Book review
Andrew Robinson’s character of Garak has to be one of the most deliciously multi-layered creations in all of Star Trek. Every time you think you’ve figured out a motive or intention, you are presented with evidence for the contrary.
In ‘A Stitch in Time’, Robinson has crafted one of the finest Star Trek novels I’ve read in a long time. Taking the form of a personal journal, written in first-person prose, the book weaves in an out through major events in Garak’s life and results in a believable backstory which goes hand-in-hand with the character’s personality and development on screen.
Robinson is a master craftsman when it comes to all things Cardassian. His depth of knowledge of Garak and the Cardassian culture oozes off every page, and he writes with a rare authenticity which uniquely communicates the character’s inner voice in a sincere, believable way.
In many parts, ‘A Stitch in Time’ reads as a Shakespearean tragic play. For Garak’s is a life which lacks any autonomy. His strings are pulled at the behest of Enabran Tain, the demigogic head of the secretive Obsidian Order. The fact that fans are well aware of Tain’s status as Garak’s true father only seeks to complicate this twisted relationship.
Garak’s journey from unwilling conscript into the state intelligence school Bamarren to his eventual exile on Terok Nor is a thrilling read, yet filled with tragedy and betrayal. Robinson is more than adept at world-building, creating a raft of believable new characters who all fall into orbit around the life of Garak. Yet this is also an author who is intimately familiar with the show’s canon. There are appearances from pretty much every minor Cardassian character you can imagine, from Gul Madred (TNG: ‘Chain of Command’) to Legate Parn (DS9: ‘The Maquis, Part II’). I should add that these appearances aren’t gratuitous: Robinson integrates them seamlessly (excuse the pun).
While the bulk of the novel follows Garak’s education through Bamarren and his subsequent recruitment by the Obsidian order, Robinson ties all this together with an overarching look at rebuiding of Cardassia after the end of the series. Garak’s slow realisation that his culture has been poisoned by suspicion and military aggression is a poignant revelation, especially given current events.
Characters such as Paladine, Pythas Lok, Mila, and the duplicitous Barkan Lokar all possess unique yet identifiable traits of Cardassian society. Yet Robinson appears to write them with such ease. This is truly an author who has delved so deep into character that he has an intimate familiarity with what makes this species tick which would seem unrivaled.
A terrific read, highly, highly recommended!
- Goodreads rating – 4.34
- SUMMARY – Adam