[Buecher] Star Trek Terok Nor: Day of the Vipers (Spoiler)

Baerbel Haddrell
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Dies ist die Besprechung des ersten Bandes der Terok Nor Trilogie, der
Geschichte der Cardassianischen Besetzung von Deep Space Nine: Day of
the Vipers von James Swallow. Dieser Band umfasst die Zeitspanne von
2318 bis 2328.


S P O I L E R

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I am surprised how much I enjoyed the book. It is very interesting and
very well written. I mainly enjoyed it because of the complex politics
and rich characterizations. Nevertheless, before I started it I was a
bit sceptical, wondering how much I will actually like it because my
memory about details in DS9`s history leaves somewhat to be desired and
on top of that, when I looked at the list at the back of the book the
only character I was familiar with was Dukat plus some names that sound
familiar but I can`t remember any more from the episodes in question. By
the way, I found the listings at the back of the book very helpful and
interesting.

But I was pleasantly surprised. I had no problem to understand the story
although I am sure there are a lot of Easter Eggs, hints and connections
I am missing. Most important is, I was able to find an emotional
connection to the story and quickly cared a lot for Bennek the
Cardassian and Darrah the Bajoran.

This was an invasion by stealth, by manipulation on a multitude of
levels, through the back door instead of a full frontal attack. In a
sick way I agreed with what Ico thought. She considered her handiwork to
be a complex, delicate piece of art leading to its shattering climax.
What the Cardassians did was very clever. They minimized bloodshed among
their own troops but at the same time got rid of the Oralians. They
already had their roots firmly in place before the official occupation
started.

Nevertheless, James Swallow showed Cardassians who are no less three
dimensional than the Bajorans. I found it very interesting how the
author wrote Dukat. I remember from watching the series that for a very
long time, I had very mixed feelings about Dukat. For a time I even
liked him on some level but to me it seems the writers of the TV series
decided one day to turn Dukat into a really dark character, a real
villain. I think James Swallow made the right choice here and wrote him
as a full blown villain from day one. We can understand a villain but I
couldn`t feel any sympathy for that man.

The author described his motives very well. I understand Dukat`s
twisted, selfish logic. In order to simplify it, it is not only all
right but even his duty to take what Cardassia and his family needs from
a people he considers to be weak and inferior. I noticed that he took
relatively small steps in that direction at the beginning but became
bolder and more ruthless over the years. His interaction with Ico was
very interesting. Dukat loathes the Obsidian Order but even if it wasn`t
spelled out, I am sure on a certain level he was afraid of Ico and with
good reason.

What I like about how the Cardassian side is written is that we find
this evil side in all shades, from dark black to a light shade of grey.
People like Dukat and Ico selected their inner circle of people who
actually did the dirty work with them very carefully because when
reading this book I never lost the feeling, if everyone in the military,
not to mention people who aren`t, would know what is going on, they
wouldn`t support it. I think that was a very important aspect of the book.

I immediately liked Bennek who is definitely the other extreme of the
Cardassians portrayed in this book. In spite of his naivite and
innocence in many ways I admired how he never got corrupted, how he
always pulled himself together and faced the challenges the Oralians had
to deal with bravely. Bennek was a good man and I must admit, his death
was a shock to me.

When the book returned to the events in the first chapter, I fully
expected that Gar would indeed help. I remember that I was thinking that
Gar`s rescue was somewhat strange but forgot about that quickly because
I was glad that this character is still around. I never would have
expected this! Nice writing, in my case the author definitely succeeded
getting me surprised and shocked. I regret Bennek`s death but it fits so
well into the story so that I have no problems to accept it without
being annoyed at this decision.

Religion is a big topic in this book. It is intertwined into so many
aspects. James Swallow also deals with the complexity of religion in
ways that made me think more than once. In general, I came to the
conclusion a long time ago that everyone would be better off without any
religion in spite I understand that it enriches the lives of a lot of
people. But I think it causes more trouble than it is worth. One reason
is, so far I haven`t met anybody who could tell me just one purely
religious (not human or in a broader sense, sentient) value that is
worth defending, even dying for. We can have charities, we can care for
each other without any religious aspects whatsoever.

