Fury actually beat me to it with this thread
I just finished reading
Reunion and am currently in the middle of
The Valiant, and I also wanted to get some info on the Stargazer series:
1. are the books self-contained or continue into each other?
2. Why are
Requiem and the
Double Helix novel considered a part of the series? aren't these "regular" TNG novels?
3. what is the general consensus regarding the SGZ series, among board regulars?
I've only read the first three stargazer books, and although I enjoyed them, they weren't all that great. I have bought the other 3 from the series plus the Double Helix entry and plan on reading them at some point. They are reletivly quick reads at less than 300 pages.
1. Each book is its own story but there are several elements that continue from one book to another. Kind of like the TNG run on tv...
2. It's only the prologue from Requiem that has anything do with the series. It looks back at Picard dealing with the Gorn in 2344 (roughly) which is actually 10-11 years after the events chronicled in the six Stargazer series novels (the series takes place during Picard's first year of command, 2333). Requiem is indeed a "regular TNG novel". The "Double Helix" entry, The First Virtue, looks back at an incident involving Picard and the Stargazer crew circa 2350.
3. As I said, I liked the three I read as they are fun and quick reads. That being said; I think someone like Christopher L. Bennett could continue a series like this and actually make it quite good. Just look at his Lost Era novel, The Buried Age, and you'll see how Picard should be written

.
If do decide to read any of the books, I hope you enjoy them