my thoughts on Resistance. spoilers

[captcalhoun]

can't be assed to dig up the old thread. sorry.

i enjoyed it. whilst i was spoiled by certain folks on here about Nave and Lio, and even more by the review in SFX - which gave it 1/5 stars and labelled it 'fanwank' - revealing Picard became Locutus again by choice, i still enjoyed it.

i like the new counselor, and i liked Worf being first officer.

i also can't believe the boneheaded SFX reviewer claimed that the E-E had a cloak 'all this time' when it's clearly stated in Worf's dialogue that they merely had the plans on file and then built one. Berk.

i look forward to Q&A - when those bums at Amazon finally ship it - and Before Dishonour.

 

[J47]

I just finished it myself. While I enjoyed most of the elements of the plot, the majority of the execution left it to be a less than enjoyable read. Characterizations felt off (Picard's 'joke' on Worf near the beginning, when offering him the position of first officer, was not untrue to the character, but his reaction when Worf didn't get it took me right out of the story), the author's tendency to over-describe the physical traits of new characters (which at points felt like paint-by-numbers), and finally how hugely rushed it all felt. There were points where I was left reeling. Heck, the conclusion felt faster than a Voyager reset. Overall, definitely a less-than-spectacular start. But with KRAD and PAD efforts next, I'm not too worried.

 

[ArtRobot]

J47 said:
...the majority of the execution left it to be a less than enjoyable read. Characterizations felt off ...the author's tendency to over-describe the physical traits of new characters (which at points felt like paint-by-numbers)

Perhaps due to my visual nature, I whole heartedly disagree with you on this point and find the lack of similar description in other books frustrating. Plus, I actually like these characters.

J47 said: ...and finally how hugely rushed it all felt.

Related to my visual nature, I like books that make me feel like I'm watching a film and the fast pace of this book contributed to that feeling with this title. So many other books I have read (though I may enjoy the story) have pages of exposition and even duologue that a well edited film would leave on the cutting room floor.

...but I agree about some of the off character moments, though I would attribute most to Worf. However, I appreciate that circumstances allow other characters to shine rather than the usual TNG movie trend of "Picard the action hero".

 

[J47]

ArtRobot said:

J47 said:
...the majority of the execution left it to be a less than enjoyable read. Characterizations felt off ...the author's tendency to over-describe the physical traits of new characters (which at points felt like paint-by-numbers)

Perhaps due to my visual nature, I whole heartedly disagree with you on this point and find the lack of similar description in other books frustrating. Plus, I actually like these characters.

I don't have a problem with describing the characters, but every time a new character was introduced it was "okay, stop the plot, this is what they look like, resume." It just feels so unnatural, especially in comparison to the style that most of the recent Trek books use.

 

[the_wildcard]

I also just finished tonight and agree with many of your comments. Overall, I thought the book was good, though there were a few low points.

My particular issues dealt with the actual fighting on the Borg Ship. For example, why were there not more away teams (the 2nd trip with Worf and Crusher)? They already assumed the Borg would attack once spotted, so why not beam multiple teams on board the Borg ship.

Secondly, the weapons. Worf with no bat'leth? What about photon grenades? Or perhaps some sort of bomb?

Finally, the strategy used by Crusher/Worf to distract the Borg to chase her and then luring them so Worf could shoot them was....... Considering they had Locutus helping them, I am surprised to see the Borg was not able to predict this basic strategy.

To make it worse, they used it more than once I believed. It reminded me of the Star Trek TNG book "Ship of the Line" where in one sequence, Riker/Scotty/Bateson disable the enemy by manipulating the intertial dampers so that the intruders would slip, slide and fall down. Effective? Apparently yes. Complex, creative or appealing? No.

But besides that, I thought the dialoge was good. The development of Sara and Lio's chracters and relationship were terrific. And I thought the dynamic between Picard and Crusher was also very good.

 

[rafterman1701]

It was weak. The whole premise left me wanting more and I'm still amazed that we don't have a new full time crew for the E-E. It's Picard, Worf, Geordi, Beverly and some fan fic characters.

 

[ArtRobot]

the_wildcard said:
Worf with no bat'leth?

