Death in Winter by Michael Jan Friedman ★★
I put off reading the relaunch of TNG for almost four years. I'm not sure why, but I didn't get around to reading Death in Winter until 2009. I was really disappointed with this novel. It's a really boring story about Romulan politics and the subplot of Carter Greyhorse was shoehorned into this novel and then never resolved.
Resistance by J.M. Dillard ★★★
Okay... it's the Borg again. We've already had the Borg pop up in Homecoming and The Farther Shore, but that's all fine and dandy. This is mostly a forgettable novel with some good character moments involving Picard and Worf. Picard becoming Locutus again was a bit of a stretch for me.
Q&A by Keith R.A. DeCanDido ★★★
As I'm looking over these books again, I'm wondering how I found the time to read them all in rapid succession. I was disappointed in this book as well. The Q/Picard relationship has always been interesting to me, but I felt like there was something missing to make the book a more cohesive and interesting tale.
Before Dishonor by Peter David ★★★★
I'm going to go against the grain here. This book is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the Vendetta callbacks, Seven, Spock, the Admiralty, etc. It just felt like a grandiose Star Trek tale that only Peter David could tell. I really haven't read any New Frontier, but I've always liked everything else Peter David has done - especially Imzadi and Q-Squared. Before Dishonor is not as good as those two, but it's definitely a fun page-turner. My only gripe was the way Janeway was used, but Kirsten Beyer managed to "fix" it in an extremely convincing way.
Greater than the Sum by Christopher L. Bennett ★★★★★
I remember this being the best of the post-Nemesis, pre-Destiny novels. I really enjoy Bennett's blend of science and believable dialogue. T'Ryssa Chen quickly became a favorite character of mine, as well. She could manage to have a series all on her own.
Destiny Trilogy by David Mack ★★★★★
I'm not going to go too in depth over this trilogy, seeing as how the main focus is on Erika Hernandez and the Caeliar. I will say that the middle book, Mere Mortals, is my favorite Star Trek book. I was just absolutely blown away.
Losing the Peace by William Leisner ★★
This is where I quit my Star Trek marathon in 2009. Absolutely no offense to Mr. Leisner, but I felt like I was taking a big step back from the huge narrative leading up to Destiny. The Beverly Crusher flashbacks are phenomenal, though. I wish the whole book could have been about that.
Paths of Disharmony by Dayton Ward ★★
This one was a struggle to get through. The Andorian plot was interesting, but I just found it really long and tedious. I don't even really much about it except for the ending, to be honest.
Indistinguishable from Magic by David A. McIntee ★★★★
Another highlight of the TNG books. Two good ideas fused into one great book. The forced cameos and the retconned ending I can deal with. I really enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was new exciting, but still felt like familiar and comfortable territory. It was nice to see Geordi treated like an actual human character for once.
SPOILERS BELOW. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ COLD EQUATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Cold Equations: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack ★★★★★
David does it again. I find the Breen incredibly boring, but the middle narrative with Soong is some of the finest Star Trek work ever. I didn't think there was any way to bring back Data without cheapening his death in Nemesis, but Mack pulled it off. I immediately started on book two of the trilogy when I finished the first one.
Cold Equations: Silent Weapons by David Mack ★★★
Once again, I really just have no interest in the Breen. This was my least favorite of the trilogy, but it's still a good book. Bacco and her talks with the Gorn were my favorite parts. Captain Bateson was a little distracting because I couldn't stop imagining Frasier. Beverly was really annoying in this book too... what was up with that? I found myself getting really mad at her for chastising Picard for saving her.
Cold Equations:The Body Electric by David Mack ★★★★
I've got some mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed the Immortal/Rhea stuff, Lal, and the Crusher/Wesley stuff. I didn't like how this threat was found and solved in what seemed like a day. I think this could have easily been a longer book that went into more depth about where the Machine came from and what they were doing exactly. I really enjoyed the trilogy overall - especially book one.
Disclaimer: I have not read either of the novellas, Raise the Dawn, Plagues of Night, or Brinkmanship yet. They're next on the list.
