Die Gesetze der Föderation

by Keith R.A. DeCandido, Anika Klüver (Übersetzer)

Ein Blick in die Hallen der Macht des STAR TREK-Universums!

Nan Bacco von Cestus III hat eine heiß umkämpfte Wahl um das Amt des Föderationspräsidenten gewonnen und nun die Führung über mehr als einhundertfünfzig planetare Zivilisationen und deren Kolonien inne. Doch kaum dass sie ihr Amt angetreten hat, versinkt das Romulanische Sternenimperium im Chaos. Die ohnehin schon angespannte Lage verschärft sich, als ein remanisches Flüchtlingsschiff entdeckt wird, das mit unbekannten Absichten auf einen Außenposten der Föderation zusteuert.

Während das erste Jahr des Bacco-Regierung voranschreitet, kommt es beständig zu Konflikten zwischen dem Föderationsrat und der neuen Präsidentin. Doch die ablehnende Haltung des Rates gegenüber Baccos Entscheidungen ist nicht ihr einziges Problem: Ein erfolgreicher Erstkontakt entwickelt sich plötzlich zu einem diplomatischen Desaster. Und die Sünden, die Baccos Vorgänger beging, ziehen verheerende Konsequenzen nach sich... während die Karriere eines gefeierten Sternenflottenoffiziers einen Wendepunkt erreicht.

Der perfekte Auftakt für die Trilogie STAR TREK - DESTINY!

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Politics, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space, Space Opera

450 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I assume every other review says this but I'll say it anyway. This is The West Wing in space. And it's awesome.

I love being able to see the civillian side of Star Trek, to see how the government of hundreds of worlds actually functions. It's a side of the universe we don't really get to see in the movies and tv shows, outside of their direct dealings with Starfleet, and they're usually corrupt, possessed by aliens or both.

There are many characters in this, but it mostly revolves around Federation President Nan Bacco, a former planetary governor who is old enough and experienced enough that she doesn't have time for the usual bullshit, so often cuts right to the point. There are times, many times, where she reminds me of President Bartlet from The West Wing, but it's more to do with their shared moral code than anything else.

I love that while there's always corruption, moral questions and darkness in the universe, this book takes a refreshingly positive approach. These characters are good, imperfect but trying to do the right thing. It fills me with a hope that I haven't felt in a very long time when it comes to Star Trek.

There's a classic Star Trek moment where President Bacco tries to convince a character to do the right thing. The character has a position and doesn't want to budge, and it's up to Bacco to convince them of the good they'll be doing if they can move past their legitimate trauma to do the right thing.

That's Star Trek to me. So, I'm glad in this age of grimdark, revenge killing, f-bomb filled Trek on TV, I still get to enjoy a more positive spin on the universe.

[John Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this just has the basic "Star Trek" prefix, it's set in the same time period as TNG/DS9, rather than TOS. More specifically, it's set shortly after Nemesis, and spans a year in the Star Trek universe.

There were recently a set of 12 TNG novels published, and they all had titles that began with "A time to...", e.g. "A time to die". This book is set after them, and also after the first couple of Star Trek Titan novels (which follow the adventures of Captain Riker). I haven't read any of those books, and I don't think this caused any problems - as far as I can tell, this novel recapped everything that I need to know. However, by necessity that meant that it had to give away certain key events from those books, so if I now choose to read them then they've been spoilt a bit. I don't say that as a criticism of this book, it's just something to be aware of, i.e. if you are likely to read the other novels then it makes sense to read them first.

Apparently the brief for this book was "Star Trek meets West Wing"; I've never actually watched "West Wing", but I liked KRAD's previous political Trek novel (Diplomatic Implausibility), so I was happy to give this one a shot. Speaking of the previous book, I enjoyed reading about Ambassador Worf, so I was annoyed to see him rejoin Starfleet in Nemesis. This book follows up on that by saying that his son Alexander has taken over the job, so there is still (sort of) an Ambassador Worf liaising between the Federation and the Empire.

Anyway, this novel is set in and around the office of the President of the Federation, so the President and her support staff are the leading characters. As with Harbinger, reporters play a prominent part in the story, with frequent press conferences. However, that seemed perfectly natural in this story, and didn't bother me at all. One thing that did surprise me was how open they were about the position of the President's speechwriter, i.e. that she wasn't actually reading her own words. When I think about it I can sort of see a justification for it, and I'm sure that the same thing happens with modern day politicians, but I wouldn't expect any of them to advertise this fact - perhaps I'm just being naive there.

