Review: Abyss (DS9)

Section 31: Abyss is a novel by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang. Weddle
helped write the DS9 episode "Inquisition," which introduced Section
31. I haven't read the other books in this series, so I don't know if
they are connected in any way except by theme, but I do know that this
novel is outstanding. Is it because Weddle was involved with the
creation of Section 31? Who knows? Whatever it is, it's the perfect
combination of the old and the new that I love in a good Trek novel.

This is the Trek novel I've been waiting for. It has wonderful
character examinations, a very interesting plot, and best of all,
consequences. The Deep Space Nine novels take place after the end of
the television series, so things can happen to the characters. You
don't necessarily know if everything is going to turn out all right.
And even when they do, characters can be irreversibly changed by the
events in them. Weddle and Lang have crafted together what I would
call a masterpiece of Trek novels.

One major thing I have to mention right off the bat is the use of
continuity. If you're familiar with my Trek novel reviews, you know
that heavy continuity references are not my favourite thing. So many
times, a book has been weighted down with reference after reference,
with the explanations of these references taking up way too much room
and killing the pace of the book. This time, though, we are completely
spared that problem. To my recollection, there is not one continuity
reference in this book that slows the pace of the book. Usually, if a
reference is made, it's just left there. If you are familiar with the
events in question, then you understand it totally. If you're not,
then there is just enough information so that you get the feel for
what the reference means in the scheme of this plot. I almost screamed
in joy when I read my first reference.

This book is mainly a character study of Bashir, and as such it works
wonders. Bashir has always been one of the more interesting characters
on the show, and I found this analysis of his character very
interesting. He's always been on the outside looking in, especially
once his enhancement became public and people looked at him
differently. None of that seemed to happen in the series itself, but
you can understand that people would start treating him differently
and that he would start to resent it. In this book, that resentment
explodes as Locken tries to convince Bashir that they should work
together for the betterment of the entire Federation. They are almost
perfect people. Why shouldn't they try to shape the galaxy into what
they think is best? But the key word is "almost," and that word
becomes very important as Locken starts to go increasingly insane. You
do start to wonder, however, whether Bashir will come to his senses in
time, and the suspense is palpable.

Dax makes a good sounding board for Bashir in the book, but she also
has other things to do that have to do with the series as a whole. Dax
is still coming into her own as she is getting used to having the
symbiote inside her. She is a Trill, and she is just getting used to
being able to access the memories and, at times, skills of her
predecessors. She learns some more in this novel, and it's the
continuation of character development for her that I'm sure will
continue in subsequent novels. It's part of what brings the series
closer together, but casual readers who pick up this book will not be
mystified by what is going on with her.

The other characters are good as well. Ro and Taran'atar have a lot to
do as they try to get access to the base where Bashir and Dax are
being held captive. They get some solid character development. The
characters back at the station get less, and they probably could have
been left out of the book entirely, except at the beginning. There is
some development that, again, is geared more toward future books.
Commander Vaughn, the new first officer of the station, gets some more
mystery added on to his past. I find him an interesting character but
I wish they would finally do something with him. I think that in the
next series of books he does get some character development, so the
little teases in this book do their job well. We'll have to see if it
continues.

The plot is very tension-filled, with some action in the parts with Ro
and Taran'atar, and a lot of philosophical discussion in the parts
with Bashir and Locken. Weddle and Lang to a wonderful job of juggling
the two plot lines, always leaving one at an interesting turning point
when they go to the other. As I said above, though, I could have done
without the side-trips to the station. But they weren't too bad and I
find those characters interesting, so I didn't mind too much. If I
wasn't a Trek fan, these side-trips might be more annoying. The
dialogue between Bashir and Locken is outstanding, with both sides
doing their utmost to convince the other of the rightness of his
position. Dax is suitably skeptical of Locken's, and the tension in
the room is palpable.

This novel is a must-have if you're a DS9 fan. Section 31 is an
interesting concept, and you're always wondering about ulterior
motives. I haven't read the other Section 31 books, so I don't know if
there is an over-arching plot. I do know that this book sits by itself
very well. If you like DS9, you owe it to yourself to follow the
series of post-television novels. If you don't feel like doing that,
you still must check this one out. It's a keeper.

David Roy

 > I haven't read the other Section 31 books, so I don't know if
 > there is an over-arching plot.

In this particular case, there isn't. The four S31 books all stand on
their own. The only commonality is that S31 is involved in each story.
<grin>


Keith R.A. DeCandido
keith.DeleteThis@decandido.net
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