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Star Trek: Vanguard #4
Open Secrets
Open Secrets reexamines the classic era of Kirk and Spock, uncovering hidden secrets about their infinite and perilous universe through the eyes of all-original characters.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
48 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Dayton Ward
112 books318 followersDayton is a software developer, having become a slave to Corporate America after spending eleven years in the U.S. Marine Corps. When asked, he’ll tell you that he left home and joined the military soon after high school because he’d grown tired of people telling him what to do all the time.
Ask him sometime how well that worked out.
In addition to the numerous credits he shares with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore, he is the author of the Star Trek novels In the Name of Honor and Open Secrets, the science fiction novels The Last World War and The Genesis Protocol, and short stories which have appeared in the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies, the Yard Dog Press anthology Houston, We’ve Got Bubbas, Kansas City Voices Magazine and the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits. Though he currently lives in Kansas City with wife Michi and daughters Addison and Erin, Dayton is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ask him sometime how well that worked out.
In addition to the numerous credits he shares with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore, he is the author of the Star Trek novels In the Name of Honor and Open Secrets, the science fiction novels The Last World War and The Genesis Protocol, and short stories which have appeared in the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies, the Yard Dog Press anthology Houston, We’ve Got Bubbas, Kansas City Voices Magazine and the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits. Though he currently lives in Kansas City with wife Michi and daughters Addison and Erin, Dayton is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
April 23, 2021
The thing I enjoy most about this miniseries of Star Trek books is that they go beyond our favorite starship crews to explore life in the Trek universe from new viewpoints. 3.5 stars
October 15, 2019
4/5
VANGUARD: OPEN SECRETS is a decent enough follow up to the blockbuster events of REAP THE WHIRLWIND. My favorite protagonists Commodore Reyes and T'Prynn have both suffered tremendous personal setbacks due to the harsh nature of their pasts intersecting with their both their mission and moral duty. Reyes is now on trial for crimes against the Federation and T'Prynn has entered a coma that exists as nothing more than an extended battle against the ghost of her dead lover.
I enjoyed the book but I do feel there are some missed opportunities here. Sten never rises above a abusive controlling boyfriend that has been trying to dominate T'Prynn for decades. I would have been interested in getting a bit more of his perspective and why he was obsessed with T'Prynn for so long and what made him unable to cope with her. Is he actually Sten or just T'Prynn's ideal of Sten.
I also felt that Commodore Reyes' trial was a bit impersonal for a trial about an intensely personal matter. The fact Commodore Reyes' ex-wife (whom he still loved) died directly because of his actions and that he promptly orbitally bombed a planet to nonthingness seemed as an irrelevancy to both sides of the case. I also feel like the Tellarite lawyer giving a false plea deal has to be break some laws in the Federation and he should have been disbarred.
The best part of the book for me was Reyes' relationship with Rana Desai. I found myself surprisingly invested in their relationship. I would have loved to have more talk about how they were probably going to break up (Rana can't wait 10 years for him even if Reyes would like it). I still wish that T'Prynn hadn't lost Anna and would have loved to have her talked about more but the shadow of that did hang over her condition.
There's a lot of good moments in this book like kicking the Orion Syndicate out of the area and dealing with Pennington's complicated relationship to T'Prynn. It's not my favorite of the Vanguard books, that's still REAP THE WHIRLWIND, but it's still pretty solid fiction all round. I can't wait to dive into the next book.
VANGUARD: OPEN SECRETS is a decent enough follow up to the blockbuster events of REAP THE WHIRLWIND. My favorite protagonists Commodore Reyes and T'Prynn have both suffered tremendous personal setbacks due to the harsh nature of their pasts intersecting with their both their mission and moral duty. Reyes is now on trial for crimes against the Federation and T'Prynn has entered a coma that exists as nothing more than an extended battle against the ghost of her dead lover.
I enjoyed the book but I do feel there are some missed opportunities here. Sten never rises above a abusive controlling boyfriend that has been trying to dominate T'Prynn for decades. I would have been interested in getting a bit more of his perspective and why he was obsessed with T'Prynn for so long and what made him unable to cope with her. Is he actually Sten or just T'Prynn's ideal of Sten.
I also felt that Commodore Reyes' trial was a bit impersonal for a trial about an intensely personal matter. The fact Commodore Reyes' ex-wife (whom he still loved) died directly because of his actions and that he promptly orbitally bombed a planet to nonthingness seemed as an irrelevancy to both sides of the case. I also feel like the Tellarite lawyer giving a false plea deal has to be break some laws in the Federation and he should have been disbarred.
The best part of the book for me was Reyes' relationship with Rana Desai. I found myself surprisingly invested in their relationship. I would have loved to have more talk about how they were probably going to break up (Rana can't wait 10 years for him even if Reyes would like it). I still wish that T'Prynn hadn't lost Anna and would have loved to have her talked about more but the shadow of that did hang over her condition.
There's a lot of good moments in this book like kicking the Orion Syndicate out of the area and dealing with Pennington's complicated relationship to T'Prynn. It's not my favorite of the Vanguard books, that's still REAP THE WHIRLWIND, but it's still pretty solid fiction all round. I can't wait to dive into the next book.
June 21, 2010
I've mentioned in my reviews of the Vanguard series how Mack is the visibly better writer than his collaborators. I've offered no examples to illustrate my contention, which is poor form. Partly, that's because this is my brain-candy reading and I'm not picking over it like a grad student studying Horace's use of adverbs.* But I've also recently finished volume five of the 13-volume Chekhov short-story collection, which featured some of his best stories so far (IMO), and it got me to wondering what's the difference? Why is Chekhov considered a master and why do I intuitively grasp that Mack is the better writer?
I make no claim to a definitive answer but an element in such an answer would be that Chekhov (and Mack to a lesser extent) is able to establish a character's distinctiveness early on in a story, and subsequently doesn't have to rely on clunky adjectives & adverbs or tedious asides to explain actions. We know that Character A sneered when he said "X," it's inherent in the character, as is his decision to do "Y."
Beyond these general reflections, Open Secrets is a decent entry in the series. It gets bogged down in an extended period when Dr. M'Benga tries to cure T'Prynn (who fell into a coma when her Klingon lover was killed in the third novel) and Reyes' court martial. The pacing is definitely off.
But, otherwise, it's OK.
* This is an example from life: One of my grad school profs wrote his thesis on this very subject. And, no, I haven't read it.
I make no claim to a definitive answer but an element in such an answer would be that Chekhov (and Mack to a lesser extent) is able to establish a character's distinctiveness early on in a story, and subsequently doesn't have to rely on clunky adjectives & adverbs or tedious asides to explain actions. We know that Character A sneered when he said "X," it's inherent in the character, as is his decision to do "Y."
Beyond these general reflections, Open Secrets is a decent entry in the series. It gets bogged down in an extended period when Dr. M'Benga tries to cure T'Prynn (who fell into a coma when her Klingon lover was killed in the third novel) and Reyes' court martial. The pacing is definitely off.
But, otherwise, it's OK.
* This is an example from life: One of my grad school profs wrote his thesis on this very subject. And, no, I haven't read it.
August 13, 2023
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
4.5 ⭐
I was confused at the end of the book, but just because the way the author framed the story between the Prologue and Epilogue. Loved it, but needed to go back and read the Prologue AFTER reading the Epilogue to TOTALLY understand what he did. Interesting choice. Can't say I agree with it, but Interesting.
This was in some ways, the Twelve Agry Men type story, with the courtroom scenes on Commodore Reyes' trial. I thought that the proceedings went as well as Reyes could've hoped, but not as much as we had hoped.
The storyline with T'Prynn (M'Benga and Pennington) was amazing, also. I couldn't wait to get back to each different sequence, but knowing I still wanted to know what happened next with the above stories, too. Ugh. Abundance of riches.
AND, that wasn't even the end of them...since they had to STILL talk about the Shedai/Tholian/Wanderer/Apostate situation, and the Federation and Kilingon's ongoing encroachment of understanding the system put in place by the Shedai and how they (Federation & Klingons) can use it for themselves.
Ming Xiong is quite brilliant, isn't he. Also, the introduction of Carol Marcus fits really well...especially in the work that she eventually is known for. Hmmm?
ALl the character moments in this book are SO well done. We have been with them for four books, and we have FIVE more to go. Loving this series.
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
4.5 ⭐
I was confused at the end of the book, but just because the way the author framed the story between the Prologue and Epilogue. Loved it, but needed to go back and read the Prologue AFTER reading the Epilogue to TOTALLY understand what he did. Interesting choice. Can't say I agree with it, but Interesting.
This was in some ways, the Twelve Agry Men type story, with the courtroom scenes on Commodore Reyes' trial. I thought that the proceedings went as well as Reyes could've hoped, but not as much as we had hoped.
The storyline with T'Prynn (M'Benga and Pennington) was amazing, also. I couldn't wait to get back to each different sequence, but knowing I still wanted to know what happened next with the above stories, too. Ugh. Abundance of riches.
AND, that wasn't even the end of them...since they had to STILL talk about the Shedai/Tholian/Wanderer/Apostate situation, and the Federation and Kilingon's ongoing encroachment of understanding the system put in place by the Shedai and how they (Federation & Klingons) can use it for themselves.
Ming Xiong is quite brilliant, isn't he. Also, the introduction of Carol Marcus fits really well...especially in the work that she eventually is known for. Hmmm?
ALl the character moments in this book are SO well done. We have been with them for four books, and we have FIVE more to go. Loving this series.
July 2, 2025
This one jumped to the top of the bunch thus far for me, I think—mostly because it advanced the clock quite a bit in one book, and also because it highlighted the rigidity and inflexibility of the more militaristic aspects of Starfleet (the entire plot of Reyes’s court martial landed very well for me, especially his speech).
The Shedai plot continues to be interesting, and I’m enjoying that more than anything else still. I also quite enjoyed seeing Jetanian get a few verbal slap-downs. I like being annoyed with him, but it’s a lot of fun to see him get taken down a notch or two. There were multiple greater-TOS-continuity interruptions with this book, too, which was fine, but I had to laugh at the "suddenly all our controls are too hot to touch!" moment because it made me laugh just as much when I saw it in the TOS episode. (I distinctly remember Uhura throwing her earpiece across the Bridge as they all tried to pretend suddenly everything was hot.) Organians, the Romulan destruction of the Earth Outposts—the timeline of this book crossed a lot of major events in the original series, and they’re all tucked in. Also, I liked the inclusion of a thread from the last book being picked up and woven into the greater story of the Shedai without giving everything away beyond "there are some things even the Shedai are afraid of." Neat.
Of note, and this is definitely a spoiler: If we had even a single other queer representation of something joyful elsewhere, and weren’t also continuing to be flooded with "miniskirts, eh, eh?" and constant "where’s the lady I like to flirt with?" asides from the horny dudes, I’d maybe have some patience for it. Even the guy facing someone who is taking him prisoner and is likely to be tortured is all "woah, I still think she’s hot, though."
We do get a bait-and-switch at the end of this book, however, and… while I’m not sad to see the character involved, I can’t help but note who it didn’t happen for.
The Shedai plot continues to be interesting, and I’m enjoying that more than anything else still. I also quite enjoyed seeing Jetanian get a few verbal slap-downs. I like being annoyed with him, but it’s a lot of fun to see him get taken down a notch or two. There were multiple greater-TOS-continuity interruptions with this book, too, which was fine, but I had to laugh at the "suddenly all our controls are too hot to touch!" moment because it made me laugh just as much when I saw it in the TOS episode. (I distinctly remember Uhura throwing her earpiece across the Bridge as they all tried to pretend suddenly everything was hot.) Organians, the Romulan destruction of the Earth Outposts—the timeline of this book crossed a lot of major events in the original series, and they’re all tucked in. Also, I liked the inclusion of a thread from the last book being picked up and woven into the greater story of the Shedai without giving everything away beyond "there are some things even the Shedai are afraid of." Neat.
Of note, and this is definitely a spoiler: If we had even a single other queer representation of something joyful elsewhere, and weren’t also continuing to be flooded with "miniskirts, eh, eh?" and constant "where’s the lady I like to flirt with?" asides from the horny dudes, I’d maybe have some patience for it. Even the guy facing someone who is taking him prisoner and is likely to be tortured is all "woah, I still think she’s hot, though."
We do get a bait-and-switch at the end of this book, however, and… while I’m not sad to see the character involved, I can’t help but note who it didn’t happen for.
June 21, 2025
”Maybe we should stop making so many neighbors mad at us.”
The fourth book of the Star Trek: Vanguard series continues to be ‘quality’ space opera as Starbase 47 gets a new commanding officer in Rear Admiral Heihachiro Nogura as its former chief-of-staff Commodore Diego Reyes faces court martial. There are lot of pieces to pick up off the airlock floor from the end of previous novel, and the leading chapters of Open Secrets are a bit of an exposition dump as author Dayton Ward tries to catch readers up to the new status quo – which isn’t surprising considering back here on Old Earth publisher Simon and Schuster let two years elapse between printing this book and the last.
But once the preliminaries are out of the way, Ward keeps things flying at a steady warp as the Federation drifts toward war with … well … just about everybody. Ward also gives us plenty of quality time with the core characters – notably Reyes and T’Prynn – digging them out of the legal limbo the last book left them in and giving them … well … something new to do? The last book of the series ended with these characters in a pretty much inescapable predicament, but Ward tackles the challenge with aplomb and even tenderness -- the scenes between Reyes and Rana Desai, for example, will leave the reader a little misty-eyed – and really does reset the table for the two protagonists.
I also continue to like Ward’s (and series co-writer David Mack’s) ability to thread the needle of the original Stark Trek series’ chronology. It’s neat to see the team continue to tie the riddle of Taurus Reach into the original adventures of Kirk and the Enterprise with Ward making the most of this book’s ties to the television episode Errand of Mercy. If there’s a fault here, it may be that we have just a bit too many nigh-omnipotent foes in these pages – stacking the Organia Council of Elders, alongside the Shedai, and maybe(?) a new even bigger bad … the god count feels just a bit too high … but I also kind of like living with (and not ignoring) the existing continuity.
As series go, this one is still holding my interest like a magnet (which after four books is definitely saying something) and I’ll be sticking around Starbase 47 for a while as the series continues to be not just good Star Trek but good sci-fi … period.
May 15, 2022
Each installment of the Vanguard series has either been mediocre or worse. "Harbinger" was an interesting start, but didn't have enough interesting characters for me to feel interested at the time. "Summon the Thunder" was, in my opinion, a very boring book. "Reap the Whirlwind" was certainly exciting at moments, yet I still was not hooked on the story. This book is definitely the best paced and has the best character development. And yet, it still suffers overall from a sense of being "mediocre".
The strongest part of this book is the trial of Diego Reyes. This felt like a Diet version of a John Grisham legal thriller and while there weren't too many scenes, they were by far the most interesting in the story. For not being a lawyer or legal scholar, Dayton Ward is certainly a good legal writer.
The side characters from the ships attached to Vanguard, such as Ming Xiong and others, were at their most interesting here, although I will maintain that that's not saying much. I was interested to find out what would happen to them, but still have trouble telling the minor characters apart, even this far into the series.
The T'Prynn storyline was fine here, and brought in a new dynamic to the story, bringing in Vulcan and some of her family and backstory. I'm actually interested in her story going into the next book. Doctor M'Benga and Tim Pennington are attached to her story and actually have a good dynamic together.
The tensions among the various groups, the Klingons, Federation, Tholians, and others are finally at a boiling point here. This book serves as an excellent transition book preparing for the mayhem that is to come. I really liked the battle scenes with the Klingons and the Federation, which reminded me of some of the great action scenes from Star Trek II, III, and VI.
Overall, this is a decent book, and by far the best book of the series thus far. However, while I intend to finish the series to find out what happens, I feel let down, as the basis of this story is exactly where I think Trek books need to go, and yet the execution is fairly bland. Overall, this book gets a 6.8 out of 10!
The strongest part of this book is the trial of Diego Reyes. This felt like a Diet version of a John Grisham legal thriller and while there weren't too many scenes, they were by far the most interesting in the story. For not being a lawyer or legal scholar, Dayton Ward is certainly a good legal writer.
The side characters from the ships attached to Vanguard, such as Ming Xiong and others, were at their most interesting here, although I will maintain that that's not saying much. I was interested to find out what would happen to them, but still have trouble telling the minor characters apart, even this far into the series.
The T'Prynn storyline was fine here, and brought in a new dynamic to the story, bringing in Vulcan and some of her family and backstory. I'm actually interested in her story going into the next book. Doctor M'Benga and Tim Pennington are attached to her story and actually have a good dynamic together.
The tensions among the various groups, the Klingons, Federation, Tholians, and others are finally at a boiling point here. This book serves as an excellent transition book preparing for the mayhem that is to come. I really liked the battle scenes with the Klingons and the Federation, which reminded me of some of the great action scenes from Star Trek II, III, and VI.
Overall, this is a decent book, and by far the best book of the series thus far. However, while I intend to finish the series to find out what happens, I feel let down, as the basis of this story is exactly where I think Trek books need to go, and yet the execution is fairly bland. Overall, this book gets a 6.8 out of 10!
August 5, 2022
These books have hit their stride! I love the wide scope of this book. I loooove basically resetting the status quo. We no longer have our Kirk/Spock/McCoy triumvirate. It’s gone and done. Outstanding.
Instead, we have the characters we know spread across the Taurus Reach, each dealing with the growing political dis-ease in and around the sector. Actual consequences to Reyes’ actions are here and, surprisingly, it’s. It just dealt with by pressing a reset button at the end. I responded audibly at moments. That rarely happens with me and books.
I’m excited to read this series again already.
Instead, we have the characters we know spread across the Taurus Reach, each dealing with the growing political dis-ease in and around the sector. Actual consequences to Reyes’ actions are here and, surprisingly, it’s. It just dealt with by pressing a reset button at the end. I responded audibly at moments. That rarely happens with me and books.
I’m excited to read this series again already.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2014
Following up after the excellent Reap the Whirlwind, Dayton Ward's plate was quite full - but he more than delivered.
This novel is neatly divided in different plotthreads, so I'm going to comment on those individually:
* Reyes' court-martial
First of all, I appreciated the fact that the trial wasn't about refuting the charges but for Reyes to explain his motivation. From a by the book point of view he's guilty, he willfully disseminated classified information and went against orders. But he's a man of conscience who could no longer stand idly by and watch people get killed because they don't know the truth. Maybe he could have found another way to warn people off, maybe he could have influenced the higher-ups to get off their fat asses and actually do something about the situation in the Taurus Reach. Maybe. We don't know, and Reyes has got to live with his decision. As do the judge and the prosecutor who didn't seem to be too happy with the harshness of the sentence.
I have to admit that up to Reap the Whirlwind Reyes didn't make much of an impression, neither did Desai to be honest. Perhaps that's due to the fact that up until this novel the Vanguard-series has been one event after another. There was no time for contemplation, for second-guessing... and for facing the consequences. Open Secrets offers plenty of time to do just that which I truely enjoy. After all, action is good and well, but I need to know the driving forces behind those events, their motivations, their passions. So it was very good to actually see the relationship between Reyes, Desai and Fisher, to see them come to terms with the trial and the verdict - and Reyes' apparent death. There were quite a few genuine emotions which made this book come alive more than the others before it.
* T'Prynn, Pennington
As with Reyes, T'Prynn only came to life for me when her actions hit her in Reap the Whirlwind and her barriers finally came crumbling down. Before that... well, her actions didn't really speak well of her character, to put it mildly. I guess it will be interesting to see how much the fact that her internal battle with Sten's katra is now over will change her. What's her path going to be from now on?
Getting a glimpse into Vulcan society is always interesting, especially how fractured it is. Having a kind of Amish People splinter group offer the help that no one else could provide was a nice touch. I like the fact that the issue of mind-arts are still largely unexplored. After all, it was but a century earlier that simple mindmelds were forbidden (as evidenced by Enterprise). And since the ritual is about getting a katra out of one's mind - who is to say that it isn't some kind of derivative/precursor of the one that helped guide Spock's katra back into his body at the end of Star Trek III?
Pennington's perhaps a bit the weak spot in this novel because he only serves as identifying point for the audience to who all the obscure Vulcan rituals are explained. Otherwise, his motivation to accompany T'Prynn to Vulcan comes across as a mixture of obsession and infatuation. Except for the one scene where T'Prynn apologises to him, there was no real point to his inclusion in this plotthread - in fact, I'd rather have seen him on Vanguard covering the trial which would have made sense due to his being a reporter after all... I guess Ward was aware of that weakness in his novel. Otherwise he wouldn't have felt the need to fill Pennington's chapters with reiterating again and again that Tim should feel angry at T'Prynn...
* What else is going on?
I really appreciated the fact that Reyes' trial was separated from what happened otherwise on the station. Especially that his replacement Admiral Nogura was portrayed as competent (if so far rather bland) and not as the villain only keen on placing blame on his predecessor was a real joy. Otherwise it would have distracted to much from the story.
And of course, the main story heated up quite a bit. The Klingons are now provoking the Federation whereever possible and are eager to get up to speed on the Shedai-technology. Sometimes this made for a bit of frustrating read because I couldn't help ask myself why all the different factions don't all come together and explore the Shedai united - after all, the threat posed by the Shedai is much bigger than any of the factions can individually dream to counter. But, of course, the desire to have just a little bit of an advantage over your neighbours wins every time... to the detriment of all. Weaving nods to TOS-episodes (such as Balance of Terror with mentions of xenophobia and Enterprise's Terra Prime-movement, Arena or Errand of Mercy) added to the depth of the political conflicts - and planted the seed to Nimbus III and the events of Star Trek V. And General Chang makes his appearance as well - what's his agenda? Is he already working with the Romulans and certain Federation officials? Or is he still loyal to the Klingon empire? And what are his plans with Reyes? I definitely enjoyed that part of the novel very much.
* Where does that leave us?
Open Secrets sets up the stage to the second phase of the Vanguard operation just as much as it puts an end to the first phase with Reyes' trial and subsequent removal from the station and the end of T'Prynn's inner struggle. The Organians might have prevented open war for now, but there are other ways of confrontation. And let's not forget the Shedai and the "voice" that even they are afraid of. The game is certainly on.
This novel is neatly divided in different plotthreads, so I'm going to comment on those individually:
* Reyes' court-martial
First of all, I appreciated the fact that the trial wasn't about refuting the charges but for Reyes to explain his motivation. From a by the book point of view he's guilty, he willfully disseminated classified information and went against orders. But he's a man of conscience who could no longer stand idly by and watch people get killed because they don't know the truth. Maybe he could have found another way to warn people off, maybe he could have influenced the higher-ups to get off their fat asses and actually do something about the situation in the Taurus Reach. Maybe. We don't know, and Reyes has got to live with his decision. As do the judge and the prosecutor who didn't seem to be too happy with the harshness of the sentence.
I have to admit that up to Reap the Whirlwind Reyes didn't make much of an impression, neither did Desai to be honest. Perhaps that's due to the fact that up until this novel the Vanguard-series has been one event after another. There was no time for contemplation, for second-guessing... and for facing the consequences. Open Secrets offers plenty of time to do just that which I truely enjoy. After all, action is good and well, but I need to know the driving forces behind those events, their motivations, their passions. So it was very good to actually see the relationship between Reyes, Desai and Fisher, to see them come to terms with the trial and the verdict - and Reyes' apparent death. There were quite a few genuine emotions which made this book come alive more than the others before it.
* T'Prynn, Pennington
As with Reyes, T'Prynn only came to life for me when her actions hit her in Reap the Whirlwind and her barriers finally came crumbling down. Before that... well, her actions didn't really speak well of her character, to put it mildly. I guess it will be interesting to see how much the fact that her internal battle with Sten's katra is now over will change her. What's her path going to be from now on?
