A Time to Hate

Star Trek: A Time to... #6

by Robert Greenberger

The long-running blood feud between two alien peoples came to a sudden close a century ago when both races colonised the planet Sigma IV. But their unaccustomed harmony turns out to be caused by a natural gas released by their new home planet -- an effect that scientists now determine will kill them over time. A treatment intended to nullify the long-term damage and danger has catastrophic results, triggering worldwide carnage as long suppressed aggression and rage are suddenly released. In the midst of this maelstrom of hatred and violence is the USS Enterprise-E, on a mission which is going from bad to worse. Captain Jean-Luc Picard -- a man still waging his own personal battle for redemption in the eyes of his commanding officers -- must somehow find a way to resolve the disaster and save the lives of his crew.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Star Trek The Next Generation, Fiction, Ebooks, Adventure, Space

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, this series delivers; can't wait to see where the story arc goes from here!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An improvement over the previous novel, A Time to Hate does some much-needed character advancement, both between Will and his father, and among the rest of the crew. The overall plot with Delta Sigma IV still felt somewhat rote, but the dilemma that faced Picard added a compelling element to that story. I'm interested to see if there will be any fallout from his decision in the remaining novels in the A Time To series. 3.5/5.

Full review: http://www.treklit.com/2018/12/ATtH.html

[Rodney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really sure I want to give it three....more like 2.5 stars. Of the series so far, this was my least favorite. It seemed to go on forever, and with the countless problems the characters faced, everything seemed to wrap up much too neatly for my tastes. This is pleasure reading for me, and I really feel like the authors forced this novel (as well as the previous one - the series works in pairs). If you're reading the series, of course, read this one, but know ahead of time that it's a space filler for the others.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

These middle duologies in this series would have worked better as single books. Too much padding. This present duology was terribly slow but the terrific last 150 pages did redeem the story. This one's a major event/turning point for Will Riker.

[Eurocrime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ridiculous plot. Ok whilst on the ship but slowed right down when the "action" moved to the planet. the next two are by one of my faves, David Mack so hoping for much much better.

[reherrma · Rating 3 out of 5]

O.K., der Roman endet, wie von mir vermutet, die Geschichte des Überlebenskampfes der beiden, bisher friedlich miteinander lebenden, Spezies auf Delta Sigma IV, wohin das Sternenflottenkommando Picard und die ENTERPRISE geschickt hat. Die beiden Spezies, Bader und Dorsets, waren bisher sehr aggressiv und tief verfeindet, bis eine Kolonie die beiden Spezies plötzlich friedlich vereinigt hat, sie wurden sogar in die Förderation aufgenommen. Als festgestellt wurde, dass die Lebensspanne und die Kreativität durch ein Gas, das natürlich auf dem Planeten vorkommt, vermindert wird, wurde durch das medizinische Korps der Sternenflotte, ein medizinischer Eingriff betätigt, das diese negativen Folgen verhindern sollte. Nachdem einer der Probanden dieses Eingriffs einen Mord begangen hat und diese Gewalttaten auf dem Planeten um sich greifen, wurde die ENTERPRISE geschickt um für Ordnung zu sorgen, ein fast unmögliche Sache, mit der die Admiräle Picard aus dem Spiel nehmen wollen. Die Agressivität und Hass der Bevölkerung richtet sich besonders gegen die Förderation, der sie die Schuld an der zunehmenden Gewalt geben. Picard hat jede Menge zu tun, um das Problem zu lösen und der Gewalt zu begegnen, die Sternenflotte ist dabei überhaupt keine Hilfe...
Einer der üblichen Star Trek-Romane, mit dem die (fast) familiäre Verbundenheit der Kommando-Crew der ENTERPRISE gezeigt wird, im Zeichen des schlechten Rufs, das Picard und die ENTERPRISE innerhalb der Sternenflotte inzwischen genießt in Folge der Dämonenschiff-Affäre (siehe Band 1 und 2 der Reihe "Zeit des Wandels).
Dieser schlechte Ruf, den viele Besatzungsmitglieder durch eine Versetzung von der Enterprise entkommen wollen, fand ich etwas zu aufgesetzt. Immerhin passieren in diesem Roman bedeutenden Dinge; so stirbt Kyle Riker, Wills Vater; Will Riker und Deana Troi verloben sich und Will wird das Kommando über die TITAN angedient...
Lesenswert (für Treckies aber wichtig), aber ohne einen restlos zu begeistern !

