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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Control
From the New York Times bestselling author David Mack comes an original, thrilling Section 31 novel set in the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe!
No law…no conscience…no mercy. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, and answering to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group pledged to defend the Federation at any cost. The discovery of a two-hundred-year-old secret gives Doctor Julian Bashir his best chance yet to expose and destroy the illegal spy organization. But his foes won’t go down without a fight, and his mission to protect the Federation he loves just end up triggering its destruction. Only one thing is for certain: this time, the price of victory will be paid with Bashir’s dearest blood.
No law…no conscience…no mercy. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, and answering to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group pledged to defend the Federation at any cost. The discovery of a two-hundred-year-old secret gives Doctor Julian Bashir his best chance yet to expose and destroy the illegal spy organization. But his foes won’t go down without a fight, and his mission to protect the Federation he loves just end up triggering its destruction. Only one thing is for certain: this time, the price of victory will be paid with Bashir’s dearest blood.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 28, 2017
119 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
David Mack
123 books666 followersDavid Mack is the New York Times bestselling author of 39 novels of science-fiction, fantasy, and adventure, including the Star Trek Destiny and Cold Equations trilogies.
Beyond novels, Mack's writing credits span several media, including television (for produced episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), games, and comic books.
Follow him on Twitter @davidalanmack or like his Facebook page.
Beyond novels, Mack's writing credits span several media, including television (for produced episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), games, and comic books.
Follow him on Twitter @davidalanmack or like his Facebook page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 27, 2019
Section 31's climax!
Dr. Julian Bashir's history with the insidious Section 31 has been rocky and dark, and his personal and professional life has turned into irreversible paths.
But something is clear for him...
...Section 31 must be stopped!
And he has tried once and again, without real success.
This time, he will find out about the REAL brain behind the operations of Section 31 and it turns too big for him to handle...
...therefore he will get unexpected assistance from familiar faces of TNG to deal with his most perilous mission trying to destroy Section 31 once and for all.
But the price to do this may be too high!
Dr. Julian Bashir's history with the insidious Section 31 has been rocky and dark, and his personal and professional life has turned into irreversible paths.
But something is clear for him...
...Section 31 must be stopped!
And he has tried once and again, without real success.
This time, he will find out about the REAL brain behind the operations of Section 31 and it turns too big for him to handle...
...therefore he will get unexpected assistance from familiar faces of TNG to deal with his most perilous mission trying to destroy Section 31 once and for all.
But the price to do this may be too high!
September 22, 2025
David Mack delivers a sharp, espionage-driven, conspiracy laden thriller with Control. Even though the big reveal is fairly predictable, the journey is gripping, full of surprising twists, and played out on a grand, satisfying scale. The novel carries a dark, ominous tone that feels especially relevant in light of today’s rapid advances in artificial intelligence, serving as a chilling warning of the potential insidious dangers facing humanity, e.g. not only the loss of privacy but ultimately the loss of autonomy. Significant roles for Data and Garak were most satisfying. My only real criticism is that some of the reasoning behind certain decisions, in particular when trying to outwit the AI, felt a bit contrived at times. The story stands alone quite well, though readers would certainly benefit from having read Mack's excellent Disavowed prior.
April 6, 2017
Well, that was...not what I was expecting. As a thriller, it sets a good pace and keeps the reader interested. But as to the final resolution of Section 31 and the power behind the throne, I'm left feeling a bit...uncertain. There's something almost "Battlestar Galactica" about this finale, and its darkness leaves me with mixed emotions...did I actually enjoy it? Was I disappointed or simply surprised? The novel itself seems to be satisfying a great many readers, and intellectually I can understand why. However, I'm left feeling ambiguous about the entire endeavor, wishing it had all turned out differently.
June 30, 2017
Control is a novel that redefines much of what we think of the Star Trek universe. While this may irk some fans, I loved this novel. The emotional and physical sacrifices that the characters have to make to achieve their goals and the nature of the enemy they are fighting were very compelling to me. A perfect Trek novel, and the best of the year's crop so far.
Full review (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9tX8...
Full review (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9tX8...
June 29, 2017
Unbelievable. I have read about 50 Trek novels and this one is easily one of the best I have read. It may in fact be the best. David Mack is a fantastic writer and knows the characters inside and out. Stop what your doing and read this book.
September 29, 2017
Wow.
I laughed and cried. Good book. I love how this storyline has now wrapped up. We need heroes like these in America today.
I laughed and cried. Good book. I love how this storyline has now wrapped up. We need heroes like these in America today.
June 26, 2018
“Are you still with me, my dear doctor? Are you blind to the sight of me, deaf to the music of my voice?”
For now, this was his burden alone.
Fuck. I don’t know if this is the last novelverse appearance of Julian Bashir (and Garak for that matter), but it hurts. This was some very, very good, deconstruction of the Roddenberryian Utopia, and I have no words for it. And it’s not for everyone, but wow. In a way this is deep, hard rewrite of the history of the Federation, but it’s so….plausible and insidious. It’s a product of our era and generation for sure, and I don’t know how you come back from it.
For now, this was his burden alone.
Fuck. I don’t know if this is the last novelverse appearance of Julian Bashir (and Garak for that matter), but it hurts. This was some very, very good, deconstruction of the Roddenberryian Utopia, and I have no words for it. And it’s not for everyone, but wow. In a way this is deep, hard rewrite of the history of the Federation, but it’s so….plausible and insidious. It’s a product of our era and generation for sure, and I don’t know how you come back from it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2020
4.6| Dies ist m.M. nach wieder ein großer Roman innerhalb des Star Trek- (Novelisations-)Kanons. Er bietet einen Blick hinter der Entstehungsgeschichte der geheimnisvollen Sektion 31, aber auch deren (vorläufigen) Abstieg.
Dieser Geheimdienst, der außerhalb jeder Kontrolle, sei es durch die Förderations-Regierung oder der Sternenflotte agiert und im Laufe der letzen 200 Jahre die politische und militärische Geschichte der Förderation gelenkt hatte, wurde m.W. erstmals in der TV-Serie "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" erwähnt, als Dr. Julien Bahir von ihr rekrutiert wurde und Sarina Douglas von Bashir aus ihrem Bewußtseinskerker erlöst wurde. Seitdem wurden beide in mehreren Romanen als Doppelagenten gegen Sektion 31 tätig, sie kamen aber bisher dem Kern der Sache, den Personen die Sektion 31 leiten, nicht näher.
Der Roman beginnt mit einem Cliffhanger, als es Julien Bashir, schwer verletzt, nicht gelang einen Datenchip in ein Computersystem einzuführen. Seine Mission scheint gescheitert zu sein...
In der weiteren Handlung wird die Journalistin Ozla Graniv (die wir bereits aus Keith R.A. deCandido's "Die Gesetze der Förderation" kennen)
von zwei Mitarbeitern der TU Dresden kontaktiert, die in einem verwaisten Raum ein Spionage-Programm namens Uräus gefunden haben, ein Computervirus, der überall in der Galaxis in der Software von fast jedem Gerät integriert ist und unbekannte Dinge tut. Es scheint unglaublich mächtig zu sein, tatsächlich findet sie heraus, dass sich Uräus zu einer künstlichen Super-Intelligenz (KSI) in den letzten 200 Jahren entwickelt hat.
In einem parallelem Erzählstrang wird die Entwicklung von Uräus von seiner Erschaffung in der TU Dresden ab dem Jahre 2140 bis in die 60er Jahre des 22. Jahrhunderts, kurz nach der Gründung der Förderation der Planeten, erzählt und damit verbunden die Verstrickung einzelner Admiräle der Sternenflotte, die ihre Aktivitäten geheim halten. In der weiteren Entwicklung wird gezeigt, wie aus Uräus eine KSI entsteht, die im Laufe der Zeit Sektion 31 gründet und selbst als "Control" die Führungselite von 31 rekrutiert.
Diese Führungsleute rekrutieren wiederum Agenten, die weitere Ebenen einführen, dabei sticht die Tatsache heraus, dass sie sich gegenseiten nicht kennen, wer unter seinen Vorgesetzten steht, weiß nicht, woher die Befehle kommen. Alle, die dabei Control in die Quere kommen, werden daraufhin beseitigt. Gleichzeitig ist Sektion 31 für die Förderation und die Sternenflotte unverzichtbar geworden, weil sie, gemäß ihrer Programmierung, alles tut, um die Förderation und die Menschheit zu schützen, dabei befolgt sie weitreichende Pläne, die über das Lebensalter eines Menschen hinausgehen. So agiert Sektion 31 Undercover und war verantwortlich für den Sieg der Förderation in dem romulanischen Krieg, als auch für den Sieg über das Dominion, indem es dem Förderationspräsideten Zife beseitigte und ein Völkermord an den Gründern anzettelten.
Diese Informationen gab sie an Bashir und Sarina weiter, die dann sofort unter Druck von Sektion 31 gerieten, es fiel ihnen nichts anderes ein, als mit Data und dessen Tocher Lal, nach Cardassia zu fliehen, in der Hoffnung, dass ihnen Bashirs Freund von DS9, der neue Kastellan Garak helfen könnte. Doch auch auf Cardassia ist Sektion 31 tätig, es gelingt ihnen, Sarina Douglas gefangenzunehmen und einer Gehirnwäsche zu unterziehen, sie steht seidem unter Kontrolle von Control. Bashir, Data und Lal fassen einen verzweifelten Plan, sie planen, mit Hilfe des orginalen Code von Uräus, das gigantische Netzwerk von Sektion 31 zu zerstören, gleichzeitig dringt Ozla Graniv zur neuen Förderationspräsidentin vor und teilt mit ihr die Informationen. Beim Endkampf um die Einschleußung des Virus, stirbt Sarina Douglas und Bashir wird schwer verletzt, die Sekton 31 wird ausgehoben, Verantwortliche werden verhaftet, doch Control gelingt unbemerkt die Transformation zu etwas höherem...
Wow, damit gehen einige der besten Schöpfungen der, ohnehin besten, Star Trek Serie "Deep Space Nine" dahin, die Sektion 31, aber auch Sarina Douglas. Das Schlußkapitel zeigt jedoch, dass es eventuell weitergehen könnte. Etwas gestört hat mich die Tatsache, dass Uräus in Deutschland entwickelt wurde, im Sinne der Wahrscheinlichkeit hätte ich das eher bei der NSA in Virginia angesiedelt. Auch die Tatsache, dass eine neue Star Trek Streaming-Serie vorbereitet wird, die den Namen der Sektion 31 tragen soll, trägt zu meinem Verdruss bei, denn aufgrund der bisherigen Erfahrung ist nicht zu erwarten, dass die Filmemacher sich um den Star Trek Kanon scheren würden, bisher haben sie ihm allesamt schweren Schaden zugefügt.
David Mack hat es hiermit wieder einmal eindrucksvoll bewiesen, dass er der Autor für die entscheidenden Star Trek Romane ist...
Dieser Geheimdienst, der außerhalb jeder Kontrolle, sei es durch die Förderations-Regierung oder der Sternenflotte agiert und im Laufe der letzen 200 Jahre die politische und militärische Geschichte der Förderation gelenkt hatte, wurde m.W. erstmals in der TV-Serie "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" erwähnt, als Dr. Julien Bahir von ihr rekrutiert wurde und Sarina Douglas von Bashir aus ihrem Bewußtseinskerker erlöst wurde. Seitdem wurden beide in mehreren Romanen als Doppelagenten gegen Sektion 31 tätig, sie kamen aber bisher dem Kern der Sache, den Personen die Sektion 31 leiten, nicht näher.
Der Roman beginnt mit einem Cliffhanger, als es Julien Bashir, schwer verletzt, nicht gelang einen Datenchip in ein Computersystem einzuführen. Seine Mission scheint gescheitert zu sein...
In der weiteren Handlung wird die Journalistin Ozla Graniv (die wir bereits aus Keith R.A. deCandido's "Die Gesetze der Förderation" kennen)
von zwei Mitarbeitern der TU Dresden kontaktiert, die in einem verwaisten Raum ein Spionage-Programm namens Uräus gefunden haben, ein Computervirus, der überall in der Galaxis in der Software von fast jedem Gerät integriert ist und unbekannte Dinge tut. Es scheint unglaublich mächtig zu sein, tatsächlich findet sie heraus, dass sich Uräus zu einer künstlichen Super-Intelligenz (KSI) in den letzten 200 Jahren entwickelt hat.In einem parallelem Erzählstrang wird die Entwicklung von Uräus von seiner Erschaffung in der TU Dresden ab dem Jahre 2140 bis in die 60er Jahre des 22. Jahrhunderts, kurz nach der Gründung der Förderation der Planeten, erzählt und damit verbunden die Verstrickung einzelner Admiräle der Sternenflotte, die ihre Aktivitäten geheim halten. In der weiteren Entwicklung wird gezeigt, wie aus Uräus eine KSI entsteht, die im Laufe der Zeit Sektion 31 gründet und selbst als "Control" die Führungselite von 31 rekrutiert.
Diese Führungsleute rekrutieren wiederum Agenten, die weitere Ebenen einführen, dabei sticht die Tatsache heraus, dass sie sich gegenseiten nicht kennen, wer unter seinen Vorgesetzten steht, weiß nicht, woher die Befehle kommen. Alle, die dabei Control in die Quere kommen, werden daraufhin beseitigt. Gleichzeitig ist Sektion 31 für die Förderation und die Sternenflotte unverzichtbar geworden, weil sie, gemäß ihrer Programmierung, alles tut, um die Förderation und die Menschheit zu schützen, dabei befolgt sie weitreichende Pläne, die über das Lebensalter eines Menschen hinausgehen. So agiert Sektion 31 Undercover und war verantwortlich für den Sieg der Förderation in dem romulanischen Krieg, als auch für den Sieg über das Dominion, indem es dem Förderationspräsideten Zife beseitigte und ein Völkermord an den Gründern anzettelten.
Diese Informationen gab sie an Bashir und Sarina weiter, die dann sofort unter Druck von Sektion 31 gerieten, es fiel ihnen nichts anderes ein, als mit Data und dessen Tocher Lal, nach Cardassia zu fliehen, in der Hoffnung, dass ihnen Bashirs Freund von DS9, der neue Kastellan Garak helfen könnte. Doch auch auf Cardassia ist Sektion 31 tätig, es gelingt ihnen, Sarina Douglas gefangenzunehmen und einer Gehirnwäsche zu unterziehen, sie steht seidem unter Kontrolle von Control. Bashir, Data und Lal fassen einen verzweifelten Plan, sie planen, mit Hilfe des orginalen Code von Uräus, das gigantische Netzwerk von Sektion 31 zu zerstören, gleichzeitig dringt Ozla Graniv zur neuen Förderationspräsidentin vor und teilt mit ihr die Informationen. Beim Endkampf um die Einschleußung des Virus, stirbt Sarina Douglas und Bashir wird schwer verletzt, die Sekton 31 wird ausgehoben, Verantwortliche werden verhaftet, doch Control gelingt unbemerkt die Transformation zu etwas höherem...
Wow, damit gehen einige der besten Schöpfungen der, ohnehin besten, Star Trek Serie "Deep Space Nine" dahin, die Sektion 31, aber auch Sarina Douglas. Das Schlußkapitel zeigt jedoch, dass es eventuell weitergehen könnte. Etwas gestört hat mich die Tatsache, dass Uräus in Deutschland entwickelt wurde, im Sinne der Wahrscheinlichkeit hätte ich das eher bei der NSA in Virginia angesiedelt. Auch die Tatsache, dass eine neue Star Trek Streaming-Serie vorbereitet wird, die den Namen der Sektion 31 tragen soll, trägt zu meinem Verdruss bei, denn aufgrund der bisherigen Erfahrung ist nicht zu erwarten, dass die Filmemacher sich um den Star Trek Kanon scheren würden, bisher haben sie ihm allesamt schweren Schaden zugefügt.
David Mack hat es hiermit wieder einmal eindrucksvoll bewiesen, dass er der Autor für die entscheidenden Star Trek Romane ist...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2017
Wow...if only the new movies had followed this direction and utilized David Mack's writing skills.
