Strike Zone

Star Trek: The Next Generation #5

by Peter David

Deep in the uncharted regions of our galaxy, the Kreel, a primitive, warlike race have stumbled upon weapons powerful beyond their wildest imagination. The Kreel have used those weapons to attack their most bitter enemies, the Klingons. Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are called in to mediate the dispute by ferrying diplomatic teams from the two warring races to the source of their conflict, the mysterious planet where the weapons were discovered in an attempt to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, and discover the origins of the super-powerful weapons.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Star Trek The Next Generation, Media Tie In, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

275 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

About the author

aka David Peters

Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve only read a couple of TNG books and so far this has easily been my favourite, originally published during the shows second season this novel has a better grasp of the characters compared to some of the other earlier books in the series.

This story is noticeable for introducing the Kreel, an alien race who have fought the Klingon’s for centuries.
The Kreel have discovered a large stash of advanced weapons hidden on the Kreel-Klingon border, the crew of the USS Enterprise are asked to step into help with peace negotiations.

During all this Wesley is desperate to find a cure for a fatal disease that his friend Jaan has been diagnosed with, it really added an extra layer to the story.

A well written fast paced novel that really felt like an extended television episode, exactly what you want from a tie in novel!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole I found this a bit unpolished, yet not terrible considering it was David's first go at Trek fiction. His humor and playfulness, always evident in his writing, keeps things entertaining. The early season characterizations and relationships are mostly solid, though most seem a bit too confrontational and emotional. Wesley and Worf are explored in more depth than the others. However, some of the depictions of Klingon culture, and the Empire as a close ally of the Federation (perhaps even a part of it?) threw me for a loop. Generally they come across as stern, which they most certainly can be, but their wonderfully passionate and exuberant and boisterous natures is sadly absent. The introduction of the Kreel, essentially galactic scavengers regarded as scum who stumble upon an ancient cache of alien superweapons, make for interesting antagonists.

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

Peter David is a great author; this is the first TNG novel I've read in a while, but I enjoyed it.

[Nadienne Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was...okay...I guess...

Just in a general sense, I have some issues with it - some that are glaring, some that are subtle. I'm curious as to if there was any kind of series "bible" at this point, as this clearly takes place during the second season, what with Dr. Pulaski aboard, and Worf encounters two Klingons: one half-Human, and the other one-quarter (the former's daughter). Worf makes mention that these are the first Human-Klingon hybrids that he has ever encountered, or even heard of...which is weird when one considers that his mate, Kehlyr (who apparently did not exist yet, as Worf bangs the one-quarter one here, Java - I mean Gava...repeatedly), was half-Human, thus making his son, Alexander, one-quarter Human...and considering Alexander's age in season two, he definitely existed pre-show...but I digress...

Oh, and there's an actual Emperor in the Klingon Empire...that apparently makes decisions and guides the Empire, etc., etc., which kind of undoes the whole Gowron vs. Duras conflict and further ruins the whole Kahless story-line from like season seven.

The plot itself hinges on the rather lazy ancient, long-vanished alien race, whose technology is recovered and put into use to upset the delicate balance of power in the area trope, but it all actually turns out to be a test, and the aliens congratulate Picard and offer him everything, but Picard says no, he's tired of tests, and the aliens disappear trope with just a glimpse of what we could have gained if we said yes trope...whatever...it's so old and worn out and tired and just been done - even in 1980s time. These aliens apparently also deliberately engineered the war between the Kreel and the Klingons just so the Federation would respond to be tested...which gives the aliens a level of prescience bordering on the absurd.