Getting a glimpse into Vulcan society is always interesting, especially how fractured it is. Having a kind of Amish People splinter group offer the help that no one else could provide was a nice touch. I like the fact that the issue of mind-arts are still largely unexplored. After all, it was but a century earlier that simple mindmelds were forbidden (as evidenced by Enterprise). And since the ritual is about getting a katra out of one's mind - who is to say that it isn't some kind of derivative/precursor of the one that helped guide Spock's katra back into his body at the end of Star Trek III?
Pennington's perhaps a bit the weak spot in this novel because he only serves as identifying point for the audience to who all the obscure Vulcan rituals are explained. Otherwise, his motivation to accompany T'Prynn to Vulcan comes across as a mixture of obsession and infatuation. Except for the one scene where T'Prynn apologises to him, there was no real point to his inclusion in this plotthread - in fact, I'd rather have seen him on Vanguard covering the trial which would have made sense due to his being a reporter after all... I guess Ward was aware of that weakness in his novel. Otherwise he wouldn't have felt the need to fill Pennington's chapters with reiterating again and again that Tim should feel angry at T'Prynn...
* What else is going on?
I really appreciated the fact that Reyes' trial was separated from what happened otherwise on the station. Especially that his replacement Admiral Nogura was portrayed as competent (if so far rather bland) and not as the villain only keen on placing blame on his predecessor was a real joy. Otherwise it would have distracted to much from the story.
And of course, the main story heated up quite a bit. The Klingons are now provoking the Federation whereever possible and are eager to get up to speed on the Shedai-technology. Sometimes this made for a bit of frustrating read because I couldn't help ask myself why all the different factions don't all come together and explore the Shedai united - after all, the threat posed by the Shedai is much bigger than any of the factions can individually dream to counter. But, of course, the desire to have just a little bit of an advantage over your neighbours wins every time... to the detriment of all. Weaving nods to TOS-episodes (such as Balance of Terror with mentions of xenophobia and Enterprise's Terra Prime-movement, Arena or Errand of Mercy) added to the depth of the political conflicts - and planted the seed to Nimbus III and the events of Star Trek V. And General Chang makes his appearance as well - what's his agenda? Is he already working with the Romulans and certain Federation officials? Or is he still loyal to the Klingon empire? And what are his plans with Reyes? I definitely enjoyed that part of the novel very much.
* Where does that leave us?
Open Secrets sets up the stage to the second phase of the Vanguard operation just as much as it puts an end to the first phase with Reyes' trial and subsequent removal from the station and the end of T'Prynn's inner struggle. The Organians might have prevented open war for now, but there are other ways of confrontation. And let's not forget the Shedai and the "voice" that even they are afraid of. The game is certainly on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2017
The Vanguard adventures continues - Commodore Reyes is convicted, the Klingons are closing in, there is a diplomatic opening with Romulans and the Federation is closer to deciphering the alien technologies. Good stuff for Star Trek Fans with a series that does not concentrate on the TV series characters or stories.
September 26, 2018
4.2 Stars. Another excellent installment of the Vanguard series. I'm only just starting book 5 of this 8 book (+ one novella) series, but I think this series might be the most interesting & entertaining story in the entire Star Trek universe,...top 3 for sure. Anyway, this book advances the story quite a bit, & stands very well on its own. I'm looking forward to book #5 with great enthusiasm!
June 12, 2023
This is the fourth book in the nine-book Vanguard series. This story arc, written in the 2000s-2010s, is set concurrently with Star Trek: The Original Series television show. In fact, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise show up from time to time, either in person or through Starfleet scuttlebutt.
While the series is a throwback in terms of Starfleet eras, the subject matter is contemporary with a lot of sci-fi of the time – advanced, ancient tech (Mass Effect, Halo); the internal politics of Starfleet (Battlestar Galactica), intergalactic amorous pursuits (all sci-fi ever), quips (Firefly). Even though the subject matter isn’t ground-breaking, the series has been a lot of fun. Great for a relaxing bed-time story without brain-cramping physics or despair.
That being said, four books in, things get pretty heated for a lot of the characters the readers have come to know a thousand pages in. Without specifically spoiling anything, I will say that not everyone in the first book makes it to the end of this book. Additionally, things only hinted at in the first few books are now in relief and directly impacting every form of life in the Taurus Reach (at the border of Klingon, Starfleet and Klingon space).
There’s also an in-depth Vulcan storyline that is pretty fun – it deep dives into Vulcan lore from other books and shows to explore Vulcan psychology and medicine. That part is really interesting, but in my opinion the book suffers from only taking the position that the Vulcan worldview has got it all wrong. Any kind of culture will have pros and cons, and I would’ve liked to have seen the pros addressed more.
Nonetheless, it was a fun read, ad book number five is in my Summer 2023 To Read queue, and probably cutting in line.
3.5/5
While the series is a throwback in terms of Starfleet eras, the subject matter is contemporary with a lot of sci-fi of the time – advanced, ancient tech (Mass Effect, Halo); the internal politics of Starfleet (Battlestar Galactica), intergalactic amorous pursuits (all sci-fi ever), quips (Firefly). Even though the subject matter isn’t ground-breaking, the series has been a lot of fun. Great for a relaxing bed-time story without brain-cramping physics or despair.
That being said, four books in, things get pretty heated for a lot of the characters the readers have come to know a thousand pages in. Without specifically spoiling anything, I will say that not everyone in the first book makes it to the end of this book. Additionally, things only hinted at in the first few books are now in relief and directly impacting every form of life in the Taurus Reach (at the border of Klingon, Starfleet and Klingon space).
There’s also an in-depth Vulcan storyline that is pretty fun – it deep dives into Vulcan lore from other books and shows to explore Vulcan psychology and medicine. That part is really interesting, but in my opinion the book suffers from only taking the position that the Vulcan worldview has got it all wrong. Any kind of culture will have pros and cons, and I would’ve liked to have seen the pros addressed more.
Nonetheless, it was a fun read, ad book number five is in my Summer 2023 To Read queue, and probably cutting in line.
