Product Description: It's been said that for any event, there are an infinite number of possible outcomes. Our choices determine which outcome will follow, and therefore all possibilities that could happen do happen across countless alternate realities. In these divergent realms, known history is bent, like white light through a prism -- broken into a boundless spectrum of what-might-have-beens. But in those myriad universes, what might have been...is what actually happened.
THE CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT: In a continuum where Spock died during childhood, an Andorian named Thelin became Captain Kirk's stalwart friend and first officer. But at the moment of Khan's final defeat, history takes an even stranger turn, and the emerging potential of Project Genesis is revealed as the galaxy's greatest hope...and its most ominous threat.
A GUTTED WORLD: Terrorist Kira Nerys -- from a Bajor that was never liberated -- may hold the key to winning a war that has engulfed half the galaxy. But with the Romulans and the Klingons at each other's throats, and the Federation pulled into the conflict, even victory may not bring salvation.
BRAVE NEW WORLD: Dr. Noonien Soong's dream has been realized: androids are now woven inextricably into the fabric of the Federation, revolutionizing Starfleet and transforming the quality of humanoid life. But when Soong's long-missing breakthrough creation, Data, mysteriously resurfaces, civilization reaches a crossroads that could lead to a bright new future, or to ruin.
Star Trek: Myraid Universes: Echoes & Refractions This is a great book - great reading, can't wait until I start the next one in the series. Recommend it to everyone - you don't have to be a star trek fan just have a great imagination.
Helen
A franchise is a hard thing to lose Because the franchise has posited parallel/multiple universes from evil twin to slightly off kilter, there are no holds barred in this foray into the believeable/unbelievable. Kira Nerys as a despot, no problem. Spock as emotional, logical of course. A universe where the ideals of a Federation of Planets towards creature potential is turned into a place where the preserved memory of a galaxy spanning despot allows no creativity is presented as fait accompli. It is too dark. There is little hope. There is much decadence and despotism. This is not the shining bright wagon train to the stars. This is a trail of tears from the indians point of view. Caveat emptor for what could be reality 101.
Echoes and refreactions:Excellent work by all 3 Authors I don't think i can say enough good things about this book. I was eagerly awaiting it all summer and when it finally came; it was all she wrote! KRAD once again outdoes himself with his very character heavy story of what would have happened if Cardassia had never left occupying Bajor. Chris Roberson did a great job with a story almost forgotten in the realms of The Next Generations first season! Geoff Trowbridge's story though i feel is the strongest of all three. The tale of what would have happened if Spock had died as a child and never joined Starfleet is intriguing enough as it is, but throw in what happens when a totally different person fills those shoes; an Andorian no less! This story changed how events from the end of Star Trek 2:The Wrath of Khan ended, as well as how the entirety of parts 3 and forward changed drastically! This is one avid trek reader who looks forward to more from Mr. Trowbridge!
"Echoes and Refractions" Review [Few Spoilers] Myriad Universes: "Echoes and Refractions" is different from the first volume, "Infinity's Prism". While the first may have had a rather light, typical-Trek vibe with somewhat happy endings, "Echoes and Refractions" is far more complex, deeper and outright dark. But as a reader and avid Trek fan, I appreciated this darker-outlook on the Trek universe. The whole concept of this series is to show what Trek and the characters, plots, shows, situations *could* have been, not what they are and what we're used to. I couldn't put the book down and thought as a whole it was far more ambitious and exciting than the first volume.
'The Chimes at Midnight' is an alternate take on the Original Series movie era. Yes, it's darker, but there are some awesome plot twist. I thought it started off a bit weak; reading like a simple rewriting of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Then it really picks up and goes in a direction that completely turns the Trek universe, the characters we're used to, on their heads. David Marcus, Saavik and the Andorian named Thelin (from the Animated series) take center stage. There were parts so intense and shocking that I found myself gripping the book and having to look away. The final pages left me breathless, making me wish the actual movies and producers had taken the chances Geoff Trowbridge took with this story.
'A Gutted World' was, by far, the best book of the entire "Myriad Universes" saga. It features cameos by a dozen or more characters across not just one series but all shows. The plot is basically a different take on the Dominion War and really had the emotion, creativity and spark to be a full-length novel. No, as you may think from the title, this isn't a dull story about Bajor and Kira - the story is so much more than that and saying more about the plot would spoil it. If you wanted to see Picard and the Enterprise have a more active role in the whole Dominion War situation, this is your story. If you wanted to see what Janeway would be doing had Voyager not ended up in the Delta Quadrant, buy this book just for this story. What made this story so exciting and nearly flawless was that it not only showed an alternate take on the Dominion War and how it impacted the Alpha Quadrant, but it managed to be one of the best crossover stories yet.
'Brave New World' was, in my opinion, the weakest story after the first two action-packed, thought provoking stories. It was okay, but it seemed even far fetched for this series. It's more of a 'The Next Generation' story featuring Data and Lore and another surprise guest or two. I felt not enough setup was given to this dramatically different universe and Enterprise we're reading about. Worse yet, I didn't buy the story at the end. Everything is far too easily solved, there's no depth to the characters, the conflict was weak. Picard seems very off, always smiling and chuckling as is Ro Laren. The end is overly cheesy and had me rolling my eyes. It was by far a let down after a majority of the book was so exciting and had a similar theme.
Check out this book. You will not be disappointed, I can almost assure you of that. These are, for the most part, some great stories that accomplish what this series was supposed to - showing a different take on the Star Trek universe and sparking our imagination with all the possible universes and plots that could have been but weren't. It's depressing at parts, yes, but it's compelling, breathtaking writing that's been absent from Trek in a long while. Get this book!
Trek Isn't Supposed to be Depressing! But this is! The book has 3 short stories set in the Star Trek universe, but from different perspectives of time. What would have happened if this person died or this person lived, or this person accepts a transfer to another ship or makes a scientific breakthrough, what have you. Well I don't want to give anything away, but the answer is pain, and unyielding horror and suffering apparently. The Trek as it played out on tv and the movies is apparently the only one worth living in as it is the only one with a potentially hopeful future.
Both of the first two stories made me so sad I really didn't want to read the third. Nothing good happened. Usually with Trek even when they face terrible circumstances there is a sense of hopefullness, the possibility of coming through victorious. There was nothing of that here. Something bad happened and then something even worse happened after it and there was no end in sight. Kirk's doomed son, David Marcus is a main character in the first story "The Chimes At Midnight" and I can't think of another more tragic character with the possible exception of Othello or King Lear maybe. I haven't read a Shakesperian tragedy in 15 years, what does that tell you, that I should think of such a thing while reading this?
It makes me sadder than I can say to give a Star Trek book only 2 stars. Really I'd give it 2 1/2 just cause its Trek but they don't do that here, more's the pity. Still the third story Brave New World was good. It had hope. It has nearly isurmountable odds that our intrepid heroes overcome with cunning and and intelligence and good old fashioned sticktoittiveness. Get the book for that story alone.
I'll say this: if you like never ending drama, like the new BattleStar Galactica series, then you should be alright with the first two stories. I wasn't able to watch BSG after Season 1 but I know it still has a lot of raging fans so it must appeal to somebody. But if you like your scifi with relatively happy endings, I don't think that 2/3 of this book is for you.
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