Death in Winter (Star Trek: the Next Generation)

Book Description

Long before Captain Jean-Luc Picard took command of the legendary Starship Enterprise,™ he fell deeply and hopelessly in love with Doctor Beverly Crusher. Though, for one reason or another, Picard never acted on his feelings, he found a measure of contentment as Beverly's close friend, colleague, and daily breakfast partner.

But when Doctor Crusher leaves her position on the Enterprise to become the chief medical officer of Starfleet, the brightest light in Picard's life is taken from him. And he has hardly resigned himself to his loss when he learns that Beverly has been declared missing in action on a distant planet -- and presumed dead.

Kevratas is a bleak, frozen world on the far side of the Romulan Neutral Zone where the Federation has become the plague-ravaged natives' only real hope of survival and freedom. Starfleet has no recourse but to send in another team to try to save the Kevrata -- and Picard is the natural choice. Critical to the success of his mission are two colleagues who served under him when he commanded the Starship Stargazer -- Pug Joseph, a man with a past to live down, and Doctor Carter Greyhorse, who has served time for attempted murder -- as well as a Romulan who left his people years earlier and never expected to return. Together, they follow the trail of Beverly Crusher to Kevratas, determined to succeed where the doctor failed.

On the Romulan homeworld, meanwhile, the political vacuum created by the demise of Praetor Shinzon has been filled by his staunchest supporter, Senator Tal'aura. But there are those who oppose her, including Commander Donatra and the warbird fleets under her command, because of the way Tal'aura has mishandled rebellions on the Empire's subject worlds.

And one rebellion in particular; the movement for self-determination on frigid Kevratas.

So begins a desperate struggle -- not only for the freedom of the long-oppressed Kevrata but also for the soul of the Romulan Empire. Before it's over, destinies will be forged and shattered, the Empire will be shaken to its ancient foundations, and Jean-Luc Picard's life will be changed...forever.

Customer Reviews:

Better than I thought. .......2007-08-21

Since this book came out in Hardcover last year ive heard a lot of bad reviews on the book. So now that I had the cance to read it I it liked better than I thought.

About time, but not what I'd have chosen.......2007-06-29

This story was a long time in coming, and I'm glad that for the book relaunch The Powers That Be had decided to finally match this couple. However, I'm not sure that this story was quite as fulfilling as I might have liked, that the story fit the directive (get P/C together), or that this is the author I would have chosen to write this story.

I thought there were too many characters and not enough time paid to any of them. Yes, I understand that Romulan politics are very twisty, but there were too many plotlines about the Romulans and none of them had any real resolution or affect on the ST universe, or any true bearing on the story. (IMHO, of course.) Worf, Geordi and Janeway appear but for no real apparent reason. It felt sort of like a setup, and while those are necessary they are often frustrating because we don't know why certain people or events have significance.

The whole romance was anticlimactic; there seemed to be no true feeling and the POVs of the "main" characters were not included enough to have any sort of momentous bearing on the universe. (I wonder, not so secretly and no particular offence to MJF, why Peter David was not tapped to write this book. He was the original Next Gen-- and P/C-- romance writer, someone who could write action and plot while making passion feel real.)

The writing is only so-so-- this book illustrates that this author is best when he sticks to the basics and gets the storytelling job done without embellishment. Attempts at fanciful wording fall flat-- I was a bit tired of the author trying to find too many different ways to describe being shot with a phasor or disruptor, and all of them basically were variations on the theme of "pierced by green death," or something equally silly.

All that said, it's not a terrible read, and touches on and continues themes from the movie "Nemesis," which is a welcome refresher. There were also some nice bits near the beginning with Beverly's past, showing how she learned to use natural medicine, and showing an early boyfriend as well as a medical disaster that affected her profoundly. Overall not great but certainly not as bad as some books.

Decent Page-Turning Resolution of Picard's Relationship With Crusher.......2007-03-24

Michael Jan Friedman is one of the better writers of "Star Trek" fiction and his 2005 "Star Trek: The Next Generation" novel "Death in Winter" is bound to please most fans of the series. It is a sequel to the film "Star Trek: Nemesis", opening with Captain Jean-Luc Picard mourning the loss of friends, both deceased and departed, including his Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher, now head once more of Starfleet Medical. Crusher disappears during a secret medical relief mission to Kevratas, a desolate, frigid planet on the far side of the Romulan Neutral Zone. She is sent to find a vaccine for a virulent plague which has devastated the native furry humanoids of Kevratas and those they've been in contact. Soon Picard will join her on Kevratas, in charge of a second Federation medical relief mission, accompanied by some old shipmates from the USS Stargazer, and find himself in the midst of Romulan intrigue orchestrated from distant Romulus by the new Praetor, and her newly appointed military governor, one Commander Sela.

Friedman does a decent job in writing a memorable page-turner of a novel which successfully resolves almost all the loose ends in the longstanding professional - and personal - relationship between Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher. He also excels in emphasizing Romulan political intrigue in the aftermath of Praeter Shinzon's downfall, reacquainting us with several Romulans from "Star Trek: Nemesis" and from the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" television series, most notably, Commander Sela herself. However, I don't think Friedman has done an admirable job in offering vivid three-dimensional portrayals of his main characters, leaving merely barebone threads to explain the motivations of, for example, Picard and Crusher. Regrettably, this is in stark contrast to the fully realized characters which I've come to enjoy in David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series (Fans of fine military space opera may find the Harrington series far more rewarding.). So I've decided only to give this novel a marginal recommendation primarily for this reason, even though I realize that many "Star Trek" fans may still find it quite memorable as literary entertainment.

Who was that, and what did Friedman do with Dr. Crusher?.......2006-08-31

Perhaps this is set in an alternate universe.

Death in Winter might be a half-way decent science fiction novel for someone who doesn't watch the series or who doesn't pay too much attention to character details. I even liked the novelization of the deleted scene from Nemesis. Unfortunately, it was one of only a handful of scenes where the characters acted like themselves.

This book made me think that the author was someone who knew about the technology and political situations in the canon, but tried to write a romance novel instead, and came up short.

(A SPOILER WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF THIS REVIEW)

I've never thought that an entire book was ruined by one sentence before, but this one did it: "I've been a fool, Jean-Luc." That has to be the most out-of-character statement I have ever seen in a TNG novel. I would be willing to believe that there are circumstances where Beverly Crusher might utter those words, but this book didn't provide them.

The line was delivered after she came back to him, following a scene that expressed similar attitudes to the ones in the "Or perhaps we should be afraid" scene from "Attached," except that it had turned into an argument. Unfortunately, the characters who had that falling-out bore no resemblance to Picard or Crusher. They were far too immature to pass for the captain and the CMO.

I don't connect with Picard very well, but even with the tiny bit of knowledge I have of him, I felt like he was a little off too.

The book was not, however, completely without merit. When Dr. Crusher was being held captive, there were moments where the determined woman that we're used to was accurately portrayed and really got a chance to shine. The Romulan plot was also interesting. Thus, I gave Friedman one star for each of those things. Consider them points for effort.

Addendum: I'm sorry that the titles are not italicized like they should be. If there's any way to do that on this forum, I am unaware of it.

Disappointing.......2006-08-18

(This review contains some spoilers.) This was the first Next Generation novel I had picked up in years - I used to be frustrated with the "reset button" characteristic of the novels (except for Peter David's) and found novels such as those in the Star Wars EU much more satisfying, since they allowed for real character development and multi-book plot advancement. When I recently realized that Star Trek authors had been allowed to do the same thing, I picked up this book and looked forward to reading it. I have liked Friedman's writing in the past, and one of the most maddening threads left hanging in the years after the show ended was the Picard/Crusher relationship. So despite some of the negative reviews posted here, I was optimistic about this novel.

First, the good: Friedman does bring some resolution to the relationship thread. It was nice to see some of the old Stargazer crew again. Friedman also weaves a pretty good story with Romulan intrigue; and the plot, with several good premises, moves along briskly. I like that Friedman recalls scenes from the show, introducing familiar elements that fans can appreciate. I particularly like Picard's recollection of being rescued from the Borg.

