Star Trek - Rise of the Federation 2: Turm zu Babel

Star Trek: Enterprise: Rise of the Federation #2

by Christopher L. Bennett

CDie Vereinte Föderation der Planeten hat ihre erste große Krise überstanden, aber die Kinderkrankheiten nehmen erst ihren Anfang …

Admiral Jonathan Archer hofft die verschiedenen Bewohner des wohlhabenden Rigel-Systems zum Beitritt in die Föderation bewegen zu können. Das soll der jungen Nation als Starthilfe zum Wachstum dienen und einem wichtigen Sektor Stabilität bringen. Zusammen mit den besten Diplomaten der Föderation reist Archer zum Planetoiden Babel, um über Rigels Aufnahme zu verhandeln … aber ein bevorstehendes Rennen um die Präsidentschaft heizt die ideologischen Spannungen innerhalb der jungen Nation an, gefährdet die Gespräche und die zerbrechliche Einheit, für deren Erhalt Archer so viel getan hat.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Star Trek Enterprise, Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks

350 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Christopher L. Bennett is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, with a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in History from the University of Cincinnati. A fan of science and science fiction since age five, he has spent the past two decades selling original short fiction to magazines such as Analog Science Fiction and Fact (home of his "Hub" series of comedy adventures), BuzzyMag, and Galaxy's Edge. Since 2003, he has been one of Pocket Books' most prolific and popular authors of Star Trek tie-in fiction, including the epic Next Generation prequel The Buried Age, the Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations series, and the Star Trek: Enterprise -- Rise of the Federation series. He has also written two Marvel Comics novels, X-Men: Watchers on the Walls and Spider-Man: Drowned in Thunder. His original novel Only Superhuman, perhaps the first hard science fiction superhero novel, was voted Library Journal's SF/Fantasy Debut of the Month for October 2012. Other tales in the same universe can be found in Among the Wild Cybers and the upcoming Arachne's Crime, both from eSpec Books. His Hub stories are available in two collections from Mystique Press.
Christopher's homepage, fiction annotations, and blog can be found at christopherlbennett.wordpress.com. His Patreon page with original fiction and reviews is at https://www.patreon.com/christopherlb..., and his Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/ChristopherLBennettA....

Reviews

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't figure out the point of this novel until I got to the acknowledgements. Then it clicked: continuity porn! It's very, very good continuity porn. I consider myself quite strong on Trek's canon and non-canon universe, but a lot of this still sailed clean over my head -- even when I'd read/seen the source material (seriously, SNW #5? I loved SNW #5!). So great work there. But, as a novel, the story never gels into a coherent whole, and, while every character gets Something To Do, nobody gets anything substantial enough for Get Me To Care. This was more readable than the last Bennett work I read, Greater Than The Sum, and I'm not *angry* that I read it like GTTS, but I can't say that I liked this book or that I would recommend it to anyone; hence the low rating.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

STAR TREK: RISE OF THE FEDERATION: TOWER OF BABEL is an interesting model for what I think STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE should have been because it avoids what I think is a major issue of many novels and that's to go over the top rather than stick to more personal human stories. The Klingons are better enemies than the Borg because they're on the level of Star Trek and have understandable motivations, even if I feel they've been kind of flanderized (See TV tropes.org) from their original appearance.

In this case, what appeals to me about this novel is it's about the beginning of the Federation and how their first and most implacable enemy is a bunch of criminals, pirates, and slavers. The Orion Syndicate and their allies are motivated by nothing more than their fear the Federation is going to make their businesses more difficult. They can't go against the Federation itself but they can certainly make the territory they control (along with the Rigellian First Families) impossible to control. In simple terms, they come off very much like the drug cartels of the latter half of the 20th century and even today who are capable of warping political discourse in Central as well as South America.

I like the way Archer is written in these books and he works better as a diplomat than he arguably ever was as a starship captain. The fact he's unable to return to such due to neurological damage from the transporter (which Barclay always viewed with fear for a reason) is a good twist but I don't think every captain wants to be Kirk.

