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Star Trek: The Next Generation #0
Encounter at Farpoint
WHERE THE ADVENTURE BEGAN...
CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 41254.7: The U.S.S. Enterprise™ is en route to Cygnus IV -- the edge of the known galaxy. There, we will rendezvous with the ship's new first officer and the other command personnel and proceed with out mission: discover the truth about Farpoint Station, a starbase facility built by the inhabitants of Cygnus IV, a starbase of unparalleled size and complexity...and infinite mystery.
And the success or failure of this, our first mission together, may well determine the course of human exploration across the galaxy for centuries to come...
CAPTAIN'S LOG, STARDATE 41254.7: The U.S.S. Enterprise™ is en route to Cygnus IV -- the edge of the known galaxy. There, we will rendezvous with the ship's new first officer and the other command personnel and proceed with out mission: discover the truth about Farpoint Station, a starbase facility built by the inhabitants of Cygnus IV, a starbase of unparalleled size and complexity...and infinite mystery.
And the success or failure of this, our first mission together, may well determine the course of human exploration across the galaxy for centuries to come...
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 20, 2018
Some time ago, when I watched the first episode of The Next Generation, I remember thinking the show had a rough start.
The first season improved as it went on; some episodes were better than others, but, most of them were vastly superior to the series premiere.
So, why they would choose that episode to adapt to book form is beyond me.
Still, as a Trekkie, I had to read it, especially since it was the first of many TNG novels, most of which were original stories.
I give it two stars because it was well-written, at least.
The first season improved as it went on; some episodes were better than others, but, most of them were vastly superior to the series premiere.
So, why they would choose that episode to adapt to book form is beyond me.
Still, as a Trekkie, I had to read it, especially since it was the first of many TNG novels, most of which were original stories.
I give it two stars because it was well-written, at least.
July 10, 2024
It's a novelization of the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, so not much of a surprise, really. There are a few tidbits here and there otherwise lacking from the show, either due to time, rewrites, or just the general sense that you can't have thoughts in a visual media.
There were a couple of things that were of note that I found interesting, and am wondering if they were the original ideas that were changed a few episodes later or were made up for the book (but, as this is the novelization of the episode, I find the former to be more likely). For instance, Data was apparently created by an alien machine race on the planet where he was found and was sent to the Human colonists who had recently arrived there as perhaps some type of liaison - he doesn't remember. So, no Dr. Soong. And, he also named himself Data because he liked that he was essentially a receptacle of knowledge...so, no cute name-play between Data and Lore (and B4).
I also think that Picard is a little older in the novel that he is in the show. Patrick Stewart was not playing a fifty-five-year old man. And there are a few bits of editing and/or sequential order of things that don't make sense. At one point, Worf tells Riker that Data is escorting Admiral McCoy to the shuttle bay to return him to the USS Hood, and then in the very next paragraph, Data is escorting McCoy to the transporter room which then leads to a conversation between the two of them which ends with Data agreeing to take him to the shuttle bay...oops.
Still, though, the episode was literally playing in my head as I read this, so, that was fun. :)
An addendum: something I think was missed in the show and could have been developed in a really interesting way was the interplay between the Federation (the penultimate communists) and the Ferengi Alliance (the penultimate capitalists). There was some discussion of what the Ferengi could do for the Bandi economically versus the Federation, and that just seems like a really neat sort of "reverse cold war" which could have been a part of the show - but this was 'Murica in the late 1980s, so we won't be doing that.
There were a couple of things that were of note that I found interesting, and am wondering if they were the original ideas that were changed a few episodes later or were made up for the book (but, as this is the novelization of the episode, I find the former to be more likely). For instance, Data was apparently created by an alien machine race on the planet where he was found and was sent to the Human colonists who had recently arrived there as perhaps some type of liaison - he doesn't remember. So, no Dr. Soong. And, he also named himself Data because he liked that he was essentially a receptacle of knowledge...so, no cute name-play between Data and Lore (and B4).
I also think that Picard is a little older in the novel that he is in the show. Patrick Stewart was not playing a fifty-five-year old man. And there are a few bits of editing and/or sequential order of things that don't make sense. At one point, Worf tells Riker that Data is escorting Admiral McCoy to the shuttle bay to return him to the USS Hood, and then in the very next paragraph, Data is escorting McCoy to the transporter room which then leads to a conversation between the two of them which ends with Data agreeing to take him to the shuttle bay...oops.
Still, though, the episode was literally playing in my head as I read this, so, that was fun. :)
An addendum: something I think was missed in the show and could have been developed in a really interesting way was the interplay between the Federation (the penultimate communists) and the Ferengi Alliance (the penultimate capitalists). There was some discussion of what the Ferengi could do for the Bandi economically versus the Federation, and that just seems like a really neat sort of "reverse cold war" which could have been a part of the show - but this was 'Murica in the late 1980s, so we won't be doing that.
March 13, 2022
I generally enjoy novelizations because they provide some extra insight into the characters thoughts and motivations. However, when you're novelizing the very first episode of a series, I imagine it's a near impossible task to enrich the story. You have no real clue who the characters are or will become and practically everything you think up will be destroyed by canon in the next season.
That is to say, I think this author did the best they could under the circumstances, but it's not really worth the read.
I will say there is one page early on in the novel that provides a beautiful insight to Yar that I deeply appreciated, so for me, it was worth it just for that page. The rest was either totally inaccurate (as learned later) or better shown in the episode itself.
You might want to grab this one if you're a Tasha Yar fan, but otherwise, you could comfortably skip it and not miss anything.
That is to say, I think this author did the best they could under the circumstances, but it's not really worth the read.
I will say there is one page early on in the novel that provides a beautiful insight to Yar that I deeply appreciated, so for me, it was worth it just for that page. The rest was either totally inaccurate (as learned later) or better shown in the episode itself.
You might want to grab this one if you're a Tasha Yar fan, but otherwise, you could comfortably skip it and not miss anything.
February 22, 2017
The novelization adds some scenes of backstory and character background not in the episode, some of which would be challenged by later canonical story developments (for example, Data's origins). As with the episode itself, the story takes a while to get going, but Gerrold does a nice job with his descriptions and overall prose line, particularly considering what I'm sure was a compressed writing schedule. There are a few repetitions and at least one typo ("Pickard") but it's pretty minor stuff. The biggest tonal discrepancy between the final filmed pilot and this novelization (which appears to be based on an earlier script draft) is that the characters behave more gruffly. At one point, for example, Picard smacks his fist into the palm of his hand to express frustration, and later tells Beverly he hopes he didn't come across as a "bastard." Some of the tech jargon that made it into the episode ("detector circuits") and would later be changed in the canon is also, as expected, present here, but there are additional items not called out through dialogue in the episode (like a "memory cartridge") that would likewise be modified by subsequent stories/ideas. Overall, this is an uneven but diverting story that now doubles as an interesting historical document, probably of interest mostly to die-hard TNG fans.
Trivia #1: Apparently this novelization was originally given to D. C. Fontana to write. In her own words: "On October ninth [1987], I concluded my contract with Star Trek: The Next Generation. Throughout I was subjected to personal harassment, to sexual discrimination, and to personal discrimination. With other writers on staff, my work was interfered with by Leonard Maizlish, a non-WGA member. In fact, a non-writer. Early on, I was asked to perform services for which I was not contracted or paid, i.e. as story editor, and which were against Guild rules. When I refused to go against my principles and the Guild’s rules, I was punished with the killing of my novelization contract [for “Encounter At Farpoint”] and also punished with harassments in regards to parking, to my office, and to my work. All of the above appeared to stem from Leonard Maizlish, although Roddenberry himself was not innocent by any means. Without his approval, Maizlish would not have been able to gain so much power and would not have been able to act as he did." -- Edward Gross. "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek."
Trivia #2: For those of you who like to go deep, I'm including a link to the script of "Encounter at Farpoint" :-) http://www.roddenberry.com/media/vaul...
Trivia #1: Apparently this novelization was originally given to D. C. Fontana to write. In her own words: "On October ninth [1987], I concluded my contract with Star Trek: The Next Generation. Throughout I was subjected to personal harassment, to sexual discrimination, and to personal discrimination. With other writers on staff, my work was interfered with by Leonard Maizlish, a non-WGA member. In fact, a non-writer. Early on, I was asked to perform services for which I was not contracted or paid, i.e. as story editor, and which were against Guild rules. When I refused to go against my principles and the Guild’s rules, I was punished with the killing of my novelization contract [for “Encounter At Farpoint”] and also punished with harassments in regards to parking, to my office, and to my work. All of the above appeared to stem from Leonard Maizlish, although Roddenberry himself was not innocent by any means. Without his approval, Maizlish would not have been able to gain so much power and would not have been able to act as he did." -- Edward Gross. "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek."
Trivia #2: For those of you who like to go deep, I'm including a link to the script of "Encounter at Farpoint" :-) http://www.roddenberry.com/media/vaul...
September 5, 2021
All he could smell on Tasha was the faint, pleasant aroma of soap and shampoo: Lieutenant Yar apparently disdained the standard little "feminine" touch and contented herself with just being clean. Interesting, Riker noted.
The first TNG novel is the obligatory novelisation of the pilot episode but it’s interesting to see how the authors interpret these scripts. Although for the most part there’s little added in Gerrold’s 192 pages.
All the cheesy dialogue of the shaky first episode is faithfully intact. It even incorporates the “Space, the final frontier…” intro as Picard’s first log entry to which the listening bridge crew then applaud. So credit to Gerrold for making the book even more cringeworthy than the television episode.
The plot of the book sticks exactly to the television script so it suffers from the same Twilight Zone-style of magical science fiction that is a hallmark of the early episodes of the series. The Enterprise’s first mission is to investigate Farpoint Station where everything is too good to be true and it’s not-so-subtly hinted that it can create anything that people wish for while the alien Bandi try to pass everything off as coincidence. Why exactly this is considered a top secret Starfleet mission is never really justified considering most of the ‘suspicious events’ involve the crew members walking around finding food they like. Riker is suspicious because of a bowl of apples and Geordi LaForge’s deepest carnal desire is apparently an ice-cream sundae from the 1950s. So yeah, red alert.
Oh and Beverly wishes for some god awful fabric that she then orders A BOLT OF. I googled the measurements of a “bolt” and it’s 91 metres! That’s 100 yards of fabric - what is she going to do with that exactly?! Sew up curtains for a few decks of the ship?
The book wraps up fairly quickly to be honest. Picard is referred to as a ‘burrhog’. He says bastard at one point. Riker is written a bit more as a playboy. He debuts in a towel the morning after what was essentially a stag party. Then he occupies himself with sniffing women and telling Dr.Crusher to call him Bill.
Gerrold does add a nice bit of character development with Riker having some anti-android sentiment towards Data that runs throughout the last half of the book and fits well into their Holodeck scene from the episode. It then concludes itself nicely with Riker losing his initial prejudice.
I give this three stars since as a novelisation and not an original story, it’s shackled to Roddenberry’s weak plot and cheesy script so there’s only so much that could be done. But it does the job of introducing the characters with a tiny bit more depth than the episode. I don’t think anybody wants to read an extended version of Encounter at Farpoint anyway.
The first TNG novel is the obligatory novelisation of the pilot episode but it’s interesting to see how the authors interpret these scripts. Although for the most part there’s little added in Gerrold’s 192 pages.
All the cheesy dialogue of the shaky first episode is faithfully intact. It even incorporates the “Space, the final frontier…” intro as Picard’s first log entry to which the listening bridge crew then applaud. So credit to Gerrold for making the book even more cringeworthy than the television episode.
The plot of the book sticks exactly to the television script so it suffers from the same Twilight Zone-style of magical science fiction that is a hallmark of the early episodes of the series. The Enterprise’s first mission is to investigate Farpoint Station where everything is too good to be true and it’s not-so-subtly hinted that it can create anything that people wish for while the alien Bandi try to pass everything off as coincidence. Why exactly this is considered a top secret Starfleet mission is never really justified considering most of the ‘suspicious events’ involve the crew members walking around finding food they like. Riker is suspicious because of a bowl of apples and Geordi LaForge’s deepest carnal desire is apparently an ice-cream sundae from the 1950s. So yeah, red alert.
Oh and Beverly wishes for some god awful fabric that she then orders A BOLT OF. I googled the measurements of a “bolt” and it’s 91 metres! That’s 100 yards of fabric - what is she going to do with that exactly?! Sew up curtains for a few decks of the ship?
The book wraps up fairly quickly to be honest. Picard is referred to as a ‘burrhog’. He says bastard at one point. Riker is written a bit more as a playboy. He debuts in a towel the morning after what was essentially a stag party. Then he occupies himself with sniffing women and telling Dr.Crusher to call him Bill.
Gerrold does add a nice bit of character development with Riker having some anti-android sentiment towards Data that runs throughout the last half of the book and fits well into their Holodeck scene from the episode. It then concludes itself nicely with Riker losing his initial prejudice.
I give this three stars since as a novelisation and not an original story, it’s shackled to Roddenberry’s weak plot and cheesy script so there’s only so much that could be done. But it does the job of introducing the characters with a tiny bit more depth than the episode. I don’t think anybody wants to read an extended version of Encounter at Farpoint anyway.
June 1, 2024
2023 Review 83. Star Trek The Next Generation #0 Encounter At Farpoint by David Gerrold
Page Count : 192
This is an absolutely fantastic novelisation of the 1st episode of Star Trek The Next Generation.
This book is mostly the same as the story I remember from the episode, however there are also slight differences in dialogue and additional scenes which made all the difference to the story especially in terms of getting to know the characters.
I actually felt like I was watching the episode for the 1st time despite watching it numerous times since it's release in 1987.
Even though is only a very short book (192 pages), I throughly enjoyed and definitely recommend it for fans of Star Trek The Next Generation.
I will definitely reread it again in the future especially when read in conjunction with the books about Captain Picard's previous command, the USS Stargazer which features in the following books : The Valiant, Stargazer series books 1-6 and briefly in The Lost Era book The Buried Age which sets the scene for Encounter At Farpoint.
5*
*****
Page Count : 192
This is an absolutely fantastic novelisation of the 1st episode of Star Trek The Next Generation.
This book is mostly the same as the story I remember from the episode, however there are also slight differences in dialogue and additional scenes which made all the difference to the story especially in terms of getting to know the characters.
I actually felt like I was watching the episode for the 1st time despite watching it numerous times since it's release in 1987.
Even though is only a very short book (192 pages), I throughly enjoyed and definitely recommend it for fans of Star Trek The Next Generation.
I will definitely reread it again in the future especially when read in conjunction with the books about Captain Picard's previous command, the USS Stargazer which features in the following books : The Valiant, Stargazer series books 1-6 and briefly in The Lost Era book The Buried Age which sets the scene for Encounter At Farpoint.
5*
*****
Read
November 22, 2017I was perusing the books at Thrify's which is a used Goodwill type of place and spotted this book and remembered hey I had that book. I think I actually bought it in Jackson, Mn at a pharmacy/dime store. Late 87 was everything Star Trek TNG for awhile. I also got the Starlog Press Star Trek TNG magazine there as well (Patrick Stewart on the cover, posters and synopsis of the first few episodes.) Encounter at Fairpoint novelization was a quick read for me. I don't recall much about it, but know I read it
January 7, 2020
A fairly straight adaptation, only a few notable differences from the broadcast episode. As a friend noted, quite amused by the descriptions of men (competence, personality) and women (they’re hot!). 🖖
December 1, 2021
Tal cual el episodio piloto de la serie the next generation
November 24, 2023
Do NOT talk to me about Bill Riker.
January 30, 2023
This story is basically the first ever episode of Star Trek, Next Generation. It's a jolly jaunt where we are introduced to Captain Picard, Data, Riker, Jordi Worf and the rest of the gang. It's a fun read. If you love Star Trek, and why wouldn't you? Enjoy.
January 7, 2024
Reading this after watching the documentary Chaos on the Bridge made me raise my eyebrow every now and again, especially after listening to the late, great D.C. Fontana talk about how the Q character was just randomly inserted into the story. David Gerrold does his usual masterful job of polishing what had to be a contentious screenplay and provides a lot more characterization and deeper background information for each of the main characters (contradicted by later episodes, of course). Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable read for me, returning to the beginning of the TNG saga and reminiscing 1987 as an 11 year-old watching the pilot for the first time.
April 17, 2013
Ostensibly, the novelization of the pilot episode of ST:TNG. Really, could have been a script with notes. There was a little extra, things from certain perspectives. There were a few inaccuracies, and the ever irritation contractions used by Data. I mostly just want to watch the episode again. Very easy read, felt like comfort food.
August 19, 2017
A really well written novelization. It's always great to get some insight into what the characters on-screen are actually thinking at any given point.
August 1, 2020
Ini adalah cerita pertama kalinya Jean-Luc Picard menjadi kapten pesawat luar angkasa Enterprise NCC-1701-D, dan mengawali perjalanan panjang para kru pesawat itu dalam serial Star Trek: The Next Generation. Inilah saat bersejarah di mana Picard memulai entri pertama dalam Captain log yang kemudian menjadi pengantar di awal setiap seri film serialnya yaitu kalimat: "These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before."
Dikisahkan dalam novel ini bahwa Picard dan kru pesawatnya harus pergi ke Stasiun Farpoint yaitu sebuah pos terbaru yang berada di pinggiran wilayah kekuasaan pihak Federasi. Dia ditugaskan untuk mencari tahu bagaimana bisa sebuah bangsa yang berada di ambang kepunahan dalam waktu singkat sanggup membangun sebuah pelabuhan perdagangan luar angkasa yang canggih. Selain itu juga, di stasiun baru itu Picard akan menjemput kru-kru pesawatnya yang diantaranya adalah Riker, Beverly, dan Geordi LaForge. Jadi dalam novel ini diceritakan bagaimana Picard pertama kalinya bertemu dengan kru pesawat Enterprise.
Persoalan menjadi rumit ketika di tengah perjalanan Enterprise dihadang oleh suatu entitas mahluk Asing yang menyebut dirinya sendiri sebagai Q. Entitas asing ini memiliki teknologi yang jauh lebih canggih daripada teknologi Federasi. Namun bukan itu saja masalahnya. Q menganggap bahwa bangsa manusia, dengan sejarah kekerasan dan ketamakan, tidak pantas memiliki teknologi antarbintang dan menjalin kerjasama dengan penghuni lain di alam semesta.
Picard dan anak buahnya harus membuktikan bahwa Q keliru, dan manusia pantas untuk menjadi duta di alam semesta.
Dikisahkan dalam novel ini bahwa Picard dan kru pesawatnya harus pergi ke Stasiun Farpoint yaitu sebuah pos terbaru yang berada di pinggiran wilayah kekuasaan pihak Federasi. Dia ditugaskan untuk mencari tahu bagaimana bisa sebuah bangsa yang berada di ambang kepunahan dalam waktu singkat sanggup membangun sebuah pelabuhan perdagangan luar angkasa yang canggih. Selain itu juga, di stasiun baru itu Picard akan menjemput kru-kru pesawatnya yang diantaranya adalah Riker, Beverly, dan Geordi LaForge. Jadi dalam novel ini diceritakan bagaimana Picard pertama kalinya bertemu dengan kru pesawat Enterprise.
Persoalan menjadi rumit ketika di tengah perjalanan Enterprise dihadang oleh suatu entitas mahluk Asing yang menyebut dirinya sendiri sebagai Q. Entitas asing ini memiliki teknologi yang jauh lebih canggih daripada teknologi Federasi. Namun bukan itu saja masalahnya. Q menganggap bahwa bangsa manusia, dengan sejarah kekerasan dan ketamakan, tidak pantas memiliki teknologi antarbintang dan menjalin kerjasama dengan penghuni lain di alam semesta.
Picard dan anak buahnya harus membuktikan bahwa Q keliru, dan manusia pantas untuk menjadi duta di alam semesta.
February 19, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
I'm only adding one book per author and I'm not going to re-read every book to be more accurate, not when I have 1000s of new to me authors to try (I can't say no to free books....)
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
August 1, 2020
For the most part, one will not get much more than you get from the pilot episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - Encounter at Fairpoint. I'm not usually one for episode/movie novelizations - it's either fairly a straight-forward narrative version of what one watched or else an attempt to add a whole layer of story to one that was never there. This is the former, but it's certainly a quick read! Since this is the "first" book, there are some descriptive elements that slow the book down - we have to learn what every character looks like. There are some additional background elements added; in some cases, they are interesting, in other cases they are details that are negated by later episodes (Data describing his construction by an alien species). I assume the author was working off character outlines and the show Bible - so it's interesting to see where things started, for instance, a certain characterization of Dr. Crusher they started with but later mellowed her. Most fans see "Encounter" as one of the weaker pilot stories, but it's always interesting to see how things start!
May 11, 2018
It's been ages since I've seen the episode, and this was a fun reminder. Fairly superficial as adaptations go, and it irks me slightly at the end that Picard (and Starfleet) are willing to keep working with what are essentially torturers, but I can't blame Gerrold for that, he's merely working off the script. Still it's nice to read about Troi and remember when her empathic powers were new and excitingly valuable rather than pretty much useless statements of obvious, as they so often became. Also, I do enjoy Picard and his grumpiness, especially regarding children. (You have the right idea about Wesley, mate, and I'm certain there's one happy timeline when you did indeed keep that brat off the bridge.) The best part of this, though, are the giant jellyfish who loved each other - the story ends with the accompanying sense of wonder that's so much a part of the Star Trek franchise, and I appreciate that.
May 10, 2024
I've begun the journey which will take me through the entire TNG novel series. Wish me luck!
This is the first book in that journey.
What can I say about Encounter at Farpoint? It's like walking down memory lane, since I've seen the television episode numerous times, and this is a novelization of that episode.
The one advantage the book has over the tv episode is in the depth of details. The book gives more texture to each character.
Why write such a short review? My goal is to help others find a TNG novel to read, when they don't necessarily want to read them all. A guide of sorts. With that said, the true rating I'd give this novel is 3.75 out of 5.0.
Key take away: Riker is "hot" in the novelization. In the tv series, he has an appeal. But in the novels, he's got something extra in that sense.
This is the first book in that journey.
What can I say about Encounter at Farpoint? It's like walking down memory lane, since I've seen the television episode numerous times, and this is a novelization of that episode.
The one advantage the book has over the tv episode is in the depth of details. The book gives more texture to each character.
Why write such a short review? My goal is to help others find a TNG novel to read, when they don't necessarily want to read them all. A guide of sorts. With that said, the true rating I'd give this novel is 3.75 out of 5.0.
Key take away: Riker is "hot" in the novelization. In the tv series, he has an appeal. But in the novels, he's got something extra in that sense.
November 4, 2025
The great thing about this book was the drama behind the making of it. Apparently DC Fontana was robbed of a great many things regarding the writing of the script on this episode, with Gene Roddenberry taking co credits on the script by inserting Q into it. (Which ended up being a great choice) Then when it came time to writing the book they gave the job to David Gerrold instead of DC. Maybe she was making enemies behind the scenes? Anyways, DC had already written the novel, so David put it under his name and gave her all the royalties. What a guy.
Overall, the book is better than the episode. If you enjoyed the episode to at least a 3/5 rating you'll like the novelization. Things are written almost exactly as they happen in the episode with a novelization thickening of the details. Overall 4/5 from me.
Overall, the book is better than the episode. If you enjoyed the episode to at least a 3/5 rating you'll like the novelization. Things are written almost exactly as they happen in the episode with a novelization thickening of the details. Overall 4/5 from me.
August 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this book.
At first I was weary, everything seemed really off. The characters didn't connect to what was on screen (but when has a book ever really connected to it's show?) I had to keep an open mind which then led me to really enjoying the book.
The book gave a different insight to each person. Which is what threw me off when I first read this. Once I read the book free from the show, I went and re-watched the first episode. Knowing what each person was thinking, that couldn't be portrayed through acting, made it all the better. Book and show.
I highly recommend reading this clear and free from the show. You'll end up loving it as though it was your first time watching ST:TNG.
At first I was weary, everything seemed really off. The characters didn't connect to what was on screen (but when has a book ever really connected to it's show?) I had to keep an open mind which then led me to really enjoying the book.
The book gave a different insight to each person. Which is what threw me off when I first read this. Once I read the book free from the show, I went and re-watched the first episode. Knowing what each person was thinking, that couldn't be portrayed through acting, made it all the better. Book and show.
I highly recommend reading this clear and free from the show. You'll end up loving it as though it was your first time watching ST:TNG.
September 28, 2022
Perhaps slightly better than the episode it's based on in places. I did like learning that Wesley enjoyed reading Tarzan and John Carter stories growing up. Picard does reference a past love interest named Celeste, which confused me because she's never mentioned anywhere else. The explanation for taking a shuttle rather than beaming aboard the Enterprise made sense (beaming malfunction during Kirk days). Can't recall if this was mentioned elsewhere. I did think it was odd to include a paragraph in which Picard notices that Yar is attractive. And it was strange having Q referred to as an alien. I never categorized him as one, really, despite it making sense why one would.
October 31, 2019
I don't remember the pilot of TNG very well, but this novelization covers most of what I remember...and then some. I've put off reading this book because I was wary of starting another book that I would never finish, but despite Encounter at Farpoint being a "dry" story, the book was a quick, easy read. My only nitpick is that the author had everyone "tabbing" their console or communicator. As a writer myself, I go out of my way to not use repetitive words and phrases, especially in a book that's only 192 pages long.
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April 30, 2022Can't rate, as what is to say, it is what it is. Other reviews give a lot of information about how this enhances or detracts from the experience of watching the episode or the series, so I have nothing to say about that.
I'll just say that I'm glad that they had Gerrold do this. He's the one to trust to do it right. Clean, lucid, engaging, accurate (as known at the time)... everything about it just feels apt & good. I enjoyed reading it and, since my brother gave me the first few dozen TNG books, I will continue reading through them as comfort reads.
I'll just say that I'm glad that they had Gerrold do this. He's the one to trust to do it right. Clean, lucid, engaging, accurate (as known at the time)... everything about it just feels apt & good. I enjoyed reading it and, since my brother gave me the first few dozen TNG books, I will continue reading through them as comfort reads.
August 9, 2018
Captain Picard takes command of the U.S.S. Enterprise. His first mission is to investigate Farpoint Station, a starbase built to Federation specifications by the Denebians - a people who do not appear to have the technology to do this.
On his way, he encounters the godlike Q, who questions humanity's place among the stars.
David Gerrold's novelization of the pilot episode is free flowing and enriches the story with some extra details.
On his way, he encounters the godlike Q, who questions humanity's place among the stars.
David Gerrold's novelization of the pilot episode is free flowing and enriches the story with some extra details.
July 15, 2019
After reading "Star Trek TNG" novels #1 through #5, I decided to go back to the beginning and read the first "Next Generation" novel, "Encounter at Farpoint," which is an adaptation of the two-part series premier of the show.
David Gerrold's done a fine job translating this episode into book form. "Encounter at Farpoint" is a decent episode that adequately introduces the main crew of the USS Starship Enterprise, as well as mysterious entity and antagonist Q.
David Gerrold's done a fine job translating this episode into book form. "Encounter at Farpoint" is a decent episode that adequately introduces the main crew of the USS Starship Enterprise, as well as mysterious entity and antagonist Q.
December 20, 2023
First foray into the Star Trek novel universe and I will say I’m very happy that I took the plunge. While I was never really a fan of the original series i really feel more at home with TNG and later iterations. I’ve seen the pilot episode and this novel really did a good job setting you on journey while at the same time not weighing you down with everyone’s backstory right away. Really excited to continue.
June 4, 2024
A novelization of the first TNG episode. There are some obvious differences that they changed later during filming of the show. Riker goes by Bill in this, but Will in the show. Data’s origin is different. Things happen in a different order and I definitely prefer the tv version of that better. But what I like better in the book are the thoughts of the characters. A fun look into how they think/perceive each other.
May 27, 2017
This is the novelization of the very first Next Generation episode. I like Star Trek books, and the Next Generation is like family to me... I feel like I know them all so well. But this book had inconsistencies with the major TNG story lines, and then the author had the audacity to call Wesley Crusher unattractive. For someone who grew-up with a crush on Crusher this is nearly unforgivable.
November 20, 2022
This is the first time I’ve read an adaptation of a tv episode and I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did! It’s good even though it definitely shows it’s age at certain times. I loved reading the added thoughts and character moments in this, that was the best part, especially Riker with a towel around his waist 👀👀👀👀
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