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Star Trek: Discovery #7
Die Standing
An all-new novel based upon the explosive Star Trek TV series!
No one in the history of histories has lost more than Philippa Georgiou, ruler of the Terran Empire. Forced to take refuge in the Federation’s universe, she bides her time until Section 31, a rogue spy force within Starfleet, offers her a chance to work as their agent. She has no intention of serving under anyone else, of course; her only interest is escape.
But when a young Trill, Emony Dax, discovers a powerful interstellar menace, Georgiou recognizes it as a superweapon that escaped her grasp in her own universe. Escorted by a team sent by an untrusting Federation to watch over her, the emperor journeys to a region forbidden to travelers. But will what she finds there end the threat—or give “Agent Georgiou” the means to create her old empire anew?
No one in the history of histories has lost more than Philippa Georgiou, ruler of the Terran Empire. Forced to take refuge in the Federation’s universe, she bides her time until Section 31, a rogue spy force within Starfleet, offers her a chance to work as their agent. She has no intention of serving under anyone else, of course; her only interest is escape.
But when a young Trill, Emony Dax, discovers a powerful interstellar menace, Georgiou recognizes it as a superweapon that escaped her grasp in her own universe. Escorted by a team sent by an untrusting Federation to watch over her, the emperor journeys to a region forbidden to travelers. But will what she finds there end the threat—or give “Agent Georgiou” the means to create her old empire anew?
399 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2020
107 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
John Jackson Miller
348 books1,008 followersNew York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 18, 2020
I inhaled this in a matter of hours: the finest genre book yet written by John Jackson Miller. Every inch of this book drips with the terrible magnificence of the Emperor Philippa Georgiou...and even in prose, it also drips with the utter awesomeness of Michelle Yeoh inhabiting the role on "Discovery". A gore-worthy feast of SF & "Star Trek" goodness that would receive the thumbs-up of any emperor.
September 6, 2022
I’ve never watched the show but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characterizations were excellent and the storyline enthralling and entertaining. I would love to have more stories featuring the mirror universe Georgiou.
March 6, 2021
Storywise a bit better than some other DSC tie-ins I've read.
A plus for integrating Leland and Cornwell. I liked reading about them. Unfortunately they were only bystanders and the main mission was Georgiou (who was great), Dax (which was only a matter of time when sb came up with her, but I couldn't see the reason behind involving her in the mission), and Finnegan (who was a complete nuisance! I hope this is not a foreboding of casting for the section 31 series)
Some physiological attributes of the new alien races were well thought out. But as a whole I had a feeling I have with so many of the tie-ins, that the plot itself isn't balanced and structured the right way. It rippled away (I was listening to it), but never caught me in its flow.
A plus for integrating Leland and Cornwell. I liked reading about them. Unfortunately they were only bystanders and the main mission was Georgiou (who was great), Dax (which was only a matter of time when sb came up with her, but I couldn't see the reason behind involving her in the mission), and Finnegan (who was a complete nuisance! I hope this is not a foreboding of casting for the section 31 series)
Some physiological attributes of the new alien races were well thought out. But as a whole I had a feeling I have with so many of the tie-ins, that the plot itself isn't balanced and structured the right way. It rippled away (I was listening to it), but never caught me in its flow.
July 16, 2020
Going into this book, I was really apprehensive. I wasn't a fan of the show Star Trek Discovery, and I didn't even stay long enough to get to the "mirror universe" storyline in the first season. However, I had read JJM's previous Discovery novel, "The Enterprise War", and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I've enjoyed every other of his books that I've read, so I hoped that Miller would write a good book here.
And he DID!
One thing that this book(and really all of JJM's books, but this is the best example) does is it fills in the knowledge for the reader if they haven't watched the show. There were several times, where information that would only be known through the show was explained and it wasn't done through exposition dumps, but rather was written in such a way that it felt natural and fitting in the story. As someone who was a little confused going into the book, this greatly helped me.
Another thing that this book did well was take a "anti-hero" protagonist in Phillipa Georgiou and make her the lead of the book. While just about the entire book is from her perspective, the reader is able to realize just what an evil person she is and that she is not a true "hero", but is interesting to follow.
The plot of the book is just fantastic. It had a few "Guardians of the Galaxy" vibes at the beginning, but also added some classic Star Trek vibes throughout, as well as some excellent Space Opera themes, that usually aren't used in Star Trek, but work very well here.
The most surprising part of this book, for me, is that the middle was the strongest part of the book. Normally, a book's opening or ending are the best, and the middle is usually just filler. That wasn't the case here, as I was on the edge of my seat throughout the middle portion of the book. That isn't to say that the beginning and end were lacking anything in particular, but the middle was just so interesting that I had to keep reading.
I quite enjoyed the cast of characters. Sean Finnigan made me laugh throughout, and he worked as the comic relief of the book. I'm not a fan of the Dax character(in any of it's iterations), but the character served a great purpose here and was actually quite fun to read. Leland was your run of the mill basic Section 31 character, and I was ok with some basic characteristics from him. I do feel that Miller could have used Cornwell and Michael Burnham a little bit more, but I suspect that the editors and show writers wanted to keep them a little more locked down.
One thing that JJM has done in all of his books that I appreciate is add some sort of depth. In Knight Errant, he had depth about Communism and its many forms, while Kenobi and A New Dawn dealt with what one person can accomplish, while Takedown dealt with Cold War themes. This book was chock full of discussions, themes, and references to classic empires, political and military leaders, and conquests. That was unusual in most for a Star Trek book, but I loved it. That's the real strong point of the book.
Overall, this is a solid book. I have never had a transformation of what I expected to get to what I got in quite a while. I enjoyed it even more than JJM's "The Enterprise War", but less than his main Star Wars books and his early Star Trek books. But, don't let that stop you from getting it, because I truly did love it. 9.2 out of 10! Great job John!
By the way, I caught that Lord of the Rings reference. Very sly.
And he DID!
One thing that this book(and really all of JJM's books, but this is the best example) does is it fills in the knowledge for the reader if they haven't watched the show. There were several times, where information that would only be known through the show was explained and it wasn't done through exposition dumps, but rather was written in such a way that it felt natural and fitting in the story. As someone who was a little confused going into the book, this greatly helped me.
Another thing that this book did well was take a "anti-hero" protagonist in Phillipa Georgiou and make her the lead of the book. While just about the entire book is from her perspective, the reader is able to realize just what an evil person she is and that she is not a true "hero", but is interesting to follow.
The plot of the book is just fantastic. It had a few "Guardians of the Galaxy" vibes at the beginning, but also added some classic Star Trek vibes throughout, as well as some excellent Space Opera themes, that usually aren't used in Star Trek, but work very well here.
