World Famous Comics: Gateways #2: Chainmail (Star Trek/Challenger)
Gateways #2: Chainmail (Star Trek/Challenger)
By: Diane Carey Publisher: Star Trek Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Star Trek Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 368 Publication Date: August 01, 2001 Release Date: July 31, 2001
Product Description: Scattered through the galaxy are Gateways capable of transporting matter and energy across unfathomable distances. Their rediscovered secrets could change the future of space travel forever...the trouble is that noone knows what waits on the other side. Abandoned remnants of an extinct interstellar civilisation, the Gateways connect the Alpha Quadrant with the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Their rediscovery could revolutionise space travel...but it could also open the door to who knows what dangers from the other side. Twenty years ago, in the space near the planet of Belle Terre, a caravan of alien vessels disappeared into a gigantic Gate. Now the descendants of those aliens have returned, armed with incredible new weapons and abilities. Commander Nick Keller of the USS Challenger, already struggling to maintain peace in a volatile sector of space, is all that stands in the path of a fleet of invaders driven by a hostile -- and fanatical -- agenda. Diane Carey revisits the ship and crew she created for Challenger, the final volume of the Original Series six-part New Earth sequence, in which Keller and the USS Challenger's crew took over the guardianship of the new colony of Belle Terre from Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise. Now Keller finds himself defending not just a farflung colony of terrestrial pioneers but the security of half the known galaxy itself.
Review of "Chainmail" Gateways book 2 of 7 There are a great many things to be said on the subject of this book, both positive and negative. On the one hand, I am no fan of the writing of Diane Carey; in this book, as she frequently does, she tries very hard to make creative use of the language, and generally fails miserably, succeeding only in using words incorrectly. Her idea of creative description is much like that of Humpty Dumpty in Lewis Carrol; she insists that words mean whatever she intends them to mean, rather than what their actual definitions are, or even what a reasonable person would consider a plausible connotation. (She continues to insist that "sniggering" can be used when one means "niggling", for example, the third book of hers in which I've seen this usage.)
On the plus side, her strength has always been in her plot ideas and her characters, and both of those trends, too, continued in this book. Her characters are fascinating, her plot classic Trek, and the philosophical debate that made for a large part of the creative tension of the book was actually handled well and evenhandedly, and did nothing to detract from the action of the book.
On the down side again, there is the drawback that all books in this "Gateways" series will have, presumably until the last installment: they will all end on a cliffhanger, rather than being self-contained stories.
So it's a difficult call: If you don't mind a book with no familiar Star Trek characters (that is, characters from any of the TV series), don't mind a cliffhanger ending, and can tolerate the author's misuse of the language, this book has a good plot and fascinating characters. But if any of those caveats would put you off, by all means, avoid this book.
GREAT!!! THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL. DIANE CAREY REALLY DID A GREAT JOB HERE. (BUT WITH HER, CAN WE EXPECT ANYTHING LESS?) THE CHARACTERS ARE FLESHED OUT WONDERFULLY, THE WRITING IS QUICK AND SHARP, AND THE NEW ALIENS FEATURED HERE (THE LIVING) ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ALIEN OF ALIEN SPECIES EVER TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE VAST STAR TREK HISTORY. THIS BOOK IS A REAL GEM THAT WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE! HURRY UP, DIANE! I WANT MORE BOOKS ABOUT THE CREW OF THE 'CHALLENGER'!
Not very good This novel like many people have said here is pretty confusing at times and you really have to pay attention. I thought there was a good 100 pages there they could have cut out. The part where they are on the grave ship was a little repetitive and the way Carey constantantly reminds us that Nick Keller is the "cowboy" in this sector could have been cut down. I found most of the characters interesting such as the first officer. The Zoa character to me was totally unrealisitc, on any other ship she would have been long gone. Another aspect that was annoying was the characters acted at times people from this era and not people from the future. Specifically the way they speak, the lingo they use is straight from the 20th century. A little is o.k. but not constantly. Not even the people from the TV series Enterprise act like this even though they are much closer to us in time. Many people have stated it and needs repeating there are moments that the novel achieves clarity and that is when it is at it's best. the cliffhanger in particular is very good better than the one in book one in my opinion. The sad part of this book is there is a good story in there dying to come out but better editing might have helped.
The most amazing Trek book I have read in quite a long time! I found myself unable to stop reading and going back to my room again and again to see wht would happen next. I wasnt the biggest fan of New Earth, but keller made quite an impression on me in the Challenger book. Here, theres no hand holding and no easy reading. any eye closers and bored folks need not apply, this is teh most challenging and unexpected story format In some time. Even though I love NEW FRONTIER, its not quite this challenge filled.
I am amazed I liked this so much, because I see so clearly in my head Bones and Data when they speak in the easy, familiar books I have read, and this is all new stuff, and like algebra instead of multiplication.
I have read every single pocket books star trek novel of every series, so I know of what i speak.
Out of the 4 or 5 hundred novels to date, this easily makes the top 50, and just might be in the top 25.
Bring on more Keller, Diane! You got all the magic!
Saddle up, let's ride! I went right to this book from Book Six of the "New Earth" series, because I couldn't wait to read more about OTC Nick Keller and the *Challenger.* This story did not disappoint me, though there were moments I had trouble getting my head around. The aliens from the other side of the Gateway were introduced rather abruptly, so it was tough reading for a while. But I stuck with it, and it was well worth it. This story has substance and purpose, and it reads like a breeze (well, sometimes a breeze through a stable, but a breeze nonetheless). You can't beat Diane Carey's writing style, and with this one she's pulled off some mighty good ones.
Don't know exactly what it is about Keller, Savannah, Zane, Zoa, and Shucorion, but I'm connecting better with this crowd than I did the New Frontier crew. Sorry, Peter!
The only disappointment for me, I guess, was that the ending made me think I should be reading the "Gateways" series in order rather than skipping around. No matter, I'm still skipping around. If it looks like I'm missing something by doing that, oh well. Won't be the first time.
Two warnings: 1) Anyone still hunting for familiar Trek characters (or even familiar Belle Terre characters) will not find them in this book. On the other hand, if you loved Keller & Crew in Book Six of the "New Earth" series and are looking for more adventures from them, this is definitely the one to read. 2) This apparently ain't the last we'll be hearing of *Challenger.* And to that I say yee-haw!
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