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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Millenium #2
The War of the Prophets
The crew of Deep Space Nine becomes trapped in a future where the Pahwraiths have smashed the Federation and threaten to destroy the entire galaxy. Original.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 25, 2021
I am very confused, but quite pleased. A lot of feelings about Nog. Like, a LOT of feelings about Nog. Other things happened, I'm sure, but mostly Nog Feelings.
N O G
N O G
February 27, 2017
Riker reappeared on the viewer, eyes afire with rage. "The War of the Prophets is coming! Choose your side, Emissary -- because this is your war now!" - p. 408, The Fall of Terok Nor
When Captain Sisko and the rest of the Ds9 crew recovered three lost Bajoran artifacts -- the lost Orbs of Jalbador -- they thought a great mystery and the murderous schemes surrounding it had finally been put to rest. When when the three orbs spontaneously gathered together and opened a second wormhole, glowing crimson, the Defiant and all aboard her were thrown into the future while attempting to escape the destruction of Deep Space Nine. They found themselves trapped in a nightmarish future, where Klingons, Cardassians, and humans were all but extinct species -- where the remnant of Starfleet which remained is allied with the Borg and dedicated to the wholesale destruction of Bajor --a Bajor which is the seat of power for a new, mighty empire intent on enacting the Apocalypse.
Defiant jumps 25 years into the future and is immediately caught between the opposing forces: the Ascendancy need Sisko alive to fulfill prophecy, while Starfleet is determined to kill or capture Sisko to prevent his taking a role in the things to come. Gone is the Prime Directive and Starfleet's scientific, diplomatic culture: the universe may very well be doomed if Bajor is not eradicated. It's a bizarre, disturbing future the authors introduce us to, and when Defiant's crew is captured by both warring parties, the readers are able to see how truly demented the powers that be have become. Weyoun, formerly an agent of the Dominion, is now Kai of the Bajoran people -- and while he happily waits for the universe to end in two weeks, Starfleet -- and specifically, Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Nog -- are sending a timeship 25,000 years into the past to prevent cosmic catastrophe.
Sheer morbid curiosity in this strange world kept me reading the first time, but now I enjoy it more for the fun the authors had with their characters. Kira is the only weak point, reduced to a religious fanatic who yells "That's blasphemy" and does little else. Garak, the station's longterm resident Cardassian and former covert operative for the Obsidian Order, gives a unique perspective on the end of things, commenting surreally as he awaits the inevitable. The drama ramps up toward the end, when Starfleet's master plan is supposed to unfold....but it all goes to hell.
I had no intention of reading this so soon after The Fall of Terok Nor, but I picked it up to read with supper...and didn't stop until I was done. If I can find the third book, I just may read the entire trilogy in as many days.
When Captain Sisko and the rest of the Ds9 crew recovered three lost Bajoran artifacts -- the lost Orbs of Jalbador -- they thought a great mystery and the murderous schemes surrounding it had finally been put to rest. When when the three orbs spontaneously gathered together and opened a second wormhole, glowing crimson, the Defiant and all aboard her were thrown into the future while attempting to escape the destruction of Deep Space Nine. They found themselves trapped in a nightmarish future, where Klingons, Cardassians, and humans were all but extinct species -- where the remnant of Starfleet which remained is allied with the Borg and dedicated to the wholesale destruction of Bajor --a Bajor which is the seat of power for a new, mighty empire intent on enacting the Apocalypse.
Defiant jumps 25 years into the future and is immediately caught between the opposing forces: the Ascendancy need Sisko alive to fulfill prophecy, while Starfleet is determined to kill or capture Sisko to prevent his taking a role in the things to come. Gone is the Prime Directive and Starfleet's scientific, diplomatic culture: the universe may very well be doomed if Bajor is not eradicated. It's a bizarre, disturbing future the authors introduce us to, and when Defiant's crew is captured by both warring parties, the readers are able to see how truly demented the powers that be have become. Weyoun, formerly an agent of the Dominion, is now Kai of the Bajoran people -- and while he happily waits for the universe to end in two weeks, Starfleet -- and specifically, Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Nog -- are sending a timeship 25,000 years into the past to prevent cosmic catastrophe.
Sheer morbid curiosity in this strange world kept me reading the first time, but now I enjoy it more for the fun the authors had with their characters. Kira is the only weak point, reduced to a religious fanatic who yells "That's blasphemy" and does little else. Garak, the station's longterm resident Cardassian and former covert operative for the Obsidian Order, gives a unique perspective on the end of things, commenting surreally as he awaits the inevitable. The drama ramps up toward the end, when Starfleet's master plan is supposed to unfold....but it all goes to hell.
I had no intention of reading this so soon after The Fall of Terok Nor, but I picked it up to read with supper...and didn't stop until I was done. If I can find the third book, I just may read the entire trilogy in as many days.