The most surprising part of this book, for me, is that the middle was the strongest part of the book. Normally, a book's opening or ending are the best, and the middle is usually just filler. That wasn't the case here, as I was on the edge of my seat throughout the middle portion of the book. That isn't to say that the beginning and end were lacking anything in particular, but the middle was just so interesting that I had to keep reading.
I quite enjoyed the cast of characters. Sean Finnigan made me laugh throughout, and he worked as the comic relief of the book. I'm not a fan of the Dax character(in any of it's iterations), but the character served a great purpose here and was actually quite fun to read. Leland was your run of the mill basic Section 31 character, and I was ok with some basic characteristics from him. I do feel that Miller could have used Cornwell and Michael Burnham a little bit more, but I suspect that the editors and show writers wanted to keep them a little more locked down.
One thing that JJM has done in all of his books that I appreciate is add some sort of depth. In Knight Errant, he had depth about Communism and its many forms, while Kenobi and A New Dawn dealt with what one person can accomplish, while Takedown dealt with Cold War themes. This book was chock full of discussions, themes, and references to classic empires, political and military leaders, and conquests. That was unusual in most for a Star Trek book, but I loved it. That's the real strong point of the book.
Overall, this is a solid book. I have never had a transformation of what I expected to get to what I got in quite a while. I enjoyed it even more than JJM's "The Enterprise War", but less than his main Star Wars books and his early Star Trek books. But, don't let that stop you from getting it, because I truly did love it. 9.2 out of 10! Great job John!
By the way, I caught that Lord of the Rings reference. Very sly.
July 19, 2020
Philippa Georgiou was one of Starfleet's finest captains, respected for her scientific knowledge and her diplomacy skills.
When Captain Georgiou died at the Battle of the Binary Stars, the Federation lost a prize asset and when Michael Burnham returns from a parallel universe with another Georgiou, Section 31 is eager to utilise her.
Emperor Georgiou is as intelligent and tactically brilliant as her counterpart from our dimension, but is a cruel and ruthless dictator.
And she's gone rogue...
Miller's 'Die Standing' is an intriguing novel in the way it explores the differences between the two Georgious and uses a fine diplomatic intrigue as a backdrop to this character study.
When Captain Georgiou died at the Battle of the Binary Stars, the Federation lost a prize asset and when Michael Burnham returns from a parallel universe with another Georgiou, Section 31 is eager to utilise her.
Emperor Georgiou is as intelligent and tactically brilliant as her counterpart from our dimension, but is a cruel and ruthless dictator.
And she's gone rogue...
Miller's 'Die Standing' is an intriguing novel in the way it explores the differences between the two Georgious and uses a fine diplomatic intrigue as a backdrop to this character study.
February 28, 2023
This is a solid tie-in, but not one of the best I've read.
I liked the connections to TOS/DS9 via Emony Dax and Finnegan and that they used Emperor Georgiou's perspective to point out some of the Federation's/Section 31's hypocrisies, but at times the depiction of Georgiou threatened to veer off into the cartoonish. (Maybe a whole novel focused on her was just a bit much for me.)
The solution to the plot made sense, but felt a little rushed.
I liked the connections to TOS/DS9 via Emony Dax and Finnegan and that they used Emperor Georgiou's perspective to point out some of the Federation's/Section 31's hypocrisies, but at times the depiction of Georgiou threatened to veer off into the cartoonish. (Maybe a whole novel focused on her was just a bit much for me.)
The solution to the plot made sense, but felt a little rushed.
March 29, 2022
Reading this reminded me how much of an absence Season 4 of Discovery has with Phillipa Georgiou no longer being a part of the Disco crew.
This novel is great Trek, going to new places, solving a mystery of years past, meeting new aliens and features a Kirk cameo!
There were also some hilarious moments as can be expected with Empress Georgiou.
This novel is great Trek, going to new places, solving a mystery of years past, meeting new aliens and features a Kirk cameo!
There were also some hilarious moments as can be expected with Empress Georgiou.
July 27, 2020
I really wanted to like this book a lot, but it was too confusing. It got off to a really strange start and the story didn't really begin until a quarter of the way in. The aliens were extremely cool.
October 24, 2020
It's a good story. It captures the badass Georgiou perfectly. I'm a bit more inclined towards the Captain than the Emperor, personally... but Miller has done an excellent job with this crazy tale.
The narration by LaVoy is flawless.
The narration by LaVoy is flawless.
June 11, 2022
Star Trek: Die Standing By John Jackson Miller, is media tie-in novel based on the Paramount+ original TV show “Star Trek Discovery.”
Set between seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery, the novel follows former Emperor Philippa Georgiou as she is recruited into the shadowy Federation spy agency Section 31. Her mission: to travel to the secretive Troika space and investigate its connection to a deadly space cloud creature that attacked a Federation ship. Georgiou, however, still dreams of recapturing imperial glory, and plans to use the cloud as a weapon to conquer her enemies.
Author John Jackson Miller has a long history writing both Star Trek and Star Wars. He brings this experience, and a deep knowledge of Trek lore, to Die Standing.
There’s a lot to love about the novel for long-time fans of Star Trek. It practically oozes continuity and effortlessly weaves connective tissue between Discovery, the original series, and Deep Space Nine. Yet these connections never seem overwhelming or superfluous, but instead all serve the story.
Miller also makes a concerted effort to explain and recap information from Discovery’s first season relevant to his plot. He does so without falling victim to the “exposition dump”, and instead weaves background information into the action of the story. This gives Die Standing a sense of forward momentum, even during those moments when it clearly has to look backward.
In essence, Die Standing is accessible to readers not familiar with Discovery. Characters like Emony Dax, an earlier incarnation of a character from Deep Space Nine, for example, never distracts from the story Miller is trying to tell, but instead adds additional layers for those readers in the know.
With a protagonist clearly designed to be evil within the confines of Discovery, the novel faces the challenge of telling a story about Philippa Georgiou without necessarily redeeming her. Tales about anti-heroes are difficult to pull off well, since the readers’ instinct is to connect to, and identify with, the protagonist. An evil protagonist runs the risk of alienating readers.
Miller deftly avoids this trap. In his hands, Georgiou becomes a person of great complexity and, more importantly, unpredictability. Part of what ultimately hooks the reader is simply wanting to know what this loose cannon will do next.
The breakout star of Die Standing, however, is clearly Sean Finnegan, a throwaway character originally introduced in the original series episode Shore Leave as James T. Kirk’s Starfleet Academy bully. Miller takes the one-note portrayal of Finnegan and creates a character who is instantly memorable.
In a lot of ways, Finnegan is his own worst enemy. His bad habits have repeatedly sabotaged his efforts to make something of his life. Accompanying Georgiou on her mission stands as his last chance to do exactly that.
Finnegan’s cheerful demeanour and one-liners, even in the face of great danger, provide Die Standing with some much-needed levity in contrast to its brooding, malicious and unpredictable protagonist.
Miller also takes this opportunity to introduce some new alien cultures, each with its own unique way of life and history. Georgiou’s investigation takes her on a grand tour of Troika space and allows Miller to explore this previously unheard-of region of space.
Ultimately, Star Trek: Die Standing is among the very best tie-in novels of a major franchise. It is accessible to newcomers but holds special rewards for long-time fans. It adds new layers to several characters and spins a tale that can easily stand alongside the best episodes of its source material. It is a fascinating experience.
Set between seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery, the novel follows former Emperor Philippa Georgiou as she is recruited into the shadowy Federation spy agency Section 31. Her mission: to travel to the secretive Troika space and investigate its connection to a deadly space cloud creature that attacked a Federation ship. Georgiou, however, still dreams of recapturing imperial glory, and plans to use the cloud as a weapon to conquer her enemies.
Author John Jackson Miller has a long history writing both Star Trek and Star Wars. He brings this experience, and a deep knowledge of Trek lore, to Die Standing.
There’s a lot to love about the novel for long-time fans of Star Trek. It practically oozes continuity and effortlessly weaves connective tissue between Discovery, the original series, and Deep Space Nine. Yet these connections never seem overwhelming or superfluous, but instead all serve the story.
Miller also makes a concerted effort to explain and recap information from Discovery’s first season relevant to his plot. He does so without falling victim to the “exposition dump”, and instead weaves background information into the action of the story. This gives Die Standing a sense of forward momentum, even during those moments when it clearly has to look backward.
In essence, Die Standing is accessible to readers not familiar with Discovery. Characters like Emony Dax, an earlier incarnation of a character from Deep Space Nine, for example, never distracts from the story Miller is trying to tell, but instead adds additional layers for those readers in the know.
With a protagonist clearly designed to be evil within the confines of Discovery, the novel faces the challenge of telling a story about Philippa Georgiou without necessarily redeeming her. Tales about anti-heroes are difficult to pull off well, since the readers’ instinct is to connect to, and identify with, the protagonist. An evil protagonist runs the risk of alienating readers.
Miller deftly avoids this trap. In his hands, Georgiou becomes a person of great complexity and, more importantly, unpredictability. Part of what ultimately hooks the reader is simply wanting to know what this loose cannon will do next.
The breakout star of Die Standing, however, is clearly Sean Finnegan, a throwaway character originally introduced in the original series episode Shore Leave as James T. Kirk’s Starfleet Academy bully. Miller takes the one-note portrayal of Finnegan and creates a character who is instantly memorable.
In a lot of ways, Finnegan is his own worst enemy. His bad habits have repeatedly sabotaged his efforts to make something of his life. Accompanying Georgiou on her mission stands as his last chance to do exactly that.
Finnegan’s cheerful demeanour and one-liners, even in the face of great danger, provide Die Standing with some much-needed levity in contrast to its brooding, malicious and unpredictable protagonist.
Miller also takes this opportunity to introduce some new alien cultures, each with its own unique way of life and history. Georgiou’s investigation takes her on a grand tour of Troika space and allows Miller to explore this previously unheard-of region of space.
Ultimately, Star Trek: Die Standing is among the very best tie-in novels of a major franchise. It is accessible to newcomers but holds special rewards for long-time fans. It adds new layers to several characters and spins a tale that can easily stand alongside the best episodes of its source material. It is a fascinating experience.
November 10, 2020
Rating of 4.5.
One of the leading authors of media tie-in fiction, John Jackson Miller, returns with his second Star Trek: Discovery novel, Die Standing, an awesome and captivating read that follows the adventures of an excellent protagonist, the evil version of Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou.
After the dramatic conclusion of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, former ruler of the Terran Empire, a power-hungry and xenophobic human interstellar empire from a twisted alternate universe, has been stranded in the main Federation’s universe. Biding her time while trapped on the Klingon home planet of Qo’noS, Georgiou is finally given a the opportunity she has been waiting for when Starfleet’s covert spy organisation, Section 31, offers her a chance to work as one of their agents. However, Georgiou is far more interested in gaining her freedom and plotting to use Section 31’s resources to flee beyond Starfleet’s control.
Georgiou’s plans change when she receives news about a mysterious attack on one of Starfleet’s military vessels by a malicious and dangerous cosmic entity, one that her counterpart in this universe may have seen years before. Intrigued by the description of the attack, Georgiou decides to remain with Section 31, especially as it bears a striking similarity to a powerful superweapon that was kept from her when she was Emperor.
Determined to use this weapon to regain her stolen power and take control of this weaker universe, Georgiou accepts Section 31’s proposal to travel to an isolated section of space where the creature was first witnessed. Travelling with two mismatched minders who are already well out of their depth, Georgiou attempts to contact an old flame of this universe’s Georgiou, one who has a lot of influence in this quadrant of space. Forced to conduct a subtle investigation amongst the secretive alien races of the sector, Georgiou and her companions follow the clues that will lead them to the entities they seek. But what will happen when the former Terran Emperor has ultimate power within her grasp? Will she ensure the safety of the Federation she despises, or will another universe bow before her might?
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/11/10/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
One of the leading authors of media tie-in fiction, John Jackson Miller, returns with his second Star Trek: Discovery novel, Die Standing, an awesome and captivating read that follows the adventures of an excellent protagonist, the evil version of Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou.
After the dramatic conclusion of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, former ruler of the Terran Empire, a power-hungry and xenophobic human interstellar empire from a twisted alternate universe, has been stranded in the main Federation’s universe. Biding her time while trapped on the Klingon home planet of Qo’noS, Georgiou is finally given a the opportunity she has been waiting for when Starfleet’s covert spy organisation, Section 31, offers her a chance to work as one of their agents. However, Georgiou is far more interested in gaining her freedom and plotting to use Section 31’s resources to flee beyond Starfleet’s control.
Georgiou’s plans change when she receives news about a mysterious attack on one of Starfleet’s military vessels by a malicious and dangerous cosmic entity, one that her counterpart in this universe may have seen years before. Intrigued by the description of the attack, Georgiou decides to remain with Section 31, especially as it bears a striking similarity to a powerful superweapon that was kept from her when she was Emperor.
Determined to use this weapon to regain her stolen power and take control of this weaker universe, Georgiou accepts Section 31’s proposal to travel to an isolated section of space where the creature was first witnessed. Travelling with two mismatched minders who are already well out of their depth, Georgiou attempts to contact an old flame of this universe’s Georgiou, one who has a lot of influence in this quadrant of space. Forced to conduct a subtle investigation amongst the secretive alien races of the sector, Georgiou and her companions follow the clues that will lead them to the entities they seek. But what will happen when the former Terran Emperor has ultimate power within her grasp? Will she ensure the safety of the Federation she despises, or will another universe bow before her might?
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/11/10/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
May 13, 2021
In a mirror universe she was the ruler of an empire that spanned the stars. Now Philippa Georgiou finds herself a lowly operative for Section 31, Starfleet’s clandestine “black-ops” group. After a test of her abilities results in a riot on a prison world, Georgiou finds herself confined to a cell on a starship, potentially for the rest of her life.
Then a Starfleet vessel encounters a mysterious cloud-like entity that drains the hemoglobin from nearly half the crew. The condition of the bodies is similar to those found on a cargo ship nearly a quarter-century earlier near an isolated region run by a group of alien races known as the Troika. Contact is limited, but the young lieutenant on that mission kept in touch with the human merchant captain from the region who retrieved those bodies. And while that young lieutenant died fighting the Klingons at the Battle of the Binary Stars, her mirror-universe counterpart may be the key to unraveling the mystery of the entity – one that might give the former emperor the means of regaining her empire.
This book is John Jackson Miller’s second contribution to the Star Trek: Discovery series of novels, and it’s a considerable improvement over his first one. Whereas his previous one The Enterprise War felt constrained by the need to conform to the elements of the show, with this one there seem to be fewer limits on the story he can tell. Miller takes full advantage of this to tell a fun adventure involving a veritable “who’s who” of Star trek characters from across the franchise. It’s a particular contrast with Dayton Ward’s Drastic Measures, which failed to make the most of its exploration of franchise’s backstory. By contrast Miller has a grand time mixing together characters from three different shows from the franchise, and he isn’t afraid to adapt them to the needs of the story.
Yet none of this would have worked as well as it did had Miller failed to portray so effectively the character at the center of his tale. His depiction of the mirror-universe Georgiou unerringly captures the mix of wry cunning and cold-blooded deviousness that embodied Michelle Yeoh’s performance on the show. Here we see the early steps of how she went from being an emperor to a Section 31 agent, as well as her growth beyond the ruthless savagery that typify the mirror universe portrayals in the franchise. It’s never less than entertaining, and by the end of the novel I was hoping that this won't be the last we will read of the adventures of "Agent" Georgiou from Miller’s pen.
Then a Starfleet vessel encounters a mysterious cloud-like entity that drains the hemoglobin from nearly half the crew. The condition of the bodies is similar to those found on a cargo ship nearly a quarter-century earlier near an isolated region run by a group of alien races known as the Troika. Contact is limited, but the young lieutenant on that mission kept in touch with the human merchant captain from the region who retrieved those bodies. And while that young lieutenant died fighting the Klingons at the Battle of the Binary Stars, her mirror-universe counterpart may be the key to unraveling the mystery of the entity – one that might give the former emperor the means of regaining her empire.
This book is John Jackson Miller’s second contribution to the Star Trek: Discovery series of novels, and it’s a considerable improvement over his first one. Whereas his previous one The Enterprise War felt constrained by the need to conform to the elements of the show, with this one there seem to be fewer limits on the story he can tell. Miller takes full advantage of this to tell a fun adventure involving a veritable “who’s who” of Star trek characters from across the franchise. It’s a particular contrast with Dayton Ward’s Drastic Measures, which failed to make the most of its exploration of franchise’s backstory. By contrast Miller has a grand time mixing together characters from three different shows from the franchise, and he isn’t afraid to adapt them to the needs of the story.
Yet none of this would have worked as well as it did had Miller failed to portray so effectively the character at the center of his tale. His depiction of the mirror-universe Georgiou unerringly captures the mix of wry cunning and cold-blooded deviousness that embodied Michelle Yeoh’s performance on the show. Here we see the early steps of how she went from being an emperor to a Section 31 agent, as well as her growth beyond the ruthless savagery that typify the mirror universe portrayals in the franchise. It’s never less than entertaining, and by the end of the novel I was hoping that this won't be the last we will read of the adventures of "Agent" Georgiou from Miller’s pen.
July 20, 2020
I don’t want the stars to overwhelm my larger thought that this was mostly an engaging read with solid prose and action. I loved the alien races, particularly the Oast and their ultimate connection to the central contrivances of the plot. The Cascade was very cool old-school sci-fi in that it was a fascinating what-if without too much worry about exactly how and why it works. I do wish the story had explored the concept a little more but that’s a quibble.
I was bothered by just how much was generally known about Section 31 and by how many folks... I suppose they were more out in the open on screen already, but they just don’t feel nearly as covert as they did both before and after in-Universe. The amount that Emony Dax in particular learned just seemed like a hole that didn’t need to be a hole.
But, I’m not a “we must bow to the almighty canon” kind of guy, so that only bothered me a little. I otherwise waffled between three and four stars. I think the thing that really capped the ceiling is that this is a story mostly about a mirror universe character, and while I find the concept of alternate selves fascinating in general, the over-the-top evil of Star Trek’s mirror universe can be fun but is a little self-limiting to me. So as much as I enjoyed the author’s work here it’s not a personal favorite.
I was bothered by just how much was generally known about Section 31 and by how many folks... I suppose they were more out in the open on screen already, but they just don’t feel nearly as covert as they did both before and after in-Universe. The amount that Emony Dax in particular learned just seemed like a hole that didn’t need to be a hole.
But, I’m not a “we must bow to the almighty canon” kind of guy, so that only bothered me a little. I otherwise waffled between three and four stars. I think the thing that really capped the ceiling is that this is a story mostly about a mirror universe character, and while I find the concept of alternate selves fascinating in general, the over-the-top evil of Star Trek’s mirror universe can be fun but is a little self-limiting to me. So as much as I enjoyed the author’s work here it’s not a personal favorite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2022
This was pretty good.... I was looking for something different to listen to, but been sitting on this for a while, since I'm just so tired of the mirror universe (got tired of the idea after the first couple DS9 related episodes once upon a time, so not just now). Sure, it can make for a great idea, but they rely on it way too much. Anyway, here, I saw that they didn't exactly make use of the mirror universe, in that it was mentioned and referred to or flashbacked to, but the whole book wasn't taking place in it. So that I didn't mind at all. Lots of other Trek references... which kind of gets annoying, but yet, I think I ultimately listened to this for Dax - because Emony is not a host we've gotten a lot about over the years. Plus I liked it was something different within the realm of the Discovery universe - not a typical ship mission or something. Put it all together - lots of different, lots of expanding things we already knew a little of, made for a good story!
July 20, 2020
Excellent book that encompassed an epic tale. There was essentially no B plot in this one as it almost exclusively focuses on Georgiou’s journey and how she ended up working willingly with Section 31. I loved the use of Dax and I really wish we had a little more time with her during this novel. Her experience on the Farragut felt a little rushed and I wanted more for her to do than just telling Georgiou off. The inclusion of Finnegan was brilliant and I loved the Blackjack reveal.
Both of John Jackson Miller’s Discovery books have been absolutely top notch. The Enterprise War and Die Standing are two of the best Disco novels to date. Fully recommend!
