I hate her so much I skip pages with her on it.

[kirk55555]

I've only read T'Ryssa Chen in a few things. I think all I've read that had her in them were the Cold Equations trilogy, the first Destiny book (I never did read the other books in that trilogy) and the TNG parts of Typhoon Pact and The Fall, and honestly she wasn't particularly memorable in most of the ones I've read with her (I loved the Cold Equations trilogy, but I didn't even remember she made an appearance in any of the books until I looked it up). She seems just to be there to have a nontraditional personality in the book (well, that and the TNG book crew had only about half of the TV show cast left, so they probably needed more characters). She's not really interesting, and seems just to be mostly there for shock value (which is pretty lame), but I don't dislike her. I just don't care. She's not a bad character, she's just not a good one. She could easily be erased and not effect anything, but it doesn't bother me if she keeps appearing.

If she became the focus of a book I might cross the line from not caring to being semi-annoyed by the character, but as long as she gets about as much time as she has in the books I've read, she's not a big deal. Kind of like every other TNG book supporting character that's there just to make up for about half the TV cast not being on the Enterprise anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying almost all of the newer ST books I've read set in the current continuity, but the Enterprise-E books do lack a bit in the crew department. Then again, its still got a better crew than Titan, so there's that.

 

[JD]

Don't read Greater Than The Sum.

 

[kirk55555]

I hadn't even heard of it before looking up Chen's appearances. I haven't read many books from this ongoing trek novel continuity that are pre-Destiny (and I only read the first destiny book). Its not usually a big deal that I didn't read a lot of the early parts of the ongoing novel continuity, although I still have no idea what books had the big borg invasion in them that the current books can't stop talking about. When it comes to the early books, if the one you mentioned focuses on Chen (or any other enterprise crew member not seen on TV or movies) I'd avoid it if I saw it.

I would read a newer book if a new book crew member was the focus, but mostly to stay caught up. At this point, I'm caught up enough with the pre Typhoon Pact events to not have to go through the early books that set up people like Chen. Even though I liked the TNG parts of The Fall, Typhon Pact and the Cold Equations trilogy (which the E-E crew was a big part of aftert part 1), I do miss the TNG books having a stronger cast. Maybe they can steal Tuvok from Titan now that its just an admiral's taxi.

 

[chelly]

I love Chen and Abbey (since several people mentioned her in the thread). I find them to be very interesting and fun.

 

[T'Ressa Dax]

You know, I think T'Ryssa would be perversely pleased to know that some people can't stand her. A lot of her behavior, at least in her pre-Enterprise days, has been consciously calculated for shock value, particularly toward Vulcans or others who made assumptions about how she should behave based on her appearance. The way she acts is a statement about her refusal to be judged by other people's standards and expectations and likes and dislikes.

Which to me is a good reason to like her.

 

[Steve Roby]

I'm fine with Trys. She's a different kind of character from the Vulcans and half-Vulcans we've seen on Star Trek; she connects more to her human side. Considering TV Star Trek's bizarre biological determinism, that's progress. She also serves another role: she's a young officer who can be mentored by Picard. Everyone from TNG is too grown up to need that kind of relationship. I don't see much similarity with Abby, though. Trys is young and learning, whereas Abby is heading into middle age and seems arbitrarily quirky for the sake of having at least one dimension to her personality.

 

[JD]

I hadn't even heard of it before looking up Chen's appearances. I haven't read many books from this ongoing trek novel continuity that are pre-Destiny (and I only read the first destiny book). Its not usually a big deal that I didn't read a lot of the early parts of the ongoing novel continuity, although I still have no idea what books had the big borg invasion in them that the current books can't stop talking about. When it comes to the early books, if the one you mentioned focuses on Chen (or any other enterprise crew member not seen on TV or movies) I'd avoid it if I saw it.

Which is a shame, because it is an amazing book.

 

[Shane Houston]

I think it was a mistake to tone Chen down, She's the only new character with a distinct personality on the E-E.

Well, it was always my intent that she would be "toned down" somewhat from where she started -- that she'd begin as an unruly and unfocused junior officer who hadn't yet learned the discipline to develop her full potential, and that Captain Picard's mentoring would teach her that discipline and put her on the right path. Although she'd still retain her spontaneity and wit and lighten him up a little in return.

This. It's just like what Janeway did with Paris and B'elanna and what Picard himself did with Ro Laren. I loved in the Cold Fusion trilogy where she was left in command of the ship and was able to stop a shooting war with Gorn. Sure, Geordi could have been the one to be in the scene on the bridge, but having Chen there made it more fun.

 

[kirk55555]

I hadn't even heard of it before looking up Chen's appearances. I haven't read many books from this ongoing trek novel continuity that are pre-Destiny (and I only read the first destiny book). Its not usually a big deal that I didn't read a lot of the early parts of the ongoing novel continuity, although I still have no idea what books had the big borg invasion in them that the current books can't stop talking about. When it comes to the early books, if the one you mentioned focuses on Chen (or any other enterprise crew member not seen on TV or movies) I'd avoid it if I saw it.

Which is a shame, because it is an amazing book.

I'm sure for what it is, its fine. Its just not a ST book I'd read. While I enjoy a lot of book created characters, Chen is not a compelling character to me. Like I said, while I'm fairly neutral to her, she has all the characteristics of being someone I could find super annoying in large doses. She just seems goofy for the sake of being a goofy, weird starfleet officer. There just doesn't seem to be much of a point to Chen being goofy. She'd probably be more interesting if she wasn't a generic "offbeat" starfleet officer. The few other Enterprise book created officers were usually just boring/pointless (like Choudhurry, did Worf really need more tragedy for his character?). I think the only one I outright liked was the bit I read with Vale, and she just ended up going to Titan. The less said about those books, the better

Anyway, everyone enjoys different things, and I don't hate Chen. She's just not a very good character, but she's not bad enough (at least in what I've read) to elicit any response other then "meh".