Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS*****

[Smiley]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

KRAD, you've crafted a fine page-turner with Q & A. After page 125, every time I told myself I would take a break after the chapter ended, something made me want to continue.

As stated elsewhere in this thread, the Q humor was great, and I laughed out loud at a few points in the book. I think I got most of the references to Q's prior appearances, but I didn't see one for Planet X. Did I miss that, or was it in the same category as Spock vx. Q?

One area that was excellent was the introduction of new characters. Kadohata and Leybenzon came across as three-dimensional characters with interesting backgrounds, and I didn't despise either of them upon their arrival. You've also redeemed T'Lana for me. Her counseling session with Geordi was great, and her role as the loyal opposition seemed much more understandable here than in Resistance (it didn't help that she was a problem for both Picard and Worf in that book, either).

The appearance of the anomalies in various parts of the galaxy was handled pretty well. Personally, I would rather have seen one appear in another galaxy than in the Romulan Empire, even though I realize that the Federation would not know anything about it.

The quantum fissure sequence was pure genius. 'Nuff said.

Did Q & A dethrone Q-Squared as my absolute favorite Q novel? No. Did it deliver an entertaining read worthy of TNG's 20th anniversary? Absolutely. Bravo, KRAD.

9 out of 10

 

[Steve Roby]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Finished Q&A last night. I enjoyed it considerably more than Resistance. Both of them draw on some familiar characters and revisit familiar stories (not an unusual way to celebrate an anniversary), but Q&A brought something new by recontextualizing the original Q episodes as part of a larger scheme. Now some of Q's goofier moves can be seen in retrospect as making much more sense.

Characterization was good, the new characters coming along nicely, but I think the character whose growth over the years is captured best is Worf. He's a much more mature, mellowed, believable, and likeable character than the guy who wanted to jump through the viewscreen to attack Q back in Encounter at Farpoint.

Resistance, it seemed to me, revisited elements of past stories primarily to recycle them, and introduced new characters only to kill most of them off. Q&A revisited past stories to show them in a new light, and introduced new characters I hope will stick around.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Emh said:
Unless I'm mistaken, there were no references to John de Lancie's comic story "The Gift" (but then it conflicts with what was later established in "Family"),

Really? I didn't find "The Gift" incompatible with "Family" at all. True, "Family" doesn't mention Claude, and "The Gift" doesn't mention Robert, but there's no reason for either story to mention the unnamed brother. Jean-Luc Picard's the middle child, obviously. Robert is older than Jean-Luc in "Family," and Claude was younger than Jean-Luc in "The Gift."

If there's anything problematical about "The Gift," it's that Q does the same thing to Picard in "Tapestry," basically. But Q's bag of tricks seems limited, given he's turned the crew into Robin Hood ("Qpid"), Klingons (the comics), and androids (the comics), so I suppose it's natural for Q to revisit past pranks. (And it's been a while since I've read it, but didn't Q give Riker Q-powers in the Mike Carlin comics mini-series? If so, that's another case of Q repeating himself.)

That Q. He's just not imaginative. He really shouldn't be calling Worf "microbrain," not if he's going to repeat himself.

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

I got most of the references to Q's prior appearances, but I didn't see one for Planet X. Did I miss that, or was it in the same category as Spock vx. Q?

I couldn't think of a good way to work Planet X in there. I suppose I could've tossed it into one of the laundry lists of what Q was doing in one of the interludes, but it just didn't work out.

One area that was excellent was the introduction of new characters. Kadohata and Leybenzon came across as three-dimensional characters with interesting backgrounds, and I didn't despise either of them upon their arrival. You've also redeemed T'Lana for me. Her counseling session with Geordi was great, and her role as the loyal opposition seemed much more understandable here than in Resistance (it didn't help that she was a problem for both Picard and Worf in that book, either).

Thank you very much. One of the major challenges of Q & A was to a) write a Vulcan counselor (not impossible, but her approach would differ from Deanna, coming from a position 180 degrees from Troi's) and b) introduce two new characters that people would find interesting (I say "find interesting," because I wasn't expecting people to necessarily like Leybenzon ). It seems to have worked, for which I am grateful (and for which Margaret deserves credit as well, as her guidance was invaluable).

