By BWilliams / 00:00, 5 November 2003 / Reviews - Books

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Few writers can really get into the minds of an alien race and bring readers closer to understanding their nature, especially when it comes to an established race in the STAR TREK canon as rich and diverse as the Klingons and the Cardassians. Yet Keith R.A. DeCandido has done it again, and done it well. He proved he could do it in DIPLOMATIC IMPLAUSIBILITY and in the two-part THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, and in THE ART OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, DeCandido continues his look at the Klingon Empire, balanced by an equal portrait of the Cardassians, all amidst a tale of political struggle with many implications for all parties involved.

As the novel opens, the Cardassians are exploring Raknal V, an uncharted planet in neutral territory for possible colonization and military usage. They come across the wreckage and the remains of a cruiser that had crashed a thousand years before. Unfortunately, the remains are Klingon, believed to be a fabled vessel that had been lost centuries before, and the Klingon Empire argues that it has a legitimate claim to its remains. The Cardassians, however, have an equally legitimate claim to the planet because they officially discovered it first; therefore, Raknal V is theirs, and so is the wreckage. Rather than talk it out like the peace-loving species they are, they decide to fight it out. In a dangerous confrontation in the Betreka Nebula, Klingon and Cardassian forces slug it out for bragging rights.

The Federation has other plans, however, sending the U.S.S. Carthage and Starfleet ambassador Curzon Dax to mediate a treaty. The Klingon Empire's ambassador General Worf and the Cardassian ambassador Legate Zarin agree to meet and Dax proposes a treaty similar to the Organian Peace Treaty enforced upon the Federation and the Klingons sixty years before (in the TOS episode "Errand of Mercy"): both parties will inhabit a separate continent on Raknal V for cultivation and progress. Whichever party can prove itself best, can get the whole planet for their empire's own. Sound more difficult than it seems? It is. Starfleet Lieutenant Elias Vaughn, assigned to the treaty negotiations, voices his concerns against the treaty, saying that even if one party wins the planet, everyone ultimately loses.

Waiting in the wings (as usual) are the Romulans, ready to take advantage of the situation. Over the next eighteen years the Romulans secretly plot one sneak attack after another on the other three powers. Among the attacks is the infamous Narendra III incident involving Captain Rachel Garrett and the crew of the Enterprise-C (chronicled in TNG's "Yesterday's Enterprise") and the climactic attack on Khitomer (as referenced in "Sins of the Father"). DeCandido portrays the Romulans here in mysterious, shadowy tones, in a manner similar to their portrayal in STAR TREK NEMESIS. Their agenda is clear: they must be on the winning side, no matter how many lives it may cost in the process.

Any novel set within the time frame before TNG would not be complete without appearances from many familiar faces we have met before: Curzon Dax, the Cardassian agent Enabran Tain, Ian Troi (whose own story and final fate is revealed here) and his family, K'mpec (from TNG's "Sins of the Father") General Worf (from STAR TREK VI), his son Mogh, and a couple of appearances by a youthful version of a beloved TNG/DS9 character. Even two classic TOS characters make cameo appearances here. The list goes on and on. But this middle entry in the LOST ERA series is more than just a repository for younger or older versions of familiar faces. It's about the events that shaped the galaxy we know by the time of THE NEXT GENERATION, and with THE ART OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, it's about the shadows behind the scenes.

DeCandido paints a stark portrait here of a Federation whose purpose now is to serve as the galaxy's peacekeepers, resolving the problems of the major empires in their purview. In keeping with the tradition of the Original Series, DeCandido puts a twist on modern-day events, giving us a look at our own world and the United States' role in world politics. Instead of the standard view of "good guys wear white, bad guys wear black," DeCandido offers sympathizing looks into both the Klingon and Cardassian ways of life, viewing both cultures the same way that they each views its claim to Raknal V: on equal, legitimate terms, without bias. He successfully ties all of the events together while staying true to established lore.

Keith DeCandido has hit a solid home run once again with THE ART OF THE IMPOSSIBLE. Highly recommended reading.

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