Oh, hey, did you want one of Wesley's friends, whom I think we were supposed to like or at least have some kind of sympathy for or something, to be a rapist - because he's a rapist. He is named Jaan...and he's an Elf...I'm not kidding! I know of another Elf named Jaan...well, a Gelfling named Jen, but freaking close enough Mr. David!! Anyway, did you know there's Elves in Star Trek, because there's apparently Elves in Star Trek. The Selelvians (see, they got Elf right there in the name) appear exactly like Tolkien's Elves: tall, beautiful, graceful, Elf-y. They also possess this ability called "The Knack" in which they essentially hypnotically suggest, ala the typical Vampiric power, someone to do something...like, I don't know, something like attempt to get Counselor Troi to have sex with you...you know, whilst removing her sense of agency, and getting her to do something she doesn't want to do (oh, wait, I mean, as the book says - get them to do something that they probably, kind of wanted to do anyway, but were holding themselves back for some reason)...so, Jaan here tries to date rape Counselor Troi and only fails because they were interrupted...and you want me to like this guy?!? For fuck's sake - I'm glad he got killed - spoiler - and wanted him removed from the story from that point on. Hell, he didn't even need to exist, he did nothing. I mean seriously, Jaan's character literally has no point in this story except for providing Mr. David the opportunity to remove Wesley Crusher from the conflict, because apparently Wesley would have solved everything by page 10, the way Mr. David writes it (Wesley can solve all problems with the snap of his fingers because he is just that smart and capable - his absence is because Jaan is suffering from a terminal illness and Wesley is determined to cure it by the end of the episode, uh, book). I mean, was this a contractual obligation or something?!? I don't think Will Wheaton is going to be complaining about the lack of screen time here...

Oh, and did you know that Picard is constantly foiled and manipulated by Dr. Pulaski because he is deeply, deeply attracted to her and can't stop thinking about her eyes. He is paralyzed into inaction and gives in to her every wish because she is too damned beautiful and her eyes are uncontrollably mesmerizing. Again, I'm not kidding. I missed that sort of sexual tension when watching the show...hell, I missed that tension from Picard in any way - except for the occasional glimpse in like season six or seven in regards to Dr. Crusher...but, yah...Pulaski is Picard's Helen of Troy, apparently.

This is completely skippable, unless your some kind of masochistic completionist like myself. Were this an episode, it'd be one that I skip during a rewatch maraton.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Peter David's very first Star Trek novel! While it is better than the previous novels of the series, it is far from Mr. David's best Star Trek material. It's probably closer to a three-star rating but Mr. David has long-earned goodwill from me. I believe he's one of few writers I've read every year since the 1990's, either in comic books or prose. And, yes, Peter David is one of the very best writers of Star Trek novels. Arguably, he is indeed the #1 Star Trek novel author. I'm hoping he will write again in the Star Trek Universe.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book! It was funny, witty, clever, intriguing, intense, insightful, and just plain fun! It was also a grand representation of the television series.

In this installment, fairly early in the series, the Enterprise must deal with a planet which houses in its depths powerful weaponry more advanced than anything the Enterprise has encountered. Also to be dealt with are two races that are, if not *at* war, then very close to it. The Enterprise is sought to aid in a diplomatic intervention between the Kreel and the Klingons before interplanetary warfare breaks out. Much to Picard’s dismay, leaders from both races are to be brought aboard the Enterprise — a ship filled with civilians, and that has a Klingon as the head of security.

Added to all this is Wesley (aka The Brain Trust) Crusher and his desire to help his “Elvin” friend Jaan, who suffers from a fatal disease.

All this aligns for a fantastic book that I definitely got 5 stars of enjoyment out of. Sure, if I’m being picky, for all the delightful humor, it’s true that, some of the characters were more humorous than they were on the series (but, other than that, the characters were illustrated very accurately!) And yes, there might have been a few very slight things that needed better clarification, but the overall story and the characters were fantastic. Definitely highly recommended!!


****Have so far only read the prologue and already it's awesome :D

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book read as a very satisfying episode of Star Trek. Very much enjoyed it and I also appreciate the humor throughout. I hope this author has written more ST stories as this one is the best I've read so far in the series and I look forward to more by him.

[Stefano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a huge TNG fan, and feeling the need for some light reading for a change, I decided to give it a try with one of these novels. Judging from ratings and reviews here on GoodReads, Peter David's first entry in this catalog seemed like a good starting point, so here we are. The first thing you notice reading "Strike Zone" is that David sure insn't shy in his handling TNG characters, as he often "bends" them to fit them in his characteristically humurous style, which is usually enjoyable, even though at times it becomes a bit heavy-handed. In its best moments, this style is very reminiscent of Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, which is never a bad thing.

