Devil in the Sky

I found it interesting to read in the interview with Greg Cox by Kevin Dilmore in the back of "Star Trek The Q Continuum" that Greg Cox and John Gregory Betancourt had written "Devil in the Sky" with only the series bible, the script for "Emissary" and having only watched a few episodes. The reason I found this so interesting is that in this novel, which was the inaugural Star Trek novel for both authors, they captured the characters and the feel of Star Trek Deep Space Nine so well. You will quickly find that the pacing of this novel and both authors overall writing styles lend well to a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read.Both authors proved with this novel that both of their works, whether collaborative or individual, are to be looked forward to. One of the main themes that started in this novel and has continued to today in novels written by Greg Cox, is his penchant for using characters and species from all of the series, but most especially the Original Series, such as his use of the Hortas in this novel, which according to his interview with Kevin Dilmore was John Ordover's idea."Devil in the Sky" also lends itself very well to the early feel of the series. This is the type of story you "could've" seen on the series, except for the prohibitive costs of using the Horta via a heavy amount of CGI.The cover art for "Devil in the Sky" isn't all that imaginative other than the drawing of a Horta, giving a potential reader that this creature from the Original Series is included in the story.The premise:Bajor has recruited the Hortas from Janus VI to help rebuild their devastated mining industry all in the hopes of revitalizing their struggling economy. Unfortunately for the Hortas and the Bajorans, Cardassian raiders step in and abduct the Mother Horta. Now Commander Sisko finds himself stuck with twenty Horta eggs and they suddenly begin to hatch and the only food source for them appears to be Deep Space Nine itself. Meanwhile, Major Kira sets out on a rescue mission, deep in Cardassian space.I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of the series or Star Trek in general. If you've never read a novel written by one or both of these authors, you will soon learn that they can definitely be counted among some of the best that Star Trek has to offer. {ssintrepid}

I don't know about you, but I'm having a big ol' ball going back and reading some of these earlier Trek novels (See "The Murdered Sun").Greg Cox and John Gregory Betancourt penned a wonderful, two-plot early adventure that ties in canon information about the Hortas with newer information about the Cardassians. This novel just sizzled with all that lovely hatred the Bajorans had for their (former) oppressors.This one's also chock full of early Bashir attitude, before we learned about his enhanced genetics and certainly *well* before he got over himself about being a ladies man. Quite entertaining, I say, and darned amusing, too. In fact, this story abounds with perfect early characterizations of all of them - Kira, Dax, Odo, Quark, the O'Briens, Sisko, Nog, Jake, and Rom, and was a pure delight to read, this long after the series ended.But don't worry about the Cardies or the Hortas - Our Man Bashir comes through in the end. Wait a minute, what am I saying? *Everybody* comes through in the end - of COURSE they do, this is Star Trek! And there's nothing wrong with that.A-plot concentrates on a daring Kira/Bashir/Dax rescue of a mama Horta from the Cardies, and when you stir in the almost-goofy b-plot about 20 accidentally-hatched baby Hortas on DS9 (mmm...who managed that, don't ya wonder?), you've got a what amounts to a mighty grand escapade in the finest of Star Trek tradition.

I rate this book pretty good because not only do I like the series but by the story of the book. I have watched many Star Trek shows that have plots like this book. So, it was a good one!

The Hortas have been one of those races of space aliens, the like not found in any other Sci-Fi. While reading this novel, I noticed that the story could have been worked for the Original, Next Generation, or as they chose it, the DS9 storyline. This combination of Cox and Betancourt writing styles did produce a nice Star Trek Novel. I have rated it as one of the better ones that have been produced recently. Worth the price.