Personally, I would rather have seen one appear in another galaxy than in the Romulan Empire, even though I realize that the Federation would not know anything about it.

I considered going outside the galaxy, but I have to admit that part of the point of those sequences was to showcase the bigger Trek universe and how this was affecting them, specifically using characters known to the TNG crew (Riker and Troi, Shelby, Klag, Donatra) and situations familiar from the TNG spinoffs (the Gamma and Delta Quadrants).

The quantum fissure sequence was pure genius. 'Nuff said.

Aw, thanks!

Finished Q&A last night. I enjoyed it considerably more than Resistance. Both of them draw on some familiar characters and revisit familiar stories (not an unusual way to celebrate an anniversary), but Q&A brought something new by recontextualizing the original Q episodes as part of a larger scheme. Now some of Q's goofier moves can be seen in retrospect as making much more sense.

Characterization was good, the new characters coming along nicely, but I think the character whose growth over the years is captured best is Worf. He's a much more mature, mellowed, believable, and likeable character than the guy who wanted to jump through the viewscreen to attack Q back in Encounter at Farpoint.

Steve, I quoted both paragraphs in full because they gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. It's always good when you go for something in particular and that's exactly what readers get out of it. Two of my primary goals with this novel was to do the two things you mentioned -- and in the latter case, showcasing Worf's development has been a pet project of mine (Diplomatic Implausibility, The Brave and the Bold Book 2, A Time for War, a Time for Peace, this book, A Burning House), so it's especially gratifying to see it appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Trent Roman]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Allyn Gibson said:
Really? I didn't find "The Gift" incompatible with "Family" at all. True, "Family" doesn't mention Claude, and "The Gift" doesn't mention Robert, but there's no reason for either story to mention the unnamed brother. Jean-Luc Picard's the middle child, obviously. Robert is older than Jean-Luc in "Family," and Claude was younger than Jean-Luc in "The Gift."

Then wouldn't it contradict Generations, where the deaths of Robert and the nephew lead Picard to say that he's the last of his line? He wouldn't say that if there was another sibling out there, particularly a male one.

If there's anything problematical about "The Gift," it's that Q does the same thing to Picard in "Tapestry," basically. But Q's bag of tricks seems limited, given he's turned the crew into Robin Hood ("Qpid"), Klingons (the comics), and androids (the comics), so I suppose it's natural for Q to revisit past pranks. (And it's been a while since I've read it, but didn't Q give Riker Q-powers in the Mike Carlin comics mini-series? If so, that's another case of Q repeating himself.) That Q. He's just not imaginative. He really shouldn't be calling Worf "microbrain," not if he's going to repeat himself.

Sounds more like the comic writers having a hard time thinking up original plots. (Unless these issues predated the episodes in question, in which case they show remarkable foresight.)

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[JAG]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Finished it yesterday and all I can say is WOW! What a great read and a wonderful ride.

You nalied Q perfectly. Worf, even more so. He has become a more rational thinking character. So often when you see Worf, he is just acting on instinct alone. That will work sometimes but not always. Love the new characters. I enjoyed the counseling session between Geordi and T'Lana as well. Great read and i am looking forward to more.

BTW, best line in the book has got to be, I just wanted to see you in tights.

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

^ Thanks, JAG!

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Allyn Gibson said:

Emh said:
Unless I'm mistaken, there were no references to John de Lancie's comic story "The Gift" (but then it conflicts with what was later established in "Family"),

Really? I didn't find "The Gift" incompatible with "Family" at all. True, "Family" doesn't mention Claude, and "The Gift" doesn't mention Robert, but there's no reason for either story to mention the unnamed brother. Jean-Luc Picard's the middle child, obviously. Robert is older than Jean-Luc in "Family," and Claude was younger than Jean-Luc in "The Gift."

I was thinking both brother situation and the fact they lived (and Jean-Luc grew up) on a vineyard, which they're clearly not doing in "The Gift."

Trent Roman said:

Allyn Gibson said:
Really? I didn't find "The Gift" incompatible with "Family" at all. True, "Family" doesn't mention Claude, and "The Gift" doesn't mention Robert, but there's no reason for either story to mention the unnamed brother. Jean-Luc Picard's the middle child, obviously. Robert is older than Jean-Luc in "Family," and Claude was younger than Jean-Luc in "The Gift."