However, the bad: I've read fanfic with more depth and better characterization than are found in this novel. The whole book, we're supposed to believe Picard is driven to find Beverly because of his love for her, but the main reasons we know this are, one, we're told this repeatedly, and two, other characters observe it repeatedly. But we're very rarely *shown* it. There is little emotion from Picard when he is told Crusher is missing, and less real angst. For her part, the musings are much more believable, but her reaction at the end is not as comprehensible because it isn't really explained. What is she *thinking*? We don't really know. For a book that's supposed to be giving more insights than we could see onscreen, that's a major shortcoming.

The Romulan intrigue plot has a good skeleton, but it's not fleshed out to the extent that it could have been, in a way that really involves the reader. Characters are brought in for cameos, and left at that (Worf and Geordi serve no real purpose here). And the scenes from the show that Friedman incorporates are, for the most part, both poorly chosen and dropped in too abruptly. Scenes from "Arsenal of Freedom" and "Sub Rosa"? I couldn't help but cringe, as these aren't scenes that did much to establish affection between the main characters. How about "Attached" or "High Ground"? There was more material here to mine, I think.

In short, this book seemed promising, but was a major letdown. In all honesty, the four preview pages for "Resistance" at the end of the book make it sound like that novel has much more potential than this one turned out to have. If you do read it (and I will say it is worth at least one read-through), I would check it out from the library. Though I'd like to report otherwise, it's not one I think many readers would want to go back to.

Titan, Book Two: The Red King (Star Trek, the Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

Decent Star Trek Fiction, But......
too many nongay characters
I really want to like this series.
Improving Series
The Red King Through The Looking Glass

Titan, Book Two: The Red King (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
Michael A. Martin , and Andy Mangels
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743496280

Book Description

Investigating the disappearance of a secret Romulan fleet, the U.S.S. Titan, commanded by Captain William Riker, is unexpectedly propelled more than 200,000 light-years into the Small Magellanic Cloud. One of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies, the Cloud is also home to the Neyel, the long-sundered offshoots of Terran humanity, with whom the Federation has had no contact in over eighty years.

Nearby, Riker's uncertain ally, Commander Donatra of the Romulan Warbird Valdore, rescues a young Neyel, the survivor of a mysterious cosmic upheaval that seems at times to be both unraveling and reweaving the very fabric of space...the fulfillment of an apocalyptic vision that has already claimed millions of lives. Titan's science team soon finds evidence that the ravaging of Neyel space is the work of a vast and powerful intelligence: the stirrings of a dormant consciousness that is maintaining the existence of the Small Magellanic Cloud -- and all life within it -- from one moment to the next. And if it should awaken, the consequences are unimaginable.

As Riker considers his options, his new crew struggles with the scientific and philosophical implications of what they've discovered...while the young Neyel in their midst forges a bond with the captain, conjuring old ghosts Riker has yet to lay to rest.

Customer Reviews:

Decent Star Trek Fiction, But.............2007-07-02

"Titan, Book Two: The Red King (Star Trek, the Next Generation)" has a most intriguing premise; the crew of the USS Titan, under the command of Captain William T. Riker, rescue altered humans, the Neyel, and other sapient species from one of the Magellanic Clouds, thanks to some timely, if reluctant, intervention by Romulan Commander Donatra and a fleet of Romulan warbirds. But is this great "Star Trek" literature of the kind I've come to expect from Diane Duane at her best? The short answer is unfortunately no, though this "Star Trek" novel has more fleshed-out characters than one I had read recently about the crew of Jonathan Archer's Enterprise, which was also written by these two authors. However, I suspect that diehard fans of "Star Trek" will find this a credible sequel to the film "Star Trek: Nemesis"; for this reason alone it deserves a marginal recommendation from me.

too many nongay characters.......2007-05-31

Why do Troi and Riker have to be so obviously straight? I'm sick of having heterosexuality rammed down my throat. And those knowing looks they give each other.....

I really want to like this series........2007-02-07

Riker, Troi and Tuvok on The Titan. I'm sold. I love the idea. Riker and Troi were always my favorite on The Next Generation. I always thought Riker would make and intense, cowboy-like captain. Throw in a little Voyager by adding Tuvok. I think it's great. Now, on to the title of this review... I really want to like this series. I wasn't that impressed with the debut novel, Taking Wing, but I figured given some time this could prove to be a good series. I think The Red King is a step in the right direction. My main problem with this series is the focus on the authors' original characters and the ridiculous amount of diversity within the crew. Now before I'm sued, let me just say that I'm all for diversity. This book just takes it to an almost comical level. To name a few examples, we have the dude who can seperate his body and make each segment act individually. The doctor recently escaped from Jurassic Park, and don't even get me started on the lady who can only breath water... I mean she wears a special water suit on the bridge! A water suit. It's too much. I'm fine with the Klingons, Ferengi, Cardassians, Bajorans, etc. I just think Dino Doctor, Water Lady and their wacky friends are a bit over the top. The vast majority of the people who read these books are doing it for Riker, Troi and Tuvok. Some of the original characters are very intersting, but most are very forgettable yet have equal page time with the heavy hitters. It's unbalanced and a little disappointing. All in all, I'd say this book is worth a read. Still, I am anxious to read book three; it is written by a different writer and I look forward to getting a new perspective on this promising series.

Improving Series.......2007-02-06

Titan The Red King by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin is an improvement over the first book in the series, but it still has a ways to go. This book is the continuing story of Captain Riker's ship, the Titan. He spends a lot of time in this book, as in the last, trying to determine exactly what his role is as captain and how to mold his crew into a cohesive group. I find the Riker character as written to be very tentative and unsure of himself, which is a far cry from the Commander Riker from the television series who was always self assured and always knew exactly what he was doing. The authors still have not figured out what to do with Counselor Troi-- she is supposed to be the Diplomatic Officer, but Riker does most of the diplomatic stuff and Deanna's contribution continues, once again, to be her continued exclamations of "Pain! I feel pain!" shades of the first season of Next Generation! They also don't seem to know what to do with First Officer Christine Vale--she just seems to be there but does not seem to have a real reason for being.

There are so many directions for this series to go-- its premise of exploration brings back the original flavor of Classic Trek, and its multi-species crew is similar to the New Frontier series, although the authors continue to pat themselves on the back about it. Hey! We're diverse! We've got lots of different species and we all get along! The message is constantly thrown at us until it gets tiresome.

Still, there is potential here, and I hope that once this series gets over its self congratulatory newness, it will become a solid series in its own right. The characters and situation are there-- they just need to improve the execution-- and for goodness sake, figure out a use for both Commander Troi and First Officer Christine Vale.

The Red King Through The Looking Glass.......2006-11-11

I enjoyed this installment of the new Tital series very much, even with having to deal with the whole gay influence being an underlying theme of the story that could have easily been done without.

Now, the main story itself, I really enjoyed. I thought it was just as good as the first book, if not just a little better. I am excited to see where this series will evolve to and what will happen in the 3rd installment that I am reading now, or the 4th one, slated to be released some time in 2007.

Titan, Book Three: Orion's Hounds (Star Trek, the Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

Imagination and optimism: this is Star Trek at its best
The Best of the First Three in the Series
Titan , Book 3 , Orion's Hounds
Orion's Hounds - Bark Worse Than Their Bite
Shows why Trek philosophy is more important than ever

Titan, Book Three: Orion's Hounds (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
Christopher L. Bennett
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 141650950X

Book Description

As the U.S.S. Titan ventures beyond the outermost reaches of known space, the telepaths in her crew -- including Diplomatic Officer Deanna Troi -- are overwhelmed by an alien cryof distress, leading the ship to the scene of a shocking act of carnage: a civilization of interstellar "whalers" preying upon and exploiting a familiar species of sentient spaceborne giants.

Appalled but reluctant to rush to judgment, Captain William Riker and his crew investigate, discovering a cosmic spawning ground in a region of active star formation -- the ecosystem for a bewildering array of diverse but similarly vast life-forms. While attempting to negotiate an end to the victimization of these creatures, Riker's crew inadvertently grants them the means to defeat their hunters' purpose...only to learn that things are not exactly as they seem.

Download Description

"As the U.S.S. Titan ventures beyond the outermost reaches of known space, the telepaths in her crew -- including Diplomatic Officer Deanna Troi -- are overwhelmed by an alien cry of distress, leading the ship to the scene of a shocking act of carnage: a civilization of interstellar ""whalers"" preying upon and exploiting a familiar species of sentient spaceborne giants.

Customer Reviews:

Imagination and optimism: this is Star Trek at its best.......2007-02-11

ORION'S HOUNDS by Christopher L. Bennett is a book that amply showcases the author's gift for thinking on a grand scale while remembering to tell stories on a deeply personal level.

Bennett has conceived a richly layered and complex space-based ecology made up of enormous "cosmozoans," creatures that live in deep space, travel between the stars, and experience life in ways that small planet-bound beings never do. The variety of these "astrocoelenterates" --- some seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series, others wholly original to Bennett's novel --- coexist in a shifting balance of symbiosis, cooperation, and predation. Some are intelligent, while others are more like massive animals.

Living among these creatures are the Pa'haquel clans, bipedal avians who lord over a multispecies community that hunts and harnesses the bodies of one species of cosmozoan, then uses those mechanically reanimated shells to hunt other space-beasts and defend worlds from the interstellar giants' ravenous appetites.

Then enter the Starship Titan and her crew, led by Captain Riker. Drawn by psychic pleas for help from the sentient cosmozoans hunted by the Pa'haquel, Riker and his crew do their best to stop the slaughter of the beings they affectionately know as "star-jellies." But their well-intentioned efforts to foster peace and understanding have unexpected and tragic consequences.

The same richness and diversity that Bennett brings to his deep-space "ecosystem" also informs his wonderful handling of the Titan's multispecies crew. When it comes to describing the points of view of beings that are truly alien and not just "humans with bumpy foreheads," Bennett ranks at the top of the current roster of Star Trek authors, alongside Heather Jarman.

A welcome discovery is that the crew of the Titan --- though their diversity often leads to misunderstanding, unease, and sometimes conflict --- demonstrate the spirit of tolerance that is at the heart of Star Trek. They don't give in to their fears or their resentments; they confront their prejudices; they reach out to those they don't understand and try to bridge the gap. Bennett understands that exploration is not just about venturing out into space but also about looking into our own souls. Another refreshing trait that they exhibit, with each other and with those they encounter, is one that is not often seen in Star Trek crews: humility.

Bennett's seamless fusion of real science with Star Trek's pseudo-science gives the book great verisimilitude, and his deft plotting and snappy dialogue make the book a genuine pleasure to read. Its resolution is one that builds logically on all the pieces of his narrative puzzle, and one that reinforces what many of the best Star Trek tales have been about: optimism, communication, peacemaking, and trying to make the places you visit better and safer for all the life-forms that exist there.

This is a book that embodies the noblest, bravest, and most hopeful aspects of Star Trek's enduring legacy. Add this one to your collection now.

The Best of the First Three in the Series.......2007-02-07

Titan: Orion's Hounds by Christopher Bennett is the best of the first three books in the Titan series. Bennett has a better handle on how to use Deanna Troi than Martin and Mangels did, and the crew is finally starting to gel as a team. Bennett also touches on aspects of a multi-species crew that are often overlooked-- for instance, how does a group of carnivorous predators get along with a group of herbivores?

However, this series continuing weakness regarding Riker is disturbing. He fares slightly better in this book but is still much too tentative and unsure. Come on folks-- bring back the Will Riker of The Best of Both Worlds!

This book revisits a familiar set of aliens, the telepathic space jellies from Encounter at Far Point, and sets up an interesting conundrum regarding the Prime Directive. It also dares to question the wisdom and purpose of the Prime Directive, which, although bordering on heresy in the Star Trek universe, is an idea whose time may have come.

I have read several reviews of this book and the first two in this series who are critical of the openly homosexual relationship between two of the crewmembers. I did not feel this relationship was inappropriate or over emphasized, it was treated the same as heterosexual relationships have always been treated in the series. Indeed, much of the first episode of DS-9 dealt with Sisko's resentment of Picard because of the death of Sisco's wife during the Borg wars. Star Trek has always been in the forefront of inclusiveness, and these books continue in that tradition.

I could, however, have done without the very public orgasm Troi experienced on the bridge of the Titan during a mating of the aliens. That was just a little too much TMI.

Titan , Book 3 , Orion's Hounds.......2007-01-06

I have to state that all of the Titan books, this one included, are excellent and have been a long time coming. Reading about Will Ryker as captain and Deanna Troi as his wife and first lady, plus as counselor on the ship has been most enjoyable! I am so glad that the Star Trek series lives on in books at least! I recommend these books to any Star Trek fan or perhaps any Star Trek fan wannabes!

Orion's Hounds - Bark Worse Than Their Bite.......2006-11-18

I bought and read the first 3 Titan books all in a row, just about as quickly as I could. In my other reviews of the first 2 books, I stated that I enjoyed the stories, but could have done without the whole gay theme. The stories were quite good, in my opinion, though.

This 3rd book, written by a new author from the first 2 books, wasn't a very good addition to the series. The author did a good job in writing, for the most part, but he tended to over-describe several situations in which it seemed like he was just adding fluff and words to make the book longer. Most of these rants didn't add anything to the story.

And I have to agree with one previous reviewer who said that the "star jellies" story wasn't all that interesting. This book was the "Star Trek 5" addition to the Titan series and I hope to see the next few books much stronger additions than this one.

The most annoying thing about this story was that Riker was made out to be a weakling. His indecisive actions contradicted the Prime Directive, caused more trouble for his crew, and pretty much left Deanna in charge of being the leader in the story. This is NOT the Riker that we all grew to know in the TNG series. I certainly hope that the next book includes a more powerful Captain to lead the new voyages of Titan.

Shows why Trek philosophy is more important than ever.......2006-10-12

I often fear that in today's fear-filled social climate, Trek's philosophy of peace and diversity is often lost on a neo-conservative, cynical and selfish new generation. The Star Jellies in the well-written novel Orion's Hounds are sentient creatures with a civilisation of their own. Would it be right for the Titan's crew to turn around and allow murder or genocide to be committed? Should respect for other cultures triumph over the respect for other lifeforms? Or are the other people implying that the Star Jellies lives aren't as important because they "aren't human"?

I've also noticed plenty of complaints about "too many aliens" on the Titan's crew. As a Trek fan of two decades, I'd like to point out that the whole point of Trek was to discover new life and new civilizations. If the reader can't tolerate the idea of aliens mingling with humans, then they are essentially rejecting Gene Roddenberry's original vision. They are completely missing the point of Star Trek, and quite frankly, shouldn't bother reading or watching it at all if that's the case.

The Titan series of books are a consistently very good (but not great) read. The biggest problem with Titan is that it has the biggest cast of any Trek novel I've read to date. I would strongly suggest to Pocket Books that they provide a Dramatis Personae at the beginning of each Titan novel, making it easier to follow all these characters. However, it's clear from the prose which of the cast are the 'leading' characters - and they're not who you'd expect. For instance, I find both Ra-Havreii and Melora Pazlar more interesting than the Science Officer Jaza.

It's interesting to see the way that Titan's multi-species crew use their diverse talents to resolve the diverse challenges they face. In that respect, the Titan novels do carry an important message, although they don't hammer the reader over the head with it. That it is our diverse talents and abilities, united together under common values and goals, which can help us overcome the challenges that we face. It's a timely message that's sorely needed - and shows that Star Trek is more relevant than ever. Even if no one is really listening anymore.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (Star Trek Next Generation (Unnumbered))

Average customer rating:

Poor quality
A must have for Trekers
Direct from Starfleet Research and Development
Great book, horrible reprint quality
Terrible Quality!

Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (Star Trek Next Generation (Unnumbered))
Rick Sternbach , and Michael Okuda
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671704273

Book Description

The Star Trek: The Next Generation ^® Technical Manual, written by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda, the technical advisors to Star Trek: The Next Generation, provides

a comprehensive schematization of a Galaxy-class starship. From the bridge to the shuttlebays, from the transporter room to crews' quarters, this book provides a never-before-seen glimpse at the inner, intricate workings of the most incredible starship ever conceived.

