In the twenty-first centruy humanity has united after countless years of warfare, and turns toward the stars. But when an alien spacecraft crashlands in the South Pacific bearing visitors from another world, the Vulcans, Earth must decide whether to extend the hand of friendship, or the fist of war.In the distant future, horrible dreams torment Admiral James T. Kirk, dreams prompted by his reading of Strangers From the Sky, a book about that historic first contact. He dreams of an alternate reality where he somehow changed the course of history, and destroyed the Federation before it began.PRAISE FOR MARGARET WANDER BONANNOSTAR TREK THE LOST ERA: CATALYST OF SORROWS:¿Margaret Wander Bonanno has crafted a strong novel that is rich with detail, background, characterization, humor, and action, all of the elements needed to make an excellent tale from start to finish. If a series of novels has to go out on a high note, CATALYST OF SORROWS is it. This is the first great STAR TREK epic of 2004! I hope that Bonanno gets to play in this universe again soon.¿--Bill Williams, trekweb.com¿Character driven plots and vividly compelling prose distinguish [Margaret Wander Bonanno's] writing style, making her books the type that you read again and again. Her new novel CATALYST OF SORROWS, the sixth and final Lost Era title, is pure bliss, a story that tantalizes and surprises right up until the very end¿. ¿CATALYST OF SORROWS is a novel full of questions, and there are questions inside of every question. It is never as simple as who, what, when and where. Bonanno weaves her storytelling spell with multiple layers of mystery. She takes the reader back and forth between the current crisis and the past, where the foundations of a complex plot were methodically laid, allowing the 'how' to be one of the most riveting elements of the plot¿.¿Margaret Wander Bonanno has always demonstrated an ability to write particularly strong female characters. The women who populate her writing are complex and compelling and it is an absolute delight to see what she does with Uhura¿.¿Bonanno's writing has the ability to make us feel as if we are experiencing everything right along with the characters¿.¿¿ a breathtaking and triumphant return to Star Trek literature for Margaret Wander Bonanno. Welcome back.¿--Jackie Bundy, treknation.com¿10.0¿--Daniel Berry, BOOKTREK¿Bonanno does a masterful job of handling multiple subplots twisting them with the storyline into a live wire as her electrifying characters jolt you into places lit up with superb imagery. Her story warns of danger in having power and not the maturity to handle it.¿Bonanno's characters are her forte. Born in the strangest places, they are all very human, (or not.) You can't help but feel they're people you know.¿ ¿Very enjoyable reading. Hang on to your pillow. No telling where you will land or when. I look forward to what Margaret Wander Bonanno will materialize for us next.¿-Susan Bailey-Halaney, sffworld.com Read Less