Then wouldn't it contradict Generations, where the deaths of Robert and the nephew lead Picard to say that he's the last of his line? He wouldn't say that if there was another sibling out there, particularly a male one.

Right, that's also a big contradiction, although I completely forgot about it.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Trent Roman said:

Allyn Gibson said:
Really? I didn't find "The Gift" incompatible with "Family" at all. True, "Family" doesn't mention Claude, and "The Gift" doesn't mention Robert, but there's no reason for either story to mention the unnamed brother. Jean-Luc Picard's the middle child, obviously. Robert is older than Jean-Luc in "Family," and Claude was younger than Jean-Luc in "The Gift."

Then wouldn't it contradict Generations, where the deaths of Robert and the nephew lead Picard to say that he's the last of his line? He wouldn't say that if there was another sibling out there, particularly a male one.

Claude died when Picard was maybe twelve. He fell down a well and broke his neck. "The Gift" Q gave Picard was that Claude survived the fall. And he became, essentially, a 24th-century Hitler. At the end of the story, Q restores history to what had been, having given Picard a glimpse of a reality that was the antithesis of everything Picard valued in his life.

So, no, "The Gift" doesn't contradict Generations. Picard, the middle child, is still the last of that line of Picards, as his older and younger brothers had both died.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

I finished it just before dinner, read it in three hours, and loved it! Another excellent KRAD pick up for me, honestly not sucking up to you...your an easy and delightful read! Loved the characterization of Q...could hear John DeLancie's voice when he was speaking, especially in the scenes when Janeway was on the monitor! I loved how you tie in all of his appearence and explain what he was doing. It makes his line in "All Good Things..." where he says that he has been judging mankind for something or something to that avail more meaning and I trust that was the point behind the book!

I'm warming up to T'Lana, not hard to like hot looking Vulcan women! I now have to read Resistance...feel bad for not picking it up first.

Worf as First Officer is bad ass...and I was glad to see some of the other alternate realities from the Quantum Fissure, a sneak peak into the upcoming anthology book next year methinks?

I also liked Lt. Commander Miranda Kadotata (I probably mispelt her last name, I was having trouble pronoucing it) and I see that your still enjoying fleshing out the Cestus III colonists huh Keith? Overall an enjoyable read...any book I can read in three hours is enjoyable in my book! I'm looking forward to reading Resistance and Before Dishonour now.

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

I loved how you tie in all of his appearence and explain what he was doing. It makes his line in "All Good Things..." where he says that he has been judging mankind for something or something to that avail more meaning and I trust that was the point behind the book!

More or less, yeah.

Thanks!

I also liked Lt. Commander Miranda Kadotata (I probably mispelt her last name, I was having trouble pronoucing it)

Close -- it's Kadohata, and it's pronounced pretty much the way it's spelled, with the first "a" being a short one: kah-doe-HA-tuh.

 

[jezor]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

KRAD:

Bought it as an e-book, read it *way* too quickly. Unfortunately, I think ST books go faster than non-ST SF because we don't have to work nearly as hard to get to know the characters (although mischaracterizations can be a real distraction!). Not the case here at all (no surprise given the author); all of the familiar characters resonated, and the new ones fit in well.

As for the story, while there were bits that reminded me too much of other stories (the repeating Enterprise scenes read a lot like Q-Squared as well as Larry Niven's classic All the Myriad Ways), it worked on many levels and ultimately satisfied as a proper tribute to TNG. I also appreciated the afterward, where KRAD wrote of how he (like I) was a college student when TNG premiered. (I remember being up at Brandeis, watching it on a fuzzy UHF channel days before it premiered clearly on the local Boston station.) Much thanks, Keith. {Prof. Jonathan}

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

^ Thanks much, Jonathan!

 

[Bryan316]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

With the mentions of Kadohata serving on the D and Leybenzon working with Worf briefly during the war, are these fleshed-out background characters, or all-new folks that were given an association with main characters so it wasn't just 2 random folks plugged in?

I finally got around to reading it to and fro a baby shower I was dragged to today. I originally wasn't going to get it, but I'm very glad I did!

