Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but has flaws
Review: The first book in the Lost Era series, The Sundered features Captain Hikaru Sulu and the starship Excelsior. Most of you will remember that Sulu was shown to be in command of the ship in Star Trek VI, and I've always been interested in seeing what an adventure with him and his crew would be like. In The Sundered, we see that he has a few familiar faces along with some crew members we haven't seen as well. For me, part of the "coolness factor" of this novel is the fact that we get to see Captain Sulu in action. Unfortunately, some weird pacing and jumping back and forth in history bring the book to a screeching halt every time it gets going. Add a "trial by combat" cliché, and the book turns out ok rather then great.First, it was good to see old friends again in new situations. Sulu has assembled a number of known Trek characters to fill out his crew complement. Janice Rand is now the communications officer, Christine Chapel is the ship's doctor, and Pavel Chekov is Sulu's first officer. Also, as established in the Star Trek: Voyager television series, Tuvok is a member of the crew. Not only was it great to see these faces, but Martin & Mangels capture them perfectly. They are the characters we all know and love, but they have matured. Chekov is no longer the impulsive hot-head he was in the original series, but he can still remember that time. When it comes time to discipline one of the crew, he remembers back to when he was a raw ensign, and it affects how he does it. It's like the kids have grown up and are running the store. Given the fact that these characters were small roles in the original series, there is no larger-than-life character that has to be given the hero's position. In fact, the resolution of the whole story is sparked by somebody else, and what Sulu has to do is adapt it in order to solve the current crisis. This is refreshing for those of you who are tired of seeing Jim Kirk solve every problem in sight. While the known characters are done well, what about the rest of them? The new crew members are top notch as well, though they are relatively few. Only two of them actually have much to do, but they are great characters as well. This is marred by only one thing. The authors decide to make use of a situation from an old episode, where two of the crew are about to get married, but then one of them is killed in battle with the Romulans. Not only does this happen again (except no Romulans, of course), but it's foreshadowed so bluntly, that the episode is actually referenced *before* it happens! Rand thinks back to the last time two crew members were going to get married and remembers what happened to them. The authors don't even change much of the story, having the death happen in the same place on the ship as the previous one. While I appreciate the fact that Mangels and Martin took this story further (and actually tell a little sub-plot about revenge), the fact that none of the details are different is very lazy. Another problem with the book is the awkwardness of the story-telling. The book is broken up into parts, alternating between the current time and history (both of the ambassador and of several Earth historical points). While I understand that the Neyel have a lot of history that can't just be infodumped, I found that the way it was done destroyed the tension in the book. It didn't help that the characters within this history weren't that interesting. I found myself wondering when the history lesson would end so we could get back to the actual story. Just when the Sulu story really started to get interesting, they would switch back to the history. They even include a scene in this history with Zefram Cochrane (the creator of warp drive) discussing things with the Next Generation characters that helped him in the movie First Contact. This scene seemed entirely gratuitous, as it didn't seem to matter anywhere in the plot. Other than that, though, the plot of the book is very intriguing. The Tholians haven't been used much in Trek fiction, so it was nice to see them. The current-day story is well-told and intriguing, though it's brought down by the cliché of Sulu fighting a trial by combat with the Tholian commander is really a groaner. Thankfully, Mangels and Martin end it in a distinctive way, at least. The Sundered is a flawed first book in the Lost Era series, but it's certainly worth reading if you're a Trek fan. The series has an intriguing premise, and if subsequent books can keep up the quality of this one (without the annoying bits mentioned above), then it should be a winner. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: Parallel evolution at its best
Review: The first book in the Lost Era series, The Sundered features Captain Hikaru Sulu and the starship Excelsior. Most of you will remember that Sulu was shown to be in command of the ship in Star Trek VI, and I've always been interested in seeing what an adventure with him and his crew would be like. In The Sundered, we see that he has a few familiar faces along with some crew members we haven't seen as well. For me, part of the "coolness factor" of this novel is the fact that we get to see Captain Sulu in action. Unfortunately, some weird pacing and jumping back and forth in history bring the book to a screeching halt every time it gets going. Add a "trial by combat" cliché, and the book turns out ok rather then great. First, it was good to see old friends again in new situations. Sulu has assembled a number of known Trek characters to fill out his crew complement. Janice Rand is now the communications officer, Christine Chapel is the ship's doctor, and Pavel Chekov is Sulu's first officer. Also, as established in the Star Trek: Voyager television series, Tuvok is a member of the crew. Not only was it great to see these faces, but Martin & Mangels capture them perfectly. They are the characters we all know and love, but they have matured. Chekov is no longer the impulsive hot-head he was in the original series, but he can still remember that time. When it comes time to discipline one of the crew, he remembers back to when he was a raw ensign, and it affects how he does it. It's like the kids have grown up and are