A Time To Sow

A Time to Sow (2004) by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore — Pocket Books, Star Trek
ISBN: 0743482999
Condition: Used (lightly scuffed, ethically complicated, entirely readable)
Offered with a wary look at the planetary ecosystem by Crappy Old Books

There’s a time to explore, a time to meddle, and, apparently, A Time to Sow — which in Starfleet terms usually means “planting good intentions in alien soil and hoping you don’t accidentally grow a catastrophe.”

In this slice of pre–Nemesis Star Trek drama, Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore ask a simple question: What if that well-meaning mission from years ago didn’t go quite the way the final report said it did? You know the type: a little cultural uplift here, a touch of technology there, everyone smiles for the logs… and then the Enterprise comes back later and discovers the “happy ending” is now, technically, on fire.

Inside these pages, expect:

• A return to a world the Federation has “helped” before — always a great sign, never ominous, absolutely fine, nothing to see here.

• Riker and the crew trying to work out whether Starfleet’s past involvement was visionary… or a really polished mistake.

• The kind of ethical gardening where you’re not just pulling weeds, you’re wondering who planted them and whether they’re going to bite.

This is Trek in full “unintended consequences” mode: science and idealism vs. messy reality, with a healthy side of “did we do the right thing, or did we just do a thing and hope it worked out?”

This particular copy of A Time to Sow, carefully harvested from the mid-shelf nebula of Crappy Old Books, is proudly Used. That means:

• The cover may show mild scuffs and edge wear, as if it has already survived several away missions into backpacks, bedside tables, and maybe a slightly damp windowsill.

• The spine likely sports one or more respectable creases — visible proof that somebody kept reading well past “I’ll just finish this chapter.”

• The pages are gently tanned and a touch soft at the corners, radiating that relaxed “veteran paperback” aura: it’s been through one reader’s moral crisis, it can handle yours.

Textually, though, it’s all present and correct: no missing pages, no chapters mysteriously beamed out, no secret Prime Directives redacted in the margins.

Perfect for:

• Star Trek fans who like their stories less “monster of the week” and more “remember that decision we made ten years ago? Yeah, about that…”

• Readers who enjoy diplomacy complicated by guilt, politics, and the occasional looming disaster.

• Anyone who suspects that in the Federation, “uplift” is sometimes just a nicer way of saying “we meant well and now we’re back to apologise.”

Put this Used copy of A Time to Sow on your shelf and instantly signal that you’re here for the long arc — the cause and the consequence, not just the pretty starship shots.

Take it home, crack it open, and let Ward and Dilmore walk you through the part they don’t show on the inspirational posters: when you sow ideals among the stars, you don’t always get what you planted. Sometimes, you just get called back to explain yourself.

Keep browsing: See more Science-Fiction books Other books by Dayton Ward Kevin Dilmore