January 11, 2019
I'm very happy that covering these novels on the Literary Treks podcast has finally afforded me the opportunity to read them. This second installment was a lot of fun, with a glimpse at a dark future that our heroes will have to somehow prevent from taking place. Lots of great cameos (including Thomas Riker) and with a role to play for each of the characters, The War of the Prophets is an excellent continuation of the Millennium trilogy. I found myself wanting to pick up book three, Inferno, immediately, but unfortunately there were other novels to read for the podcast before I could get to it. Definitely excited to see how this series concludes!
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/01/Mille...
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/01/Mille...
July 19, 2019
War of the Prophets
Synopsis:
Thrown twenty-five years into the future, the stranded crew of DS9 and the Defiant come to terms with their new reality. What had once been a conflict between the Federation and the Dominion has evolved into an all out battle between the Federation and the Bajoran Ascendancy. The ties that had once bound the galaxy together have been sheered as the teachings of the Prophets and Pah-Wraith have the galaxies citizens picking sides. But a plan to rewrite the past is in motion. From the mind of one of Starfleets most accomplished officers, a new ship is constructed to transverse time itself. Can Starfleet survive long enough to put their plan in motion? Will old allies, aided by ancient “Gods”, stop them in the last minute, or will time run out and the universe be destroyed?
The Goods:
What had been missing in book one – a feeling of never before things being introduced – takes precedent in this book. With the time jump, and frankly the galaxy as a whole being reformed, the author has cleaned the slate and given herself a whole new palette to paint on. New tech, new characters, new settings, and new stories to tell. Fancy new weapons are dawned, new ships are flown, species that are given little attention in other tales are weaved in, and what had once been solid story arcs for our favorite species are wiped clean for new beginnings and new endings.
The Bads:
This book strives to reform the galaxy. With that, the book has a lot to lay out, and boy does it lay out a lot. With three factions of God-like creatures to tell, new ships of the line with their fancy new tech, our characters split in two different groups, stories of new species, old species, new and old worlds born and destroyed, new and old emissaries with new and old powers, and a ton of tecno-babble to explain it all. With everything to absorb it can be, at times, difficult to follow everyone and everything. It is easy to lose track of what pieces are on the board, and with minor jumps in the story that leaves scenes dangling in the wind, it can be a “wait, what happened there?” kinda read.
In conclusion:
This book is a near perfect telling of a forward through time story. Mixed in with great characters, settings, tech, and even religious story arcs, it accomplishes a near perfecta of everything a Star Trek book should be. With a well balance of science and religion, right versus wrong, power and peace, the book strives and accomplishes what Star Trek is, a play for morality, justice, and virtues based on the good of the many out weighing the good of the one.
Synopsis:
Thrown twenty-five years into the future, the stranded crew of DS9 and the Defiant come to terms with their new reality. What had once been a conflict between the Federation and the Dominion has evolved into an all out battle between the Federation and the Bajoran Ascendancy. The ties that had once bound the galaxy together have been sheered as the teachings of the Prophets and Pah-Wraith have the galaxies citizens picking sides. But a plan to rewrite the past is in motion. From the mind of one of Starfleets most accomplished officers, a new ship is constructed to transverse time itself. Can Starfleet survive long enough to put their plan in motion? Will old allies, aided by ancient “Gods”, stop them in the last minute, or will time run out and the universe be destroyed?
The Goods:
What had been missing in book one – a feeling of never before things being introduced – takes precedent in this book. With the time jump, and frankly the galaxy as a whole being reformed, the author has cleaned the slate and given herself a whole new palette to paint on. New tech, new characters, new settings, and new stories to tell. Fancy new weapons are dawned, new ships are flown, species that are given little attention in other tales are weaved in, and what had once been solid story arcs for our favorite species are wiped clean for new beginnings and new endings.
The Bads:
This book strives to reform the galaxy. With that, the book has a lot to lay out, and boy does it lay out a lot. With three factions of God-like creatures to tell, new ships of the line with their fancy new tech, our characters split in two different groups, stories of new species, old species, new and old worlds born and destroyed, new and old emissaries with new and old powers, and a ton of tecno-babble to explain it all. With everything to absorb it can be, at times, difficult to follow everyone and everything. It is easy to lose track of what pieces are on the board, and with minor jumps in the story that leaves scenes dangling in the wind, it can be a “wait, what happened there?” kinda read.
In conclusion:
This book is a near perfect telling of a forward through time story. Mixed in with great characters, settings, tech, and even religious story arcs, it accomplishes a near perfecta of everything a Star Trek book should be. With a well balance of science and religion, right versus wrong, power and peace, the book strives and accomplishes what Star Trek is, a play for morality, justice, and virtues based on the good of the many out weighing the good of the one.