There are also a few nice cameos from familiar faces. For instance, at one point in the novel there's a debate where various planets are requesting aid, i.e. resources to rebuild in the wake of the Dominion War. More specifically, Garak is representing Cardassia while Lwaxana Troi represents Betazed, and they are in opposition about who is more deserving: Cardassia sustained worse damage, but arguably that's their own fault for allying with the Dominion in the first place. I liked this debate, because I'm sympathetic to both characters, and therefore both sides - it's not really about good vs bad, just that each person has their own agenda, to best serve their people. (Digressing slightly, this is something that Priest handled very well in his run on Black Panther.)

While this book refers closely to the novels I mentioned above, and to the Reman crisis from Nemesis, it also picks up on some plot points from other novels, which I thought was a nice touch. Specifically, it mentions the Selelvians (from New Frontier), and the problems on Trill (from the DS9 relaunch).

Unlike Harbinger, this book tells a complete story, and it does that well. I'm not sure whether it's actually intended to be the start of a new series, but I would be very happy to buy any follow-up novels.

[RE de Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far my favorite Star Trek book ever, which funny, because it's not set on a ship, not set in space, and not (in the physical sense) about exploring strange new worlds.

I suppose the reason I like it is because I'm fond of the Star Trek universe, and I enjoy exploring its full complexity. I don't know any novel where that complexity is better explored than in Articles of the Federation. (If you want to contextualize my opinion as a fan, I am fondest of Deep Space Nine by far among the five TV Treks.)

It also helps that Keith R.A. DeCandido is a genius at writing contemporary characters in action. (And if you know your Trek, then you know that that's the magic formula for making the franchise's best stories) Fedration President Nan Bacco has become one of my favorite characters in the Star Trek universe, depicted by DeCandido so powerfully that you can relate to her almost as if she was a character you'd seen onscreen.

To appreciate this book fully, though, read through the "A Time To..." series, which introduces you to the characters and political milieu of this piece.

I must say "A Time To..." followed by "Articles of the Federation" is the most pleasurable and satisfying Trek reading experience I've ever had.

RE de Leon
Agoo, La Union, Philippines
9:05 PM January 2, 2011

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasons why you should read this book:

1. You are a fan of political dramas that involve multiple main characters dealing with crises and scandals.
2. The television show The West Wing is your favorite of all of those.
3. You are curious about the inner workings of the Federation, a major government in the Star Trek universe, and you remember that Starfleet is really only a branch of the military in the grand scheme of things.
4. You enjoy reading about other inhabitants of the Star Trek universe, not just characters familiar from television and film.

Really, there’s not much more I can say other than if you like the above things, you’ll love Articles of the Federation as much as I did.

This was a dense read, but maintained a fast pace (walking and talking, anyone?) with enough drama that it never dragged. The easiest way to describe it really is “The West Wing set in the Star Trek universe,” and the book presents the best of both worlds. Even though the characters are unfamiliar, they are well-developed and easy to keep track of. The physical setting is also richly detailed and for me was actually a nice change of pace from the starships and alien planets more common to Star Trek stories.

Star Trek is action-driven science fiction at it’s roots, but I’d totally watch President Bacco and her staff take on the Alpha Quadrant, too.

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review will be up on Roqoo Depot soon. This is one of the best Star Trek books I've ever read, and it is so sad that there are not more like it. 5 out of 5! Excellent job DeCandido!

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Articles of the Federation is a Star Trek story unlike most others. Inspired by TV’s “The West Wing,” the book follows a year in the life of new United Federation of Planets president Nan Bacco, with several different storylines and a central theme but little overall plot.

There is something in it for every Trek fan, with frequent familiar name-dropping, and a strong loyalty to the Star Trek universe timeline as well as the author’s own other works. An appendix presents a list of all UFP presidents, for additional historical context.

Bacco’s year seems mostly to be occupied by challenge and tragedy, but her friend and chief of staff provides a summary of her victories near the end of the book. The president is mostly revealed as a hard, determined character, dressing down a Klingon ambassador at one point, but her more likable side comes out in her love for baseball and banter with her friend.

