Scan barcode
bdplume's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite of the numbered standalone NextGen books so far. My only criticism is that I don't think David has Worf/Klingon customs quite right in this novel.
emjeanmougin's review
3.0
Riker is sent to an alien planet named Paradise to do a survey on a group of terraformers. His position aboard the Enterprise is temporarily filled by Commander Stone. Other key players include Counselor Troi and Captain Picard. Worf, Beverly, Guinan, and Geordi support the cast, while Data, Wesley, and O'Brien make only brief appearances.
The Riker bits are very much a man-vs-wilderness type story, with Riker trying to navigate and survive in a frozen wasteland, while simultaneously attempting to rescue a family of terraformers. To make matters worse, Riker is pursued by the Wild Things -a genetically created species of fierce wolf-like creatures, capable of surviving in the harsh weather conditions of Paradise.
This is a suiting sort of tale for a character like Riker and I kind of found myself wishing that the whole book was just focused on him.
But this is Star Trek after all and tradition dictates that there MUST always be a B-Plot.
Aboard the Enterprise, members of the crew are having difficulty coping with Commander Stone, who they perceive to be somewhat of a maniac. Stone is having trouble coping with the crew, who can't seem to help but compare him to Riker. Soon, Stone becomes drawn to Troi, who is somewhat tempted by the fact that she can't read his emotions. Upon discovering that Troi is still in love with Riker, Stone becomes insanely jealous (or does he? I'm not sure).
The B-plot isn't bad and Stone can be both compelling and entertaining at times. It's a little hard for me to believe that Picard (or Starfleet in general) would put up with some of his bullshit, but it's understandable given the context.
Even at a great distance, Troi can still sense her Imzadi's thoughts and emotions in moments of great panic or terror, a skill that seems to go entirely underutilized in the climax of the story. This does allow for a sort of long-distance romance between Riker and Troi. I liked these parts of the book, but your mileage may vary.
The last few chapters move at a dead run and are sure to keep a reader entertained.
I would recommend this book to people who like monster-of-the-week type episodes or who like survival stories with a touch of sci-fi flare.
The Riker bits are very much a man-vs-wilderness type story, with Riker trying to navigate and survive in a frozen wasteland, while simultaneously attempting to rescue a family of terraformers. To make matters worse, Riker is pursued by the Wild Things -a genetically created species of fierce wolf-like creatures, capable of surviving in the harsh weather conditions of Paradise.
This is a suiting sort of tale for a character like Riker and I kind of found myself wishing that the whole book was just focused on him.
But this is Star Trek after all and tradition dictates that there MUST always be a B-Plot.
Aboard the Enterprise, members of the crew are having difficulty coping with Commander Stone, who they perceive to be somewhat of a maniac. Stone is having trouble coping with the crew, who can't seem to help but compare him to Riker. Soon, Stone becomes drawn to Troi, who is somewhat tempted by the fact that she can't read his emotions. Upon discovering that Troi is still in love with Riker, Stone becomes insanely jealous (or does he? I'm not sure).
The B-plot isn't bad and Stone can be both compelling and entertaining at times. It's a little hard for me to believe that Picard (or Starfleet in general) would put up with some of his bullshit, but it's understandable given the context.
Even at a great distance, Troi can still sense her Imzadi's thoughts and emotions in moments of great panic or terror, a skill that seems to go entirely underutilized in the climax of the story. This does allow for a sort of long-distance romance between Riker and Troi. I liked these parts of the book, but your mileage may vary.
The last few chapters move at a dead run and are sure to keep a reader entertained.
I would recommend this book to people who like monster-of-the-week type episodes or who like survival stories with a touch of sci-fi flare.
More...