Star Trek Destiny
Lost Souls
The soldiers of Armageddon are on the march, laying waste to worlds in their passage. An audacious plan could stop them forever, but it carries risks that one starship captain is unwilling to take. For Captain Jean-Luc Picard, defending the future has never been so important, or so personal — and the wrong choice will cost him everything for which he has struggled and suffered.
For Captain William Riker, that choice has already been made. Haunted by the memories of those he was forced to leave behind, he must jeopardize all that he has left in a desperate bid to save the Federation.
For Captain Ezri Dax, whose impetuous youth is balanced by the wisdom of many lifetimes, the choice is a simple one: there is no going back — only forward to whatever future awaits them.
But for those who, millennia ago, had no choice … this is the hour of their final, inescapable destiny.
Reviewers' Comments
“AN ABSOLUTE TRIUMPH”
“With Lost Souls, David Mack pulls off the impossible, and gives the Borg both a satisfying ending, and an unforgettable origin story.”
“For all the space battles and the death toll in the billions, this is a book about empathy. About overcoming the darkness of the past to forge a better path ahead. … [T]he Destiny trilogy is an absolute triumph.”
“Verdict: 5/5”
"It's in the last half of book three that Destiny really rocks: what happens in those pages is colossal, important, and irrevocable in the Trek universe. Honestly."
"Ultimately the trilogy rewards all the patience required to reach its final chapters."
—John Donnelly, SFX Magazine (March 2009)
"Lost Souls is … crammed with the kind of invention and set piece drama that peppers this trilogy."
"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/February 2009)
"[O]n every page, Mack manages to instill vitality and resolve into the storytelling, virtues that keep the readers interest alive and, in the end, serve to bring the entire story to its epic conclusion."
"Lost Souls concludes the Destiny trilogy with a startling transformation of the Star Trek universe…"
"Destiny was put in the right hands, and Mack has helped to steer a positive future for the 24th-century Trek franchise."
"…a monumental achievement…"
"Does the Star Trek universe change as a result of this novel? The answer is yes. … Lost Souls is a stellar achievement that doesn't disappoint."
—Jeff Ayers, TrekWeb.com
"The story's a temporal cloverleaf that loops back to a surprising beginning and ends in a satisfying conclusion. It's elegantly done."
"It's a long book, as are the first two volumes, but the momentum of the story pulls the reader through. And Mack's prose helps; it's clean, flowing, and effective."
"All in all, it's a great story that puts the reader and the characters through the wringer but ends positively and with a proper Star Trek sense of hope and new possibilities."
"This is by far the best book in the trilogy. Taking the reader through a wide range of emotions, Mack has wrapped up the Destiny trilogy in an amazing web of storylines that connect in an unpredictable way. Lost Souls has become one of my favorite Star Trek novels, with a shocking ending that will affect the entire Trek universe. Trek fans must read this fantastic trilogy."
"It's a very fast-paced read that thrusts you right into the middle of the action, and Mack never lets up for one minute. … The human element is what makes for a successful Star Trek adventure, and David Mack capitalizes on the human factor in this series like never before."
"Similar to the final epic Battle of Pelennor Fields in The Return of the King, the final chapter of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mack skillfully moves between hard-hitting action and personal drama in creating a battle for the ages. … an epic final chapter to a stunning saga … It's without a doubt the Star Trek equivalent of Tolkien's masterpiece."
"David Mack's epic trilogy reaches a climax in this utterly gripping tale, which demands that you read it from cover to cover without a break if at all possible."
"After 20 years, we finally discover the origin of the Borg, and it's suitably galaxy-spanning. Astute readers of the first two volumes will guess some of it, but Mack has a number of surprises up his sleeve…"
"It's a cliché to say things will never be the same after this or that story, but on this occasion, it's absolutely true."
—Patrick Holm, DWscifi.com
"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."
—MotionPicturesComics.com
"Wow! This was an amazing novel! … I will say this is not only one of the best Star Trek novels I've ever read, it's also one of the most important as far as continuing the mythos and the franchise."
"If you enjoy Star Trek novels, the shows, or the movies, you owe it to yourself to pick these three books up as soon as possible."
—Keith Brown, Reviews for Kicks