 

[DWMarch]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

KRAD, you never let me down! I bought this book on Tuesday at noon and had it read by Tuesday night. Generally, the better a novel is, the less time it takes me to read it. Peter David is the only other Trek author I've read in so few hours. So congrats on writing a novel that refused to be put down!

I thought the winding together of all the Q plots in TNG was brilliant. He's done some pretty random things in his appearances but this book tied them all together perfectly. It gave the book a pretty epic feel. I loved the multiverse collapse at the end and Q revealing that he was the one who sent Worf on his journey in "Parallels."

Speaking of Worf, I actually liked him in this book. I don't have a problem with Worf overall but he tends to be a dick sometimes. Not in this novel and he actually fits the first officer position much better than I would have thought possible. Also, his transition from diplomacy back to starship duty was much smoother on account of your books.

Just one thing I'm not too clear on: the "Them" referred to throughout the book was the entities who were more powerful than the Q, is that correct? And they were the ones destroying the universe out of boredom? So if they were that powerful, why was Q worried about the Borg discovering them?

Anyhow KRAD, excellent read, thank you for putting another great novel on my shelf!

 

[Christopher]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Bryan316 said:
With the mentions of Kadohata serving on the D and Leybenzon working with Worf briefly during the war, are these fleshed-out background characters, or all-new folks that were given an association with main characters so it wasn't just 2 random folks plugged in?

I'm pretty sure neither of them is based on any pre-existing onscreen character.

DWMarch said:
Just one thing I'm not too clear on: the "Them" referred to throughout the book was the entities who were more powerful than the Q, is that correct? And they were the ones destroying the universe out of boredom? So if they were that powerful, why was Q worried about the Borg discovering them?

It's not about the Borg's power, but about their unsuitability as spokesbeings for our universe's right to survive. "They" would've decided the fate of the universe based on the behavior of whatever species came to this planet and discovered them. It's a cinch that the Borg would not have reacted in the way "They" were looking for, so "They" would've destroyed the universe as a result.

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

KRAD, you never let me down! I bought this book on Tuesday at noon and had it read by Tuesday night. Generally, the better a novel is, the less time it takes me to read it. Peter David is the only other Trek author I've read in so few hours. So congrats on writing a novel that refused to be put down!

Thanks so much!

Speaking of Worf, I actually liked him in this book. I don't have a problem with Worf overall but he tends to be a dick sometimes. Not in this novel and he actually fits the first officer position much better than I would have thought possible. Also, his transition from diplomacy back to starship duty was much smoother on account of your books.

Worf's kind of been my project over the past few years (Diplomatic Implausibility; The Brave and the Bold; A Time for War, a Time for Peace, etc.), so one of the things I wanted to emphasize in Q & A was how he was settling into the first officer role.

Just one thing I'm not too clear on: the "Them" referred to throughout the book was the entities who were more powerful than the Q, is that correct? And they were the ones destroying the universe out of boredom? So if they were that powerful, why was Q worried about the Borg discovering them?

Christopher nailed it: The Borg would not have made good representatives of the universe, and They would've destroyed the universe if the Borg were the ones who found Gorsach.

With the mentions of Kadohata serving on the D and Leybenzon working with Worf briefly during the war, are these fleshed-out background characters, or all-new folks that were given an association with main characters so it wasn't just 2 random folks plugged in?

Regarding Kadohata, there were 1000 people serving on the D during the run of the show. We got to seriously meet less than 100 of them onscreen. Kadohata was one of the other 90%.

Regarding Leybenzon, DS9 was the focal point of a major war effort. Again, lots of people the crew dealt with that we never saw on screen. He was one of them.

 

[Baerbel Haddrell]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

This is my review of "Q & A". It contains spoilers:



I enjoyed the book very much. It hasn`t got the impact Q Squared has but I have no problem with that. I also like books that offer light, fun entertainment. I had a lot of fun reading how this book successfully made sense of why Q had and has so much interest in humans and specifically in Picard. Some of Q`s remarks and some reactions to his nagging presence made me smile and more than once I just had to laugh.

