RonG said:
I humbly surrender to your logic, ChristopherHowever, I do think that your last paragraph epitomizes the original poster's point. Also, objectively speaking, do you think readers need to read the previous TNG-R novels prior to yours in order to enjoy it to the fullest?
I don't think so, in response to both points. I said that Greater Than the Sum is more serial-like than previous TNG-R installments, but only because those previous installments are highly episodic with only very minor serial elements. GTTS is just a bit more "serial" in nature than the others, but still much, much less so than something like Warpath, say. It ties up a dangling thread from Before Dishonor and sets the stage for Destiny, but it isn't primarily about either of those things, any more than, say, Casablanca is primarily about exit visas. Those are just tasks it accomplishes in the course of telling its own distinct story. So I certainly don't think you need to have read earlier books to appreciate it.