Certainly, after the Xindi War, I felt Archer had become utterly sick of exploration for its own sake versus helping the people he already knew. I also like the set up for his short romance with the Rigellian ambassador in this book. Sadly, I'm not all that impressed with his "actual" love interest who came off as a satellite character. Then again, what do I know as I was always one of the T'Pol/Archer shippers.

As usual, the biggest benefit from reading a Christopher Bennett book is that he manages a spider-web number of references and patterns between various bits of Star Trek lore that, nevertheless, comes off as completely organic. In this case, he takes the frequently referenced planet Rigel and incorporates all the various nods to it before creating a United States-esque confederation which has done well for itself but not quite well enough. It could be a very big power bloc in the UFP but, ironically, has let itself become so corrupt that it can't stand together to influence the burgeoning body.

I'm both a lover as well as hater of the villains as while I very much enjoy the handling of the Orion as the major villains, I feel like with a race of seductive Bond villainesses, we should have more atempts at seducing our heroes but the one seduction in the book doesn't involve them. Which is a shame. I also like the forcefulness of the villain Garos but it's hard to take his pretensions of being a Machiavellian schemer seriously when it requires a Federation member to explain that the untrustworthy people he's allied with are, in fact, untrustworthy. You'd think he'd have a large number of schemes in place for WHEN they betray him versus if.

The plot on Sauria is one I'm anxious to see how developed because it's interesting how the Federation utterly bungles the issue. While it starts a bit supervillain-ish, a military dictator named Maltuvis spreading a disease he blames on outsiders, it's really the UFP who shames itself by letting him get away with it because they are comfortable dealing with Maltuvis as they are with democracy in general. As such, a Saddam Hussein-esque monster gets entrenched when he could have been dealt with easily before because it's more conveinant. It seems Section 31 never learned about "blowback" from their CIA and KGB ancestors.

I'm also a big fan of characters Sam Kirk and Val Williams who are the biggest introductions to the canon of Enterprise while also being the probable ancestors of James Tiberius Kirk. They're both extremely likable and carry a bulk of the story on their backs without seeming tacked on. I hope to read more about them in the future.

9/10

[Dara · Rating 2 out of 5]

It no longer feels like it's an "Enterprise" book anymore. First off, the ship is out of commission now and two new ships are leading the action. The two highest ranking members (if you completely disregard Tucker as being any part of the story) of the old Enterprise crew, Commander T'Pol and Lieutenant Reed, are captains of those ships. While it's easy to stomach T'Pol becoming captain now because of the natural progression of things and the fact that she's had experience in captaining a ship while she was first officer and the captain was otherwise preoccupied. The same could have been said about Tucker but he's still dead to the world. The fact that they made Reed captain of a ship so quickly after reaching the rank of commander is kind of ridiculous. They have no one else in star fleet? I love Thanien as the new first officer, great character! Mayweather becoming a first officer? Really? Seriously?? Didn't he abandon Captain Archer in the Romulan wars because he didn't agree with his decision to save the ship from being captured by the Romulans? He makes me think boomers are inherently idiots! Besides, in the series he was more boring than likeable or maybe it was the actor playing him. Hoshi would have been a better choice... But making Reed more sociable before giving him command of a ship would have made more "sense".

All and all, there were just too many characters that I didn't care too much about and not enough of the ones I did (mainly Trip...). They really did screw Tucker over in this series. He was the reason why I started reading the relaunch novels. I do like a few of the new characters like Grev, Thanien, T'Rama, and even Kirk. The others, I could do with less of. Not a fan of Hoshi's boyfriend. Probably because they gave her an instant relationship without knowing how they got together or why. I like her interaction with Thanien better... I could see possibilities there. :) I could also go for a little more action and a little less Poli Sci textbook. If I wanted a more politically driven book, I'd read Ayn Rand or CJ Cherryh.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politics, Plots, and Phasers: Another Great Installment in the RotF Series

Another excellent installment in the Rise of the Federation series. Bennett's dedication to weaving Trek mythos together--from the Animated Series to the prime time shows to the comics--demonstrates an amazing breadth of knowledge and love for Trek. This story continues his explanation of the growing pains associated with the beginnings of the UFP. If you're a fan of early American history--the anti-Federalist/Federalist debate particularly--you'll find some touchstone issues elaborated on here. A fun, fascinating explication of the backdoor politics involved in the beginnings of the Federation. Good stuff!