April 20, 2018
Control picks up after the previous with Bashir and Sarina trying to get in closer with Section 31 even while playing a game of they-know-that-we-know with Section 31 and the AI that is responsible for it creation and running known as Control! :D
From the start Control leaps into action with Bashir and Sarina going on the run from Section 31 and the wider Federation as they are framed for actions they haven't done! :D This lead them to seek the aid of Data and his daughter Lal in Orion territory but even this is not safe for them! :D The way that Control gains access to them even in this location is particularly insidious and this leads to a dramatic escape on Data's ship the Archeus to Cardassia where Garak as the current leader of the planet offers them sanctuary! :D But even here they are tracked and for once it does seem that Garak is not manipulating things in what evolves into and incredible hit and run fight on a rooftop! :D
At the same time Bashir, Ozla Graniv ,Sarina Data and Lal are continuously put through the ringer and decide to split their forces with Ozla going to the Federation President zh'Tarash with the evidence and the rest to Memory Alpha and Prime! :D This coordinated stand is brilliantly pulled off with the characters on all fronts being desperate, as they are, find even getting to the Federation President will have you on the edge of you seat with the suspense! :D Data, Lal, Bashir and Sarina's invasion of the Memories is visceral and brutal and you will not be able to guess how it turns out this really adds to the suspense as literally at any point you can feel that the rug will be pulled out from under them! :D
At the same time though Control is full characterisation and world building! :D We get to see where Data and Lal have been hanging out and we get to see that Lal has her own place with Data keeping a remote eye on her as she develops! :D Bashir and Sarina continue to be put through the ringer and at the same time we also get to to see more of Garak and how is settling in! :D
The overall plot though to boot is insidious and chilling and our characters are real heroes fighting it and at no point are you ever in doubt of this which adds a kind of nobility to the events and what happens to the characters will have you surprised and laughing away as the plot progresses! :D Control really sets things us brilliantly for future books and at the same time delivers a powerful message about society and AI's in the mix as well! :D
Control will keep you on the edge of your seat and will keep you guessing what will happen form start to finish! :D Control is full of adventure, heroics, outstanding world building and is actin packed throughout crisp high-Five! :D Brilliant and highly recommended go and get! :D
From the start Control leaps into action with Bashir and Sarina going on the run from Section 31 and the wider Federation as they are framed for actions they haven't done! :D This lead them to seek the aid of Data and his daughter Lal in Orion territory but even this is not safe for them! :D The way that Control gains access to them even in this location is particularly insidious and this leads to a dramatic escape on Data's ship the Archeus to Cardassia where Garak as the current leader of the planet offers them sanctuary! :D But even here they are tracked and for once it does seem that Garak is not manipulating things in what evolves into and incredible hit and run fight on a rooftop! :D
At the same time Bashir, Ozla Graniv ,Sarina Data and Lal are continuously put through the ringer and decide to split their forces with Ozla going to the Federation President zh'Tarash with the evidence and the rest to Memory Alpha and Prime! :D This coordinated stand is brilliantly pulled off with the characters on all fronts being desperate, as they are, find even getting to the Federation President will have you on the edge of you seat with the suspense! :D Data, Lal, Bashir and Sarina's invasion of the Memories is visceral and brutal and you will not be able to guess how it turns out this really adds to the suspense as literally at any point you can feel that the rug will be pulled out from under them! :D
At the same time though Control is full characterisation and world building! :D We get to see where Data and Lal have been hanging out and we get to see that Lal has her own place with Data keeping a remote eye on her as she develops! :D Bashir and Sarina continue to be put through the ringer and at the same time we also get to to see more of Garak and how is settling in! :D
The overall plot though to boot is insidious and chilling and our characters are real heroes fighting it and at no point are you ever in doubt of this which adds a kind of nobility to the events and what happens to the characters will have you surprised and laughing away as the plot progresses! :D Control really sets things us brilliantly for future books and at the same time delivers a powerful message about society and AI's in the mix as well! :D
Control will keep you on the edge of your seat and will keep you guessing what will happen form start to finish! :D Control is full of adventure, heroics, outstanding world building and is actin packed throughout crisp high-Five! :D Brilliant and highly recommended go and get! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2021
I really loved this story. Bashir has a future as a spy ;-)
June 22, 2017
David Mack has never shied away from telling a big story with huge ramifications for The Federation, the Alpha quadrant, the Milky Way galaxy, hell, even the universe(s). The story in "Control" is yet another example of his expansive storytelling. Like his previous Section 31 related books, the main protagonist is the long-suffering Julian Bashir and his quest to rid his beloved Federation of the scourge of clandestine organization that pre-dates the Federation itself. As usual, Mack has a knack (see what I did there?) for bringing in main and supplemental characters from most of the Trek franchise and seamlessly stitching them into the story. You won't be disappointed with his choices here. Overall, I found this book to be a gripping page turner. While not the best of the series, you will definitely get caught up in the story. The ONLY reason I don't give this book a full five-star rating is that I find Bashir to be highly flawed, especially for a genetically enhanced human who was bright enough to be tagged for recruitment by the agency 20 years earlier, on DS9. I find his motivations more than a bit annoying at times. But that is hardly Mack's fault and he does write Julian Bashir consistent with his on-screen character. If you've already been following the Section 31 books, there is no reason not to pick up this enjoyable page-turner.
October 22, 2019
This is the first book which I have read of this DS9/TNG/Section 31 crossover arc I will first of all warn anybody else that they may not want to do that. Every chapter in the book, as an aside, had at least one callback that I am pretty sure summarized the ending to another of Mack's books in the arc. This would be annoying if I had read all the books but especially annoying since I hadn't. I was perfectly happy and accepting that I would not know everything that was going on. I just wanted to read about Control.
That Star Trek: Discovery used the same Super AI's name I thought it would be cool to get some perspective on it even though this book probably isn't fully canon. I achieved that.
If I ever do go back and read the arc of books that lead to this book I have a pocket full of spoilers.
That Star Trek: Discovery used the same Super AI's name I thought it would be cool to get some perspective on it even though this book probably isn't fully canon. I achieved that.
If I ever do go back and read the arc of books that lead to this book I have a pocket full of spoilers.
April 13, 2025
The sequel to Disavowed, Control picks up shortly after Doctor Bashir and Sarina Douglas return home to Andor. Having completed their latest mission for the shadowy organization, they continue their efforts to take them down from the inside, but the closer they get, the more dangerous it becomes.
Set in the familiar Star Trek universe in what is now known as the First Splinter Timeline, this story takes place after Doctor Bashir saves the Andorian people from their reproductive crisis and is pardoned by the Federation president, moving to a quiet life on Andor. But despite his efforts to stay out of the spotlight, Section 31 has other plans for him, and him for them.
Once again taking center stage, Doctor Julian Bashir and Sarina Douglas are thrust into the center of a conspiracy built at the very heart of Starfleet and the Federation. They are joined by Orla Graniv, a Trill reporter determined to uncover the story, and the duo of Data and Lal, the android formerly of the Enterprise crew and his daughter.
Section 31 exists in the shadows. Operating without oversight, accountability, or rules, it does what is necessary to safeguard the Federation. But the depths to which it will travel to accomplish those goals are far deeper than anyone expected. When an early copy of the software designed to monitor and report is discovered on a twenty second century computer, it kickstarts a chain of events that will either undo Section 31 forever, or end Doctor Bashir’s life.
Control answers a lot of questions that I never knew to ask about both Section 31, the artificial intelligence directing their efforts, and the origins of the organization itself. First introduced in the Deep Space Nine episode “Inquisition”, they are the shadowy hand that moves behind the scenes, protecting the Federation and its people by any means necessary. Willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal, they are invisible with eyes and ears everywhere. And almost no one knows they exist.
Told in two parallel storylines, the DNA of the shadowy organization is exposed at last. Alternating between the present day story of Doctor Bashir’s efforts to destroy the organization at all costs, we see the origins of Section 31 during the formative years of the Federation. Beginning as a simple piece of software designed to monitor and notify of any potential threats, it is when the program known as Uraei can not stop the Xindi attack on Earth that it expands its reach to the far future.
Seeking to carry out its core directive, it determines that it now needs human agents and resources far beyond a single warp 5 starship to protect Earth. From this is born the mysterious Section 31, with a broad mandate and answerable to no one but its mysterious taskmaster, Control.
When a Trill reporter named Orla Graniv becomes aware of the pernicious software, she seeks out answers, and soon she and Doctor Bashir find themselves the target of Section 31 and all of its resources. With limited resources and on the run, they must seek help to carry out their mission before it is too late.
The book does a wonderful job of reinforcing the adage, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. A question often asked in a free society, how much privacy are you willing to sacrifice in the name of security?
Adding a whole new layer to the story of the insidious section 31, we find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes as Doctor Bashir struggles to stay one step ahead of an enemy that is literally everywhere. It did a fantastic job of conveying the isolation and adrenaline of the conspiracy thriller, blended seamlessly with the flashbacks that show how a simple program designed to protect us became a monster even those who created it could not control.
The story crafts an excellent parallel narrative set in the universe we all know and love, doing a wonderful job of making an omnipresent and practically limitless enemy feel like a genuine threat. It also makes me think of the burden of knowledge, of how much of our safety depends on what we know or rather what we don’t know about what happens in the world around us.
While by and large I rather enjoyed the book, it was perhaps less entertaining to me for the fact that I generally dislike the notion of anyone misusing something good for less than altruistic ends.
