Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful book to accompany a wonderful episode
Review: If you have not seen Far Beyond the Stars -- see it. It's simply one of the best Star Trek episodes ever, of all the series. You don't necessarily have to be a Deep Space Nine fan to enjoy it either -- just being a fan of great stories, or of science fiction, would be enough.The book is a wonderful supplement to the TV episode, adding in many details and extra scenes. It perfectly captures the tone and mood of 1950s New York, as the episode did. Benny Russell is an unforgettable character. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because of a jarring line or two in there comparing the situtation of women vs. blacks in the '50s. It was totally unnecessary, IMHO, not to mention rather insensitive. A woman writer features in the story - like Benny, she's told to "call in sick" on the day the magazine staff is photographed for their next issue - how dare a woman be a sci-fi- writer? But the author says she has it better because "she can live where she wants, her kids can go to the best schools..." Hmm. Other than that however, it's a wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book to accompany a wonderful episode
Review: If you have not seen Far Beyond the Stars -- see it. It's simply one of the best Star Trek episodes ever, of all the series. You don't necessarily have to be a Deep Space Nine fan to enjoy it either -- just being a fan of great stories, or of science fiction, would be enough. The book is a wonderful supplement to the TV episode, adding in many details and extra scenes. It perfectly captures the tone and mood of 1950s New York, as the episode did. Benny Russell is an unforgettable character. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because of a jarring line or two in there comparing the situtation of women vs. blacks in the '50s. It was totally unnecessary, IMHO, not to mention rather insensitive. A woman writer features in the story - like Benny, she's told to "call in sick" on the day the magazine staff is photographed for their next issue - how dare a woman be a sci-fi- writer? But the author says she has it better because "she can live where she wants, her kids can go to the best schools..." Hmm. Other than that however, it's a wonderful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Facing Racism....
Review: Of all the Trek novels I've read only a handful of the stories ever remained in my conscience, this of course is one of them! I only hope that other readers realize that racism is still here today and that Trek is only a goody-two-shoes version of our future. We must not only hope, (nuff preachin'!) READ THE BOOK!! FEEL THE PAIN!! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!
Rating:
Summary: Facing Racism....
Review: Of all the Trek novels I've read only a handful of the stories ever remained in my conscience, this of course is one of them! I only hope that other readers realize that racism is still here today and that Trek is only a goody-two-shoes version of our future. We must not only hope, (nuff preachin'!) READ THE BOOK!! FEEL THE PAIN!! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!
Rating:
Summary: Very powerful story only tangentially about Star Trek.
Review: There are a number of aspects to this story that can be rated. It seems to be a fairly accurate, true-to-the-episode novelization; five stars there. It is a marvellous pure science fiction story, which leaves unsolved whether it's actually about an alternate-universe writer who is able to tap into the world of Deep Space Nine for his stories, or about Commander Sisko having temporary insanity that produces hallucinations. Again, five stars. It is a powerful, moving story about the effects of racism on a young black science fiction writer in 1953 Harlem. Once more, five stars. About the only way in which it is NOT a five-star effort is purely as a Star trek novel; ninety percent or more of this story has absolutely nothing to do with Star Trek, and another five percent is only tangentially related to Star Trek. Only the very beginning and the very end actually deal with the station and what's happening there; the plot for this tiny fraction of the story is virtually nonexistent except as a setup for the non-Star Trek part of the story. In that regard, it's barely worth two stars. So if what you're interested in is a wonderfully told, powerfully moving story with some minor connection to Deep Space Nine, this is EXACTLY what you're looking for. If, on the other hand, you actually want a Star Trek novel, this may not be what you want.
Rating:
Summary: I felt Benny's pain
Review: This book made me FEEL the pain of racism and made me think hard about the ways in which is still manifested today. In addition to the two storylines followed in the television episode (Sisko in the 24th century and Russell in 1953), the book covered an earlier period in Benny Russell's life, which leads me to wonder - was this part also planned for the original episode, or did Barnes create it? The addition was most illuminating.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful
Review: This book ties in American culture with Star Trek Lore. I also like that Benny Russel wrote the Star Trek TOS and TNG stories
Rating:
Summary: Excellent! Great even for non-trekkies!
Review: This is an excellent novel. It is based on the DS9 episode of the same name, but brings so much more out with respect to Benny Russell. The episode itself was a wonderful exploration of someone who had a dream in the 1950's that all peoples could someday live and work together in harmony and the book expands on this even more. Barnes has crafted a first rate novel, and the fact that it is a Star Trek novel doesn't detract at all, but adds to what he's done. In a world filled with conflict and racial tension, Star Trek gives us hope for the future. It allows us to hope that the human race can someday be one and explore the stars. This novel gives that idea a very relevant twist. Things are certainly better now than they were for Benny Russell, but there is still a long way to go.
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