The plethora of characters can be difficult to keep track of, as well as their species and genders. The lead-in for each segment of the book featuring a news talk show and random observers of the program gets distracting by the end. But overall, it’s a fun diversion into the politics and diplomacy of Star Trek.

Taking place primarily in Earth’s popular city of Paris but in the distant future, Articles of the Federation goes to a time where no one who’s not a “Trekkie/Trekker” has gone before.

[Brent Knorr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Articles of the Federation
BOOK REVIEW: This novel is a little unusual as it isn’t based on a Starship and it covers a year of time in the first year of Federation President Bacco’s term in office. It takes place shortly after the movie Nemesis and is firmly entrenched in the literary universe’s timeline, which has largely been negated by recent T.V. shows, particularly Picard.
NOTE ON REVIEW: The rest of this review is looking at the novel in the light of how it can be adapted for the Star Trek Adventures Roleplaying Game from Modiphius and I’ve structured it in their Mission Brief format. The style of the novel doesn’t really lend itself to being adapted as an adventure, but there are a couple events that could be used. They occur in the background in the novel, but could be the focus for a ship and crew. I've picked one of these events to do as a Mission Brief.
SUGGESTED ERA OF PLAY: Next Gen (2380)
SUGGESTED SPOTLIGHT ROLE: Diplomat or Captain
SYNOPSIS
Following the surprise resignation of Federation President Min Zife after the disastrous Tezwa affair, Nan Bacco of Cestus III has won a hotly contested election to become the new chief executive of over one hundred fifty planetary civilizations and their colonies. But no sooner does she take office than the Romulan Star Empire falls into chaos. With tensions already high, a Reman refugee ship is sighted approaching a Federation outpost, its intentions unknown.
As the first year of the Bacco Administration unfolds, the Federation Council is slow to work with its new president, and not always supportive of her policies or her appointments to key council positions; a successful first contact suddenly becomes a diplomatic disaster; and the sins of President Zife prove difficult to lay to rest...as one celebrated Starfleet officer's career reaches a turning point...
OPENING LOG
“Outpost 22 along the Romulan Neutral Zone has picked up a ship heading straight for it from the Miridian system in Romulan space. You are being sent to the Outpost to assist in determining what it’s intentions are and provide any support that the Outpost may require”.
MAJOR BEATS
BEAT ALPHA
Sensors read the ship as a Shirekral-class vessel. This vessel type hasn’t been in operation since the late twenty-third century and earlier. This vessel is still using an ion drive. This type of vessel was common during the Earth Romulan wars of the twenty-second century, but all the ones that were still in active service in the late twenty-third century had their ion drives replace wih the singularity drives that they still use. A successful difficulty 5 long range sensor roll for general lifesign readings will indicate that the ship is full of Remans. Additional information spends will reveal there are no other lifesigns, including Romulans. They are heading straight for Outpost 22 at warp three-point-one-two. This is faster than those ships are supposed to be able to go. A failed roll will mean waiting a week to try again, with the difficulty being reduced by 1.
Outpost 22 is the closest Federation station to the Miridian system and is otherwise basically in the middle of nowhere, making it unlikely that Outpost 22 is not their intended destination.
The Remans have never operated in the Miridian system, it is a system that was taken by the Romulans approximately fifteen years ago, and has an indigenous life-form that has provided the slave labor that, in other parts of the empire, has traditionally been performed by the Remans. Since Shinzon’s coup, the Miridians have also risen up, and with their infrastructure in tatters, the Romulans have been unable to quell the uprising. There have been reports that the Miridians creating a kind of underground rail-road, supplying ships and methods of getting out of Romulan space.
At it’s current speed, it will take the ship eight weeks to reach Federation Space and six weeks to be within Communications range.
BEAT BETA
All Remans residing in Romulan space currently live under the protection of the Klingon Empire. This means that if the Remans are refugees and they request that the Federation grant them asylum, granting it would be a breach of the treaty the Federation has with the Klingons. They could approach the Federation Ambassador to Qo’noS, Alexander Rozhenko and ask him to check with the Klingon High Council to see if they will be willing to let the Federation take some of the Remans off their hands. This would seem to be quite unlikely though. They will need to convince the Ambassador to even make the effort.
