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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Rebels, Book One of Three: The Conquered
When Captain Sisko leads the Defiant on a dangerous mission into the Gamma Quadrant to liberate a conquered world, the Bajoran government insists that Kai Winn, the Federation's long-time nemesis, assume complete control of the space station. Left behind by Sisko, Major Kira expects the worst from the Kai's new regime, but even she is caught by surprise when a fleet of alien warship attack Deep Space Nine!
233 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1999
18 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Dafydd ab Hugh
31 books46 followersDafydd ab Hugh (born David Friedman) is a U.S. science fiction author.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 10, 2021
This is so frustrating. Dafydd ab Hugh has a great action packed writing style and his two plots could have easily been done in the TV series. But his command of the characters is beyond irritating. This is supposed to be set in season 4, but the awkwardness of so many of the regulars -- particularly Kira -- have them trapped in some sort of season 1 limbo. Kira is too strident, too obsequious with the Kai...and this is not the calm, collected, more mature and experienced Kira of season 4. To say nothing of Sisko, a man who has embraced his role as the Emissary to such a degree that all of Bajor practically worships him...and that's not present here. I could go on (religious rules on the station...did no one watch "Accession"...and contemplating that Shakaar, leader of Bajor, would also become temporary station commander...does any of this make sense?) but in the end, a solid story is so far subsumed by details that drive me bananas.
October 6, 2022
Rebels, Book 1: The Conquered is eating a bowl of cereal with too much cereal in it.
January 20, 2021
Really pretty bummed with this book. Thus far, I've been praising Dafydd ab Hugh for his DS9 work, which I've generally thought to be well-written and in line with the characters as they are presented throughout the series.
This book was just... weird. I'm sure it's the editor's fault, but the cover mentions that Kai Winn will be taking over DS9. The back cover blurb intimates the same thing. Sure, she does... but that maybe constitutes 20% of the story. The remaining 80% involves a weird mission on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant where technology just seems to fall from the sky and the people are all as dumb as a bag of rocks.
Seriously, I kept thinking that the natives on the planet were all like Whos from Whoville or something similar. There was a particularly out-of-character moment where Sisko decides that they need to learn how to survive without their technology, and then takes them on a long-winded Boy Scouts trip before ultimately deciding that it was a mistake. Very out-of-character for Sisko and just a plain-stupid plot to fill up time. Honestly, I cannot even comprehend the absurdity of the away mission I read.
A small subplot shows Dax and Bashir in command of the Defiant in space. One of the ensigns on the bridge is such a hothead that I don't know how he would have made it in Starfleet. They proceed to go through a plot that grows more improbable as it continues, ending with an idea that just makes zero sense. I won't spoil it, but I'm surprised it comes from Bashir's mouth.
Furthermore, the cover shows a group of "Rebels," which I assumed to be Maquis or something that would take over DS9. Nope. No idea who they are. They aren't mentioned in the story at all, and I assume maybe they are from Kai Winn's past, though we don't really know that. They make appearances on the cover of the second book in the trilogy, so maybe we'll find out who they are, but it's going to be an uphill battle for me to read it.
One positive: Chief O'Brien discusses his love for Tullamore Dew quite a bit later on in the novel, which is (objectively) the best Irish whiskey.
Weird book. One of the worst I've read in the DS9 Pocket Books.
This book was just... weird. I'm sure it's the editor's fault, but the cover mentions that Kai Winn will be taking over DS9. The back cover blurb intimates the same thing. Sure, she does... but that maybe constitutes 20% of the story. The remaining 80% involves a weird mission on a planet in the Gamma Quadrant where technology just seems to fall from the sky and the people are all as dumb as a bag of rocks.
Seriously, I kept thinking that the natives on the planet were all like Whos from Whoville or something similar. There was a particularly out-of-character moment where Sisko decides that they need to learn how to survive without their technology, and then takes them on a long-winded Boy Scouts trip before ultimately deciding that it was a mistake. Very out-of-character for Sisko and just a plain-stupid plot to fill up time. Honestly, I cannot even comprehend the absurdity of the away mission I read.
