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Nearly two decades ago, Jean-Luc Picard took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise™ NCC-1701-D. The captain knew it was an honor without equal. His new command bore the name of Enterprise. The people who had commanded other like-named starships had gone down in Starfleet's annals. Some officers would be intimidated, but they would not have been given command of Enterprise. On her first mission, the Enterprise was sent to Farpoint Station. A simple, straightforward investigation. Perfect for a crew that had never served together. Then there was Q. An omnipotent lifeform that seemed bent on placing obstacle after obstacle in the ship's -- and in particular in Picard's -- way. And it hadn't ended with that first mission. When he was least expected, Q would appear. Pushing, prodding, testing. At times needling captain and crew with seemingly silly, pointless, and maddening trifles. Then it would turn all too serious, and the survival of Picard's crew was in Q's hands. Why was it today that Picard was remembering the day he took command of the Enterprise -D? Now he commanded a new ship, the Enterprise -E. His crew was different. There was nothing about Gorsach that in the least resembled Farpoint. But Picard couldn't shake the feeling that something all too familiar was going on. All too awful. All too Q.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
March 29, 2022
I'm short on time again today, so, let me be brief: This was an interesting look at the enigmatic being known as Q.
Content Concerns: At least five or six uses each of the h-word and d-word, and almost as many of the a-word; at least one p-word; sci-fi action violence throughout (as you'd expect); references to a sexual relationship between two unmarried characters, though nothing graphic is mentioned.
Content Concerns: At least five or six uses each of the h-word and d-word, and almost as many of the a-word; at least one p-word; sci-fi action violence throughout (as you'd expect); references to a sexual relationship between two unmarried characters, though nothing graphic is mentioned.
April 7, 2013
When I was growing up, I read more than any kid in my classes: and it was almost entirely licensed fiction: Star Trek and Star Wars mostly. Even today, I still maintain quite the collection of these books, even though I rarely indulge.
These days, I prefer more original works (though I still happily do most of my reading in the speculative fiction genres). The limitations of licensed novels are both stifling and well known: the individual author has no power to grow or change the main characters or world. Every story must end in the same place that it began. Perhaps the author can introduce new characters or locations that are allowed to have an arc: but they must be necessity not impact the characters that the reader actually cares about.
You can get some decent adventure stories with that setup but it's tough to find anything much deeper. Yet, there's still a bit of room in my heart for the occasional bit of licensed work. Sometimes, it can be fun to go on another romp with beloved characters: especially when they've been off-screen for a decade (and off of television for far longer).
Some romps work out better than others, though.
In a lot of ways, this book was set up in the worst possible position. It's licensed, so right off the bat, the author has to tread carefully with regards to the license-holder. It's set within the expanded universe, so characters have moved on or died -- and those that remain seem to have laughably stagnant careers. And then there's the entire conceit behind this particular novel: it's going to answer a universe-and-tv-series-spanding question about just what the show's most beloved rogue has been thinking all this time.
It's a tall order.
In a lot of ways Q & A succeeds. It's a fast and enjoyable read. It brings back all of my favorite characters and lets me spend a little time with them. It even ties up all of Q's shenanigans into a nice cohesive (if a bit implausible) bow.
But I think the mere fact that it's facing such a tall order is the book's downfall. It has to spend time with all of the major characters (even if they're off the ship), it has to introduce readers to the new characters that are being used to extend the life of the expanded universe franchises, it has to create a universe-spanning threat, it has to resolve that threat, and it has to wrap up a decade's worth of Q's exploits . And it has to do all of that in under 300 light-reading pages. Jiminy.
It doesn't really manage all of that. That's not much of a criticism: I don't think it *could* have managed all of that. And there is definitely something to be said just for the fact that it *tried*. More authors should aim so highly, especially in the field of licensed novels where the impulse is always to recycle the same old cliches again and again just to cash a check.
It's this book's ambition makes me think that it wasn't a callous attempt at cashing in; unfortunately, that evidence is entirely circumstantial. The bulk of this book is shameless fan-service. It largely consists of characters saying "Do you remember that time we..." before recounting the plot of a favorite episode or the narrator saying something like "He hadn't seen that look since..." before recounting the plot of a favorite episode.
It's basically a clip-show in novel form. And those clips take away both pages and pacing from actually telling the story of the book. It's no wonder that the main plot feels rushed and ultimately unfulfilled when so much time is spent recounting events that we all saw on television (because who would read a Star Trek book if they weren't already fans?).
Ultimately, I award this book a lot of points for aiming for the stars; but its execution just could not even begin to match its dreams.
These days, I prefer more original works (though I still happily do most of my reading in the speculative fiction genres). The limitations of licensed novels are both stifling and well known: the individual author has no power to grow or change the main characters or world. Every story must end in the same place that it began. Perhaps the author can introduce new characters or locations that are allowed to have an arc: but they must be necessity not impact the characters that the reader actually cares about.
You can get some decent adventure stories with that setup but it's tough to find anything much deeper. Yet, there's still a bit of room in my heart for the occasional bit of licensed work. Sometimes, it can be fun to go on another romp with beloved characters: especially when they've been off-screen for a decade (and off of television for far longer).
Some romps work out better than others, though.
In a lot of ways, this book was set up in the worst possible position. It's licensed, so right off the bat, the author has to tread carefully with regards to the license-holder. It's set within the expanded universe, so characters have moved on or died -- and those that remain seem to have laughably stagnant careers. And then there's the entire conceit behind this particular novel: it's going to answer a universe-and-tv-series-spanding question about just what the show's most beloved rogue has been thinking all this time.
It's a tall order.
