Section 31 was very controversial when it was introduced into Star Trek. Many felt that such an organization had no place in Gene Roddenberry's vision. The controversy continues to this day.

The book ties into the third season episode, The Enterprise Incident, in which Kirk was ordered to steal a cloaking device from the Romulan Empire. However, the question as to what was going to happen to that device was never addressed. Now it has been. Kirk believed that his mission to take the cloaking device was to preserve the peace. He had no way of knowing that Section 31 had played a role and wanted the device for their own ends.

Now Kirk and Co. must find out just what purpose the cloaking device is going to be used for. Knowing Section 31, it will be nothing good.

Thank you for this Tim. Would you recommend the book? I've read S31: Abyss and thought it was decent; at least slightly better than S31: Disavowed IMHO, but I was avoiding the other series because I didn't think S31 would work as well outside of its comfort zone on DS9... assuming it worked well at all.

Yes, I recommend this book. As I said, it addresses the fallout of the stealing of the cloaking device in The Enterprise Incident. The book is full of Easter Eggs that any Trek fan will recognize (don't want to give away too much here).

You say you've read Abyss (the DS9 one). Please post your thoughts about that novel in the thread for it.

I read this a while back but apparently forgot to post my thoughts on it. I was surprised (and relieved) that not only was S31 barely even mentioned; which is nice because it's at the point of overuse, but it was also a pretty decent story on its own that even included a surprise plot element from VOY.

The story starts off at a sprint with a runaway starship, but there's a few mysteries that pop up as to why and how those events were set in motion. Then the pacing takes a bit of a dive with a conference going on at some random space station, and Kirk nearly getting some action of a different variety. While I get the reason why those chapters were there, to set up characters for future use, I felt it could've been done without steering the plot so far off course.

There's also a sub-plot where Bones discovers he's contracted a fatal illness that went practically nowhere... beyond adding a minuscule piece to the puzzle that could've came from someone else and better suited the story. I would've mentioned that under a spoiler warning, but I'm confident everyone curious about this book will know the doctor comes out just fine considering it takes place in the first year of their mission.

Having said all that, I very much enjoyed this book for the most part, and it seamlessly introduced elements from later series.

I would've mentioned that under a spoiler warning

This novel is over twenty years old. A spoiler warning is not necessary, IMO.


everyone curious about this book will know the doctor comes out just fine considering it takes place in the first year of their mission.

The first year!?

This novel is set not long after Kirk steals the Romulan cloaking device in The Enterprise Incident. That took place in the third season.

Thanks for catching that Tim! Aside from a few minor edits I copy-and-pasted that post from another site; I suppose I should've checked it more thoroughly.

The timeline error notwithstanding, the lack of drama the mysterious illness was meant to invoke still fell flat, and would've been better served to a different character IMHO.

Well, that's half of this series done! I'm on the fence regarding the other two.

the lack of drama the mysterious illness was meant to invoke still fell flat, and would've been better served to a different character IMHO.

Because we already know how that story ends. McCoy isn't going to die here (in fact he lives for at least another century).

It was like the author came up too short for a novel, and added this to pad things out.

Besides, it's been-there-done-that. McCoy already had (or will have) an incurable illness in "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched The Sky"

It's the same illness, Scott.

The events of this novel take place between The Enterprise Incident and For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky.

So it's Xenopolycythemia?

Yup.