A New Frontier novel by Peter David is, in general, a good bet. My only problem with them—we only get a new installment once a year and I find myself having to slow down and savor the book, instead of consuming it all in one gulp like I’d love to do.

The story picks up right after After the Fall left off. It’s still three years later and we’re slowly filling in details of what happened during those three years. David deftly balanced four separate plot threads, bringing each of the stories together in a satisfying way in the last third of the book. Along the way, David makes some stunning changes to the New Frontier universe. I won’t say exactly what they are, but I will hint there are stunning, jaw-dropping and series changing. And the ending while not a literal cliffhanger did leave me looking around, hoping there was more book hidden in the last few blank pages before the binding.

Peppered with David’s typical humor and off-beat characters, After the Fall shows exactly why the New Frontier series is the best thing happening in Trek publishing today. Every book is great and worth the wait. But Mr. David, could you please have the next one come out, oh, let’s say tomorrow. I’ll be first in line for the next one.