Date: 13 Jun 2013 01:34 Title: Chapter 14
Beautifully done - I don't think I've ever seen what is essentially a story about a power transfer done so compellingly.
Kudos!
Date: 27 May 2013 23:48 Title: Chapter 14
I came to this first for this review hunt based on the ficlets and I was not disappointed. You have woven this fantastically intristic universe with an array of characters, it's quite enviable. You'll forgive me for lumping the review at the end rather than over chapters.
I was most drawn to the character of Kalara (Klingons in Starfleet is something I like), her sense of honour and her sense of duty to Starfleet. The parallels between Ianto and a Trill is striking in that Ianto has Data's life experiences. His sacrifice is much akin to Spock's in Wrath of Khan or indeed, to a lesser extent, Data's own in Nemesis.
This world, or universe rather, in the future is dark, grim and deadly and for that reason and more I found it quite something. I'll do what I can for volume II.
Author's Response: Thanks for the review! I love it when people who have never read Restoration before come to it new, and to see what they enjoy, or not as the case may be. No problem for the review of it all, I know how long it can take to go back over something chapter by chapter. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on Volume 2!
Date: 19 Apr 2011 21:49 Title: Chapter 14
Wow. What a great read. I loved every single character in here...and I really feel for Kalara. She just had to kill some of her own people, had to witness the death of her dearest friend, and lost her command...
Ba'el put on quite a show as a fighter pilot-he seems to be just as shrewd as a captain of a starship too...but I hope he can patch things up with Kalara. Though I don't know if she'll ever forgive him.
All the way around, just a great execution of an even better idea. Top notch stuff, couldn't stop reading.
Author's Response: Thanks so much for the comment. So great to get some new commentary on this. Gives me a boost to get back on the horse as it were to write some more of volume 3! I'm glad you enjoyed the characters - they are a huge part of this story and I miss them! Kalara is one of my personal favourites, so I'm glad she got to you. Cool that it kept you reading! On to volume 2, then... :)
Date: 31 Aug 2010 15:16 Title: Chapter 14
Now that's an interesting collection of characters! I enjoyed interaction between them,and can't wait to see how it solves.
Ba'el seems to be a very promising fellow: not ideal, not perfect, so a lot of opportunities to explore. I like characters shining all shades of gray, they're a lot more interesting than perfect captains, following all rules.
Author's Response: Hi Gul Rejal!
Thanks so much for leaving this comment, means a world to me to read the thoughts of a new reader and to see that you enjoyed this story.
I tried to make the crew of Redemption as eclectic as possible to reflect this new galactic order. I also did my best to make all of the characters, not just Ba'el, a character painted in greys, with a loaded history and a lot of possible character developments. I'm glad that Ba'el in particular stuck out.
I hope you enjoy the other parts of this story.
Joel
[Report This]Date: 01 Jul 2010 12:13 Title: Chapter 14
I agree with the previous reviews here; ugly relationships have formed here, put simply.
Perhaps what I appreciate most about this story is the dystopian bent it's taken; the hellish future of the shiny, happy story fed to us in the canon series. Some of the outcomes of diplomacy, as you've described, do my head in - perhaps the key one is the Human-Romulan relationship, which is something I've always wanted to write about myself, wanted to read about even more, but no one (including myself) has had the guts to.
And on that dystopian note, we have real characters - fully-formed, passionate and lively. Their harsh upbringing echoes in their personalities; there's not a moment where it all falls apart, where it becomes less believable.
This is properly-written stuff. This story is amazing. Your two main characters, Ba'el and Kalara...I absolutely adore them. One is raw, the other is numb...and the fact that they have decided they hate each other just makes things far more interesting.
And also on the note of making things a little different to Star Trek as we know it, another star here. Nothing like a few hundred years of future through a brutal occupation to change technology, dress it up, engage the reader...
Absolutely fantastic. Five stars, sir.
Author's Response: Hi Shale,
So sorry I have only just seen your review of this, I haven't been very active on here recently. So glad to know that you enjoyed this.
I really wanted to work out this future history where things have fallen apart, but also to have a true resonance to the relationships between these people. Star Trek has had so many opportunities to work through difficult relations (Worf as a Klingon on the bridge of a Starfleet vessel, the whole Voyager crew) but rarely managed to do it in a satisfying way (DS9 being the only one as far as I am concerned). I wanted to show how these disparate people would rub one another up the wrong way while still writing a real adventure.
I'm so happy that you found my characters to be fully-formed, passionate and lively, that is definitely what i wanted to do with Ba'el, Kalara, etc.
Thank you so much for your review, made my day!
Joel
Date: 12 Jan 2010 23:18 Title: Chapter 14
Well glad to see Sarine lives to fight another day - though it nearly came down to fight in a minute or two. The command decisions re: Redemption's captaincy was always going to be a sticky point, but for circumstances to aggravate it and bring it to a head so soon only brings this into a rather intense and heated maelstrom of shit for all to contend with. The forecasted problems between the two certainly bore out but how or will they be repaired. The Redemption's launch has been a real baptism of fire and a costly one all round. Look forward to Volume II.
On another note must remark on the technology and holographic systems. All brilliantly conveyed throughout this story. Very well realised and written and a terific feature about your story that also helps to mark it out.
Author's Response: Can't wait to hear your comments and thoughts on Volume II now! Yes, Sarine and Kalara was always going to come to a head. As to whether she will be able to carry on aboard the ship is not at all a given, as you will see in the next part of the story. Thanks for the comments on the tech and holo systems, I wanted to make this different to the Star Trek we know and this was one of the ways to do it. So thanks!
[Report This]Date: 14 Sep 2009 19:44 Title: Chapter 14
You don't walk the dog-you fling the poor puppy around by his neck! What an exciting couple of chapters! i can't wait for the next part!
Date: 14 Sep 2009 01:29 Title: Chapter 14
I've seen some unfortunate run-ins between captains and XO's when assuming command of a ship, but this takes the Klingon blood-flecked cake! Kalara is caught between her anger, her loss, and her honor. Ba'el wanted to die, but had his long-awaited reunion with his wife and son in the afterlife rudely interrupted.
Ugly. No two ways about it. I can't wait to see how (or if) this relationship develops.