Rating: 
Summary: Good story line and characterization
Review: While this book doesn't shine the way Book Two (Heather Jarman's THIS GRAY SPIRIT) does, it's still one of the best of the DS9 novels. My biggest problem with it was that I couldn't figure out any possible scientific explanation for the "dimensional regression" caused by the Cathdral/Anathema, although the stories told of Julian's, Ezri's and Nog's past were well done and ultimately triumphant. Even if the latter two were more-or-less reiterations of DS9 shows, we learn more about Dr. Bashir "Jules" than we knew, and the denouement of that story is particularly satisfying.If you decide to accept some suspicious science, however, the story moves right along, the characterization is top-notch, and I especially liked the authors' understanding of politics -- how do you tell the good guys from the bad guys? can you stop politics from constantly changing? how do you avoid being suckered by plausible protestations of a superficially apparent "good-guy"? A rich and deeply understood Realpolitik was always DS9's greatest strength -- one of reasons why I loved it far more than any other Star Trek series. Genuine DS9 fans will love this book. A warning to others: Don't look for Gene Roddenberry's rather simple-minded Federation that seems to run on stardust and permanent good-will. The Cathedral alien and the Bajoran-Federation-Cardassian conflicts are as confusing, fascinating, and dangerous as today's headlines. Very well done indeed!
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