Full of diagrams, technical schematics, and ship's plans, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual also takes a detailed look at the principles behind Star Trek ^®'s awesome technology -- from phasers to warp drive to the incredible holodeck.

Customer Reviews:

Poor quality.......2007-08-04

I bought the first book in 1991 and was very well pleased. Several years later, I lost it. I recently saw this one in a search and decided to purchase it. Much to my extreme disappointment, it was not what I was expecting. All of the color was gone and the text within the black ovals was hardly legible. There is a page which is supposed to have a picture of our spiral galaxy on it, it looks more like an ink smudge. The entire book looks like it was copied on a five year old copy machine.

If you're replacing a copy, find one published in 1991 that's in good condition.

A must have for Trekers.......2007-07-31

Love this in my Star Trek collection. All of the technical aspects of the ships. Great find.

Direct from Starfleet Research and Development.......2007-02-09

Highly recommended for freshmen at Star Fleet Academy (and for Trekkers everywhere).

For a couple of years I was a member of a local science fiction society in part just to see if there was any other science fiction comparable in quality to Star Trek (in whatever series, whether The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, or Enterprise). The answer is No, Non, Nyet, Nada, Lo. If Star Trek is like graduate school, then most other science fiction is like pre-school. Or if Star Trek is like a blues master, then other science fiction sounds like the noise created by a hip hop "artist."

The attention to detail and the care in presentation of Star Trek are represented very well in this Technical Manual. There are 17 chapters: USS Enterprise Introduction, Spacecraft Structure, Command Systems, Computer Systems, Warp Propulsion Systems, Impulse Propulsion Systems, Utilities and Auxiliary Systems, Communications, Transporter Systems, Science and Remote Sensing Systems, Tactical Systems, Environmental Systems, Crew Support Systems, Auxiliary Spacecraft Systems, USS Enterprise Flight Operations, Emergency Operations, and Conclusion. There is a fine Afterword by Rick Berman, the Executive Producer of Star Trek. There is also an Index and Key to Acronyms, and a list of Units of Measure. Illustrations abound.

The logical consistency and logical extrapolation and creative imagination shown in Star Trek represent human beings at their best and brightest. If you like thinking about the far future, this Technical Manual is for you.

Great book, horrible reprint quality.......2006-09-09

I originally purchased this book in the early 1990s when it was first published. It is an awesome "reference" to the Star Trek: TNG technical world. Having lost the book in a move several years ago, I decided to purchase a new copy.

I wish I had read the reviews before I bought the book. The print quality is terrible, and indeed looks like it was done on a copy machine. The text is adequate quality, but the color is gone from highlights. Even worse, the wonderful color graphics are now simply terrible. They aren't blue either, so no longer can you call them "blueprints." No crisp lines, the previously fine details now run together. Graphics with text in them are almost unreadable.

Very, very disappointed.

Terrible Quality!.......2006-08-30

I've had the TNG Technical Manual for years, but recently lost it in a move. So, I decided to buy a new copy.

What I received was NOT the same book I was replacing. The entire book is some sort of low quality photocopying job. There was no color in the edition I received, and the graphics looked like they were printed on a copier low on toner.

I don't reccomend that anybody buy this version. You'll probably have a better experience looking for a good condition used copy.

I'm sad and dissappointed, and will be asking for a refund.

The Buried Age (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

The Buried Age: My Review
One of the best ST novels
Both Author's and Character's Talent Wasted on Science
Spend your money on another book!!!
One of the best Star Trek books I've read

The Buried Age (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Christopher L. Bennett
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416537392

Book Description

Jean-Luc Picard. His name has gone down in legend as the captain of the U.S.S. Stargazer and two starships Enterprise. But the nine years of his life leading up to the inaugural mission of the U.S.S. EnterpriseTM to Farpoint Station have remained a mystery -- until now, as Picard's lost era is finally unearthed.

Following the loss of the Stargazer and the brutal court-martial that resulted, Picard no longer sees a future for himself in Starfleet. Turning to his other love, archaeology, he embarks on a quest to rediscover a buried age of ancient galactic history...and awakens a living survivor of that era: a striking, mysterious woman frozen in time since before the rise of Earth's dinosaurs. But this powerful immortal has a secret of cataclysmic proportions, and her plans will take Picard -- aided along the way by a brilliant but naive android, an insightful Betazoid, and an enigmatic El-Aurian -- to the heights of passion, the depths of betrayal, and the farthest reaches of explored space.

Customer Reviews:

The Buried Age: My Review.......2007-09-16

It was great to see Picard's love archeology dealt with. I think the only glimpse we ever saw of it was in Captain's Holiday. I'm just sad that Deanna had a bit cameo but I did feel it was important to the story as it helped shape the Picard we know today however I thought it was a bit out of character for Deanna to disobey a commanding officer. I can't recall if we've seen this before or not.

As for Data, I liked how we got to see how he devloped as a "person" and how Picard got to understand who he was when everyone else misunderstood him. This helps understand Measure of a Man so much better.

I will be honest by saying that I haven't always enjoyed Christopher's books because of all the science stuff that he puts in however, The Buried Age is the exception because it did explain a lot of things which is why I like to think of it as the pilot TNG episode that should have been.

One of the best ST novels.......2007-09-01

This is an exceptional book for Picard fans, and explains a lot of Picard and Guinan's relationship before TNG, and goes into detail what happened after Picard lost the Stargazer. It also has a good sprinkling of theoretical physics for science buffs, that personally I feel is lacking in many ST novels, and makes this book that much more appealing. The plot is terrific, the science is terrific, the book is a must read for TNG enthusiasts.

Both Author's and Character's Talent Wasted on Science.......2007-08-20

This book covers a hereunto unexamined chapter of the Star Trek timeline, and I was intrigued enough to purchase it even though I stopped reading Star Trek books years ago. Bennett is obviously a gifted writer, and it shows when describing the characters and in creating new races such as the Mabrem. Yet, the prose is bogged down with ancillary characters discussing such things as quantum physics far too frequently for my tastes. It is almost as if the author stated, "Well, I have 150 pages of great stuff, but that won't get me a book deal. Let's just throw in some technobabble and hope it flies!"

In closing, it's a useful addition to the Star Trek catalog, but it's a labor of love getting through it. Enjoy the useful parts and don't get bogged down.

Spend your money on another book!!!.......2007-08-06

There were some things I liked in this book:

As others have mentioned it was interesting to see Data, Troi, Tasha Yar -- in a cameo-- and Geordie LaForge who also has one and a young Lieutenant Janeway earlier in their careers. I enjoyed how Picard worked with each of them to make them the men and women they would become, but had such difficulty himself in his own private and public life.

The Star Trek: TOS book series _Crucible_ is about how Kirk, Spock & McCoy does or doesn't let love in and how it effects the rest of his life. Those books are ***far*** superior to this book. Picard is 100% in love. Then he's 100% betrayed. (With the name he picked for his sweetie of course he would be betrayed! He could be nothing else, she's the textbook example of an unreliable character.)

But mostly, this book is *buried* in technobabble. "William Shakepeare could have read the sentence 'A Cardassian cruiser suffered a warp- injector failure on approach to the Trelka system on stardate 36849.6' and understood much of its syntax and vocabularly, but would have had no clue what it was describing." (p. 194) Bennett almost seems to have written the book for the four pages of footnotes at the back. It's so much about the physics of black holes, the Alpha Centauri planetary system and how to do deep space archeology that flimsy, silly things like characters, plot and movitations get pushed to the side.