3.5/5
April 25, 2018
The series continues well with this volume - lots of intrigue and adventures, some storylines closing, while other new surprises give us more to look forward to. All in all, a very satisfying book which makes me look forward to the next and further revelations.
February 12, 2019
It's pretty much a given...if it's a Star Trek novel...I'll like it...
September 17, 2021
Carol Marcus and Admiral Nagura make initial appearances in this book.
February 25, 2022
An improvement
The series grinds on...but this installment was a little better than previous volumes. I will continue with the series, just for completing reasons.
The series grinds on...but this installment was a little better than previous volumes. I will continue with the series, just for completing reasons.
April 24, 2022
Continuation of the Vanguard series. One definitely needs to have read the series in order or they would be very lost.
May 29, 2023
Did not finish, too much misogyny and racism, especially for a Trek book.
March 20, 2014
“Open Secrets” by Dayton Ward is the 4th novel in the Star Trek Vanguard series which continues the various plotlines kicked off in the previous novels. A prime focus of the narrative in this book is the investigation and trial of the station’s commander, Commodore Reyes who was arrested at the end of the previous book for allowing classified information to be published by a reporter. In addition, the reader gets to the follow the further deterioration of relations with the Klingon and Tholian Empires, the ongoing search for information on the Shedai technology and the fallout of T’Prynn’s mental breakdown which results in her return to Vulcan.
This book is another enjoyable chapter in the Vanguard series although it didn’t wow me as much as its predecessor, “Reap The Whirlwind”. The storyline developments were interesting and the characters continue to entertain me but there were just no real surprises or twists involved. Everything pretty much progressed as you would expect and there were no elements there that really struck me as being gripping or memorable.
One of the real issues I had with the novel however is in regards to the pacing which at times reduced my reading progress to a slow slog. I think the basic problem was that the novel is overly wordy at times to the point of distraction. Ward is basically using 20 words when 10 would have sufficed and for some reason the editing process has failed to rectify this. It is a shame as some competent editing could have dealt rather easily with this issue to ensure the pacing was better.
A nice element to the story is in regards to Ward’s ability to link various events into the wider Star Trek universe. I enjoyed seeing both the tie in to the Original Series in regards to the peace between the Klingons and Federation that was imposed by the Organians and the inclusion of Carol Marcus’ involvement with Shedai technology that hints at the future Genesis project seen in Star Trek II. Sometimes I think these links to the wider universe can be rather brutally shoehorned into a novel but with “Open Secrets” it all felt rather natural and subtle which I did appreciate.
Overall, this is a novel which competently continues the plots started in the previous Vanguard novels but doesn’t really provide any genuinely memorable or exciting parts. For fans of the series there is more than enough here to provide some entertainment but when you hold it up against the previous novel it seems rather lacking.
This book is another enjoyable chapter in the Vanguard series although it didn’t wow me as much as its predecessor, “Reap The Whirlwind”. The storyline developments were interesting and the characters continue to entertain me but there were just no real surprises or twists involved. Everything pretty much progressed as you would expect and there were no elements there that really struck me as being gripping or memorable.
One of the real issues I had with the novel however is in regards to the pacing which at times reduced my reading progress to a slow slog. I think the basic problem was that the novel is overly wordy at times to the point of distraction. Ward is basically using 20 words when 10 would have sufficed and for some reason the editing process has failed to rectify this. It is a shame as some competent editing could have dealt rather easily with this issue to ensure the pacing was better.
A nice element to the story is in regards to Ward’s ability to link various events into the wider Star Trek universe. I enjoyed seeing both the tie in to the Original Series in regards to the peace between the Klingons and Federation that was imposed by the Organians and the inclusion of Carol Marcus’ involvement with Shedai technology that hints at the future Genesis project seen in Star Trek II. Sometimes I think these links to the wider universe can be rather brutally shoehorned into a novel but with “Open Secrets” it all felt rather natural and subtle which I did appreciate.
Overall, this is a novel which competently continues the plots started in the previous Vanguard novels but doesn’t really provide any genuinely memorable or exciting parts. For fans of the series there is more than enough here to provide some entertainment but when you hold it up against the previous novel it seems rather lacking.
January 7, 2025
The book starts with an overview of the major characters which is greatly appreciated in a series with this many characters.
It starts surprisingly enough with the Organians giving everyone an ultimatum to stop all violence or else.
We get new characters stumbling into the plot as well.
Funny the mention Cestus II being near the Klingon border. I know my galactic geography to know that’s not quite correct, but I also know these author’s a pretty thorough in their Trek knowledge so I’m sure that’s not a coincidence.
From a weapons and defense perspective, the Endeavor and her sister starships were theoretically capable of standing up against three D-7 cruisers, but it was a hypothesis tested only on rare occasions.
Hard to know what to say about this book since it’s the same story as the last three! But I like the writing a bit better and the characters are well-drawn.
A court martial is about to take place and the Judge has arrived.
A new commander is taking over Starbase 47 (Vanguard) and it’s an admiral well known in Star Trek!
Reckless idiots don’t get to be Starfleet Admirals.
I have noticed (after only 3 books) that there is very little physical description of the Tholians. Is that because it had not been decided yet when the book was written?
If the power to create planets and the stars that sustained them could be understood, harnessed, and employed with due care, concerns stemming from population overages and resource shortages would become as quaint as the notion of suffering from simple ailments such as influenza or cancer.
”What, you’re admitting that you were dazzled by all that talk of exploring strange new worlds, or whatever it is that’s engraved on all the walls at Starfleet Academy?”
Another great book in the series. I know it’s a lot of books and a lot of pages, but it breezes by.
Without Kirk, Spock and McCoy you really need to come up with compelling and fun characters.
They do.
You also have to make this time period come alive - especially for those readers that might look at this as if it was a prequel.
It’s not.
And the end makes you want to jump to the next book. Which is what I am going to do.
The books is better than average, so it’s four stars and this particular book is better than the others in this series, so 5 stars.
It starts surprisingly enough with the Organians giving everyone an ultimatum to stop all violence or else.
We get new characters stumbling into the plot as well.