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Time to Give Up... almost. Perhaps the dictionary definition of déjà vu, the second volume in Robert Greenberger's contribution to the "A Time to" series left me in despair at the sheer amount of blatant filler and repetition spread copiously throughout the book.

The author had a solid premise in the first book - the idea that a society has been drugged to subdue their aggressive and violent tendencies is fascinating material to work with. Sadly, aside from a nice moral argument between Crusher and Picard (similar to the early TNG episode "Symbiosis"), Greenberger all but squanders the potential in favor of rote recapitulation of the same uninspired scenes over and over again.

Vast chapters sprawl out filled with Enterprise personnel trying to stem the violence on the planet and rebuild damaged infrastructure. That would be fine if these scenes actually contributed to advancing the plot, but they don't - they're just terribly repetitious. Enterprise security guards defending a hospital against a riot / Security team at a water plant / Security team at a power plant / Dr. Tropp's team rescuing an impaled Dorset woman / Kell joining an Enterprise security team at a market bazaar / Hoang repairing a power facility ... the list goes on and on and on. Uninspired and dull.

Then we get to the character of Anh Hoang. I lamented in my review for the first book that I feared her character would amount to nothing. Sadly the prediction was on the nose. It's like the author didn't know what to do with her character after introducing her... she spends time with Troi which is never followed up on; she embarks on a mission to replace a component of the warp nacelle, which is never followed up on; she embarks on a mission on the surface, realises she has unresolved anger issues, and then just... disappears. Frustrating.

And let's talk about Picard: these two volumes do a great effort at making him look utterly incompetent. I swear, he spends the whole time stood in the council chambers waiting around for decisions to be made, but doesn't want to involve himself. Awful characterisation: much like Data and Geordi, Greenberger has no idea what to do with Picard, so just leaves him where he is, doing nothing while his crew die around him protecting the planet.

Now the crux of the story. Kyle Riker. Boy, what a let down that was. After finally finding his father, Will is swiftly rewarded by being *attacked* by him! Say what!? Kyle's cause must be seriously important in order to justify that, right?! Wrong. So Kyle decides that he must track down the original murderer, El-Bison-El, in order to extract a cure to the planet's troubles. Yet at the same time, he's going on a crusade to stamp out violence and snap the necks of natives who set fire to schools. And yeah, that's what justifies him attacking his own son. Please.

This doesn't even begin to highlight the numerous plotholes in the Kyle Riker story...
- So Kyle tells Will that he already told Starfleet about the problems with the "cure". Yet Will continues to chastise him about making reparations for "what he's done" to the people.
- Kyle spends the whole of Book 1 on the run, avoiding the Enterprise. He smashes Will's communicator for the same reason. And then does an abrupt 180 and decides to head back to the Capital to see Captain Picard.

Oh, and Bison? The fugitive and original murderer who Kyle spends the whole of Book 1 tracking down and a good deal of Book 2 capturing and transporting to the capital? Yep, just like Hoang, he fizzles out and disappears. Talk about anticlimactic!

So with the sheer number of problems I've detailed so far, you may be wondering where this review earned 2 stars from. As much as I hated the plot, Greenberger does some really nice work with Will and Deanna's relationship. The gradual development of their romantic relationship was touching to read, and the ultimate proposal and engagement was handled just right. There's some really thoughtful character development underway in the final 40 pages or so... and while the author already has the destination written for him (in the Nemesis wedding), the journey he takes toward it is rather elegant.

