A Stitch in Time

By: Andrew J. Robinson

Narrated by: Andrew J. Robinson

An unique and intense tale following Elim Garak as he attempts to stitch the ravaged society of Cardassia back together.

For nearly a decade Garak has longed for just one thing—to go home. Exiled on a space station, surrounded by aliens who loathe and distrust him, going back to Cardassia has been Garak's one dream. Now, finally, he is home. But home is a world whose landscape is filled with death and destruction. Desperation and dust are constant companions and luxury is a glass of clean water and a warm place to sleep.

Ironically, it is a letter from one of the aliens on that space station, Dr. Julian Bashir, that inspires Garak to look at the fabric of his life. Elim Garak has been a student, a gardener, a spy, an exile, a tailor, even a liberator. It is a life that was charted by the forces of Cardassian society with very little understanding of the person, and even less compassion.

But it is the tailor that understands who Elim Garak was, and what he could be. It is the tailor who sees the ruined fabric of Cardassia, and who knows how to bring this ravaged society back together. This is strange, because a tailor is the one thing Garak never wanted to be. But it is the tailor whom both Cardassia and Elim Garak need. It is the tailor who can put the pieces together, who can take a stitch in time.

Wonderful and Engaging!

I have often felt that DS9 had been missing a lot of closure and missed out on more stories about Garak’s past (one of my top 5 favorite characters).

Hearing Andrew Robinson as Garak once again, brought me back to 22 years ago watching the finale of DS9. His interpretations of other DS9 characters were wonderful and it almost felt as if I were watching DS9 again. A Garak version of “In The Pale Moonlight”

Even if you have read the book, hearing Garak again is worth every single penny. I only wish I knew how to get my paper version this book signed by Robinson himself.

👍

Really fascinating a great deep dive behind an enigmatic and beloved character. The book kind of lost the plot for me 3/4 of the way through. I can’t say it was a very satisfying conclusion.

Outstanding

I began this book because of a random, oblique reference by a Trek fan on Reddit. Its existence had somehow eluded me, despite my being a lifelong devotee going back to watching late night reruns of TOS as a kid in the 1970s. Watching those episodes, one would never have foreseen Garak. Yet, here he is—one of the most unique characters in all of Trek and big favorite of mine (along with many other fans). Though he may be hesitant to do so, Andrew Robinson really must take the lion's share of the credit for making him what he is.

The writing for Garak on DS9 was always a cut above, but Robinson's performances were what made a very good character truly great. He inevitably enhanced and elevated every scene he appeared in. Anyone who doubts how much Robinson contributed to Garak need look no farther than this excellent book.

The reading is a performance worthy of Garak, unsurprisingly. The writing, however, is a revelation. Robinson's grasp of story, pace, and framing brings a depth to Garak that could only be hinted at in an ensemble cast like the one we were fortunate to have in Deep Space 9. His status as a recurring character would also have made exploring Garak's backstory to this degree difficult.

In "A Stitch in Time", Garak gets his due. It's a deeply satisfying treatment for a deservedly beloved character and a joy to experience.

Trek Masterpiece and more

This is a great novel period. It goes beyond Trek lore to expand greatly about the human condition (or Cardassian, if you will). Robinson sense of the dramatic and the ethical tells a tale of a keen of eye for what makes relationships complex and engaging. An universal work on a Trek skin. Highly recommended!!

The mystery of "Just Garak"

it started a bit slow. I almost stopped listening, but I decided to continue because slowly but surely the story of Garak began to unfold from his childhood to his work in the Order and who his parents were. I wondered from tim to time how the character ended upbon Deep Space Nine working as a tailor. The book brings the character into full view and blanks are filled in from the show. I also like the fact that the story of Garak was narrated by the actor who played him in the series Deep Space Nine.