[Kyle McNally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring...

[Crystal Bensley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars really- some great action but also it drags a little. I love Sam Kirk's character though!

[reherrma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im 2. Roman um die Gründungsphase der "Förderation der Planeten" , geht es wieder um die inneren und äußeren Widerstände gegen den Zusammenschluss unabhängiger Welten und Sternenreiche zu einem galaktischen Machtblock. Der Autor hat sich sicherlich an die Verhältnisse in der EU orientiert, insbesondere den Brexit. Denn hier wie auch dort wird die Bevölkerung von gewissenlosen Spaltern mittels Fake-News drangsaliert, so dass sie sich den Rattenfängern mit fadenscheinigen Begründungen anschließen, um einen friedlichen Zusammenhalt der Völker zu verhindern. Es gibt in diesem Roman Reden von Politikern, die auch von Donald Trump oder von Boris Johnson stammen könnten. Es geht hier nicht nur um Verbrecher-Organisationen, wie das Orion-Syndikat oder die Malruanern, die im ersten Band der Serie den Erfolg der Förderation verhindern wollen, denn selbst einige Politker der Förderation stehen der Ausbreitung und der weiteren Aufnahme von Völkern skeptisch bis feindlich entgegen. In diesem Band geht es um die Aufnahme des Rigel-Systems, das selbst aus mehreren bewohnten Planeten mit unterschiedlicher Bevölkerung besteht, dort gibt es eine Mehrheit für die Aufnahme, aber auch eine kleine, ideologisch und radikale Minderheit versucht dies mit legalen und illegalen Mitteln zu verhindern...
Es wird in dem Roman mit allen Mitteln gearbeitet, auf Seiten der Verbrechersyndikaten und deren hilffährigen Politiker, die die Aufnahme in die Förderation verhindern wollen, aber auch auf Seiten der Förderation und der Sternenflotte wird versucht, den Lügen die verbreitet werden, Herr zu werden. Bennett hat hier einen eindringlichen Roman zustande gebracht, der auch den Autonomie-Befürwortern in allen Länder aufzeigen könnte, zu was Fake News in der Lage ist, hier wie dort sind Leute, deren Glaube an die Verschwörungstheorien sie an den Rechten Rand bringen...
Insofern finde ich die Serie " Rise of the Federation " überraschend aktuell...

[Caiden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm two-thirds of the way through Enterprise's post-series novel line, and things are still in pretty good shape. Much of what I said about the previous installment applies. It is necessary to read that first before this.

I didn't want to say this prematurely, but Bennett does a fine job of establishing and deepening the Pioneer and Endeavor crews, who could otherwise be generic. Archer's story is interesting, although the thing that happens to him in the middle is the most "Star Trek" cliche thing to happen ever. Travis and T'Pol are good. Hoshi is there. Phlox isn't. There are some random goon strays. I'm afraid I don't like the Orions all that much, but I am unable to give a reason why.

This is still a very good book that does homage well to the source material. The Rigellian situation, while complicated, is executed well, and the arcs that are chosen to be continued are intriguing. Will see what happens next.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me awhile to read because it was slow in the beginning. About half way through it took off. Could have been better but I enjoyed this much better than the Romulan War duology.

[Nimrodds]

עוד המשך בסדרה הארוכה אחרי מלחמת הרומולאנים, בהמשך ישיר ממנה אל בניית הפדרציה

[David King · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Tower of Babel” by Christopher L. Bennett is the second novel in the “Birth of the Federation” series which continues the adventures of the crew from Star Trek Enterprise. I thoroughly enjoyed Bennett’s previous novel in the series and therefore I had been looking forward to this from the moment I heard about the release date.