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with him making those characters his own - after all, they weren't the most consistent even throughout the series' run, were they? - if it weren't for his transfiguration of the bland Dr. Pulaski of the series into a sort of female version of Picard, and his insistence on her being so damn attractive (seriously, come on...). Also, depicting Data as someone who mainly asks a lot of annoying and pointless questions may not be such a good idea; and I think that all the emphasis put on sexual tension between the characters is really out of place in Star Trek world.

All this to say that while David's writing is fun, it also has its cons, when brought too far, and especially must be avoided when dealing with more "fixed" aspects of the established canon. Namely, the Klingons. (And also, the nonsensical change of the "Ten-Forward" name into "Ten-Four Room", but we'll let that pass...). In fact, there are not only huge storyline inconsistencies (really, such a thing as a Klingon "Great Enlightenment" clearly makes no sense), but racial aspects which are strikingly at odds with what the show has established about the Klingons, especially one of TNG's second season best hours: "A Matter of Honor". I won't go into much detail here, but it can all be exemplified by David's considering Worf as a typical Klingon - where TNG literally spent hours explaining why it was not so - and consequently modelling all his Klingons on him. Certainly it was very unfortunate that "Strike Zone" was published only days after "A Matter of Honor" first aired, but even considering that, those discrepancies annoyed me a lot. This troubled me especially in the earlier parts aboard the Klingon ship, while in the later parts aboard the Enterprise, not so much.

However, the story itself is quite enjoyable, and if you are looking for some light reading inside early TNG universe - and think that the issues pointed above are not too much of a problem, after all - you will certainly like this one. The writing is good and manages to catch your attention, especially in the last few chapters, in which the tempo is faster as the events come to a close, but not too rushed, as any good "light" adventure novel should be. Having said that, I HATED the final. spoiler: Those omniscient, omnipotent, all-superior beings are a trite cliché in sci-fi, and I'm sure David wanted to pull a joke on that. Except that it didn't work. What it does is provide an utterly pointless detour and distract the reader's attention from what the story really is about, namely the feud between the Klingon and the Kreel. Also, some things are better left unexplained, as even no explanation at all for the incredible arsenal on "Hellhole" is better than such a contrived final.

P.S. Extra points for the Philip K. Dick reference.

5,5/10

[Fey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kreel discover a cache of weapons on a deserted planet, left there by much a much more advanced race. They then use the weapons against their long-time enemies - Klingons. The Klingons ask the federation to intercede, and aid diplomatic resolution to avoid all out warfare. So the Enterprise ends up with a ship of Kreel and Klingons at eachothers throats.

Found this one difficult to rate. On one hand, Peter David is a very funny writer. serveral scenes made me laugh out loud. It almost had the tone of star trek written by Terry Pratchett.
But by imposing his own humorous style on things, it managed to lose out a bit on what makes StarTrek... well.. StarTrek. Certain things happened that were totally unreasonable within the federation. For instance, A doctor threw something at an injured Klingon and ordered him out of sickbay while he bled all over. I know in this case he wasn't exactly the good guy, but there is such a thing as the hypocratic oath, and especially with a federation doctor, this was very shocking.

There was also some really really awful lack of basic scientific knowledge, which was pretty much the worst part of the whole book. This comes where Geordi is attempting to scan an alien artifact, but it reflects everything that he tries to scan it with..

"[...]Yeah I can see it. But all I'm picking up is the exterior. Now it's obviously not repelling all light. If it were..."

"It'd be invisible," said Riker.

"Right. [...]"

You don't need a science office to know that the ability to see something is dependent on the light reflecting back off an object. If the light passes straight through, then its invisible. But for all light to be reflected, that makes it about as invisible as a Bolian at a Betazoid wedding.. which is to say.. not.

