Unlike seemingly all the other S31 books in this series, Abyss doesn't revolve around an episode or movie. It takes place a year or so after the TV series ended, and can leave someone who hasn't kept up with the written world of DS9 a bit lost.
The cover writeup reveals far too much IMHO, but essentially; Bashir and Ezri begrudgingly agree to confront a genetically enhanced person (like Julian) who has been likened to Khan. All is not what it seems however, because Bashir only agrees to help S31 in order to try and bring them down from the inside.
While the plot progresses pretty much as one might expect, there were a few points I liked that caught me off guard: 1) Ro Laren has joined the DS9 crew! Having not read any of the books prior, this was a welcome surprise. 2) Sisko's SF replacement, Elias Vaughn, is a likeable character. Even the small amount he's around, I wanted to know more about him. 3) Ezri isn't as annoying as she was on the show. No one can replace Jadzia, a point even made by Ezri herself, but here she comes off as moderately capable.
I'm giving this book a hard time but I found it mostly enjoyable, despite the early realization that I didn't know what was going on with our beloved heroes. All of the S31-focused stories I've read to date (5 I think) have been hit-and-miss, but overall relatively fun. I wouldn't say Abyss is a good place start however, with DS9 or S31.
1) Ro Laren has joined the DS9 crew! Having not read any of the books prior, this was a welcome surprise.
Ro Laren was supposed to occupy the spot Kira Nerys did in DS9, but Michelle Forbes turned down the role.
Unlike seemingly all the other S31 books in this series, Abyss doesn't revolve around an episode or movie. It takes place a year or so after the TV series ended, and can leave someone who hasn't kept up with the written world of DS9 a bit lost.
Yeah, unlike the other three novels of this series, this one ties into the other DS9 novels.
All of the S31-focused stories I've read to date
As to why there is no Enterprise book, that show hadn't started when these books were published.
Ro Laren was supposed to occupy the spot Kira Nerys did in DS9, but Michelle Forbes turned down the role.
Now that you mention it, I do recall reading that somewhere, but had since forgotten. Thanks for the reminder!
As to why there is no Enterprise book, that show hadn't started when these books were published.
I read this book not long ago, so I hadn't considered the publishing/airing timelines. However, a few ENT novels do involve S31, particularly since Trip joins them, starting with The Good That Men Do and carry on through the Rise of the Federation series, which I include in that number.
These books were published in early 2001, several months before Enterprise went on the air.
However, yeah, the Trip stuff in the later ENT novels could be considered their entry in this series.