Funny the mention Cestus II being near the Klingon border. I know my galactic geography to know that’s not quite correct, but I also know these author’s a pretty thorough in their Trek knowledge so I’m sure that’s not a coincidence.
From a weapons and defense perspective, the Endeavor and her sister starships were theoretically capable of standing up against three D-7 cruisers, but it was a hypothesis tested only on rare occasions.
Hard to know what to say about this book since it’s the same story as the last three! But I like the writing a bit better and the characters are well-drawn.
A court martial is about to take place and the Judge has arrived.
A new commander is taking over Starbase 47 (Vanguard) and it’s an admiral well known in Star Trek!
Reckless idiots don’t get to be Starfleet Admirals.
I have noticed (after only 3 books) that there is very little physical description of the Tholians. Is that because it had not been decided yet when the book was written?
If the power to create planets and the stars that sustained them could be understood, harnessed, and employed with due care, concerns stemming from population overages and resource shortages would become as quaint as the notion of suffering from simple ailments such as influenza or cancer.
”What, you’re admitting that you were dazzled by all that talk of exploring strange new worlds, or whatever it is that’s engraved on all the walls at Starfleet Academy?”
Another great book in the series. I know it’s a lot of books and a lot of pages, but it breezes by.
Without Kirk, Spock and McCoy you really need to come up with compelling and fun characters.
They do.
You also have to make this time period come alive - especially for those readers that might look at this as if it was a prequel.
It’s not.
And the end makes you want to jump to the next book. Which is what I am going to do.
The books is better than average, so it’s four stars and this particular book is better than the others in this series, so 5 stars.
July 31, 2009
Ward's latest contribution to the Vanguard saga is both gripping and elegantly presented. Beginning with a flash-forward--the long-awaited Klingon fleet action against the station--the novel quickly backtracks to tell the story of Commodore Reyes's imprisonment and trial as well as continuing to unfold the story of the Shedai. All the while, escalating tensions with the Klingons dominate the background. The plot develops well and does a great deal to lend the Vanguard story the "epic-ness" for which it seems so well suited. There's a lot going on here, but it all connects.
This book's best features are the elements that tie everything together--often tidbits that only the fans will appreciate. The mention of Saladin-class destroyers, a class going all the way back to Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual, and other elements relating to Starfleet's deployments against the rising threat of a Klingon war all add depth and a sense of thought-out complexity to the story. The story of the Romulans and Nimbus III likewise. Most of all, the occasional mentions of Kirk's crew and how the happenings in TOS episodes affected politics on a galactic scale is especially helpful. By showing how things all connect, Ward goes a long way toward making the TOS universe a more unified, understandable, and enjoyable whole for the reader.
Elements of the book that didn't seem to work as well included Pennington's storyline and the Shedai interludes. Pennington's Vulcan trip seems somewhat non sequitur. Why would he, after finally getting his big break back into journalism, go on a months-long personal trip to care for a comatose T'Prynn? The action is back on Vanguard and I wish the story could've stayed there as well. Similarly, both the Shedai interludes and T'Prynn's mental battle against her betrothed seemed stale by the end of the book (as indeed they have have since the end of Harbinger).
That said, the book is an enjoyable read and a worthy continuance of a great series.
This book's best features are the elements that tie everything together--often tidbits that only the fans will appreciate. The mention of Saladin-class destroyers, a class going all the way back to Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual, and other elements relating to Starfleet's deployments against the rising threat of a Klingon war all add depth and a sense of thought-out complexity to the story. The story of the Romulans and Nimbus III likewise. Most of all, the occasional mentions of Kirk's crew and how the happenings in TOS episodes affected politics on a galactic scale is especially helpful. By showing how things all connect, Ward goes a long way toward making the TOS universe a more unified, understandable, and enjoyable whole for the reader.
Elements of the book that didn't seem to work as well included Pennington's storyline and the Shedai interludes. Pennington's Vulcan trip seems somewhat non sequitur. Why would he, after finally getting his big break back into journalism, go on a months-long personal trip to care for a comatose T'Prynn? The action is back on Vanguard and I wish the story could've stayed there as well. Similarly, both the Shedai interludes and T'Prynn's mental battle against her betrothed seemed stale by the end of the book (as indeed they have have since the end of Harbinger).
That said, the book is an enjoyable read and a worthy continuance of a great series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2014
I just finished book 4 of the Star Trek Vanguard series, Open Secrets, and I was really pleased. The book is a jumping off point for the second part of the Vanguard story. At the end of the last book the Federation learned of the terrible threat posed by the alien Shedai after several members of Starfleet, and one down-on-his-luck reporter, witnessed the destruction of the Jinoteur system.
Most of the new plots in this book were introduced at the end of the previous volume, what I had described as an extended epilogue. Commodore Reyes' trial is a big part of the story, as is the battle being waged within T'prynn's mind. We learn more about the Federation's bid to learn about Shedai artifacts and the book is interspersed with interludes from the point of view of the Shedai Wanderer.
I thought this book had a nice mix of action and storytelling, especially after the rapid pace of the last book. I guessed at a twist ending that I envisioned, and while I was right about what happened I was way off on how it happened. I'll let you read what it is for yourselves. If you've never read a Star Trek book before I think the Vanguard series would be a good place to jump in. It's fun and doesn't require you to know what's going on in the tv sites or other books first.
Most of the new plots in this book were introduced at the end of the previous volume, what I had described as an extended epilogue. Commodore Reyes' trial is a big part of the story, as is the battle being waged within T'prynn's mind. We learn more about the Federation's bid to learn about Shedai artifacts and the book is interspersed with interludes from the point of view of the Shedai Wanderer.
I thought this book had a nice mix of action and storytelling, especially after the rapid pace of the last book. I guessed at a twist ending that I envisioned, and while I was right about what happened I was way off on how it happened. I'll let you read what it is for yourselves. If you've never read a Star Trek book before I think the Vanguard series would be a good place to jump in. It's fun and doesn't require you to know what's going on in the tv sites or other books first.