Right, so, on to David Mack's two-parter. I'm quietly optimistic that he can salvage the series along with KRAD. Let's wait and see...

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is slightly better than its predecessor only because of the focus on crew members and how movies, and recent television series, have put some unexpected punch into them.

The two factions on Delta Sigma IV are still at each other's throats. As shown in the previous book, the Federation was asked to help this peaceful world learn why their life expectancy was lowering. Starfleet medical solved the problem, but didn't consult all possible outcomes, which was that a natural plant on the world was drugging the inhabitants, cowing their aggressive natures. With the influence of that plant rendered to zero, the inhabitants are now reverting to their natural states AND they are coping with emotions they've never had before. The result is a planet in chaos that's rioting.

The book follows individual crewmembers during this crisis, with plenty of introspection to lengthen the tale. I did not care for anything happening on the planet because it continued to be the same slow, dull burn of rioters as in the previous novel. Focusing on individuals is a way to show how the impact of this violence is effecting characters, but it slowed down all the tension. The book becomes very simplified: crew from the Enterprise beams down to help, they get close to completing their task, and rioters attack, resulting in a crewmember getting injured or killed. It became very robotic and lockstep. This hurt any possible tension.

Will Riker has found his father Kyle and the two don't have the heart-to-heart one is expecting until the middle of the book, and even then it's partial. Kyle is very one note: it's my fault. I've got to fix it. This is absolute true characterization for someone who's in his situation, but it does not make for interesting storytelling. Kyle was a mute or monotone for the book and his conclusion, again true for his character, came off as completely unsatisfying for a reader.

This is true for all of the characters in this book: they all are absolutely true to how they have been portrayed on the small and big screen, and previous novels. The problem is that there's nothing new for a long time fan to grab a hold of and enjoy. That is until Page 251. I wholly admit to getting weepy on this page. And the six following pages had me gushing with joy. These were satisfying moments.

I enjoyed when the characters gave the reader something new, but the mission was just a bore, with its tension and solution tremendously disappointing.

[Graff Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek: TNG: A Time To... 06 A Time to Hate by Robert Greenberger

4.25 Stars

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

First book finished in the #SpaceOperaSeptember 2025 #SOS.

Find a stowaway - Read a Space Opera book from a popular franchise...which was Star Trek.

I feel I will be finding more "stowaways", and will be reading a Star Wars book, and Alien franchise book...and maybe more.

I really enjoyed the struggles that were happening in each of the storylines.

Commander Will Riker and his father Kyle...with all their baggage from growing up, and how his father was SO dismissive of his son. Not a good father/son relationship, but during their "trek" across the planet...in search of an important person concerning the "plague" afflicting the planet...they learned more about each other (good/bad).

The struggles of Captain Picard and his reputation, the ship's reputation, his relationship with Dr. Crusher...and the struggle to manage and correct (if possible) what was harming the Bader and Dorset races on the planet (Sigma IV). Not easy decisions, but one that someone has to make...to "own" the situation, and we know what Picard will do.

The storyline of Will and Deanna Troi, and the culmination at the end of the book. We all knew what was going to happen, but it was good to actually experience it.

There were other storylines, but they were tertiary  at best. Good to see the crewmen of the USS Enterprise having to deal with the reputation of the ship, not being what it's been in the past. Wow, never thought we'd get this far off base.

Oh, and I loved how Geordi and Data managed to keep the supply lines of the Federation ships...so deep and away from Starfleet in good working order. So good.

It was actually a really enjoyable story that had a completion, but also allowed for the next few books room to expand this time. Next up is Star Trek: TNG: A Time To... 07 A Time to Kill by David Mack.0

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part 2 of Robert Greenberger's contribution to the "A Time To" series from 2004 that fills in the gap regarding the events that take place between Insurrection and Nemesis. Technically this is the 6th book in that series but the reader can jump into books 5-6 without reading books 1-4. I want to give Robert Greenberger another chance but, with all due respect, I didn't really think these two books held my interest as much as the contributions of John Vornholt (books 1-2) or Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore (books 3-4). Greenberger's chapters take the Enterprise crew to a planet experiencing violent outbursts, riots really, associated with a virus that seems to be sweeping the dual species population (or is it violence associated with the cure sweeping the populous?!). I felt like a lot of the episodes (of violence) were really just cumulative; they didn't add a lot to the narrative.
The old numbered Star Trek The Next Generation Novels were fun except that the writers had to 'put the toys back in the toybox' so to speak when they were done (same for TOS and DS9). In other words, they couldn't really change the grand story arc of Star Trek the Next Generation. The later post-nemesis novels do the opposite, with grand changes: marriages, children being born, new assignments that would not have been possible to write about earlier. The latter seem so much more consequential because bigger threats are at play. In the "A Time To" series, we see a kind of hybrid between those old numbered novels and the newer post-nemesis novels. The writers get to take the 'toys out of the toybox' and . . .leave some of the toys out to play with later.
The end of "At Time To Hate" has some big story arc plot points. I'm glad to be working my way through this series precisely because I'm so invested in these characters' lives. I want to see the hills and valleys of their careers and relationships.

[Brent Knorr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ultimately, this was a very disappointing story. This book reinforced my opinion from the first book that this should have just been one book not two. If anything, the repetition of information got even worse in this one, or, maybe it just seemed that way because I read them back to back.

It seemed like every time the author moved back to a character the same thing was repeated. Doctor Crusher wondering if she should take the position at Star Fleet Medical. Deanna and Will separately wondering what their future should be. Captain Picard basically walking in circles.
And even worse, most of the questions the characters spent so much time brooding over weren't even resolved. They were obviously being saved for later in the series.

A minor quibble is that I think the titles of the books should have been the other way around. Primarily because of what happens with Will Riker, his father, and Deanna, as well as the citizens of the planet, I think it would have made more sense to call the first one " A Time to Hate" and the second one "A Time to Love".
As for the actual plot, it was okay. I didn't really buy into the whole idea of how the "cure' could spread the way it did, although there are a few hints as to why it worked the way it did. I think with the amount of padding the story had, a little more time could have been spent on explaining the mechanics of how that worked.

Overall, I was quite disappointed in these two books and hope the last three in the series are more like the first four rather than these two.

[Jonne Steen Redeker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adds to the issues of the last part, and leaves you entirely unsatisfied. Leaving us at a perfect time to hate...

The violence epidemic is getting worse, and everyone races to get it under control. Riker reunites with his father, who is definitely less than helpful during this crisis, although he seems to mean well. Picard and Crusher are crushing on each other from afar, and infuriating the reader by not saying anything to each other.

This has all the issues of the previous book, and some are even more pronounced. Most notably the romantic plot. These books are meant to set up Star Trek Nemesis, and the books that followed. Which means setting up the wedding of Troi and Riker, Riker's command of Titan, and more. There is one more plot that this one tries to set up heavily, which is a Picard Crusher love story.

Now I cannot blame the author entirely, the movies really wrote himn into a corner here, because they never went here, even after TNG was clearly building up to this relationship. A seven year gap just feels weird, and it is hard to overcome, especially if you write it this terribly. The worst example is Picard thinking to himself how attractive Crusher was... Yeah... Not great, while this might be the most egregious example, it is far from the only one, and it really destroys the book. In addition to the completely out of character incompetence of the characters.

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hate Riker’s dad and tbh I’m glad he’s dead lol.

anyways I felt like everything took a long time to wrap up in this one. we kept checking in on different areas and people on the planet where things were going to shit and it felt a bit repetitive and unnecessary. I still quite enjoyed this though. and even though Will and Deanna were kept apart pretty much the entire novel I liked how they were constantly in each other’s thoughts and the end was lovely. I just love them okay.

[Christian Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Completely bungles the set up of the first book, the moral dilemma faced by Crusher and Picard is just, swept over, in favour of repeated chapters of security vs angry citizens. The Geordi story about the trade pipeline just goes…nowhere. And as for the fact that Crusher tells everyone except Picard about the job offer…
Just felt like it could have been as strong as the first one and it was just stretched to make it a full novel.

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's still pretty darn dicey that they keep going, "They're violent because of their biology."

Also, I happened to read the death of Kyle Riker on the same day that actor Mitchell Ryan died. That was weird.

[rivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really strong conclusion to this two-parter, complete with an interesting twist and a bit of tragedy that pushes the plot forward into some rich political intrigue.

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full review will be up soon on Roqoo Depot. This book finally starts to deliver on the promises of the series while also telling an interesting story. 4.0 out of 5.

[Joel Aarons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly the best of the series so far.

[Shoumik Hassin · Rating 2 out of 5]

More mixed bag than mediocre. The crisis is appropriately scaled, but the Riker and Troi stuff is quite boring. I did, however, enjoy the perspectives of the new crew members.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know, I never wondered why Kyle wasn't at his son's wedding. Never even noticed he wasn't there.

[Joshua Palmatier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had major problems with A TIME TO LOVE, the first part of the duology (which is also part of a 9 book series chronicling the time between the movies Insurrection and Nemesis). I'm happy to say that this second part was much better, although it still had some problems.

The premise is that two rival races colonized a single planet in a surprising bout of mutual cooperation a hundred years ago, becoming the Federation's prime example of overcoming aggression and working together to achieve your goals. What they didn't realize is that a particular gas produced by a plant on the planet has been affecting both races, effectively shortening their life spans. In time, it will kill the entire population of the planet. The Federation has attempted to fix the problem, but when their test subjects return to the planet for the centennial celebration, one of them kills one of the others, the first murder on the planet in 100 years. The Enterprise is sent in to investigate because the aggression appears to be spreading like a disease throughout the population, riots and violence breaking out everywhere.

In the previous book, Dr. Crusher discovers that the gas that shortens the people's lifespan has also affected their brain. In effect, the entire population has been drugged into non-aggression, hence the unprecedented cooperation 100 years ago during colonization. It's also stunted their curiosity and creativity. Now, Crusher needs to find a cure, one that will return them to their natural lifespans. But what she finds will end up drugging them again into non-aggression. Do you drug an entire culture, simply to stop the violence? Or do you let them retain their true natures, even if they're intent on killing each other?

There's also a subplot between Riker and his father, along with both Riker and Deanna considering their own relationship, and Dr. Crusher considering a job offer to take over Starfleet Medical. Part of the series is supposed to explain how each character got to where they are at the beginning of the movie Nemesis. This is the first book in the series that really addresses those changes in a significant way (they were merely mentioned or brought up in the previous novels).

Overall, this book was better than the last because the characters were actually active, making decisions and DOING THINGS. I'd have given this higher marks if all of those decisions had been smart ones. For example, once Picard knows what's actually happened, he doesn't immediately tell the rulers of the planet. He doesn't really give a good reason for not telling them, except to say that he wants Dr. Crusher to find the cure first. But I think letting the leaders, at least, know that this is their true nature, and making them own up to it, would be more in line with what Star Trek is all about. They should know, and they should have been given a choice of whether they want to remain this way (violent) and deal with it, or whether they want Dr. Crusher's cure that will dope them up. That would have been the more interesting story/choice, in my opinion.

I did enjoy the movement forward regarding Dr. Crusher, Riker and Deanna, and Riker getting his own ship. I thought more could have been done with the plot between Riker and his dad; more time should have been spent on that.

So, in the end, more of interest in this second book in the duology than the first.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A generic science fiction novel can be clinically summed up as a novel that marries a scientific or technological premise with imaginative speculation.' True words indeed, but perhaps not exactly what a science fiction novel truly is. For yes, there is the scientific or technological premise, and the speculation based on this premise in order to formulate an interesting piece of fiction, but there is also the release that people find from science fiction. It offers us a chance to expand the horizons of the mind, and challenge what we deem to be possible, and impossible. It is a book that lets our imaginations soar, and encompasses you for hours on end. And on this level, I believe that some of the best novels I have read in the science fiction genre, those that capture my imagination the most, are the novels in Pocket Books Star Trek series. Star Trek began as a TV Series in 1966, however novels quickly followed the premier of the series, and continued to be released after the series was off the air. These books offered a more intellectual look at the future than some of the other sci-fi books available at the time, and the Star Trek book series still has that wonderful quality today. A Time to Hate follows the fates two races, the Bader and the Dorset. A century ago, a long-running blood feud between the races ends when both races colonize a planet, and a naturally occurring phenomenon quells their aggressive tendencies. However, the gas itself is killing both races, and when the U.S.S Enterprise's First Officer's father introduces a treatment to help prevent millions of deaths, the treatment brings out a long-suppressed aggression in the people, and world-wide violence ensues. The story follows not only the man's personal guilt at the situation, but also his bad relationship with his son, and the efforts to save these people from what they have become. The book is well told, by an author who is not a very regular Star Trek writer, but who is well versed in the Star Trek universe and its eccentricities. A book I could not put down, despite some flaws in the authorship. A good read, for sci-fi fans, and especially for Star Trek fans, as the series that this book comes from showcases the events preceding the film Star Trek: Nemesis. A book that is not very well suited to those who do not like sci-fi, or those who have never read a sci-fi book, but a good read none-the-less!

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

More Star Trek fluff. This time Robert Greenberger completes his part of the story. I didn't like his dark end. He also killed a minor character that I don't think he should have, but who am I to say. He completed the work of many Star Trek fans by getting Riker and Troi engaged. That is the fun of writing in a book set in time between two events. He just has to stay within the walls of movies, but since there really isn't expected to be any more Next Gen movies anything goes. It was indeed fluff, but fun. Body count goes up for the random "red shirts." But emotional growth goes on for even some secondary folks. This one is certainly towards the end of the set, everyone is getting promotions or offers away from the ship. That "luck" of not having the crew taken apart before is mentioned and reflected upon. But the Command back in San Francisco really is what gets me. They seem so different from what I would want of them. It is like the influence of the Dominion really shook them from their stupor. It is referenced slightly in Deep Space Nine when the Admiral uses cadets to get control of Earth, but one wants to think that after that they learned their lesson. Admirals are supposed to be the best and brightest. Instead they are just bureaucrats and politicians and military folks who will do devious things and hold petty jealousy.
The greatest controversy is the cure. It works but at what cost. I don't know that I like it, but I am just a reader. I will be looking for the next book, but I might hold off for a few. I get so much Star Trek on TV that buying books doesn't make the most sense, but what wonders to find more adventures for Riker and Deanna and Picard and Data. Such great characters. Such silly fluff.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The inhabitants of Delta Sigma IV have lost all their vaunted “unity;” they were drugged by a ubiquitous native plant and now the drug has worn off. The Federation in trying to cure the planet’s very short lifespan, have unleashed this madness to populations that never needed to learn control.
Kyle Riker, who knew there was a problem, but didn’t speak up, is found by Will and together, they set off to do good. Until Kyle is killed by a rage-filled person, just before the cure comes.
Troi asks Will to marry her, many on the ship (except the Captain) know the doctor is seriously considering heading up Starfleet Medical and Will is offered to captain his own ship.
One of the things I really like about this series of books is the attention to “minor characters.” The isolated grieving young engineer Anh Hoang, whose family was killed in the Breen attacks on San Francisco. The capable young ambassador Colt Morrow who lives through his injury in the last book to help the planet come together at the end of this book.
This exchange is between Will Riker and his father:
"This has grown beyond any one man's ability to solve."
"No, son, have you forgotten one of Starfleet's most important lessons: one man can make a difference."
"But that man, in this case, may not be you."

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initially, I believed that the first book in the series was drawn out and filled with padding in order to save what small portion of the story for the second, concluding book. However, I'm disappointed to say that that was not true. This book lacked in every way that A Time to Love did. It followed the same exact formula that the first book did. Start a scene, talk a lot about nothing, do nothing, then quickly switch scenes in order to rehash again. This was done nearly the entire first book, and the entire second book! The only real contribution to the story comes in the last 50 pages!

So, you can literally read the first 50 pages of the first book, and then read the last 50 pages of this one, and you will have missed nothing!

There was something endearing about the way the author portrays certain characters, and I was hoping that Greenberger would latch on to that and give us something interesting to read, but there was just nothing to this book, or the last one. It felt like a paint-by-numbers piece of artwork, and I felt belittled as a reader. Almost all of the books in this series, up to now, have felt like a scam to extract more money from the Star Trek fan base, and I really don't appreciate it. A Time to Love, and A Time to Hate were just the most blatant so far.

[Maurice Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! After seven seasons and three movies, we get to see Commander Riker propose to Counselor Troi. Oh yeah, and there was also the conclusion to the Delta Sigma IV storyline as well :-).

Captain Picard and the Enterprise are doing their best to keep an entire planet from killing one another. Dr. Crusher has discovered why these once peaceful Bader and Dorset turned violent, but can she get a cure produced before it's too late?

Commander Riker and his father catch up to the first of the inhabitants to turn violent, and have to get him back to the capital so that Dr. Crusher and the Bader/Dorset doctors can study him and hopefully find a cure.

Lieutenant Vale and her security team are stretched to their limits trying to keep the peace. She has to get volunteers from the Enterprise to augment her forces and it's still not enough.

There was a lot going on in this story, and it had to be that way. I enjoyed watching the Enterprise crew claw and fight their way through yet another difficult mission as they strive to regain their good standing after the Rashanar incident. Three more books and we'll know all of what happened between the movies Insurrection and Nemesis.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book of the third two part segment in the whole 9 book series. That's a mouth full.

They sow up the story nicely and end it with a different type of story. The main storyline ends about 2/3 of the way through this book and the last 1/3 is dedicated to deepening the history and character development of Riker, Troi & how Starfleet works behind the scenes. The last chapter is short and does tie back to the main story a bit, but some people may miss the link and be confused...BUT if you are a good reader you will see the political aspect of Starfleet glaring its ugly head.

Once again, the Enterprise crew lives up to it's expectations and completes it's mission accordingly. There is death, violence, love and hard decisions. Everything you would expect from a Star Trek: The Next Generation story reminiscent of the TV series and my favorite books from the past!

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another in the sequence of books filling in the gap between Star Trek: Insurrection and Nemesis.

But an interesting story line about genetic nature vs. environmental influences (here, biology--think the episode "This Side of Paradise" of the original series, though more elegant than plants with a tendency to behave like they are a shotgun), family dynamics, and urban warfare. Oh, an a deep thread of suspicious activity at Starfleet Command. Yes, boys and girls, this is after the Dominion War, and the flavor is much more Deep Space Nine than the sunlight and high-mindedness of the first two series.

Not the best ST novel I've read (which would be Fallen Heroes), but also not the worst (too many contenders).

[Jimyanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is half of a well-written, compelling story. If you enjoy books that end on a cliffhanger, with an implied "tune in next time, same bat-time, same bat-channel" continuation to the next book, then consider this a five-star review. If, on the other hand, like me you get dreadfully sick of paying money for a book with no ending, (or in this case beginning, as this is the conclusion of the story which began in "A Time To Love") you may want to avoid it, or at least plan on reading it continuously with the previous book in the series and treating them as one book under two covers.