Attempts to communicate with the Reman ship go unanswered. Additional sensor readings can show that the communication systems are only operating at a low power level, possibly being used for internal communications only.
As background information, The Remans are not slaves now, so if their only reason for claiming asylum is persecution by Romulans, it would not be enough to grant them asylum. The Romulan Star Empire is not considered an enemy nation at this time, and barely exists as a political entity right now.
One possible solution, particularly in light of reports of violence against Remans seeming to escalate (see minor beats), would be to propose that the Remans get their own world, rather than just a section on Romulus. The Klingons recently expanded into Sector 798-C, the Kavrot Sector, a few years ago and shared some of their sensor data with the Federation, particularly the areas they scanned but didn’t explore or didn’t thing were worth their while. A suitable planet could be found in that sector. Between them, the Klingons and Remans have enough ships to transport all the Remans currently living in Ehri’fvil to a new world
BEAT GAMMA
The Shirekral-class vessel reaches Outpost 22 and identifies itself as the Reman Free Vessel Vkruk and its captain requests asylum in the Federation for himself and his crew, which includes twenty-nine Remans of both sexes. Some research will reveal that Vkruk was the name of Shinzon’s viceroy.
The Reman’s leader, who is called Jianuk, is requesting asylum from other Remans. Jianuk was one of Shinzon’s soldiers, They fought together during the war. The twenty-nine Remans on the Vkruk were all loyal to Shinzon – emphasis on were. They claim to have been persecuted by their fellow Remans because they condemned Shinzon’s actions. They wish to live out their lives in the Federation.
The stance of the Klingon’s is that they are not Reman refugees. They are Klingon proteges. Under the terms of the Khitomer Accords, the Federation is obliged to turn them over to the empire at the Klingons request. The Klingons are sending the Defense Force vessel, the I.K.S Ditagh to Outpost 22. It will arrive in four days, at that time they expect that all twenty-nine Remans will be turned over to Captain Vikagh, who will remand them to Klingon custody.
Some research can reveal a loop hole in this argument. The Kihtomer Accords state that if the empire requests that Klingon nations requesting asylum must be turned over to the empire, they will be.
However, Klingon nationals means Klingons who are citizens of the empire, as well as the various subject species. It can be argued that this does not apply to the Remans as they are not citizens and they are not jeghpu’wI’, they are just under the Klingons protection. T will be difficult to convince the Klingons that this is anything more than a semantic difficulty. They consider such a literal-minded interpretation to be cowardly.
The Klingons will agree to the notion of providing the Remans with their own homeworld. They have chosen Klorgat IV to be the new homeworld. However, this is contingent upon the Federation delivering all twenty-nine Remans to the Ditagh when it arrives.
Basically, the unspoken reason the Klingons won’t negotiate is because being protectors of the Remans is something that they take seriously for one reason: It gets the Romulans really mad.
Additional investigation on Jianuk can reveal that there is no basis to his claims. It seems that Shinzon’s inner circle are revered among Remans, not reviled.
If the players are not questioning Jianuk’s motivation at this point, Commander Bowles of Outpost 22 can provide an opposing voice. They were allied with Shinzon, who’s first act was to attack the Federation. She feels that every time they ask them why they’re doing this, their answers are rehearsed, and they’re the blandest reasons – freedom, liberty, and to avoid persecution from their fellow Remans. She feels they have something planned..
Commander Bowles, or suspicious PC’s are correct. The Vkruk makes a suicide run at Outpost 22 before the Ditagh arrives. If the players suspicions have been aroused, steps could have been taken to minimize the damage done. The outposts shields can be kept up at full strength, they can stay at yellow alert and at battle stations, and the outer portions of the outpost could be evacuated for the duration of the Vkruk’s stay. The players ship can take similar precautions. If they are monitoring the state of the Vkruk, they can detect a warp buildup in it and will be able to fire on it at least once before it hits the outpost.

