Star Trek Coda
Oblivion’s Gate
The crews of Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Ezri Dax, and William Riker unite to prevent a cosmic-level apocalypse—only to find that some fates really are inevitable.
THEIR FINAL MISSION
IS THEIR FINEST HOUR
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK
Captain Benjamin Sisko takes the Defiant back in time and into a parallel universe, so that he and Data can undo the vile sabotage that triggered the Temporal Apocalypse.
A SHADOW RISING
Meanwhile, Admiral William T. Riker’s grasp of reality becomes more tenuous by the minute. Can his beloved Deanna Troi free him from madness before it’s too late?
A DARING LAST STAND
Starfleet’s heroes risk everything to set time right. But will Captain Jean-Luc Picard let Beverly Crusher and their son die? Or will he destroy the multiverse to save them?
Check out Big Mood – Oblivion’s Gate, my hand-curated Spotify playlist for the Star Trek: Coda trilogy in general, and Book III: Oblivion’s Gate in particular. The lyrics of each of the chosen songs contain clues (some subtle, some not so subtle) to the trilogy’s various character arcs and story lines.
If you’re just looking for suitable background music for reading, check out my Star Trek: Coda – Reading Music playlist on Spotify.
To download the official high-resolution triptych art, click the image below to open a larger version, then right-click on the larger image to save or copy it.
Art by Alan Dingman
Reviewers' Comments
“RICHLY AFFECTING”
“Things I loved: An incredibly sensitive, multi-reality, multi-decade take on Picard. Probably the most rounded take ever on this character.”
“David Mack’s writing sets it apart. Mack excels at description, and there’s such an abundance of it here, on every imaginable scale—from the most grandiose cosmic phenomena to the most ephemeral instant of inner consciousness—that it’s almost an embarrassment of riches.”
“Mack’s control of prose is at its finest here. Given his nearly thirty Trek novels, that’s saying something.”
“THE BEST IN THE CODA TRILOGY”
“Hands down, Oblivion’s Gate is the best in the Coda trilogy.”
“The stakes have never been higher for our favorite Trek characters.”
“[Whether] you’re a passionate or casual Trek reader, you’re going to want to read Star Trek: Coda – Oblivion’s Gate.”
“POIGNANT AND MEANINGFUL”
“One of the first things that struck me was the beautiful, poetic quality of David’s prose. It is the writing style of someone who has read and absorbed a great deal of poetry and music, and he brings that musical, poetic quality to the novel.”
“The nature of television shows means that — week after week, season after season — we see our heroes survive the unsurvivable, and we can begin to find them invincible, as somehow cheating death. But Oblivion’s Gate gives us a precious gift: that of seeing our heroes realize they are about to die, and resolve that their deaths shall mean something.”
“UNFORGETTABLE”
“An epic Star Trek trilogy comes to a close in this unforgettable and emotional novel.”
“…action-packed … suspenseful … a bittersweet finale.”
“ENDS WITH A BANG”
“What we appreciated about Oblivion’s Gate is that it’s clear the stakes are deeply personal, despite the universe-spanning story.”
“We can only imagine the kind of pressure David Mack was under in writing this entry of the Coda trilogy. … [F]or our money Mack accomplishes his mission with grace.”
“Mack has delivered a literary effort worthy of … undivided attention.”
“AN ACTION-PACKED, EMOTIONAL CONCLUSION”
“Oblivion’s Gate is a rousing tear-jerker of an action story that shows many of the characters we have loved for 55 years at their finest hour, making the ultimate sacrifice. There are a surfeit of last stands, noble gestures, expressions of love, and grand goodbyes. The result is impressive, emotional, and satisfying, and brings the post-Nemesis Star Trek lit-verse to a fitting conclusion. And it all ends with a capstone that will make the heart of every Star Trek fan rejoice.”
“Oblivion’s Gate is packed with action and lore, but it still finds time for key character moments, both light and dark. … I cried over a dozen times in the second half of the book. It’s that effective.”
“… ACTION-PACKED … A SWAN SONG OF EPIC PROPORTIONS”
“If you liked … the classic TNG episode ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise,’ Oblivion’s Gate is for you.”
“…A PAGE-TURNER…”
“…engaging and […] well written, with plenty of great character moments”
“My biggest complaint is that it’s over.”
“We can only hope that the Prime Timeline will be worth the sacrifice.”
“Mack, in conjunction with Ward and Swallow, has given these characters, with whom we’ve spent so much time both on screen and in print form, a conclusion that remains true to them all, in their individual ways, as well as the ethos of the Star Trek universe.”
“There are so many moments […] that feel defining for these characters. … And the epilogue is a masterstroke.”
“Verdict: An excellent capstone to 20 years of serialised storytelling. 10/10”
“A HERCULEAN EFFORT”
“Mack steps up to the plate in an unexpectedly powerful way. He … weaves a deeply emotional tale that adroitly balances intergalactic stakes amid interpersonal ramifications.”
