Equinox

Star Trek: Voyager

by Diane Carey

Captain Janeway believed she commanded the only Starfleet vessel in the Delta Quadrant--until the U.S.S. Voyager came to the rescue of the U.S.S. Equinox, a battered starship besieged by a ravening horde of extradimensional predators.

Helmed by Captain Rudolph Ransom, the Equinox has been trapped in the Delta Quadrant even longer than the Voyager and the ship and its crew show the scars of a constant struggle to survive. But Ransom and his people are hiding something as well: a shocking secret that will ultimately pit captain against captain, starship against starship, in an explosive conflict that may cost Voyager the life of her captain.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Star Trek Voyager, Fiction, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy

254 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Diane Carey also wrote the Distress Call 911 young adult series under the name D.L. Carey.

Diane Carey is primarily a science fiction author best known for her work in the Star Trek franchise. She has been the lead-off writer for two Star Trek spin-off book series: Star Trek The Next Generation with Star Trek: Ghost Ship, and the novelization of the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot, Broken Bow.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Carey

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best moments in the TV series translated to novelization


THE GOOD THING ABOUT NOVELIZATIONS

I have fond memories of this novelization.

Since in my country, Costa Rica, at that time, the episodes of Star Trek: Voyager took some time to reach here.

I already had cable at that time but even so, that particular TV show was being translated to Spanish and aired on a Latinamerican channel called "USA" that it was like an odd fusion of the "USA" American channel along with "Sci-Fi" channel and "Universal" channel.

The point was that I met first the novelization in a shelf of a local bookstore than being able to watch it on TV.


IF YOU ARE LOST, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO MEET OTHER HUMANS?

My opinion about this story?...

...in a word...

WOW!!!

I was astonished about this story.

When I read the sinopsis at the backcover of the book and I found out that the crew of the USS Voyager will meet another Starfleet vessel stranded on the Delta Quadrant, I knew that I have buy that book then.

Since it was the season finale of the Fifth Season leaving in a cliffhanger to be solved in the first episode of the Sixth Season, you can deduce that it was a strong story.

And honestly, I think that it was.

It's not like any other conflict with a totally alien race, but you have here two Starfleet crews battling each other.

This is a story of survival versus morale.

While the USS Voyager has been able so far of surviving alone, without compromise too much its protocol, in the Delta Quadrant, 75,000 light years from home, all seems that the USS Equinox hasn't been such lucky.

How far a person can go to survive and still retain his/her principles?

Survival is a strong emotion and you can speculate that it would justify any action, but after done what you needed to do to survive, you will still yourself as a human being?

Is it worthy?

Your life has more right to survive than the others?

And in the case of Captain Kathryn Janeway, she felt that the crew of the USS Equinox betrayed all the values and principles of the Federation and Starfleet.

However, to punish them for those crimes justify to put in peril her own crew?

Loyalties are tested. Friendships are damaged.

A battle is never easy but it's even harder when the opposite force wears your same colors, insignias and swore the same honor's oath.

In a battle like that, never there is a truly winner.

[Elizabeth Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

First let me just state the obvious, this book deserves a much better cover! I don't even know why Seven was on the cover she was only a small part of the story.

So aside from the cover it was an amazing book. for a long time I didn't understand why anyone liked the novelizations, because we all know whats going to happen, however so much insight was added that of course added to the story. This was a very fast paced book that was hard to put down. Careys writing is the most immersive and atmospheric I've read in awhile. Here are just a few examples:

"...Chakotay kept his eyes swiveling over the twisted beams and plates and the cables spilled like intestines, his mind racing about what malevolence could have done so very much damage."

"Something much more fundamental had moved into the vacant house and haunted it since then."

I think the best part were the introspective parts about Captain Ransom and his crew. I felt like I understood how someone could get to that point even though they are all very different people. I didn't care for Janeway in this one but at the end I felt like she and the rest of the main characters grew and learned from a bad situation.

Overall I would recommend this to everyone even if you don't normally like the novelizations, chances are you will enjoy this one.

[Allen Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult Situations make difficult decisions. Two crews trapped in the Delta Quadrant, different experiences led to different ways of dealing with the problem of getting home to earth, however one should not risk selling your soul to the devil. He will come to collect at some point. Some of the characters I thought were mentioned just to include them in the story like Neelix or Kim. Even though 7 of 9 was on the cover of the book, I think it would've been better if the other captain was there instead. Or maybe a picture of the other starship. However, she is pretty and it sells. Janeway's dismissal of Chakotay I thought was a little forced and over the top. A good Star Trek book.

[BBFlyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek: Voyager encounters anot her Federation starship in the Delta Quadrant. Janeway discovers this ship is killing netrogenic aliens, whose bodies contain antimatter, and are using the bodies to power their ship.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I love the way Diane Carey writes, and when it comes to her episode novelizations she makes sure you're never disappointed in comparison to the episode. You get everything that the episode included and then some, and I love that she does that. I liked Equinox very much since I first saw the episode, but I think I'm starting to like it even more now when I've read this book and seen the episode once more. I'm starting to appreciate this amazing story even more, even though I still might feel that the darkness in Janeway and all the emotional turmoil she goes through makes me a bit sad. In one way I love that we get to see her in that way and that she really just is a human being like the rest of us, but at the same time it hurts to know what she went through with the Equinox and how that effected her. I guess I'm a bit torn when it comes to the dark side of this story. I love it just the way it is, and at the same time I wish that it might have been just a little bit different, but then again maybe not...

(This review was originally published at amazon.co.uk.)

[Sue Lyndon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really WOW-ed me. I mean, it was so fabulous I don't know where to begin. I found myself sympathizing with the Equinox characters early on, even Ransom. Although I must say, it was a little hard to sympathize with his first officer, but still . . . the Equinox characters were portrayed as anything but evil. Janeway's one-way mission to make Ransom pay for killing the creatures gave me goosebumps. And the added scenes, particularly the whole "witch in the mirror" thing, were perfect examples of those behind-the-scenes snipits any trekkie imagines as they watch an episode.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice additional details/characterization/plot details not in the episode. I always enjoy getting to get in the psyche of the characters. If you are a Voyager fan you'll like this- but you'll of course know how it will end.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one surprised me as I don't typically care for Diane Carey's interpretations of Star Trek episodes. She still has her stupid additions but this one didn't let them become as distracting as they usually do. Equinox is an interesting story with a cool beginning and a flat ending as it wrestles with the ethics of survival but in the end it tosses that all out the window and blow them up! A lot of missing scenes which would have given the episode that much more depth are found here and that is what I usually appreciate about these novelizations. I flew through this one pretty quick so if you like Voyager and you enjoy novelizations of episodes this one is for you.

[Fayd Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

top novellisatoin so far! I loved Equinox episode but the book is really better.
Just a couple of points:
-Not consistent description of Janeway. Just a few details. She is a red head with blue eyes. In the book she is a brown head with brown eyes.
- In the book the relationship with the first officer is more deep than in the episode and in all the Voyager Series. It's clear that there is more from both side...
Anyway the best Voyager book so far!!!

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one demonstrates just how far someone will go to survive. I thought the inclusion of another Starfleet vessel stranded in the Delta Quadrant was a great idea and the conflict between Janeway and Chakotay really fired up the plot. Pushed to her limit, Janeway was forced to make some savage decisions, but I don't blame her at all.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering the novel had to fit the narrative of the episode it was based on, the author is challenged to "fill in the blanks" with information that hopefully provides answers to each of the character's motivations. It accomplishes this to a point. Although part of the additional story narrative was interesting, many parts felt forced and didn't really add much to the story overall.

[Carol Gibson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite episodes and I looked forward to reading this. I was so disappointed that writer obviously hates both Janeway and Neelix and it comes through every page. She did make the Equinox crew more sympathetic. Which was the only good thing in the book. She was using an old draft because she called Marla Gilmore Maria.

[Manly Manster]

It was hard abandoning this book without finishing it. I guess the reason was that the story was drawn out too long. It seemed well written, and the story was interesting. It's just that for the type of story and level of entertainment that it would provide, it was taking more time to read than I wanted to give.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comfort food.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok story. I was bored though most of it, to be honest. The last few chapters were good, but that was about it.

[Weavre]

Just adding a few more Star Trek novels I found while working in the shed, so they're in my list here; that way, I can easily see which ones we don't have and bookmooch only titles we're missing. But to be honest, I don't remember any of these stories particularly well, and will have to post an actual review when and if I get around to re-reading them in the future.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent enough read, however I was disappointed not to discover more background to the TV episodes. A wasted opportunity.

[Mike Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novelization of the episode Equinox - Part I & II. As expected, it follows closely with the episode.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5