The story picks up where “A Choice of Futures” finished off with the fledgling Federation still trying to understand what it really wants to be in the galaxy. This is highlighted by a presidential election which is being fought between two factions who have very different views on what the Federation’s future should entail. With this election in the background, Admiral Archer is undertaking negotiations to bring the Rigel system into the Federation although his attempts are being hampered by an alliance of criminals including Orions and Malurians who are determined to ensure the Federation fails.

Without doubt this is one of the busiest Star Trek books I have read in a while, there really is a lot going on and my summary above only briefly touches on it all. There are multiple plotlines on the go and Bennett has managed to find a role for pretty much every main character from the series which was nice to see. I was quite impressed that I didn’t actually feel lost at all even with so much going on, Bennett manages to blend all the pieces together into a well-paced, coherent and entertaining story. The only minor downside in utilising a wide array of characters and plotlines is that the novel felt like it was missing a powerful central plot that would have made me really care. Don’t get me wrong, it was still fun and entertaining but it just didn’t draw me in as much as other books have.

This was only a minor fault to be honest and it was easily overshadowed by some other elements of the novel such as the way in which Bennett has tried to create some depth to the villains. So often we get treated to a one dimensional villain but in this book we get some rounded characters whose motives and actions can be understood on some level if not necessarily agreed with. In addition, he has continued to flesh out some of the other minor characters such as Sam Kirk and Valeria Williams so that they interest me almost as much as the regular crew from the TV series.

One interesting observation I had about this book and in “A Choice of Futures” was the way in which various aspects of the plot relate to episodes of both the Enterprise and Original series. What I liked about this is that it was done in a manner which adds to the story and feels completely natural. I know some people don’t like “continuity porn” and I admit in the past I have seen links to various TV episodes that look forced and very much in your face, but with this series of novels Bennett has managed to seamlessly blend the various continuity points into the plot so this it should still make sense and be enjoyable for people who don’t know every TV episode.

Overall, “Tower of Babel” was another enjoyable novel in the Rise of the Federation series and it is always nice to return to this neglected era of Star Trek history. Bennett has done a good job in keeping the light burning for the Enterprise series and I am looking forward to seeing where we go next.

[BG45 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bennett continues to show that he's a good author structurally, but not in many other ways. This novel suffers from what has become a trend in recent Star Trek novels, and that is the attempt to stay relevant to what it feels its current readers believe in. With the Typhon Pact novels it was Kamemor's two dimensional poorly written same sex attraction (as compared to the heart wrenching and amazingly well done arc of Keru recovering and debating dating again after his husband's death), but with Rise of the Federation it's political.

It's campaign season in the nascent Federation (Spoilers beyond this point.) We have two primary parties, one is the Federalists and the other is the Planetarists. In theory, these are the Federalist and Anti-Federalists of the early American republic and the rhetoric, at least at first, borrows from the works released by both of these real world groups. However, it swiftly devolves into Space Democrats/Federalists and Space Tea Party/Planetarists, and straw men on both sides. These groups were so made of straw that a single spark could have burned down the entire Federation political system. Eventually Space Tea Party candidate reveals that he, like a certain senator in the real world whose name rhymes with McRain, is making his rhetoric more extreme to try and get the extremists on board, while he personally wants a moderate approach upon possible election. Then Space Koch...I mean a wealthy trio of Orion sisters, is revealed to be backing the supposed grassroots Space Tea Party with big cash (in a cashless society). Eventually, the Planetarist candidate resigns from the race, giving an author insert monologue about the evils of money in politics, appealing to extremes, and the evils of money co-opting the democratic process (none of which I disagreed with, but all of which annoyed me in my 'escape from reality' reading).

There's also, in theory, a plot about the Rigelian First Families and some separatists trying to stop Rigel from entering the Federation. But even with almost half the book dedicated to it, it seems almost like an afterthought to what was supposed to be an author's political manifesto in science fiction form. Actually, I was giving this three stars, but downgrading to two, because the politics were so thinly veiled and poorly written. When science fiction is used, as it has been throughout its history, to address societal issues, it has to be done with a deft hand, not a hamfisted approach.