A small subplot shows Dax and Bashir in command of the Defiant in space. One of the ensigns on the bridge is such a hothead that I don't know how he would have made it in Starfleet. They proceed to go through a plot that grows more improbable as it continues, ending with an idea that just makes zero sense. I won't spoil it, but I'm surprised it comes from Bashir's mouth.
Furthermore, the cover shows a group of "Rebels," which I assumed to be Maquis or something that would take over DS9. Nope. No idea who they are. They aren't mentioned in the story at all, and I assume maybe they are from Kai Winn's past, though we don't really know that. They make appearances on the cover of the second book in the trilogy, so maybe we'll find out who they are, but it's going to be an uphill battle for me to read it.
One positive: Chief O'Brien discusses his love for Tullamore Dew quite a bit later on in the novel, which is (objectively) the best Irish whiskey.
Weird book. One of the worst I've read in the DS9 Pocket Books.
November 28, 2020
Slow and goofy. The story has absolutely nothing to do with the buff Bajoran freedom fighters on the cover, or for that matter, "Rebels."
The premise is that the Bajorans take control of the DS9 station under the direction of Kai Winn, rankling Kira. This is a solid premise and in line with the TV show, but is downplayed.
We spend most of our time with Sisko and the Starfleet officers on a side mission to explore a remote planet. The natives revere technology but have regressed and lost the ability to create or understand it (a theme more fully realized in The Time Machine and Battletech). Worf and Obrien are annoyed by the natives' fanciful behavior; this feels padded out and repetitive. After quite a lot of hullabaloo they discover that Cardassians are invading, and struggle to mount a defense.
The most effective subplot is with Dax, in command of the Defiant and faced with an unwinnable space battle. This is the only part with a sense of stakes or Trekkian problem-solving. Dax' characterization is close but not quite right.
Maybe the later books in the trilogy benefit from this setup? But in isolation this falls flat.
The premise is that the Bajorans take control of the DS9 station under the direction of Kai Winn, rankling Kira. This is a solid premise and in line with the TV show, but is downplayed.
We spend most of our time with Sisko and the Starfleet officers on a side mission to explore a remote planet. The natives revere technology but have regressed and lost the ability to create or understand it (a theme more fully realized in The Time Machine and Battletech). Worf and Obrien are annoyed by the natives' fanciful behavior; this feels padded out and repetitive. After quite a lot of hullabaloo they discover that Cardassians are invading, and struggle to mount a defense.
The most effective subplot is with Dax, in command of the Defiant and faced with an unwinnable space battle. This is the only part with a sense of stakes or Trekkian problem-solving. Dax' characterization is close but not quite right.
Maybe the later books in the trilogy benefit from this setup? But in isolation this falls flat.
October 23, 2025
There were Odo and Quark interactions I really liked. And Miles thinking about the goofy fun he and Keiko have was sweet. But someone messed up in the marketing department. Kai Winn's presence starts off an interesting premise and is played up on the book cover. But the characters on the cover are not whom we follow. Rather, we follow familiar DS9 characters on some side mission. It's a quick read, at least. So maybe that'll make it easy for some to get through the trilogy. Just hope there's more cohesion in the presentation going forward.
June 3, 2020
Sometimes hard to follow
This book would have benefited from an editor. So many mistakes at times it’s unreadable. Changes of scenes take place without warning abruptly. The other problem I had was how much humor there was. I didn’t think I was reading the right book it got so bad. I’m hoping that the second book in the series improves.
This book would have benefited from an editor. So many mistakes at times it’s unreadable. Changes of scenes take place without warning abruptly. The other problem I had was how much humor there was. I didn’t think I was reading the right book it got so bad. I’m hoping that the second book in the series improves.