MINOR BEATS
Violence between Klingon vessels protecting Remus and Romulan military vessels has been escalating over the last two months. The settling of the Remans in the Erie’fvil colony has not gone smoothly, with dozens of Remans being attacking in their homes by supposedly unidentified attackers. Ehrie’fvil is the name of the continent on Romulus where the Remans had relocated. Remus itself was barely habitable, used only for mining dilithium and manufacturing heavy weapons. The Remans could service the Romulans there but not command their own destiny, as Remus could never be self-sufficient.
There was a cave-in in one of the dilithium mines on Remus, killing at least a hundred Remans. This report comes from Ambassador Rozhenko. He was meeting with Chancellor Martok when the news came to the Great all (assuming he was convinced to meet with Martok).
There was an explosion on one of the farms in Ehrie’fvil. No one was killed but there was extensive damage.
There was also a report of a Reman couple being found brutally murdered.
KEY NPCS
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/...

CONCLUSION
The mission can end with the attack on the Outpost, and with a plan to relocate other Reman’s, although that portion could take place “off screen’ without the players direct involvement.
ADDING THIS MISSION TO YOUR CAMPAIGN
This novel takes place at a very specific time in the timeline of the literary timeline, but the basic idea of a group claiming to be refugees but really planning to attack the Federation could be adapted for different time periods, perhaps using a group of Klingons or some other race.

[Jimyanni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad if you like that sort of thing. Actually, if you like that sort of thing (which is to say, political intrigue and manuevering) it's quite good, really. If this wasn't a Star Trek novel, and if I'd somehow stumbled upon it, I'd probably have rated it much higher -- possibly even five stars. But this isn't what I read Star Trek for; the closest we come to seeing a character that was familiar before Decandido's previous couple of novels is a brief cameo from Martok and Alexander Rozhenko, and a VERY minor cameo from Spock. There is no action in this book, no "To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before", no space travel beyond a bit of shuttling about on political junkets (which mostly happens behind the scenes.) The main characters are politicians, not Starfleet officers, and the challenges they face are entirely divorced from any action or derring-do. (The closest we got to anything of that sort was a reporter who was threatened by a mob boss -- who just happened to be an Orion, but could as easily have been named Guido.

I understand what the author was trying to do; he wanted to show that the Federation isn't that different, except in scale, from the modern world and that the art of politics in a democracy hasn't changed by being a couple of centuries removed from the here and now. And that there are heroes in the realm of politics, just as there are in the realm of space opera, and not all challenges faced in heroic fashion are physical ones. I get it. As a story, set in the Star Trek universe, it's interesting and moving.

But as a Star Trek novel, it falls flat. As I say, this isn't what I'm looking for when I pick up a Star Trek novel, and it was very disappointing. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it never did.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favourite Star Trek book so far! Star Trek and The West Wing had a baby snd it is the cutest little ball of snark in the universe. I would watch seven seasons of this!

Also, gratuitous Sports Night references for the win.

[Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have seen or read about other worlds governments but never the Federation. I loved the wit and grit of President Bacco. Everything isn’t always so perfect in the Federation.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this novel came out in 2005, for some reason I never got around to reading it until just this year, despite the fact that the subject matter is right up my alley. This has proven to be a glaring oversight, as Articles of the Federation has now firmly established itself as one of my all-time favorite Star Trek novels. Full of memorable characters and finally showing how the government of the Federation operates on a day-to-day basis, this novel was a heck of a lot of fun to read. I wish there was a lot more focus on the governance of the Federation in Star Trek, as it is fertile ground for new and different stories set in my favorite science fiction universe!

Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/06/AotF....

[Ryan King · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Star Trek novels action is almost always concentrated on a Starship with a crew in space addressing a single, overarching problem. Naturally, you think that is pretty much the central point of the Star Trek universe and don't consider anything outside of the crew and their mission.

Articles of the Federation does a good job of going against that notion and gives the reader the opportunity to consider the 'reality' of the fictitious universe of Star Trek. President Nan Bacco, the leader of the United Federation of Planets, deals with a multitude of crises, handles them as best she can and perseveres through victories and setbacks in galactic and Federation politics.

I enjoyed Articles of the Federation for the way it tried to tie together many different storylines into a coherent example of what it would be like to run this 154 member world organization and its military organization, Starfleet. Bacco and her loyal Chief of Staff, along with a host of new and familiar trek faces handle first contacts, the fallout from Star Trek: Nemesis, Federation Council politics, political scandal and various other issues over the course of one year of Bacco's term. It is a realistic portrayal in that Bacco does not solve all problems, but has some wins, some losses and a few ties here and there.

The author also does a good job of incorporating a wealth of Star Trek primary characters, mingling them with supporting characters from the series(es) and merging both with new characters created for the book. They add to the story, but do not hold it up and I found myself enjoying their presence but not missing them after their plot was complete.

My biggest criticism of the book itself would be the way many of the characters, including Nan Bacco, are written. The banter between the President and her staff, the President and alien dignitaries -- really the President and any body was a tad bit off. I am a big fan of the West Wing, I can honestly not remember a time that President Bartlett made "funny" threats against other foreign leaders to be funny, emphasize a point or be humorous to the readers/viewers. I understand it is useful as a literary device but it's application could have been sharper and a bit more strategic.

All in all, an interesting book and a window into the Star Trek universe that is, sadly, a mystery to even the most hardcore of fans. I liked the book but I had hoped to love it.

[Maurice Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first year of Federation President Nan Bacco's administration, and it's certainly not boring. The chair in the presidential office is still warm from Min Zife's administration and President Bacco is up to her neck in drama. Between annoying assistants, bickering councilors, a botched first contact, fallout from the Tezwa situation caused by Zife's chief of staff Koll Azernal, disrespectful Klingon ambassadors and the splintering of the Romulan Empire, President Bacco barely has time to breathe, much less keep up with baseball season on her native Cestus III.

After being introduced to Bacco and her chief of staff Esperanza Pineiro in A Time For War, A Time For Peace, I was glad to see them get a whole book to themselves fo further develop these fine characters. I always love to see characters from other books appear in different contexts, which made the appearance of Ambassador Colton Morrow (from A Time To Love and A Time To Hate) quite enjoyable.

Watching Bacco and particularly Pineiro butt heads with security advisor Jas Abrik was interesting. He was campaign manager for her opponent and got his position because he knows what really happened on Tezwa. He's qualified for the job, but openly disrespectful to both his president and her chief of staff, to whom he is subordinate, even though he seems not to realize it.

I found this to be an interesting behind the scenes look at the Federation in the halls of power as opposed to the decks of a starship or of a space station.

[Eric Cone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sat on my shelf for 8 yrs; it took Nan Bacco's assassination in The Fall to bring me to read it. Keith has done a masterful job of bringing us the behind-the-scenes machinations of Federation politics, while giving us a rich variety of characters; especially President Bacco. There's a poignant presidential memorial service that brought me to tears (a rarity, for me, so-far-as books go). 'Articles of the Federation' has become one of my 'Top 5' Star Trek novels.

[Christopher Backa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not your typical Star Trek novel. This is basically Star Trek the west wing. Gives you a look into how the federation government operates. I read this book to understand the character of President Bacco who plays a role in the story arc in the destiny era novels. I enjoyed the book, it was a little slow in the middle but I found it an interesting read. Add a star if you love reading political focused stories, subtract a star if you are looking for a typical Star Trek starship story.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m working my way through the post nemesis list & when I came to this I read it more to have read everything rather than looking forward to it as aim not a big fan of a West Wing type stories but this book is great. Hats off to Keith R A de Candido well written quick moving & an engaging story this was one of my favorites to date. We need more Trek novels from Mr DeCandido!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The West Wing" in the United Federation of Planets, late 24th century. A good read, especially if you are familiar with the literary universe that spans the dozen or so years after Data's death in "Star Trek: Nemesis."

[GraceAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book among my son's work. It's Star Trek meets The West Wing, and I love it. The character of Nan Bacco is based on Keith's great-grandmother, my grandmother.

[Crystal Bensley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was gonna be 3 stars but Nan Bacco is so awesome and the West Wing/ Star Trek feel of this is so unique it earned its extra star!

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The West Wing meets Star Trek.

One thing I've always wondered about is how the United Federation of Planets works. The name implies its meant to work roughly analogous to the United Nations but it has its own military and power. Indeed, a Federation means that it probably functions more like the original United States did before we gradually became more federalized versus state-based (after a little something called the Civil War).

Articles of the Federation more or less shows how the Federation works by following its President in the post-Dominion War era, Nanietta Bacco, as she attempts to navigate the events following Shinzon's overthrow. This is very much set in the events of the Star Trek-Lit universe, frequently referencing events in other novels (particularly Star Trek: Titan).

