Age of Unreason

Star Trek SCE (ebooks) Novellas #26

by Scott Ciencin

In the wake of the catastrophic events of Wildfire, Carol Abramowitz, Bart Faulwell, and Soloman are sent on a special mission to Vrinda, where the S.C.E. must introduce new technology to the world while avoiding getting embroiled in the political struggle between the Nasnan and the rival Tirza Sirajaldin. But first Abramowitz must participate in a ritual involving the expression of honest, naked emotion -- one that has already been botched by Martin Mansur, the previous Federation representative, who is also a rival from Abramowitz's past.

Never particularly comfortable expressing her emotions, Abramowitz must confront her own personal difficulties, and also confront Mansur, even as Tirza Sirajaldin saboteurs threaten the project's very existence....

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Technology, Adventure, Ebooks

76 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2003

About the author

Scott Ciencin was a New York Times best-selling novelist of 90+ books. He wrote adult and children's fiction and worked in a variety of mediums including comic books. He created programs for Scholastic Books, designed trading cards, consulted on video games, directed and produced audio programs & TV commercials, and wrote in the medical field about neurosurgery and neurology. He first worked in TV production as a writer, producer and director. He lived in Sarasota, Florida with his wife (and sometimes co-author) Denise.

(Also wrote under the pseudonyms Nick Baron and L.J. Oliver)

Reviews

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is just way to much happening in this short ebook, which is, I must stress, even shorter than most of the S.C.E. series. And that's a problem when you're asked to understand an alien culture - it's based on being honest about your emotions, but I wanted to see more of an impact on their society - AND a complicated technobabble mystery (it all seems like magic to me). Not even sure what the "Age of Unreason" really is beyond the buzz word. A good role for Carol, but Soloman doesn't speak (or show up much) until the epilogue. He's just a tool because there's no way Bart can figure out the tech alone, so wasted in this series of "character builders". We learn something new about her at least - that she was robbed of discoveries by Mansur - but we don't really explore it beyond that. For only a few pages more, we could have made sense of their relationship and even his motivation (or did he just go mad?). I think the biggest disappointment is the character of Ian, who she meets in the first chapter. A lot of romantic potential and I liked their banter, but the mission interrupts them and he never reappears in the book series. I'm left with the Carol I started with: Someone I don't know very well, but who's job aboard ship interests me. Why is she so angry? We only see the tip of the iceberg. Definitely one of the S.C.E.s that make me feel the length, but the sad thing is, it didn't NEED to be THIS short.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another aftermath novella. A culture that is ruled by emotional truth has a new weapon that allows people to be in more than one place at a time. The SCE has to stop it working before a war breaks out. A fun read, with an interesting new culture.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite SCE stories! The SCE basically meets Conan the Barbarian.

[De · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was very interesting, but not enough time was spent exploring it. This story reminded me of so many Star Trek episodes with interesting ideas and not finding the proper balance of plot and setting.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little confusing, but more adventurous pure sci-fi then I'm used to from this series.

[John Barclay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting idea for a novella. Feels like an update of an old school SF short story.