James Review -- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Long Mirage

This week I decided to review Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Long Mirage by David R. George III. 

There are three main arcs in the story. One focuses on Quark, who believes he has been betrayed by Viray, the private investigator he hired to find Morn. Accompanied by Captain Ro, he sets out to track down Viray, leading to a reunion with Morn and an encounter with Federation security who are also searching for Morn. Meanwhile, Back on Deep Space Nine II Nog begins a quest to discover what has happened to Vic Fontaine in the years since anyone has entered Vic's holosuite program This leads to Nog and Science Commander Candlewood, who is helping him being locked out of the program after they are killed by two mobsters who are kidnapping Vic. Nog finds a way to get them back into the program but this leaves them a week to find Vic and allow him to know they are alive or the program will be reset to its starting point. They are eventually joined by Dabo girl Ulu Lani, who is actually an agent of Morn's. It turns out that the reason the Mob has kidnapped Vic is because Morn convinced Vic to aid him in a scheme within the program but the plan fell apart when Morn couldn't enter the program after the original Deep Space Nine, leaving Vic owing a massive debt to the Mob. Morn has been trying to find a way to save Vic himself. But with only two days until the Mob boss Bugsy Calderone has Vic killed, the race is on as Nog and his companions struggle to raise enough money to pay off Vic's debts.

Elsewhere, Bajor is still struggling with the revelation that Endalla, one of the planet's moons was a cover for a gigantic machine which the Ohalavaru religious sect claims was used to build the Bajoran wormhole. Clashes between the Ohalavaru and the more typical Bajoran believers are increasing. And Kira Nerys, who was last seen during the battle that led to the wormhole being sealed for years and the original Deep Space Nine being destroyed, has returned. While in the wormhole she experienced another life apparently in the distant past and Altek Dans, her lover in that past life, had emerged from the wormhole before her, eventually beginning a relationship with Captain Ro. Eventually Kira and Atek travel to Endalla to study the machine leading to the discovery of Atek's true origin...

There is also a smaller plot dealing with Odo and his interactions with a Jem'hadar battlecruiser loaded with refugees from many Dominion species who are seeking to establish a colony in the Alpha Quadrant and build a new life.

I give the book a 7.5 out of 10. I found the Quark and Vic plots interesting but I think most of the Kira plot should have been in another book, allowing it to be expanded. Also, I feel that the three connected love triangles in the story were resolved far too easily. Still, I am looking forward to finding out more about the Endalla device in future books.