libraryofrick1801's review
5.0
Review 48 Star Trek Discovery Wonderlands by Una McCormack
Set between the 1st episode (That Hope is You Part )and 2nd episode (Far From Home) of Star Trek Discovery series 3, this book is focused on Michael Burnham played by the amazing Sonequa Martin-Green.
This book focuses on the year between the 2 episodes mentioned above and what Burnham finds whilst getting used to the new time she has travelled to, all the while looking for her ship (USS Discovery).
I loved this book as Burnham has not been the focus of a Star Trek Discovery book for quite a while.
If like me, you have watched series 3 of Discovery and wondered what happened to Burnham to make her chance so dramatically from the person she was in series 2, then this book is for you.
*****
Set between the 1st episode (That Hope is You Part )and 2nd episode (Far From Home) of Star Trek Discovery series 3, this book is focused on Michael Burnham played by the amazing Sonequa Martin-Green.
This book focuses on the year between the 2 episodes mentioned above and what Burnham finds whilst getting used to the new time she has travelled to, all the while looking for her ship (USS Discovery).
I loved this book as Burnham has not been the focus of a Star Trek Discovery book for quite a while.
If like me, you have watched series 3 of Discovery and wondered what happened to Burnham to make her chance so dramatically from the person she was in series 2, then this book is for you.
*****
olegx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
thopolok's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
fretsandflour's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: War, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Violence and Colonisation
jbrooxd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars = Good+
I enjoyed this new Star Trek Discovery novel that looks at the time Burnham was in the future without Discovery. The author does a great job of balancing the necessary introspective moments with some action, but the story is still slow in spots. While I enjoyed it every time I picked it up, it was a little too easy to set down and leave for awhile. Discovery fans will enjoy this look at Burnham's process of trying to adjust to a future without the Federation as well as some glimpses into her relationship with Book. (Language)
I enjoyed this new Star Trek Discovery novel that looks at the time Burnham was in the future without Discovery. The author does a great job of balancing the necessary introspective moments with some action, but the story is still slow in spots. While I enjoyed it every time I picked it up, it was a little too easy to set down and leave for awhile. Discovery fans will enjoy this look at Burnham's process of trying to adjust to a future without the Federation as well as some glimpses into her relationship with Book. (Language)
almostlikequake's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
frakalot's review
5.0
Sharing the good advice that I received: Read this book after episode one and before episode two of season three, if you have the chance.
It turns out that it's possible to absolutely love a book and still be mildly disappointed with it. My short review is that this book does a great job of filling in Burnham's first year in the 32nd century but so much happens that I wish it had been split into a miniseries, at least a trilogy, to expand on these events.
As we're rushing through a year we find ourselves jumping from event to event in order to paint a broad picture, it's not hard to follow but we get very brief accounts of pivotal moments and I think some of these deserved more attention.
Thankfully McCormack is an excellent author. Burnham's experience lifts off the pages and I found it easy to feel empathy for her situation. Although the analogy with Alice's trip through the rabbit hole is extremely versatile it can at times feel overplayed, I've not always found its application on Discovery appealing BUT in this particular story I think the analogy is in its most apt use and I found it abundantly meaningful.
If Burnham hasn't just jumped through the metaphorical rabbit hole, then no other story can make that claim. She's in a completely foreign universe where all the rules are apparently upside down.
In Wonderlands we meet some of the players that will take part in our 32nd century adventure. We find out some background to The Burn and to the chaos that ensued. We learn that even without enforcement the sentients in our galaxy have found their own ways of keeping order, if only in a limited sense.
I found the relationship with Zuka and Binye frustrating but reflected that it was a pretty perfect embodiment of the general situation in the Federationless 32nd century. The younger generations showing disdain for ideals that their elders struggle to maintain and in their own way taking the more mature approach to their reality. It makes sense, being born further away from the Pre-Burn society. (These roles happen to be exactly reversed in one particular example given in this story).
Sahil is quickly becoming a favourite character, that was obvious from episode one for me. But what he's holding onto at his lone spaceport (Devaloka) is not the only bastion of hope in the galaxy. Wonderlands introduces a few different groups that are finding new ways to bring about their own versions of order to galactic society.
I'm a fan of all the tech seen so far. The mention of a quantum slipstream in episode one seemed appropriate given the similarity of the post-Federation situation to the setting in Roddenberry's other series, Andromeda. One thing that does appear to be lacking is quantum computing, considering a scene where Burnham finds herself wishing for a faster data transfer time.
We get some great story telling and a fair idea of what Burnham has been up to, making some valiant efforts to swim against the tide, doing the right thing with minimal available resources AND rest assured, the ending is sweet.
It turns out that it's possible to absolutely love a book and still be mildly disappointed with it. My short review is that this book does a great job of filling in Burnham's first year in the 32nd century but so much happens that I wish it had been split into a miniseries, at least a trilogy, to expand on these events.
As we're rushing through a year we find ourselves jumping from event to event in order to paint a broad picture, it's not hard to follow but we get very brief accounts of pivotal moments and I think some of these deserved more attention.
Thankfully McCormack is an excellent author. Burnham's experience lifts off the pages and I found it easy to feel empathy for her situation. Although the analogy with Alice's trip through the rabbit hole is extremely versatile it can at times feel overplayed, I've not always found its application on Discovery appealing BUT in this particular story I think the analogy is in its most apt use and I found it abundantly meaningful.
If Burnham hasn't just jumped through the metaphorical rabbit hole, then no other story can make that claim. She's in a completely foreign universe where all the rules are apparently upside down.
In Wonderlands we meet some of the players that will take part in our 32nd century adventure. We find out some background to The Burn and to the chaos that ensued. We learn that even without enforcement the sentients in our galaxy have found their own ways of keeping order, if only in a limited sense.
I found the relationship with Zuka and Binye frustrating but reflected that it was a pretty perfect embodiment of the general situation in the Federationless 32nd century. The younger generations showing disdain for ideals that their elders struggle to maintain and in their own way taking the more mature approach to their reality. It makes sense, being born further away from the Pre-Burn society. (These roles happen to be exactly reversed in one particular example given in this story).
Sahil is quickly becoming a favourite character, that was obvious from episode one for me. But what he's holding onto at his lone spaceport (Devaloka) is not the only bastion of hope in the galaxy. Wonderlands introduces a few different groups that are finding new ways to bring about their own versions of order to galactic society.
I'm a fan of all the tech seen so far. The mention of a quantum slipstream in episode one seemed appropriate given the similarity of the post-Federation situation to the setting in Roddenberry's other series, Andromeda. One thing that does appear to be lacking is quantum computing, considering a scene where Burnham finds herself wishing for a faster data transfer time.
We get some great story telling and a fair idea of what Burnham has been up to, making some valiant efforts to swim against the tide, doing the right thing with minimal available resources AND rest assured, the ending is sweet.
ash24314's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This gives really great insight into how Michael lives her life before discovery gets thrown into the future and some of the experiences her and book went through. I love the author and the characterization.