So yes, incredibly let down by the blatant lack of scientific knowledge

All in all, +4 stars for being funny -1 for bad science and ethics = 3 stars.

See my other reviews of the Star Trek: The Next Generation novels:
← #4 Survivors | #6 Power Hungry →

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun! I loved curling up on my couch with a literary, extra-long "episode" of ST:TNG. This is my first ST novel and I definitely plan to read more, especially if they are by Peter David. I felt he brought just the right feeling to the novel; it is thoughtful, witty, humorous, sometimes even sweet, and definitely action-packed. We have lots of Klingons in this episode (yay!) including the delightful, wise Honorable Kobry and his daughter Gava (whom Worf finds quite attractive) and their enemy, the Kreel; both onboard the Enterprise, trying to forge some peace even as they travel toward a super-weapon (uh-oh). An "elf" named Jaan who has the Knack for persuading people to think/do anything; and who is quite desperate to save his own life from a genetic disease, and happens to have the genius Wesley "Brain Trust" Crusher as his friend and helpmate. Dr. Pulaski in a tiff with Data. Deanna Troi feeling inadequate as a ship's counselor; and rather liking the looks of Commander Riker with his new beard. And, in their midst, Captain Picard, trying to do his utmost to promote peace, explore strange new worlds, and keep up a little decorum in the process.

Peter David does a wonderful job bringing the characters from the small screen to the page. I felt that, at times, he made a few of the characters a bit too humorous or frivolous given a situation (Worf punning with an Earth expression? it seemed a bit off to me) and one of the big "revelations" at the end seemed a bit rushed/unclear to me. But, these were only very minor quibbles. All in all, I loved the story and the representation of the characters, both old and new, and I appreciate that David brought great integrity to the plot without sacrificing the occasional fun and camaraderie among crewmembers that makes me love ST so much.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

In honor of the 25th anniversary, of what would be my all time favorite show if it were not for The X-Files, Star Trek the Next Generation is coming to Blu-Ray totally redone. Having read most of the novels over two decades ago,  I thought that I would write my general feel for the serial STNG novels. I could never do a real review now, other than to say that I loved them.

Star Trek the Next Generation was both my favorite science fiction series in college, and also my favorite serial novel. I was a major Trekkie during the late 80's and early 90's. I used to read two books a weekend as I rode the bus home from college to see my wife, who then was my girlfriend. The television series made me love Jean Luc but with regards to the books, it was all about number One. Riker was portrayed in a much tougher fashion than on the tv series and he was much more of a star. This was always unfortunate to me, as I was and still am a huge Jonathan Frakes fan. He had many awesome novelized fights that I wish were shown on the tv show.  Riker could go toe to toe with a Klingon. Worf was a bad ass in both formats, and he was so damn cool. Troi, was also another favorite of mine in both formats, as her relationship with Riker really gave us emotions to love. As for Jean Luc, he to me, is the epitome of a Starship Captain, where as James T. is the most charismatic and probably best leader for first contact. I had a blast reading these books and would love to go back for more.

Another one of the better books, done by Peter David.

[Jennifer Alexandrovna · Rating 3 out of 5]

worf fucks

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, mixed feelings. Lots of nits to pick, lots to not like, but lots to love, too.

Jaan is an absolute jerk. He's a rapist ferpeetsake. He only is in the story to give the author a chance to try to humanize Wesley, I think. I also don't understand the title. Nor do I understand why I was brought to feeling like it's a lighter story, when so many redshirts (and others) were killed.

But I still have to give it four stars because of Kobry's wisdom.

"'For some acts there can be no forgiveness.' 'True. But lack of forgiveness does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with the need for revenge.'"

"That's the difference between us. To you, the night always follows day. To me, the day followss follows night."

"'Compassion can get you a knife in the back.' 'I said be compassionate. Not stupid. Anyone who turns his back on an enemy deserves what he gets.'"

[Caiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

In what I believe is Peter David's first Star Trek novel, he knocks it out of the park. Pulaski is great, the guest characters are interesting, and Wesley is almost not very annoying. The book is pretty light when it wants to be, and there are a lot of interesting twists and turns.