Both of John Jackson Miller’s Discovery books have been absolutely top notch. The Enterprise War and Die Standing are two of the best Disco novels to date. Fully recommend!
November 21, 2020
I picked this up because the latest episode from Season 3 hints at a character important to Georgiou which I'd heard was referenced briefly in this book... And what I got was a lot more than I bargained for. Great characterisation of Georgiou, and the action-thriller pace was just right, with a lot of caustic zingers from the Terran emperor which fans of the actual show would be familiar with. Quite a fun read!
May 11, 2021
Ah, this was good. I really like Phillipa Georgiou, both iterations, and this book fleshes out Emperor Georgiou in her current predicament of being stranded in the Discovery verse. Witty, not in the least bit squeamish in her cruelty, a ruthless and terrible person, but there's a redemptive quality that the "good" verse draws out no matter how hard she fights against the act.
I did not mind the plot but it was a little meh. The full focus on Georgiou smoothes most of that out, for me anyway.
I did not mind the plot but it was a little meh. The full focus on Georgiou smoothes most of that out, for me anyway.
January 16, 2022
Not what I expected going in. I thought there would be more to do in the mirror universe, just simply based on the cover of the book. There was a short Emperor Georgiou flashback to her time on her throne, and it linked well with the plot and to the prime universe. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, though. The classic characters that were brought back were fun, as was the Emperor. Great nivel by John Jackson Miller, this is my 2nd novel of his to read, after The Enterprise War, and have loved both of them.
July 21, 2020
Amazing!!
I was chortling and sooo gleeful when I read this story. It was absolutely amazing from start to finish, thanks so much I had an awesome read!
I was chortling and sooo gleeful when I read this story. It was absolutely amazing from start to finish, thanks so much I had an awesome read!
October 25, 2022
i love mirror georgiou on the show because of her interactions with burnham but i knew this probably wasn’t going to be one of my favorite novels going in. for one thing i just unambiguously hate section 31, i really think the star trek universe would be better off if we just quietly retconned them out of existence.
i did enjoy the prologue showing the prime universe version of georgiou meeting with quintilian, and i also enjoyed the second prologue showing mirror georgiou in her element back in her own universe, including thinking about using other fairly powerful people as sexual playthings. at one point she literally teases a pirate friend of hers about how she tied her up in the bedroom once, and i just… i’m sorry! i’m kinky af. i enjoyed imagining finding myself under her lash. you know what? i’m actually not sorry. also once the main action of the story moves back to the prime universe, i enjoyed mirror georgiou reminiscing about owning a nightclub on qo’nos and having scantily clad hotties around all the time.
finnegan was a weird pull. frankly i could’ve gone without being reminded that that character existed. he worked fine in this story, and i appreciate that we meet him in fucking jail having washed out of starfleet. emony dax was also kind of a weird pull, but one i approved of much more. i know this is the kind of “making the world smaller” stuff i usually complain about, but frankly if you have an excuse to get a dax involved in a star trek story you just do it, in my opinion.
i did not enjoy that that jail georgiou found finnegan in was clearly abusive as fuck but nevertheless had some kind of working relationship with the federation. the need to imply that there’s a seedy underbelly to the federation is just never something i enjoy about star trek, and it’s something anything starring these section 31 chucklefucks always has to go out of its way to do, and i’m just so bored of it i’m sorry.
they did at least have admiral cornwell get all righteously angry about how bad the prison was and more than imply that she was going to push for the federation to revoke their agreement with it, but idk given the federation’s commitment to rehabilitative rather than punitive justice, it seems super weird they would farm this kind of thing out in the first place.
i just kind of hate it when people working on star trek think the only way to comment on the problems of the present are to reproduce them. star trek is at its best when it comments on these things by showing a better way.
anyway yeah this was fine but it didn’t blow me away or anything. i didn’t hate it! and there was every reason to believe i might’ve given all the factors working against it, so in the end i suppose that’s a win.
—
check out my megareview of the star trek discovery books & comics on my blog, 24,000 miles to the moon! https://24000milestothemoon.com/2022/...
i did enjoy the prologue showing the prime universe version of georgiou meeting with quintilian, and i also enjoyed the second prologue showing mirror georgiou in her element back in her own universe, including thinking about using other fairly powerful people as sexual playthings. at one point she literally teases a pirate friend of hers about how she tied her up in the bedroom once, and i just… i’m sorry! i’m kinky af. i enjoyed imagining finding myself under her lash. you know what? i’m actually not sorry. also once the main action of the story moves back to the prime universe, i enjoyed mirror georgiou reminiscing about owning a nightclub on qo’nos and having scantily clad hotties around all the time.
finnegan was a weird pull. frankly i could’ve gone without being reminded that that character existed. he worked fine in this story, and i appreciate that we meet him in fucking jail having washed out of starfleet. emony dax was also kind of a weird pull, but one i approved of much more. i know this is the kind of “making the world smaller” stuff i usually complain about, but frankly if you have an excuse to get a dax involved in a star trek story you just do it, in my opinion.
i did not enjoy that that jail georgiou found finnegan in was clearly abusive as fuck but nevertheless had some kind of working relationship with the federation. the need to imply that there’s a seedy underbelly to the federation is just never something i enjoy about star trek, and it’s something anything starring these section 31 chucklefucks always has to go out of its way to do, and i’m just so bored of it i’m sorry.
they did at least have admiral cornwell get all righteously angry about how bad the prison was and more than imply that she was going to push for the federation to revoke their agreement with it, but idk given the federation’s commitment to rehabilitative rather than punitive justice, it seems super weird they would farm this kind of thing out in the first place.
i just kind of hate it when people working on star trek think the only way to comment on the problems of the present are to reproduce them. star trek is at its best when it comments on these things by showing a better way.
anyway yeah this was fine but it didn’t blow me away or anything. i didn’t hate it! and there was every reason to believe i might’ve given all the factors working against it, so in the end i suppose that’s a win.
—
check out my megareview of the star trek discovery books & comics on my blog, 24,000 miles to the moon! https://24000milestothemoon.com/2022/...
August 24, 2020
Not the worst Star Trek book. The bar has been pretty low the last couple of years. Some decent alien world building and decent overall plot. In the end, it was sort of a cliche take over the Federation story but getting there was interesting.
As I have said in many reviews recently, I really do not like all the continuity references. It comes across as “ look at how clever I am with my Star Trek knowledge”
Keeping the blood devil ( stupid name ) secret is as ridiculous as keeping Discovery and the spore drive secret. “Obsession” is one of my favorite Original Series episodes and the explanation of the cloud just diminishes its impact in my opinion.
Finally , just as on TV, Georgiou is just over the top ridiculous. Finnegan is ridiculous comic relief fan wank.