running the store. Given the fact that these characters were small roles in the original series, there is no larger-than-life character that has to be given the hero's position. In fact, the resolution of the whole story is sparked by somebody else, and what Sulu has to do is adapt it in order to solve the current crisis. This is refreshing for those of you who are tired of seeing Jim Kirk solve every problem in sight. While the known characters are done well, what about the rest of them? The new crew members are top notch as well, though they are relatively few. Only two of them actually have much to do, but they are great characters as well. This is marred by only one thing. The authors decide to make use of a situation from an old episode, where two of the crew are about to get married, but then one of them is killed in battle with the Romulans. Not only does this happen again (except no Romulans, of course), but it's foreshadowed so bluntly, that the episode is actually referenced *before* it happens! Rand thinks back to the last time two crew members were going to get married and remembers what happened to them. The authors don't even change much of the story, having the death happen in the same place on the ship as the previous one. While I appreciate the fact that Mangels and Martin took this story further (and actually tell a little sub-plot about revenge), the fact that none of the details are different is very lazy. Another problem with the book is the awkwardness of the story-telling. The book is broken up into parts, alternating between the current time and history (both of the ambassador and of several Earth historical points). While I understand that the Neyel have a lot of history that can't just be infodumped, I found that the way it was done destroyed the tension in the book. It didn't help that the characters within this history weren't that interesting. I found myself wondering when the history lesson would end so we could get back to the actual story. Just when the Sulu story really started to get interesting, they would switch back to the history. They even include a scene in this history with Zefram Cochrane (the creator of warp drive) discussing things with the Next Generation characters that helped him in the movie First Contact. This scene seemed entirely gratuitous, as it didn't seem to matter anywhere in the plot. Other than that, though, the plot of the book is very intriguing. The Tholians haven't been used much in Trek fiction, so it was nice to see them. The current-day story is well-told and intriguing, though it's brought down by the cliché of Sulu fighting a trial by combat with the Tholian commander is really a groaner. Thankfully, Mangels and Martin end it in a distinctive way, at least. The Sundered is a flawed first book in the Lost Era series, but it's certainly worth reading if you're a Trek fan. The series has an intriguing premise, and if subsequent books can keep up the quality of this one (without the annoying bits mentioned above), then it should be a winner. David Roy
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Wonderful
Review: The Sundered by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin is an incredible story in so many different ways. Whatever way you add it up it still comes out the same way-this is one great novel. The first of the much-touted Lost Era novels, this book does more than live up to its promise, it surpasses it. The Sundered is an amazing and compelling book, one that should have great appeal, on a number of levels for a wide variety of readers. Utilizing both familiar and unique characters, the authors paint a picture with their prose of three distinct societies: the Federation of that era, the Tholian Assembly and the Neyel Hegemony. The authors take the time to introduce the characters. Instead of rushing the plot, they patiently allow the characters to become 'real'. Martin and Mangels depiction of the Excelsior crew is of a group of individuals who have developed deep and lasting relationships over a long period. There is a real comfort level in the way they interact. The Tholian society portrayed in The Sundered may not meet every reader's preconceived notions of that alien species, but I thought the author's depiction of the Tholians was incredible. Building on what little is known about the physical appearance of the non-humanoid Tholians, Martin and Mangels skillfully illuminate an intricate and fascinating species and provide our first real look at their unique civilization. The Tholian characters are as fully realized as any of the other characters in this story. The plot makes use of the classic story within a story framework. As the scenes shift from the current events to the past, we are gradually able to understand how the Neyel became who they are. How all they had gone through shaped their beliefs and how those beliefs shaped their actions. They went from being creepy to sympathetic by the end and it would be wonderful to find out some day if their hopes and dreams come true. One of the great things about The Sundered was how the story would often raise questions in your mind, you would begin to wonder about something and then within a chapter or two all was made clear. It was actually more satisfying than if it had all been laid out to begin with. Additionally, the way the authors were able to cleverly explain previous inconsistencies while at the same time adhering to established continuity was very impressive. Whatever way you look at it, Star Trek novels don't get much better than The Sundered. It is a true science fiction tale that amply demonstrates that the Star Trek universe is still a wonderful place to explore the human condition.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book By Martin And Mangels
Review: This a great novel, not just a great Star Trek novel. I enjoyed every moment of it. Plenty of action and suspense with excellent character work. Captain Sulu and his crew on the Excelsior find themselves thrust into a very unique situation between two hostile and trigger-happy alien species. There are several surprising twists and the conclusion smokes. I'm looking forward with great anticipation to many more books by the awesome duo of Martin and Mangels!
