Review: A Stitch in Time (DS9)

A Stitch in Time, by Andrew Robinson, is an examination of character
and history of Garak, the Cardassian tailor that Robinson portrayed on
DS9. Usually, it's not a good thing when an actor writes a book about
his character, and a lot of times they need some help. First, it
definitely is a good thing this time, and secondly, he doesn't appear
to have needed any help. This is a standout Star Trek book, and a
sterling example of what these books should be.

Garak was always one of my favourite characters on the television
show, and when I heard that Andrew Robinson had written a book about
him, I knew I had to read it. Garak is a very mysterious figure in the
show, and I was dying to know more about him. He also turned into a
sort of tragic figure as the Dominion War went on, knowing what the
war was doing to his people, but since he was in exile, he couldn't do
much about it, other than helping the Federation win the war. As this
book begins, Garak is back on Cardassia, helping to clean up the mess.
It's interesting to see how the character has progressed since the end
of the series, to see that some of Dr. Bashir's principles have rubbed
off on him a little bit.

Still, it's written by an actor, so it can't possibly be good, can it?
Actually, it is quite well-written. It's certainly not award-winning
material, but the plot is interesting, the prose is fairly well-done
and the characterization is wonderful. I could have done without the
cliched romance in Garak's history, but then again he has always
carried himself as a sort of romantic figure (though he never did
actually have one in the show, though Ziyal was leaning that way) so
it can be excused. Robinson not only gets Garak right, but he also
gets the other DS9 characters as well. The storyline that takes place
during the last year of the war showcases this, especially his take on
Dr. Bashir. Many fans of the show complained that Bashir and Garak's
relationship grew very distant toward the end of the show. This book
gives a good reason for that. It also effectively shows how that
friendship is still there, when Bashir has to work past his uneasiness
to get Garak to confront what is bothering him. Robinson nails the
characterization of Bashir in these scenes, and we get a return of the
wonderful repartee between these two characters. It made me sorely
miss the television show.

The new characters are also very well-done. The Cardassians are
appropriately militaristic, even Garak's love interest (though she is
softened a bit compared to the others). Cardassia has a brutal
society, and Robinson portrays it well. The Cardassians in the present
are also fine, with a nice mixture of Cardassians set in their ways
and Cardassians who want to use the devastation to chart a new path
for Cardassia. Dr. Parmak is a wonderful example of this "New
Cardassia," as he's almost kind and gentle compared to the others.
Robinson draws a nice contrast between him and some of the more
militaristic sorts that surround Garak.

The three different storylines are tied together nicely thematically,
as well as being effectively told in their own right. It's easy to
follow in the book, as each storyline has its own style. The "current"
storyline is told regularly, the "last year" storyline is in a
different typeface, and the "Garak's history" storyline is told in a
series of journal entries, so there's never any confusion. The only
snag that I can see in any of them is a slight implausibility at the
end of his historical journal, where he talks about being abandoned on
DS9 by the other Cardassians. Before the Federation took over the
running of the station, it was a Cardassian outpost that Garak was
assigned to. When the Federation took over, the Cardassians left in
the dead of night. Garak slept through the whole thing and when he
wakes up, he finds everybody gone and the Federation moving in.
Especially considering the destruction that the Cardassians left
behind, I find it hard to believe that Garak didn't wake up during all
of that.

Still, that's a small thing, and it doesn't take away from how
wonderful this novel is. In fact, unlike a lot of Trek novels, I don't
think you have to be a fan to necessarily enjoy this book. It will
certainly help, as you will have a lot more invested in the book if
you are a fan, but it's certainly readable and understandable by a
non-fan. Give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Garak, it was nice to see you again.

David Roy