The introduction of “they” was very interesting. It makes sense to write “them” in some ways as an exaggeration of Q and other more evolved beings on a similar level who also have trouble sometimes to understand mere mortals, who tend to get bored with them after a while and who see them as playthings sometimes that can be tossed aside when they are no longer amusing or interesting. I was hoping that Q & A would also address the discrepancy of Wesley evolving into a Traveller (which shows that Q is right and humanity has a lot of potential) and the IMO dreadful Voyager episode “Threshold” that showed humans evolving (or more accurately, devolving) in the far future into mindless, mud loving salamanders obsessed with procreation. That didn`t happen. I think some treknobabbly interdimensional time twisting paradox was responsible and not “evolution”. At least that would explain that mystery.

I found it very touching how Q took humanity under his wing. In spite of all annoyance he causes and the way he plays with them, the book shows very clearly that he cares about humans and especially about the survival of the universe as it is today. It is clear that helping humanity and preserving the universe as it is is also about helping himself, meaning preserving the kind of playground and exploration area Q enjoys. Nevertheless, that doesn`t change my sympathetic feelings. The book also shows that Q made some real sacrifices in order to achieve that, something that was never pointed out so clearly before. I think this book shows Q in a more positive light than most other Q stories, something I enjoyed and welcomed.

What has started in previous TNG Relaunch books is also continuing here: Again, I enjoyed the way the Picard and Crusher relationship was written and I think after this book there shouldn`t be any doubt that Worf is an excellent first officer. I welcome it very much that KRAD took this character under his wing and matured him in such an impressive way. It is good to see that T`Lana and him found a much better understanding. In general, after her initial difficulties in “Resistance” also T`Lana has been shown as a good fit for this colourful crew.

The new additions are interesting and I like it a lot that they add new dimensions concerning background and personal choices. I find the new security chief Leybenzon quite refreshing. It is nice to see that enlisted personnel can rise that much in rank among Starfleet officers. The book shows very well the different perspectives people like him can offer but first of all the valuable skills they have. I can see why Worf wanted him and it was interesting to read about his personal problems. I agree that his style is unusual and takes getting used to. He is also not always the easiest person to deal with. But Leybenzon is willing to learn and is definitely a likeable character. Now I can only hope that the habit of getting rid of the Enterprise security chief very quickly is finally over.

I also like Kadohata. After the books have been exploring on numerous occasions that families can accompany the officer in question I think it is a good idea to feature a Starfleet officer who made the other choice for a change. Yes, there is Captain Gold in SCE but he is an older man whose children grew up a long time ago. To me, this feels different because her children are so young.

When reading about her and especially the decision she made, I could understand her but I would never be able to come to the same conclusion and think that leaving my family behind is the better option. I might be able to bear it to be separated from my husband and only be able to see and talk to him on screen but not my daughter. I don`t think it would be good for her either. It certainly wasn`t a good choice for Alexander but each circumstance is different and I am hoping it will work out for Kadohata and her family. Her husband seems to be a good father.

I am looking forward to meet these people again in “Before Dishonor”.

 

[Christopher]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

Baerbel Haddrell said:
I was hoping that Q & A would also address the discrepancy of Wesley evolving into a Traveller (which shows that Q is right and humanity has a lot of potential) and the IMO dreadful Voyager episode “Threshold” that showed humans evolving (or more accurately, devolving) in the far future into mindless, mud loving salamanders obsessed with procreation. That didn`t happen.

The producers of Voyager themselves have disowned "Threshold," declaring it an apocryphal tale. So there's no need to reconcile it with anything -- it just plain never happened.

 

[KRAD]

Re: Star Trek Q&A -- Appreciation Thread ****SPOILERS***

This is my review of "Q & A". It contains spoilers:

Thanks for the review! Glad you enjoyed it!

I was hoping that Q & A would also address the discrepancy of Wesley evolving into a Traveller (which shows that Q is right and humanity has a lot of potential) and the IMO dreadful Voyager episode “Threshold” that showed humans evolving (or more accurately, devolving) in the far future into mindless, mud loving salamanders obsessed with procreation. That didn`t happen.

Uhm -- huh? This complaint utterly baffles me, since the novel had precisely nothing to do with the Travelers or "Threshold." It's like watching Superman Returns and wondering why it didn't address Clark Kent's relationship with Lana Lang.

I am looking forward to meet these people again in “Before Dishonor”.

Again, thanks for the kind words!