One of the best Star Trek books I've read.......2007-08-02

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a good Star Trek book. This one restored my interest in Star Trek-it's not just about political conflict,like many others are, it's about exploration. This is one of those few "keystone" novels in the Star Trek universe--at least for me, anyway. It very nicely fills in the gaps, gives a lot of background, provides new insights into the characters and their motivations (especially Picard), and just plain tells an intriguing story. While some people may find the pace to be slower than the typical "terrorists in space" type of Star Trek novels, I found it to be a delightful read. It is, at the core, a mystery, and the mystery is resolved in a very satisfying manner. For those who are intrigued by science fiction regarding ancient civilizations, I think you will love this book. Christopher Bennett writes intelligently and doesn't leave the science speculation out of this fiction. This novel also very effectively answers the question of how a captain who lost his ship (the Stargazer) could be given command of the Flagship of Starfleet. The plot is an effective bridge, starting with the Stargazer, and ending with the Enterprise. This is one of those rare Star Trek books that I would be happy to consider canon. I would have rated this 4.5 if I could. The one little thing that rankles me is that I feel like the publisher (or at least the chief editor) has a political agenda that I'm finding in some of the recent Star Trek books, almost to the point where I'd stock some of the Star Trek books in Gay/Lesbian Interest rather than Science Fiction. While the gay agenda is *very* slight in this book compared to the excesses of authors like Martin, Mangels, and Mack, it is still there, nonetheless, as if the author were required to include it. Other than that slight irk, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this quality Star Trek novel.

Average customer rating:

Splendid!
Essential for your Star Trek collection!
If you own one book about TNG, let this be it.
A Worthy Tribute
Inspirational, Dedicated, Essential - A Fine Tribute to TNG

The Continuing Mission
Judith Reeves-Stevens , and Garfield Reeves-Stevens
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671874292

Amazon.com

This is a must-have 10th anniversary tribute for all Star Trek: Next Generation fans. An episode guide walks you through all seven seasons of TNG, in a behind-the-scenes context full of fascinating facts, design sketches, backstage photos, and intimate cast and crew stories. Two more great sections unveil the making of the movies in which the Next Generation cast was featured: Generations, First Contact and Insurrection. Having all this in one place lets you see the detailed evolution of the series--Deanna Troi's uniforms, Data's emotions, Riker's beard--in great illustrations and amusing anecdotes. It's a nostalgic trip down the space lanes, and an enticing look at what might be ahead for our Next Generation heroes.

Book Description

"Let's see what's out there." -- Captain Jean-Luc Picard, "Encounter at Farpoint."

In September 1987, lightning struck for the second time when Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered on television, beginning an ongoing mission that continues to this day. Skeptics doubted that Gene Roddenberry could re-create the imagination and excitement of the classic Original Series, but The next Generation proved more-than-a-worthy successor, winning over fans and critics for seven thrilling seasons on television, then soaring on the big screen in two hit feature films: Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact. Star Trek: The Next Generation -- The Continuing Mission is an exquisite keepsake celebration of the unforgettable voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, collecting a breathtaking assortment of personal reminiscences, as well as never-before-published sketches, illustrations, and photographs from the series and both movies. Captain Picard and the entire crew are captured here in loving tribute to ten years of exploring new worlds and civilizations and going boldly "where no one has gone before".

Customer Reviews:

Splendid!.......2002-12-27

This book tells it all, breaking everything down about the show, you name it, this book tells it.
A wonderful way to celebrate an anniversary!

Essential for your Star Trek collection!.......2002-09-09

A pure celebration of Star Trek The Next Generation! A tenth anniversary tribute that does justice to the show and to all three movies through it's date of publication. It give some very good details on all the shows, some insights from a lot of the people that made The Next Generation. The pictures and drawings are stunning to say the least. If you're a fan of Star Trek, this is definitely essential to your collection.

If you own one book about TNG, let this be it........2002-07-04

First of all, this book is huge. Really. It is tall and wide as well as being hefty. It does the amazing task of covering 7+ years of television history regarding the show responsible for renewed interest in science-fiction.

The history is indeed an interesting one. Many tidbits are revealed, and if you are a trivia junkie, it will fill the endless void nicely.

The pictures are great, as well as commentary and brief interviews of folks. The only thing I felt that could have been done better were episode summaries. They fell by the wayside a bit; but the sheer volume of information contained in the book makes up for it.

It is well-constructed, and has lasted repeated flipping and reading. That and its size make it an excellent coffee table book. People who have no interest in Trek pick it up and are fascinated by the information. It makes a great gift, for yourself or the TNG fan in your life. Or even, the television trivia buff as well.

A Worthy Tribute.......2001-11-28

This book is something special in that it combines the usual prose of a "Making of..." with a wealth of large-size images and illustrations as well as a detailed guide to the seven seasons of TNG. Included are sections on "Generations", "First Contact" and, in the newest edition, "Insurrection". Although some of the images are already known from The Art of Star Trek, this is another great look behind the scenes. More than the rather loosely arranged images in the The Art of Star Trek, this book really tells the story of a series that is developed through seven seasons.

The Continuing Mission is probably the best book about TNG with all of its aspects. It was obviously written to be entertaining in the first place, so it never gets too profound. Nevertheless, we learn a great deal, for instance, where Guinan's name comes from, how many writers mingled together the script for "Yesterday's Enterprise", or how a shuttle may become a big starship. The only slight criticism I have about it is that the text is mostly separate from the images. Although there are captions, I would have liked to know more about several of the images.

The sub-title of the book is "A Tenth Anniversary Tribute", and it is a worthy tribute in any respect.

Inspirational, Dedicated, Essential - A Fine Tribute to TNG.......2001-06-04

This book is essential reading for any Star Trek fan. Even if you may not be a big fan of TNG (I myself prefer DS9), this beautiful tribute will surely improve your understanding of the days before, during, and after the creation of TNG series.

The text is written in a very amiable, intimate and lively manner, obviously showing the authors' love and dedication to the TNG world. Content-wise, the book is utterly fascinating: there is everything from the stories behind the casting ("But he's bald!"), to the creation and incarnations of the spacecraft of the show, to interesting anecdotes both clever and funny, highlighting special episodes, audience reaction, notes on production; even clear and non-technical explanations of various financial aspects of producing TNG and the movies. Absolutely nothing comes across as overly technical.

The book is divided into chapters tracing each season and movie involving TNG cast; each "season" also includes episode-by-episode synopses by the side - very helpful not just as an episode guide, but as a way of guiding the reader throughout the TNG journey. In fact, one of the best things about this book is its strong sense of chronological unity - reading the book from front to back, you are surely and rapturously guided through the entire TNG history - it feels like getting to know an old friend anew.

The book is made even better by the tons of colour photos throughout - ranging from pictures of props to sets, to ships, production designs, cast, scenes, costumes, production... it's just fantastic.

A lot of intelligence and dedication has gone into producing this book. I really can't praise it enough except to say: now I admire Star Trek: The Next Generation even more.

Average customer rating:

Disappointed

ST: TNG - The Continuum: Q-Strike

Headline New, Q saved by Picard

This is what a Q book should be!

Pointless
Q-Strike (Star Trek The Next Generation, Book 49)
Greg Cox
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Q-Zone (Star Trek The Next Generation, Book 48)

Q-Space (Star Trek The Next Generation, Book 47)

I, Q (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

The Q Continuum (Star Trek)

Q-Squared (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

ASIN: 0671019228

Book Description

The mischievous creature who calls himself Q has subjected Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise™ to many of their strangest experiences. But little had been known of Q's curious existence or that of the advanced dimension from which he comes. But now Picard knows more than he ever dreamed about an ancient conflict whose consequences might spell the doom of the entire galaxy.

The galactic barrier has fallen and Q's oldest enemy is free once more. Captain Picard and his crew find themselves in the middle of a cosmic war between vastly powerful entities. The future of the Federation may be at stake, but how can mere mortals turn the tide in such a superhuman battle? Picard has to find a way, or neither the Q Continuum nor the galaxy will survive.

Download Description

The unpredictable cosmic entity known only as Q has plagued Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise since their very first voyage together. But little is known of Q's mysterious past or that of the unearthly realm from which he hails. Now Picard must learn Q's secrets -- or all of reality may perish! Ever since its discovery, the great galactic barrier has impeded humanity's exploration of the universe beyond the Milky Way. Now a brilliant Federation scientist may have found a way to breach the barrier, and the Enterprise is going to put it to the test. The last thing Picard needs is a return visit from an omnipotent troublemaker so, naturally, Q appears. But Q has more in mind than his usual pranks, and while the Enterprise struggles to defeat a powerful inhuman foe, Captain Picard must embark on a fantastic odyssey into the history of the Q Continuum itself, with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed.......2003-09-14

Well, being a long-time Trekkie (TNG is my favorite), I was quite disappointed with this book. Liked the premise, liked the characters, did not like the execution. This book, the 3rd of a 3 book trilogy had way too much talk and background info for my liking. It appears the author took 1 exciting book and split it into 3 much weaker parts. Profits are the only reason I can think of why this was done.

