Described by its author as a “first contact story with a twist”, Synthesis sees Titan drawn into a war between a race of artificial intelligences and a nebulous entity, which inadvertently sparks an event on board Titan that forces its crew to reassess their attitudes towards artificial life. Swallow expertly weaves Riker’s fond memories of Data with his growing concern for the safety of his crew, and in doing so subtly subverts readers’ impressions of post-“Measure of a Man” attitudes towards artificial life forms. The result is by turns thrilling and thought-provoking, and even takes in a surprising little bit of Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 homage, as evidenced by the book’s stirring cover art.What I found most remarkable about Synthesis though was that in just one book, Swallow was able to get me to invest in several different artificial characters, whereas some earlier Titan authors struggled to enthuse me about the ship’s own multicultural crew. The artificial lifeform’s world is beautifully-drawn, and each of its inhabitants is unique both in form and personality. I’ve read a lot a science fiction over the years, but it’s hard to point to a more compelling portrait of a mechanical society.
Overall then, Synthesis is another success for Swallow, and another success for Titan. Like this spin-off’s finest offerings, it harks back to the pioneering spirit of the original series, while offering its readers something new and cutting-edge.