Reading this after the first J.J. Abrams movie is kind of hilarious as everyone reacts to Praetor Shinzon's actions as the most devastating thing which has ever happened to Romulus. While it's wrong to laugh at genocide, even of fictional races, I can't help but feel a little schadenfreude as the Romulan's future woes.

Take that, evil space elves.

Honestly, I can't wait for the novels to catch up to the movie timeline since it will nicely rid the Star Trek Lit-universe of several truly appalling Romulan politicians. I admit, I also want to see the reaction of many characters in this book who are desperate to appease them.

Articles of the Federation consists of not so much a narrative as a 'Week in the Life of the Federation's President' and watching her deal with various scandals, meetings, diplomatic conferences, and so on. The writing is very anarchic, feeding into the idea that the President is constantly under scrutiny and forced to deal with a hundred different things simultaneously.

I very much enjoyed some of the subplots: the investigation of the previous President's arms trafficking to an independent planet, persuading a surgeon to perform an operation on an enemy race's VIP (despite her being a former POW of them), and why a seemingly friendly race constantly becomes belligerent every time they leave their planet.

I'm a bit "meh" about Nanietta Bacco, herself. She seems designed to be a badass President who steamrolls her way through any opposition to the most moral outcome possible. My favorite parts of the book are when the author has this backfire horribly. She's an okay character but I enjoy my Trek characters a little more flawed. It doesn't help I'm not a big fan of baseball and find her obsession as baffling as I found Sisko's.

The supporting cast, however, is awesome. I loved each and every one of them from the President's aides down to the Betazoid college roommates watching political TV for a class. There's a large, interesting, and diverse cast spread throughout the story. While fans might something with a bit more 'meat' to it, I think this is one of the most enjoyable Star Trek novels I've ever read.

9/10

[Star Trek Novels and Comics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I surprisingly LOVED this book.

Its the President and her chief of Staff that make this novel. They are well written characters. Alive, full of stress and life.

Its events tie in nicely once Typhon Pact arrives as backstory to the political noise that was moved to this novel and has a thematic world rooted in an office comedy.

I laughed at the humor. Learned a great deal about how the president, the CNC, the Federation Council all had to work together.

The political horse trading and stressful job of managing the federation with strength from a strong female leader is realistic and does not feel patronizing. She is the President Nana Bacco from Cestus III the world of dispute in the 2260s with the Gorn. She knows the Gorn and how they think. We learn more about the Tholians and Gorn from a perspective we don't often get away from the Bridge and into the Federation Council in Paris on Earth.

I rank this in my top 10 somehow of Star Trek Novels and thats not easy feat.

Keith is an excellent plotter and character writer. I believe he is a fine peer with Peter David although David is a better plotter and that may be his only edge.

High praise for the Novel that brings you coffee at the office and leaves you entertained because it is so well written.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Articles of the Federation is an attempt at Star Trek does the West Wing. I like Star Trek. I like West Wing. But I've avoided reading this book for years because I tend to think the less a backstory is explored the better. In Star Trek we know what the Federation is in general terms, but we don't know the details of how it works. The Federation is interesting because it allows the viewer to fill in those details however they choose. Backstory is intended to engage our imaginations. Once you start filling things in you get shit like, "Now this is podracing!" Knowing that this book was heavily inspired by the West Wing suggested to me that an American-style Presidential system was going to grafted on to the Federation and I just couldn't find much enthusiasm for that until recently with the premier of Star Trek Picard. Picard is a show that uses the politics of the Federation as its starting point. I was curious about how the Trek books writers handled it 15 years ago.

Does DeCandido make the Federation an analogue of the American system as I feared? Not really. He does something else that I never really considered but is obvious in retrospect. He writes the Federation President like a Starfleet captain. President Bacco is weirdly rude, but otherwise a typical Star Trek captain. Yeah, there is some political maneuvering with the Federation Council and the book is generally much more talky than another Star Trek story might be but the vibe isn't wildly different than a diplomacy heavy TNG episode.

