Pamela Sargent

I picked this up at a SF convention and kept at it for about 200 pages, since it's light enough reading and has an interesting premise.

But oh goodness, I'm afraid I have to leave this novel back in the 1980s where it came from. I can take or leave the exploration of the premise -there's a lot of weird gender essentialism going on here that I don't think is going to get resolved by the end of the story, and then there's the lameness of a setting where all relationships are queer relationships, but the spotlight is on the one "transgressive" straight couple - but whatever. Some of the worldbuilding is fun, in a campy way - a Logan's Run sort of aesthetic.

However, I really quit because the characters are just not working for me. They are terribly flat, with wooden dialogue and experiences that are all surface, no depth. Obviously this is a Novel of Ideas, but the story moves too slowly for the characterizations to be so shallow.

If nothing else, I suppose we can all be grateful for those well-meaning 70s and 80s feminists teaching us what not to do in our feminist SF (with some exceptions, of course!)… (meer)

Every fan of Star Trek knows that the books set in each universe of the franchise are often problematic. Sometimes the story is ho-hum, other times the writing isn’t that good, occasionally, especially with books written early in the show’s run, the writer seems to have no grasp of the characters, and they don’t conform to the crew as we came to know them through television. For these reasons, perhaps 2/3 of the books aren’t as good as we’d like them to be. I’d been lucky with a few in the past, but also obtained some that sounded good, and ended up not being so — which I didn’t review. When I had a chance to pick up several at one go recently, I spent a great deal of time researching them, and haven’t come across a dud yet among the several I acquired in both the Voyager and Next Generation universes.

A Fury Scorned in the Next Generation universe had some mixed reviews, but I read enough about it to take a chance on it, and threw this one in at the last second. I’m very glad I did! Pamela Sargent and George Zebrowski have written an excellent book for Next Generation fans, that is no ordinary entry. There’s a real story here, and it’s big. A world is created, and it’s done slowly through the inhabitants so that by the end, we feel for what happens to them. Red Shirts — Star Trek fans will know the term well — are not just there to be extinguished. Some in fact, survive, and when one does go down, we’ve been made through the dense and involving narrative to like the individual Star Fleet officer so much that we’re uttering unpleasant things under our breath when it happens.

The characters we grew so fond of in the show seem very much themselves for the vast majority of A Fury Scorned. There is much less light-hearted banter here than in some books, because this is a more serious “episode” in the Next Generation universe. This doesn’t detract from enjoying the story, however, as the writers deftly draw us into the mood and ambiance of this particular story. With characters so familiar, and perimeters so pre-outlined, it’s difficult to do what Sargent and Zebrowski have done here, which is to write a human-driven science fiction story about a world in need of a miracle, then drop the Next Generation characters and Federation into the mix as the element responsible for the miracle — which comes at a great price.

There is in fact, probably more story here than a lot of fans are used to in the books. It’s layered, it’s involving, and it adds to what happens rather than detract from it. The characters on the world of Epictetus III are shaded in gray, becoming distinct; ranging from selfish to noble, brave to misguided, as their world is bathed in hopelessness. And even once Data comes up with a plan, it’s so out there, and dangerous for both the planet and the Enterprise itself, even Data isn’t positive it will work. With 20 million lives at stake, Picard must weight the danger for not only his own crew, but the lives that might be saved if Data’s extremely risky plan works. And the latter he must way against the handful that they can definitely save and keep the Enterprise safe, against the millions who will die on the planet when the sun goes Nova if he does.

Where many have a problem is Star Fleet ordering Picard to keep from the inhabitants Data’s plan, leaving them so hopeless that some on the planet are committing suicide, preferring to die in a less horrific manner than they are certain to within days. It’s a moral dilemma Picard has on his hands, one he shares with his crew, who all feel the weight of their actions, whatever they decide. It truly is a no-win situation, and there’s no way to cheat it as Kirk did. While on the surface the reasoning of Star Fleet to forbid Picard from giving what may turn out to be false hope to the inhabitants of Epictetus III seems lame, even flimsy, it is exactly like all organizations and entities in any government react — protecting their own backs and own reputation when push comes to shove. Once you realize that, you just get on with the story.

The story gradually morphs from a cerebral study of the morality of choices, to an exciting action story as Data’s plan is put into motion, and not everything goes to plan. There are consequences in this one, lives lost, but a world — for the most part — saved, if still devastated. The ending is exciting, the enterprise crew themselves touched by a deep loss, but there is also hope. It’s pretty terrific in a quiet, almost subdued way, but is somewhat different from most entries in the book arm of the universe. It is only in the last conversation between Picard and Data that I felt the intrusion of the writers’ thoughts and feelings, as it seemed a tick off for the characters, but it’s a minor quibble. Mostly Sargent and Zebrowski stay out of the way of this involving story. They give us real and clearly defined characters, a terrific story, and the crew seem to be the crew we know for the vast majority of this one. This one doesn’t have much light-heartedness, none of the feel-good or humorous moments that might mark it as a favorite, but in this universe I think it ranks among the best as per writing and story and execution. Great stuff, just maybe a bit more story than a lot of readers expect when they pick up a Star Trek book. Recommended.… (meer)

FROM AMAZON: An adventure in colonization and conflict from acclaimed science fiction writer Pamela Sargent.

Several hundred years ago, Ship, a sentient starship, settled humans on the planet Home before leaving to colonize other worlds, promising to return one day. Over time, the colony on Home divided into those who live in the original domed buildings of the colony, who maintain the library and technology of Ship, and those who live by the river, farming and hunting to survive. The dome dwellers consider themselves the protectors of “true humanity” and the river people “contaminated,” and the two sides interact solely through ritualized trade: food and goods from the river people in exchange for repairs and recharges by the dome dwellers.

Then a new light appears in the night sky. The river people believe it might be Ship, keeping its promise to return, but the dome dwellers, who have a radio to communicate with Ship, are silent. So Bian, a teenaged girl from a small village, travels upriver to learn what they know. As she travels through the colony of Home, gaining companions and gathering news, Bian ponders why the dome dwellers have said nothing. Has Ship commanded them to be silent, in preparation for some judgment on the river people? Or are the dome dwellers lying to Ship, turning Ship against their rivals?

Whatever the answer, life is about to change radically on both sides of the divide.… (meer)