Indeed, it proves to wrap up old plot lines and create more, making for an extremely fast read (three hours); however, fans of Perry's previous work in the Trek universe already know of her fast-paced, well-written prose and deft characterization. One can almost hear the actors delivering their lines with customary inflection; from O'Brien to Kira to Opaka, the characters come alive on every page. If anything, the 330 or so pages are barely enough to contain the energy, development, and anticipation that build up through the entire novel. At the center of "Unity" is, of course, the parasite crisis; Bajor and DS9 are under seige and the Bajoran sector is under lockdown. Cardassian warships surround both planet and station, a communications blackout in effect. Gul Macet, previously seen clawing at his throat when a parasite launches itself at the Dukat-esque Cardassian, is in charge of the Cardassian contingent. This is the scene that Vaughn and the crew of the "Defiant" find themselves entering. Without revealing anything too much, "Unity" gives us more of the inner turmoil Vaughn finds himself facing after shooting the Borg-Ruriko in sickbay, the anger Prynn holds for Vaughn, the deep-seeded Trill desire for privacy in all matters internal, and, of course, Kira's Attainder. Ro and Quark are given a lot of face time, and not just towards their romance; each have their own demons to face: if Bajor joins the Federation, Ro fears she will be turned over to Starfleet for prosecution and Quark fears he will be forced to leave DS9 for more profitable pastures. Taran'atar bonds with Wex, the stowaway whom Jake Sisko encountered when fulfilling his part of the Avatar prophecy. While not everyone is who they appear, one person holds true to her nature; the former Kai, Opaka Sulan.
It is she who finds a Bajor in spiritual crisis, telling Vedek Yevir it is not the texts Kira uploaded that have caused the split in faith; it is the Attainder the Vedek Assembly placed upon the colonel that has lead to Bajor fractured. The former Kai does not step up to retake her mantle, instead opting to allow spiritual politics to play out as they will, acting instead as a spirtiual counselor to the lost Elias Vaughn. She exposes him to the Orb of Unity, allowing for Vaughn to come face to face with the man he first encountered in the Badlands after opening the Orb of Memory. His role is significant to the novel, and while he is not completely healed at the conclusion of "Unity," the centenarian commander is well on his way, thanks to the Prophets. Ultimately, we discover the fate of Sisko and Kasidy, see the true face of evil (read: parasite), and relish the return of the O'Brien's to the fore. We leave the novel with an Andor in a peril of its own creation and an Andorian alone, a Bajor redefined and a faith still fractured, a son coming to terms with his father's place in the universe, and, as the cover shows, a former Bajoran freedom-fighter trying out a new uniform. Sometimes frightening, sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet, and always breathtaking, "Unity" establishes Perry as the chancellor of the relaunch, leaving the reader satisfied yet wanting more.
Oh, I almost forgot; "somewhere on Bajor...a child long awaited is born."
Rating:
Summary: Tightening the relaunch
Review: Due to two pregnancies (editor Marco Palmieri's wife and Perry herself), "Unity" was pushed back from its initial release of February. As such, fans of the relaunch have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of "Unity," which promises to deliver many of the answers fans have been waiting for. Indeed, it proves to wrap up old plot lines and create more, making for an extremely fast read (three hours); however, fans of Perry's previous work in the Trek universe already know of her fast-paced, well-written prose and deft characterization. One can almost hear the actors delivering their lines with customary inflection; from O'Brien to Kira to Opaka, the characters come alive on every page. If anything, the 330 or so pages are barely enough to contain the energy, development, and anticipation that build up through the entire novel. At the center of "Unity" is, of course, the parasite crisis; Bajor and DS9 are under seige and the Bajoran sector is under lockdown. Cardassian warships surround both planet and station, a communications blackout in effect. Gul Macet, previously seen clawing at his throat when a parasite launches itself at the Dukat-esque Cardassian, is in charge of the Cardassian contingent. This is the scene that Vaughn and the crew of the "Defiant" find themselves entering. Without revealing anything too much, "Unity" gives us more of the inner turmoil Vaughn finds himself facing after shooting the Borg-Ruriko in sickbay, the anger Prynn holds for Vaughn, the deep-seeded Trill desire for privacy in all matters internal, and, of course, Kira's Attainder. Ro and Quark are given a lot of face time, and not just towards their romance; each have their own demons to face: if Bajor joins the Federation, Ro fears she will be turned over to Starfleet for prosecution and Quark fears he will be forced to leave DS9 for more profitable pastures. Taran'atar bonds with Wex, the stowaway whom Jake Sisko encountered when fulfilling his part of the Avatar prophecy. While not everyone is who they appear, one person holds true to her nature; the former Kai, Opaka Sulan.
It is she who finds a Bajor in spiritual crisis, telling Vedek Yevir it is not the texts Kira uploaded that have caused the split in faith; it is the Attainder the Vedek Assembly placed upon the colonel that has lead to Bajor fractured. The former Kai does not step up to retake her mantle, instead opting to allow spiritual politics to play out as they will, acting instead as a spirtiual counselor to the lost Elias Vaughn. She exposes him to the Orb of Unity, allowing for Vaughn to come face to face with the man he first encountered in the Badlands after opening the Orb of Memory. His role is significant to the novel, and while he is not completely healed at the conclusion of "Unity," the centenarian commander is well on his way, thanks to the Prophets. Ultimately, we discover the fate of Sisko and Kasidy, see the true face of evil (read: parasite), and relish the return of the O'Brien's to the fore. We leave the novel with an Andor in a peril of its own creation and an Andorian alone, a Bajor redefined and a faith still fractured, a son coming to terms with his father's place in the universe, and, as the cover shows, a former Bajoran freedom-fighter trying out a new uniform. Sometimes frightening, sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet, and always breathtaking, "Unity" establishes Perry as the chancellor of the relaunch, leaving the reader satisfied yet wanting more.
Oh, I almost forgot; "somewhere on Bajor...a child long awaited is born."
Rating:
Summary: Long awaited
Review: First off, i'd like to say that i've read about half this book now. I suggest that you read the "Avatar" series, the "Gamma missions" series and the "Rising son" book to make sure Unity stays consistent, because alot as happen since the last episode of DS9. Other books are available to tell the story beetween "Unity" and the last episode, but the ones i've just listed are the most important. For now (like i said ive read about half since last night) S.D. Perry's book seems to be the perfect tie-in for the series up to now. Since the re-launch of DS9, many new faces are on DS9 and each one of the new characters are as much alive than the original cast from the series. Wich is refreshing to say the least. Rarely do I feel any connection with new characters exploited in books, but not in this series. I truly regret that these stories we're not produce for TV before, they would have been, by far, the best episodes of DS9. And Unity would make a great film! I cant wait to read the whole book and come back to give my real review of the Unity book. This was just a preliminary report to make sure you buy this book with the necessary backround reading to ensure that the Unity book is the best possible experience there is. I'll be back with my full review of this book in the next day or so...
Rating:
Summary: Movie Material!
Review: I can't add much more, except to agree wholeheartedly with what the other reviewers have already said. This book was well worth the wait, and I can't wait to see what comes next. This book would be a wonderful basis if a Star Trek movie is ever made focusing on Deep Space Nine.
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