August 12, 2024
First in a trilogy. Does a good job setting up the story lines. Sisko and crew are on a planet full of technology. The natives use the tech as they find it. Cardassians are attacking and Sisko's crew has to teach them how to defend themselves when the Cardassians turn the tech power supply off. It is Quark and the rules of Acquisition the lead to the answer.
Meanwhile the station has been turned over to Bajor, and the Kia is in charge when they come under attack.
Meanwhile the station has been turned over to Bajor, and the Kia is in charge when they come under attack.
November 21, 2020
Not a bad story, setting up the trilogy. The story switches locales from paragraph to paragraph with no indicative spacing, perhaps a remnant of the transition to ebook. The story is relatively fast paced and is much better than the cover art leads one to believe.
July 25, 2023
The story seems to drag on in most chapters, and it doesn't move forward by any means. Neither on DS9 where Kai Winn is now in charge and the space station is fully Bajoran, or with the away team under leadership of Sisko on Siera-Bravo-112-II, or even on the Defiant under Dax.
November 14, 2019
Thought it was off to a decent start for the trilogy. Not sure where it`s going to go and not sure who the people on the cover are.
April 20, 2020
It's a little all over the place... more time is spent with Sisko and the away team then the main premise about the Kai taking over DS9. Still trying to figure out who the people on the cover are.
September 14, 2020
Thrilling and Exciting novel!!
This book is well written and composed. It serves as a good introduction to the Rebels storyline of books.It was well thought out.
This book is well written and composed. It serves as a good introduction to the Rebels storyline of books.It was well thought out.
April 26, 2013
Continuing my catch-up on Star Trek reading, I began the Rebel series by Dafydd ab Hugh. I haven't finished the series yet, so this is only a review of the first book.
The main premise is that the Bajorans take over the running of Deep Space Nine (the intent all along was for them to take over eventually) on a trial basis, while Sisko and crew take the Defiant to investigate the Cardassian's sudden interest in an inhabited planet. Kai Winn is assigned to run Deep Space Nine, which irritates Kira to no end. This part of the plot is light in this book and I expect it to be expanded in the follow-ups. Most of the book focuses on Sisko's investigation, where he discovers that the Cardassians and another race are trying to take over the planet from the inhabitants. The planet is rich in minerals and latinum and technology, while the inhabitants are weak and don't appear to be able to fight back. They seem to be a degenerative society--meaning that they were once at a high technological level, but something happened and now they barely know how to use the technology that surrounds them at even a fundamental level. This is why it's so easy for the Cardassians to take control.
I find the situation at Deep Space Nine more interesting than what's happening with Sisko on the planet. Unfortunately, that plot isn't developed much in this book, merely set up. The main focus is on Sisko and the inhabitants of the planet . . . which is unfortunate because I just don't buy into this society at all. Their first encounter with the inhabitants has the Federation crew rescuing a girl who's fallen down a well. They do so by using a rope and a board, which the local inhabitants find astounding. It turns out they put the girl down the well themselves (and could have rescued her easily with their own technology), but as a rite of passage, the girl was supposed to use the technology around her in some new way to save herself. What I couldn't stand was their reaction to the rope and board. They treated like some god and descended from heaven and given them fire. I just couldn't accept the fact that there would be a society with advanced technology (even if they hadn't developed it themselves) that wouldn't also have rudimentary skills and logic enough to use a rope and board. This basic problem persists throughout the whole book. So I had major problems with the foundation of this particular society and their problems.
But setting that aside, Sisko and crew them set out to teach the society essentially how to rebel against the Cardassian invasion. The first book is about shifting their perspective enough that they are goaded into fighting for their own planet. The whole thing violates the Prime Directive in so many ways that I just shake my head. The excuse seems to be that the Cardassians invaded, so the Federation is there to simply make them stop, but that shouldn't require that Sisko and crew interact with the locals and alter their society to such an extent. They should be focused on the Cardassians and how to get them off the planet.