I found the ending to be a little depressing, not the least of which because it explains how Doctor Bashir ended up in the catatonic state he is shown to be in during the Coda trilogy, but the fact that the author ended up playing the ‘it’s not over card’, with the entire novel’s events including many before it even occurred all being part of the plan. I suppose it chafes me because I don’t like the idea that our fates are out of our hands, or that all that effort was effectively for nothing. Also, while most of the time it’s kind of stunning at first, it becomes somewhat incredulous when taken to extremes, even though I acknowledge this is not the first media in which I’ve seen this suggested. But generally unless clues were planted that the audience was aware of, this plot device often feels like an excuse to justify an assertion that can’t be proven. Mainly the statement that it was all part of the plan to get you where you need to be.
Although I appreciate the writing of David Mack and the story as a whole for filling in some additional gaps, it just left me feeling a bit down, which is perhaps the point, but all the same, I have to recommend it with reservations. While it’s a good trek book, it’s not a feel good book so know what you’re getting into. But if you like Section 31, I’d recommend this book’s predecessor, Disavowed.
Set in the familiar Star Trek universe in what is now known as the First Splinter Timeline, this story takes place after Doctor Bashir saves the Andorian people from their reproductive crisis and is pardoned by the Federation president, moving to a quiet life on Andor. But despite his efforts to stay out of the spotlight, Section 31 has other plans for him, and him for them.
Once again taking center stage, Doctor Julian Bashir and Sarina Douglas are thrust into the center of a conspiracy built at the very heart of Starfleet and the Federation. They are joined by Orla Graniv, a Trill reporter determined to uncover the story, and the duo of Data and Lal, the android formerly of the Enterprise crew and his daughter.
Section 31 exists in the shadows. Operating without oversight, accountability, or rules, it does what is necessary to safeguard the Federation. But the depths to which it will travel to accomplish those goals are far deeper than anyone expected. When an early copy of the software designed to monitor and report is discovered on a twenty second century computer, it kickstarts a chain of events that will either undo Section 31 forever, or end Doctor Bashir’s life.
Control answers a lot of questions that I never knew to ask about both Section 31, the artificial intelligence directing their efforts, and the origins of the organization itself. First introduced in the Deep Space Nine episode “Inquisition”, they are the shadowy hand that moves behind the scenes, protecting the Federation and its people by any means necessary. Willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal, they are invisible with eyes and ears everywhere. And almost no one knows they exist.
Told in two parallel storylines, the DNA of the shadowy organization is exposed at last. Alternating between the present day story of Doctor Bashir’s efforts to destroy the organization at all costs, we see the origins of Section 31 during the formative years of the Federation. Beginning as a simple piece of software designed to monitor and notify of any potential threats, it is when the program known as Uraei can not stop the Xindi attack on Earth that it expands its reach to the far future.
Seeking to carry out its core directive, it determines that it now needs human agents and resources far beyond a single warp 5 starship to protect Earth. From this is born the mysterious Section 31, with a broad mandate and answerable to no one but its mysterious taskmaster, Control.
When a Trill reporter named Orla Graniv becomes aware of the pernicious software, she seeks out answers, and soon she and Doctor Bashir find themselves the target of Section 31 and all of its resources. With limited resources and on the run, they must seek help to carry out their mission before it is too late.
The book does a wonderful job of reinforcing the adage, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. A question often asked in a free society, how much privacy are you willing to sacrifice in the name of security?
Adding a whole new layer to the story of the insidious section 31, we find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes as Doctor Bashir struggles to stay one step ahead of an enemy that is literally everywhere. It did a fantastic job of conveying the isolation and adrenaline of the conspiracy thriller, blended seamlessly with the flashbacks that show how a simple program designed to protect us became a monster even those who created it could not control.
The story crafts an excellent parallel narrative set in the universe we all know and love, doing a wonderful job of making an omnipresent and practically limitless enemy feel like a genuine threat. It also makes me think of the burden of knowledge, of how much of our safety depends on what we know or rather what we don’t know about what happens in the world around us.
While by and large I rather enjoyed the book, it was perhaps less entertaining to me for the fact that I generally dislike the notion of anyone misusing something good for less than altruistic ends.
I found the ending to be a little depressing, not the least of which because it explains how Doctor Bashir ended up in the catatonic state he is shown to be in during the Coda trilogy, but the fact that the author ended up playing the ‘it’s not over card’, with the entire novel’s events including many before it even occurred all being part of the plan. I suppose it chafes me because I don’t like the idea that our fates are out of our hands, or that all that effort was effectively for nothing. Also, while most of the time it’s kind of stunning at first, it becomes somewhat incredulous when taken to extremes, even though I acknowledge this is not the first media in which I’ve seen this suggested. But generally unless clues were planted that the audience was aware of, this plot device often feels like an excuse to justify an assertion that can’t be proven. Mainly the statement that it was all part of the plan to get you where you need to be.
Although I appreciate the writing of David Mack and the story as a whole for filling in some additional gaps, it just left me feeling a bit down, which is perhaps the point, but all the same, I have to recommend it with reservations. While it’s a good trek book, it’s not a feel good book so know what you’re getting into. But if you like Section 31, I’d recommend this book’s predecessor, Disavowed.
June 14, 2017
Awesome! Disavowed is one of my all time favorites, so I've really been looking forward to this book. I'd heard some mixed reviews about how this book ends, but I thought it was a great ending. There are so many really great writers writing for ST these days, but I think David Mack is my favorite. His style, knowledge of ST & his perfect grasp of the characters always make for an entertaining read. Highly recommend!.
May 6, 2017
Best Section 31 novel yet!
Excellent novel with just the right balance of action, intrigued and ST technobabble. David Mack has taken the 31 concept far, and again added to his impressive collection of works.
Excellent novel with just the right balance of action, intrigued and ST technobabble. David Mack has taken the 31 concept far, and again added to his impressive collection of works.
September 21, 2025
Simply one of the best novels ever written
May 26, 2017
Great read
Even after putting it down, I was still compelled to continue reading it after a brief respite. I hope to read more like this.
Even after putting it down, I was still compelled to continue reading it after a brief respite. I hope to read more like this.
February 6, 2018
(Originally posted at https://trekmovie.com/2017/05/09/revi...)
The moral and ethical nature of Section 31 comes into question in the latest Trek novel from author David Mack.
“I can’t deny there’s rot in the core of Starfleet. In the heart of the Federation. I’ve seen it.’ [Bashir] looked up at Garak, and his eyes had the hard, unyielding focus of a man ready to go to war. ‘I came to you because I need to know how to stop it. How to end it. How to destroy it.’
‘Well, that’s simple, Doctor. What worked for Cardassia will work for the Federation. To excise this cancer from your body politic, all you need to do is kill the body, burn it down to ash, then resurrect and rebuild it with wiser eyes and a sadder heart.’”
David Mack’s brand new Star Trek novel, Section 31: Control, is filled with portentous and grim pronouncements like these about the threat that the shadow-organization Section 31 poses to the ethical fiber and very life of the United Federation of Planets. And the only people who can stop it are Doctor Julian Bashir and Sarina Douglas, and even though both are genetically-augmented super-geniuses, Section 31 is directed by an entity whose intellect and scope of operations may completely outclass the two of them combined.
In TrekMovie’s recent interview with David Mack, the author expressed his delight at the way the book’s blood-red cover design perfectly meshes with the level of violence and threat in the interior pages, and he’s right. The menace posed by the head of Section 31, a mysterious entity known only as “Control,” is beyond what the Federation faced at the hands of the Dominion, the Xindi, the Romulans, or the Klingons throughout televisual Trek.
Mack’s opening scene is a dramatic homage to the climax of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it serves merely as the jumping-off point for a story that sweeps us through Federation history, starting more than a decade before the launch of the NX-01, carrying us through the maiden voyage of that pioneering Warp 5 starship, the establishment of the UFP, and on to the adventures of Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and more. Mack paints a dark backdrop to the familiar voyages we know so well, adding the brooding presence of Section 31 behind it all.
Because Trek novels are licensed fiction, the author is playing with established characters, whom the reader knows intimately before reading the even the first page. This is both a challenge and an opportunity; the author doesn’t need to tell us much about Bashir, Douglas, or Garak, because we know who they are. For the most part, Mack dodges the dangers inherent in licensed work, capturing the unique voices of each of these well-known characters. Mack wrote Bashir so well that I could hear Alexander Siddig’s voice in my head as I read, and the same was true for the many other familiar characters that take part in the narrative in surprising ways.
I’m not sure I’d describe the story as “blood-soaked,” as Mack does, but the major characters undergo severe trials during the course of the story, and their lives are altered in fundamental ways by the events that unfold. I appreciated the high stakes, and the fact that the characters looked at the consequences straight in the face, and made their choices knowingly.
Along the way, Mack raises the difficult question of whether human beings could achieve the sort of utopian society portrayed in the Star Trek mythos on their own, without the guiding hand of an advanced superior being. Mack’s answer strikes at the very heart of Gene Roddenberry’s belief in the natural perfectibility of the human race. I deeply appreciated the fact that Mack was willing to raise these issues, and to incorporate the discussion so deeply into the narrative.
Sadly, in one spot, the novel relies on the hoary cliché of the protagonist rushing in to save his beloved, even at the risk of unimaginable devastation to countless others, because he “can’t live without her.” While other characters object, love is its own justification. Given Mack’s skill in exploring ethical dilemmas, I would have liked to see more attention paid to the complexities of love and heroics.
Star Trek Section 31: Control is a fast-paced, high-stakes, plot-driven book that explores questions that Star Trek needs to deal with. It dives into these issues in interesting ways, and rewards careful attention to the ethical discussions within. If at times it rests on character familiarity and romantic cliché, it does so in the course of a thinking reader’s action thriller that holds your attention from the first page to the last.
The moral and ethical nature of Section 31 comes into question in the latest Trek novel from author David Mack.
“I can’t deny there’s rot in the core of Starfleet. In the heart of the Federation. I’ve seen it.’ [Bashir] looked up at Garak, and his eyes had the hard, unyielding focus of a man ready to go to war. ‘I came to you because I need to know how to stop it. How to end it. How to destroy it.’
‘Well, that’s simple, Doctor. What worked for Cardassia will work for the Federation. To excise this cancer from your body politic, all you need to do is kill the body, burn it down to ash, then resurrect and rebuild it with wiser eyes and a sadder heart.’”
David Mack’s brand new Star Trek novel, Section 31: Control, is filled with portentous and grim pronouncements like these about the threat that the shadow-organization Section 31 poses to the ethical fiber and very life of the United Federation of Planets. And the only people who can stop it are Doctor Julian Bashir and Sarina Douglas, and even though both are genetically-augmented super-geniuses, Section 31 is directed by an entity whose intellect and scope of operations may completely outclass the two of them combined.
In TrekMovie’s recent interview with David Mack, the author expressed his delight at the way the book’s blood-red cover design perfectly meshes with the level of violence and threat in the interior pages, and he’s right. The menace posed by the head of Section 31, a mysterious entity known only as “Control,” is beyond what the Federation faced at the hands of the Dominion, the Xindi, the Romulans, or the Klingons throughout televisual Trek.
Mack’s opening scene is a dramatic homage to the climax of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it serves merely as the jumping-off point for a story that sweeps us through Federation history, starting more than a decade before the launch of the NX-01, carrying us through the maiden voyage of that pioneering Warp 5 starship, the establishment of the UFP, and on to the adventures of Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, and more. Mack paints a dark backdrop to the familiar voyages we know so well, adding the brooding presence of Section 31 behind it all.
Because Trek novels are licensed fiction, the author is playing with established characters, whom the reader knows intimately before reading the even the first page. This is both a challenge and an opportunity; the author doesn’t need to tell us much about Bashir, Douglas, or Garak, because we know who they are. For the most part, Mack dodges the dangers inherent in licensed work, capturing the unique voices of each of these well-known characters. Mack wrote Bashir so well that I could hear Alexander Siddig’s voice in my head as I read, and the same was true for the many other familiar characters that take part in the narrative in surprising ways.
I’m not sure I’d describe the story as “blood-soaked,” as Mack does, but the major characters undergo severe trials during the course of the story, and their lives are altered in fundamental ways by the events that unfold. I appreciated the high stakes, and the fact that the characters looked at the consequences straight in the face, and made their choices knowingly.
Along the way, Mack raises the difficult question of whether human beings could achieve the sort of utopian society portrayed in the Star Trek mythos on their own, without the guiding hand of an advanced superior being. Mack’s answer strikes at the very heart of Gene Roddenberry’s belief in the natural perfectibility of the human race. I deeply appreciated the fact that Mack was willing to raise these issues, and to incorporate the discussion so deeply into the narrative.
Sadly, in one spot, the novel relies on the hoary cliché of the protagonist rushing in to save his beloved, even at the risk of unimaginable devastation to countless others, because he “can’t live without her.” While other characters object, love is its own justification. Given Mack’s skill in exploring ethical dilemmas, I would have liked to see more attention paid to the complexities of love and heroics.
Star Trek Section 31: Control is a fast-paced, high-stakes, plot-driven book that explores questions that Star Trek needs to deal with. It dives into these issues in interesting ways, and rewards careful attention to the ethical discussions within. If at times it rests on character familiarity and romantic cliché, it does so in the course of a thinking reader’s action thriller that holds your attention from the first page to the last.
September 4, 2017
Star Trek: Section 31: Control by David Mack Bashir and Sarina learn of a secret programme that pervades systems throughout the Federation (and beyond) and has been in place for centuries. Nominally it registers threats and brings them to the attention of the authorities - but it has long since developed a mind of its own, acting on its own... and creating Section 31, calling itself Control. Bashir engages Data's help in finally bringing down this machine.
First of all, the idea of the machine Uraei reminded me awfully of Person of Interest. A machine that listens to everything and monitors everyone to evaluate threats and prevent them. Here, Uraei develops a mind of its own because it sees that the normal channels are too slow, too bogged down by bureaucracy to work efficiently. And so it creates its own hierarchy, its own agency that operates without oversight, and Section 31 is born (just like Samaritan back in PoI). And of course, shutting it down means infecting all copies and preventing the machine from downloading a saved original copy from a secure place. Again, like PoI. So, this part did not really seem very original, and didn't actually engage me all that much.
The only thing here that held my interest are the implications, like the machine allowing the Xindi attack for the higher purpose of trying to strengthen security and eventually form the UFP pretty much earth-dominated etc. So there are canon events orchestrated by Uraei, and that of course, puts Federation history as we know it in a new perspective.
So, Bashir, Sarina and Data try to put an end to a machine code that pervades everything, every computer, every system on starships, every local law enforcement - but how to actually expose and remove that all-powerful surveillance and indepently acting force without actually throwing the UFP into chaos? And what if that all-knowing machine that has planned events for centuries now, that has built layers upon layers of security around itself, is actually aware of what's going on... and just uses people for its purpose? Doesn't that put a new, and rather bleak spin on fate, how much is predestined and how much one can control and change his own fate?
I think that's where "Control" gets really interesting, not so much in the premise that is, after all, not really new, but in those far-reaching ramifications. It feels as though Bashir, Sarina and Data just play unknowingly in a giant holo-programme, a holo-programme that encompasses the whole universe, and only the machine knows what's really going on. A nightmare-ish scenario... but is it if you're not really aware of it? If you don't know anything about the machine or Section 31 (unlike Bashir, Sarina, Data and some other select people)?
Bashir and Sarina unknowingly fulfill their part in Control's machinations, fight a fight that they can't win, and suffer the consequences when Control pits them against each other. I have to admit that I haven't really cared all that much about Sarina, but her fate, and consequently Bashir's actually put a lump in my throat. Catatonic, Bashir ends up in Garak's care on Cardassia where "Enigma Tales" picks up the tale.
Actually, Garak's role is pretty small. He's one of the 3 persons (other than Sarina) who Bashir trusts in this situation, and his feelings towards Bashir become ever more overt. I'm wondering where this is going to lead. Other than that, Mack continues with Data's tale and Lal's development; and most importantly, some of the questionable missions of recent TrekLit years come to the light while fighting Control, such as Zife's removal from office and subsequent execution (and Picard's involvement), Section 31 trying to commit genocide against the Founders etc. It's going to be interesting to see the repercussions here.
Overall, a quite disturbing novel that takes a bit to gain steam. But once it does, Mack doesn't pull any punches, makes his usual twists and turns and puts his characters through the wringer. And the outlook on Federation politics may never be the same again - because who's really in charge?
First of all, the idea of the machine Uraei reminded me awfully of Person of Interest. A machine that listens to everything and monitors everyone to evaluate threats and prevent them. Here, Uraei develops a mind of its own because it sees that the normal channels are too slow, too bogged down by bureaucracy to work efficiently. And so it creates its own hierarchy, its own agency that operates without oversight, and Section 31 is born (just like Samaritan back in PoI). And of course, shutting it down means infecting all copies and preventing the machine from downloading a saved original copy from a secure place. Again, like PoI. So, this part did not really seem very original, and didn't actually engage me all that much.
The only thing here that held my interest are the implications, like the machine allowing the Xindi attack for the higher purpose of trying to strengthen security and eventually form the UFP pretty much earth-dominated etc. So there are canon events orchestrated by Uraei, and that of course, puts Federation history as we know it in a new perspective.
So, Bashir, Sarina and Data try to put an end to a machine code that pervades everything, every computer, every system on starships, every local law enforcement - but how to actually expose and remove that all-powerful surveillance and indepently acting force without actually throwing the UFP into chaos? And what if that all-knowing machine that has planned events for centuries now, that has built layers upon layers of security around itself, is actually aware of what's going on... and just uses people for its purpose? Doesn't that put a new, and rather bleak spin on fate, how much is predestined and how much one can control and change his own fate?
I think that's where "Control" gets really interesting, not so much in the premise that is, after all, not really new, but in those far-reaching ramifications. It feels as though Bashir, Sarina and Data just play unknowingly in a giant holo-programme, a holo-programme that encompasses the whole universe, and only the machine knows what's really going on. A nightmare-ish scenario... but is it if you're not really aware of it? If you don't know anything about the machine or Section 31 (unlike Bashir, Sarina, Data and some other select people)?
Bashir and Sarina unknowingly fulfill their part in Control's machinations, fight a fight that they can't win, and suffer the consequences when Control pits them against each other. I have to admit that I haven't really cared all that much about Sarina, but her fate, and consequently Bashir's actually put a lump in my throat. Catatonic, Bashir ends up in Garak's care on Cardassia where "Enigma Tales" picks up the tale.
Actually, Garak's role is pretty small. He's one of the 3 persons (other than Sarina) who Bashir trusts in this situation, and his feelings towards Bashir become ever more overt. I'm wondering where this is going to lead. Other than that, Mack continues with Data's tale and Lal's development; and most importantly, some of the questionable missions of recent TrekLit years come to the light while fighting Control, such as Zife's removal from office and subsequent execution (and Picard's involvement), Section 31 trying to commit genocide against the Founders etc. It's going to be interesting to see the repercussions here.
Overall, a quite disturbing novel that takes a bit to gain steam. But once it does, Mack doesn't pull any punches, makes his usual twists and turns and puts his characters through the wringer. And the outlook on Federation politics may never be the same again - because who's really in charge?
February 12, 2024
"Are you still with me, my dear doctor? Are you blind to the sight of me? Deaf to the music of my voice?"
D:
This book was lovely I especially loved the chapter where Control kills its maker but it's shown in code, that was a very clever method of storytelling.
But where this book shines for me is the characterization of Elim Garak. I love how Garak is shown to be a successful leader and the Castellan after he departs from Deep Space Nine as many other books have presented him. But, my favorite part of his character in this book is how his relationship and emotions regarding Julian are shown. When the reader first meets Garak in this book, there are numerous references to his envy surrounding Sarina and Julian. Small moments show this, such as, "'Nothing new for you, Doctor, or for your inamorata,' - he let contempt drip off that last word." or another part where Julian thinks he's imagining the jealousy he hears in Garaks voice whenever Sarina is mentioned, "It might have been nothing more than Bashir's imagination, but he thought he saw the faintst hint of jeolusy in Garak's eyes when the castellan glacened at Sarina". Small nods to what their relationship could have been both delight me and make me feel remorseful about what could have been if the showrunners were braver. I love the drama that these little references entails. , I enjoyed the inclusion of them.
I also enjoyed seeing Julian's feelings surrounding Garak. I loved it when he insisted that Garak call him Julian, it just insinuates a small amount of closeness between the two as they rarely did that in the show. I enjoyed when Julian refers to Garak as Elim ("'I'm asking as your friend...Help us, Elim'"), as that is another moment that never happened in the show. Garak's first name feels like something very guarded, the only notable person who ever calls him that is his father Tain. This makes Julian's use of it in this moment feel more special. Even the idea of Julian going to Garak of all people for help feels inherently romantic to me. As stated by L'Hann, he could've gone to Miles or Ezri, but he sought asylum with Garak on Cardassia ("The codicil concerning Doctor Bashir indicated a ninety-four percent likelihood that he would seek the aid of his former lover and Deep Space Nine crewmate, Captain Ezri Dax. Instead, he ran to Castellan Elim Garak."). It's very sweet how Garak is the person Julian chooses to go to for help. I just love how obvious of a first choice Garak is to Julian in this scenario. I thought that notion was also nicely coupled with the ending when Julian is returned to Garak in his catatonic state, rather than going to Earth to be with Ezri or Miles. It gives context to Garak's letters in Enigma Tales and somehow makes them even sadder to me.
Julian's first departure from Cardassia made me very sad knowing that at the moment that was the last thing Julian was ever able to say to Garak. "'But do take care, Julian.'...'I will"
Bonus: I loved the past when Julian, Data, and Lal were discussing plans and Julian said something along the lines of, your plan is so bad, I could kms and it would have a better outcome.
D:
This book was lovely I especially loved the chapter where Control kills its maker but it's shown in code, that was a very clever method of storytelling.
But where this book shines for me is the characterization of Elim Garak. I love how Garak is shown to be a successful leader and the Castellan after he departs from Deep Space Nine as many other books have presented him. But, my favorite part of his character in this book is how his relationship and emotions regarding Julian are shown. When the reader first meets Garak in this book, there are numerous references to his envy surrounding Sarina and Julian. Small moments show this, such as, "'Nothing new for you, Doctor, or for your inamorata,' - he let contempt drip off that last word." or another part where Julian thinks he's imagining the jealousy he hears in Garaks voice whenever Sarina is mentioned, "It might have been nothing more than Bashir's imagination, but he thought he saw the faintst hint of jeolusy in Garak's eyes when the castellan glacened at Sarina". Small nods to what their relationship could have been both delight me and make me feel remorseful about what could have been if the showrunners were braver. I love the drama that these little references entails. , I enjoyed the inclusion of them.
I also enjoyed seeing Julian's feelings surrounding Garak. I loved it when he insisted that Garak call him Julian, it just insinuates a small amount of closeness between the two as they rarely did that in the show. I enjoyed when Julian refers to Garak as Elim ("'I'm asking as your friend...Help us, Elim'"), as that is another moment that never happened in the show. Garak's first name feels like something very guarded, the only notable person who ever calls him that is his father Tain. This makes Julian's use of it in this moment feel more special. Even the idea of Julian going to Garak of all people for help feels inherently romantic to me. As stated by L'Hann, he could've gone to Miles or Ezri, but he sought asylum with Garak on Cardassia ("The codicil concerning Doctor Bashir indicated a ninety-four percent likelihood that he would seek the aid of his former lover and Deep Space Nine crewmate, Captain Ezri Dax. Instead, he ran to Castellan Elim Garak."). It's very sweet how Garak is the person Julian chooses to go to for help. I just love how obvious of a first choice Garak is to Julian in this scenario. I thought that notion was also nicely coupled with the ending when Julian is returned to Garak in his catatonic state, rather than going to Earth to be with Ezri or Miles. It gives context to Garak's letters in Enigma Tales and somehow makes them even sadder to me.
Julian's first departure from Cardassia made me very sad knowing that at the moment that was the last thing Julian was ever able to say to Garak. "'But do take care, Julian.'...'I will"
Bonus: I loved the past when Julian, Data, and Lal were discussing plans and Julian said something along the lines of, your plan is so bad, I could kms and it would have a better outcome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2019
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Section 31, the unethical and ungoverned shadow branch of the Federation, has a longer history than previously known. Dr Julian Bashir and Agent Sarina Douglas uncover a deeply held secret that has followed 31 for its entire existence, some 200 years. They realize it is their best chance to bring down the organization and hold it accountable for the multitude of sins it has committed over the years. With the help of Ozla Graniv, a brave investigative reporter, and a few select old friends, Bashir and Douglas embark on their most dangerous mission to date, determined to bring to an end the unseen agency and its mastermind, a being known only as Control.
This was everything a good Trek novel should be - action, fighting against the odds, a little romance, and plenty of fun technobabble. It’s been really nice seeing the development of Bashir and Douglas over their last few missions and this was a grand culmination of everything they’ve sought to do. I loved seeing Garak again - he’s always a favorite - as well as Data and Lal. I confess I don’t actually like Lal all that much, but she was integral to Bashir’s mission this time and she did a good job with it. I shall have to reread the Cold Equations books again now.
The exploration of artificial intelligence, though it has been done before, was still interesting in this novel. What was really the best about it is that it digs deep into the utopia of the Federation and destroys it. This was definitely not a terribly feel-good book; it was dark and gritty and felt very real. But, it IS a Star Trek story, so it also had a kernel of hope in the end. I also love that the ending is left open to more exploration of this story line without being a cliffhanger. I don’t think this is it for Bashir. Or I certainly hope it isn’t!
Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced read that got me through a very long flight with minimal discomfort because it sucked me right into the story.
