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2nd out of 59 books
—
29 voters
A Stitch in Time (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #27)
For nearly a decade Garak has longed for just one thing -- to go home. Exiled on a space station, surrounded by aliens who loathe and distrust him, going back to Cardassia has been Garak's one dream. Now, finally, he is home. But home is a world whose landscape is filled with death and destruction. Desperation and dust are constant companions and luxury is a glass of clean...more
Mass Market Paperback, 396 pages
Published
September 22nd 2000
by Pocket Books
(first published January 1st 2000)
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Not just another Star Trek spin-off. I've read a bunch, and not many of them rate being added to a list of what I have read (they are not usually very memorable.)
Garak was an intriguing character, one of my favorites, and this novel (for those who don't know, and are interested--I can't imagine who) was written by Andrew Robinson, the actor that played him. I think that's why it rings true to the character I became so familiar with. The emphasis is not on the parallels to real-world events Trek...more
Garak was an intriguing character, one of my favorites, and this novel (for those who don't know, and are interested--I can't imagine who) was written by Andrew Robinson, the actor that played him. I think that's why it rings true to the character I became so familiar with. The emphasis is not on the parallels to real-world events Trek...more
Fantastic!!! I used to avoid reading to Star Trek books in the erroneous assumption that they were not up to the TV series, that I considered superb. Wrong! When I got my Kindle with its assortment of low priced books within the reach of one click, I realised that to resist was futile. DS9 being my favorite series, I begun with "Twist of Faith" (five stories for the price of one). Impossible to stop reading! The next and natural step was "A Stitch of Time", about the misterious Mr. Garak, the de...more
Ok, I can't believe that I'm admitting that I even know who these characters are, much less that I'd want to read a book about them. But the fact is, as a teenager, though I'd never paid attention to any of the other Star Treks, I stumbled onto Deep Space Nine and was instantly drawn in, because it was like nothing I saw on TV. It asked hard questions, gave hard answers, and had complex characters that were several shades of grey.
Elim Garak of course is the epitome of this, though I never really...more
Elim Garak of course is the epitome of this, though I never really...more
I have long been familiar with the actor Andrew J. Robinson before he came to play Garak on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. You may remember him from Dirty Harry (1971) as the Scorpio killer, or from movies like Hellraiser (1987) and Shoot To Kill (1988).
Of all the Star Trek spin-offs, Deep Space Nine remains my favorite. While I would be hard-pressed to pick just one character that stands out, I always knew that if the storyline involved Garak, things would be interesting. Garak usually had some of...more
Of all the Star Trek spin-offs, Deep Space Nine remains my favorite. While I would be hard-pressed to pick just one character that stands out, I always knew that if the storyline involved Garak, things would be interesting. Garak usually had some of...more
The first of many incredibly geeky Deep Space 9 books on my list for the near future (thanks to the very generous gift of a Nook from Ron and Danie).
I actually really liked this book. The series DS9 ends with the genocide of the Cardassian race by the Dominion, and this book (written by the actor who played Garak in the series, sans ghost-writer which pleasantly surprised me) picks up with the re-building of the planet by it's survivors. Formatted as a correspondence to Dr. Bashir, it tracks Ga...more
I actually really liked this book. The series DS9 ends with the genocide of the Cardassian race by the Dominion, and this book (written by the actor who played Garak in the series, sans ghost-writer which pleasantly surprised me) picks up with the re-building of the planet by it's survivors. Formatted as a correspondence to Dr. Bashir, it tracks Ga...more
I never really noticed Garek all that much while watching DS9. I knew he was quite a character, and had an interesting past, but never really got behind it.
After reading this book, I'm inclined to go back and re-watch some episodes with him in it.
Written in a series of journal entries to Dr. Bashir it tells the story of his life starting with his training, and as a gardener, a spy, and an exile on Terok Nor before the Federation Occupation turning it into DS9
Since the book is written by the acto...more
After reading this book, I'm inclined to go back and re-watch some episodes with him in it.
Written in a series of journal entries to Dr. Bashir it tells the story of his life starting with his training, and as a gardener, a spy, and an exile on Terok Nor before the Federation Occupation turning it into DS9
Since the book is written by the acto...more
Surprisingly excellent biography of a great character from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. A Stitch in Time is a semi-postmodern mosaic of interwoven retrospectives, soliloquys and and first-person stories written in the voice of Garak, the brilliant Cardassian tailor, or is it "spy"? The action takes place before, during and after DS9, from the perspective of an Elim Garak once again reinventing himself and Cardassia after the empire's liberation from the military's Central Command.
Mr. Robinson, w...more
Mr. Robinson, w...more
It reads like a true autobiography of the character. Its really about his life, from the time he was a child to his redemption as a more "humane" being.
I remember fondly as Garak grew on me throughout the series, from the hated spy to the dubious conspirator to the caring awkward man.
The book takes us along the same path. Its interesting that the actor writes the book, because it almost feels like the character wrote about himself.
I really enjoyed it, and even though the setting is the Star Tre...more
I remember fondly as Garak grew on me throughout the series, from the hated spy to the dubious conspirator to the caring awkward man.
