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Newly reissued, the exciting Star Trek novel from New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton! After 200 years of civil war, the planet Oriana is dying. Most of the surface vegetation is gone, the air is almost unbreathable, and the population is nearly extinct. The two warring factions have finally agreed to talk peace, and Captain Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise are sent to help them negotiate a settlement. Picard, Lt. Worf, and Counsellor Troi beam down to Oriana, just as the Enterprise is called away on another urgent mission. Alone on the planet, the U.S.S. Enterprise team learns that there are people who would rather finish the devastating conflict than talk peace. Now, Worf and Troi must prevent planet-wide disaster, before time runs out....… (more)
User reviews
Basic Premise: You won’t find any eroticism here!
This book was written just before the imaginative
Greed and corruption flow through all the plots and subplots. The warring factions on a planet devastated by two hundred years of war want peace. At least some of them do. Picard beams down with Troi and Worf to sort things out. The characterization is typical of Star Trek, though Picard is placed into the background (the usual “you’re under arrest for murder” kinda thing!).
The customs of the Oriana people are odd (a barbaric race, no “honor”, per Worf) and Troi and Worf put on a good show.
Mental Ingenuity: A race of people which has forgotten it has empathic abilities, even to the planet itself. Troi fighting a losing battle in losing her identity to these people. Worf takes on trying to play diplomat without killing anyone. Pretty cool how the characters interrelate here.
Engines that Think: The Enterprise is involved in a subplot of rescuing an alien vessel so they’re not around to help out Picard. Geordi is able to actually communicate with the engine as he tries to prevent it from blowing up as those around him are fatalistic and don’t mind dying with their ship. Similar themes of “you can’t possibly help because you don’t understand us.” This sub-story is quickie and not really as well-written as the main story on the planet. A few plot holes too. Geesh.
Bottom Line: Considering her restrictions with staying within the penciled lines of the Star Trek Universe, Laurell K. Hamilton does not do a bad job of keeping the story on track, involving the reader with the horrors of deformed babies and a dying planet, and makes a few points regarding honor, integrity and not giving up on your friends. A very simple read. Eroticism? Nope! Open “Guilty Pleasures” for that!