In a lot of ways Q & A succeeds. It's a fast and enjoyable read. It brings back all of my favorite characters and lets me spend a little time with them. It even ties up all of Q's shenanigans into a nice cohesive (if a bit implausible) bow.
But I think the mere fact that it's facing such a tall order is the book's downfall. It has to spend time with all of the major characters (even if they're off the ship), it has to introduce readers to the new characters that are being used to extend the life of the expanded universe franchises, it has to create a universe-spanning threat, it has to resolve that threat, and it has to wrap up a decade's worth of Q's exploits . And it has to do all of that in under 300 light-reading pages. Jiminy.
It doesn't really manage all of that. That's not much of a criticism: I don't think it *could* have managed all of that. And there is definitely something to be said just for the fact that it *tried*. More authors should aim so highly, especially in the field of licensed novels where the impulse is always to recycle the same old cliches again and again just to cash a check.
It's this book's ambition makes me think that it wasn't a callous attempt at cashing in; unfortunately, that evidence is entirely circumstantial. The bulk of this book is shameless fan-service. It largely consists of characters saying "Do you remember that time we..." before recounting the plot of a favorite episode or the narrator saying something like "He hadn't seen that look since..." before recounting the plot of a favorite episode.
It's basically a clip-show in novel form. And those clips take away both pages and pacing from actually telling the story of the book. It's no wonder that the main plot feels rushed and ultimately unfulfilled when so much time is spent recounting events that we all saw on television (because who would read a Star Trek book if they weren't already fans?).
Ultimately, I award this book a lot of points for aiming for the stars; but its execution just could not even begin to match its dreams.
October 12, 2021
I've decided to read all of the post-Nemesis novels starting with Death In Winter. I've already read several here and there through the years, but I'm setting out on completing the run of novels (there's a bunch). This one was a quick (if I had actually read it straight through without picking up other books along the way) and fun read. Any story dealing with Q is one that I like, so this one was no different. I think my favorite part in this one was when all of the different ships started showing up. Good stuff!
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5 stars
Read
March 20, 2024A strong 3.5. The ending was a bit anti-climactic and wrapped up a bit too neatly, but that's often the case with Star Trek novels. But anything with Q is generally awesome, and this book was no exception. I'm also a fan of anything that moves the Star Trek timeline past Nemesis.
June 4, 2024
Star Trek: TNG - Q&A by Keith R.A. DeCandido - 3rd book in The Second Decade series - though I am following Trek-Lit Reading Flowchart
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective,
sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
I had SO much fun reading this story/book. I'm NOT a person who likes chaos, regularly...but a Q story was what this needed, at this point in time. So good.
Obviously, I loved Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Doctor Beverly Crusher (this series is "on point" with these character's dynamics), but now the author has upped it...by adding Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon. They added SO much to the story, and I hope that we continue to follow their careers...as this Second Decade series cotinues to expand.
It was also great to see Worf being better used in the narrative...and the growth of his character was truly utilized well.
Also LaForge was better used in this story, than in the previous two...so there's growth there, too.
And, I'm growing more fond of T'Lana as the ship's Counselor. She's definitely NOT Troy, but she is a good character, though...I have to say, I'm not sure I could go to a Vulcan counselor, but maybe that's the attraction to the character, the possibilities.
Overall, it was a fun story to read, and I can safely say..."I'm in" with this new series (The Second Decade series), though my next book will be Before Dishonor by Peter David, then the next book after Before Dishonor will deviate a bit and following the Trek-Lit Reading Flowchart. Remember...this is a grand adventure.
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective,
sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
I had SO much fun reading this story/book. I'm NOT a person who likes chaos, regularly...but a Q story was what this needed, at this point in time. So good.
Obviously, I loved Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Doctor Beverly Crusher (this series is "on point" with these character's dynamics), but now the author has upped it...by adding Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon. They added SO much to the story, and I hope that we continue to follow their careers...as this Second Decade series cotinues to expand.
It was also great to see Worf being better used in the narrative...and the growth of his character was truly utilized well.
Also LaForge was better used in this story, than in the previous two...so there's growth there, too.
And, I'm growing more fond of T'Lana as the ship's Counselor. She's definitely NOT Troy, but she is a good character, though...I have to say, I'm not sure I could go to a Vulcan counselor, but maybe that's the attraction to the character, the possibilities.
Overall, it was a fun story to read, and I can safely say..."I'm in" with this new series (The Second Decade series), though my next book will be Before Dishonor by Peter David, then the next book after Before Dishonor will deviate a bit and following the Trek-Lit Reading Flowchart. Remember...this is a grand adventure.
