Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Mastery of canon material
Review: I just finished this novel yesterday, and I have to say that it was a wonderful read. I'd like to comment on the author's mastery of canon material and writing skills- there were references to episodes of DS9 (esp. the last season) all through the book by Quark, Kira, Bashir, even Ezri, which I thought was astounding. I also like the cultural areas that the series is taking in, esp. the Andorian culture with Shar and his bondmates (You'll have to read to find out what I mean! *^_^* ) You can tell that he (and the other authors, I'm sure) have done a LOT of research to make sure they have no plot/continuity errors in their work. Bravo!This is Trek as we saw in DS9- a true series that explores not only other worlds, but ourselves at the same time. Thanks and kudos to Marco Palmeri (editor) for getting this together so well (he edited "Lives of Dax" as well)- ultimate master of DS9-ness in book form.
Rating: 
Summary: Starts with a bang and rarely lets up.
Review: I will give David R. George credit for one thing ... he writes Trek action better than any other author who's attempted to craft a story in one of the most well loved fictive universes out there. The story begins with Defiant on the run from some very xenophobic aliens last seen in the Gateways saga, and George makes you feel as if you're right on the bridge of the battleship, feeling the intensity and danger along with the characters. From that point forward, George deftly manages numerous plot threads introduced since the DS9 re-launch, handling both the political intrigue on the station itself, as well as the marvelous sense of exploration that Trek does so well, as Defiant heads into the Gamma Quadrant to renew the United Federation of Planets mission of exploration and peaceful first contact. While there are some of my favorite DS9 characters conspicuously absent in the re-launch (Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire most prominent amongst them), the characters that have been introduced manage to be both well-rounded and yet still have that signature DS9 chip on the shoulder. The strained relationship between Commander Elias Vaughan and his daughter (also serving on DS9) is a prime example of the gritty relationships that have always been a hallmark of this incarnation of Star Trek. Their conflict is resolved in a very satisfactory manner, with both characters having to go through sheer emotional and physical hell before finally letting go of old grudges and hatreds in order to heal a wounded relationship between father and daughter, and the beefy length of the book (500+ pages) allows you time to get to know and care about these two before things end up happily ever after. This book is the first of four in the "Mission Gamma" series. Here's hoping the following 3 authors can follow David R. George's excellent opening chapter.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit of a bore
Review: I'm now three books into this four book set and this set is a little disappointing so far. What made DS9 so special from the other shows is the level, the attitude. The original were adventurers, the Next Generation explorers/diplomats, Voyager, lost and DS9---dangerous. Unstable. Only small piece of the cast was about being Starfleet officers, about rules, regulations. Now the crew has been homogenized. Kira is constantly stuck in her office struggling over being Attainted by the Bajoran religion and the others galavant off to the Gamma Quadrant for something to do.
Vaughn and Tenmei struggle through their silent drama as we wonder what drove them apart, her mother's death (which is never adequately answered), to a reconciliation which makes sense in thsi book and the next but as they are created characters for teh novel series, there's less of a connection to them that the others.
Shar and the Andorian quartet marriage situation is interesting for 1 book but is dragged out for 3 culminating in a madness that is deadly and one of the few impacting emotional scenes along the way. Though a real break from the norm would've been Shar having this multiple sexualitya nd having an interest in a crew member. However he's identified himself as male so often in Starfleet that that is how he acts. Which kind of smacks in the face of a Federation that accepts all kinds of beings.
Unfortunately there is the thought to compare this to the old DS9 crew because this crew is so bland. There's no war, no tension, no resolution to the Sisko father and son mystery. Instead the story picks up on the Bajoran application to the Federation and the Cardassian's in need of help from the ones they once oppressed.
There is the constant parallel here between the Nazis and the Jews and unfortunately the destruction that the Cardassians reaped upon Bajor shouldn't be forgiven, it's almost too easy. The book simulates tension rather than truly creating it. My hope was that this was simply the beginning of a worthy series of books but teh fact that it's several writers doing this and not one controlling the whole story makes the takes and dimensions resonate false.
Thne story can end only one of two ways with Bajor becoming part of the Federation and Ro and Quark and others no longer having purpose on DS9 on yet another hold up to the integration of the world into the UFP.
Such a politicized concept for an action/thinking crew that DS9 once had is a little too patly handled here. Bluntly, there's very little actions lotttttttttttttsssssssssssss of feelings and dialogue and practically very obvious dialogue.
And so on to Book Two............
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent
Review: If you're a fan of the DS9 re-launch, this is the next book to read. And if you're *not* a fan, I'd recommend you become one, if for no other reason than to read pro Trek that's out from under the contraints of television canon. Imagine, no pesky demographics getting in the way of decent (and multiple) plotlines. It's so *refreshing*! While it may be true you could be lost if you start with this book, I'll betcha you'll go back to the beginning of the re-launch if you *do* decide to start here. "Twilight" (the first in a series of four called "Mission Gamma") sets a number of scenes involving our favorites from DS9, plus a few others who were introduced earlier. To me, this is a face-paced and meaty story, with just the right mix of space battles and character development - exactly the way I like my Star Trek. Some story lines are resolved in this novel, but others will be carried into future books, which is as it should be. Kira's holding down the fort on DS9, while Vaughn is on the Defiant, exploring the Gamma Quadrant. To say anything more would be giving away too much. David R. George's writing style has been described by another reviewer as "extraordinarily rich in descriptive narrative," and I quite agree. He's easy on the eye and the mind - though I *did* add a number of words to my vocabulary with this book. In reading over the other reviews, I see many who are gagging over the budding romance between Ro and Quark. But I think it's just one more example of the beauty of this whole re-launch thing. Heck, having Ro on the station *at all* is more than we'd probably ever see on TV - at least a Ro with Michelle Forbes' face, which is how I'll always picture her. So I'll take Ro/Quark as part of the whole that is "Mission Gamma" and keep on reading! Besides, I've seen odder couples in my life, so why should I think something in fiction is so farfetched? They say love is blind, after all, and if you read this book, you may discover Ro and Quark have more in common than you might think. There is also a tiny sub-plot about Kasidy Yates, as she waits alone on Bajor for the birth of her child. She's also trying to come to terms with being the wife of the Emissary, which isn't easy without Ben *or* Jake to support her. I'm glad Kasidy's been included in the re-launch. Hers was the story I really wanted to see resolved - or at least continued - and I'm glad to see it happening here.
Rating:
Summary: Deep Space Nine gets back to exploring
Review: One of the draws to the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was the fact that the wormhole passage that was right next to the station enabled exploration to a completely uncharted area of space, the Gamma Quadrant. While the show had its fair share of episodes exploring this area, they spent more time with Bajor, and, subsequently, with the Dominion War. In fact, in later seasons, the wormhole was closed and the Gamma Quadrant was unreachable. Now that the series is over and the books have taken over the grand Deep Space Nine story, it's time to open up the exploration again. Twilight, by David R. George III, is the beginning of a four-part story which details this. It's a huge novel with a very large story to tell, one which it tells effectively for the most part. However, it's a bit bloated with so much information, and George's occasionally heavy prose and repetition make this problem worse. Still, it's a great read for any DS9 fan. I have never seen a 500 page Trek novel before, but George has a lot of ground to cover. I'm glad to say that he doesn't waste much of it, though the book could have been trimmed a bit here and there. George's style is very workmanlike and enjoyable. One thing it is not is boring. However, he does repeat himself at times, seemingly to emphasize points that he thinks the reader should definitely remember. Kira's attainder against practicing her religion gets mentioned many times. Other times, repetition is not the problem, but heavy-handed prose is. George allows his characters to get very introspective, but sometimes he goes a bit too far, with pages going by with nothing but a character thinking. I really loved the book, but I found it dragging at times because of this. The main place where this happens is on the planet where the pulse originated. George does a wonderful job examining his characters, especially Vaughn. Vaughn has a lot of soul-searching to do. His relationship with his daughter is non-existent, as she blames him for her mother's death and for abandoning her afterward in his own guilt. He has always dreamed of exploring, but most of his career has been spent fighting various menaces. He has a lot of regrets in his past, and he ends up reliving a lot of them on the planet. While this was fascinating stuff, it began to get tedious as the pages roll by. Sometimes, I just wanted Vaughn to shut up and get on with it. There are some passages for Dax like this as well, and each character has just a bit too much introspection for my taste. The book just feels a bit bloated because of this. George captures the other characters wonderfully, getting to the heart of the various conflicts between them. The ongoing tension between ch'Thane and his family is beautifully drawn, finally extracting a promise that he never wanted to make to his fellow Andorians. Ro and Quark tap dance around their feelings, making a wonderful contrast with Quark's relationship with Odo in the series. Kira, and Kassidy are both equally well-done. Taran'atar, the Jem'Hadar warrior who has been assigned by Odo to observe the Alpha Quadrant and learn something, has some wonderful scenes as he moves out of the Operations area and tries to observe the rest of the station. The only characters who are given short shrift are Bashir and Nog (who does get a wonderful scene with Taran'atar), but that's to be expected. George has already tried to pack the book full. However, if the book had to be this big, it would have been nice to chop some of the bloat and give it to these two. Twilight is a wonderful beginning to the "Mission: Gamma" series, and a wonderful addition to the Deep Space Nine mythos. I'm loving the continuation of the television series, and there hasn't been a bad book yet. I'm hoping the other three books in the series are just as good, if not better. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: A Strong Continuation of the DS9 Series
Review: Picking up where the continuation of the DS9 series, post-show, left off in "What Lay Beyond ('Horn and Ivory')," this first novel in a quartet has really whet my appetite.
Although it moves a little slow in places, "Mission Gamma: Twilight" runs two plots concurrently: the beginning of the Defiant's refit and exploration mission through the wormhole under the captaincy of Commander Elias Vaughn, and the potential entrance of Bajor into the Federation, with Colonel Kira and Lieutenant Ro taking centre stage as two Bajorans wondering about their futures if such a thing occurred.
The characterization was mostly spot-on. The Andorian sub-plot that has been winding through this post-show series, which hasn't had much air time since the original Avatar books, gets a lot more intense in "Twilight," and was definitely one of the best parts of the book. Also, more is uncovered in the Commander Vaughn / Ensign Tenmei relationship. There's a lot here, and most of it is quite good.
Where the book fails a little is in a slowly unfolding romantic plot for Lieutenant Ro, the once-Enterprise crewmember, ex-Maquis, current chief of DS9 security who has replaced Odo. I just couldn't quite find it plausible, no matter how hard I tried. It didn't fit, and I'm hoping it fizzles.
One of the better books in the DS9 series, I certainly put it forth as a good reading experience. I'd just warn you ahead of time about the Ro romance.
'Nathan
Rating:
Summary: ST-DS9: Twilight: Mission Gamma
Review: Star Trek Deep Spance Nine: Twilight, Mission Gamma written by David R George,III is the first of four books in the "Mission Gamma" series re-launch of Deep Space Nine, and what a book to start this series "Twilight" is. Let me first caution those who have not been keeping up with Deep Space Nine since it left the air on television, there has been a re-launch and there are books that preceeded this series that add to the richness of the story told here in "Twilight." Those books are: "Avatar book one and two, by S.D.Perry; Section 31: Abyss, by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang; Gateways: Demons of Air and Darkness, by Keith R.A. DeCandido; also from the Gateways: What Lay Beyond, Horn and Ivory by Keith R.A. DeCandido... and The 34th Rule, by Armin Shimerman and David R. George,III." Reading these books prior to reading the "Mission Gamma" series will make your reading much more enjoyable as you'll understand the story... making this a better explication de texte. Having said this, "Twilight" is a richly written book filled with a detailed narrative that makes the readers feel that they are right in the middle of the story... a richness making the plot and sub-plots weave a tapestry of intrigue, exploration and relationships that have seldom been seen in the genre of TREK. Those who have been waiting for a story that captivates and engages the reader, you'll love this series and it will definately grab you and won't let go, piquing your interest as the relationships grow, the discovery in the Gamma Quadrant continues blazing new trails... as friendships and lovers are tested. The Federation has formally asked Bajor to join it, but there is opposition making the story even better as political forces from all around the Alpha Quadrant converge making a stressful time for Colonel Kira Nerys. We get to see more of Commander Elias Vaughn as he takes us on adventures in the Gamma Quadrant. This is a very well written story with character development not seen on a regular basis in TREK... at least on this level, but this is an all around treat as we get to see the inner working and thought processes of the characters. Thus, giving the reader a real depth into the character psyche. This is a major contribution to the TREK universe... buy it and enjoy a well told story with a deep appreciation to detail.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: The first book in the Mission: Gamma series is simply phenomenal! David George crafts a long, twisting tale that follows the crew of the Defiant as it begins its 3-month journey into the Gamma Quadrant, as well as the adventures of the crew of the station. The characters which were introduced in the previous books are all here and the intrigue continues in this unfolding saga. From the discovery of a strange alien entity to a romance between two unlikely characters, this book is rich in plot and characterization. This may well be the best book of the series and a perfect way to start it. Highly reccommended!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: The first book in the Mission: Gamma series is simply phenomenal! David George crafts a long, twisting tale that follows the crew of the Defiant as it begins its 3-month journey into the Gamma Quadrant, as well as the adventures of the crew of the station. The characters which were introduced in the previous books are all here and the intrigue continues in this unfolding saga. From the discovery of a strange alien entity to a romance between two unlikely characters, this book is rich in plot and characterization. This may well be the best book of the series and a perfect way to start it. Highly reccommended!
Rating:
Summary: Esign Ro and all the irregular regulars on DS9
Review: The new guy on the cover named Vaughn is chief of security aboard the station. With Odo back on his homeworld someone has to fill his shoes. This officer has had a long and varied career in the fleet. Col. Kira is now in charge of the station. We get to see Nog as a Lt. on the Defiant. The place has changed a bit. Quark is still fixing his Dabo tables. All in all it's a story that takes place after the Dominion War but it's still a good series. If you are a fan go out and buy this one.
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