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For three centuries the people of Alaj and the people of Etolos have been bitter enemies. However, when crippling disasters strike both worlds, each planet becomes the other's hope for survival.
With time running out, Captain Picard and his crew are called to negotiate a peaceful settlement and begin rescue efforts. But some factions would rather see both planets perish and will stop at nothing to prevent peace.
Soon the U.S.S. Enterprise crew is caught up in a web of intrigue and terrorism that culminates with an act of ultimate revenge against bother peoples—revenge that will meant he destruction of two worlds and the U.S.S. Enterprise.
With time running out, Captain Picard and his crew are called to negotiate a peaceful settlement and begin rescue efforts. But some factions would rather see both planets perish and will stop at nothing to prevent peace.
Soon the U.S.S. Enterprise crew is caught up in a web of intrigue and terrorism that culminates with an act of ultimate revenge against bother peoples—revenge that will meant he destruction of two worlds and the U.S.S. Enterprise.
271 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 4, 2024
I enjoyed this one.
December 20, 2021
Another Star Trek story written in the late 80s/early 90s in the vein of "if only these aliens knew how destructive they were to their own planet" - "surely, Humanity saved itself shortly after all those reports in the 80s about acid rain and pollution and such"...sorry to say, but it's nearly 2022, and we're still fucking the place up.
And this one has quite a few tropes:
1) World leader with childhood admirer/best friend, turned security chief, who later becomes a traitor.
2) World leader with childhood admirer/best friend, turned security chief, who later becomes a lover.
3) Giant vicious animal statues of a sacred beast which turns out to be a doofy, puffalump.
4) World on the edge of extinction only capable of being helped with the aide of their worst enemies.
5) Abandoned ghost ship heading towards the home world on the verge of avenging an ancient, forgotten feud.
6) AI which turns against its creator.
Oh, and Wesley has his girlfriend of the week. This is like the third novel I've read in the early TNG series here in which Wesley is running around with another teenaged female, flirting, smiling, etc. Always a different one in each book.
Oh, and we have yet another abandoned gigantic ship just lollygagging it's way through the galaxy. The place is lousy with 'em.
It's interesting that the ghost ship in this novel seemed to take away any of the steam or importance from what I thought was supposed to be the primary conflict here. The two worlds which require cooperation are hated enemies, been at each other's throats for centuries, who are both ruled by leaders that are completely sane and reasonable willing to put aside all of that history to achieve peace - with little to no strife between them. The "famous ambassador with a reputation to solve the unsolvable" literally exchanges maybe five lines with the "hated leader" and the dilemma is overcome - and then she promptly disappears from the story.
Both worlds are also apparently roiling with riots and rebellions over the actions of their leaders in broaching this peace - but once the treaty is signed, they just all go back home. Our most hated enemies are good now - they signed a piece of paper! But, we can't really develop these story lines because there's a giant, scary, world-ending ghost ship coming...which is also resolved after this centuries-old sentient computer and Data say a couple of things to each other and Data uploads a file and bam, friends! Oh, and the ship's commander/holy leader/last survivor of the legendary other enemy, yah, once the computer turns against him and tells him no, he just settles in and accepts that the blood feud he had sacrificed everything for and had spent years preparing for is over now and moves on...you win some, you lose some, I guess. This book is chock-full of reasonable fanatics.
I really think that the two different groups of exiled and hated enemies should have been combined into one story element - as they diluted each other too much to be in a single episode, uh, I mean a 260+ page book.
Otherwise, Troi flirting with a young alien guy, goes nowhere. The leader and her security chief lover is a little CW there, what with coercion and such. And, apparently no one in the Federation, well at least the Enterprise, has heard of one of these two planets - even though the population, we later learn, is renowned throughout the galaxy as "saviors of climates" as they go around the galaxy saving species of animals and plants nearing extinction due to pollution or other types of calamity - yep, I'm sure a ship full of scientists and explorers has never heard of them, but they have heard of the other planet, which is a backwater member of the Federation - seems reasonable.