[Jesse A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was alot of fun, in a definite TNG episode way. Good characterizations help this alot. Unfortunately its ending seems pulled from another story and tacked on and there were a few instances of 'Wink/Nod' things from the show that weren't germane to the story. Still, a good time.

[DrCrower Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entretenida pero poco memorable aportación del gran Peter David a los mitos de Star Trek, que destaca por su habitual buen uso del humor y una lograda caracterización de personajes. Consigue dar la sensación de que se trata de un "episodio invisible", que al fin y al cabo es de lo que se trata.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toto bolo super. Vtipné a správne akčné 🙂

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably in the 3.5-ish territory to be honest.

This is the last of the Star Trek TNG re-reads, because for some stupid reason I never reviewed them the first time around. Compared to the prior first four books, Peter David's take on TNG was much better than, basically, all the previous authors. So far this is the closest to feeling like a fairly standard episode in novel form. Granted, it feels more like a Season 1 episode than a Season 2 episode, where I felt the writing improved quite dramatically on the show. However, "Strike Zone" takes place during the 2nd season with Pulaski as medical officer rather than Crusher. I liked Beverly Crusher as a character more than Pulaski, so this just reminded me how much I missed her presence in Season 2.

Unlike the prior books, I think Peter David did a much better job in capturing the actors portrayal of these characters. It's not perfect and some minor things feel off, but for the most part he did a great job compared to the prior books. Data finally feels more like Data, even if I felt he was a little exaggerated in the comic relief department. But for the most part I felt like he was far more accurately portrayed. The only other person I felt was a little bit off was Wesley. He felt, I want to say, too much of a super genius. I think I get what Peter David was going for with the child genius struggling with limitations and maturity, but being able to solve problems adults can't. It was just the way Wesley came off that seemed a bit off putting, even for Wesley. The only major thing David screwed up was saying Ten Forward was called Ten Four by everyone... no... no it's not. It never was and it never would be. I can't figure out where this notion even came from.

In any event, this story was great in that it stayed primarily within the bounds of the Enterprise and it involved the whole crew. The thing that got annoying about the prior books was it felt like they always broke up the crew so they could focus on a particular characters development, rather than have everyone interact together. Peter David didn't do that, and that's what made it feel like a solid episode of Star Trek TNG. In this story a barbaric race, the Kreel, find a weapons cache of advanced weapons. They immediately go after their sworn enemies the Klingons. However, the Federation is brought in to possibly broker peace with these two warring species. The book centers around the journey of the two delegations travelling on the Enterprise together on their way to the weapons cache. As you can expect from two warlike species, the journey is very tense and things do get out of hand at times.

And in true Star Trek fashion, simultaneously there is another problem on the ship that is consuming other people on the crew. Namely Wesley and Pulaski, where one of the crew are deathly ill with something incurable and Wesley takes it upon himself to see if he can cure them. That arc is where I feel like Wesley is written a bit overboard, but overall it was a really good idea for the dual stories aspect of Star Trek.

There were actually a lot of things in this book that I think later episodes actually pulled from. Such as Worf has a relationship with one of the delegation named Gava and she is part human part Klingon. This was totally part of the Alexander arc when Worf was introduced to his son, so it seems like that idea was inspired by this book even. There was another thing that happened at the end, but was kind of stupid, but also seems to have influenced later actual episodes, so it wasn't too bad in the end. The mystery of the weapons cache is not really "solved" per se, but it does end rather abruptly. I think that's one of the things that got the overall star count knocked down. The whole conflict with the Klingons and the Kreel were great, but the mystery of the weapons cache was truly unsatisfying. David even tried to throw in this thing where Data referenced "master race" species seeding planets as if it was something that dwelled on Data a lot, but this is the first time it is ever brought up. However, this notion is brought up again in later episodes in a later season, so the whole idea is still a good one, the execution was just poor.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It has some parts that are clunky, but they are overshadowed by this being the first book I felt truest to a TNG episode. In that regard I found it a worthwhile read. I'm hoping at this point, now that we're into Season 2, the other novels will follow suit and the characters will feel more accurate!

[Octavia Cade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't care much for reading about battles, and much of this was two species trying to brain each other, with a very long running fight through corridors at the end. I wanted them all dead just for it to be over. Neither do I care much for stories that are all about higher beings forcing humanity to go through arbitrary tests, and while I'm pleased that Picard shares my dismay, I've got about as much interest in reading it as he has in living it. Against all odds - because I generally can't stand him - the best part of this book was Wesley Crusher. It's set just after that point in the second series where his mum leaves him alone on the Enterprise to further her career at Starfleet Medical, or whatever it was. When I saw the programme as a kid, I could completely understand her wanting to ditch him, but David makes it painfully clear that this 16 year old kid has essentially been abandoned and isn't coping that well because of it. Which is actually pretty realistic, and all the adults around him have just left him to flounder. Clever does not mean mature, and even intelligent adolescents shouldn't be expected to raise themselves.

I actually felt for him. I'm sure it won't last, but all credit to David that he's managed to eke some sympathy out of my cold black heart anyway.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't often write reviews, but this book is so very weird.

The weirdness starts with a teenage girl telling Riker his beard is super sexy, stroking her hands thorough it, and him being amused by it (in a creepy kinda way). Picard doesn't listen to Troi's counsel ("I can do my job Counsellor!). Picard gets a sense of humour. Picard is attracted to Pulaski (what??). Ten-Forward becomes "Ten-Four". Pulaski doesn't bother to help a patient because there's just no helping them, and then just lets Wesley give it a go because he has "picked some things up from his mom."

I had to stop at this point because it was like bizarroTrek.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little darker than the Star Trek:Next Generation books I have read. Wesley Crusher and Worf take center stage for this book. We learn the pasts of each while they are enmeshed with a dying friend and Worf deals with being Klingon. The Enterprise is negotiating a peace between the Klingon and Kreel (a backward race of scavengers). The book moves and has a decent plot.

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I contemplated deducting one star from this book because I originally thought a non-canon character had too much influence on the story, but it all worked out in the end. This was a really good book with plenty of humor intertwined. It read just like an episode of TNG.

[Leonard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start by saying that out of the Star Trek TNG numbered novels I've read so far, this is probably the one that captures the main characters' way of speaking, their actions and mannerisms the best. This is a bit relative, only having read five numbered TNG novels so far, but makes sense since it was published during a time when TNG had already been on the air for a while and the story is clearly set in season 2.

I also liked the premise itself: an alien race which is in conflict with a race that the Federation has already alligned itself with and which is now in possession of an unimaginably powerful energy source/ weapons arsenal. Of course, Captain Picard and the Enterprise are called in on a diplomatic mission to solve what could otherwise develop into a large-scale conflict.

The novel also features the A-story (aforementioned conflict)/ B-story (an alien member of the crew who is dying and tries to find a cure for his illness with the help of Wesley) structure.

Unfortunately, the A-story plays out in a rather dull and predictable manner. The aliens who are in conflict with the Klingons are described as dumb, ugly and not trustworthy, and anything in the novel that concerns them is either a boring sci-fi cliché or comes across as lazy writing. Then novel keeps changing perspectives, and what's more, the author describes certain events in a way which you would maybe use for a summary or on the back cover of the book, all to make it a bit shorter. This might be a better technique than the obnoxious use of the exclamation mark in a previous TNG novel, but one which I found absolutely detrimental to the structure of the book.

The ending seems pointless, as though the writer didn't really know what else to do when two warring factions just can't seem to reconcile, and so we are presented with an alien super race for a couple of pages who simply wanted to test humanity and thus set everyone up by creating a fake scenario for all parties involved and pulled the strings all along.

The B-story (which of course connects to the A-story in the end) is one of the worst I have ever read. There is an actual "Elf" on the Enterprise. His species are called the Selelvians, but everyone just calls him "Elf" which comes across as derogatory and un-enlightened for Star Trek. This "Elf" is able to manipulate every member of the crew without them knowing about it ("the Knack" which is a lot like TVD-vampire compulsion). Everyone knows about these powers and the fact that he is unstable, yet he has access to the entire ship. Of course, sometimes because of his desperate will to live, sometimes because he simply can, he compels people in the most horrific ways by engaging in what seems to be a non-consensual encounter with Troi, driving an obsessive-compulsive Wesley to a point where he no longer eats or showers while searching for a cure and by putting the entire ship in danger at several points in the story. We are supposed to feel empathy (I guess?) for this alien who in the end is simply vaporized and that is it. No one except Wesley who has a nervous breakdown and cries in the arms of Picard until he falls asleep (?) really cares about this. Nor did I because I was so annoyed with this character.

The other minor annoyances in this book don't make this much worse but they certainly don't make this one any better, either.

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Numbered novels aren't usually allowed to add information to the canon, or at least anything that could "matter". Survivors (TNG #4) was an exception, and so is Strike Zone. Peter David only does it through details, but they are immediately believable. Because I read this back in the day, I was under the impression that claims such as the Ferengi/synthehol connection was canonical. I especially appreciate the Kreel, which help pad out Klingon space a lot more than has been done on the show. It sometimes seems that while there are tons of races in Federation space, the Klingon Empire is just Klingons. The Kreel aren't part of the Empire, but they do fill out its history and borders. David's true strength, as in his comics, is dialogue and character development. I don't think he has Wesley's "voice" quite right, and his Data is pretty broad, but the rest are impeccable. Their interactions are smart and witty, as his the omniscient narrator. His Worf is more badass than any before Deep Space 9, and I hope a lesson to TNG writers at the time. There are a lot of comic bits, of course, much of it quite welcome, especially the crew being sick of "tests". David's not afraid to poke fun at Trek's conventions. I do take exception at his naming of characters and ships however, attracting attention to itself through the use of inside jokes (Tron, Kothulhu, and for comic book readers, Bobbi Chase).

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one made me genuinely laugh multiple times. With lots of story beats going on this one was one I absolutely couldn't put down, even if some of it was a little odd.

The characters in these books are really starting to hone themselves. Data is particularly well done in this one. Geordi's cavalier attitude is well captured. Picard's frustration with the Krill and Klingons is so clear I could literally hear the lines delivered in Patrick Stewarts voice in my head.

Where this book fails, and I think fails quite hard, is the ending. There's so much set up, the Rot cure, the mystery of the planet and its weapons, the diplomatic relations, Crusher's god complex, all of them virtually primed to meet in one crescendo, and instead, honestly, they kinda fizzle out. The Krill go from being a rough, if slightly misunderstood race to being a prop for a story of Klingon treason. The story of the planet itself and the Cognoscentes is genuinely nonsensical. I would hardly call it particularly satisfying.

That being said, I appreciate the criticisms of Klingon masculinity, I appreciate the theme of revenge that goes throughout the book, I like the irony of how Jaan uses manipulation to get what he wants but ends up being manipulated himself, and then murdered. There's genuinely a lot to love about this book.

[Reesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's general plot could have been an episode if not for the many silly on-the-nose names (Kothulu for Cthulu, Cognoscente for cognizant, etc.), painfully juvenile humour, and the author's disturbing obsession with S.A. being committed or attempted by multiple original characters - including one we're apparently supposed to like and support while he tries to mind control various crew members out of their uniforms.

Data is played for laughs too much. An over-the-top villainous race is introduced with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. There are several totally pointless deaths. Both Worf and Picard are wildly out of character at turns. The ending is, well... "subpar" is a nice way to put it.

Each of these unfortunate moments comes along to break immersion in the book and its story. Which is such a shame, because in between that cringe, the book is an enjoyable and quick read with several interesting plots running at once, each engaging and easy to follow. It has great bones.

With some vicious editing and a rewritten ending, this could easily have been a 4-star book, and I believe the author is capable of that.

As is, 2.75.

[Solitudes · Rating 4 out of 5]

almost a full 5! the best one so far from the ST-TNG series of books and this was a wild ride. for the first half of the book i've checked several times if it isn't written by Douglas Adams. To say that it was funny, it's understatement considering that it is the first book ( since the Douglas Adam's Guide ) who made me literally spit whatever stuff i had in my mouth on the keyboard. And one of the funniest books ever ( i mean, c'mon, who will ever dare to think that Picard was a long time ago a... teenager? ) . Easter eggs to Philip K. Dick? Dr. Who? 2001 A space odyssey? I AM SOLD. The plot was quite interesting and well constructed with a real credible Data and Picard, an annoying (as ever) Dr. Pulawsky, a crushed Wesley Crusher shown in a different light compared to the TV series (neah, don't worry, he's still a damn genius and saves again Enterprise, no surprise here) and losing his shit not just once. And did i say it was funny? as in REAL FUNNY? Really lovely and really good book! totaly worth it!

[Mark R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

***1/2

Peter David’s “Strike Zone” is a fast-paced story of inter-species conflict, set mostly aboard the USS Enterprise, but also on a strange, unexplored planet where a race called the Kreel have stumbled upon a massively powerful weapon.

The Klingons have requested the Federation step in and get involved in a dispute between their people and the Kreel. The Federation agrees, particularly since the Kreel have found this crazy weapon, and respresentatives of each group are transported onto the Enterprise to take part in negotiations and exploration of the unknown planet.

Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher is going out of his mind trying to find a cure for a friend’s life-ending disease. It’s a futile quest, and takes Crusher away from his daily tasks, unfortunate at such a critical time. Tensions bubble barely under the surface as the Kreel and Klingons meet. There are some interesting scenes involving head of security Lt. Worf and his relations with the newly arrived Klingons and his hated enemy, the Kreel.

And of course there’s lots about the android Data. So far (this is book #5) each writer of “Star Trek: the Next Generation” books has spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the workings of this robotic brain. Not hard to see why; he’s a fascinating character.

“Strike Zone” contains much more action than previous books in the series. So far, I’d say this one and “Survivors” are a head above the previous novels.

[Andy Stjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

TNG #6: Strike Zone by Peter David

The first Star Trek book written by Peter David! I very much enjoyed A Rock a Hard Place and his other later TOS and TNG books.

I would say this was the weakest one out of all of them I’ve read, but it was still a decent read. He also did a great job portraying the Klingons with limited source material at the time of writing (he wrote this book during the second season of TNG). The Kreel were a really creepy race and he did a good job setting them up as slimeballs.

His trademark humour and writing style wasn’t quite here yet, but you see the origins of it in this book. This book also goes off the rails in the end as usual. Also it was nice to see Pulaski get some action, but it was really weird that David gave Picard the hots for Pulaski. It felt totally out of character for him, as you never sensed that during Season 2. Overall, still a decent book and a fun read if you are a Peter David fan. 7/10

[Vorik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Der Roman wurde 1989 veröffentlicht, spielt zu Beginn der zweiten Staffel und dem entsprechend sind die Figuren durch den Autor in einer frühen Phase ihrer Entwicklung gezeichnet. Dabei ist dem Autor die Schiffsärztin besonders gut gelungen. Die Streitgespräche mit ihrer Beteiligung sind ein Genuss. Bei Picard und Data hat Peter David durchaus seine Schwierigkeiten. Die Handlung ist zugegebener Maßen anspruchslos und stellenweise unerhört simpel gestrickt, in der ersten Hälfte des Buches aber überraschend unterhaltsam und humorvoll – wenn man sich auf das Niveau einlässt. Jedoch im weiteren Verlauf wiederholt der Schriftsteller einige bestimmte Pointen immer wieder, wobei ich mich nicht des Eindrucks erwehren konnte, dass Peter David sein Werk selbst nicht richtig ernst nimmt. Das Finale ist dann sehr dick aufgetragen, mit Logikfehlern versehen und ziemlich unglaubwürdig. Fazit: TNG-Nostalgie mit vielen Schwächen.