Are the following books worth reading?

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by WarsTrek1993, Feb 13, 2012.

  1. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    I'm not 100% caught up with every relaunch novel (pre- and post-Destiny) and wanted to ask: are the following novels on this list worth a read?

    TNG: Before Dishonor (The most hated book on the BBS, seems like).
    TNG: Greater Than The Sum
    TNG: Indistinguishable From Magic
    Typhon Pact: Seize The Fire
    TTN: The Red King
    Death In Winter
    DS9: Avatar
    DS9: Unity

    I appreciate input from any fellow readers. :)
     
  2. Mysterion

    Mysterion Vice Admiral Admiral

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    No, yes, yes, not read it, not read it, no, yes, yes.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
  3. Sho

    Sho Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    My poll ranking site might help you out there to a degree, for example Seize the Fire is currently at the bottom of the list, indicating it was considerably less well-liked than other books, even receiving a number of "Poor" votes. However, you should of course click through to the review thread to dig deeper, not just blindly trust the numbers.

    Of the ones you've listed I've only read Avatar personally, which I remember liking a lot.
     
  4. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    ^ Thanks for that! :cool:
     
  5. Sakrysta

    Sakrysta Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I don't think there are any on your list that are so bad that I would warn you away from them. Of course, I tend to react to negative reviews with curiosity that makes me want to find out if the book was really as bad as people say. The overwhelming majority are not. I'd say try them all and form your own opinion.

    That said, my favorites in your list were Avatar and Unity. Unity especially was just awesome. :D
     
  6. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    Some of us loved it.

    TNG: Greater Than The Sum - Excellent
    TNG: Indistinguishable From Magic - not read it yet
    Typhon Pact: Seize The Fire - not read it yet
    TTN: The Red King - is okay, but it's a followup to a "Lost Era" novel, and works best if you've read that first
    Death In Winter - I really enjoyed it, but it wasn't what some people seemed to want at the time. Follows up "Reunion".
    DS9: Avatar - excellent/essential reading
    DS9: Unity - excellent.
     
  7. captcalhoun

    captcalhoun Admiral Admiral

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    the only one i haven't read is DiW. All the others are good or great.
     
  8. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    Thanks for the input!
    Therin- Yeah, I heard Red King was supposed to act as a sequel to that amazing TLE novel, "The Sundered".

    EDIT: New addition, A Singular Destiny, worthy?
     
  9. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    I'd say read all of them.

    Flowchart in my signature explains how they all fit together :)
     
  10. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I liked it.
    Much of it reads like an apology for "Before Dishonor", where characters apologize a lot for getting a bit carried away. Lots of discussions about the Borg that try to reconcile everything we know about them in the episodes and novels.
    Definitely. I only wish it led to more Captain Geordi books.
    Haven't read it.
    Recommend you read "Taking Wing" first. This is a direct continuation of that story.
    Haven't read it.
    Essential as the start of the ongoing post-DS9 story.
    Haven't read it.
     
  11. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    "Before Dishonor" is pretty good and is a sequel to David's 1991 "Vendetta".

    "Indistinguishable From Magic", while it promises a lot, it fails miserable because it was meant to be two books but was cut down to one, so you really have a story that feels more like it's just the 'bones' of the story and there is very little 'meat'. Also half-way through the story the plot with the 22nd century time traveler (who was played on TV by the star of Max Headroom) just end and never picks up again. Not recommended.

    "Seize The Fire" - I've read the book but I don't remember what it was about.

    "Red King" - if you haven't read "Taking Wing" yet then read that before RK since this is the second Titan book that follows Riker, Troi and Tuvok's story since "Endgame & Nemesis".

    "Death In Winter" - takes place just prior to "Taking Wing" and "Resistance" and explains why Dr. Crusher is on the Enterprise-E instead of at Starfleet Medical in the later books.

    "Avatar" - nice relaunch story, plus it pays homage to DS9's TV pilot by having the Enterpris in the story. Season 8's premiere episode.

    "Unity" - this is kind of DS9's Season 8 finale since the "World's of Deep Space Nine" stories do act as Season 9's opening stories.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
  12. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I still say that if one insists on the artificial "season" model, Unity is more like the big sweeps event 2/3 of the way through the season and Worlds of DS9 is the last block of episodes, with Olympus Descending as the cliffhanger finale, the end of the first full year post-"What You Leave Behind."
     
  13. Patrick O'Brien

    Patrick O'Brien Captain Captain

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    Great job on the poll Sho:bolian: Nice that the book titles are linked to the forum dicussions. I may spend the day casting my vote for the books I have read:D
     
  14. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    Ah, I've seen that already, and it has been extremely helpful in rearranging all the ST novels I currently own! :)
    Having already read Taking Wing, perhaps I shall give Red King a read eventually.
    Before Dishonor actually sounds like a worthy read, from what you're saying.
     
  15. Deranged Nasat

    Deranged Nasat Vice Admiral Admiral

    I hope this doesn't sound stupidly obvious (:)), but only by reading it will you be able to get an answer as to its quality; it's greatly divisive. It's one of those books that I don't think lends itself too well to a general ask-around; its quality or lack of is about as subjectively varied as it gets. From "one of the absolute best" to "one of the absolute worst".
     
  16. Defcon

    Defcon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    TNG: Before Dishonor - Definitely
    TNG: Greater Than The Sum - Hell No
    TNG: Indistinguishable From Magic - Yes
    Typhon Pact: Seize The Fire - Yes
    TTN: The Red King - Yes
    Death In Winter - Not really
    DS9: Avatar - Yes
    DS9: Unity - Definitely
     
  17. WarsTrek1993

    WarsTrek1993 Captain Captain

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    Haha, that is a actually a good answer. One could probably say the same thing about Rough Beasts of Empire (Typhon Pact). That's one of those books you either love, or hate.
     
  18. captcalhoun

    captcalhoun Admiral Admiral

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    i forgot you said Red King, i actually didn't enjoy that very much, possibly because i'd never read the sundered and therefore found it kinda hard to give a fudge about the neyel.
     
  19. Lindley

    Lindley Moderator with a Soul Premium Member

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    Before Dishonor wasn't bad in the traditional sense. It simply wasn't anywhere near as good as it should have been given the subject matter.
     
  20. tomswift2002

    tomswift2002 Commodore Commodore

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    Also "Before Dishonor" could've easily carried the Voyager banner since Admiral Janeway and Seven Of Nine play quite a big role in the book (plus the German and English covers have Seven on the covers).