Oh, oh...the crew of the Enterprise decides that the only way to stop the ghost ship is to ram it, and they've got a few hours to plan it out, but they can't send the saucer-section away because they need the mass...so, well, guess we need to tell everyone onboard they need to die because we have to ram the ship - and the saucer can't be used to escape...I mean, it's almost like we need some kind of small "pod," if you will, in which we could "escape"...you know, if only the ship had like hundreds of these little things scattered all over which could hold a few people each in which they could leave the ship in an emergency...not to mention the shuttles and other secondary craft on board...nope, that's crazy...let's ride this ship to hell!
And this one has quite a few tropes:
1) World leader with childhood admirer/best friend, turned security chief, who later becomes a traitor.
2) World leader with childhood admirer/best friend, turned security chief, who later becomes a lover.
3) Giant vicious animal statues of a sacred beast which turns out to be a doofy, puffalump.
4) World on the edge of extinction only capable of being helped with the aide of their worst enemies.
5) Abandoned ghost ship heading towards the home world on the verge of avenging an ancient, forgotten feud.
6) AI which turns against its creator.
Oh, and Wesley has his girlfriend of the week. This is like the third novel I've read in the early TNG series here in which Wesley is running around with another teenaged female, flirting, smiling, etc. Always a different one in each book.
Oh, and we have yet another abandoned gigantic ship just lollygagging it's way through the galaxy. The place is lousy with 'em.
It's interesting that the ghost ship in this novel seemed to take away any of the steam or importance from what I thought was supposed to be the primary conflict here. The two worlds which require cooperation are hated enemies, been at each other's throats for centuries, who are both ruled by leaders that are completely sane and reasonable willing to put aside all of that history to achieve peace - with little to no strife between them. The "famous ambassador with a reputation to solve the unsolvable" literally exchanges maybe five lines with the "hated leader" and the dilemma is overcome - and then she promptly disappears from the story.
Both worlds are also apparently roiling with riots and rebellions over the actions of their leaders in broaching this peace - but once the treaty is signed, they just all go back home. Our most hated enemies are good now - they signed a piece of paper! But, we can't really develop these story lines because there's a giant, scary, world-ending ghost ship coming...which is also resolved after this centuries-old sentient computer and Data say a couple of things to each other and Data uploads a file and bam, friends! Oh, and the ship's commander/holy leader/last survivor of the legendary other enemy, yah, once the computer turns against him and tells him no, he just settles in and accepts that the blood feud he had sacrificed everything for and had spent years preparing for is over now and moves on...you win some, you lose some, I guess. This book is chock-full of reasonable fanatics.
I really think that the two different groups of exiled and hated enemies should have been combined into one story element - as they diluted each other too much to be in a single episode, uh, I mean a 260+ page book.
Otherwise, Troi flirting with a young alien guy, goes nowhere. The leader and her security chief lover is a little CW there, what with coercion and such. And, apparently no one in the Federation, well at least the Enterprise, has heard of one of these two planets - even though the population, we later learn, is renowned throughout the galaxy as "saviors of climates" as they go around the galaxy saving species of animals and plants nearing extinction due to pollution or other types of calamity - yep, I'm sure a ship full of scientists and explorers has never heard of them, but they have heard of the other planet, which is a backwater member of the Federation - seems reasonable.
Oh, oh...the crew of the Enterprise decides that the only way to stop the ghost ship is to ram it, and they've got a few hours to plan it out, but they can't send the saucer-section away because they need the mass...so, well, guess we need to tell everyone onboard they need to die because we have to ram the ship - and the saucer can't be used to escape...I mean, it's almost like we need some kind of small "pod," if you will, in which we could "escape"...you know, if only the ship had like hundreds of these little things scattered all over which could hold a few people each in which they could leave the ship in an emergency...not to mention the shuttles and other secondary craft on board...nope, that's crazy...let's ride this ship to hell!
November 26, 2009
I'm a huge Star Trek fan (original series, and especially TNG) but this was my first time actually reading a Trek novel. I wasn't sure what to expect: Would the characters "feel" the same as in the shows? Would Trek canon be maintained? I took my first chance with "Exiles" as it was recommended to me by my Trek group.
My first impression of the story is that it did a great job keeping the characters intact. I was able to vividly picture Captain Picard mouthing the orders of command, Data curiously questioning every metaphor, and Crusher and Troi adding their usual personality quirks with every word. Good. Characters were in check.
Even though I'm no expert, I do profess a fairly decent knowledge of Trek canon as well and as far as I can tell, I didn't pick up on any deviations from it.
Now as for the story itself: I thought the story was a bit dry in the beginning, possibly a little too "eco-conservative" in flavor, but because of the cohesion with the the television series, I carried on. The plot did gain a feeling of depth and richness about midway through and I was very satisfied with where it all went near the end of the story.
For my first Trek novel, I gotta say, it was actually a pretty delightful experience. I'd definitely recommend it.
My first impression of the story is that it did a great job keeping the characters intact. I was able to vividly picture Captain Picard mouthing the orders of command, Data curiously questioning every metaphor, and Crusher and Troi adding their usual personality quirks with every word. Good. Characters were in check.
Even though I'm no expert, I do profess a fairly decent knowledge of Trek canon as well and as far as I can tell, I didn't pick up on any deviations from it.
Now as for the story itself: I thought the story was a bit dry in the beginning, possibly a little too "eco-conservative" in flavor, but because of the cohesion with the the television series, I carried on. The plot did gain a feeling of depth and richness about midway through and I was very satisfied with where it all went near the end of the story.
For my first Trek novel, I gotta say, it was actually a pretty delightful experience. I'd definitely recommend it.
March 20, 2021
Two and a half stars, rounding up to three. This was generally a quick, enjoyable read. I liked the environmental focus of it, and I really liked the planet of people who were dedicated to conservation, essentially making their life's work the restoration of endangered species throughout the galaxy. I'd absolutely read more of them, once they got off their about to be uninhabitable world (volcanoes are no fun) and settled on a new colony. To be honest, I was more interested in that than the schism between the conservationists and their (first) old world, and I was certainly more interested in that than I was the grumpy return of yet another group from that same initial planet. That being said, I liked it all well enough, and it would have been an unreserved three stars from me, had the final chapters not been marred by not one but two plot points of astounding stupidity.
First is Picard's decision to ram the enemy ship with the Enterprise. Tactically it's a sound decision, I understand it, but he demurs a little because it will kill all the civilians on board, including the crew's family members and children. I understand that too. Still, he has plenty of time to send said civilians to life pods and doesn't do it, because it apparently doesn't even cross his mind. What on earth, Picard?! Were you dropped on your big bald head? Second was the inability of Dr. Crusher to tell that this important animal taking up room in her sickbay was pregnant. Its keeper had previously said it's always hard to tell, which is pretty much brandishing the narrative pregnancy gun, but the thing is, the beast gets sick. Crusher treats it successfully because body scans show blockages in its breathing tubes. Now it's just me, but if a scan can pick up a bronchial blockage, surely it can pick up a full term pregnancy, if only because there's suddenly another heartbeat! Situational incompetence from the captain and the chief medical officer does not a happy reader make.
I don't know what the editorial team was on when they let either of these things get past them, but clearly they were on lots of it. Honestly, how does stuff like this get missed?
