I recently finished reading this 1999 miniseries for the first time (second time for the fifth book). I'd like to share my opinion and hear what others thought about these six books.
Infection: I love seeing early season stories written with the benefit of knowledge of later seasons. It was a treat to read first season TNG, warts and all. Beverly, Worf, and Picard get some meaty scenes, and the book is short and varied enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Vectors: Bascially, it's the first book with DS9 flair. Instead of the usual TNG gang, we get Pulaski, Dukat, Kira, the Ferengi, and some guest doctors as our featured characters. Some of the ideas and scenes of Bajoran and Cardassian points of view felt lifted from the Peter Allan Fields playbook, which is a great thing for an early DS9 story.
Red Sector: Beverly, McCoy, and Spock save the Romulan royal family from the latest version of the illness with some assistance from an egotistical moron named Stiles. That's all you need to know, and you can save yourself from reading one of the worst Trek stories ever written. This is proof that novelty is not always a good thing. I've written more about this book in the Diane Carey thread if you're looking for more harsh words.
Quarantine: This is the Maquis take on the first two books. Torres, Chakotay, and Tuvok all get some well-deserved attention, and Seska is thankfully reduced to a minimal role. Besides the virus threat, there are some interesting thoughts about prejudice and segregation thrown into the story.
Double or Nothing: This is the action-filled, spectacular payoff of the series, and it's got all the Peter David trademarks. My only minor quibble is that I don't quite buy that Picard could pull off the masquerade for as long as he does.
The First Virtue: The origins of the villain are revealed here, but it's mainly a Picard/Stargazer story about interstellar diplomacy and terrorism. It's a quieter story than Double or Nothing, but it still delivers in suspense and characterization.
Generally, I don't like medical drama, but I do like this series. It doesn't focus on the technical details but on the morals, ethics, and heroism of the Trek characters. I appreciate that the editor wanted some mystery in the early books, but The First Virtue would work better as the fifth or first book instead of the last.
In a nutshell, Books 1, 2, 4, and 6 all deliver solid entertainment, Book 3 deserves every bit of venom it gets, and Book 5 is the standout hit of the series.
Thoughts?
Infection: I love seeing early season stories written with the benefit of knowledge of later seasons. It was a treat to read first season TNG, warts and all. Beverly, Worf, and Picard get some meaty scenes, and the book is short and varied enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Vectors: Bascially, it's the first book with DS9 flair. Instead of the usual TNG gang, we get Pulaski, Dukat, Kira, the Ferengi, and some guest doctors as our featured characters. Some of the ideas and scenes of Bajoran and Cardassian points of view felt lifted from the Peter Allan Fields playbook, which is a great thing for an early DS9 story.
Red Sector: Beverly, McCoy, and Spock save the Romulan royal family from the latest version of the illness with some assistance from an egotistical moron named Stiles. That's all you need to know, and you can save yourself from reading one of the worst Trek stories ever written. This is proof that novelty is not always a good thing. I've written more about this book in the Diane Carey thread if you're looking for more harsh words.
Quarantine: This is the Maquis take on the first two books. Torres, Chakotay, and Tuvok all get some well-deserved attention, and Seska is thankfully reduced to a minimal role. Besides the virus threat, there are some interesting thoughts about prejudice and segregation thrown into the story.
Double or Nothing: This is the action-filled, spectacular payoff of the series, and it's got all the Peter David trademarks. My only minor quibble is that I don't quite buy that Picard could pull off the masquerade for as long as he does.
The First Virtue: The origins of the villain are revealed here, but it's mainly a Picard/Stargazer story about interstellar diplomacy and terrorism. It's a quieter story than Double or Nothing, but it still delivers in suspense and characterization.
Generally, I don't like medical drama, but I do like this series. It doesn't focus on the technical details but on the morals, ethics, and heroism of the Trek characters. I appreciate that the editor wanted some mystery in the early books, but The First Virtue would work better as the fifth or first book instead of the last.
In a nutshell, Books 1, 2, 4, and 6 all deliver solid entertainment, Book 3 deserves every bit of venom it gets, and Book 5 is the standout hit of the series.
Thoughts?