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely well done "Star Trek" novel with a lot of adventure and political intrigue. It's novels like these that really make me wish that "Enterprise" had been given a fifth season on television.

[Bookreader1972 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars
Took me a while to read this one. Didn't really remember the previous book, & this one is so loaded with characters & slow chapters.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fledgling Federation is looking to expand, and that brings the worlds of Rigel under consideration. While Archer attends a conference on the issue at the diplomatic facilities on Babel, the crew of the Pioneer is learning more about the cultures and peoples of the Rigel system itself. The Orion alliance is determined to confound any of the Federation's attempts at growth and work to undermine the Rigel admission at all costs.

Bennett treats us to the continuing story of the growth (and growing pains) of the Federation. To look inside the politics, agendas, and philosophies of this early era and see how it colors futures generations of Trek is compelling. We're often treated to Trek that is "clean" and "noble," but it's nice to know there are some darker parts to history that allowed the more noble aspects to develop. We see bits of that in this book with the campaigning for political office and the activist groups that think the Federation is growing too fast and impinges on individual culture.

The typical Enterprise cast mostly get involved in the story enough to keep fans interested and involved. But some of the new characters that Bennett introduces or develops really shine. Valeria Williams gets some nice time to shine here, and a new character, Antonio Ruiz - a miner or Sauria - is the highlight of that small plot which isn't fully realized in this book. They actually get more "page time" than some of the main characters and it pays off in well-rounded, likeable characters. I look forward to more of these two in future novels.

I have to admit I had a bit of a tough time getting through this one. The cast is spread thin over geography and storylines. Oftentimes it seems this book is kind of an excuse to tour of the Rigel system (which has 10 habitable planets along with colonies) than to present a tightly-told story. Now I applaud Bennett for his exhaustive research and attempts to solidify every reference to Rigel throughout Star Trek history and make it work. He does that extremely well and there are some fascinating aspects to this world-building, but I don't think we needed to see everything in one book!

There were also a few cliched elements to the overall story that felt a little tired and that made things a bit of a slog at times. It was difficult to stay engaged when the stories are pretty transparent. The world-building aspects and some of the character bits pulled me through.

Overall, I think this was a solid building-block in the early Federation era and I enjoyed the overall product. I do think it was a little packed with characters and locations over story, but the detail was incredible.

[Graff Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging, emotional, hopeful, informative,
inspiring, mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.

Medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25 ⭐

One of the things that I have always loved about Star Trek, is that the authors/script writers have never forgotten to write about human stories (about us, today) and project them to the future...so that when we read/see them, we are inspired to do better and to voice our opposition to corruption NOW, so that the utopion future that is projected forward...may actually happen.

This was/is a story of short term goals and long term goals, and the people who are selfish/selfless in the pursuit of truth and righteousness.

Admiral Archer, as case and point...has sacrificed his own personal life, in the endeavor to make a better universe for everyone. In this story, he saw it was NOT an either/or, but that he could have both. Learning to trust one another and wish our best for others, doesn't have to cost you your own good future.

I also feel that Trip Tucker figured some things out in this story, too. In his struggle to right the wrongs of the universe in his role in a certain organization...I think that their ideologies and his own beliefs have not come to a crossroads, and I hope it leads him back home and NOT further away. We readers and T'Pol hope for the former, that's for sure.

It was good to see the former crew of the Enterprise (now a museum piece) spreading their family spirit within Starfleet on the two ships (instead of just one). Captains T'Pol and Reed are solid captains, who have lots to learn, but both were built on the bedrock of what they learned under Jonathon Archer.

Love these books. Have three more to read. It is one of those times in life...that you just want to binge them (inhale the stories), knowing that it will also bring sadness...for it will be over, soon. Our dear characters of Star Trek Enterprise are drawing near the end. Bitter/sweet, indeed.