June 1, 2018
Q & A is a great rip-roaring adventure with Picard nemesis/flee in the ear Q turning up looking like he is up to his usual antics! :D As Q & A progresses though you get so see that there is more going on than their is apparent in fact it starts to put all of Q's other appearances and manipulations behind the scenes into context! :D
Q & A as with an dealing with the Q is full of observations on the Federation from Q's perspective that will have you in stitches Q's bating of various people is brilliant but at the same time for instance when he is bating Worf and Worf is refusing to rise to the bating you get the impression of a somewhat titanic battle being fought! :D Q's observations are always slightly cutting and two edged like he attempting to teach small children! :D Oh course this is offset by the point that he points this out to them! :D Through Q is busily teaching/winding up and how he casually references and winds up Janeway and Picard but at the same time cuts to the point is brilliantly handled! :D
Q & A and expertly weaves multiple events together from the past but at the same time propelling the story forward at every moment! :D The introduction of the Them puts the Q and the Federation on a somewhat equal footing and observations about previous Universes are hysterical! :D At the same time though the story really does not mince it's words and so it delves into philosophy and alternate realities with abandon all with that observational and humorous twist that we see throughout! :D
The whole book flows seamlessly and linkages between plot points come across brilliantly! :D There is character development and action in abundance! :D Crusher and Picard get their screen time and we get see them adjusting, at the same time we get to see Miranda Kadohata settling into her position as the Enterprise's Second Officer and we get to see her growing into the role along with the new Security Chief Zelik Leybenzon! :D We also get to see T'Lana and Word settling in more and their are pop up appearances form characters like Donatra, Janeway, Klag etc that lead to a chock full of characters book that barrels away! :D The continuing poker games are brilliantly done and really get to show the new admixture of the grew starting to blend throughout really is setting the stage for future books! :D At the same time we also get to see the nature of the characters and T'Lana's session with Geordi's vis-a-vis like with Deanna is very observant as one such example! :D
With such a new cast of characters as well you are never sure what is going to happen to them and this gives the book a real visceral edge to the scenes! :D Picard's solution is inventive and Q guided but you always have a lookout for any cases of George R R Martion syndrome that might strike the crew and the really propels a the action moments in the books! :D The whole book is a crazy ride and brilliantly handled full of adventure, intrigue, easter egg and action packed throughout! :D Crisp high five! :D Brilliant go and get it and make sure you have the next one! :D
Q & A as with an dealing with the Q is full of observations on the Federation from Q's perspective that will have you in stitches Q's bating of various people is brilliant but at the same time for instance when he is bating Worf and Worf is refusing to rise to the bating you get the impression of a somewhat titanic battle being fought! :D Q's observations are always slightly cutting and two edged like he attempting to teach small children! :D Oh course this is offset by the point that he points this out to them! :D Through Q is busily teaching/winding up and how he casually references and winds up Janeway and Picard but at the same time cuts to the point is brilliantly handled! :D
Q & A and expertly weaves multiple events together from the past but at the same time propelling the story forward at every moment! :D The introduction of the Them puts the Q and the Federation on a somewhat equal footing and observations about previous Universes are hysterical! :D At the same time though the story really does not mince it's words and so it delves into philosophy and alternate realities with abandon all with that observational and humorous twist that we see throughout! :D
The whole book flows seamlessly and linkages between plot points come across brilliantly! :D There is character development and action in abundance! :D Crusher and Picard get their screen time and we get see them adjusting, at the same time we get to see Miranda Kadohata settling into her position as the Enterprise's Second Officer and we get to see her growing into the role along with the new Security Chief Zelik Leybenzon! :D We also get to see T'Lana and Word settling in more and their are pop up appearances form characters like Donatra, Janeway, Klag etc that lead to a chock full of characters book that barrels away! :D The continuing poker games are brilliantly done and really get to show the new admixture of the grew starting to blend throughout really is setting the stage for future books! :D At the same time we also get to see the nature of the characters and T'Lana's session with Geordi's vis-a-vis like with Deanna is very observant as one such example! :D
With such a new cast of characters as well you are never sure what is going to happen to them and this gives the book a real visceral edge to the scenes! :D Picard's solution is inventive and Q guided but you always have a lookout for any cases of George R R Martion syndrome that might strike the crew and the really propels a the action moments in the books! :D The whole book is a crazy ride and brilliantly handled full of adventure, intrigue, easter egg and action packed throughout! :D Crisp high five! :D Brilliant go and get it and make sure you have the next one! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2019
Q & A exceeded my expectations. In a literary universe that at times seems inundated with Q's misadventures, I was glad that this novel didn't feel like more of the same. It really did feel like the "ultimate" Q story, with meaning retroactively applied to all of Q's previous canon visits. The concept of Q is a dangerous one and very easy to overuse, but Keith DeCandido has the writing skill to make this feel fresh and unique. One of my favorite novels in the post-Nemesis continuity, Q & A was a lot of fun to revisit. Highly recommended for any fan of Q!
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/08/q-a.html
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/08/q-a.html
July 20, 2021
3.5 stars
July 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Q has always been one of my favourite villains and this book drove that home even further. Once I got into the story I could hardly put it down (mainly doing so when I had to do something). This book was a fast read for me once I really got going and I really enjoyed it.
May 2, 2025
For those of us who have followed the show and wondered why Q kept bothering Picard and the Enterprise and wondered why he did the things he did, this is book is a must read. All the answers are here.
On a simple survey mission, Captain Picard thought the most difficult challenge he faced was to integrate his new command crew. Commander Miranda Kadohata is Data's handpicked replacement to succeed him as second officer (science officer/ops), and Lieutenant Zelik Leybenzon is Worf's choice for security chief.
Their mission is to survey Gorsach IX, but Q showed up, which told them this was much more than a simple planetary survey. After they encountered strange forces on the planet, Q urged them not to explore further, which of course caused Captain Picard to do the exact opposite.
Without spoiling the ending, I'll just say that Q spent years bothering the Enterprise crew to prepare them for the possibility that they would one day reach this planet and arrive at this moment. He needed them to deal with something that was beyond even his power, and hoped they remembered everything he "taught" them over the years.
Another good read while we wait for Admiral Janeway to make her final decision on what to do about Captain Picard's insubordination in Resistance, where he defied orders to stop the Borg.
On a simple survey mission, Captain Picard thought the most difficult challenge he faced was to integrate his new command crew. Commander Miranda Kadohata is Data's handpicked replacement to succeed him as second officer (science officer/ops), and Lieutenant Zelik Leybenzon is Worf's choice for security chief.
Their mission is to survey Gorsach IX, but Q showed up, which told them this was much more than a simple planetary survey. After they encountered strange forces on the planet, Q urged them not to explore further, which of course caused Captain Picard to do the exact opposite.
Without spoiling the ending, I'll just say that Q spent years bothering the Enterprise crew to prepare them for the possibility that they would one day reach this planet and arrive at this moment. He needed them to deal with something that was beyond even his power, and hoped they remembered everything he "taught" them over the years.
Another good read while we wait for Admiral Janeway to make her final decision on what to do about Captain Picard's insubordination in Resistance, where he defied orders to stop the Borg.
August 7, 2017
Next up on the post-Nemesis litverse reading list was Q&A, a book by the same guy who wrote the novel Articles of the Federation, which I found to be a travesty. That being the first book by DeCandido that I've read, my first impression was, needless to say, not so good.
But as I read Q&A, something happened that rather surprised me. I found myself enjoying the novel. It is an intriguing blend of a light-hearted adventure with serious undertones, and features enjoyable dialogue with one of Star Trek's most beloved nuisances. The snarkiness and belligerence that plagued Articles of the Federation worked perfectly with Q in this book. I found myself actually smiling at the wisecracks and insults, something that never happened in AOTF.
The story ties together plot material from several episodes of The Next Generation, meaning that the reader must be familiar with a good deal of canonical material to fully understand what's going on. The conclusion reveals that there was a rhyme and reason to all of Picard's encounters with Q. Along the way, the story gets a bit convoluted, so I would recommend slowing down in the last few chapters.
Not worthy of all 5 stars, but a major improvement from the author's previous effort.
But as I read Q&A, something happened that rather surprised me. I found myself enjoying the novel. It is an intriguing blend of a light-hearted adventure with serious undertones, and features enjoyable dialogue with one of Star Trek's most beloved nuisances. The snarkiness and belligerence that plagued Articles of the Federation worked perfectly with Q in this book. I found myself actually smiling at the wisecracks and insults, something that never happened in AOTF.
The story ties together plot material from several episodes of The Next Generation, meaning that the reader must be familiar with a good deal of canonical material to fully understand what's going on. The conclusion reveals that there was a rhyme and reason to all of Picard's encounters with Q. Along the way, the story gets a bit convoluted, so I would recommend slowing down in the last few chapters.
Not worthy of all 5 stars, but a major improvement from the author's previous effort.
March 29, 2022
This take place in a post-Nemesis continuity, though it might not fit perfectly with what's later said about B4 in Star Trek: Picard. I wouldn't even try fitting them together. Picard and Beverly Crusher are an item here, which was also a thing in Q-Squared, albeit in a very different universe and under tragic circumstances I didn't care for. I prefer how they are here, though it does feel kinda just there.
We're constantly reminded that LaForge misses Data. We do get Janeway speaking to Q once again, finally. Interesting that Q claims to be an advocate for humanity. The key to humanity seems to be the ability to laugh, which makes for a strange takeaway from this book. Mixed feelings about the ending, I guess. It’s uncomfortable reading how Q looks back at Picard and Beverly getting intimate.
For the most part, the book is easy to get through, but not a lot notable that happened. It does make me a bit curious about this The Second Decade series, though.
We're constantly reminded that LaForge misses Data. We do get Janeway speaking to Q once again, finally. Interesting that Q claims to be an advocate for humanity. The key to humanity seems to be the ability to laugh, which makes for a strange takeaway from this book. Mixed feelings about the ending, I guess. It’s uncomfortable reading how Q looks back at Picard and Beverly getting intimate.
For the most part, the book is easy to get through, but not a lot notable that happened. It does make me a bit curious about this The Second Decade series, though.
July 17, 2022
Enjoyable Q story. Was nice to see a connection to the Q we see in Picard, whose motives are more to teach Picard and humanity lessons (in a very weird Q kind of way). Enjoyed the various viewpoints from different shops across our universe and the parallel ones too (Now I wasn't stories set in these parallel Worlds! Some really fun ideas there!).
Read
March 12, 2016Library book acquired on 2/25/2016. So far its a lot of intertwining stuff we already knew with new stuff. Seeing the new dynamics of the crew in different positions is cool. Q made a mistake giving Riker the Q powers instead of Picard. Nothing new yet. So far all rehash stuff.
September 7, 2025
I really enjoyed it!
It may have helped that I knew almost nothing of the plot going in. I mean I'm a big Trek fan (I've watched 90% of TNG, a good amt. of the first two seasons of DS9, some Voyager, all 4 TNG films, and all of Picard), but I purposely went into this book blind. (The more experienced I am with film and literature, the more I prefer to go into new stories with no expectations.)
The first thing I'll say: Expect a slower burn than some of the more 'thriller' type stories of the Next-Gen litverse (e..g, A Time to Kill, A Time to Heal, Resistance, Before Dishonor). However, I would argue that this slower development pacing allows for the book's greatest strength to blossom: its textured, nuanced character development and emotional messaging about humanity. Like any good Trek story, there's an ongoing mystery that you are pursuing, but rather than advancing in a pulse-pounding, page-turning fashion, it's simmering in the background while you bear witness to the inner lives (hopes, worries, values, regrets) and social dynamics (boundaries, authority, power dynamics, social roles) that exist and evolve between the characters.
While I have few complaints about how the principal TNG characters were developed over the series and films, one theme/motif that I think *was* underutilized on TNG were: character flaws and flawed characters. Sure, each member of the TNG ensemble has their flaws (Data struggles to grasp human inner life, Picard is rigid and callous, Worf is aggressive and boorish, etc.), but few, if any of these were ever played as 'fatal' or even near-fatal flaws (I put Picard's 'Ahab' stubbornness in First Contact as a welcome departure from this, but I would argue this should have happened sooner than nine years into the franchise!). So I found Q&A particularly magnetizing in that it spends a good deal of time exploring each character's flaws and their subtle consequences. (More detail on that below.)
