Star Trek: The Next Generation: Posession (#40) by JM Dillard and Kathleen O'Malley

[Damian]

I just completed this novel and as a horror film fan I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a sequel to the original series novel "Demons." I have to admit it's been years, decades actually since I read "Demons" and this book make me want to revisit that novel, which I will probably do once I finish one of my other books. The entities that were contained in "Demons" aren't as contained as once thought. Eventually the entities are let lose on the Enterprise and infiltrate much of the crew and scientists on board that they are transporting to a scientists' convention. The entities have adapted somewhat from their experiences with Vulcans and the original Enterprise 80 years prior and manage a certain amount of control to avoid detection. To further the peril the methods used 80 years prior aren't as effective as they once were. The Vulcan supervising the entities now is Skel, who's father was infected during the initial outbreak and killed his mother. His mother managed to join her katra with that of her son before her death and has been trying to offer assistance.

I found it an entertaining story overall. It's one of those who can you trust types of stories. Esp. since the entities aren't quite as prone to violence they can act perfectly natural at times. Worf gains a romantic interest in one of the scientists, and Alexander has a significant role in the story. The story takes place during the 7th season, but must be before Worf and Troi are involved as nothing is mentioned of their romance.

The only weakness is at one point in the story Skel is kidnapped by 2 Ferengi brothers along with the artifacts containing the entities in an attempt to profit in some way (of course). Eventually he is rescued by the Enterprise and the 2 Ferengi are killed (one in a desperate attempt at self-sacrifice, to protect the Enterprise from the entities). But it was sort of a pointless side story. After Skel is rescued, almost no further mention is made of the Ferengi and they seem to serve no purpose. Skel was coming aboard the Enterprise as part of the scientists' group so it wasn't even necessary as a plot device to get him there.

Also, how they demonstrate the Enterprise is still 'infected' to the Vulcan ship sent to collect the artifacts is a bit goofy. Effective but it was a bit 'eye rolling' (if you read the book you'll get it ).

But overall a good book that made me want to re-read Demons again. And it ends on an ominous note though as far as I know no further books have been written to pick up that thread (maybe one of our resident novel writers can do something with that someday ).

 

[Christopher]

One other problem concerning the Ferengi's role in the book: Deanna is able to read their emotions, whereas it was established in the shows that Betazoids couldn't read Ferengi minds.

 

[Desert Kris]

This one has been on my radar since learning that it is a follow-up to Demons. I'm keeping an eye out for it and found some pretty beat up copies; hoping for a more well-preserved one. By coincidence, Demons is the next up in my TOS run. I find Dillard's prose very engaging, even if her stories goes in weird directions.

 

[Damian]

One other problem concerning the Ferengi's role in the book: Deanna is able to read their emotions, whereas it was established in the shows that Betazoids couldn't read Ferengi minds.

Yeah, I noticed that myself. The whole Ferengi role just seemed superfluous. Not enough to ruin the book but enough that I questioned their purpose. I was waiting for them to cause the outbreak or something, but they showed up, died and were quickly forgotten.

This one has been on my radar since learning that it is a follow-up to Demons. I'm keeping an eye out for it and found some pretty beat up copies; hoping for a more well-preserved one.

For whatever reason I had a very hard time finding it anywhere. It was the last numbered TNG novel I was able to get, I couldn't find it in used book stores or even Amazon (at least for a reasonable price). I finally got a copy on E-bay I think, that was in pretty decent shape.

The original series novel 'Bloodthirst' is also listed on Memory Alpha as a sequel. I don't remember a whole lot about that one either, though I'm not sure it's so much as a sequel but a 'happening in the same continuity' as Demons.

I was planning on doing some re-reads of some older novels and I definitely plan on reading Demons soon. I barely remember it, I think it was one of the first Star Trek books I read back in the late 1980's so it'll probably be almost brand new to me.

 

[Christopher]

The original series novel 'Bloodthirst' is also listed on Memory Alpha as a sequel. I don't remember a whole lot about that one either, though I'm not sure it's so much as a sequel but a 'happening in the same continuity' as Demons.

The four Dillard novels -- Mindshadow, Demons, Bloodthirst, and The Lost Years -- tell distinct, episodic stories, but have ongoing character arcs for the original supporting characters Dillard features in them.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I recall enjoying this book, but nothing else about it.

One other problem concerning the Ferengi's role in the book: Deanna is able to read their emotions, whereas it was established in the shows that Betazoids couldn't read Ferengi minds.

Well it was ("The Last Outpost"), then it wasn't ("The Battle"), then it was again ("The Price")

 

[Stevil2001]

I actually never read this one, even though I like Dillard's TOS sequence. I think the "rainbow stripe" era was a real low point for TNG novels, and can never quite overcome my antipathy toward it enough to pick this up.