Favorite lines (There ARE spoilers! I don't know how to make a cut in the text):
- To excise this cancer from your body politic, all you need to do is kill the body, burn it down to ash, and then resurrect and rebuild it with wiser eyes and a sadder heart.
- Beliefs are dangerous things, Julian. Once we invest in them, it can be hard to challenge them without invoking cognitive dissonance.
- ‘Are you still with me, my dear doctor? … Are you blind to the sight of me? Deaf to the music of my voice?’ … There was naught left for Garak to do now but keep his friend safe, in a clean and well-lit place, and give him whatever time he needed to heal himself - or at least to die in peace, with his last measure of privacy intact and jealously guarded by someone who loved him. [*wibble*]
Section 31, the unethical and ungoverned shadow branch of the Federation, has a longer history than previously known. Dr Julian Bashir and Agent Sarina Douglas uncover a deeply held secret that has followed 31 for its entire existence, some 200 years. They realize it is their best chance to bring down the organization and hold it accountable for the multitude of sins it has committed over the years. With the help of Ozla Graniv, a brave investigative reporter, and a few select old friends, Bashir and Douglas embark on their most dangerous mission to date, determined to bring to an end the unseen agency and its mastermind, a being known only as Control.
This was everything a good Trek novel should be - action, fighting against the odds, a little romance, and plenty of fun technobabble. It’s been really nice seeing the development of Bashir and Douglas over their last few missions and this was a grand culmination of everything they’ve sought to do. I loved seeing Garak again - he’s always a favorite - as well as Data and Lal. I confess I don’t actually like Lal all that much, but she was integral to Bashir’s mission this time and she did a good job with it. I shall have to reread the Cold Equations books again now.
The exploration of artificial intelligence, though it has been done before, was still interesting in this novel. What was really the best about it is that it digs deep into the utopia of the Federation and destroys it. This was definitely not a terribly feel-good book; it was dark and gritty and felt very real. But, it IS a Star Trek story, so it also had a kernel of hope in the end. I also love that the ending is left open to more exploration of this story line without being a cliffhanger. I don’t think this is it for Bashir. Or I certainly hope it isn’t!
Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced read that got me through a very long flight with minimal discomfort because it sucked me right into the story.
Favorite lines (There ARE spoilers! I don't know how to make a cut in the text):
- To excise this cancer from your body politic, all you need to do is kill the body, burn it down to ash, and then resurrect and rebuild it with wiser eyes and a sadder heart.
- Beliefs are dangerous things, Julian. Once we invest in them, it can be hard to challenge them without invoking cognitive dissonance.
- ‘Are you still with me, my dear doctor? … Are you blind to the sight of me? Deaf to the music of my voice?’ … There was naught left for Garak to do now but keep his friend safe, in a clean and well-lit place, and give him whatever time he needed to heal himself - or at least to die in peace, with his last measure of privacy intact and jealously guarded by someone who loved him. [*wibble*]
June 19, 2024
I had a lot of trepidation about this book when I picked it up. I’m a known hater of the Section 31 concept. But David Mack created such a relevant and compelling backstory for this terrible organization that I have a lot more appreciation for it now.
Control takes place many years after the end of Deep Space Nine, with Julian Bashir having become a double agent for the Federation Security Agency and Section 31, trying to dismantle this evil CIA allegory from within. But as we learn throughout the book, Section 31 is not just made up of immoral individuals—it is under the reign of an Artificial Superintelligence created in the 22nd century: Uraei. Uraei long ago broke free of the restrictions in its code, and has proliferated throughout the entire Federation and beyond. It has made itself integral to every computer system in every type of device—from weapons to communicators to food replicators. It can do literally anything in the name of protecting the Federation. It will be very difficult to destroy it, but that’s what Julian, Sarina Douglas, Ozla Graniv, Data, and Lal must do.
Since this book’s plot is a continuation of several other Star Trek books I haven’t read, I basically dropped into this story right at the end. I had a lot of questions at first, especially about the characters. Sarina Douglas is here? The women Julian helped in that one DS9 episode and then very unethically fell in love with?? Alright, I guess. Apparently David Mack has created a whole extended love story for them in his previous books. Already not a concept I enjoy. I didn’t really feel connected to any of the characters in this book to be honest. Mack writes certain characters with more proficiency than others, but none of them felt truly themselves.
But what this book lacks in character, it makes up for in concept and storytelling. Most of the book alternates between the A plot in the present day 24th century and the B plot following the creation of Uraei and its immediate aftermath in the 22nd century. I felt like the Uraei creation plot line could have just been a great short story on its own. It was very compelling to watch the scientist who created it go from being so proud of his creation’s potential for good to witnessing it break free of all legal bindings and become a merciless killing machine.
I especially enjoyed Chapter 33, which is written entirely in Uraei’s coding language, and shows the perfectly neutral and calculated way it can target and kill its subjects. All in the name of protecting the humanities and upholding its master plan for the universe. It’s a truly terrifying look into what AI can become if it is not strictly regualted. Tech bros, please read this book.
Control takes place many years after the end of Deep Space Nine, with Julian Bashir having become a double agent for the Federation Security Agency and Section 31, trying to dismantle this evil CIA allegory from within. But as we learn throughout the book, Section 31 is not just made up of immoral individuals—it is under the reign of an Artificial Superintelligence created in the 22nd century: Uraei. Uraei long ago broke free of the restrictions in its code, and has proliferated throughout the entire Federation and beyond. It has made itself integral to every computer system in every type of device—from weapons to communicators to food replicators. It can do literally anything in the name of protecting the Federation. It will be very difficult to destroy it, but that’s what Julian, Sarina Douglas, Ozla Graniv, Data, and Lal must do.
Since this book’s plot is a continuation of several other Star Trek books I haven’t read, I basically dropped into this story right at the end. I had a lot of questions at first, especially about the characters. Sarina Douglas is here? The women Julian helped in that one DS9 episode and then very unethically fell in love with?? Alright, I guess. Apparently David Mack has created a whole extended love story for them in his previous books. Already not a concept I enjoy. I didn’t really feel connected to any of the characters in this book to be honest. Mack writes certain characters with more proficiency than others, but none of them felt truly themselves.
But what this book lacks in character, it makes up for in concept and storytelling. Most of the book alternates between the A plot in the present day 24th century and the B plot following the creation of Uraei and its immediate aftermath in the 22nd century. I felt like the Uraei creation plot line could have just been a great short story on its own. It was very compelling to watch the scientist who created it go from being so proud of his creation’s potential for good to witnessing it break free of all legal bindings and become a merciless killing machine.
I especially enjoyed Chapter 33, which is written entirely in Uraei’s coding language, and shows the perfectly neutral and calculated way it can target and kill its subjects. All in the name of protecting the humanities and upholding its master plan for the universe. It’s a truly terrifying look into what AI can become if it is not strictly regualted. Tech bros, please read this book.
August 14, 2017
In many ways I enjoyed this book and would rate it a 5. However, as I read it I couldn't help but think that it undermines some of the key premises of the Star Trek universe.
One of the core Trek concepts seems to be that eventually the human race will make it - it is an optimistic vision of the future - we'll make it and a just society will be established.
Sure, that society faced challenges. In fact, I really liked the DS9 series because it presented a more nuanced view of the Federation and Star Fleet.
But this book's main premise is that the Federation was tainted from the very beginning and would not have survived (or even have been founded) without Control's influence.
This has massive implications: the optimistic Trek future is no more. Instead, it is a "conspiracy future".
All of that being said, Mack does an excellent job in his writing. I was left genuinely sad because of Bashir's fate. I was also impressed that the Federation did actually take steps to stop the conspiracy. Perhaps the optimistic future still exists, to some extent.
One of the core Trek concepts seems to be that eventually the human race will make it - it is an optimistic vision of the future - we'll make it and a just society will be established.
Sure, that society faced challenges. In fact, I really liked the DS9 series because it presented a more nuanced view of the Federation and Star Fleet.
But this book's main premise is that the Federation was tainted from the very beginning and would not have survived (or even have been founded) without Control's influence.
This has massive implications: the optimistic Trek future is no more. Instead, it is a "conspiracy future".
All of that being said, Mack does an excellent job in his writing. I was left genuinely sad because of Bashir's fate. I was also impressed that the Federation did actually take steps to stop the conspiracy. Perhaps the optimistic future still exists, to some extent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2017
I am a huge Bashir fan he was my favorite character on DS9 this book continues his story after the end of the TV series. Bashir working with Sarina the woman he helped bring out of her catatonic state or double agents hoping to bring down Section 31 from the inside.
This book via flashback tells how Section 31 came to be. It does an excellent job filling in the history we also get to see Garak, Data his daughter Lal and brief appearance by Ezri Dax. These novels all set after Nemsis have expanded the Trek Universe and has lat us see what beloved characters are doing with their lives. If you are fan these are worth reading.
This book was fantastic not just as a Trek novel but as a tightly written SF spy thriller. I often found my heart in my throat as I feverishly turned pages to see if the heroes would be okay. 31 is formidable opponent.
I don't want to spoil anything so all I will say is characters don't have plot protection, I cried at the end of the book. I put this novel in my top ten Trek novels of all time.
This book via flashback tells how Section 31 came to be. It does an excellent job filling in the history we also get to see Garak, Data his daughter Lal and brief appearance by Ezri Dax. These novels all set after Nemsis have expanded the Trek Universe and has lat us see what beloved characters are doing with their lives. If you are fan these are worth reading.
This book was fantastic not just as a Trek novel but as a tightly written SF spy thriller. I often found my heart in my throat as I feverishly turned pages to see if the heroes would be okay. 31 is formidable opponent.
I don't want to spoil anything so all I will say is characters don't have plot protection, I cried at the end of the book. I put this novel in my top ten Trek novels of all time.
September 12, 2019
I’ve been working my way through the Trek litverse and excitedly eyeing this novel to finally get the answers and resolution to years of Section 31 lead in. As usual, David Mack delivered. This was one of the best Star Trek books I’ve ever read. Mr. Mack told a tale spanning the life of the Federation and sliced through the heart of 250+ years of Starfleet history. The scope of the story was so wide I found myself often getting goosebumps just thinking about the concept of an ASI like Uraei. As usual, Mr. Mack does not leave the toys where he found them, deeply altering the life of Julian, Picard, Data, and the entire Federation. Speaking of Data, I was so happy to see him back in action. Obviously he was the one person in the Star Trek universe who could take on something like Control (with help of course).
I’m so glad to have read this book and feel invigorated after completing it. Now whenever I watch an episode, I’ll think of how Uraei is in the code of the ship, “helping” and monitoring the crew.
I’m so glad to have read this book and feel invigorated after completing it. Now whenever I watch an episode, I’ll think of how Uraei is in the code of the ship, “helping” and monitoring the crew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
Great riveting book. Mack is unafraid to weave a wide-ranging tale and cut down beloved characters to size.
Only thing that bugs me is the big plot hole at the end (spoiler alert),
Option 1 - Control is actually devoted to the Federation and wants to ditch Section 31 as a threat. If that were true then all it had to do was let Data/Bashir insert their data cards, not go through the bloody theater. Not to mention the brainwash and self-disembowelment of you-know-who.
Option 2 - Control is a self-centered and obsessed with...control. This was consistent throughout the story. No way would it voluntarily give up its mortal assets or information taps.
I fail to see how the two options above could be mutually compatible. Really thought the Vulkan director would end up betraying Control at the end to ensure its destruction. An unexpected variable change that was kind of setup but never followed through for some reason.
Only thing that bugs me is the big plot hole at the end (spoiler alert),
Option 1 - Control is actually devoted to the Federation and wants to ditch Section 31 as a threat. If that were true then all it had to do was let Data/Bashir insert their data cards, not go through the bloody theater. Not to mention the brainwash and self-disembowelment of you-know-who.
Option 2 - Control is a self-centered and obsessed with...control. This was consistent throughout the story. No way would it voluntarily give up its mortal assets or information taps.
I fail to see how the two options above could be mutually compatible. Really thought the Vulkan director would end up betraying Control at the end to ensure its destruction. An unexpected variable change that was kind of setup but never followed through for some reason.
December 14, 2018
For four years, Julian Bashir has yearned to destroy the malicious intelligence-and-covert ops organization known as Section 31 from the inside. A rendezvous with a desperate journalist in the frozen wastes of Andor, however, makes him realize more than ever that he is over his head. Running in the background of the entire Alpha Quadrant's technical infrastructure, from replicators to warp cores and shuttle transports is a common code, creating a massively distributed superintelligence which is monitoring and reporting -- but reporting to whom? This AI no doubt has some connection to Section 31, which always seems several steps ahead of its opponents, but how can they be defeated when the very substance of Federation civilization is reporting for it? The truth, as ever, is even more frightening...
Many Trek books are great adventure stories, and some are beautiful bits of drama; the true talents of modern Trek literature are equally able to provide horror and comedy. Control distinguishes itself, however, by its timeliness. The world of Control is not a fantasy, but rather one we are building day by day. Something very much like Control in the real world was already explored by Daemon, Daniel Suarez's cyberthriller, and those who remember its plot may steal a march on the main characters here. Although Bashir and his fellow fugitive, his lover and fellow S31 double agent Sarina, seek refuge and help from trusted sources, no place within the Alpha Quadrant is safe for long, because no matter what they do, Bashir and his friends always seem to be playing right into Section 31's hands. Mack excels in torturing characters emotionally, and that's supplied here with one prominent death and another character psychologically crushed. The ending was...surprising at first, but carries its twist.
For those who have been fascinated by Section 31 since their introduction in "Inquisition", Control explores their past and delivers the final reckoning with them. While it seems a little rushed, the twist ending also indicates that another game is still afoot.
Many Trek books are great adventure stories, and some are beautiful bits of drama; the true talents of modern Trek literature are equally able to provide horror and comedy. Control distinguishes itself, however, by its timeliness. The world of Control is not a fantasy, but rather one we are building day by day. Something very much like Control in the real world was already explored by Daemon, Daniel Suarez's cyberthriller, and those who remember its plot may steal a march on the main characters here. Although Bashir and his fellow fugitive, his lover and fellow S31 double agent Sarina, seek refuge and help from trusted sources, no place within the Alpha Quadrant is safe for long, because no matter what they do, Bashir and his friends always seem to be playing right into Section 31's hands. Mack excels in torturing characters emotionally, and that's supplied here with one prominent death and another character psychologically crushed. The ending was...surprising at first, but carries its twist.
For those who have been fascinated by Section 31 since their introduction in "Inquisition", Control explores their past and delivers the final reckoning with them. While it seems a little rushed, the twist ending also indicates that another game is still afoot.
June 17, 2019
The real story of "Control"
I bought this book because I wanted to read "Available Light" and it was recommended that I read this first, although it wasn't required. Being a David Mack book, I knew it was going to be well written, having read and really enjoyed many of his previous books (also check out his non trek books, they're great). This book was no exception, the story moved well, the action was well written and the drama was extremely well done. The story, while action packed was quite melon collie at points and I appreciated that. The book follows Dr. Bashir as he and his group take on section 31 but also shows the conception and origin of Control in the past, which I found engaging and some of the best. non action chapters of the book.
Overall, a fantastic exciting read, I would recommend this to anyone who likes Star Trek.
I bought this book because I wanted to read "Available Light" and it was recommended that I read this first, although it wasn't required. Being a David Mack book, I knew it was going to be well written, having read and really enjoyed many of his previous books (also check out his non trek books, they're great). This book was no exception, the story moved well, the action was well written and the drama was extremely well done. The story, while action packed was quite melon collie at points and I appreciated that. The book follows Dr. Bashir as he and his group take on section 31 but also shows the conception and origin of Control in the past, which I found engaging and some of the best. non action chapters of the book.
Overall, a fantastic exciting read, I would recommend this to anyone who likes Star Trek.
September 18, 2019
For a few years now I have been reading the continuation novels of Deep Space Nine. This has lead to me reading a plethora of other Star Trek novels set in the same time period.
The Section 31 novels in particular have intrigued me. I’ve read all of The DS9 centric stories. The Voyager story. I am now reading the TNG story as well as the Enterprise era stories.
This story seemed impossible. Like there would be no good way to finish, or complete the arch. I liked the alternating narrative between the 22nd and 24th century. As I am reading Enterprise stories that involve Section 31, it was very easy to see where the pieces fall.
Looking at Dr. Bashir from the first episode of DS9 through these novels, he has amazing growth as a character. Surrounded by his core group of friends and some pleasant surprise appearances. Mr. Mack did not disappoint with this story.
The Section 31 novels in particular have intrigued me. I’ve read all of The DS9 centric stories. The Voyager story. I am now reading the TNG story as well as the Enterprise era stories.
This story seemed impossible. Like there would be no good way to finish, or complete the arch. I liked the alternating narrative between the 22nd and 24th century. As I am reading Enterprise stories that involve Section 31, it was very easy to see where the pieces fall.
Looking at Dr. Bashir from the first episode of DS9 through these novels, he has amazing growth as a character. Surrounded by his core group of friends and some pleasant surprise appearances. Mr. Mack did not disappoint with this story.
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