TNG: Silent Weapons by David Mack Review Thread (Spoilers!)

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Sho, Nov 17, 2012.

?

Rate Silent Weapons.

  1. Outstanding

    40 vote(s)
    44.4%
  2. Above Average

    34 vote(s)
    37.8%
  3. Average

    12 vote(s)
    13.3%
  4. Below Average

    3 vote(s)
    3.3%
  5. Poor

    1 vote(s)
    1.1%
  1. Enterpriserules

    Enterpriserules Commodore Commodore

    My full review is here at Trek.fm
     
  2. Markonian

    Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    Location:
    Derbyshire, UK
    A nice read and, as far as I can tell, spot-on on the themes of the book.
     
  3. Mage

    Mage Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2007
    Worf as captain would be something I'd love to see. Either on the Enterprise, or a new ship. Not because I want all the characters to become captain, certainly not. But I do feel Worf has changed so much over the last few years, and became a better man. I think it's time he became a CO.

    As for Silent Weapons...

    I liked it. Really well written, the plot had good pacing, and you did want to know why everything was happening the way it was. The ultimate pay-off however.... I don't know. Didn't really do it for me.
    The few bombshells, however, were dropped hard like any Mack-bombshell. I was definatly amazed at some turn of events hear and there. And as for Chen.... I know she still has some nay-sayers, but I've liked her from the get-go, and like her even more now. :D
     
  4. Ronald Held

    Ronald Held Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2005
    Location:
    On the USS Sovereign
    If the Titan was destroyed the other Luna class vessels would still be available for exploration. Not certain how much I would want Riker to captain the E-E for any length of time.
     
  5. Enterpriserules

    Enterpriserules Commodore Commodore

    I'd like more well written Chen, I have always liked her
     
  6. Markonian

    Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    Location:
    Derbyshire, UK
    Hm, a captain losing his science vessel and earning command of the Enterprise instead... Nah, Starfleet would never do that, would they? :guffaw:
     
  7. jla1987

    jla1987 Lieutenant Junior Grade Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2012
    Location:
    Missouri
    Just started Chapter 13 and I have to admit I'm having a very difficult time getting into this book. I love book 1 (a fast paced fun read), but might need some convincing to go further...
     
  8. Ronald Held

    Ronald Held Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2005
    Location:
    On the USS Sovereign
    I did not even consider how that would mirror Picard. Is Riker about the same age as Picard when he lost the Stargazer?
     
  9. zarkon

    zarkon Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Picard was 50, and as of Silent Weapons, Riker is 49.
     
  10. Hartzilla2007

    Hartzilla2007 Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2006
    Location:
    Star Trekkin Across the universe.
    Except it was almost a decade between Picard losing the Stargazer and him getting the Enterprise-D, and I believe Picard had the ship for 20 years or so before losing it where as Riker has had the Titan not even 5 years yet.

    Plus I don't think the Stargazer was a science vessel.
     
  11. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Yes, it was, at least as much as Titan is. It didn't really get spelled out on the show, but in Picard's bio in the original series bible, it was made clear that the Stargazer's mission was one of long-term deep-space exploration -- pretty much the exact same mission profile as Titan. And heck, it's right there in the name. Not to mention that TNG made it pretty clear that Picard did consider himself an explorer, and it didn't seem to be a recent change.
     
  12. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2003
    Location:
    Rhode Island, USA
    Agree that Stargazer and Titan share a similar mission profile, but have a hard time picturing either as a science vessel. Level of science is really restricted to TOS Enterprise levels. Seems to fit more of an exploration/first contact profile, whereas the dedicated Science Vessel we're picturing would be the one to come by later and follow up on the discovery with 6 months of flora and fauna sampling, or anthropology teams, etc.

    Nothing's really indicated to me that either Stargazer OR Titan really was filling that role. Closer to TOS, just further out and without the diplomatic ferry/flagship/battleship duties.
     
  13. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2001
    Well, if you define "science vessel" that way, okay. I was taking it to mean that the mission was principally scientific/exploratory in nature rather than military/political/diplomatic/support/etc.
     
  14. Markonian

    Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    Location:
    Derbyshire, UK
    For what it's worth:
    In Star Trek: Online, the Luna-class (and its derivatives) is classified as a recoinnassance science vessel, or RSV. It is a designated science vessel and a bit less combat-oriented than the deep space science vessels (DSSV).

    The Stargazer-class itself is not yet in STO but its 'design family' belongs to the heavy cruiser category and includes the following classes: Stargazer, Dakota and Cheyenne.
    However, The Needs of the Many depicted the USS Stargazer-A (prototype of the Stargazer-class) at the forefront of exploration: first contact with the Lorians (possible descendants of the Xindi-Avians), re-contact with the Metron Consortium and, in-game, the first contact with the Xaraxian Congress is mentioned occuring early in the 25th century.

    In short, whether you consider a ship a 'science vessel' depends how much weight you put on the initial classification vs. the actual mission profile.

    BTW, people keep mentioning Spot as a 'she'. Remember: it was a 'he' in The Persistence of Memory. :vulcan:
     
  15. zarkon

    zarkon Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    She was preggers in the terrible season seven ep Genesis
     
  16. Markonian

    Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2012
    Location:
    Derbyshire, UK
    True, but in TPoM Worf said it was a decades-old male cat.
     
  17. JoeZhang

    JoeZhang Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    Is that all Riker is in the books? Because I think of Frakes, I thought the character must be pushing 60 at least.
     
  18. Deranged Nasat

    Deranged Nasat Vice Admiral Admiral

    Spot rejects your primitive 21st-century insistance on restrictive sexual identity and, in true feline fashion, does whatever it wants on its own authority when the whim takes it. Thus if it wants to be male, he is, and if it wants to be female, she is. :p
     
  19. zarkon

    zarkon Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Episode trumps book though right? Especially when it's as explicit as it is in the episode

    Le shrug

    Well Riker was born in 2335 and Silent Weapons is set in 2384, so he should be roughly there or thereabouts. I guess the books have dallied in various years for a while.

    Encounter at Farpoint was set in 2364, so Riker was 29 while Frakes was 35, so he was playing a somewhat younger character to begin with
     
  20. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Location:
    America, Fuck Yeah!!!
    Perhaps Spot is a Changeling sleep agent! :eek: