Power Hungry

(Star Trek: The Next Generation 6)
by
Howard Weinstein

Pocket, May 1989, 273 pp.
ISBN: 0-671-67714-4

Genre: Science Fiction
Subgenre: TV Tie-In
Reviewed: 9/23/2003

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

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"Raise shields - weapons on standby . . ."

"No response from the Nuarans, sir," Worf said.

"They are still closing, Captain," Data said, scanning his console.

Once more, Picard thought. "Enterprise to Nuaran vessels. I repeat, we are on a peaceful mission, and we request communication with you."

Again, there was no response, and Picard drew in a breath of frustration.

"Lieutenant Worf, go to yellow alert--arm phasers and lock on targets." Picard leaned forward in his chair. "Range, Mr. Data?"

"Thirty thousand kilometers . . . twenty . . ."

On the viewscreen, the five Nuaran spacecraft had grown from flitting pinpoints to sleek harbingers of death.

"Optimum range, sir," Worf said.

"I'm aware of that, Lieutenant," Picard said evenly. "Hold your fire."

The Nuaran ships continued to close, rushing like mad birds of prey, till they were almost directly on top of the Enterprise . . .

Review

The U.S.S. Enterprise is accompanying five smaller vessels with relief food and medical supplies for the Thoipian system. Twenty years ago, this planet was starting the industrial age. But an alien race, the Nuarans, came down and offered them help to advance technologically. In return, they stripped the planet of resources and left the planet in a state of environmental meltdown; acid rain, greenhouse effect, smog, and more. The Federation Aid and Assistance envoy, Frid Undrun, is determined to get the relief supplies to a planet that is in desperate need. But when Commander William Riker is invited down to a feast for the ruler of the planet, Captain Jean Luc Picard gets an inkling that all may not appear as it should be. But when Riker is kidnapped by an environmental faction, Picard must figure out a way of retrieving him without setting of a global incident.

Power Hungry is a Star Trek: The Next Generation book by Howard Weisman. It is number 6. The story takes place on a planet that has overused its recourses. The natives of the planet have not paid attention to the warning signs and only have about fifty years before their planet become inhospitable. This story mostly revolves around Picard and Riker.

Having read a lot of Star Trek stories, and having seen every episode of the original series, TNG, and Voyager (didn't like DS9), I have to say that this book rings true with the way the stories were written for The Next Generation. My only wish, like a lot of other Star trek fans, is that this story would have had a lot more action. But like the series, the book revolves around diplomacy. The important message in this story is that we, humans, are also in the process of slowly killing our planet, and we have no where else to go. So, we had better wake up and do something about it before it is too late. This story takes place when Dr. Pulaski (who I never really liked) replaced Dr. Crusher for one season. I did enjoy the Federation envoy character and thought he added a lot to the story. Overall, Power Hungry is a good Star Trek: The Next Generation novel that rings true to the vision of TNG that Gene Roddenberry created.

I rated this book a 7 out of 10.