The book itself is good. It's got some interesting dilemmas for the characters to deal with and I'm glad to hear their stories carry on into other Star Trek books. For the continuity worriers, Articles isn't wildly out of step with the Picard continuity either making this a good choice for people interested in further reading from that show.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keith R.A. DeCandido has so much Star Trek trivia in his head that reading one of his novels is like peering into the minds of Gene Rodenberry and Peter David. From his in-depth knowledge of obscure Trek history, and even some subtle jabs at the show's trend of casting the same actor for multiple roles, DeCandido creates an awesome tapestry of work that shows the background of a tumultuous year in the Federation, pulling in all the various stories that have occurred from Trek's relaunch following the events of Nemesis.

I didn't think I'd like a heavily political book, but this was awesome, and it unfolds as if you're watching an actual episode. His portrayal of the characters is on point, and while this isn't heavily steeped in action like other novels, it also gives an depth and reality to the series that I've really enjoyed in the current run of novels!

[Snogged · Rating 3 out of 5]

For context, I read this book without reading the 12 book series that came prior to it. I also never watched The West Wing. I picked this up because it was recommended thru the Women at Warp podcast and I wanted to learn more about Nan Bacco.

The leading characters in the book are not familiar faces; but instead are Nan and her staff. There are a few familiar faces and mentions - one is that Spock shows up briefly and another describes a past situation where Garak and Lwaxana Troi got into it during a council meeting. It also gets into the Reman crisis from my least favorite Trek movie - Nemesis..

If you're not interested in learning more about diplomatic relations and the inner workings of Federation government, this book is not for you. I liked it, but not enough to give it a 4- or 5-star rating.

[Luke Sims-Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sad when this book ended. Not because the ending was sad, but because I could have happily read another few hundred pages of it.

This is the first novel by Keith R.A DeCandido that I've read and he will be a Trek author that I will seek out in the future. His novel the Articles of the Federation is about the first year in president Nan Bacco's first year in office. So I guess you could call this, West Wing, done in the Trek style. It works, i loved reading about the ins and outs of the running's of the Federation and yeah there may have been moments when I wanted some more Trekky things like space exploration etc... but the novel just made me happy then sad that it was the only one like it.

High recommend.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a nagging feeling all throughout this book that I had read it before. However, when nothing turned out like I remembered, I came to the conclusion that I have not. Given the wide range of Trek books out there, and how they focus on the front lines as it were, with the main characters usually being a bridge crew of a massive starship, it was refreshing to see the cogs of the Federation government at play -- even if parts of it did feel a little close to the underpinnings of the United States administration for my liking. There wasn't much of a climax, more of a tremor really, but I still enjoyed this book rather a lot.

[Piper Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I can't believe I should be so lucky to get an ENTIRE NOVEL crossover for the West Wing and Star Trek. All the characters felt like real, lived-in, flawed, overworked political staff and it was just so so perfect. Missing the full 5 stars because I don't feel that this covered much new (other than the Tzenkethi who we really don't hear much about). Also, Admiral Ross killing Zife????? (Or I guess S31 killing Zife... that's DARK). Anyway it's too bad we don't get more off this but I suppose you can have too much of a good thing. Just, how refreshing to read a book not from the perspective of Starfleet saving the day. This time it's Josh Lyman! I mean.. Nan Bacco.

[Wesley Molt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaving the ranks of Starfleet, this novel takes us to Paris, capital of the Federation during the first year of Nanietta 'Nan' Bacco as president of the Federation. She comes to power shortly after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, and as such, among her other problems, she has to deal with the aftermath of Shinzon's coup. Through ups and downs, missteps, diplomatic problems and attempting to keep the peace between the Federation, the Romulans, Remans and the Klingons, Nan shows she has what it takes to play the game and come out on top.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never having watched The West Wing, I wasn't sure how much I'd like this. TV shows about politicians like Veep and The Thick of It didn't do it for me, thought I have enjoyed stuff like Spin City and Parks and Recreation. But this ended up being nice collection of vignettes throughout the year 2380. My favorite bit was when The Doctor from Voyager was brought in and used as an argument for why B4 should be considered sentient. Also nice to see Joseph Sisko in this. I'd not read any of the A Time To... novels before this, but I was still able to enjoy the story.

[Kai Knetsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very different kind of Star Trek book. It was interesting to learn about the inner workings of the Federation and hear about some of the issues that are happening in the year 2380 to further along the timeline. However, I felt like there wasn't a main plot going on throughout the novel. I think it could have been better if there was one main on-going issue to tie things together. I learned that I prefer books based on a mission and I missed the usual/familiar characters.