First is Picard's decision to ram the enemy ship with the Enterprise. Tactically it's a sound decision, I understand it, but he demurs a little because it will kill all the civilians on board, including the crew's family members and children. I understand that too. Still, he has plenty of time to send said civilians to life pods and doesn't do it, because it apparently doesn't even cross his mind. What on earth, Picard?! Were you dropped on your big bald head? Second was the inability of Dr. Crusher to tell that this important animal taking up room in her sickbay was pregnant. Its keeper had previously said it's always hard to tell, which is pretty much brandishing the narrative pregnancy gun, but the thing is, the beast gets sick. Crusher treats it successfully because body scans show blockages in its breathing tubes. Now it's just me, but if a scan can pick up a bronchial blockage, surely it can pick up a full term pregnancy, if only because there's suddenly another heartbeat! Situational incompetence from the captain and the chief medical officer does not a happy reader make.
I don't know what the editorial team was on when they let either of these things get past them, but clearly they were on lots of it. Honestly, how does stuff like this get missed?
April 25, 2023
Not the most thrilling Star Trek novel I've read but still good nonetheless. Followed a very clear and precise story line. Little room for surprise but overall mildly entertaining and well written.
February 1, 2012
As far as TNG novels go this isn't the worst and it isn't the best. A pretty standard story where the Enterprise has to negotiate peace between two worlds... oh yeah, at one point Picard makes an announcement to the entire crew and families on board and basically says "we're all about to die, just wanted you to know"... but luckily the threat passes and everyone lives. I found this pretty funny because I doubt Picard would actually make that kind of announcement (a little OOC) I can't help but imagine what everyone on board was thinking? I wonder how many people decided to leave the Enterprise after that little announcement like, "you know the star ship is nice and all, but I'll take my chances on a star base."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2020
Great writing, even though the plot takes an abrupt turn halfway through that makes the book feel like two separate stories. Still, if you like the show then you'll enjoy it. The characterizations are spot on.
August 1, 2021
Quite an enjoyable ride, not boring, not lagging, but there was still something missing to be a great one. Interesting action, quite trekkish to be honest, involving that part I like the best about Star Trek" the moral dilemma or the more famous question: do the need of some outweigh the need of many? And the idea of sacrificing Enterprise with all her hands aboard is not an easy one to digest. Some glimpse of humor were really welcomed so overall was a nice enjoyable one.
December 18, 2022
At first I thought “oh great, another Star Trek novel with the Enterprise having to ferry diplomats” but the story goes so much beyond this initial premise. I thought the main characters were true to form and the overall storyline very enjoyable
January 13, 2017
Well this was my first Star Trek book and I cannot say that I am all that impressed. While the author did a good job of capturing the characters, at least Data and Troi, I don't think that I would go out of my way to read another one. I am a trekkie from way back but this just didn't cut it for me.
Although the plot was star trek like, making one think about the extinction of species we are causing on our own planet, I expected more. I have read Star Wars books and been much more impressed with the story lines and world. Eh!
Although the plot was star trek like, making one think about the extinction of species we are causing on our own planet, I expected more. I have read Star Wars books and been much more impressed with the story lines and world. Eh!
May 18, 2009
This book sat on my shelf for nearly 20 years before I picked it up.
I should have waited another 20.
I should have waited another 20.
April 28, 2011
Weinstein is good, but I think he's more at home with TOS characters. I find his novels about the original series much more compelling.
April 9, 2025
In "Exiles," Howard Weinstein informs us of a planet close to destruction, whose leaders are at odds with a semi-colony of theirs--also headed for destruction. One of these cultures is part of the Federation, so the Enterprise is called in to negotiate a solution between two battling heads of state.
A monkey wrench is thrown into everyone's plans when an enormous ship appears, threatening everybody. The identity of this ship and its ruler is very intriguing indeed, once Picard and Co. figure out what's going on, and in just what a desperate situation they find themselves.
There are some weird, furry little animals in this story: the nefittifi, a highly respected symbol of one planet's struggles and triumphs. Doctor Crusher, Wesley, and others are tasked with maintaining these peculiar animals, of which few remain in existence. This element added some humor and sentimentality to the story, and I'm adding a half-star for it.
A monkey wrench is thrown into everyone's plans when an enormous ship appears, threatening everybody. The identity of this ship and its ruler is very intriguing indeed, once Picard and Co. figure out what's going on, and in just what a desperate situation they find themselves.
There are some weird, furry little animals in this story: the nefittifi, a highly respected symbol of one planet's struggles and triumphs. Doctor Crusher, Wesley, and others are tasked with maintaining these peculiar animals, of which few remain in existence. This element added some humor and sentimentality to the story, and I'm adding a half-star for it.
January 7, 2020
A solid read. It has a slow build, and two separate storylines, that converge nicely by the end. The beginning of the book is very preachy, Star Trek novels often have relevant themes, but they are not usually as heavy handed as this. At times I felt like I was being hit over the head with message, that being said, I will forgive it because the entire novel is not like this. One disappointment is that we spent a good deal of time establishing the two worlds and there problems, but then at the end it was all wrapped rather quickly, I think, surprisingly, I wanted to see more of the politics. This is one novel where I think an epilogue would have been nice, to see how things had turned out between the two groups in the future.
September 9, 2024
This was an very fast and easy read. The story was fine, just a bit cliché.
Dr. Crusher was distressingly out of character early on and all the little plot contrivances were painfully convenient. A character was introduced as Wesley's maybe-girlfriend and then nothing at all happened with her. Two powerful women with well-sketched personalities were introduced as diplomatic opponents... then they agreed on everything in about 45 seconds. I'm pretty sure diplomacy between enemies doesn't go that quick.
It was worth the read for the adorable little bird-creature side-plot, but I probably wouldn't read it again, nor specifically recommend it to anyone.
Dr. Crusher was distressingly out of character early on and all the little plot contrivances were painfully convenient. A character was introduced as Wesley's maybe-girlfriend and then nothing at all happened with her. Two powerful women with well-sketched personalities were introduced as diplomatic opponents... then they agreed on everything in about 45 seconds. I'm pretty sure diplomacy between enemies doesn't go that quick.
It was worth the read for the adorable little bird-creature side-plot, but I probably wouldn't read it again, nor specifically recommend it to anyone.
July 18, 2022
I inherited the set and so am a completist. And Weinstein has a reputation for writing ST successfully. Ok, fine. But it's far from perfect, as other reviewers point out.
I particularly was not impressed with Riker's expedition (but at least his expendable character didn't die like red-shirts do). My favorite bit was the interaction between Data and Nole... too bad it was so minimal. Curister Zeila, the trouble-maker, is an interesting character, too.
I particularly was not impressed with Riker's expedition (but at least his expendable character didn't die like red-shirts do). My favorite bit was the interaction between Data and Nole... too bad it was so minimal. Curister Zeila, the trouble-maker, is an interesting character, too.
February 16, 2025
I think this is only the second TNG novel I have read and the first one made me a bit wary because it dragged on a little bit. This was the opposite, and I enjoyed all the different threads and storys it gets into. I actually really liked that there were quite a few scenes that just explored the characters and their relationships, and did not do a lot to move the plot along or were even very relevant to the plot. I had a really good time with this one.
March 7, 2020
No way. No way would Picard intentionally murder everyone on the Enterprise just on the off chance that doing so might save some lives on a planet. I can almost imagine Worf making the recommendation to ram the Enterprise into the ship to keep it from crashing into the planet, but Picard would have shut him down right away. Picard has a way better sence of ethics than this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2022
Enterprise is assigned to mediate a treaty between a home world and a world inhabited by exiled people of that world. The leaders are willing to negotiate but there is opposition. There is also an unknown third party at work. The book flows, you know the characters, the plot has some action. So, good if you loved the Next Generation, ok if you are a science fiction fan.
December 11, 2024
A Fun and Entertaining Read
Rating: ★★★★★
Exiles is the perfect guilty pleasure for me—my equivalent of the trashy romances my wife enjoys. Star Trek books like this are my go-to for a quick, fun read when I want something light and enjoyable. I like to mix them in with the heavier stuff I read for other purposes, and this one hit the mark perfectly.