As I have said in many reviews recently, I really do not like all the continuity references. It comes across as “ look at how clever I am with my Star Trek knowledge”
Keeping the blood devil ( stupid name ) secret is as ridiculous as keeping Discovery and the spore drive secret. “Obsession” is one of my favorite Original Series episodes and the explanation of the cloud just diminishes its impact in my opinion.
Finally , just as on TV, Georgiou is just over the top ridiculous. Finnegan is ridiculous comic relief fan wank.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2020
Miller nails the characterization of Mirror Georgiou. That said, I think the reason she works on Discovery is that we get relatively little of her. For me, the character is a bit too broad to carry an entire book. She tires me out. That’s the fear I have for the Georgiou/Section 31 series that’s in development too. I guess we’ll see!
October 3, 2020
Way too dark and somehow this felt more like a complete mirrorverse novel, not one in which just emperor Georgiou came from there. But what annoyed me most was how the author chose to change Burnham's and Captain Georgiou's characterization - and took possession of the Dax symbiont, imprinting his story and will onto seven seasons of a TV show. That's just as arrogant as SteMo throwing Clara into the time stream in Doctor Who, robbing his predecessors of their interpretational sovereignity FOR THEIR OWN WORK! This is what Miller does here with Dax. Not cool!
September 7, 2021
Fantastic novel, I highly recommend this to everyone!
September 16, 2020
Die Standing charts what former Emperor Philippa Georgiou gets up to following her offer to join Section Thirty One! Her POV gives an an direct insight into what makes her tick! Her personality permeates throughout the the book and provides a great insight in her ruthlessness and what her motivations are! At the same time for the ride though we also have Cadet Finnegan who tormented the younger Cadet Kirk at Starfleet Academy! We also get to see Emony Dax as well and get an insight into Dax's earlier activities! The way that that the three of the them fire off each other is brilliant and Miller puts his characters through the wringer!
The three characters working together and there various POV's though work brilliantly together! This of course forces Georgiou to start changing into something that could almost be civil! This adds though to the gripping nature of Die Standing as well as the humour! Georgiou is nearly constantly have to wrench herself back to her evil Emperorship ways and the way that implements them is brilliant! Die Standing also features Leland as the head of Section 31 and the way that Georgiou constantly is egging him on and winding him up is brilliantly handled! You will find your ribs hurting with the humour from the start!
Die Standing's main plotline involving the Dromax, who come across as very alien, the Oastling,
and the Casmarra works brilliantly as well! You can really see how the dynamic trio really deal with the situations that they confront! Georgiou is totally pragmatic with the idea of fighting someone else's war, while Finnegan, in complete contrast to the Blackjack that Georgiou knows, has serious ethical reservations and Emony flat out refusing a combat role should all set them at odds but they manage to work together!
The action from the start comes thick and fast in Die Standing! In addition to this the humour continues to fly delivered rib breakingly by Finnegan and brilliantly in Georgiou and Dax's observations! The whole book weaves in historical and references as well references to other stories from the start as well! The observations of Georgiou about various famous figures are hilarious as well as the other characters reactions to them! This makes Die Standing an intense fun filled ride from the start! Georgiou punking everyone with fictitious stories about the mirror universe works brilliantly as well and also provides us a look into how exactly she got and ran her Empire! Die Standing is also filled with neat easter eggs throughout such as with the Defiant, McCoy and Emony, Cadet Kirk etc so it will keep you on your toes throughout!
Die Standing works on every level! Die Standing is full mystery as the book focuses on space relatively unknown to the Federation, world building as we explore strange new worlds, three-dimensional characters that build on previous ones and new ones all over the place, rib breaking humour from the dynamic three and others, heroics as it is certainly crazy what goes on, Machiavellian politics from all the plotting, double dealing, Finnegan, Georgiou etc are masters, adventure as the heroes bomb around all over the place and action that never lets up! Die Standing is brilliant from the start! Brilliant Crisp High Five! Get it if You Can!
The three characters working together and there various POV's though work brilliantly together! This of course forces Georgiou to start changing into something that could almost be civil! This adds though to the gripping nature of Die Standing as well as the humour! Georgiou is nearly constantly have to wrench herself back to her evil Emperorship ways and the way that implements them is brilliant! Die Standing also features Leland as the head of Section 31 and the way that Georgiou constantly is egging him on and winding him up is brilliantly handled! You will find your ribs hurting with the humour from the start!
Die Standing's main plotline involving the Dromax, who come across as very alien, the Oastling,
and the Casmarra works brilliantly as well! You can really see how the dynamic trio really deal with the situations that they confront! Georgiou is totally pragmatic with the idea of fighting someone else's war, while Finnegan, in complete contrast to the Blackjack that Georgiou knows, has serious ethical reservations and Emony flat out refusing a combat role should all set them at odds but they manage to work together!
The action from the start comes thick and fast in Die Standing! In addition to this the humour continues to fly delivered rib breakingly by Finnegan and brilliantly in Georgiou and Dax's observations! The whole book weaves in historical and references as well references to other stories from the start as well! The observations of Georgiou about various famous figures are hilarious as well as the other characters reactions to them! This makes Die Standing an intense fun filled ride from the start! Georgiou punking everyone with fictitious stories about the mirror universe works brilliantly as well and also provides us a look into how exactly she got and ran her Empire! Die Standing is also filled with neat easter eggs throughout such as with the Defiant, McCoy and Emony, Cadet Kirk etc so it will keep you on your toes throughout!
Die Standing works on every level! Die Standing is full mystery as the book focuses on space relatively unknown to the Federation, world building as we explore strange new worlds, three-dimensional characters that build on previous ones and new ones all over the place, rib breaking humour from the dynamic three and others, heroics as it is certainly crazy what goes on, Machiavellian politics from all the plotting, double dealing, Finnegan, Georgiou etc are masters, adventure as the heroes bomb around all over the place and action that never lets up! Die Standing is brilliant from the start! Brilliant Crisp High Five! Get it if You Can!
August 5, 2020
I'm very fond of my start-off-as-a-baddie, have-a-slow-burn-towards-redemption anti-heroes -- especially if they balance in a clear struggle to trying to figure out the right thing, as well as a wicked sense of humor.
So Former-Emperor Agent Georgiou quickly shot up the ranks to become one of my favorite Trek characters of all time. While still eagerly awaiting her promised "Section 31" show -- I was *elated* to hear about a novel showcasing one of her early Starfleet spy missions.
I'm so pleased to say this read did not disappoint. Miller does some positively awesome stuff here: a twisty plotline that weaves in threads from both Agent Georgiou's life, as well as the life of her Prime Universe Starfleet Captain counterpart; really fun and well-developed supporting characters; outstandingly original aliens (the Oastlings were my favorite); fantastic Trek references (I LOVE Finnegan); an exceptionally appropriate antagonist. (The way this story weaves in the history of empires is really, really well done; just so well themed and so on point.)
Through it all we have Mirror Universe Georgiou -- a woman who achieved ultimate power (and ultimate ruthlessness) in her previous life, and now finds herself forced to start her journey over from the beginning. However, beginning her journey again is precisely what is giving her the opportunity to choose differently this time -- and we see the first seeds of the redemption she seems to be moving towards threaded throughout this storyline. She still has a clear ways to go -- but her new companions have an effect on her, and so, too, does her encounter with . It makes for a story that is as much about choosing a new path as it is about building empires -- and what exactly the costs of such choices can be.
Also, Miller writes Georgiou just ridiculously well. Georgiou's dialogue is often wickedly funny, and he captures that in spades here.
This is one of the best Trek books I've read in awhile. Just a truly enjoyable ride, with some fascinating things to say. I'll be reading this one again.
* * * * *
Dax stepped away--only to pause. She looked back, guarded. "My people know more about starting over than you could imagine," she said. "There's no pain in it. Only excitement. Adventure. The chance to live life again, as someone else. But you're not living it as someone else. You're trying to be the same person you were in a place that's not meant for her--and it's going to eat you up."
So Former-Emperor Agent Georgiou quickly shot up the ranks to become one of my favorite Trek characters of all time. While still eagerly awaiting her promised "Section 31" show -- I was *elated* to hear about a novel showcasing one of her early Starfleet spy missions.
I'm so pleased to say this read did not disappoint. Miller does some positively awesome stuff here: a twisty plotline that weaves in threads from both Agent Georgiou's life, as well as the life of her Prime Universe Starfleet Captain counterpart; really fun and well-developed supporting characters; outstandingly original aliens (the Oastlings were my favorite); fantastic Trek references (I LOVE Finnegan); an exceptionally appropriate antagonist. (The way this story weaves in the history of empires is really, really well done; just so well themed and so on point.)
Through it all we have Mirror Universe Georgiou -- a woman who achieved ultimate power (and ultimate ruthlessness) in her previous life, and now finds herself forced to start her journey over from the beginning. However, beginning her journey again is precisely what is giving her the opportunity to choose differently this time -- and we see the first seeds of the redemption she seems to be moving towards threaded throughout this storyline. She still has a clear ways to go -- but her new companions have an effect on her, and so, too, does her encounter with . It makes for a story that is as much about choosing a new path as it is about building empires -- and what exactly the costs of such choices can be.
Also, Miller writes Georgiou just ridiculously well. Georgiou's dialogue is often wickedly funny, and he captures that in spades here.
This is one of the best Trek books I've read in awhile. Just a truly enjoyable ride, with some fascinating things to say. I'll be reading this one again.
* * * * *
Dax stepped away--only to pause. She looked back, guarded. "My people know more about starting over than you could imagine," she said. "There's no pain in it. Only excitement. Adventure. The chance to live life again, as someone else. But you're not living it as someone else. You're trying to be the same person you were in a place that's not meant for her--and it's going to eat you up."
December 12, 2022
When I realized the Dromax were the Worms from the video game Worms, I couldn’t decide if I was pissed or impressed.
Die Standing isn't nearly as good as JJM's The Enterprise War, but it's still a fun read. Like The Enterprise War, it's at its best when it's exploring some distinctive science fiction ideas. Once the book gets to the Troika, it really gets cooking and stays highly enjoyable until the last few chapters.
But unlike The Enterprise War (and like it's predecessor Dead Endless), Die Standing is stuck with some of Discovery's worst ideas. In this case, it's Emperor Georgiou not only surviving the destruction of the Charon but coming to the Prime universe and then becoming a hero. There's a very reasonable meta-textual reason for that decision: Michelle Yeoh is a movie star beloved worldwide and she's also apparently a great co-worker as all the Discovery cast and crew seem to adore her. But none of her story post-Charon has ever made any sense in the text of the series. It didn't make sense she survived; it didn't make sense that Starfleet used her as an asset; it didn't make sense that she actually helped out Michael Burnham and the Discovery and it certainly didn't make sense that she went from a bloodthirsty tyrant to a gently grizzled anti-hero.
When Georgiou is acting on her worst impulses, the book is pretty fun. But when she is called to be selfless, her reasoning never makes any sense. I still don't know why she did what she did at the finale.
The other primary characters in the book are all fun. But it suffers from the "small universe" problem that the recent Star Wars movies have. Everyone has some tie-in to a previous Star Trek story. Build a story around Kirk's first experience on the Farragut with the dikironium cloud creature from "Obsession"? Sure. But making Finnegan from "Shore Leave" and another Trill named Dax the supporting characters? C'mon. The coincidences around the Mirror Universe are built into the concept, so I can't complain about those. But just make the supporting cast actually new: some other guy who isn't Finnegan and a Trill that isn't Dax.
Die Standing isn't nearly as good as JJM's The Enterprise War, but it's still a fun read. Like The Enterprise War, it's at its best when it's exploring some distinctive science fiction ideas. Once the book gets to the Troika, it really gets cooking and stays highly enjoyable until the last few chapters.
But unlike The Enterprise War (and like it's predecessor Dead Endless), Die Standing is stuck with some of Discovery's worst ideas. In this case, it's Emperor Georgiou not only surviving the destruction of the Charon but coming to the Prime universe and then becoming a hero. There's a very reasonable meta-textual reason for that decision: Michelle Yeoh is a movie star beloved worldwide and she's also apparently a great co-worker as all the Discovery cast and crew seem to adore her. But none of her story post-Charon has ever made any sense in the text of the series. It didn't make sense she survived; it didn't make sense that Starfleet used her as an asset; it didn't make sense that she actually helped out Michael Burnham and the Discovery and it certainly didn't make sense that she went from a bloodthirsty tyrant to a gently grizzled anti-hero.
When Georgiou is acting on her worst impulses, the book is pretty fun. But when she is called to be selfless, her reasoning never makes any sense. I still don't know why she did what she did at the finale.
The other primary characters in the book are all fun. But it suffers from the "small universe" problem that the recent Star Wars movies have. Everyone has some tie-in to a previous Star Trek story. Build a story around Kirk's first experience on the Farragut with the dikironium cloud creature from "Obsession"? Sure. But making Finnegan from "Shore Leave" and another Trill named Dax the supporting characters? C'mon. The coincidences around the Mirror Universe are built into the concept, so I can't complain about those. But just make the supporting cast actually new: some other guy who isn't Finnegan and a Trill that isn't Dax.
