Rating: Summary: A stitch in time Review: This book was the worst I have ever read. The author left me wondering were he was taking me. It was very hard to follow. Although this was a very "Garak" like story, I felt very disapointed.
Rating: Summary: Andrew Robinson is the voice of Garak! Review: First of all, to answer a question posed by another reviewer of this book, yes Andrew Robinson wrote this book by himself--every single word! His total mastery of the voice of Garak in print ought to be a good clue to that though. I have never read a book before where the voice of the main character seemed to speak to me from the page. This is an amazing book and a "must read" for any Star Trek fan!
Rating: Summary: The only good Cardassan... Review: This story is apparently an "autobiography" of DS9 tailor/ spy Garak compiled of journal entries of his ruminations on the upcoming reinvasion of his home planet, interspersed with memories of his military school experiences. Cardassian academies, I'll have you know, are a lot tougher than West Point or The Citadel, as you'll discover in this story. Their "lords of discipline" are what turn out hard cases like Dukat and Damar. And it's also why Garak, despite his seeming effeteness, is a pretty tough customer himself at times. I don't know if Robinson, who played Garak on the series, really is the author, or if he did a Bill Shatner and had it ghosted. All I know is if you can get past the temptation to be a purist, this book is worth the read. No matter who "wrote" it.
Rating: Summary: excellent book; great story; super plot; awesome characters Review: Very rarely have I found a "Trek" novel so well written. Andrew Robinson's portrayal of Garak on Deep Space 9 made him one of my all time favorite Trek characters. Now, Robinson's story about Garak fills in a superb amount of detail around this mysterious character. Robinson was very meticulous, both in playing the character on TV and in the story, about maintaining an aura of mystery around this "plain, simple tailor." While he fills in important details about Garak's life, from childhood, to his time in the intelligence organization of Cardassia -- the Obsidian Order -- to his exile on the station Terok Nor that would become Deep Space 9, Robinson weaves an excellent story with a well-developed central character and the several supporting characters that we have known from the series (Gul Dukat, Enabrin Tain, etc.) as well as some new ones. We also see Garak at work "behind the scenes" of the TV show's last season, leading up to the culmination of the Dominion War and the destruction of Cardassia. Finally, Robinson portrays a very believable future for our beloved tailor on Cardassia, working to bring his battered world and the Cardassians battered spirits back together. In spite of all this great storytelling, I put down the book with more questions than ever in my head about Garak, which is as is should be for "plain, simple Garak." The telling of the story via snippets from a "journal" of sorts, organized and embellished in a letter to Garak's dear friend, Dr. Bashir, makes the story much more readable than it would have been if it had been a straight, linear timeline. We are able to see the "tapestry" of Garak's life which he has "stiched" together. Andrew Robinson's / Garak's humor also comes through very nicely at important points too, making this book even more enjoyable. A definite must-read for all you Garak fans out there!
Rating: Summary: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Review: This is, I believe, the best Trek book I have read to date. The plot is relatively simple -- it fills in Garak's life before Deep Space Nine, it fills in Garak's life and feelings in the events surrounding the Cardassian invasion, and then it tells us about his efforts on the devastated planet afterwards.The beginning segment, at the school et cetera, was the closest that Star Trek has gotten to "Ender's Game." While this novel isn't that good, that was the general feeling I got as I was reading it. The characterisations were consistent and superb throughout the novel, and to differentiate between the different plotlines, the author simply uses different fonts. It was a neat effect. It is clear when reading this book that Robinson is a fledgling author. While the vocabulary is okay, the sentence structure is somewhat elementary, but this doesn't really hurt the novel, because it is a lot better than some of the drivel we've seen before when it comes to ST books. This book is written in a series of first-person entries into Garak's journal, which he has arranged into an interesting order and is sending to Dr. Bashir. Although the premise and writing are clear, the presentation was a little dissapointing. These didn't feel like journal entries; I can't picture anyone writing a journal looking like that. Still it was an interesting, sometimes thought-provoking, and always fascinating view of life through Garak's eyes. Kudos to the author for a job well done!
Rating: Summary: "Stitch in Time" Review: WOW! What a fantastic story. Even if you are not a fan of DS9 you will enjoy this book. The character of Garak is fascinating and I really enjoyed the way the book was part journal, part correspondence and part real time. At times touching, this novel is much more than an exploration of a TV character. It is also a fascinating glimpse into a unique alien culture.
Rating: Summary: a fine look at a great character Review: It is a rare thing to find an actor who can =actually= write. Most are at best coauthors and at worst aren't even involved in the process beyond signing a contract that permits the publisher to put their name on the cover. But Robinson apparently wrote this book his own self, and he has done a magnificent job. Garak has always been one of the most interesting characters on DEEP SPACE NINE -- a show already well stocked with interesting characters -- and this book does a wonderful job of fleshing out what we already know about him without in any way diluting the character or depriving him of his edge (as often happens to "dark" characters as we learn more about them). Robinson also nails the voices of the other characters, from the DS9 regulars to one-off characters like the Cardassian Guls Evek and Madred, perfectly. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoyed DS9's plain, simple tailor.
Rating: Summary: Rich texture, developed characters, and lots of continuity Review: We find out about Garak's childhood, events just before and just after "Tears of the Prophets", Garak's initiation into the Obsidian Order, Gul Dukat's first name, the real reason Dukat hates Garak so much, some "missing scenes" from "What You Leave Behind", why Garak was exiled to Terok Nor and why he stayed behind on Deep Space Nine, where his gardening skills come from, and a few months of developments on Cardassia after the end of the war... just to name a few of the more interesting bits. The book basically follows three timelines: One starts in Garak's youth, just before he goes off to join an academy, and progresses to about the middle of "Emissary". A second starts just before "Tears of the Prophets" and continues to near the end of "What You Leave Behind". The third goes from shortly after Garak's arrival on Cardassia after WYLB and shows important events in the rebuilding of the planet. This is a wonderful novel, and it is a tribute to Andrew J. Robinson's knowledge of his character, and the others in the series, that he was able to create this story without a ghostwriter or co-writer.
Rating: Summary: Another Great DS9 Book Review: This book is just wonderful. I was really sad to see DS9 go on tv but these books still give a really great read. The storyline is good; I always wanted to know a little more about Garak because he was always so mysterious. This book really tells you a lot about him and his life. I really suggest this book to any Deep Space Nine fan.
Rating: Summary: The best trek Review: I've probably read seventy-five or more of the trek books, and this novel is my favorite. A Stitch in Time is the Cardassian "Confessions of Augustine", describing the moral development of the DS9 "tailor". It's also a fine adventure. Don't let the cliche title fool you. This is orginal, moving and potent reading.
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