February 2, 2017
Interestingly enough, this book is one of the rare middle books in a trilogy to not suffer the "no beginning, no end" issue which usually makes them the weakest in a series. All the lead up in the first book pays off big time in this dystopian alternate future, and the ending actually feels like an ending (albeit a cliffhanger of one!).
Although the writing is a little awkward in a few places, the characterization continues to be pretty much spot on, even logically extrapolating to what various characters are like after experiencing a very different kind of trajectory into the future. The book also contains a multitude of cameos and mentions of characters that will make any Trek fan smile, but which don't detract from the story for anyone less well versed in the larger Trek universe. Honestly my main complaint is that there wasn't enough Garak, but that's my main complaint with any episode of DS9 that doesn't feature him, so take that particular criticism with a grain of salt... I hear he features more heavily in the final book, which makes me look forward to it even more.
Although the writing is a little awkward in a few places, the characterization continues to be pretty much spot on, even logically extrapolating to what various characters are like after experiencing a very different kind of trajectory into the future. The book also contains a multitude of cameos and mentions of characters that will make any Trek fan smile, but which don't detract from the story for anyone less well versed in the larger Trek universe. Honestly my main complaint is that there wasn't enough Garak, but that's my main complaint with any episode of DS9 that doesn't feature him, so take that particular criticism with a grain of salt... I hear he features more heavily in the final book, which makes me look forward to it even more.
July 31, 2019
I figured this trilogy was going to be an odd one based on how the first book had resolved, but I was not prepared for the sheer level of ambitious craziness that fuels this larger narrative. Now we have the Deep Space Nine crew thrown forward in time to a future where the Federation has largely fallen to a new Bajoran Ascendancy? And how the time-displaced refugees start to piece together what happened amid even more craziness is what makes this quite the fascinating DS9 adventure with connections to many different aspects of the larger franchise.
December 31, 2025
This one has pretty much the same amount of quality as the last one, albeit in different ways. The world created in this world has much more nuance than a simple parallel or mirror universe, and the two plotlines coming closer and closer as time runs out create a sense of tension and excitement that helps you surf through the book. Weyoun is interesting (and who was it going to be besides him) and it was neat to see Jake and Nog continue as it was also important to the first book. The prose-only supporting cast is interesting and I am looking forward to seeing how things conclude.
March 21, 2023
Somehow even better than the first entry. It would be spoilers to state what happens in this novel, but let me say that it’s not what a reader would expect - at all.
Harrowing, deadly, and including on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, this is an incredible DS9 novel. I don’t remember a time I’ve wanted a DS9 novel to end back at square one, but this had me guessing the entire time.
Read it. Continue this trilogy.
Harrowing, deadly, and including on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, this is an incredible DS9 novel. I don’t remember a time I’ve wanted a DS9 novel to end back at square one, but this had me guessing the entire time.
Read it. Continue this trilogy.
April 13, 2023
This book is bonkers. Definitely not as strong as the first but it has its moments. Their issues with time travel seemed a little convoluted along with a lot of the plot lines of this book. As great and straightforward as the first book was this one seemed very muddled as it threw the Star Trek universe into a blender. To me this seemed to be a little underwhelming but looking forward to the finish and how this ends up.
August 31, 2020
It’s extremely exciting to see everything slowly unravel and every piece put back together to make out the big, final picture. While characterization is superb, the story is occasionally overloaded with details and technobabble. Some characters like Quark and Garak become superfluous. Arla doesn’t play any interesting role except provoking people into religious debates, which could be thought provoking but got old very quickly.
I give this one 3.5/5
I give this one 3.5/5
October 20, 2021
sad that everyone got split up and the scope had to go so big so fast (damn you, traditional modes of storytelling, who cares about RISING ACTION??? I would gladly read a trilogy of murder mysteries set on DS9 with the focus being interpersonal shenanigans instead of ~~the plot~~), but still an outstanding Trek novel
August 10, 2021
I didn't like this one as much as the previous one. It kind of dragged on with the exposition, making it rather boring at times. The end was... well, I will be reading the next installment, just so I get some closure.
September 23, 2023
This was better than the first novel in the trilogy. I am not certain I love the way it ends however I am excited to get to the finale. The alternate future presented in this novel was quite interesting and the overall plot contained in this segment of the trilogy was much better written.
January 8, 2019
Entertaining. Good build up. When it ended, my first thought was grabbing book 3. Always a good sign for me.
February 13, 2020
Thrilling! Wonderful characterizations! Read it through in one day!
June 10, 2021
Full of time travel ridiculousness, but entertainingly so.
August 12, 2024
They are sent 25 years into the future. Who do they trust, which side do they choose? Still had trouble with the way Vash was portrayed. But I liked her interactions with an elderly Picard.
