Rating: 
Summary: STNG Dark Mirror - A truly exceptional novel!
Review: Diane Duane is one of Star Trek's best and most celebrated authors. She also has the distinction of being one of the most contradicted authors by later, "on screen" episodic canon; both in her version of the Romulans and in the mirror universe. In a way though, her work stands on its own, in her own "mirror universe" of a sort in Star Trek fiction.Capitalizing on The Original Series episode, "Mirror, Mirror," "Dark Mirror" gave Star Trek readers something that many fans had been looking forward to for quite some time, a return to the mirror universe to see what happened after Captain Kirk's accidental but historic "crossover." Although I am a huge fan of Star Trek Deep Space Nine and from the very first episode in which they visited the mirror universe and the following shows once every year for the remainder of the series, in a way, I liked Diane Duane's version better. The cover art for this hardback and paperback serves the novel quite well, showing the faces of the two, quite different, Captain Picard's. The premise: In one of Star Trek's darkest, yet most intriguing stories, author Diane Duane takes us back to mirror universe - I love the opening chapter of this novel in which the Enterprise is in interstellar space but they're between "spiral arms" in the galaxy where there are no stars and it seems to be having an effect on the crew. Before long the crew finds themselves and the Enterprise having been dragged through the "looking glass" and they're now in the mirror universe where they soon learn that their doppelgangers are on a mission to replace them. What is so interesting about this novel is their doppelgangers from the mirror universe and the complete twist in the characters, especially Deanna Troi and her extremely powerful mirror universe counterpart. Captain Picard and crew find that in order to save the ship, themselves and the Federation from an all out invasion by their power hungry counterparts, they must infiltrate their ship on a mission of intelligence gathering and sabotage. What follows from there is, as stated above, one of the most intriguing and alluring Star Trek stories to date, and in no small measure, deserved of the rare hardback version it was printed in. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of the genre and even more so if you can find the hardback version of it! As a side note; the audio tape version, read by "Q" himself, John De Lancie, makes for an excellent three hour diversion while driving down the highway. I've listened to this one more times than I can remember. {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: What A Movie This Would Have Made!
Review: This is my second favorite ST:TNG novel and I always wished they'd made a movie or a multi-part story arc when the show was still in syndication. How interesting it would have been to see the TNG actors portray such opposites of their normal characters, most especially Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). This novel returns us to the Dark Mirror Universe featured in one of the better Original Series episodes ("Mirror, Mirror"), this time with TNG charcters. Diane Duane, author of the great Spock's World, treats us to a rolicking good time. Deanna Troi uses her telepathic skills as a form of torture, Dr. Crusher is a vindictive kept woman, and Worf is the noble hero. A great read! This would have been a much better way to end the movie series than with the lame "Nemesis."
Rating:
Summary: STNG Dark Mirror - A truly exceptional novel!
Review: Diane Duane is one of Star Trek's best and most celebrated authors. She also has the distinction of being one of the most contradicted authors by later, "on screen" episodic canon; both in her version of the Romulans and in the mirror universe. In a way though, her work stands on its own, in her own "mirror universe" of a sort in Star Trek fiction. Capitalizing on The Original Series episode, "Mirror, Mirror," "Dark Mirror" gave Star Trek readers something that many fans had been looking forward to for quite some time, a return to the mirror universe to see what happened after Captain Kirk's accidental but historic "crossover." Although I am a huge fan of Star Trek Deep Space Nine and from the very first episode in which they visited the mirror universe and the following shows once every year for the remainder of the series, in a way, I liked Diane Duane's version better. The cover art for this hardback and paperback serves the novel quite well, showing the faces of the two, quite different, Captain Picard's. The premise: In one of Star Trek's darkest, yet most intriguing stories, author Diane Duane takes us back to mirror universe - I love the opening chapter of this novel in which the Enterprise is in interstellar space but they're between "spiral arms" in the galaxy where there are no stars and it seems to be having an effect on the crew. Before long the crew finds themselves and the Enterprise having been dragged through the "looking glass" and they're now in the mirror universe where they soon learn that their doppelgangers are on a mission to replace them. What is so interesting about this novel is their doppelgangers from the mirror universe and the complete twist in the characters, especially Deanna Troi and her extremely powerful mirror universe counterpart. Captain Picard and crew find that in order to save the ship, themselves and the Federation from an all out invasion by their power hungry counterparts, they must infiltrate their ship on a mission of intelligence gathering and sabotage. What follows from there is, as stated above, one of the most intriguing and alluring Star Trek stories to date, and in no small measure, deserved of the rare hardback version it was printed in. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of the genre and even more so if you can find the hardback version of it! As a side note; the audio tape version, read by "Q" himself, John De Lancie, makes for an excellent three hour diversion while driving down the highway. I've listened to this one more times than I can remember. {ssintrepid}
Rating: 
Summary: Truly Dark Trek
Review: Way back when this book first came out I very nearly bought it, greatly intrigued by the idea of Picard grappling with the "evil Spock's" universe. But Diane Duane put me off; I thought her Romulan Way novel was overblown and she'd turned an amusing idea into garbage in Doctor's Orders. My fears were unfounded however. True, Duane wrote this one with a dictionary (for example, Geordi uses the word "collimated" in casual conversation), but in between the spelling bee words we have an intense, powerful drama that makes Dark Mirror among the best Trek books ever written. Picard, Geordi, and Deanna must deal directly with the evil Enterprise while concealing their activities from their counterparts. Tension is high, emotions are powerful, and the evil Troi is incredibly, powerfully, evil. There are many moments here worth savoring, including the evil universe's versions of The Merchant of Venice and The Iliad, and Duane's theory of what became of evil Spock. Duane's account of the mirror universe is, to my mind, much more compelling than the "official" take we got in DS9, which seemed to too often fall into parody rather than horror (Kira wanting to seduce herself? Yuck.). I have not read Shatner's version, so can't compare. I will say that Dark Mirror is a very powerful read, that rarest of Star Trek books that is an excellent novel in its own right.
Rating:
Summary: Intense action story
Review: This is an excellent, well-written story of trying to get home from an alternate universe. I espically appriciated the attention to technical detail and keeping in line with the show, and with the ST:TNG technical manual. This author has obviously researched extensivly before writing this book. We watch..(read about)...Captain Picard, Councelor Troi, and Commander LaFordge as they switch places with thier counterparts, and must avoid dectection or face horrible consequences. We travel with them as they contemplate the true horror of the possibility that they could have turned out so different, yet still be so similar in this alternate universe. A truly riviting story right to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Evil truly comes in any form
Review: The way in which this book deals with the alternate universe puts the DS9 version to shame. Reading this book gives a glimpse at the dark side of humanity and how the 24th century deals with it. The only other thing I can say is: gunmetal grey, it'll make sense after you read it.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling
Review: The evil mirror universe has got to be one of the chilling-est places seen in Star Trek yet. When the crew of the "dark" Enterprise-D finds a way to come into the "light side", Picard and crew have a very big problem, and we've got a totally engrossing book. It's awesome seeing what the crew does and how they have to act while on the "dark" ship. I love the dolphin scientist, Hwiii, and his personal water bubble. The mirror Troi is also very freaky - she loves invading people's minds and messing with their thoughts. A really spookily great book.
| 