Rating:
Summary: Book Proves there should be a Captain Sulu book series
Review: This book is further proof that Captain Sulu is a viable property for book series. The characters have a good relationship and harkens back to the events in the TV show. It refers to Kirk without having to depend on his tactics. Sulu has a few tricks of his own to solve problems and his command style is much different than Kirk's. I hope to see more of this crew. For all intents and purposes Sulu should have had his own TV show. It would have brought back a lot of original series fans back home again.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Novel
Review: This book, which chronicles an adventure of Captain Sulu and the crew of the Excelsior, is excellent. Perhaps the most intriguing parts were those which took place in the past, showing what happened to the O'Neill colonies. Their storyline is intertwined with the Excelsior storyline and they eventually come together. The authors did a fantastic job of revealing bits and pieces of the mystery at a time, instead of spelling the whole thing out at once. The "bad guys" are the Tholians. It was interesting to see the Tholian culture explored a little. Character moments for Chekov, Tuvok, and L. J. Akaar were also appreciated. An excellent start to the Lost Era series!
Rating:
Summary: A solid Trek story.
Review: This is an old-fashioned Star Trek story, of a type too rare now: the crew gets caught between two hostile groups, learns about them and the nature of their conflict, and then brings them together to settle their differences through negotiation. I have always enjoyed this type of story and this is no exception. They have also been very rare from Trek recently. The writing itself is of high quality. It is entertaining and generally well plotted. the tension between Sulu and Ambassador Burgess, reflecting the tension between Starfleet and the Federation Diplomatic Corps., was well done. However, the authors used several generic plot devices and were not very subtle about incorporating them in the story. As for the agonising about their personal lives that some characters did: in sharp contrast to Lost Era: The Well of Souls, there are basically only two such characters, and the sections are short, rare and generally relevant. All in all, I found this a very enjoyable read.
Rating: 
Summary: Sulu's Last Best Chance to Smile
Review: This novel is filled with cliches. Everyone is doing involved in something that is 'their last best chance' at something. There is a trial by combat, the annoying ambassador, the alien misunderstanding. It's all been done before, only better. I thought it would be interesting to read a novel about Sulu as a captain, but in this one he is simply a cardboard cutout who smiles or grins at everything. No characterization worth reading. Also, the story is told in third-person 'removed'. The only way to appreciate this annoyance is to watch an episode of the PBS kids show Calliou before reading this book. In the cartoon the narrator says things like "Calliou didn't want to take his medicine, but he didn't want to feel bad either." This is exactly how this novel is written. You don't read the story directly as it happens, no, you read a narration of the story (e.g. "Sulu didn't want to go to do something, but he felt he had to.") I felt like I was reading a book written for grade schoolers. The big problem, however, is the stories logic and flow. At one point Sulu 'figures out' who the aliens are. How does he do this? Who knows, the narrator doesn't really explain but somehow he puts a couple of obscure facts together and amazes the reader with a warp-leap of logic. The whole story is like this, and it disappoints greatly. In a nutshell, you feel like you are reading a loose translation of a story outline without actually being allowed to get into the story. Sulu does smile though. Read any of the Shatner Trek novels, or New Frontiers novels for a much more enjoyable reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: Sulu's Last Best Chance to Smile
Review: This novel is filled with cliches. Everyone is doing involved in something that is 'their last best chance' at something. There is a trial by combat, the annoying ambassador, the alien misunderstanding. It's all been done before, only better. I thought it would be interesting to read a novel about Sulu as a captain, but in this one he is simply a cardboard cutout who smiles or grins at everything. No characterization worth reading. Also, the story is told in third-person 'removed'. The only way to appreciate this annoyance is to watch an episode of the PBS kids show Calliou before reading this book. In the cartoon the narrator says things like "Calliou didn't want to take his medicine, but he didn't want to feel bad either." This is exactly how this novel is written. You don't read the story directly as it happens, no, you read a narration of the story (e.g. "Sulu didn't want to go to do something, but he felt he had to.") I felt like I was reading a book written for grade schoolers. The big problem, however, is the stories logic and flow. At one point Sulu 'figures out' who the aliens are. How does he do this? Who knows, the narrator doesn't really explain but somehow he puts a couple of obscure facts together and amazes the reader with a warp-leap of logic. The whole story is like this, and it disappoints greatly. In a nutshell, you feel like you are reading a loose translation of a story outline without actually being allowed to get into the story. Sulu does smile though. Read any of the Shatner Trek novels, or New Frontiers novels for a much more enjoyable reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: A welcome return to old and new friends
Review: This novel is the first in an ingenious series bridging the a gap between generations. Captain Sulu and the USS Excelsior depart on a diplomatic mission to work with an older foe, the Thorians. With the help of many colleagues from the original Enterprise, the crew is able to stop a war between the Federation and the Thorians. The volume of tie-in presented in the book excited me. Every time a chapter started, I sat on edge waiting to see how the authors would bring another aspect of the Star Trek universe in. As the third novel I have read from these writers, I can say each time I am elated with the complexity they provoke in the familiar characters. With no reservations, I give this book the highest rating. As a novel it defiantly deserves it but I question the background presented about the Thorians. I fell there might be descripencies with the minimal use of the Thorians in the current TV series. Enterprise.
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