I put off reading the relaunch of TNG for almost four years. I'm not sure why, but I didn't get around to reading Death in Winter until 2009. I was really disappointed with this novel. It's a really boring story about Romulan politics and the subplot of Carter Greyhorse was shoehorned into this novel and then never resolved.
Resistance by J.M. Dillard ★★★
Okay... it's the Borg again. We've already had the Borg pop up in Homecoming and The Farther Shore, but that's all fine and dandy. This is mostly a forgettable novel with some good character moments involving Picard and Worf. Picard becoming Locutus again was a bit of a stretch for me.
Q&A by Keith R.A. DeCanDido ★★★
As I'm looking over these books again, I'm wondering how I found the time to read them all in rapid succession. I was disappointed in this book as well. The Q/Picard relationship has always been interesting to me, but I felt like there was something missing to make the book a more cohesive and interesting tale.
Before Dishonor by Peter David ★★★★
I'm going to go against the grain here. This book is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the Vendetta callbacks, Seven, Spock, the Admiralty, etc. It just felt like a grandiose Star Trek tale that only Peter David could tell. I really haven't read any New Frontier, but I've always liked everything else Peter David has done - especially Imzadi and Q-Squared. Before Dishonor is not as good as those two, but it's definitely a fun page-turner. My only gripe was the way Janeway was used, but Kirsten Beyer managed to "fix" it in an extremely convincing way.
Greater than the Sum by Christopher L. Bennett ★★★★★
I remember this being the best of the post-Nemesis, pre-Destiny novels. I really enjoy Bennett's blend of science and believable dialogue. T'Ryssa Chen quickly became a favorite character of mine, as well. She could manage to have a series all on her own.
Destiny Trilogy by David Mack ★★★★★
I'm not going to go too in depth over this trilogy, seeing as how the main focus is on Erika Hernandez and the Caeliar. I will say that the middle book, Mere Mortals, is my favorite Star Trek book. I was just absolutely blown away.
Losing the Peace by William Leisner ★★
This is where I quit my Star Trek marathon in 2009. Absolutely no offense to Mr. Leisner, but I felt like I was taking a big step back from the huge narrative leading up to Destiny. The Beverly Crusher flashbacks are phenomenal, though. I wish the whole book could have been about that.
Paths of Disharmony by Dayton Ward ★★
This one was a struggle to get through. The Andorian plot was interesting, but I just found it really long and tedious. I don't even really much about it except for the ending, to be honest.
Indistinguishable from Magic by David A. McIntee ★★★★
Another highlight of the TNG books. Two good ideas fused into one great book. The forced cameos and the retconned ending I can deal with. I really enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was new exciting, but still felt like familiar and comfortable territory. It was nice to see Geordi treated like an actual human character for once.
SPOILERS BELOW. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ COLD EQUATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Cold Equations: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack ★★★★★
David does it again. I find the Breen incredibly boring, but the middle narrative with Soong is some of the finest Star Trek work ever. I didn't think there was any way to bring back Data without cheapening his death in Nemesis, but Mack pulled it off. I immediately started on book two of the trilogy when I finished the first one.
Cold Equations: Silent Weapons by David Mack ★★★
Once again, I really just have no interest in the Breen. This was my least favorite of the trilogy, but it's still a good book. Bacco and her talks with the Gorn were my favorite parts. Captain Bateson was a little distracting because I couldn't stop imagining Frasier. Beverly was really annoying in this book too... what was up with that? I found myself getting really mad at her for chastising Picard for saving her.
Cold Equations:The Body Electric by David Mack ★★★★
I've got some mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed the Immortal/Rhea stuff, Lal, and the Crusher/Wesley stuff. I didn't like how this threat was found and solved in what seemed like a day. I think this could have easily been a longer book that went into more depth about where the Machine came from and what they were doing exactly. I really enjoyed the trilogy overall - especially book one.
Disclaimer: I have not read either of the novellas, Raise the Dawn, Plagues of Night, or Brinkmanship yet. They're next on the list.
