TLE Well Of Souls: struggling...

[Mage]

A while ago I bought all six TLE novels, and two weeks ago or so I started in Well Of Souls. But I've been struggling, to the point where I started What Judgement Comes because I just couldn't stay focused on it. Sofar, I'm missing the Trek connection, and it feels more like a crime-thriller really.

Have others felt the same way? Is it, at the end, worth it to keep on reading? Because I had such high hopes for this one, a stroy about the Enterprise-C and her crew. So far, it doesn't feel like that.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I have to admit I was the same. I started off with high hopes of an Enterprise-C adventure, but found it really hard going. I never go that far through it and just gave up, so I can't tell you if its worth the read I'm afraid.

Probably the biggest thing that let it down (IMHO) was that you seemed to be dropped into the middle of things (Bat-Levi's injuries, brand new XO, Garrett being divorced, etc), and had to try and catch up but not really getting the chance to do so. I know that you couldn't just start off with the E-C's first mission, but the ship and crew needed a proper introductory novel. As it was, I was left feeling uninterested in the characters and the situation. Which is a shame as I love the Ambassador-Class design and Rachel Garrett seemed like a damn good Captain, worthy of a ship named Enterprise.

But that's just me.

 

[Mage]

I have to admit I was the same. I started off with high hopes of an Enterprise-C adventure, but found it really hard going. I never go that far through it and just gave up, so I can't tell you if its worth the read I'm afraid.

Probably the biggest thing that let it down (IMHO) was that you seemed to be dropped into the middle of things (Bat-Levi's injuries, brand new XO, Garrett being divorced, etc), and had to try and catch up but not really getting the chance to do so. I know that you couldn't just start off with the E-C's first mission, but the ship and crew needed a proper introductory novel. As it was, I was left feeling uninterested in the characters and the situation. Which is a shame as I love the Ambassador-Class design and Rachel Garrett seemed like a damn good Captain, worthy of a ship named Enterprise.

But that's just me.

More introduction would have been a great help indeed. But it's just an overall feeling that this isn't really Star Trek, at least not to me. But who knows, if I keep on going it might just turn out better.

 

[DorkBoy [TM]]

For what its worth, I really liked this one once I finished it. I don't really remember anything about the story though, I just remember liking it.

But it was a tough read. I remember it feeling like a slog at times. Most Trek novels are lighter reading.

I think when it came out it got mixed opinions from the board, but the more literary types seemed to like it.

 

[Warp Coil]

This is single-handedly the worst Trek novel I've ever read. I don't know how I managed to make it through the entire thing. The writing style, the plot... I just didn't care for any of it. I definitely did not feel like a Trek novel at all. I was really curious to learn more about the Enterprise-C and her crew, but this just wasn't the way to do it.

 

[Sandoval]

This is single-handedly the worst Trek novel I've ever read.

You should try The Laertian Gamble. Some of the worst disasters in human history look tame by the standards of The Laertian Gamble.

Go and treat yourself.

 

[Christopher]

This is single-handedly the worst Trek novel I've ever read.

I'm trying to figure out how "single-handedly" works in that sentence. I don't think I've ever seen it used that way before.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Last time I read it, it picked up somewhere around the halfway point when the XO returned to the Enterprise and the plot lines started converging. At the beginning, they're too far removed from each other for me to really care, and the biggest problem is that for that first half, Captain Garrett, the only one of the novels' main characters we have previously been introduced to, is a supporting character.

I don't say it's a bad book exactly, just that it wasn't what I had expected when I'd picked up the first book focused on the Enterprise-C (well, okay, Vulcan's Heart did show the battle of Narendra III but it wasn't the primarily focus). I'd expected a story that spent more time at the beginning focused on Captain Garrett, not the XO we'd never met before. I'd really love another novel with the crew of the Enterprise-C.

 

[Sandoval]

This is single-handedly the worst Trek novel I've ever read.

I'm trying to figure out how "single-handedly" works in that sentence. I don't think I've ever seen it used that way before.

A rare treat for you seeing it used in such a way here then.

 

[ryan123450]

A prequel novel would be welcome in my view. I'd also love more Demora Sulu/E-B stories.

 

[Valin]

"Well of Souls" was in the top two of the TLE books, in my opinion, anyway. Yes, it was different from most TREK novels in style, but I found it a good change of pace.It seemed to have more "mature" character conflicts than most TREK novels.

 

[DarKush]

I liked the book. It perhaps was dark for a Trek book, but that didn't bother me. I liked the look at the Enterprise-C and I liked the gray take on some of the characters, particularly the first officer. It wasn't one of my favorite Lost Era books but I enjoyed it all the same.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I remember having trouble with it. It took me about a month to finish, and I'm a fast reader. However, once I weas finished with it, I was very happy that I had stuck with it.

 

[JD]

I think this book probably has one of the biggest splits of opinion of any Trek book I've come across. I haven't read it yet, but it definitely seems like a love/hate kind of thing. Personally, none of what I've read has made me want to read it, but to each his own.

 

[DrCorby]

It takes forever to even start to hint at getting near any sort of major plot point. I got about a quarter of the way through the second time I tried to read it. I read the teaser/summary on the back of the book again, then skimmed through the novel, looking for anything like that to happen. I think about halfway through the book, it looked like the plotline might start setting up some of those items, but by the three-quarter point, it looked like it was finally starting to coalese into an actual story. (I don't remember any of the specifics.)

That's waaaay too much setup before actually getting to the story, unless you're doing some amazing character exploration. But that wasn't the case for me. I found most of the characters unlikeable, and not people I wanted to read about. Even Captain Garrett, who I'd enjoyed in the TNG episode.

I doubt I'll ever go back to finish this novel. It makes me leery of picking up any other books by Ms Bick.

 

[Mage]

Hm, it's indeed interesting to see how different the opinions are.
I've just finished What Judgements Comes and Q&A, so I think I'm going to stick with this one first, and finish it no matter what.

 

[C.E. Evans]

For me, it was something of a depressing read because I really started to like these characters and knowing how it all ends for them made me more than a little sad as I went along...

 

[rfmcdpei]

Hm, it's indeed interesting to see how different the opinions are.
I've just finished What Judgements Comes and Q&A, so I think I'm going to stick with this one first, and finish it no matter what.

I'd say you should. Well of Souls isn't a traditional sort of Trek novel in that it takes a long time for everything to build, but this does work out well, I promise you!

 

[OverlordSpock]

The first time I read Well of Souls, I disliked it greatly (the only Lost Era novel I disliked more was Deny Thy Father). I had some of the same problems with the book as others have already mentioned: it read like I'm already supposed to know these characters, but I don't; it was slow getting to the point; it was so different from what I though of a Trek novel; etc.

But, once I finished the entire series and started reflecting over the individual books, I actually discovered that those things were actually strengths of the book. I liked how the characters had a backstory (even if we weren't familiar with it). I liked how the book built over time. I liked that it was different from other Trek novels.

When I went back and re-read the Lost Era novels last year, I found that Well of Souls was my second favorite of the books (surpassed only by Serpents Among the Ruins). I wanted to read more about this crew, especially al-Halak. I still hold out hope that we might get to revisit this crew, although I know the chances aren't good.

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

I keep wanting to read this book- in part because it features the Enterprise-C crew, and in part because I think the title is awesome- but the reviews keep putting me off of it.