ST: TNG - The Continuum: Q-Strike.......2002-08-18

Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuum: Q-Strike written by Grex Cox is the concluding part of the trilogy called the Continuum. As Riker heads for the "safty" of the outer fringes of the galactic barrier to escape the Calamarain, as the Enterprise is in grave circumstances, with psychokinetic energy of the barrier battling the Enterprise crew, as the shields are modified to absorb this energy; and the Q going to war with O and Jean-Luc Picard is still along for the transcendental ride through the galaxy with Q.

This book does grab you and it does keep you interested as to how will this Q-ish nightmare of cosmic war will end, as Jean-Luc Picard completes this strangest of all experiences through demensions... will the galaxy be doomed. As ancient conflicts resume between powerful enemies... Picard is now in the middle and the consequences are existence itself.

This book wraps-up some of the loose ends that Q has created and has a rather Picard solution to it. As this third installment of the trilogy was the best of the lot, you will find that the narrative to be the best, also. All in all, with the surpreme challenge at hand, who better to trust the galaxy's fate... none other than Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Headline New, Q saved by Picard.......2001-10-04

This book is brilliant. Action, adventure, you learn more about Q, about his past, his mistakes, his regrets, his family. Once again, Q is suprized by the mere mortals who help save not only the universe from untold evil, but also save Q, Q and q. There is even a theory as to what caused Earth's Ice Age. May be this should be the next Star Trek Film!

This is what a Q book should be!.......2001-08-15

After starting well in book one, and then slowly down to a crawl in book two,book three lets loose with some of the best story telling in the book series! Q faces an enemy more powerful than himself (a storyline touched on in Peter David's incredible "Q-Squared"), but this time he is trapped aboard the Enterprise and must play a sadistic game of "Hide and Seek" against his enemy, O. The storyline involving the female Q and baby q was equally gripping, as they faced the Betazoid professor now enhanced by the Galactic Barrier (as happened to Gary Mitchell in the original series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before"). The story races along incredibly well, and makes up for the horrible sluggishness of the second book in the series. Definitely not one to miss!

Pointless.......2001-08-13

The third book in the Q-Continuum trilogy is positively the worst.

It's boring and incredibly predictable, packed with pointless scenes that don't help the story progress one bit. The ending scenes are discustingly sentimental and full of clishés, robbing the book of any credibility and seem to be added in a rush, as if as an afterthought.

In short: pointless.

Book Description

On the cusp of their epic battle with Shinzon, many of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's long time crew were heading for new assignments and new challenges. Among the changes were William Riker's promotion to captain and his new command, Riker's marriage to Counselor Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher's new career at Starfleet Medical. But the story of what set them on a path away from the Starship Enterprise™ has never been told.

UNTIL NOW.

At the height of the Dominion War and unknown to all save those in the highest levels of command, the Federation secretly armed the neutral planet Tezwa with devastating weapons -- part of a contingency plan against the Dominion if the front lines collapsed. But Tezwa also lies near the border of the Klingon Empire...making the Federation's covert strategy in direct violation of their fragile peace treaties,and creating the potential threat of scandal and all-out war.

Now Tezwa's power-hungry prime minister is all too eager to flex his newfound military muscle, menacing a nearby Klingon border world. Sent on an urgent diplomatic mission, Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew are caught in the crossfire as the crisis quickly escalates. With time running out and billions of lives at stake, only one man can avert the looming disaster -- Ambassador Worf, who must choose between his oath to the Federation and his loyalty to Martok, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire....

Customer Reviews:

Book One of David Mack's triumphant Dulogy.......2006-08-04

"A Time to Kill", the seventh installment in the current "A Time to..." series of Next Generation novels, weaves together for the reader a complex storyline, enthralling characterizations, deep convictions, and heartfelt emotions.

Focusing around a rising problem on the neutral world of Tezwa, the United Federation of Planets is rushing to prevent a disaster that could spread into a quadrant-wide conflict. In an effort to cover-up for possible treaty breaches in the past, the Federation now finds itself stuck between the Klingons, Starfleet, and the people of Tezwa, each of whom could uncover the secrets that might plunge the Alpha Quadrant into a new and sustained conflict that would cost countless lives.

David Mack is a relative newcomer to Star Trek fiction, having previously penned the "Starfleet Survival Guide" and a reference to the "New Frontier" book series. His previous fictional works have both been in the "Starfleet Corps of Engineers" series. "A Time to Kill" and its follow-up "A Time to Heal" represent his first full-length paperback novels, and Mack comes to the table with a tour-de-force read that I simply couldn't put down.

At the risk of sounding like a crazed internet gusher, I was utterly stunned at the magnificent accuracy with which Mack was able to write the beloved crew of the Enterprise-E, as well as Worf and Martok. As each character appeared in the novel, I could literally see, hear, and experience this novel like it was a movie or television show.

Mack's story is deeply complex, and to truly delve into the complexity needs to be avoided for this review, for to truly reveal the nature of the complexity would be to spoil the sheer joy of reading this novel. Mack goes to great lengths to make this story a fast-paced thriller, and succeeds with short chapters that make it easy to follow the many plots that meet within the covers of this book.

Seeing the struggles of power in the Tezwan capital, the political machinations behind the scenes in their planetary council, and seeing the sacrifices of good Starfleet officers has never been so palpable or enjoyable in my experience of reading Star Trek novels. This novel has a soul all it's own, one that will draw the reader in and that simply won't let go.

David Mack makes a worthy addition to the roster of novel-length Star Trek fiction writers, and has earned a nearly flawless review from me.

This is a Star Trek novel for the ages, and one can only hope that "A Time to Heal", Mack's follow-up (due within the month) will bring the story to the boiling head it needs to enter into October's finale for the "A Time to..." series, "A Time for War, A Time for Peace", penned by Keith R. A. DeCandido.

An Exercise in DoubleThink.......2005-08-18

A Time to Kill is most definitely head and shoulders above the previous six "A Time To" novels. The book is dense, but also moves at a lightening quick pace.

In many ways, A Time to Kill is more how I have always envisioned Trek: decisions made at the very top and bottom of the chain of command have repercussions upon each other and create a more epic feelings. The leaders of other galactic empires have been important characters in Trek. Why hasn't the Federation president? Here we finally get to see how the Federation works from the top executive down to the lowest noncoms onboard the Enterprise.

The story itself is just far more large-scale and important than I've considered the stories at the center of the previous "A Time To" books. Those felt like they were spinning their wheels. A Time to Kill hits the ground running. The interstellar incident created on Tezwa was endlessly fascinating and each side's reaction and behavior was what we would expect. The book culminates in a heavy dose of covert ops and Mack (and editors) effortless cross-cuts between them to keep a steady pace.

Continuity bits were sprinkled about to create just the right amount of effect to remind us when the books are specifically taking place. Character work is across the board pretty good. I especially like Data's conundrum of trying to remember emotion as if from a dream. The plot seamlessly works in Will Riker's growth from throughout the "A Time To" series and doesn't call attention to itself. Like when it becomes readily apparent that Will just may be feed up with away missions and is all the more incentive to move over to the Titan. However, Christine Vale (and now Jim Peart) still draw a complete blank in my mental picture beyond their dedication to the job.

There's very little to nitpick in the book. One scene that sort of stood out for me was how the Enterprise seemed to effortlessly enter the Tezwan atmosphere and fly right over the city. Never got the impression before that the Sovereign's could fly so low to a planet surface. Secondly, "scanning for bio-signs" of particular species has become standard procedure anymore, so I'm curious as to why they couldn't just scan for Riker when he didn't check in and beam him up.

Probably best of all about A Time to Kill is that it's probably the first "A Time To" book that also felt pretty self-contained and could be read on its own. The other books have not felt that way.

Now all that said...there is the discouraging trend in Trek literature lately to make the Trek universe as grungy and depressing as real life that seems so overt and self-conscious as to border on exploitation. There's a heavy dose of cynicism in the latter "A Time To" books where the tiresome cliche of government corruption makes the Federation just as villainous as the Romulans or whomever. The corrupt admiralty was already a worn out cliche in the Trek universe, so I guess the writers and editors have decided to move on up the chain of command. So while I can really enjoy the book on its own, I really don't like the pattern that A Time to Kill started that progressed in the sequel.

A Time to Kill Review.......2005-04-04

This book is one of the better Star Trek books I have read and would recommend it. The book starts in Commander Rikers quarters as he is thinking over the events that have shamed the Enterprise and its captain. When Picard is given an assignment to reesablish honor, obstacles form.

Weapons, weapons, where are the weapons?.......2005-03-12

David Mack's entry into the A Time to... series of books opens up a lot of political intrigue that could shake the Federation to its core. A Time to Kill is another outstanding entry into this series. Marred only by a mildly "everything works out for the best" atmosphere that doesn't quite fit the difficulty of the Enterprise's mission, Mack still gives us a stellar book. The style fits the situation perfectly, making the reader read "just one more chapter" until the end of the book is reached.

Federation president Min Zife has a problem. During the Dominion War, the Federation sold advanced weaponry to the ruler of Tezwa to establish a fallback option in case the war went badly. Unfortunately, the ruler of Tezwa, Kinchawn, is a power-mad zealot who is willing to go to war with the Klingons to satisfy his own material needs. This would be very bad for Zife, as any war between the Klingons and Tezwa would reveal the weapons on the Klingon doorstep, sparking a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Unfortunately, Kinchawn uses the weapons to wipe out a fleet of Klingon ships and almost takes out the Enterprise as well during a diplomatic mission to calm hostilities. The Klingons want blood, and the Enterprise is sent to try and resolve the crisis before the Klingons can discover what's there. Captain Picard must find a way to neutralize the weapons as well as neutralizing the Klingon fleet that's been sent to conquer Tezwa, all at the same time. How will he do this? It will take coordinated attacks to prevent the guns from firing on Tezwa, as well as a little help from Ambassador Worf on the Klingon homeworld to stop the Klingons. If one thing goes wrong, the Federation will be plunged into a war that will weaken both parties, leaving everything open for the Romulans.

A Time to Kill is quite intricate, almost too much so. Enterprise personnel must disable all six guns at the same moment, and Worf must come through at the same time. If even one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong. Yes, the assault teams have their problems and setbacks, causing what tension there is in the novel, but everything ends up being a little too convenient. One thing that doesn't quite work out leaves a plot point for the next novel, but otherwise it feels a little unrealistic. I felt this would be the case when the situation was set up, so by the time it actually happened, I had grown used to it and went along for the ride. Thus, it's not a major problem. It's just something that's mildly annoying at the time.

Otherwise, A Time to Kill is a non-stop thrill ride, full of tension. The book has very short chapters, adding to the intense feeling. The chapters jump from one assault team to another, back to the Enterprise, to the President's office, as well as to another secret organization that's watching all this from elsewhere. There is a lot at stake, which just adds to the tension. It's almost like a music video, never giving the reader time to relax. The only parts that seem to drag a bit are the ones on Qo'nos, but that's only in relation to the rest of the book. I found Worf's attempts to do what Picard needs him to do to be duller than the events on Tezwa.

The book is very plot-driven, but Mack does do a good job with the characters as well. Dr. Crusher is still considering the offer to assume the position of Head of Starfleet Medical, and she's hurt that Picard hasn't come to her about it. Picard, meanwhile, is hurt that Crusher hasn't come to him to talk to him about it. This does seem a little bit "high school," but it doesn't come out that way in the book (well, not very much). Instead, the book examines their relationship as it has gone throughout the years of the television series and the movies. It's actually quite effective.

Even better is the characterization of the assault teams. We get to see a lot of new characters in action, and we're given some meaty looks at them. Most impressive (though a bit clichéd), is Razka, a reptilian non-commissioned security guard who acts like most sergeants do in war films. He's experienced, he's gruff, and he gets the job done. He is stereotypical, but I still found myself drawn to him. Maybe it was the scales. The other security officers are also given a lot to do. One thing this series has been wonderful with has been the security officers. They are not just nameless redshirts, and they aren't treated that way, either. We are starting to really get to know some of them, and while some of them die, some of them don't. Since the characterization of them is so good, it actually hurts when one of them does die.

One annoying aspect of characterization, however, was Zeitsev, one member of the mysterious organization that is following all of these events. His superior officer, a Vulcan, is evidently very attractive and he has a crush on her, despite her being a lot older than he is. This crush does nothing in this book except detract from the character. I hope it becomes a plot point somewhere in the next two books, as otherwise it just stands out as a grating character trait with no purpose.

This entire series has been a slow starter, but the last three books have been wonderful. They keep the reader coming back for more, wondering what's going to happen next. The end of A Time to Kill leaves a nice cliffhanger as well as a possible opportunity to comment on current events. We'll see what A Time to Heal gives us. I know I'm reading them as fast as I can.

David Roy

very well written.......2005-01-07

this book delves in with a lot of action. the enterprise is visiting a planet that has a military coup with several of the crew being held hostage. add to that the new government has control over some new weapons that nearly annilate a klingon fleet. the klingons are bent on revenge and it is up to the enterprise to put back the government in the hands of the old government, stop the new weapon at all cost and prevent the klingons from anniliating everyone on the planet.

this book is well written and probaly the best of the 8 in the series. it will keep you in suspense the whole time.

Vendetta: The Giant Novel (Star Trek the Next Generation)

Average customer rating:

How do you out Borg the Borg?
Great Novel that ties in TNG to TOS Doomsday Machine
Not a particularly good Star Trek novel
For every force there is an equal and opposite force
STNG Vendetta - Another well told Peter David tale!

Vendetta: The Giant Novel (Star Trek the Next Generation)
Peter David
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0671741454

Book Description

Vendetta The Borg -- half organic being and half machine, they are the most feared race in the known galaxy. In their relentless quest for technological perfection, they have destroyed entire star systems, enslaved countless peoples, and, in a single brutal attack, decimated Starfleet's mightiest vesels. Only a final desperate gambit by Captain Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise™ crew stopped the Borg from conquering the entire Federation. And now they have returned.

VENDETTA

In the bestselling tradition of Metamorphosis and The Lost Years, here is the newest Star Trek ® Giant Novel, a story of vengeance and obsession.

Answering a distress call from a planet under attack by the Borg, the U.S.S. Enterprise crew meets Delcara, the lone survivor of an alien race the Borg obliterated. Blinded by hatred, Delcara seeks the ultimate revenge -- the complete destruction of her race's executioners. But the U.S.S. Enterprise crew learns that Delcara's vengeance carries a terrible price, for once unleashed, the destructive force she commands will annihilate not only the Borg, but countess innocents as well...

Download Description

The Borg -- half organic being and half machine -- are the most feared race in the known galaxy. In their relentless quest for technological perfection, they have destroyed entire star systems, enslaved countless peoples, and, in a single brutal attack, decimated Starfleet's mightiest vesels. Only a final desperate gambit by Captain Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew stopped the Borg from conquering the entire Federation. And now they have returned.

In the bestselling tradition of Metamorphosis and The Lost Years, here is the newest Star Trek Giant Novel, a story of vengeance and obsession.

Answering a distress call from a planet under attack by the Borg, the Enterprise crew meets Delcara, the lone survivor of an alien race the Borg obliterated. Blinded by hatred, Delcara seeks the ultimate revenge -- the complete destruction of her race's executioners. But the Enterprise crew learns that Delcara's vengeance carries a terrible price, for once unleashed, the destructive force she commands will annihilate not only the Borg, but countless innocents as well....

Customer Reviews:

How do you out Borg the Borg?.......2006-08-15

In Vendetta, the Enterprise again meets the Borg. This time, however, the Borg have an enemy that, initially at least, can cut through a Borg cube ship like a hot knife through butter. But the Borg learn and adapt, remember? Then Starfleet has to decide who is their biggest concern: multiple Borg ships coming into Federation space to battle this new threat, or this new ship that has technology that could either be assimilated into the Borg (if they lose) or roam Federation space devouring planets for energy (if they win). Which is the biggest threat?