September 25, 2025
The War of the Prophets is a hedge maze that's all hedges.
July 31, 2010
Part 2 of the Millennium series isn't as good as book 1. Some moments like the appearance of Seven of Nine and the Doctor from Voyager smack of bad fan fiction. Other moments, like he idea of Admiral Picard mistaking Dr. Bashir for Wesley Crusher, smack of mediocre fan fiction, but made me smile so I gave them a pass.
There are moments in the book where I had to go back to see if I'd missed something. Invariably I hadn't. The story is convoluted. While the book continues where the first book left off, it doesn't exactly continue the story. None of the events from book 1 are relevant to any of the events in book 2 and I think that is the biggest drawback in the book.
The characterizations are excellent, but some characters seem to only be in the book to pander to a particular fanbase. Of course I'm thrilled Garak is there, but if he wasn't the book wouldn't suffer. Quark? Everyone likes Quark, but he doesn't have anything to really do. The original character of Commander Arla Rees has done nothing, but take up space for 2 books. I'll be very disappointed if there isn't some payoff for putting up with her character in book 3.
There are moments in the book where I had to go back to see if I'd missed something. Invariably I hadn't. The story is convoluted. While the book continues where the first book left off, it doesn't exactly continue the story. None of the events from book 1 are relevant to any of the events in book 2 and I think that is the biggest drawback in the book.
The characterizations are excellent, but some characters seem to only be in the book to pander to a particular fanbase. Of course I'm thrilled Garak is there, but if he wasn't the book wouldn't suffer. Quark? Everyone likes Quark, but he doesn't have anything to really do. The original character of Commander Arla Rees has done nothing, but take up space for 2 books. I'll be very disappointed if there isn't some payoff for putting up with her character in book 3.
December 19, 2013
The story takes over where the last book ended, after the three red Orbs of Jalbador aligned and made a second wormhole. Wayoun, my favorite DS9 villain, is now a religious leader who believes the Universe will come to an end once the two wormholes merge. We find a future version of Nog trying to keep Jean-Luc Picard from succumbing to a degenerative disease long enough to repeat his previous success with Project Phoenix, which is required to stop the merging from happening.
Admittedly, you’d probably have to be a Trekkie to enjoy this as much as I did. I read these books out of sheer pleasure and delight as the characterization is done so well. Yes, there’s meandering, but I didn’t care and eagerly anticipated it. Not sure if I'm intrigued enough with the concept to continue with the series.
Admittedly, you’d probably have to be a Trekkie to enjoy this as much as I did. I read these books out of sheer pleasure and delight as the characterization is done so well. Yes, there’s meandering, but I didn’t care and eagerly anticipated it. Not sure if I'm intrigued enough with the concept to continue with the series.
Read
July 29, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12396037
As with the first book in this trilogy, once I started reading, this went fast for such a thick book. It did slow down a bit towards that end but then it lightened up with some fun scenes. As before, the characterizations were all spot on.
BEST.
NOG.
EVER!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12396037
As with the first book in this trilogy, once I started reading, this went fast for such a thick book. It did slow down a bit towards that end but then it lightened up with some fun scenes. As before, the characterizations were all spot on.
BEST.
NOG.
EVER!
February 8, 2014
This was a very strange book. It started strangely, and ended even more strangely. It depicts a future that doesn't look very appealing, and contains most of the "usual suspects" from Deep Space 9, as well as a few from Next Generation. The chapters were a nice length, and it certainly took a fair amount of liberties from established canon, but now I want to see how it ends.
January 2, 2015
A very strange exploration of possible future of DS9 characters. Strange, because some of known characters behave differently due to that future's events. Strange, but not unpleasant. A bit too much technobabble in the second volume, perhaps, but generally a great read with lots of our favourite characters, with elements of mystery, crime, time travel and whatnot.
November 13, 2008
well paced and thought-provoking second part of the series. The end does leave you wondering somewhat, but that's ok as there's a third installment. Characterisation is superb here, you can really feel them.
July 27, 2013
The Defiant is caught 25 years in the future where there are 2 wormholes, and a war for existence happening. Lots of plot twists and intricate details. You do need to have read the first book in the trilogy though. There's also cameo appearances from Voyagers and Next Gen crew. A good read.
May 27, 2012
Best of the three books in a very good Trek trilogy. The alternate future is haunting, yet very beliavable, like all good dystopias.
April 26, 2015
The middle book in a series, I'd recommend reading all three if you're a fan of DS9.
June 4, 2015
A solid follow-up. The events and the characters are well developed, a few characters however do fade into the background and become under utilized. Overall a good read for DS9 fans.
June 21, 2017
Good series, but I think you need more DS9 background than I had at the time to get it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews