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On stardate 500146.2, the USS
Enterprise arrives at Betazoid to pick up a scientist names Lem Faal,
who is dying from Iverson's disease, and his two children. Faal has
found a weak point in the Great Galactic Barrier. He and the Enterprise
are to perform and experiment to see if they can breach the barrier and
go beyond the edge of the galaxy. But on the way to their destination,
the crew of the Enterprise is paid a visit by Q. This time he
doesn't travel alone. Q, Q's wife, and his infant son q, pop in because
they are interested in why Q finds these humans so incredibly fascinating.
Q warns Picard that he should not perform the experiment. But Q doesn't
give Picard a reason why, just tells him not to do it. Picard doesn't
listen. After all, it is only Q! After reaching the barrier, they send a
probe out to get a reading on the barrier. The probe is attacked by the
Calamarain, an alien gaseous race that once attacked Q when he was
powerless after the Q Continuum took away his powers (that was such a
great episode). When they start to attack the ship, Q whisks Picard away
to the distant past to view Q through the ages, even traveling through
the Guardian of Forever, giving Picard a perceptive of Q and the Q Continuum
that he has never had. Meanwhile, Riker cannot seem to shake the
Calamarain. Data and Troi finally get the Universal Translator to work
with this new race, and find that they are protecting the barrier. They
will let no harm occur to it, even if it means destroying the Enterprise.
This is a Star Trek: The Next Generation
book. It is number 47. It is also the first book in a three part series.
This story takes place on a new Enterprise-E, so must occur just
after the second movie, First Contact, since that is when the new
ship is introduced. The story focuses on two divergent storylines: 1) Q
showing Picard bits and pieces of Q's own past, and 2) Riker and the Enterprise
trying to run Lem Faal's experiments with the Great Galactic Barrier,
which impedes exploration beyond the rim of the Milky Way.
I was really looking forward
to reading this book because I just really love Q. And Greg Cox does an
excellent job of writing him. And the other side of the story is good as
Riker and Faal try to breach the Great Galactic Barrier. All Star Trek
fans have always wanted this to happen since Captain James T. Kirk tried
and failed. It is also interesting getting to know Q's wife Q and little
baby q. One thing that I had a little problem with was the speed of the
story. When Picard is in Q's past, the story seems to drag a little.
With all the trouble that the Enterprise is having with the
Calamarain, I really wanted to get back to that part of the story. Other
than that one issue, Greg Cox does a great job of portraying all of the
usual Next Generation characters, and the new bridge crew is
interesting, especially the new head of security, a female human named
Leyoro, who reminds me of Tasha Yar. And like any series, this book
leaves you hanging at the end. It sure makes you want to pick up the
next book to find out how the Riker will save the Enterprise and
crew and just who is it that a younger Q let into the Q Continuum.
Overall, this is a good book, and a slow beginning to a trilogy. If this
book is just the builder, then all may go well. Like with any Star Trek
book, if you are a Star Trek Next Generation fan, and especially a Q
fan, you should pick this one up. I learned a lot about the Q and the Q
Continuum, and so should you.
I rated this book a 6½ out of 10. |
