Book Review: The Dark Veil (Star Trek: Picard #2) by James Swallow

 

The Dark Veil (Star Trek: Picard #2)
by James Swallow
Paperback, 335 pages
Gallery books Jan 2021 hardcover
Expected paperback publication: September 2021 by Pocket Books/Star Trek

There are a couple of issues I have to address first. I am one of the Star Trek fans who really like Picard and Sir Patrick’s return to the franchise. It should be noted that TNG is not my favorite of the Berman era so it was not a given. When I review franchise tie-ins I don’t expect high art although I know the authors are giving it all and they are often written by very talented who are being underrated.

One of the best moments of Star Trek Picard had little to do space battles or Romulan conspiracies but it was the touching reunion of Picard with the Riker-Troi clan. There was a real satisfaction seeing these old friends hug and break bread. I thought a lot about it and having a reunion like that not only felt like one for us but it added weight to the universe. Not only the reunion but the idea that Riker and Troi had a family in our absence.

Fans of the Trek novels have been treated to several novels set on Riker’s new command the U.S.S. Titan. It is a cool ship that officially became canon when it showed up on Lower Decks for a brief scene. That being said the novels were cool because the ship was designed to have non-humanoid crew and was an interesting little corner of the Trek universe. The job the author James Swallow was given was basically to tell the back story of the Riker-Troi events that fed Picard while tying them as best he could to tell a story the readers of the novels would recognize.

While it has been a while since I read a Titan novel but several of the characters appeared in the novels which is not a surprise as Swallow has written Titan before. All the Trek moments and feels are there, but I suspect Swallow could do that in his sleep.

The novel itself is a fun Star Trek yarn that is pretty solid science fiction that includes a generation starship, a rescue mission that requires Romulan help, and some Tal Shiar conspiracy. The narrative switches perfectly between various locations and points of view. There are several chapters from the Romulan perspective that really help to give the story a bit more suspense.

This is a fine science fiction tale and maybe I was spoiled by McCormack’s Last Best Hope which I added mountains of depth to Picard as a series, and as a character. That book had a certain depth to it, with so much depth given to the inner-workings of the crisis. There was an element that Last Best Hope took on extra meaning as the most powerful governments in the world were fumbling the handling of the Coronavirus.  

 I think in this case Swallow’s most important mission was more focused but not exactly easy to fix narratively. He had to deepen one-story element that seemed contrived in the series. Why was Thad’s disease so specialized that the positronic ban would doom him to death in the late 24th century? Why had the Riker-Troi falling given up Starfleet for living in the Hobbiton Pizza kitchen?

Swallow did some smart things in the concept phase for tying the Titan’s mission to the TV show’s android hating Romulans and he gave the generation ship species Jazari a cool secret. This story involved a prime direction debate, a hopeless rescue mission, and lots of examples of Riker showing Starfleet ideals. My favorite aspect is Swallow didn’t forget to put Titan in space and give them the kinda engineering problems really space involves. I worry that sometimes Star Trek writers forget that they are starship in space.

The novel is filled to the brim with fun Star Trek moments, I like seeing Riker trick the Tal Shiar commander in a very Kirk-style move. More than anything the novel sets up one of the best most emotional scenes between Troi and Picard in the series. That is the best thing a prequel can do right?  Add depth to the existing show.  If you are not a fan of the show but like the characters, this builds some of those mental bridges. If you are a fan the depth will help and the cool adventure will be worth your time.