Tak's Reading Room

Elena. reviewed Star Trek: Double Helix Omnibus by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

No cover — Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Peter David, Diane Carey, Dean Wesley Smith, John Gregory Betancourt, John Vornholt, Michael Jan Friedman, Christie Golden: Star Trek: Double Helix Omnibus (2002, Simon & Schuster)

Like a strand of mutating DNA, a deadly conspiracy winds its way through the Alpha …

Not the medical drama I expected

3 stars

A mixed bag. Some books were good, especially "Vectors", some were average, though all of them had good parts and elements that I liked. I liked that we get to see well known on-screen characters before we meet them in their respective shows. I especially liked to have Dr. Pulaski as the main character in one book, "Vectors". That was great and as I said in my comment about that book, I'd love to have a series called "The 6 husbands of Katherine Pulaski".

When I started reading this series I expected medical drama, which I got in the first two books. But after that the virus was only there to make the story start and the hunt for the maker and the reason they made the virus was the main story.

#StarTrek #StarTrekBooks #StarTrekNovels #TrekLit

Elena. reviewed Articles of the Federation by Keith R. A. DeCandido

A year in the life of the president of the United Federation of Planets

5 stars

Content warning largly spoiler free review with a small but not insignificant spoiler at the very end, specially marked, with space before and after, so you almost can't read it accidentally

This is a really good, never boring look into the Federation government, which unfortunately we don't ever really see on screen, with a few short exceptions. Without a doubt, this book is one of my favourite Trek novels. It's so good.

The book follows the newly elected president throughout one year, January to December, with one or two month breaks in between. The way that was done I found to be a cool way to tell a story.

Each segment (=month) of the book is lead by a chapter of civilians of various planets watching the political commentary and discussion show "Illuminating the City of Light". There the participants discuss the crises and their outcome, that we just read about in the segment before. I liked that a lot.

I also liked the extensive number of races and characters that appear, just as it should be in a Federation of over 150 member states. There are quite a few cameos, some shorter than others, some of more importance than others, some of on screen characters, some of books-only characters.

After the Strange New Worlds episode "Ad Astra Per Aspera" left me wanting a Star Trek legal show, I now want a political show as well. Maybe combine the two themes. Maybe make it a limited series, taking the structure of this book as model.

I discovered one mistake: On page 184 Starfleet's motto "Ad astra per aspera" is translated as "To the stars for hope". That's wrong. The correct translation is "To the stars through hardship". Unfortunately a whole speech is based on that wrong translation.

Interview with the author on Literary Treks podcast: www.trek.fm/literary-treks/265

SPOILER further down . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPOILER AHEAD

There is one thing however that I did not like at all: The involvement of Section 31. It is never named, but I guess that “they” are meant to be Section 31. The more I think about Section 31 the more I dislike it. I want it out of Star Trek. I want it completely dismantled and never to re-surface again. That would be a great episode of Star Trek.

END of SPOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #StarTrek #StarTrekBooks #StarTrekNovels #TrekLit

Elena. commented on Star Trek: Double Helix Omnibus by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Like a strand of mutating DNA, a deadly conspiracy winds its way through the Alpha …

Star Trek: TNG: Double Helix -- Book Five: Double or Nothing by Peter David ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Action packed, lots of violence, and full of wacky drama as only New Frontier books can be. A classic Peter David.

Here we finally find out who the creator of the virus is and why they did it. But that does not seem to be the main story actually. Which is a pity. Our heroes seem to stumble upon it almost by chance. And the bit that was actually planned... well, I wished we found out how that came about. I've been missing the actual virus for a couple of books now. Maybe I should stop expecting medical drama from this mini series, because it clearly isn't that at all. Still 4 stars because it's entertaining and never boring, even though it could be very well a book outside this mini series.

I wonder if …

Star Trek: TNG: Double Helix -- Book Five: Double or Nothing by Peter David ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Action packed, lots of violence, and full of wacky drama as only New Frontier books can be. A classic Peter David.

Here we finally find out who the creator of the virus is and why they did it. But that does not seem to be the main story actually. Which is a pity. Our heroes seem to stumble upon it almost by chance. And the bit that was actually planned... well, I wished we found out how that came about. I've been missing the actual virus for a couple of books now. Maybe I should stop expecting medical drama from this mini series, because it clearly isn't that at all. Still 4 stars because it's entertaining and never boring, even though it could be very well a book outside this mini series.

I wonder if any of the people involved with Picard, season 3 have read that book. 🤔

#StarTrek #StarTrekBooks #StarTrekNovels #TrekLit #CalhounIsMyCaptain 😉