June 3, 2015
The fourth book in the Vanguard series, Open Secrets is a wonderful edition to the original series universe. This book follows multiple characters throughout the Taurus Reach as the conflicts in the region begin to heat up. While more light has been shone on the Shedai, the ancient race that controlled the Taurus Reach before the federation, these aliens still remain somewhat of a mystery. Similarly, the goals of the Klingons, Tholians, and Romulans are not entirely known either. The book leaves the reader with a variety of cliff hangers that lead into the next novel. All in all, this book was another great edition to the Vanguard series with all the same plot twists of the other books. The characters are complex and the plots they are entwined in are just as interesting. If you have not read the other books in the series and are a fan of Star Trek, these books are for you. Other sic-fi readers will also enjoy these books, however it is recommended that you watch a few episodes of the original series to get a bearing.
December 31, 2021
The secret is out! and it was released by Commodore Diego Reyes himself! He will have to face a court-martial for possible treason.
As Reyes trial goes on,. everything changes on Starbase Vanguard. There's a new man in charge, the mystery of the Shadai while no longer as life threatening is only deepening, and the Intelligence officer is in coma she might newer recover from. War with the Klingons seems inevitable bar any semi omnipotent interventions.
Another great entry, the court drama was handled rather well since the starbase's JAG is actually involved with the defendant, it was asking for trouble. Yet the author manages to write it without doing an injustice to the characters, or insulting the intelligence of the reader. That is a hard tight walk to walk, but it was walked excellently.
The exploration of Vulcan psyche and tradition was also executed really well, as we explore what decades of psychological rape can do to someone.
Another great read, cannot wait to continue.
As Reyes trial goes on,. everything changes on Starbase Vanguard. There's a new man in charge, the mystery of the Shadai while no longer as life threatening is only deepening, and the Intelligence officer is in coma she might newer recover from. War with the Klingons seems inevitable bar any semi omnipotent interventions.
Another great entry, the court drama was handled rather well since the starbase's JAG is actually involved with the defendant, it was asking for trouble. Yet the author manages to write it without doing an injustice to the characters, or insulting the intelligence of the reader. That is a hard tight walk to walk, but it was walked excellently.
The exploration of Vulcan psyche and tradition was also executed really well, as we explore what decades of psychological rape can do to someone.
Another great read, cannot wait to continue.
July 6, 2012
Open Secrets takes an "off day" from the Vanguard series, but again, it is important to read this book to move the story arc along. I wish the publisher insisted that David Mack be the only author of this series. I don't see why they insisted on asking other authors to join the fray. Also, these Vanguard books are hard to find. They must have had one run at the publisher, because I have had to buy used copies, or very expensive trade paperback versions from Amazon - they aren't available to order from the actual book store.
This book took the longest amount of time for me to finish because the story lines were so disjointed, and there was a lot of "fluff" in between the juicy parts that were just not important. I also didn't like how Mr. Ward wrote a lot of the best characters off (at least for this book).
Oh well...I've already ordered the 5th book of the series, "Precicpice," and anticipate a great adventure since Mr. David Mack returns to helm this book.
This book took the longest amount of time for me to finish because the story lines were so disjointed, and there was a lot of "fluff" in between the juicy parts that were just not important. I also didn't like how Mr. Ward wrote a lot of the best characters off (at least for this book).
Oh well...I've already ordered the 5th book of the series, "Precicpice," and anticipate a great adventure since Mr. David Mack returns to helm this book.
November 9, 2012
This book was a good read, an interesting continuation of the over "Vanguard" story as told in the previous three books. If you've read them and enjoyed them, you'll certainly want to read this one, particularly if you intend to read the next offering in the series. If you haven't read the previous three, however, this book will not stand on its own; it has no real plot of its own, but is simply a continuation of the various subplots already established. Some of those subplots are quite interesting, and provide plenty of action and character development in this book. But none of them start here, and none of them truly end here, although some do reach viable break-points. Enjoyable and well-written, but this book is not a story within itself. It is simply a part of a larger story; as such, it is misleading to call it a novel. It's just the next 426 pages of the story.
November 27, 2015
While "Reap the Whirlwind" was always going to be a hard act to follow, Ward manages to advance Ming Xiong's storyline quite nicely with the welcome presence of a rogue Klingon commander and his scientist wife. The introduction of Nogura also works well, and there are some nice nods to continuity - especially the shout outs to the Gorn (TOS: "Arena") and Nimbus III (Star Trek V).
Unfortunately, this volume loses a lot of momentum being bogged down in the Reyes court-martial saga and T'Prynn's ever-raging battle against her former betrothed, Sten. The T'Prynn storyline seems to have been stuck in the same place for almost 4 books now, and I quickly grew tired of the seemingly endless depictions of her "mind war" against Sten.
Nevertheless, the Vanguard saga continues to entertain, with enough clever characterization and page-turning suspense to keep me interested.
Unfortunately, this volume loses a lot of momentum being bogged down in the Reyes court-martial saga and T'Prynn's ever-raging battle against her former betrothed, Sten. The T'Prynn storyline seems to have been stuck in the same place for almost 4 books now, and I quickly grew tired of the seemingly endless depictions of her "mind war" against Sten.
Nevertheless, the Vanguard saga continues to entertain, with enough clever characterization and page-turning suspense to keep me interested.
Read
July 28, 2011A very good ST book. One complaint: it's been WELL over a year since the LAST book in this series was released. It was really hard for me to get back into it after that long. There was a cast list at the front of this book, but a more thorough synopsis of what has happened in the previous three books would have been much better. As it was, I found myself have to go back to the last book and read some sections of it to remember more details about what had come before.
Looking forward to the next book in this series. Unfortunately, it won't be out for 6 months!
Looking forward to the next book in this series. Unfortunately, it won't be out for 6 months!
September 23, 2011
I read the previous book in this series several years ago. When I started reading this one, I jumped right back in as if it was only yesterday. (The glossary of major events and characters in the front helped a bit.) Although set in the ST:TOS universe, this series isn't about Captain Kirk and crew but all the people who are present in the background. The political intrigue of all the great empires (i.e., Federation, Klingon, Romulan, etc.) scouring a remote region of deep space for technology left behind by an ancient civilization is fascinating.
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