There are some other issues, such as why Quark is even part of the group at all. He should never have been allowed on the mission. And a few other things along those lines.
So, I essentially have a problem with the entire set-up of the book--with the society, and with how the crew is acting to solve the problem. It's entertaining, but I've basically had to turn my brain off and just read for fun. I'm hoping the next two books focus more on Kai Winn, Kira, and the station and less on this planet.
The main premise is that the Bajorans take over the running of Deep Space Nine (the intent all along was for them to take over eventually) on a trial basis, while Sisko and crew take the Defiant to investigate the Cardassian's sudden interest in an inhabited planet. Kai Winn is assigned to run Deep Space Nine, which irritates Kira to no end. This part of the plot is light in this book and I expect it to be expanded in the follow-ups. Most of the book focuses on Sisko's investigation, where he discovers that the Cardassians and another race are trying to take over the planet from the inhabitants. The planet is rich in minerals and latinum and technology, while the inhabitants are weak and don't appear to be able to fight back. They seem to be a degenerative society--meaning that they were once at a high technological level, but something happened and now they barely know how to use the technology that surrounds them at even a fundamental level. This is why it's so easy for the Cardassians to take control.
I find the situation at Deep Space Nine more interesting than what's happening with Sisko on the planet. Unfortunately, that plot isn't developed much in this book, merely set up. The main focus is on Sisko and the inhabitants of the planet . . . which is unfortunate because I just don't buy into this society at all. Their first encounter with the inhabitants has the Federation crew rescuing a girl who's fallen down a well. They do so by using a rope and a board, which the local inhabitants find astounding. It turns out they put the girl down the well themselves (and could have rescued her easily with their own technology), but as a rite of passage, the girl was supposed to use the technology around her in some new way to save herself. What I couldn't stand was their reaction to the rope and board. They treated like some god and descended from heaven and given them fire. I just couldn't accept the fact that there would be a society with advanced technology (even if they hadn't developed it themselves) that wouldn't also have rudimentary skills and logic enough to use a rope and board. This basic problem persists throughout the whole book. So I had major problems with the foundation of this particular society and their problems.
But setting that aside, Sisko and crew them set out to teach the society essentially how to rebel against the Cardassian invasion. The first book is about shifting their perspective enough that they are goaded into fighting for their own planet. The whole thing violates the Prime Directive in so many ways that I just shake my head. The excuse seems to be that the Cardassians invaded, so the Federation is there to simply make them stop, but that shouldn't require that Sisko and crew interact with the locals and alter their society to such an extent. They should be focused on the Cardassians and how to get them off the planet.
There are some other issues, such as why Quark is even part of the group at all. He should never have been allowed on the mission. And a few other things along those lines.
So, I essentially have a problem with the entire set-up of the book--with the society, and with how the crew is acting to solve the problem. It's entertaining, but I've basically had to turn my brain off and just read for fun. I'm hoping the next two books focus more on Kai Winn, Kira, and the station and less on this planet.
July 28, 2010
This was awful, just...awful. The characters are all off, the story is ridiculous, and there doesn't seem to be any attempt to keep the book in canon with the series.
The errors start off on page one with "Sister" Winn during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Yes, even though the Cardassians had forced the Bajoran religion underground by making it illegal, Winn is repeatedly referred to as "sister" and "priestess". Going forward to roughly season 5, Kai Winn is head of the Bajoran government. Eh? No, Kai Winn was head of the religious, and very powerful, division of Bajoran society, but she was not the boss of the First Minister. The Federation would certainly never leave Deep Space Nine in her care. This takes place after the threat of the Dominion was well established and the Starfleet presence protecting the wormhole was more important than ever. Ugh.
As if that weren't bad enough, the entire Federation crew plus Odo and, inexplicably, Quark have left in the Defiant and gone to teach a non-spacefaring race to fight the Cardassians. Believe me, that is as bad as it sounds.