[A.J. Blanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading the books in the Rise of the Federation series out of order, but I can easily say this may be my favorite Trek series to date; largely due to the next two installments. I'd rate Tower of Babel third out of the four books I've read with a solid 3.5+ stars. Doesn't make it bad by any means, and although having multiple sub-plots going on is Bennett's MO, I think this one could've either benefitted with fewer of them or a 'primary' plot to ground it better. There were no less than eight stories going on throughout the book. That's a lot of jumping around and names/species to remember!

Having said that, my biggest criticism, strangely enough, is that there was too much politics. While I am WELL aware that politics has been a staple in Trek since it debuted in the 60s, it was usually handled with intelligence and subtlety, often leaving it up to us, the viewer/reader, to draw our own conclusions. Considering this is a prequel era, it wasn't a good use of space to preach about things we already know are going to happen, especially in such a heavy-handed way. Babel also seemed to lack the balance most fifty-minute episodes had when focusing on political themes, allowing for other elements like character development or world-building. Those were there as well, just not enough in comparison for my taste.

I'm trying not to spoil anything, despite this book being seven years old, so I'll just say read this series... starting from the beginning (unlike how I approached it)! There's a lot to like in Babel, and the characters from Enterprise have managed to keep my interest longer than from the others, except perhaps TOS. The world of Star Trek licensing appears to be focusing more on the newer shows, which is a shame if others are getting overlooked, and I really hope this series and/or storyline will return, particularly after that disappointing fifth installment. Trek needs more Enterprise!

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another solid volume in the evolving store of the Federation. I know the "canonicity" of all Star Trek books remains up in the air, but Bennett has put a LOT of love into this series that I feel this totally deserves to be canon. The way he has woven in references and one-off mentions from different episodes and some of the other expanded material in order to craft this earlier view of the Federation totally works for me.

And this book wasn't super focused on Admiral Archer, which I appreciated. We had more "screentime" for both the rest of his crew and their respective ships - the Endeavor and the Pioneer. I am loving the stories of how Malcolm Reed is growing into being the captain of a starship and it's weird how much T'Pol is still an echo of Archer - which reflects the depth of the influence of her time on Enterprise.

As much as I kind of wish they had a bigger adversary than the Orion Syndicate, it still totally works for this story, and realistically what kind of a defense the Federation can muster at this time. And it's not an overt war like during the Romulan conflict. Instead, it's a pretty insidious one behind the scenes as the Orions and their allies try to prevent the Federation from growing too quickly.

All great stuff.

[Jonne Steen Redeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Federation is formed, and now it is time for it to expand. As the first president is on his way out he decides that he wants to cement his legacy by getting the Rigellian System to join.

A new Babel conference is called, and the subject now is Rigel's admission to the federation. However parties in both the Rigel culture, and the federation itself are questioning the admission, and the Federation's expansionism push. As well as how centralised it's government should really be. Meanwhile other forces are trying to pull the strings on all of this for their own ends, since they fear the law and peace the federation might bring. Throwing their criminal enterprises into disarray. Meanwhile there are a lot of unanswered questions about Rigel which Endeavour, and Pioneer are send to find answers to.

This is another good read, Bennet does an excellent job at painting a culture composed of many different aliens, and reconciling so many of the mutually contradictory things we learned about Rigel in the larger Trek canon. I am not saying it is perfect, but it is as good as anyone could get it.

[Jackie Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book with a bit of a weak ending - a bit like it just ended, even though it ended with the resolution of one of the main strands of the story, concerning the Rigelian system. It shows the early years of the Federation of Planets when there are debates about what the Federation's purpose is: police or explore? There are those who think the Federation was pulled together too quickly at the expense of the independence and individuality of the planets. There are federalists and planetists and the latter in particular seem happy to use propaganda to win followers. There are examples of the way different groups interpret the same facts very differently. We see that happening today as well and I'm impressed how a novel written over ten years ago captures some of those problems. There is a plague on what humans call Sauria and lies and misinformation are used to divide and conquer without any regard for the people who suffer and die. It is a sobering scenario. Meanwhile, Archer is beginning to think he was wrong in avoiding all romantic entanglements, prioritising his career and duties.



You see, weak ending.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the stuff I said in my review of the previous novel also applies here. It's a good novel if you're a Trek nerd and you liked Enterprise. If you liked A Choice of Futures, you'll probably like this one too.

The author, again, has an extensive list of annotations on his blog, for anyone who's interested.

I took a break about two-thirds of the way through this book, then came back to it a couple of months later. I wouldn't recommend that. There are enough characters and sub-plots going on that it's best to read it all the way through. It was hard to pick it back up after letting it sit for too long.

I liked this enough that I'll continue reading the Rise of the Federation series, though I may not start the next one right away.

[Kristina Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Bennett is an exemplary writer of science fiction. His work is well researched and detailed but it remains primarily a story of people (human or otherwise). Thus, while the overall plot is of political machinations and kidnapping, the story is conveyed with aspects of self-doubt, betrayals and romance.
There is a lot going on and it was easy to get confused over how the various endeavours interplayed. However I feel that is a strength of the book. Few situations ever involve isolated incidents - except when boldly going ;) - and this must be especially true when detailing the "Rise of the Federation". It, of necessity, must involve various factions competing and this gives me a very good excuse to re-read this series once I've finished it.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a great deal going on in this novel; the relationships of Rigel, within the Orion Syndicate, the events on Sauria...and our newly minted Federation heroes in the middle of it all. The plot elements are packed to the rafters...yet it all manages to hold together without toppling over. This novel does what I wished "Enterprise" had done from the beginning: tell gripping, thoughtful tales about the building of the Federation. Bonus points to any "Doctor Who" fan who finds the tiny little tribute to the Peladon stories...I chuckled quite a bit.

[Nicholas Roznovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but overly complicated

I love Christopher Bennett’s enthusiasm for the Star Trek universe and his attention to aligning as much of his works as he can with the established cannon. This book has a LOT going on - too much, in fact. I felt like I should have been taking notes to keep all of the characters, races, locations, and plot lines straight. I feel like this book could have been broken up into two novels, allowing various plots to be better fleshed out and given a bit more depth.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent, but a step down from the previous book in the series. I wonder if it's possible to treat a concept as campy as the Orions in a serious way without it causing awkward tonal clashes. Given that this is basically an exciting space adventure, I'm not sure it needed as many people getting groped/threatened with assault/tortured. Not that it's impossible to write good books about those subjects, but they felt a little out of place alongside the sillier Star Trek tropes and the general fanwank in this novel.

[Christopher Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

CLB has had to walk a tightrope, filling in a large part of Federation history and trying to make it dramatically worthwhile, when we still know, ultimately, who joins and that the Federation is successful. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the first installment, mainly because any book that requires five pages of acknowledgments to explain every reference to continuity just isn't spending enough time on creating its own world, and too much satisfying fanboy impulses. Still, I'm invested and want to finish the whole thing, so onwards to book three!

[Apostolos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good continuation of the first book in the series. Here the federation is encouraging the aligned systems of Rigel to join the federation. I always thought that the Rigelians were a homogenous society, but apparently not. Also interesting that they were currently ruled by mobster families. Overall an interesting story, and in the end we find out that Trip goes Rogue. Section 31 may not be as wholesome as one might have believed (shocker ;-) )

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admiral Johnathan Archer and his faithful friends, Captains T’Pol and Reed, are working to secure Rigel’s entrance into the Federation despite the resistance of natives who find the idea of becoming part of an alien organization frightening, and the fact that Archer is being framed for attempted murder. Despite that premise and the fact that Bennett’s novels are usually among my favorite Trek reads, I…didn’t care about the story here. Or the characters.

[DH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think was a bridge novel between sets of stories. It covered a lot of super material showing how the federation was challenged with some pretty typical scenarios and it reacted.

The writing was a bit choppy however as the author tried to cover so many threads. This broke the immersion regularly so I took time to push through.

That being said - it covered important material in the Rise in the Federation arc and should be read.

[Mark Mekkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it's fun to keep up with the crew of the very first Enterprise, it's certainly not the same. With everyone heading in different directions, the story tends to be convoluted to the point where the individual stories become rather thin.

However, it is still an enjoyable Star Trek read.