An exciting STNG story. The side story in attempting to "un-Borg" a captive is also interesting.

Great Novel that ties in TNG to TOS Doomsday Machine.......2006-02-18

I read Vendetta a long time ago and really enjoyed it. It dealt with one of my favorite Original Series episodes, "The Doomsday Machine". The story goes into some speculation as to the origin of the machine that the original USS Enterpise encountered at System L-374. If you like Trek, you will love this novel. It was be awsome if they made this story into the next movie.

Not a particularly good Star Trek novel.......2005-12-02

I am an ex-Trekker, but the reasons why are not important here. What I can tell you about Vendetta in this review (which I wrote even knowing that newer reviews would bury mine--oh, well, you're reading it, aren't you) is from my literature major's perspective.

Vendetta is not a well-written book. If you don't know, Peter David writes (or wrote) Star Trek comics for a living; so, understandably, the narration of this book, and the dialogue, frequently sound like a comic book. I don't really have a specific example in mind, but compare the narration with that in a ST comic edited by Peter David, and you may notice the similarity. The Enterprise crewmembers' dialogue, especially Geordi La Forge's (who is one of the main characters in Vendetta) sounds *very* UNauthentic--not very much like what you would expect to hear on a television episode, I mean.

Do you prefer your ST writers to be faithful to the series? Well, Mr. David often isn't. Here, Captain Picard (whose dialogue, to be fair, is somewhat more authentic than La Forge's) is a devotee not of Shakespeare (as he always was on television), but of Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote Don Quixote. (La Forge is also a DQ fan, apparently.) Well, to be fair, perhaps Picard likes both Shakespeare and Cervantes; and I won't bash that, because Don Quixote is my idol. And perhaps you recall that, only in a few time-travel situations (such as Star Trek IV), has a vessel exceeded warp ten and gone into a time warp, and even then, it required a slingshot around a star. Here, the Doomsday Machine (the subject of Vendetta) reaches warp ten simply because its pilot, Delcara, has such enormous willpower. Also, making a guest appearance in Vendetta is the USS Repulse, commanded by a woman named Ariel Taggert; this makes anyone who saw the TV episode "Unnatural Selection" wince, because there, Captain Taggert was a white-bearded *man.* (If PD remembered Captain Taggert at all, he had to have known that. The reason he changed Taggert's gender is probably so he could name the character Ariel--that's the name of one of his daughters.) However, there was one clever tactical idea which tied in with the TNG episode "Remember Me." Because that episode had Dr. Crusher trapped in a warp bubble, PD has the Enterprise dispose of a Borg ship by dropping a warp bubble on it. Interesting.

Does it happen to bother you when an author shows gives excessive focus to one or two favorite characters, and clearly snubs the others? Well, that certainly happens in Vendetta. The only important Enterprise crewmembers are Picard and La Forge; Dr. crusher and Counselor Troi, plus two characters from another starship, have supporting roles; and Riker and Data have very few lines. Except at the climax of the novel, when Riker commands the Enterprise bridge because Picard is trapped aboard the Doomsday Machine, Riker is so insignificant here that I had a hard time remembering if he does anything else in the entire book. Data has only one important scene in this book, which involves him helping to disconnect a Borg drone from the collective; after that, he is a bit player. In fact, near the climax of the book, he gets his face smashed in by someone's prosthetic hand. Peter David evidently does not like Data very much; you can figure that out if you read Imzadi, in which Data is a villain.

How about totally gratuitous sexual references? At least one shows up in every Peter David novel I have read, including Vendetta. Here, while La Forge talks to a simulation of a legendary character on the holodeck, the woman happily reminisces about the great sex she has had with multiple men during her travels. (You can find another obnoxious bit like this in Strike Zone, an earlier TNG novel by PD, in which a teenage girl plays with Riker's beard in a turbolift; and Imzadi...well, Imzadi is about Riker's and Troi's pre-Enterprise love affair, so, as you can guess, it's drenched in smut.)

Still, any novel involving the Borg is good enough to be read at least once, so if you run out of books to read, then read Vendetta. It's not a bad ST novel, but neither is it a great one. After finishing it, you should have an idea of why Peter David, known as a very popular Star Trek writer, is sadly overrated.

For every force there is an equal and opposite force.......2004-06-26

It's really too bad Rick Berman lacks much of the vision that the Star Trek "enterprise" [business wise] has demonstrated over the years. The Borg, not entirely a unique Star Trek creation, have been over used time and time again. Even though The Borg are the ultimate user, as Q put it, The Borg are in an evolutionary dead end. Even though they may be able to assimilate entire worlds, they are no more than parasites rather than creatures reaching for "perfection".

It was nice to see a balance, if you will, for The Borg. Vendetta also gives allusion to the TOS mention of The Preservers who might be related to the beings who hid clues of their own existence in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode, of which I cannot remember. All I do remember is the representation of that billion year old being, who'se race put their DNA into the primordial soup of many planets, is non other than the actor who plays the Dominion leader! Surprise, surprise!

Vendetta also reminds me of the famous The Count of Monte Cristo. At first vengence seems a keen sense of justice, but in the end is realized to be pitiful and utter non-sense, often times with a high price, as Sarek once said in the TOS series.

I'm also tired of seeing Star Trek with humans aka Terrans as the central point of any story. How about a story of the early Vulcans. The split that created the Romulans. The Breen. The creatures from Andromeda, from the TOS series. Terrans are great, but it would be nice to have the central point of view from another species, but perhaps that is asking too much imagination and vision.

Often times, the plots of various Star Trek shows, television, movies, books, have horrible plots to them. The original idea is great, but by the middle of the story, there are so many loose ends that at the end of the story, they are never tied together or allowed to be open ended with a semi-conclusion perhaps for a sequel. I'm particularly angry that just when a Star Trek television series gets going good, the series ends, usually after 7 or 8 years. Case in point, Deep Space Nine. I HATED the show when it first started, but by the 5th season, I was falling in love with the show. Characters were being developed, they were evolving and the plots were getting better. The ending of the Dominion War was so absurd that I nearly threw my television out the window.

Vendetta, in my humble opinion, is an excellent book, which likely lead to the creation of the movie Star Trek: First Contact, a few too many Voyager episodes and far too many Star Trek: Enterprise episode. Who was the idiot who decided to take the viewers back to the creation of the Federation? Star Trek has always been about moving forward, a vision of the future. Going backwards, from the point of view from TOS, TNG, Voyager, DS9 makes no sense whatsoever. Hopefully the new series being created by Strazinsky will be more visionary and creative than anything Rick Berman can think up.

Live long and prosper, you will be assimilated.

STNG Vendetta - Another well told Peter David tale!.......2003-09-03

After reading one or two Peter David novels, one quickly learns that his novels are to be looked forward to with great anticipation. Vendetta is no exception to this rule as it is an outstanding story that makes one wonder why it wasn't published as a hardback. Of course, at the time of this exceptional novels release, Star Trek The Next Generation stories hadn't quite made it to hardback status yet.

What can one expect from a Peter David Star Trek novel? An intriguing and exceptional plot; extraordinary humor; writing that is very true to characters; and so much more, all of which is delivered in this novel.

The premise:

The Enterprise answers a distress call from a planet that is under attack by the Borg. Rushing in, they discover a lone survivor named Delcara. Delcara is thoroughly outraged by the atrocity she bore witness to and sets herself on the path of revenge. Seeking to completely destroy the Borg for their crime against her people and others, she sets out to find a Doomsday Machine. When Captain Picard and crew learn of her intentions they must find a way to stop her because they "know" that the Doomsday Machine will not stop with the Borg...

What follows from there is as stated above, one of Peter David's earliest Star Trek stories and one of his best from that timeframe. I'd definitely have to say that the most hilarious part of this story is a Ferengi Damon being assimilated by the Borg to fill a role much similar to what they did to Picard when they assimilated him into Locutus.

I would definitely recommend this novel to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction and especially to Peter David fans; it is definitely not to be missed. {ssintrepid}

Average customer rating:

A mediocre sequel to a mediocre book.

Ugh and Holy cow

A study in how two characters can destroy a book

Why won't Wesley die??

Does anyone who liked this book watch Star Trek TNG?