The tailor says it all
Written: Dec 31 '02 (Updated Apr 01 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great characterization, welcome return of DS9 characters
Cons: one slight implausibility
The Bottom Line: If you love Deep Space 9, you will love this book. If you're not a fan, it still may be worth a pickup. Give it a try!
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| hist's Full Review: Andrew J. Robinson - A Stitch in Time |
“Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren’t?”
“”My dear Doctor, they’re all true…”
“Even the lies?”
“Especially the lies.”
Garak and Dr. Bashir, from the episode “The Wire”
A Stitch in Time, by Andrew Robinson, is an examination of character and history of Garak, the Cardassian tailor that Robinson portrayed on the TV series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9). Usually, it’s not a good thing when an actor writes a book about his character, and a lot of times they need some help. First, it definitely is a good thing this time, and secondly, he doesn’t appear to have needed any help. This is a standout Star Trek book, and a sterling example of what these books should be.
The Story
The war with the Dominion is over. Cardassia, one of the Dominion’s reluctant allies, is in ruins. One billion Cardassians were killed when Cardassia decided to change sides. Now Garak, the formerly plain and simple tailor on Deep Space 9, is back home, trying to salvage something from the rubble. He is helping to sort and sift through all of the destruction, and in the process of doing so gets caught in the middle of the debate on what the new Cardassia will be. Some want to turn it into a Federation clone, with free democratic elections. Others want to go back to the way Cardassia was before the Dominion came: militaristic and fascistic.
Coming home and going through all of this causes Garak to become introspective. He has always had a close friendship with Dr. Julian Bashir, chief medical officer on Deep Space 9. Relations had grown a bit distant over the last few years, but the friendship is still there. Dr. Bashir had written him a letter asking how things were going, so Garak takes this opportunity to unload his feelings. In addition to a letter, he sends some personal journals that detail two separate storylines. The first is a personal history of his childhood and his becoming a member of the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian intelligence service. The second is an encounter during the last year of the war with a Bajoran woman on Deep Space Nine that had a profound effect on him. Upon reflecting on both of these occurrences, Garak learns more about himself and about the man he’s becoming.
What Did I Think?
Garak was always one of my favourite characters on the television show, and when I heard that Andrew Robinson had written a book about him, I knew I had to read it. Garak is a very mysterious figure in the show, and I was dying to know more about him. He also turned into a sort of tragic figure as the Dominion War went on, knowing what the war was doing to his people, but since he was in exile, he couldn’t do much about it, other than helping the Federation win the war. As this book begins, Garak is back on Cardassia, helping to clean up the mess. It’s interesting to see how the character has progressed since the end of the series, to see that some of Dr. Bashir’s principles have rubbed off on him a little bit.
Still, it’s written by an actor, so it can’t possibly be good, can it? Actually, it is quite well-written. It’s certainly not award-winning material, but the plot is interesting, the prose is fairly well-done and the characterization is wonderful. I could have done without the cliched romance in Garak’s history, but then again he has always carried himself as a sort of romantic figure (though he never did actually have one in the show) so it can be excused. Robinson not only gets Garak right, but he also gets the other DS9 characters as well. The storyline that takes place during the last year of the war showcases this, especially his take on Dr. Bashir. Many fans of the show complained that Bashir and Garak’s relationship grew very distant toward the end of the show. This book gives a good reason for that. It also effectively shows how that friendship is still there, when Bashir has to work past his uneasiness to get Garak to confront what is bothering him. Robinson nails the characterization of Bashir in these scenes, and we get a return of the wonderful repartee between these two characters. It made me sorely miss the television show.
The new characters are also very well-done. The Cardassians are appropriately militaristic, even Garak’s love interest (though she is softened a bit compared to the others). Cardassia has a brutal society, and Robinson portrays it well. The Cardassians in the present are also fine, with a nice mixture of Cardassians set in their ways and Cardassians who want to use the devastation to chart a new path for Cardassia. Dr. Parmak is a wonderful example of this “New Cardassia,” as he’s almost kind and gentle compared to the others. Robinson draws a nice contrast between him and some of the more militaristic sorts that surround Garak.
The three different storylines are tied together nicely thematically, as well as being effectively told in their own right. It’s easy to follow in the book, as each storyline has its own style. The “current” storyline is told regularly, the “last year” storyline is in a different typeface, and the “Garak’s history” storyline is told in a series of journal entries, so there’s never any confusion. The only snag that I can see in any of them is a slight implausibility at the end of his historical journal, where he talks about being abandoned on DS9 by the other Cardassians. Before the Federation took over the running of the station, it was a Cardassian outpost that Garak was assigned to. When the Federation took over, the Cardassians left in the dead of night. Garak slept through the whole thing and when he wakes up, he finds everybody gone and the Federation moving in. Especially considering the destruction that the Cardassians left behind, I find it hard to believe that Garak didn’t wake up during all of that.
Still, that’s a small thing, and it doesn’t take away from how wonderful this novel is for a Star Trek novel. In fact, unlike a lot of Trek novels, I don’t think you have to be a fan to necessarily enjoy this book. It will certainly help, as you will have a lot more invested in the book if you are a fan, but it’s certainly readable and understandable by a non-fan. Give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Garak, it was nice to see you again.
Other Deep Space Nine continuation books:
Avatar
Section 31: Abyss
Demons of Air & Darkness
Mission Gamma: Twilight
Mission Gamma: This Gray Spirit
Mission Gamma: Cathedral
Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil
Rising Son
Unity
Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Cardassia & Andor
Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Bajor & Trill
Worlds of Deep Space Nine: Dominion & Ferenginar
Warpath
A Stitch in Time
Left Hand of Destiny: Book 1
Left Hand of Destiny: Book 2
Recommended:
Yes
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