Indeed, Q&A gives you time to almost voyeuristically watch both the inner lives and social dynamics of the crew, for there is a lot to chew on. We really explore:
–Geordi’s discomfort with Miranda Kadohata and his processing of grief over Data.
–This part is going to be a bit of a tangent, but I love the way Trek lit of the post-Nemesis era treats Worf, which I believe is a welcome breath of fresh air for him as a character. I say this because I never liked the way he was played on TNG — little more than the 'token Klingon,' struggling to suppress his deep-seated 'honor culture' roots in order to prosper as an Enterprise bridge officer and Federation citizen. Sure, he faced some grueling challenges and in the end, always conducted himself with utter integrity. But virtually subplot of his on TNG somehow or another relied on him being this 'noble savage,' and the post-Nemesis book series finally evolves him past that. Indeed, having evolved through the roles of: Enterprise-D security chief, strategic ops officer on Deep Space 9, commanding officer of the Defiant, Federation Ambassador to Qo'nos, and now, first officer of the Enterprise — his identity is now his own. And this book (and those that come after it) treats him like a leader who approaches problems with his own nuanced thinking, matured over time through these various experiences, rather than as simply 'the adopted Klingon caught between two worlds.'
–The introduction of Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon. While unique to post-Nemesis Trek lit (they've never appeared on screen, to my knowledge), these two characters are beautifully fleshed out: complex, three-dimensional, and flawed, they are integral to the plot and by the end of this book (and *especially* in the next two books), they feel every bit as much 'principal cast' as Picard, Worf, Crusher and Geordi — and I applaud the authors for affording them that kind of development. (I don't want to give too much away, but Lebenzon — including his personality and his story arc — have a very interesting juxtaposition to Worf's, particularly given what I just talked about above. And what's more both of these characters begin to really take off in the next installment, Before Dishonor, and play off of each other in really interesting ways.)
(I would also count T'Lana among the 'new entrant' characters who become developed enough to feel 'real' among the crew, but she doesn't *really* begin to take off until Before Dishonor — but when she does, it's very good.)
–I also enjoy the way the crew strategizes around dealing with 'Q', despite having so much less power than he does.
So in the final analysis, while this isn’t a “thriller” by any means—there is a ‘mystery’ and it moves rather slowly—it managed to work for me and I was kept interested the entire time thanks to these deep, complex character studies.
As I said at the beginning, I knew nothing about the plot of this story going into it. And while every 'Q' story is guaranteed to have 'Q shenanigans' in them — i.e., Q trolling Picard and crew — these stories almost always bring something more than just 'shenanigans for shenanigans sake' and often are often 'gift wrapping' for something more emotional, truthful and human underneath.
It may have helped that I knew almost nothing of the plot going in. I mean I'm a big Trek fan (I've watched 90% of TNG, a good amt. of the first two seasons of DS9, some Voyager, all 4 TNG films, and all of Picard), but I purposely went into this book blind. (The more experienced I am with film and literature, the more I prefer to go into new stories with no expectations.)
The first thing I'll say: Expect a slower burn than some of the more 'thriller' type stories of the Next-Gen litverse (e..g, A Time to Kill, A Time to Heal, Resistance, Before Dishonor). However, I would argue that this slower development pacing allows for the book's greatest strength to blossom: its textured, nuanced character development and emotional messaging about humanity. Like any good Trek story, there's an ongoing mystery that you are pursuing, but rather than advancing in a pulse-pounding, page-turning fashion, it's simmering in the background while you bear witness to the inner lives (hopes, worries, values, regrets) and social dynamics (boundaries, authority, power dynamics, social roles) that exist and evolve between the characters.
While I have few complaints about how the principal TNG characters were developed over the series and films, one theme/motif that I think *was* underutilized on TNG were: character flaws and flawed characters. Sure, each member of the TNG ensemble has their flaws (Data struggles to grasp human inner life, Picard is rigid and callous, Worf is aggressive and boorish, etc.), but few, if any of these were ever played as 'fatal' or even near-fatal flaws (I put Picard's 'Ahab' stubbornness in First Contact as a welcome departure from this, but I would argue this should have happened sooner than nine years into the franchise!). So I found Q&A particularly magnetizing in that it spends a good deal of time exploring each character's flaws and their subtle consequences. (More detail on that below.)
Indeed, Q&A gives you time to almost voyeuristically watch both the inner lives and social dynamics of the crew, for there is a lot to chew on. We really explore:
–Geordi’s discomfort with Miranda Kadohata and his processing of grief over Data.
–This part is going to be a bit of a tangent, but I love the way Trek lit of the post-Nemesis era treats Worf, which I believe is a welcome breath of fresh air for him as a character. I say this because I never liked the way he was played on TNG — little more than the 'token Klingon,' struggling to suppress his deep-seated 'honor culture' roots in order to prosper as an Enterprise bridge officer and Federation citizen. Sure, he faced some grueling challenges and in the end, always conducted himself with utter integrity. But virtually subplot of his on TNG somehow or another relied on him being this 'noble savage,' and the post-Nemesis book series finally evolves him past that. Indeed, having evolved through the roles of: Enterprise-D security chief, strategic ops officer on Deep Space 9, commanding officer of the Defiant, Federation Ambassador to Qo'nos, and now, first officer of the Enterprise — his identity is now his own. And this book (and those that come after it) treats him like a leader who approaches problems with his own nuanced thinking, matured over time through these various experiences, rather than as simply 'the adopted Klingon caught between two worlds.'
–The introduction of Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon. While unique to post-Nemesis Trek lit (they've never appeared on screen, to my knowledge), these two characters are beautifully fleshed out: complex, three-dimensional, and flawed, they are integral to the plot and by the end of this book (and *especially* in the next two books), they feel every bit as much 'principal cast' as Picard, Worf, Crusher and Geordi — and I applaud the authors for affording them that kind of development. (I don't want to give too much away, but Lebenzon — including his personality and his story arc — have a very interesting juxtaposition to Worf's, particularly given what I just talked about above. And what's more both of these characters begin to really take off in the next installment, Before Dishonor, and play off of each other in really interesting ways.)
(I would also count T'Lana among the 'new entrant' characters who become developed enough to feel 'real' among the crew, but she doesn't *really* begin to take off until Before Dishonor — but when she does, it's very good.)
–I also enjoy the way the crew strategizes around dealing with 'Q', despite having so much less power than he does.
So in the final analysis, while this isn’t a “thriller” by any means—there is a ‘mystery’ and it moves rather slowly—it managed to work for me and I was kept interested the entire time thanks to these deep, complex character studies.
As I said at the beginning, I knew nothing about the plot of this story going into it. And while every 'Q' story is guaranteed to have 'Q shenanigans' in them — i.e., Q trolling Picard and crew — these stories almost always bring something more than just 'shenanigans for shenanigans sake' and often are often 'gift wrapping' for something more emotional, truthful and human underneath.
July 23, 2015
I am really enjoying the new Enterprise crew members! The Q flashbacks are fun too. So far this is a great TNG entry.
February 29, 2024
In all honesty, Q was worried about Q. The old boy, he had thought recently, was finally losing it. All that goofing off over the millennia had finally turned his little Q brain into toast. When he started obsessing over humans, Q was convinced it was over. After all, what was the big deal? Humans had all those extra appendages, shockingly limited vision (in every sense of the word), and less brain capacity than the average virus.
3.5 stars This quote is just one example of many funny moments from this book. Usually when Q is involved so is humor. All in all I enjoyed this book, and perhaps also at least a bit more than I had initially thought. I remember thinking as I started out that Encounter at Farpoint was an okay episode. It was good, but more in an average way and not amazingly so. So reading the plotline going into this story I couldn't help but wonder if I would feel the same way as it felt similar to that episode. In some ways I was pleasantly surprised and really liked it, but in others I was disappointed.
Early on I was curious about finding the ones first mentioned in the prologue, intrigued by the countdown to the end of the universe and the interludes from the Continuum. It was an interesting start. It went on to include Titan as well as other ships throughout the galaxy encountering an anomaly. At times I had a hard time putting the book away. All these things together with parts about parallel universes and different realities are just the types of things that tend to really get me going about a story. I also liked how the author included things from episodes that the reader would recognize.
When it really came down to it, though, I ended up feeling that although I enjoyed this book there wasn't enough depth to the story as I would have liked. I wanted to be taken deeper into it all, to put it simply. One example, and perhaps the biggest one, being that I wanted to find out more about Them. Even though they were only a small part of the story, in a way they were still a big part as in the end they were the reason for so many things and the ones that everything ended up depending on.
I believe that this book could have been done so much better. It's already good, but it could have been great...
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June 20, 2023This was one of the most fun Star Trek books I’ve read in years. So much about the story that I love and that worked so well for me. And again, not unlike the other Trek books of this stage of the franchise -terrible- cover. But the story is so good, I don’t even care.
I’ve always been a sucker for a good Q story. He’s not for everyone and I get that. But I love it. And one great aspect of this book is that it provides an overall arc to Q’s role over the course of the entire series and beyond. One really cool aspect to the book is that we get interludes that return to classic moments involving Q - his forced introduction of Starfleet to the borg, his brief stint as a human, his attempt to teach Picard a lesson about his past and so forth - we are reminded of those moments but they are given the extra complexity of being a part of a larger purpose for Q. He isn’t just the random trickster - we start to see that maybe there’s a point to what he’s doing.
There’s also an incredibly cool chapter where the narrative jumps from one Enterprise to another and another across multiple realities in the style of the episode Parallels. There are some awesome characters that are pulled in and thrown into the mix in a revolving scene of varying officers and events.
There are some sequences that are a bit confusing when there are multiple Q’s present and tracking the dialogue can be a challenge - as they all are called Q. But if you take the time to work through it you should be fine. In all, it’s another great gathering of classic plot points and carrying them onto an interesting culmination.
I’ve always been a sucker for a good Q story. He’s not for everyone and I get that. But I love it. And one great aspect of this book is that it provides an overall arc to Q’s role over the course of the entire series and beyond. One really cool aspect to the book is that we get interludes that return to classic moments involving Q - his forced introduction of Starfleet to the borg, his brief stint as a human, his attempt to teach Picard a lesson about his past and so forth - we are reminded of those moments but they are given the extra complexity of being a part of a larger purpose for Q. He isn’t just the random trickster - we start to see that maybe there’s a point to what he’s doing.
There’s also an incredibly cool chapter where the narrative jumps from one Enterprise to another and another across multiple realities in the style of the episode Parallels. There are some awesome characters that are pulled in and thrown into the mix in a revolving scene of varying officers and events.
There are some sequences that are a bit confusing when there are multiple Q’s present and tracking the dialogue can be a challenge - as they all are called Q. But if you take the time to work through it you should be fine. In all, it’s another great gathering of classic plot points and carrying them onto an interesting culmination.
January 17, 2020
Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased this paperback at full price.
This twentieth-anniversary celebration of Star Trek: The Next Generation novel is a fitting tribute to the lasting mark Q has left on the franchise. And I can’t think of a better writer to infuse Q’s ridiculousness into text form.
This story includes many new and familiar faces from the Star Trek universe, but they’re all up to the task of sorting out this good, wacky mystery that spans from a single planet to the universe as a whole. The action centers on the Enterprise-E, but DeCandido is a master of interludes. Our visits with the Q and other characters in the greater galaxy are quirky but solid, filled with character depth despite the short passages.
While I didn’t necessarily “like” the new senior officers aboard the Enterprise, I absolutely loved what the author brought to the table with them. Especially our new security chief, a “mustang” officer who didn’t go to Starfleet Academy but rose through the ranks as enlisted first. The connected subplots of Enterprise officers still mourning Data’s death in the film Nemesis while also adjusting to this new “family” was a lovely backdrop to Q’s shenanigans.
About which I can only say, as anyone probably could, “Oh, Q.”
Cons to this story: Too many baseball references. The joke is getting old. Massive pros: Yay for multiverses! DeCandido takes threads from through-out the history of The Next Generation and crafts a solid, enjoyable adventure. I highly recommend this stand-alone novel to all Star Trek fans.
This twentieth-anniversary celebration of Star Trek: The Next Generation novel is a fitting tribute to the lasting mark Q has left on the franchise. And I can’t think of a better writer to infuse Q’s ridiculousness into text form.
This story includes many new and familiar faces from the Star Trek universe, but they’re all up to the task of sorting out this good, wacky mystery that spans from a single planet to the universe as a whole. The action centers on the Enterprise-E, but DeCandido is a master of interludes. Our visits with the Q and other characters in the greater galaxy are quirky but solid, filled with character depth despite the short passages.
While I didn’t necessarily “like” the new senior officers aboard the Enterprise, I absolutely loved what the author brought to the table with them. Especially our new security chief, a “mustang” officer who didn’t go to Starfleet Academy but rose through the ranks as enlisted first. The connected subplots of Enterprise officers still mourning Data’s death in the film Nemesis while also adjusting to this new “family” was a lovely backdrop to Q’s shenanigans.
About which I can only say, as anyone probably could, “Oh, Q.”
Cons to this story: Too many baseball references. The joke is getting old. Massive pros: Yay for multiverses! DeCandido takes threads from through-out the history of The Next Generation and crafts a solid, enjoyable adventure. I highly recommend this stand-alone novel to all Star Trek fans.
March 6, 2023
[3.5/5] An enjoyable adventure that suffers a bit from being so scattershot. Especially in the first half it jumps around endlessly. It also heavily relies on previous stories from the TV show, even going as far as to recreate and repeat elements of them which honestly are a bit tiresome.
But it's all fun. Having Q around always is, and DeCandido can always be relied upon to capture the characters well. I really liked the approach of tying together all of Q's previous appearances into a continuous narrative. And it's a pleasantly short read, although it's all wrapped up far too quickly with a surprisingly weak resolution.
It is a little strange though; it all feels so completely removed from the overall relaunch narrative of the time, the previous book of which (Resistance) set up some big story elements which are ignored here for this side quest. They are at least acknowledged, but there's such a sense of disconnect. I'm also lukewarm on the new Enterprise crewmembers presented here, as DeCandido goes overboard in giving them huge, forceful personalities which are not enjoyable. Hopefully they'll improve in future books.
But it's all fun. Having Q around always is, and DeCandido can always be relied upon to capture the characters well. I really liked the approach of tying together all of Q's previous appearances into a continuous narrative. And it's a pleasantly short read, although it's all wrapped up far too quickly with a surprisingly weak resolution.
It is a little strange though; it all feels so completely removed from the overall relaunch narrative of the time, the previous book of which (Resistance) set up some big story elements which are ignored here for this side quest. They are at least acknowledged, but there's such a sense of disconnect. I'm also lukewarm on the new Enterprise crewmembers presented here, as DeCandido goes overboard in giving them huge, forceful personalities which are not enjoyable. Hopefully they'll improve in future books.
August 26, 2019
I was abit disappointed. After reading the last novel in the series, and by the title of this book, I was hoping it would be mostly about Picard being in a court martial, after directly disobeying Admiral Janeway's orders. But strangely, it seems that Picard is allowed to continue going on another mission, as if nothing happened. Janeway is even in this novel, and she has no problem with him. Very strange.
I also thought the author got some of the character personalities a bit wrong, such as Geordi. The book also took a long time to get started, and even the climax wasn't very interesting. It also seems pretty arrogant to suggest only a human could save the universe. And why isn't the multiverse mentioned like in I,Q? I did like that two new characters were added. The new security chief sounds interesting.
I also thought the author got some of the character personalities a bit wrong, such as Geordi. The book also took a long time to get started, and even the climax wasn't very interesting. It also seems pretty arrogant to suggest only a human could save the universe. And why isn't the multiverse mentioned like in I,Q? I did like that two new characters were added. The new security chief sounds interesting.
September 3, 2017
Intended as a grand event book, the culmination of all the Q encounters of the past (across TNG, VOY, and DS9), the novel succeeds in being readable but not especially rewarding or great.
The 20th anniversary novel for TNG (not mentioned anywhere on the cover, but remarked upon in the Afterward).
What Q&A does best is focus on Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon as the new CO and security chief. I'm looking forward to them growing on me, but the start they're given here isn't all-too remarkable, either (introduction of T'Lana as Counselor in the previous novel was memorably handled).
The villain of this piece, the giant threat to not only the universe but the Q Continuum as well, is barely described, and present for about two paragraphs.
The 20th anniversary novel for TNG (not mentioned anywhere on the cover, but remarked upon in the Afterward).
What Q&A does best is focus on Miranda Kadohata and Zelik Leybenzon as the new CO and security chief. I'm looking forward to them growing on me, but the start they're given here isn't all-too remarkable, either (introduction of T'Lana as Counselor in the previous novel was memorably handled).
The villain of this piece, the giant threat to not only the universe but the Q Continuum as well, is barely described, and present for about two paragraphs.
November 2, 2021
The answer is no
Nothing much happens in this book. It is written with an eye to ST:TNG nostalgia with all of the references to the old show and fleshes out the new 2nd officer and security chief members of the senior staff since Riker, Troi, and Data are no longer on Enterprise-D. But that's it. In the end, everything is back where it started and we don't fully understand how or why the universe was in peril or even really how it was saved. Perhaps this was deliberate by DeCandido and highlights how he views Q in general, but it amounts to a lot of fluff. Read it if u are a hard ST fan because DeCandido's writing style is nice, but otherwise just read the synopsis and go to "Before Dishonor" (the next book in line).
Nothing much happens in this book. It is written with an eye to ST:TNG nostalgia with all of the references to the old show and fleshes out the new 2nd officer and security chief members of the senior staff since Riker, Troi, and Data are no longer on Enterprise-D. But that's it. In the end, everything is back where it started and we don't fully understand how or why the universe was in peril or even really how it was saved. Perhaps this was deliberate by DeCandido and highlights how he views Q in general, but it amounts to a lot of fluff. Read it if u are a hard ST fan because DeCandido's writing style is nice, but otherwise just read the synopsis and go to "Before Dishonor" (the next book in line).
February 14, 2022
The trouble I have with many Star Trek books is that it seems the authors feel the need to mention as many characters from the different shows in their books as possible. I mean, in this one in particular, characters from TNG, DS9 and Voyager are all mentioned. Aliens from different episodes and TNG movies got mentioned or were referred to. It's almost as if they try to see if they can mention as many as possible without them actually being part of the story. It's like they try too hard.
That being said, this story wasn't bad except that it is way too similar to episodes of TNG. Even the ending was similar.
Not one of my favourites.
That being said, this story wasn't bad except that it is way too similar to episodes of TNG. Even the ending was similar.
Not one of my favourites.
May 21, 2025
In the author's note at the back of the book, DeCandido talks about how much he likes Q, and how much of a fun character he thinks that Q is. I agree with him. John de Lancie is extremely entertaining in the role and I'm always glad to see him pop up in episodes, because he always looks like he's having so much fun with it and therefore I have fun with it as well.
I didn't find this novel particularly fun, to be honest. Mostly I just found it kind of strained, as if it were trying a bit too hard to be meaningful in its attempt to shoehorn in every possible Q reference and weave them together into one over-arching - and not very interesting - story. The strain took all the fun out of it.
I didn't find this novel particularly fun, to be honest. Mostly I just found it kind of strained, as if it were trying a bit too hard to be meaningful in its attempt to shoehorn in every possible Q reference and weave them together into one over-arching - and not very interesting - story. The strain took all the fun out of it.
August 2, 2021
This is a work of art. I weirdly don't remember it from when it first came out, though I know I read it (the dogeared pages are a dead giveaway of my teenage disregard for literary longevity). On my Trek-lit-verse re-read though this is one of the highlights, along with DeCandido's Articles of the Federation. Gripping, funny, plenty of fan service but it felt completely earned. I loved it, and couldn't put it down. A breath of fresh air following the moderately turgid Resistance (Dillard) that preceded it.
December 7, 2019
Bought this at a used book store in the East Village, and it ended up being signed by the author!
This was a cool book, centered around "Q". I thought it was really cool because it tied together all the appearances of Q throughout ST the series' and put them all into a shared, cohesive context. Very impressive for something that is non-canonical.
I've read only a handful of ST novels, but this one really stands out.
This was a cool book, centered around "Q". I thought it was really cool because it tied together all the appearances of Q throughout ST the series' and put them all into a shared, cohesive context. Very impressive for something that is non-canonical.
I've read only a handful of ST novels, but this one really stands out.
January 9, 2021
[3.5 stars] I very much enjoyed the mystery explored via away team missions and the “everyday” internal conflicts of several key characters. However, the interpersonal issues and larger flow of the story felt disconnected at times, perhaps due to this being — at least in part — an anniversary celebration, bringing together many elements of TNG and other branches of Trek, in addition to introducing new characters to fill the gaps left by Riker, Data, and Troi in this post-Nemesis book.
November 22, 2018
i felt the need to read some actual star trek with some actual star trek characters after watching star trek discovery. And while this is a familiar road and with the ever amusing Q, I felt it took a long time to get to its important moments and then was over without much actually happening considering this was a universe ending event.
November 7, 2019
And this one is on par with The Dreams of the Raven.
Lots of elements that I don't care, one which are the secondary characters that are just here in the novel. Another element is there are too many perspectives from different characters, that again, I don't care about. Just a few such as the recurring Romulans from the film Nemesis and Riker and Troi, from the Titan ship.
But are you really going to give me a last minute Qcard moment like you have no right to do that to me. I wish we had more of that than whatever we had in this book.
Lots of elements that I don't care, one which are the secondary characters that are just here in the novel. Another element is there are too many perspectives from different characters, that again, I don't care about. Just a few such as the recurring Romulans from the film Nemesis and Riker and Troi, from the Titan ship.
But are you really going to give me a last minute Qcard moment like you have no right to do that to me. I wish we had more of that than whatever we had in this book.
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