Review of Star Trek: Vanguard – Summon the Thunder
Don’t be mislead by the apparent hard sci-fi slant here; Summon the Thunder presents the reader with a fascinating and accessible cast of characters, expanding upon the framework established in Harbinger. Ward and Dilmore show that they are more than up to the task. What is impressive is the scope of the storytelling in Summon the Thunder. There are a number of fully-developed threads running through the novel, so much so that by the time I had finished reading Summon the Thunder, I felt as though I had gotten through a 13-episode season of a show. Each storyline is given time to nurture and grow. The result is that by the end, you feel as if you’ve really journeyed with these characters, and are disheartened to see them go.
With Summon the Thunder, we are shown not only the dangers that the characters face, but also the fallout and personal crises. I really grew to like Khatami as her development was one of the highlights of the novel. The crew of the Endeavor was nicely fleshed out, and this is one of the great aspects of Vanguard as a series. There is so much here for the authors to work with that it makes for exciting reading. Much in the same way as Deep Space Nine, the editor and authors have chosen to craft a deep ensemble cast that can expand the story in unexpected ways.
This is particularly shown in the passages featuring the Bloodied Talon. I have never been a big fan of the Romulans. But here, the crew comes alive, particularly the commander, and their interest and plight in the Taurus Reach is a welcome thread in the overall Vanguard story arc. It gives a different perspective to the series, especially in the epilogue, and it leaves you wanting a lot more.
There’s a little bit of everything here: the continued mystery of the meta-genome; insights into the Shedai thanks to the Wanderer (and the hints in those sections make for a very interesting species); Quinn and Pennington up to some hijinks and mayhem (which is a refreshing change of pace in the novel); Jetanien’s takes on diplomacy; the Endeavor‘s incident at Erilon; and more. A lot happens here, and the novel doesn’t let up for a moment. Vanguard is bolstered by having its leader, Commodore Reyes, being one of the most interesting characters to come out of Trek Lit in the past few years.
He’s not the most easily likable character, but there are so many layers to him, that it is intriguing to read how the authors peel them back and examine them, whether it’s through his relationship with Desai, Dr. Fisher, or his encounter with Pennington near the end. He is blunt but not unkind; conflicted, but duty-bound. This all makes Reyes another great addition to Trek.
Desai does not appear a whole lot in the novel, which is a little disappointing, since her conflicts with Reyes in their professional relationship (and seeing them affect their private relationship) make for fun reading. Here we do not see them alone together very much, but I look forward to seeing their complex relationship developed further.
I also would have liked to have seen a plot thread focusing on the JAG office, similar to how the ambassadorial duties are highlighted through Jetanien. The Vanguard series excels at highlighting previously underused areas of Federation life, and I’m sure in future novels we’ll see these areas fleshed out.
Overall, Summon the Thunder is an excellent addition to the Star Trek novels range, and a superb follow-up to Harbinger. We’ll have to wait a year until Vanguard Book Three (Reap the Whirlwind, by David Mack), but if that book follows the series’ track record, it will be well worth it.
Rating: A