The book takes us along the same path. Its interesting that the actor writes the book, because it almost feels like the character wrote about himself.
I really enjoyed it, and even though the setting is the Star Tre...more
It's always interesting to read stories written by actors about the characters they portrayed. Sometimes it works better than others. Avon: A Terrible Aspect by Paul Darrow left me wondering how Darrow had managed to portray the character so well without understanding him. With The Companions of Doctor Who: Harry Sullivan's War, Ian Marter captured his character perfectly, but, if memory serves (it has been 24 years or so since I read it), it had some writing and plotting issues. So it was with...more
Wow, what an awesome book. A fellow Garak fan told me about this book, and even though it took me a while to finally get around to it, I'm glad I did. Once I started picking up on things that were hinted throughout the DS9 episodes, I decided to watch all the Garak episodes while reading. Definitely made the experience even more awesome.
Yes, there were some flaws but considering Andrew J. Robinson isn't known as a writer, I think he did an awesome job tying in all the little anecdotes that Gara...more
Yes, there were some flaws but considering Andrew J. Robinson isn't known as a writer, I think he did an awesome job tying in all the little anecdotes that Gara...more
This was one of the better Star Trek novels set just after the series finale of Deep Space Nine. The novel is a bit confusing to follow as it doesn't go chronologically. For instance, it may start off on Deep Space Nine, then, in the next chapter, go to Garak's childhood, then back to DS9 but at an earlier time. Aside from this, "A Stitch in Time" is well written by the actor portraying Garak, Andrew Robinson. It reads almost like it was intended for the actor to better understand the character,...more
"Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?" -- DS9, Season 2, Episode 22, The Wire, Bashir to Garak.
This book is fantastic. Absolutely must read for a DS9 and especially a Garak fan. He's simply one of the best characters I've ever come across, not just in Star Trek and the book does him complete justice!
The book tells the story of Garak's life, from his own point of view, as a communique to Doctor Bashir. These biographical chapters are intertwined with the ha...more
This book is fantastic. Absolutely must read for a DS9 and especially a Garak fan. He's simply one of the best characters I've ever come across, not just in Star Trek and the book does him complete justice!
The book tells the story of Garak's life, from his own point of view, as a communique to Doctor Bashir. These biographical chapters are intertwined with the ha...more
You're here to find out who you are. And to create your own story. I haven't read many of the novels or novelizations of the Star Trek franchise, but something tells me that A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson (who played the character Elim Garak on Deep Space 9) is not your average Trek book. It could be that Garak was always my favorite (he ranks right up their with Data, Picard and Q) and so the book about his life gets special consideration, or it could be that Robinson is not only a gift...more
Garek, the enigmatic "simple tailor" on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, was one of my most beloved characters in the series. I don't normally read Star Trek books, or indeed any books based on a television series, but when I heard that the actor who played Garek wrote this book, I had to read it. That was over ten years ago, yet the book has stayed with me and I've thought of it often. A Stitch in Time, like the character Garek himself, is brilliant and multi-layered. Garek's charm, wit, and laser i...more
A marvelous subtle book about Garak by the actor who played him. He wrote a lot of it for himself as an actor’s tool, to make the character more real, to explain his motivations. This book goes into his childhood, his days as a spy with the Obsidian Order, and his present on a ruined Cardassia, trying to bring back some order and chaos, if only in his own life. Garak first identified himself to Julian as “a plain and simple tailor.” He is anything but. What is most interesting about this book is...more
Pretty good... rather realistic in the lack of sensationalism. I suppose it makes sense when looking at it from a memoir point of view, but it would have been nice for there to be more action and more focus on his work in the Order. Still, all of his choices and mistakes are so.. Garak.. It was really interesting reading everything that goes on beneath the unreadable surface, and that his true self is really more the tailor/gardener/poet than the assassin/spy/interrogator. Makes you really pity...more
This is probably one of the better Star Trek books out there, and it was written by the actor who portrayed Garak in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Though I will go ahead and warn you that honestly, he was probably my favorite character in that series, and that series is my favorite in the Star Trek franchise, so your mileage may vary wildly.
The character development that Mr. Robinson put into Garak filled in many blanks as to some of the quirky things about Garak that the series barely scratched t...more
The character development that Mr. Robinson put into Garak filled in many blanks as to some of the quirky things about Garak that the series barely scratched t...more
Not bad, but it relies very heavily on the fact that it was written by ANDREW ROBINSON, who plays Garak in the show. As such, it's clear that Robinson was given vast leeway in the creation of Garak's history, and I can't help but feel that we could have many books of similar caliber if other authors were allowed to invent a character's history. Very few authors can write compelling plots without delving much into a character's backstory. We can't all be Peter David. And ANY other author, no matt...more
Garak: you loved him or you hated him; but you were not ambivalent about him. Who knew him better than the actor who played him? Likely not even the writers.
This book takes you into the places and thoughts that made Garak such a polarizing character. Adds backstory and brings him forward in time. Adds to his lore by fleshing him out even more than seen on-screen.