December 29, 2020
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Die Standing recounts the events and actions of Emperor Philippa Georgiou between season 1 of Discovery and season 2 where she shows up as a Section 31 agent. Now that she’s been brought into the Prime Universe - against her will by Michael Burnham - Georgiou needs something to do. She’s recruited by Leland for Section 31 after she escapes from Qo’nos, where she was kept by L’Rell after her role in ending the Federation/Klingon War. Turns out that threatening to blow up the entire planet a) had a peacekeeping effect and b) wasn’t well-received by the Klingons. Or the Federation. However, the mission Leland sends her on, which is to track down the source of a mysterious menace that kills indiscriminately, is a test to see how she will react under pressure and under orders. Do you think that went well for Leland? If you said no, you are absolutely right!
So I love Emperor Georgiou. She has zero fucks to give and she’s not shy about telling you what she thinks. She’s ruthless and scary but sometimes she does the right thing, so she has a whole potential redemption arc available. I can’t wait for the Section 31 series. I suspect she will keep them on their toes.
Anyway, the entire novel was interesting in that it played on the idea of personality and redemption. Can an evil MU emperor be good? Can a good person from the Prime turn evil? Under what circumstances for each? Examining moral ambiguity and the nature of humanity is a classic Trek pastime, and JJM did a fabulous job with it. He is becoming one of my favorite Trek authors. He really captured Georgiou’s tone throughout and was quite funny at times. More, please.
Die Standing recounts the events and actions of Emperor Philippa Georgiou between season 1 of Discovery and season 2 where she shows up as a Section 31 agent. Now that she’s been brought into the Prime Universe - against her will by Michael Burnham - Georgiou needs something to do. She’s recruited by Leland for Section 31 after she escapes from Qo’nos, where she was kept by L’Rell after her role in ending the Federation/Klingon War. Turns out that threatening to blow up the entire planet a) had a peacekeeping effect and b) wasn’t well-received by the Klingons. Or the Federation. However, the mission Leland sends her on, which is to track down the source of a mysterious menace that kills indiscriminately, is a test to see how she will react under pressure and under orders. Do you think that went well for Leland? If you said no, you are absolutely right!
So I love Emperor Georgiou. She has zero fucks to give and she’s not shy about telling you what she thinks. She’s ruthless and scary but sometimes she does the right thing, so she has a whole potential redemption arc available. I can’t wait for the Section 31 series. I suspect she will keep them on their toes.
Anyway, the entire novel was interesting in that it played on the idea of personality and redemption. Can an evil MU emperor be good? Can a good person from the Prime turn evil? Under what circumstances for each? Examining moral ambiguity and the nature of humanity is a classic Trek pastime, and JJM did a fabulous job with it. He is becoming one of my favorite Trek authors. He really captured Georgiou’s tone throughout and was quite funny at times. More, please.
February 13, 2021
The latest installment in the novels tied into "Star Trek: Discovery" is John Jackson Miller's "Die Standing". The book itself set between the first 2 seasons of "Discovery" starts out as an apparent prequel to the TOS episode "Obsession" which shows the actual attack on the USS Farragut by the cloud that sucks the red blood cells out of you as witnessed by notably Emony Dax. The book begins initially showing the encounter between Prime Georgiou and a man named Quinitilan aboard the USS Archimedes in an area of space held by a collection of species known as the Troika. In the mirror universe, we the reader witness similar events in that region of space w/ Emperor Georgiou.
Once the book settles into what it needs to with Section 31 using the emperor as an agent, Miller's story seems relatively straightforward w/out too many unusual hitches including filling in background info on Emony Dax which is a nice touch as well as keeping the emperor to her normal sassy and sarcastic self. Section 31 is interested in the cloud because it may've originated in the mirror universe something Georgiou does confirm; however, the return to Troika space is where this book goes completely sideways with twists and turns that almost seem too farfetched or down right bizarre to be possible.
Thankfully this easy to read novel does keep to established canon for Discovery and its characters headed into season 2 and doesn't really divert from course. The ending is pretty much straightforward once the situation in Troika space is resolved and I do like the use of Cornwall as well as Leland who stay true to form throughout. Overall this book is a rare miss for this author but still one anyone who loves Discovery & Emperor Georgiou will enjoy.
Once the book settles into what it needs to with Section 31 using the emperor as an agent, Miller's story seems relatively straightforward w/out too many unusual hitches including filling in background info on Emony Dax which is a nice touch as well as keeping the emperor to her normal sassy and sarcastic self. Section 31 is interested in the cloud because it may've originated in the mirror universe something Georgiou does confirm; however, the return to Troika space is where this book goes completely sideways with twists and turns that almost seem too farfetched or down right bizarre to be possible.
Thankfully this easy to read novel does keep to established canon for Discovery and its characters headed into season 2 and doesn't really divert from course. The ending is pretty much straightforward once the situation in Troika space is resolved and I do like the use of Cornwall as well as Leland who stay true to form throughout. Overall this book is a rare miss for this author but still one anyone who loves Discovery & Emperor Georgiou will enjoy.
April 29, 2021
The book has its moments, but overall adds little.
I feel that John Jackson Miller captures the essence of Emperor Georgiou very well. I absolutely picture Michelle Yeoh speaking every one of her lines in the novel. I also like how Miller expands on other minor characters from Trek lore, in this case Emony Dax and Sean Finnegan, and the book even gives some background to the cloud creature from the Original Series episode "Obsession." Somehow, despite all of that, I feel like the novel adds very little to Trek lore overall. Most of it is spent explaining the tides of war of more species you've never heard of and never will again, and it feels like some general science fiction novel with a few Trek characters spread in. The book certainly has a plot but it feels as inconsequential as the entire Discovery show somehow still feels. I thought this novel was very similar to Miller's last foray into the Discovery universe, "The Enterprise War." There is an ongoing war between several new species that I never grew to care about, and the crew gets stuck in the middle. Not even remotely the worst book I've ever read, but it never hooked me like some of Miller's other work, like TNG's Takedown" or his excellent Star Wars Rebels prequel, "A New Dawn." I'm hoping for more of consequence from his next novel.
I feel that John Jackson Miller captures the essence of Emperor Georgiou very well. I absolutely picture Michelle Yeoh speaking every one of her lines in the novel. I also like how Miller expands on other minor characters from Trek lore, in this case Emony Dax and Sean Finnegan, and the book even gives some background to the cloud creature from the Original Series episode "Obsession." Somehow, despite all of that, I feel like the novel adds very little to Trek lore overall. Most of it is spent explaining the tides of war of more species you've never heard of and never will again, and it feels like some general science fiction novel with a few Trek characters spread in. The book certainly has a plot but it feels as inconsequential as the entire Discovery show somehow still feels. I thought this novel was very similar to Miller's last foray into the Discovery universe, "The Enterprise War." There is an ongoing war between several new species that I never grew to care about, and the crew gets stuck in the middle. Not even remotely the worst book I've ever read, but it never hooked me like some of Miller's other work, like TNG's Takedown" or his excellent Star Wars Rebels prequel, "A New Dawn." I'm hoping for more of consequence from his next novel.
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