Rising Son

Lost in the Gamma Quadrant, Jake Sisko is rescued by a ship called the Even Odds.

Summary

 * From the back cover:
 * Months ago, young Jake Sisko came upon a mysterious prophecy in the ruins of B'hala, one that told of a Son destined to enter the Celestial Temple of the Prophets and return home with a lost Herald. Certain that the ancient text was intended for him, Jake entered the wormhole to bring back his father, Captain Benjamin Sisko – missing since his final, fateful confrontation with Gul Dukat in the Fire Caves of Bajor. But Jake's quest has failed. Or so he believes.


 * Flung across the galaxy by a power beyond his understanding, Jake is rescued by a strange ship with an even stranger alien crew. Joining them on a voyage unlike any he has ever experienced, Jake learns that his search for the truth will lead him to find the last thing he ever expected, and to discoveries far beyond his wildest imaginings.

After being caught in some kind of storm, Jake Sisko finds himself deep in the Gamma Quadrant. He is rescued by the crew of the starship Even Odds - fortune-hunters and independent.

Amongst the adventures that Jake and the crew experience are the rescue of some valuable artifacts from a planet of violent sauropods, another mission in which one of the crew-members dies, and ultimately a trip to Ee, a famous planet for gamblers, players and fortune-hunters.

During these adventures, Jake gets to know the different crewmembers, including Dez, the captain, who comes to like Jake very much, because he reminds him of himself, having looked for his father as well in earlier years; also Facity, a Wadi-woman who, although only first officer, is the real boss aboard; then Pif, a dog-like creature, who talks a lot; Glessin, a Cardassian that survived the final battle between the Cardassians and the Dominion; Prees, the Karemman chief engineer, and Sraal, an artificial being that lives inside the ship's mechanics; finally Stessie, some kind of a living and thinking mushroom-like being, Brad, a huge creature, but still very girlish, and Feg and Triv, Ferengi brothers.

After landing on Ee, Jake gets to know a Tosk who is apparently looking for something, besides the Hunt; while talking to him, they are approached by Wex, a Trelian girl who, after hesitating first, joins them. Tosk then finds what he was looking for: A person with great spiritual energy, a healer on Ee - a person who Jake recognizes as the former kai of Bajor - Opaka.

Opaka was trapped on a planet; having died there and brought back to life only by some microprobes that could only exist on this particular planet. She had spent a long time to reunite the two factions that were fighting each other, and ultimately succeeded. Shortly after that, a strange ship crashed on the planet. Opaka cured the being inside, a female called Raiq, who described herself as being an Ascendant, looking for a Fortress of their ancient gods, swearing to kill them. In return for her healing, Raiq removes whatever controlled the planet and thus making it possible for Opaka and all the others to leave it.

Jake decides to go back to the Alpha Quadrant with Tosk and Opaka, and Wex joins them. The crew of the Even Odds agrees in taking them to Deep Space 9.

On their way, they land on a planet where, according to some stories the Tosk told, some leftovers of the ancient civilization of the Eav'oq could be found, as per suspicion of the crew. They ultimately not only find leftovers, but manage to awake the old, sleeping race of the Eav'oq - and much to the surprise of Opaka, it turns out that they worship the Prophets as well, and Opaka ultimately understands that the Fortress of which Raiq was speaking is nothing else than the wormhole itself, thus having now at least three cultures who believe in the prophets.

Just before they awake the Eav'oq, the Hunters finally track down the Tosk, killing him, much to the despair of Jake and the others. Jake, Wex and Opaka agree with the crew of the Even Odds to pass through the wormhole with Tosks ship - but the ship is damaged, and they are rescued by a Jem'Hadar ship and welcomed by Weyoun and, after the Jem'Hadar discover the USS Defiant (2375), finally beamed over.

During all these events, Jake reflects much about himself, about his father, about their relationship, and about the destiny of both him and his father, and came to the point where he could accept much more than before what happened, finally making peace with himself and his father's departure.

Memorable Quotes
"...battles fall and fail, and there is a Time of waiting, the space between breaths as the land heals and its children retire from war. The Temple welcomes many home, the faithful and the Chosen."

"A Herald, unforgotten but lost to time, a Seer of Visions to whom the Teacher Prophets sing, will return from the Temple at the end of this time to attend the birth of Hope, the Infant Avatar. The welcomed Herald shares a new understanding of the Temple with all the land's children. Conceived by lights of war, the alien Avatar opens its eyes upon a waxing tide of Awareness."

"The journey to the land hides, but is difficult; prophecies are revealed and hidden. The first child, a son, enters the Temple alone. With the Herald, he returns, and soon after, the Avatar is born. A new breath is drawn and the land rejoices in change and clarity."
 * - Prophecy from the Ohalu Text

Background Information

 * This novel spans a long period of time, beginning just after Avatar, Book Two and ending during the events of Lesser Evil.
 * Apparently, only one Cardassian survived the battle between the joint Cardassian-Romulan task force and the Dominion, as told in.
 * There are at least three civilizations with strong ties to the Prophets: The Bajorans and the Eav'oq worship the Prophets, while the Ascendants fear them and are trying to destroy them.
 * This book was named the seventh-best Star Trek novel in TV Zone #207. Rising Son was described as being "moving" and "charming". Other novels to be included in the top ten list were The Galactic Whirlpool, The Entropy Effect, The Final Reflection, My Enemy, My Ally, Once Burned, The 34th Rule, Ex Machina, A Time to Kill and Crucible: Provenance of Shadows.

Characters

 * Jake Sisko
 * Opaka Sulan
 * Tosk
 * Weyoun

External link


Rising Son So der Sohn