Reviews and Comments

I really felt this was a book of two halves. The first half just didn't keep my interest. Lots of set-up of characters, new ones we haven't met and some new ones just being introduced now. The middle we get a meeting of the Typhon Pact presidents and those of the Khitomer accords, including the newly added Cardassians and Ferengi. Only then does it start to get adventurous and good like a Star Trek Novel should.

The Enterprise, still captained by Jean-Luc now married to Beverly Crusher, who is only mentioned & not seen, goes to the Gamma Quadrent with a Romulan Warbird to explore space together as a sign of peace. U.S.S. Robinson, now captained by Ben Sisko, is doing routine star mapping in the Quadrent including a diplomatic rendezvous with the Vahni Vahltupal, who I personally had been wondering about whatever happened to them just days before I happened to read that part. All while back on DS9 Ro and her crew investigate some strange feelings, hunches, readings, etc. which may be all made up, or may be a terrorist plot to destroy the station by the Andorians, or maybe someone else making it look like the Andorians.

David George is one of the best Star Trek authors eloquently putting together scene by scene unrelated characters just like an episode with several plots. If I know George, I suspect the setup he did will eventually be revealed as non-superfioulous I'm not sure how it could have been made exciting.

Claiborne's common prayer is primarily pointed at introducing the liturgy to evangelicals. Evangelicals traditionally have been weary of anything traditional, religious, or repeadative, but with today's western "church" leaving more questions than answers geared towards making seekers feel welcome rather than challenging believers, many young endangering are looking to the past to improve their future. Common Prayer is based, in part, on the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, but it's been "updated" to remove the barrier of the three year cycle to a more digestable one year. It ads to the daily liturgy some modern readings about MLK, Ghandi, Sojourner Truth, and others that can inspire Christians of today. Its designed to be used in communion with other belivers, such as in the radical monestosem that Shane is known for.

Most of the contents is absolutely available free of charge on their website commonprayer.net but it's so much better to have a dead tree in your hand.

The only down side to the pocket edition is it's small size, unlike traditional daily liturgies you'll need some additional books at hand such as a bible and a hymnal. This ends up mashing commonprayer.net almost necessary anyway, and for me the internet is a place far too distracting to help direct prayer with the all mighty.