I hadn't even thought of that. It would seem a better weapon for the situation. Worf seemed pretty weak throughout. Why would he leave the bridge when they were making their first attempt to rescue Picard by beam out? Was he that desperate for orders that he would leave the bridge in battle? It's not like he would be able to do anything for the captain when he was beamed in and then he had to call up to the bridge to ask what was happening!

rafterman1701 said:...I'm still amazed that we don't have a new full time crew for the E-E. It's Picard, Worf, Geordi, Beverly and some fan fic characters.

What kind of new non "fan fic" characters were you expecting to see?

 

[Christopher]

Actually I'd think Worf would be more likely to use his mek'leth than a bat'leth. The short sword seemed to become his weapon of choice in later DS9 and FC, and it would certainly be more practical in the close quarters of a Borg cube.

 

[Elemental]

For me, the ultimate oddity of the novel is still that the Queen was destroyed and the Borg were thrown into forever disarray by... testosterone.

 

[Christopher]

^^To be fair, it was stated that the hormonal compound wasn't pure testosterone, but a more complex chemical agent that simply had that as its base.

 

[the_wildcard]

Christopher said:
Actually I'd think Worf would be more likely to use his mek'leth than a bat'leth. The short sword seemed to become his weapon of choice in later DS9 and FC, and it would certainly be more practical in the close quarters of a Borg cube.

Oh yeah, the mek'leth. I was visualizing the mek'leth (in those scenes from First Contact & DS9) but accidently wrote bat'leth. But you understand my point right? I think Worf should have brought some kind of close quarters weapon.

 

[William Leisner]

^ Worf was hoping for an in-and-out rescue mission. Hand-to-hand combat is a long and drawn out activity, compared to a phaser blast to the face. Besides, there's not a lot of organic surface area that would even be vulnerable to a bladed weapon. (For that matter, if you prick a Borg, does he, in fact, bleed?) Worf probably figured that if it got to the point where he could use a mek'leth, he was already SOL...

 

[Therin of Andor]

rafterman1701 said:
... and some fan fic characters.

What makes them fan fic characters?

If anything, well-written fan fic characters are no different in complexity to licensed original Star Trek characters. The new crewmembers introduced in "Resistance" seem (to me) to have intriguing enough backstories so as to develop into interesting ongoing characters over the next batch of TNG books. If we found out everything about them in "Resistance", there'd be no more to say about them in KRAD's and PAD's novels.

 

[captcalhoun]

if i had one problem with it, it was a lack of TR-117s.

surely the ultimate anti-Borg weapon: it's a frigging old-skool, low-tech rifle. head-shot. Borg goes down. BAM!

 

[Therin of Andor]

captcalhoun said:
if i had one problem with it, it was a lack of TR-117s.
surely the ultimate anti-Borg weapon: it's a frigging old-skool, low-tech rifle. head-shot. Borg goes down. BAM!

Wouldn't that simply be a replay of Picard turning a 20th century tommy gun onto the Borg in "First Contact"?

Every time we meet the Borg, they can thwart a newly-encountered phaser setting or hand weapon within two or three repeats. Why would a TR-117 be any different?

 

[Trent Roman]

Physics. Energy is something very malleable to the Borg, but they're still subject to physical laws like objects moving a high speeds. I suppose to could start spawning the Borg equivalent of adamantium, but even the Borg don't seem to walk around with in-built matter replicators, so it would take a certain amount of time for them to outfit all drones in which period projectile weaponry, or even bladed weaponry, ought to work well.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[8of5]

I find it highly unlikely the Borg would not develop a resistance to bullets pretty quickly, forcefields that block physical objects are hardly uncommon in the Trekverse.

 

[Elemental]

Christopher said:
^^To be fair, it was stated that the hormonal compound wasn't pure testosterone, but a more complex chemical agent that simply had that as its base.

Oh, all right then... technobabbled testosterone.

 

[ArtRobot]

Elemental said:
Oh, all right then... technobabbled testosterone.

Just like any TNG plot device. It important part is the ensemble character stuff, not the how. Here, Crusher was allowed a rare moment to shine.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Trent Roman said:
it would take a certain amount of time for them to outfit all drones in which period projectile weaponry

The personal shields they project to deflect phaser beams would deflect bullets, yes?