I read Vulcan's Forge and Heart when each came out, but since (like this one) they were all library reads, I've never reread them. I remember Forge as very good and Heart as fine, and must say that Exodus only falls into the category of fine as well. My biggest problem was the 24th-century plotline. As repeated ad nauseam on TrekBBS and Psi Phi, I don't really buy the idea that Uhura and Chekov function perfectly well into the post-Dominion War era (though I did like the authors' take on Chekov; Uhura less so). Curiously for a book that brings so many classic characters into the modern era, it seems to establish McCoy is dead.

The Watraii subplot and structure of the novel makes the whole thing feel like The Sundered II: The Vulcan Version. Hopefully the obvious route of the Vulcans-in-exile being the Watraii won't be followed. Or at least, it was obvious to me-- Killian Melloy at Wigglefish seemed to entirely miss it.

Not much seemed to happen in the 24th century, aside from some stereotypical our-heroes-ignore-orders business, but I did rather like the character of Karatek in the memory sections. He was a well-drawn ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances, always one of my favorite kinds of characters, and his relationship with his adoptive children was very touching.

Overall, the book was decent, but nothing too exciting. Maybe 6/10? (originally written August 2004)

http://eclecticlibrarian.net/blog/2009/01/2009books1-6/ ( )

http://defcons-treklit.livejournal.com/10376.html#cutid1 ( )

http://www.sfreader.com/read_review.asp?ID=987 ( )