Star Trek Voyager: Architects of Infinity
by Kirsten Beyer
Synopsis:
As the Federation Starship Voyager continues to lead the Full Circle Fleet in its exploration of the Delta Quadrant, Admiral Kathryn Janeway remains concerned about the Krenim Imperium and its ability to rewrite time to suit its whims. At Captain Chakotay’s suggestion, however, she orders the fleet to focus its attention on a unique planet in a binary system, where a new element has been discovered. Several biospheres exist on this otherwise uninhabitable world, each containing different atmospheres and features that argue other sentient beings once resided on the surface. Janeway hopes that digging into an old-fashioned scientific mystery will lift the crews’ morale, but she soon realizes that the secrets buried on this world may be part of a much larger puzzle—one that points to the existence of a species whose power to reshape the galaxy might dwarf that of the Krenim.
Meanwhile, Lieutenants Nancy Conlon and Harry Kim continue to struggle with the choices related to Conlon’s degenerative condition. Full Circle’s medical staff discovers a potential solution, but complications will force a fellow officer to confront her people’s troubled past and her own future in ways she never imagined.
Review:
Admiral Janeway and Voyager (along with the remaining ships in the Full Circle Fleet) are back in the Delta Quadrant, but this time as explorers. When they discover a new element on a mysterious planet, they decide to investigate while giving the rest of the crew some down-time on the planet. But the mystery of the planet and the new element soon turns into a fight for their lives.
I may have missed some of the Voyager relaunch novels, as some of details of their current situate didn’t sound familiar. But Architects of Infinity is easy to jump into. There is plenty of character development with the newer characters. The story is complex with various subplots, but they are all easy to follow and eventually tie-in. There is plenty of suspense, drama, humor, and mystery. Though we’re missing some of the original crew, it still feels like a Voyager story. I really enjoyed this one and am excited about the direction of this series. And there is a surprising, cliffhanger ending that will hook fans for the next installment.