Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Andor (Spoiler)

S P O I L E R

*

*

*

*

*

*


Until I got this book I wasn`t very fond of the Shar story. I don`t want
to repeat in detail what I wrote in my previous reviews and therefore I
just want to say that although I found the idea intriguing I had quite a
few problems with the execution. It most definitely didn`t help that
especially Thriss but also Shar`s other bondmates very much got on my
nerves and although I really tried, I had little sympathy for Shar`s
mother or zhavey. Therefore when I started reading, I was on the one
hand curious how things will develop but on the other hand dreaded it to
read about these people again.

I couldn`t have been more wrong. I was amazed but also a bit amused that
all the aspects I was complaining about and observed before (me and
others, by the way) either disappeared in "Paradigm", were explained or
used in a positive way. The result is a story I very much enjoyed
reading and like the Cardassia story in this book, it is one of the very
best DS9 Relaunch has to offer.

I have rarely read a Star Trek book that offers so much concerning the
aspect of exploring other worlds and civilizations. Heather Jarman was
very successfully at weaving a colourful, fascinating tapestry showing a
lot of aspects of the Andorians and their civilization. Sometimes I read
books in which descriptions get in the way and they just bore me. But
here they fit well into the story and I read them with much interest. I
enjoyed the discoveries I made and felt a bit like an explorer. Readers
get insights into history, geography, how different cities and places
are built and how they developed, various aspects of mentality and
culture, biology, science and politics. The impact is certainly also so
big because so far we haven`t learned much about Andor (until now) but I
am also sure, there is a lot left to learn.

But what made this story come alive are first of all the characters in
it. "Paradigm" is written from the viewpoint of various people,
something that adds more insights. What I especially enjoyed is the
bittersweet love story between Shar and Prynn. Not only are they
attracted to each other because of looks (I smiled when Shar looked at
Prynn and considered her to be an alien beauty and her fantasies when
she saw him naked) but first of all because they have a lot in common.
"Paradigm" explored that aspect very well and it is beautifully written.
Being truly in love means to really care about the well being of the
other, even if it means to let him or her go. The way the relationship
went at the end was definitely surprising to me but in a very good way.

I found it interesting that the arguments I made before in discussions
about the sacrifices in Andorian culture were repeated in this story and
that Shar`s and Thriss`s zhavey realized this as well at the end. What
touched me most was the memory Shar observed of Thriss, showing what
this young Andorian woman could have been like. The scene in the
classroom and Thia`s breakdown made me wonder how much individual
Andorians have to suffer whenever something goes wrong in their bond or
they move against the pressures they are under by what society demands
of them. Depression, self harm and suicide are not a surprising result.
I can understand Thriss better now, not that it changes my opinion of
her.

I welcome it a lot that thanks to Shar`s discovery Andorians will get a
lot of their personal freedom back and that the survival of the species
is looking more hopeful now. I am happy for Thia, who filled the void
left by Thriss and is now part of a new bond. I am also happy for Shar
that he is the member of the first bond group who are together because
they want to be, not because they were chosen for each other. After the
depressing outlook Cardassia`s future offers, it is nice to see that
Andor is moving in a positive direction. The struggle is definitely not
over, also because the plans certain people have to re-engineer the
species won`t be given up and all kinds of change are met with
resistance by some people.

I am hoping the treatment will work and Shar and his new bondgroup will
be able to produce a child, maybe even more than one. I am wondering if
Thia will have the opportunity to keep in contact with her children she
was forced to leave behind, especially now, after this new development
in Andorian society. I assume that Shar will stay on Andor now with his
bond mates, something I see with mixed feelings. I like this character
but I understand that his decision is the right one for him. I wonder
when or even if Shar will return but I am hoping that he will at least
be around now and again in DS9 Relaunch. Maybe Prynn could come for a
visit?

I liked the addition of counsellor Phillipa Matthias. I already liked
her in previous books and welcomed it to meet her again. The contrast
between the young Prynn and the more mature Phillipa was interesting and
made me smile sometimes.

After having finished this book, I can`t wait to get the next one! This
is certainly the best new Trek book of the year so far.

Baerbel Haddrell

On Tue, 1 Jun 2004 22:38:41 +0100, "." <"."@trekdata.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

 >Until I got this book I wasn`t very fond of the Shar story. I don`t want
 >to repeat in detail what I wrote in my previous reviews and therefore I
 >just want to say that although I found the idea intriguing I had quite a
 >few problems with the execution. It most definitely didn`t help that
 >especially Thriss but also Shar`s other bondmates very much got on my
 >nerves and although I really tried, I had little sympathy for Shar`s
 >mother or zhavey.

I see I have some fun stuff ahead of me, since Shar's bondmates just
appeared in the last book I've read.

Dave Roy (trying to find the time, but too many library books to get
through first)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->