Then something amazing happened. 152 pages into the book, my digital copy simply stopped. While I was wondering how I would make it through this tedious, boring tome about a tribe who worships "new tech", the tech gods smiled on me and smote the book. I think it's quite telling at how bad this book had been up to that point that I don't feel cheated in the least. In fact, I'm going to take it as a sign and, despite my previous decision to faithfully read each book in the series, skip the next two books in the Rebels Trilogy.
The errors start off on page one with "Sister" Winn during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. Yes, even though the Cardassians had forced the Bajoran religion underground by making it illegal, Winn is repeatedly referred to as "sister" and "priestess". Going forward to roughly season 5, Kai Winn is head of the Bajoran government. Eh? No, Kai Winn was head of the religious, and very powerful, division of Bajoran society, but she was not the boss of the First Minister. The Federation would certainly never leave Deep Space Nine in her care. This takes place after the threat of the Dominion was well established and the Starfleet presence protecting the wormhole was more important than ever. Ugh.
As if that weren't bad enough, the entire Federation crew plus Odo and, inexplicably, Quark have left in the Defiant and gone to teach a non-spacefaring race to fight the Cardassians. Believe me, that is as bad as it sounds.
Then something amazing happened. 152 pages into the book, my digital copy simply stopped. While I was wondering how I would make it through this tedious, boring tome about a tribe who worships "new tech", the tech gods smiled on me and smote the book. I think it's quite telling at how bad this book had been up to that point that I don't feel cheated in the least. In fact, I'm going to take it as a sign and, despite my previous decision to faithfully read each book in the series, skip the next two books in the Rebels Trilogy.
October 17, 2014
I enjoyed the book quite a bit up until about 1/3 of the way through. For some reason, the inhabitants of the planet, where the vast majority of the book takes place, are bizarre and distracting from the overall seriousness of the story. The bizarre nature of the natives, for some reason, changes the overall feel of the book. While the DS9 characters are in character for the first 1/3, they too are portrayed out of character in some instances, or just a bit off in others.
Odo is keen to using weapons (which he refused on the TV show), Worf is a clumsy idiot that basically contributes nothing to the party, and O'Brien complains non-stop.
I enjoyed the Dax/Bashier story line, and the Kai Winn/Kira story line quite a bit, and Quark was a breath of fresh air, when he was utilized. I just had problems with some of the characterization on the planet-side part of the story.
Hugh's writing style is interesting and creative, but some readers might be annoyed with his frequent interjections, or find it a somewhat of a taxing read for a Star Trek book.
While there are other Star Trek books that I basically read cover to cover, this one I tended to linger on, not wanting to read more than a few pages at a time. Hopefully, the other 2 books hold my interest a bit more. It was not a bad book by any means, but I can't say it was a very good one either.
Odo is keen to using weapons (which he refused on the TV show), Worf is a clumsy idiot that basically contributes nothing to the party, and O'Brien complains non-stop.
I enjoyed the Dax/Bashier story line, and the Kai Winn/Kira story line quite a bit, and Quark was a breath of fresh air, when he was utilized. I just had problems with some of the characterization on the planet-side part of the story.
Hugh's writing style is interesting and creative, but some readers might be annoyed with his frequent interjections, or find it a somewhat of a taxing read for a Star Trek book.
While there are other Star Trek books that I basically read cover to cover, this one I tended to linger on, not wanting to read more than a few pages at a time. Hopefully, the other 2 books hold my interest a bit more. It was not a bad book by any means, but I can't say it was a very good one either.
February 22, 2016
PLOT OR PREMISE:
This is the first of a 3-book series dealing with a time when Bajor takes over the station for a trial period of 60 days. Kai Winn is in command, and her past is revealed through a series of flashbacks to the Occupation and her actions to help the resistance. Worf, Sisko, O'Brien, Quark and Odo are stranded on a planet where all the citizens have advanced technology that has reduced them to a complete dependency relationship. Renegade Cardassians have invaded the planet and have no trouble picking off the inhabitants -- all they have to do is cut the power to the technology. Dax and Bashir are also on the planet in a different environment.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Dax and Bashir's trials and tribulations aren't bad and there is interesting interplay with some cadets.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Kai Winn's character comes off far too "mature" for the period, and belies the changes when she actually reached power. Major Kira's character is barely fleshed out, and mostly appears as a caricature of the real character on the series. None of the four stranded characters are worth reading about here, and are pale imitations of the real characters on the series.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Not bad but not great
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
This is the first of a 3-book series dealing with a time when Bajor takes over the station for a trial period of 60 days. Kai Winn is in command, and her past is revealed through a series of flashbacks to the Occupation and her actions to help the resistance. Worf, Sisko, O'Brien, Quark and Odo are stranded on a planet where all the citizens have advanced technology that has reduced them to a complete dependency relationship. Renegade Cardassians have invaded the planet and have no trouble picking off the inhabitants -- all they have to do is cut the power to the technology. Dax and Bashir are also on the planet in a different environment.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Dax and Bashir's trials and tribulations aren't bad and there is interesting interplay with some cadets.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Kai Winn's character comes off far too "mature" for the period, and belies the changes when she actually reached power. Major Kira's character is barely fleshed out, and mostly appears as a caricature of the real character on the series. None of the four stranded characters are worth reading about here, and are pale imitations of the real characters on the series.
.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Not bad but not great
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.
July 9, 2023
In 2016 I rated this 4 stars, today in 2023 I would call this 2 stars. I picked this back up on a whim, I misremembered this one and conflated it with Day of the Vipers. I didn't enjoy this one this time around because I really didn't enjoy the training with the aliens with Sisko. I didn't enjoy Jadzia's lack of self-confidence. This is a woman with eight lifetimes of experience in highly stressful positions, I cannot see her flaking out like that.
I wish Past!Daniel had written even a tiny review so I could know why har enjoyed it so much to rate it 4 stars. For for me where this book shone was Kai Winn, I rally enjoyed how she was written. It was nice to get into her mind and learn about her. Learning about what she did during the occupation and then the scenes in Ops made me empathize with her. I don't know if I will continued to reread Rebels or just skip to DS9: Terok Nor
I wish Past!Daniel had written even a tiny review so I could know why har enjoyed it so much to rate it 4 stars. For for me where this book shone was Kai Winn, I rally enjoyed how she was written. It was nice to get into her mind and learn about her. Learning about what she did during the occupation and then the scenes in Ops made me empathize with her. I don't know if I will continued to reread Rebels or just skip to DS9: Terok Nor
January 16, 2013
This is a hit and miss book, I'm not sure when it is based. Bajor takes over the station for a trial of 60 days with Kai Winn in charge. Meanwhile the Defiant crew try to help a planet invaded by Cardassians. The planet is the fun bit, its slightly slapstick and did make me laugh out loud on occasion. The problem is the Kai Winn backstory that seems really odd when Cardassians had outlawed the religion. A good read, for the planet story only.
June 13, 2012
Great complete 5 star for anyone trying to start star trek!
July 23, 2012
An okay start...hope the trilogy gets better after this!
June 4, 2017
Kai Winn takes command of the station for a 60 day trial period, much to Kira's displeasure, while the rest of DS9's Starfleet command crew head off on the Defiant to check out a planet being invaded by the Cardassians and attempt to help the (weird and rather annoying) natives repel them. Much of the book concentrates on this second storyline. Neither of the plotlines managed to awaken my interest and the characters are little more than cardboard cutouts - this author can definitely do better. If it weren't for my obsession with reading series completely and in order, I'd feel sorely tempted to skip the remainder of this trilogy.
November 21, 2017
Solid story. Decent read. =)
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews