As with other Star Trek series and, fortunately, also VOY was retold in novel form. In four novels by Christie Golden, the crew members experienced new adventures. And then ... died Kathryn Janeway. Not even in a "Voyager" novel, but in "heroic" from the TNG series. A short time later the events of "Destiny" swirled the Star Trek books world into chaos. Again, the question arose: What now? What happened now with Voyager and her crew continue?
Sure it had the novels that immediately followed the presentation of the spectacular "Destiny" trilogy, not easy. Captain Picard's crew devoted to "lose the peace" of humanitarian aid, the Titan returned in "Stormy Sea" again very quickly to research everyday back, and with "individual fates" we experienced a factual point of view of politicians perspective on the impact of the devastating Borg battle , Kirsten Beyer went things a little differently. Instead, the action of their "Voyager" -Romans also to let tie directly to the "Destiny" trilogy, it tells a complex story that stretches over a period of three years, taking up the storylines from the previous novels and the events before, during and for "Destiny" includes. The action jumps back and forth in time, and who at such a thing easy to lose track (like me for example), should better make a few notes while reading. It is worthwhile in any case!
Even the epilogue has it all: A restaurant in Venice Chakotay waiting for Janeway, with whom he had an appointment, but she does not appear. From her former fiancé Chakotay must learn that Kathryn is dead.
Nearly two years earlier (2378): The old crew is still working together again in order to protect B'Elanna and Tom's baby daughter Miral, which is supposed to be a kind of Messiah for the Klingon people, according to a prophecy against two rival sects. After that, the way the most part again to come together again until a tragic event: Kathryn Janeway's funeral.
This means that almost half of the rather extensive Romanes was over and we returned at the start of the book, but really it is now really begins. The time now flies there, and in between it always comes back to flashbacks, which the pace significantly attracts and the reader is more than previously demanded. In the first part of the novel was a pure "Voyager" -Adventure, further told the story of the previous novels. From now on, however, the action blends seamlessly into the events of other ST-novel series, a particular course of which "Destiny". In the second volume of the trilogy you already could indeed learn that the Voyager on the front line fighting the Borg and heavily damaged from the battle emerged. Who now expects escalating spaceship shooting scenes mistaken: More than anything else are the characters in the foreground. Kirsten Beyer meets every one of the familiar characters perfectly and makes their spiritual life is so vivid that you can empathize as readers so beautiful, or in this case, pity. "Full Circle" is, therefore, a novel which in parts quite runterzieht one. The mood is very depressing and sometimes downright depressing. The more I read, the stronger the thought came to me on that Voyager would have been better in the Delta Quadrant. For almost all the characters, the return brought no luck, quite the contrary. Ironically, Harry Kim, probably the one who was looking forward to returning to the Alpha Quadrant, most of all, pulling at the end bitter balance:
"It's not right. And no matter how I try to look at it, it's never going to be right again. It does not make any sense. It's like I had this life, and then I somehow wandered down the wrong path and ended up in some alternate reality. "
If the plot of "Full Circle" you look so, one can only agree with him there. Harry himself: critically injured and abandoned by his fiancée. Janeway: dead Chakotay:. Physically and mentally a wreck. Seven: also mentally in a desolate condition. Paris and Torres: forced out of fear for her daughter to a desperate measure. Tuvok: lost his son (see "Destiny 3"). Only the doctor took his life following an involuntary stay in the Delta Quadrant quite well on the series.
Yes, the novel is depressing, but he's good - damn good even. The "Voyager" -Romanserie is rather marked, with few exceptions, at best, mediocre works, but "Full Circle" is a real hammer. It is one of those books that totally capture a; one of those works in which the working day is brought longs to finally read can. The emotional impact of the story a formally to skin, and more than once I had while reading a thick lump in my throat. Although the first, something about Klingon-heavy part of the book has a slight excess length, but the second half is simply to die for. Honestly alone this novel would the publication of VOY relaunch series in Germany justify (little hint, hint to the Cross Cult-Verlag). As the only novel in the wake of "Destiny" comes "Full Circle" similarly epic and compelling as the Borg trilogy therefore, with the advantage that Kirsten Beyer an even better sense of the characters applied as her colleague David Mack. This book is sure to inspire and ST-novel reader, which normally can not really heat up for "Voyager" is. Although it is mainly characterized by strong character moments and big emotions, he also has a considerable tension. Remarkable are even the clever aufbebaute action and the very sensitive writing style.
Long story short: "Full Circle" is really great cinema and for me one of the best Star Trek novels ever. Highly recommended!