The story was engaging, the pacing was great, and the humor landed well. It was a quick, satisfying read, and I found myself really enjoying it from start to finish. While these books might not be too deep, they’re always a pleasure, and Exiles was one of the better ones I’ve read. Highly recommended for any Star Trek fan looking for a fun escape.
Rating: ★★★★★
Exiles is the perfect guilty pleasure for me—my equivalent of the trashy romances my wife enjoys. Star Trek books like this are my go-to for a quick, fun read when I want something light and enjoyable. I like to mix them in with the heavier stuff I read for other purposes, and this one hit the mark perfectly.
The story was engaging, the pacing was great, and the humor landed well. It was a quick, satisfying read, and I found myself really enjoying it from start to finish. While these books might not be too deep, they’re always a pleasure, and Exiles was one of the better ones I’ve read. Highly recommended for any Star Trek fan looking for a fun escape.
September 6, 2017
Well I found the story interesting enough and enjoyed the humour sprinkled throughout. The twist was pretty predictable though and a lot of TNG main characters played a back seat to other characters in the story. Still liked it though.
May 18, 2025
I found this in a box of old things from my childhood (along with other novels). These stories always brought me so much joy. It was just as fun to read now as it was then. I might just get on a Star Trek bender!
April 4, 2026
it's like a run of the mill star trek tng episode. not overly thrilling, not overly funny, decent character moments where you know they won't have to follow through, but it was just very comforting. which is really all I needed.
September 16, 2019
Better than most of its contemporary Star Trek novels.
August 8, 2020
It’s not too bad... just that the solution is too convenient...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2020
The best of the early TNG novels so far. The characters felt right, and there was a good mix of serious plot and humor throughout. An obvious final solution, but that’s forgivable.
January 28, 2021
Truly an episode in paper form. The story fits so good with the TNG era trek and the characters are spot on.
March 18, 2020
2.5 ★★ - In 1974 and at the age of 19 Howard Weinstein first got paid to write for the TREK Animated Series, with the episode The Pirates of Orion. He remains the youngest person to ever write a script for a Star Trek series. He has remained somewhat on the 'in' ever since, contributing to TREK in comic book, novel and even film form.
Sixteen years after his first foray into the Trek-Words he produced this Next Gen novel, his second. This book came out as TNG trekked along into it's third season: The main story, though a bit preachy (in an TOS way), was fine... Two worlds long at war need each other to survive into the future. And only the United Federation of Planets can mediate the peace: Just the trope Captain Picard and Company adventure for!
Only, there's some subpar B-story trying to break through about Commander Riker and his Away Team that may have some good character moments for the Redshirts but that only causes to so frustrate the reader as to have them yelling at the pages, "Come on... are you telling me that no one, in the 26 years Data's been functioning... That not one person has said to him: Just for argument sake?!"
Not that something like that would have happened to this reader, though I've this ..err...friend... or something.
While the basics of this book is decent, the crew of the Enterprise D just aren't themselves (even for season three) and the book feels decidedly more Classic Trek than TNG. So I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you just really-really need a TREK FIX.
Sixteen years after his first foray into the Trek-Words he produced this Next Gen novel, his second. This book came out as TNG trekked along into it's third season: The main story, though a bit preachy (in an TOS way), was fine... Two worlds long at war need each other to survive into the future. And only the United Federation of Planets can mediate the peace: Just the trope Captain Picard and Company adventure for!
Only, there's some subpar B-story trying to break through about Commander Riker and his Away Team that may have some good character moments for the Redshirts but that only causes to so frustrate the reader as to have them yelling at the pages, "Come on... are you telling me that no one, in the 26 years Data's been functioning... That not one person has said to him: Just for argument sake?!"
Not that something like that would have happened to this reader, though I've this ..err...friend... or something.
While the basics of this book is decent, the crew of the Enterprise D just aren't themselves (even for season three) and the book feels decidedly more Classic Trek than TNG. So I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you just really-really need a TREK FIX.
May 17, 2012
"Exiles" is a trekkian tale with a good ecological message, but I think it could have used a bit more effort and ambition.
The novel deals with environmental issues and the preservation of animal species, both subjects still relevant. The story takes us to Alaj, a Federation member world that faces a disaster as it's overly industrial culture is renderering the planet uninhabitable.
Etolos is a world populated by a people exiled from Etolos centuries earlier. They are the experts on the preservation of nature with high technology. It just happens that their planet faces it's natural end just as the situation on Alaj escalates beyond apparent salvation. Former bitter enemies must find a common tone as the people of Etolos offer to save Alaj in exhange of them getting to live there. The deal includes a few individuals of an animal species called Nefittifi, vich is a highly rare sacred animal to both the Alajians and Etolosians.
Howard Weinstein starts off promisingly as he describes the diplomatic situation between the two worlds, but soon the story looses all originality and reverts into a predictable and badly paced sience fiction cliché. There are only a few twist in the plot and they can be predicted from miles away. The situation is made worse by horrible scenes about Wesley Crusher and his discustingly cute Britney-Spears-clone girlfriend that make vomit crawl up the reader's throat. And it doesn't help one bit to have a bad sub-plot about Troi dealing with a Nefittifi expert in his twenties having a crush on her. A horrible waste of a character says I.
The characterization is pretty accurate in most parts, though, exept for Data, who's been portrayed as he was in the beginning of the show: a truly failed attempt at forcefully writing an original character. At the point of the series "Exiles" takes place, it should no more be the case.
The ending of the book is as predictable as the rest of it and makes the reader want to finish reading as quickly as possible.
The novel deals with environmental issues and the preservation of animal species, both subjects still relevant. The story takes us to Alaj, a Federation member world that faces a disaster as it's overly industrial culture is renderering the planet uninhabitable.
Etolos is a world populated by a people exiled from Etolos centuries earlier. They are the experts on the preservation of nature with high technology. It just happens that their planet faces it's natural end just as the situation on Alaj escalates beyond apparent salvation. Former bitter enemies must find a common tone as the people of Etolos offer to save Alaj in exhange of them getting to live there. The deal includes a few individuals of an animal species called Nefittifi, vich is a highly rare sacred animal to both the Alajians and Etolosians.
Howard Weinstein starts off promisingly as he describes the diplomatic situation between the two worlds, but soon the story looses all originality and reverts into a predictable and badly paced sience fiction cliché. There are only a few twist in the plot and they can be predicted from miles away. The situation is made worse by horrible scenes about Wesley Crusher and his discustingly cute Britney-Spears-clone girlfriend that make vomit crawl up the reader's throat. And it doesn't help one bit to have a bad sub-plot about Troi dealing with a Nefittifi expert in his twenties having a crush on her. A horrible waste of a character says I.
The characterization is pretty accurate in most parts, though, exept for Data, who's been portrayed as he was in the beginning of the show: a truly failed attempt at forcefully writing an original character. At the point of the series "Exiles" takes place, it should no more be the case.
The ending of the book is as predictable as the rest of it and makes the reader want to finish reading as quickly as possible.
May 12, 2016
A good, solid adventure that embodies the underlying spirit of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek - commentary on our current society through the adventures of the crew of the Enterprise. In this novel, that commentary is about what happens to a planet where wanton consumerism and destruction of ecosystems runs unchecked. While we humans have made some improvements since this novel was written, it is still (unfortunately) quite relevant.
Bonus points for the endearing, endangered bird-like critters. If they had been an Earth species, they would've gone the way of the dodo, I imagine.
Bonus points for the endearing, endangered bird-like critters. If they had been an Earth species, they would've gone the way of the dodo, I imagine.
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