 

[Reanok]

I think Demons and it's TNG sequel are interesting books it's been a longtime since I read these novels.I like both novels Some of the Older novels are really hard to find used in bookstores and online on Ebay can be very expensive.

 

[ATimson]

I think the "rainbow stripe" era was a real low point for TNG novels, and can never quite overcome my antipathy toward it enough to pick this up.

That's a interesting take; the rainbow-stripe era started shortly after the show was off the air and thus when you'd expect things to start getting better.

Even if you look strictly at stuff with the rainbow-stripe branding and not other stuff that's technically from that era (Double Helix, Immortal Coil, The Valiant), I still feel like I'd enjoy a random rainbow-stripe book more than a random earlier book (doubly-so if you omit Peter David's books from the pool).

But, that may also just be bias from starting to buy the books shortly before the rainbow stripe era began. (First striped book was #37, #35 is where I started consistently collecting/reading.)

 

[Christopher]

That's a interesting take; the rainbow-stripe era started shortly after the show was off the air and thus when you'd expect things to start getting better.

Presumably there was a degree of institutional inertia. They'd been doing books a certain way for 7 years, so they wouldn't immediately change. Besides, TNG was still ongoing as a movie series, and DS9 and VGR were still on the air moving the canon continuity forward, so the books weren't liberated to go their own way like the post-2000 novels were.

 

[Mysterion]

I actually never read this one, even though I like Dillard's TOS sequence. I think the "rainbow stripe" era was a real low point for TNG novels, and can never quite overcome my antipathy toward it enough to pick this up.

Rainbow stripe era?

 

[Christopher]

Rainbow stripe era?

Like this:

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/File:The_Last_Stand.jpg

The stripes under the series logo and above the author's name.

 

[Damian]

Thanks Christopher. I have to admit I was drawing a blank when I read the 'rainbow stripe' era myself. For some reason I was afraid to ask what that was referring to. I'm relieved to find out I'm not the only one that didn't know what that meant I have to admit I was looking at some of my novels trying to figure out what they were talking about. I wasn't finding any rainbows anywhere, logo, picture, side of book. I didn't think of the stripe.

 

[marlboro]

When did they stop doing the rainbow stripe thing end?

"The Forgotten War" and "Diplomatic Implausibility" both have the stripes, right? I'd rank them just as high or higher than the pre-stripe books, I think.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Aside from the event stories (Invasion!, Doubel Helix), which omitted it entirely, it seemed to go through from The Last Stand to the to end of the numbered releases.

 

[Mysterion]

Like this:

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/File:The_Last_Stand.jpg

The stripes under the series logo and above the author's name.

Ah. So. Never:
a) really noticed them, or
2) knew they delineated an era of any sort of over quality of the books being published

 

[Damian]

Ah. So. Never:
a) really noticed them, or
2) knew they delineated an era of any sort of over quality of the books being published

Yeah, neither did I. I was like "where the hell is this freakin rainbow".

In the mid 90's I was in college and I think I read maybe 2 or 3 Star Trek books during that period (which of course is when they were releasing about 2 a month). I'm actually still playing catch up which is one of the reasons I only just read "Posession".

But I haven't been reading my old books in any particular order unless it's a sequel or something. So I can't pick out any pattern really with books as a result.

 

[ATimson]

Aside from the event stories (Invasion!, Doubel Helix), which omitted it entirely, it seemed to go through from The Last Stand to the to end of the numbered releases.

They actually went slightly past the numbers - A Hard Rain had them too. The Battle for Betazed dropped the stripes, but I believe otherwise used the same template.

 

[Stevil2001]

Haha, sorry to cause confusion! It didn't even occur to me people wouldn't know what I meant. I've been organizing my books, and just did TNG the other day, so issues of cover and spine design are fresh in my mind.

Though there are some good books in that era (Intellivore, Diplomatic Implausibility), a lot are just bland and boring (Dragon's Honor, A Fury Scorned, The Death of Princes, To Storm Heaven, Tooth and Claw). The earlier TNG books could be a little more hit-and-miss, perhaps, but had more standouts, and the failures were more interesting.

I think there was just a malaise in the Pocket editorial offices at the time; the era's TOS novels are also pretty dull (Twilight's End, The Rings of Tautee, Heart of the Sun, Across the Universe).

 

[Christopher]

^Of the ones you listed, I thought Dragon's Honor was hilarious and Twilight's End was an intriguing and imaginative hard-SF tale. I seem to recall The Death of Princes being moderately interesting too. The others didn't leave much impression. I'm not sure I ever even read Tooth and Claw.