“Day of the Vipers” certainly doesn`t show religion in a positive light.
At the beginning of the book it was mentioned that Dukat was told
stories about the oppressive history of the Oralian way. I can`t say if
that is true or propaganda or, what is probably most likely, a mix of
both. From what I could see the Oralians in this book are genuinely
trying to benefit others and although their belief is strong, they use
words in order to find new followers, not violence. That is positive but
on the other hand, it seems they lost contact with the real world. They
lost the ability to also see the negative sides of what happens around
them. They reminded me of sheep among a pack of wolves. They didn`t have
a chance and if the Oralian Way will indeed be reborn one day, it also
has to develop some teeth, an ability to defend itself but hopefully
without losing the peaceful, strong ideals that made this religious
organization such a positive movement, a movement that brought worlds
together.

Although I have my problems with organized religions, I appreciate it
that the Bajorans get a lot of strength from their beliefs and that it
helped many to survive during the occupation. Nevertheless, the book
showed the dangers of blind faith again. I know, the Kai was ill but the
rest of the high ranking people around her were not. The vision sent by
the Prophets made the Kai much too trusting and blind – and her
followers were unable and unwilling to see what is going on. The
Cardassians manipulated them with ease. I found it sickening but not
surprising that the Vedeks attacked the Oralians in the end, blinded by
hatred and fanaticism. I understand that they had better reasons than
tasteless cartoons and the naming of a teddy bear but even at that time,
if the Vedeks really wanted to, they would have realized that Bennek and
his people had been framed. Instead they allowed themselves to be used
by the Cardassian occupiers. I hope lessons will be learned.

The other character I immediately liked was Darrah Mace, the Bajoran law
man. I am very glad that he survived at the end of the book and that the
last pages of this novel had in spite of what happened a positive
hopeful ending. When reading this book I had to wonder what would happen
if the Cardassians or aliens like him would come to the real life Earth.
I think we would be less trusting. I think the Cardassians were right
when it was mentioned that the Bajorans because they were a relatively
peaceful species for so long lacked the experience and mindset to be a
match for the scheming Cardassians. On the other hand, the pattern of
surrounding yourself with greedy, power hungry and spineless people is
also familiar here when looking at various dictatorships.

I enjoyed the appearances of Nechayev and Jones. In this book we are not
meeting Admiral Nechayev but Lieutenant Nechayev, a woman with much less
influence than in later years. Nevertheless, if I hadn`t known better, I
wouldn`t have noticed. This was the Nechayev I grew to like and respect.
I really fail to understand that it is more important to destroy a
listening post within Federation space which would move somewhere else
if the Federation is helping the Bajorans before it is too late and
instead allowed the Cardassians to gain a powerful military foothold at
the doorstep of the Federation. I am sure, it would be much easier to
locate a new listening post in Federation space and get rid of it than
getting the Cardassians out of Bajoran space.

I haven`t read the rest of the trilogy yet but I have the suspicion that
this was not really the main reason not to help. Fighting the
Cardassians openly outside of Federation space would be seen as an act
of war against Cardassia and the Federation was unwilling to start one
for aliens who are not members. I haven`t forgotten that the Federation
also didn`t do much later, it seems. Even giving humanitarian aid to
Bajoran refugees was the exception, not the rule. If I remember
correctly, when that was mentioned in TNG, the Prime Directive excuse
was used.

Also so early in her career, Nechayev stood up for what she believed in
but also knew what battles she can win. Her promise to Darrah made me
wonder – what did she actually do to help? This little part of the book
opens the door to so many interesting story ideas!

I think I will stay with Terok Nor a while longer and am looking forward
to it to start the next book tomorrow.


Baerbel Haddrell
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