Star Trek Destiny
Gods of Night
Half a decade after the Dominion War and more than a year after the rise and fall of Praetor Shinzon, the galaxy’s greatest scourge returns to wreak havoc upon the Federation — and this time its goal is nothing less than total annihilation.
Elsewhere, deep in the Gamma Quadrant, an ancient mystery is solved. One of Earth’s first generation of starships, lost for centuries, has been found dead and empty on a desolate planet. But its discovery so far from home has raised disturbing questions, and the answers harken back to a struggle for survival that once tested a captain and her crew to the limits of their humanity.
From that terrifying flashpoint begins an apocalyptic odyssey that will reach across time and space to reveal the past, define the future, and show three captains — Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise, William Riker of the U.S.S. Titan, and Ezri Dax of the U.S.S Aventine — that some destinies are inescapable.
Reviewers' Comments
“…one of the most significant Star Trek series of all time…”
“David Mack’s Destiny trilogy is often cited as the most important part of the post-Nemesis canon, and I fully agree with this. Destiny is to Star Trek what the Thrawn trilogy is to Star Wars. It’s proof that a literary expanded canon can evolve and expand beyond the confines of the franchise that spawned it.”
“Destiny is … a trilogy that feels truly epic … The scope is massive, but the tragedies are intimate.”
“Gods of Night is a masterful way to kick of one of the most significant Star Trek series of all time, and is absolutely worth your time.”
“Verdict: 5/5”
"[Captain Erika Hernandez's] long and fateful encounter with the intensely private race called the Caeliar is both involving and compelling — even though it's a far cry from Trek as know it."
"There's a great cliffhanger at the end of book one."
—John Donnelly, SFX Magazine (March 2009)
"[Mack] knocks the ball out of the park yet again."
"I have not seen Mack write a bad book yet, and after reading this one, I still haven't."
"The sense of foreboding during the Enterprise scenes as they move to intercept another Borg cube is portrayed remarkably well. It's one of the best portrayals of Picard I've seen in a while now."
"The pacing is excellent."
—David Roy, SFReader.com
"From start to finish, the Star Trek Destiny trilogy delivers one of the best 'apocalypse' sagas the Star Trek novels have ever spawned."
"Gods of Night opens this dazzling trilogy that encompasses every generation of TV Star Trek (and beyond) … Despite juggling a huge cast of characters — a facet of the trilogy throughout — Mack never loses the reader in the story's labyrinthine twists and turns."
"Star Trek Destiny measures up to its promise throughout, delivering a story that encompasses all that Star Trek stands for and giving the reader a gripping adventure reveling, ultimately, in the very best of human nature. With a superb plot, powerful storytelling and well rounded characters throughout — from the lowliest MACO to the most senior commander — Mack, and all those involved in its creation, should be congratulated wholeheartedly for giving readers a page-turning adventure of truly epic proportions."
—John Freeman, Star Trek Magazine (Jan/Feb 2009)
"Page after page in Gods of Night is loaded with outstanding narrative, story development, and personal touches that ensure that not even a single letter goes to waste. Mack's alien creation, the Caeliar, is another 'impossible for TV but possible in novel form' race that allows us to truly explore the strange new worlds that all of us dream of at night. They are impressive, vast, and utterly alien, yet their philosophy is, in some respects, the ultimate dream of humanity."
"If you are a Trek fan that's been avoiding the TNG relaunch, the DS9 relaunch, the Voyager relaunch, the Titan books, or any of the rest of the current crop of twenty-fourth century Trek literature, do yourself a favor: go get this book."
"...the novel focuses on the characters and their preparations for the inevitable fight, elevating the story above the usual fare. Star Trek show fans will find much to enjoy. Fans of the Star Trek books should consider this a gift from the Gods. As far as the first entry in the trilogy is concerned, it lives up to the hype and is one of the best Trek novels in quite a while. Will the next books be as great? I, for one, can't wait to find out."
—Jeff Ayers, TrekWeb.com
"Continuing with the Hernandez storyline, I really liked the big old-fashioned space opera/adventure feel of it, with its mysterious and powerful aliens, and the huge, scientifically advanced alien cities. … The Caeliar world has a good, old-fashioned SF alien feel about it, and it's fun to find a big exploration and adventure story as part of what so many people think will be a Borg overdose."
"This is how to do a Star Trek crossover. With epic scope, intensity, and raw emotion, Gods of Night is a powerful beginning to a story that looks likely to have real consequences for the Star Trek universe. Not to be missed."
"Gods of Night contains everything great about Star Trek — advanced technology, intrigue, drama, relationships, danger, action, mystery, aliens, time travel, and blowing stuff up. Ending in a mild cliffhanger, readers will want to pick up the next, Mere Mortals, as soon as possible. With an exciting story, wonderful characters, and insurmountable odds to overcome, this is a trilogy no Trek fan will want to miss."
"Telling a story on this wide a canvas could have meant that the smaller character details got overlooked, and it's to Mack's credit that they aren't. Some of the most affecting sequences are family-based, as the Rikers try for a child, Beverly Crusher Picard shares her fears about the Borg's effect on her husband, and Starfleet officers talk to their families for what may be the last time."
—Peter Quentin, DWscifi.com
"Mack does a very good job of capturing the voices of the characters — when Picard rails against the Borg, you can hear Patrick Stewart delivering the lines, and when Worf makes with the Klingon warrior-stoicism, it's Michael Dorn's voice drifting off the page."
"It's a well-written, gripping read that captures all the 'gosh-wow' excitement, strange new worlds and boldly going where no man has gone before that I've always associated with the spirit of Star Trek."
"Mack captures the very voice and nuance of all these familiar characters and takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of excitement, adventure, mystery, and scientific discovery that covers nearly 800 years of human history."
"Star Trek Destiny … is an astounding achievement in Trek storytelling that could have been accomplished only by a sci-fi author of Mack's caliber."
"Mack tells a ripping yarn, no question. … [R]ecent Trek authors have made some dramatic changes to the characters and to the status quo — but none moreso than Mack, who really turns over the apple cart with this trilogy."
"I wish they were making huge, epic Star Trek stories like this for TV or the movies! David Mack's Destiny trilogy is a major achievement."
"[G]reat science-fiction writing."
—Keith Brown, Reviews for Kicks