What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Trek: Voyager - Starfleet Academy #2
The Chance Factor
It's Cadet Kathyrn Janeway's last chance to prove her fitness as a future Starfleet officer: a field study on a wilderness planet involving alien animals and their handlers. Captain Holbrook's menageries of snarling, exotic beasts doesn't bother her. Their unruly alien handlers do. With an arrogant Klingon, an aggressive Talarian and an insecure Betazoid on the team, the war has begun even before they're beamed down to Diehr IV. "How can I prove myself when I'm saddled with this bunch?" Kathyrn wonders. It seems like an impossible mission as she desperately tries to get everyone to cooperate....
Time is running out as Kathyrn leads her mission through treacherous territory to the exit point -- only to discover that they are marooned on the alien planet! Now they "must" pull together -- or perish!
Time is running out as Kathyrn leads her mission through treacherous territory to the exit point -- only to discover that they are marooned on the alien planet! Now they "must" pull together -- or perish!
115 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Diana G. Gallagher
157 books54 followersDiana G. Gallagher was an American author who wrote books for children and young adults. She also wrote the space opera The Alien Dark (1990), but was best known for her tie-in work for television properties including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Star Trek and The Secret World of Alex Mack, among others.
She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke.
Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990).
Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.
She was also a prolific filk creator, winning Pegasus Awards in 1986 and ’94. Gallagher won a Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 1988 under the name Diana Gallagher Wu. She sometimes also wrote under the name Diana Burke.
Born in 1946, in Paterson, New Jersey, she lived in Florida with her husband, the writer Martin R. Burke, who predeceased her in 2011. Gallagher was married four times; her third marriage was to author William F. Wu (divorced 1990).
Gallagher died December 2, 2021 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 75 years of age.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 8, 2016
Janeway is chosen for a special assignment because of her affinity with horses. She is part of a group proving that animals have a place in Starfleet. This is an interesting read because of all the different races involved within that group, conflicts occur, and unlikely friendships are formed. A good read.
June 21, 2019
Although closer to genuine STAR TREK than Book #1 of this little trilogy, THE CHANCE FACTOR nonetheless falls flat. The whole thing just seems...off, somehow. The plot makes very little rational sense, the characters spend most of their time bickering with each other, the understandings reached at the end of the story feel inorganic and unearned, and I was frustrated by the lack of a big reveal at the end, since it felt like the book was gearing up for one.
The story largely revolves around strange animals, so I'm sure it will appeal to kids who love stuff like POKEMON and FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. The authors have a long history of writing stories about pets and horseback riding, so it's no surprise that THE CHANCE FACTOR contains such elements as well, despite the fact that STAR TREK is hardly the most appropriate setting for them. Everything about the story feels forced, though it's nowhere near as bad as some other TREK books I've read. There's a germ of an interesting idea here, but the execution is lackluster at best.
The story largely revolves around strange animals, so I'm sure it will appeal to kids who love stuff like POKEMON and FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. The authors have a long history of writing stories about pets and horseback riding, so it's no surprise that THE CHANCE FACTOR contains such elements as well, despite the fact that STAR TREK is hardly the most appropriate setting for them. Everything about the story feels forced, though it's nowhere near as bad as some other TREK books I've read. There's a germ of an interesting idea here, but the execution is lackluster at best.
June 30, 2019
Probably closer to 1 1/2 stars than 2.
This was rough. A real struggle. An ensemble cast can be great in a book... if I can tell the characters apart and I know who's who.
None of these characters stood out. Not even Janeway herself. The characters barely got any introduction, and they were referred to by their names one minute then their race/species the next. But I still don't think I truly know which one's the Klingon and which one's the Betazoid. Or even which one's the horse.
And worst of all they mention the Kobayashi Maru and seem to try and make it like the mission in this book is equal to that. I still don't really know what their mission even was except to take their pets across the desert, fight rats, and make it to a location on time. Definitely not on the same level as the Kobayashi Maru.
This was rough. A real struggle. An ensemble cast can be great in a book... if I can tell the characters apart and I know who's who.
None of these characters stood out. Not even Janeway herself. The characters barely got any introduction, and they were referred to by their names one minute then their race/species the next. But I still don't think I truly know which one's the Klingon and which one's the Betazoid. Or even which one's the horse.
And worst of all they mention the Kobayashi Maru and seem to try and make it like the mission in this book is equal to that. I still don't really know what their mission even was except to take their pets across the desert, fight rats, and make it to a location on time. Definitely not on the same level as the Kobayashi Maru.
September 19, 2020
I enjoyed this simple adventure despite the cheesy finishing line and the frequent use of the title throughout the story.
The chance factor is about getting to know your differences and using them as strengths, a very star trek theme.
The chance factor is about getting to know your differences and using them as strengths, a very star trek theme.
April 5, 2021
Fantastic beasts and where to find them...
A young K. J. and few kids with strange beasts in a deadly planet...a bit of Harry Potter here...
Very different ST book compared to the others. Not one of the best.
A young K. J. and few kids with strange beasts in a deadly planet...a bit of Harry Potter here...
Very different ST book compared to the others. Not one of the best.
November 7, 2023
Not nearly as good as the first in this series, but it did do some good foreshadowing for the TV series. =)
July 5, 2008
bad, bad, bad. the first one was cute enough to read, this one was just bad. I didn't finish it.
July 10, 2012
Containing some pretty interesting characterization, "The Chance Factor" has some problems with its mediocre plot and weak supporting characters.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews