Captain Riker learned from the best

Of the three Star Trek tv series that aired in 2020 the first season of Picard was the most disappointing for me. As a kid Next Generation was as close to a foundational text as a sci fi tv show can be. Jean Luc Picard was a unique type of super hero, showing someone that didn't use brute force or super human powers to solve problems, just diplomacy and careful thought. Though he was in his 30s William Riker was a great stand in for youngsters (because Wesley Crusher sucked) and always grew with the lessons Picard passed down. Without making this a review of the show it had plenty of really fun moments but never felt like it reached for the same ideals Next Generation and that era of Trek tv did. (Go watch Lower Decks it's not just great Trek but the best tv show of 2020)

This is the second book based on Picard, after The Last Best Hope last spring. Like that book this one is technically a prequel, though it's connection to the show is much more tertiary and in fact Picard only shows up in any capacity for a few pages. This doesn't hurt the book and in fact I easily enjoyed this one quite a bit more.

The plot unfolds a year after the main inciting inciting incidents of the Picard tv series, when androids attacked Mars, the Federation abandoned rescue efforts of the Romulans and Picard leaving starfleet. These events merely serve as the backdrop to this story, which follows an older, wiser Riker as he captains the USS Titan.

What unfolds is an adventure full of all the techno babble, somewhat predictable twists and a Starfleet captain willing to use diplomacy over violence whenever he can that makes Star Trek great. Swallow writes all the characters incredibly well, whether it's characters established in the tv series, adapted from the now non canon Titan series from a few years ago or his own creations. I enjoyed 5 year old Thaddeus Riker especially. Since children in Trek are usually rather annoying it was refreshing to have a kid who acted more or less like any kid his age.

The pacing and style could easily fit as an episode of 90s Star Trek or as a film sequel to Nemesis. It's not high brow science fiction, and as I alluded to many of the moments framed as twists were perhaps too predictable and overly choreographed, but it's the most fun I've had yet with a Star Trek novel.

15 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

freaking awsome

need more books like this one!!

awsome plot, awsome depht and character development.

would love to see more riker troi books

7 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Robert Petkoff is an outstanding narrator.

James Swallow thank you so much for bringing this story to life. This book takes place one year into Picard retirement and before the Rikers lose their son

7 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Great continuation of the new time-line

it's great to see Trek getting its timeline synced. this story really meshes well with the new series. thank you for finally getting everything together.

4 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Disappointing follow-up to Last Best Hope

I loved the previous ST: Picard book, probably more than season 1 of the show, but this book just wasn't very interesting. There was little in the way of suspense to keep me coming back and I had figured out the central mystery hours before it was revealed. The villain is a one-note fanatic who the characters keep saying is deviously smart, but never actually does anything clever or original. It was great to spend time with Riker and Troi again, but I felt like the author didn't quite capture what makes those characters so compelling and we spend way too much time with their annoying kid. There are good stories to tell about children in the Star Trek universe, but it's very rare that those stories ever actually work. As usual, narrator Robert Petkoff did a wonderful performance. He could probably read Star Trek effectively in his sleep at this point. If you've already gone through most of the Trek books Audible offers, go ahead and get this, you'll probably enjoy it just enough to make it worth your time, but keep your expectations low.

2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Story misses events from other Star Trek stories.

John Luq was never an admiral. William Riker was never a captain! He was a 1st or number 1 to captain John or Jon (spelling) and then jumped from a 1st officer to an admiral from the movie stories and other novels and never made captain. The ladies maried to the men. So the novel doesn't flow with other story's and I'm 63 not a kid and I really don't care enough to tell other's how to write their story's! alright already it's still SciFi to me!

2 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

Wow. No F-bombs.

I enjoyed the story. Pretty classic Trek. 🖖 Riker has really become an enjoyable face for Star Trek.

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Very Good Read

Very nice back story from Will and Deanna leading up to Star Trek Picard

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Great story in new timeline!

i was bummed at first to learn that Picard wouldn't follow the Next Gen books but so far I've enjoyed the books under the new timeline! This is more of a Titan book in the Picard timeline. It's full of action and great character moments for several characters. I fully enjoyed it

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Riker

I liked how we get to see more of the relationship between Riker & Troy.
and the many shades of Romulans