By BWilliams / 06:12, 31 March 2005 / Reviews - Books

If anything, the saga of STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE is one of great mixtures and contradictions. At one point it can be extremely funny and satirical, while at the opposite end of the spectrum it can reveal the deepest horrors of war, conflict, and the dark side of humanity, yet both adhering to the tenets originally outlined by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960's and not breaking them completely. And nowhere are these contradictions more evident than in the love-hate relationship between Quark of the Ferengi and Odo of the Dominion. Throughout the seven-year run of DS9 on television, their views on life constantly clashed, as they did, with Quark seeing life as one big chance to profit, and with Odo viewing life as one of complete and perfect order. Yet in this newest volume in the WORLDS OF DEEP SPACE NINE series, both they, and their respective homeworlds, face new challenges, new threats, and new beginnings from which there is no turning back.

The first tale in this latest volume, "Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed" by Keith R.A. DeCandido, is one of comic proportions from start to finish, yet one that faces significant change in the Ferengi way of life. In the past year Rom, the new Grand Nagus of Ferenginar, has overseen many political and socioeconomic reforms, among them the increased role of women in Ferengi business. On the homefront, Rom's life is about to turn upside down, as his Bajoran wife Leeta is about to give birth to their child - and the whole planet is in the baby betting pool. But an old nemesis of Quark's steps up to the forefront with scandalous allegations that threaten to have Rom removed from power, and for the dimwitted former bartender-turned-engineer-turned-Nagus, that's the last thing he wants. It's up to Quark, Nog, and Lieutenant Ro Laren to lead the investigation and uncover the truth behind the scandal.

DeCandido shines once again in this comic tale of political scandals and business dealings gone wrong. He clearly proves himself just as knowledgeable and capable of immersing himself in the entire Ferengi culture as he has done over the years with the Klingons. DeCandido has his finger on the pulse of Ferengi society as a race of beings whose goals are simple - to screw each other over, no matter what the cost, and to financially profit as a result. He also brings out a rare streak of goodness and nobility in Quark in seeking to come to Rom's aid, but that's something that Quark himself would rarely own up to admitting.

DeCandido also addresses our own problems in society and history, complete with the historical portrayal of women in society over the millennia, as well as the many political and financial scandals that have rocked society in recent years, painting us a portrait of what our world has been through. He even sneaks in an inside joke or two for all of you Coca-Cola lovers out there (like me, you gotta love those 20-ounce bottles of Coke!). In the hands of Keith DeCandido, "Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed" makes for fun reading through and through.

On the other side of the spectrum is "Olympus Descending" from David R. George III, which takes readers to the Gamma Quadrant to one of the darkest races in the entire STAR TREK saga: the Dominion. If things with the Ferengi were in a continual state of goofiness, the Dominion's got it pretty hard. Odo, one of the many Founder-based shapeshifters, is now given a task worthy of a Founder: determine why 100 such Founders were sent to the Alpha Quadrant over the many years of the galaxy's evolution. Meanwhile, in the Alpha Quadrant, Taran'atar, the Jem'Hadar soldier stationed as the Dominion liaison to Deep Space Nine, questions his loyalty to Odo and considers a change in his career plans.

David George has an ambitious task on his hands, in the same way past writers have done in the previous volumes in this series: how to explore this most enigmatic race in a new way that adds new layers and dimensions to their personality. And George does just that. Since 1993 we've seen the Founders consider themselves as the gods of the Dominion, but now George poses the question of whether or not the Founders themselves believe in a higher power. The discovery Odo makes not only startles him but also brings about a major change, one that has far-reaching effects back in the Alpha Quadrant and sets up a new chapter to come in the DEEP SPACE NINE saga.

While the WORLDS OF DEEP SPACE NINE series has come to an end, this latest volume has followed in its previous companions' footsteps by giving us interesting glimpses that move the saga forward as it only can. No wonder this series is the richest of them all in the STAR TREK universe.

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