This book also holds up to repeated readings. It sits well on the mind like an old friend. Well worth the time taken to enjoy it.
This book takes you into the places and thoughts that made Garak such a polarizing character. Adds backstory and brings him forward in time. Adds to his lore by fleshing him out even more than seen on-screen.
This book also holds up to repeated readings. It sits well on the mind like an old friend. Well worth the time taken to enjoy it.
One of the best Star Trek books out there -- the memoirs of Elim Garak (Cardassian gardener, student, spy, tailor, and diplomat) as told by the actor that played him. The book was well-written, with a fantastic exploration of the Cardassian educational and political systems and insight into the Obsidian Order, with some GREAT character backgrounds.
The book alternates between Garak's work helping Cardassia recover after the Dominion War and the story of his growing up, discovering his true paren...more
The book alternates between Garak's work helping Cardassia recover after the Dominion War and the story of his growing up, discovering his true paren...more
Garak was perhaps my favorite character from DS9, so I was very excited to read this book, and enjoyed it despite its flaws.
There are numerous typos and other errors any editor should have found, many characters go through multiple aliases in different parts of the books making them hard to distinguish, and the narrative itself is a bit jumbled: there's many smaller stories with minimal overarching narrative, and the ending is an unsurprising win for democracy and freedom; something I would exp...more
There are numerous typos and other errors any editor should have found, many characters go through multiple aliases in different parts of the books making them hard to distinguish, and the narrative itself is a bit jumbled: there's many smaller stories with minimal overarching narrative, and the ending is an unsurprising win for democracy and freedom; something I would exp...more
This is a fascinating character study of Deep Space 9's most complex character, spy-turned-tailor Garak, written by the man who knows him best: the actor who played him. The character's memoirs are lovingly rendered, as are the complexities of Cardassian society. I mean, talk about method acting!
But unfortunately, the book is a mess otherwise and could have benefited from tighter editing. Composed of journal entries that take place in three different time frames, the pacing between them was unev...more
But unfortunately, the book is a mess otherwise and could have benefited from tighter editing. Composed of journal entries that take place in three different time frames, the pacing between them was unev...more
Recently read this book and found it surprisingly good. This book lives up to the depth of story that DS9 displayed during its run, and adds to both the Star Trek universe and the Cardassian culture. An interest int he character of Garak is probably recommeneded to fully enjoy this read. The author of the book is the actor who played Garak, which adds to the books depth and insight - and the writing is very good.
This is one of the best Trek books I've read, and I've read dozens (I'll have to make sure they're added into Goodreads at some point!). It's really well written, it balances new information with canon, and it's one of the rare Trek books to focus on one of the better-known races and not become a muddled mess. If Andrew J. Robinson wrote every Trek book, then every Trek book would rate five stars.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and recall being rather impressed with Robinson's (Garak) writing. As is predicted, this book does finally inform the reader as to the reason for Garak's exile, which is nice. That said, I thought it was a bit weak. Part of me wishes we'd just been left in the dark to wonder what, if anything, he had done to deserve his fate. The rest of it, however, was a great read.
First read this one while still in Library school and found it to be the best of the Trek books by far (not that I've read very many! -- but I still feel confident making that assessment). Now it's half a dozen years later and I find I've forgotten most of the broader plot points, so I'm going back to reread it again. (Besides, I'm in quite a "Trek" mood at the moment and could also use some soothing reading material ... this fits the bill on both counts.)
What do you do when the series you're on ends, but there's more to your character's story? Andrew J. Robinson's answer was to write this book. Garak could have been a caricature, but Robinson's portrayal was multi-faceted, layered and always enjoyable. This novel has some rough spots, but Robinson made Garak compelling on the page as he did on the screen.
A 400 page epic I finished in a matter of hours. Engrossing, melancholy, emotional and astonishing...the ultimate last word on Garak, from the pen of Garak himself (Andrew J. Robinson). There are several books that compete for the rank of best "Star Trek" novel...and this one may have actually topped all the others. This is a truly special read.
Incredibly well-written book. It feels like the TV series was made to accompany the book :-)
Not only is it absolutely in character and neatly tying every reference made throughout the seven seasons of DS9, but I find it to be an awesome book from a literary point of view. This is one of those books that you read, and then you are scared by the fact that you might not have chosen to read, missing out on an fabulous experience.
Bravo to Mr. Robinson! Way above and beyond the usual quality of media...more
Not only is it absolutely in character and neatly tying every reference made throughout the seven seasons of DS9, but I find it to be an awesome book from a literary point of view. This is one of those books that you read, and then you are scared by the fact that you might not have chosen to read, missing out on an fabulous experience.
Bravo to Mr. Robinson! Way above and beyond the usual quality of media...more
I read this book right after DS9 finished airing and I absolutely adored it. Andrew Robinson knows the character of Elim Garak better than anyone and fleshes out his backstory with ease and intrigue. I'm currently reading this book again a second time and it makes me want to rewatch the whole series again.
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May 19, 2013 11:57pm