Being Human

Star Trek: New Frontier #12

by Peter David

Throughout the Star Trek: New Frontier saga, Mark McHenry, the navigator on the USS Excalibur, has demonstrated abilities beyond those of the somewhat odd human being he appears to be. When the inhabitants of an innocent solar system are confronted by a menace linked to the source of McHenry's powers, his true heritage is revealed at last.

Meanwhile, Zak Kebron is going through a startling change that will leave him both more and less than he was.

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Media Tie In, Space, Science Fiction Fantasy

267 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

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

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually finished this one awhile ago and didn't get around to writing the review. Indeed, I actually read this and the sequel back to back so it's doubly problematic. Thankfully, though, that means I can do their reviews simultaneously. For those wondering what the long delay of about a year and four months was, it was due to my niece moving in. Which obviously disrupted a lot of my online time. However, I'm getting back to writing my Space Academy books so I might as well get these done since I'm definitely in a humorous space opera mood.

This book introduces the revelation that Mark McHenry, the guy capable of flying a starship in his sleep, is actually a demigod. Indeed, he is the descendant of Apollo from Who Mourns Adonis?. Peter David has a fantastic love of TOS and makes the proper decision of attempting to weld the "Wild West" days of ST into the more stately and dignified TNG era to hilarious effect. It's part of why I love this series as I admit to being someone who enjoys the goofier side of Trek with all its whales, gangster planets, and more. People harp on the holodeck episode but I actually note it's when TNG was able to cut loose.

Ironically, I think Being Human was when Peter David started to enter his "Dark Period" of New Frontier. The series lasted far longer than I expect he knew and probably was intended to potentially end with the destruction of the Excalibur way back when. Star Trek: Stargazer is one of my favorite Trek series but it only lasted five books with a couple of side-stories involving the cast as well as a much-appreciated coda in The Buried Age. Here, things kept going and that meant a lot of plotlines started getting traumatic and merciless. Seriously, the cast gets cut down like Post-Claremont X-men with less resurrection.

As much as I love New Frontier, I can't say the Dark Period is my favorite part of the series as the characters start getting trimmed with the Reaper's scythe and often go through hellish circumstances to rival Miles O'Brien. In this case, the set ups for the deaths of Si Cwan, Morgan Primus, and more. The characters don't remain static in the New Frontier novels but the changes are going to be something that will put both them as well as the reader through the ringer.

There's some questionable choices mythologically like the fact that McHenry's designated love interest (and abuser--which Peter David touches on tastefully) is Artemis, the Virgin Goddess. I think it was a weird choice and I think one of the other goddesses would have been a better choice like Aphrodite or even Athena (even though she is a virgin goddess as well--Ancient Greeks man).

Oddly, my favorite part of the book was the Si Cwan parts after he accepts the help of the Danteri in rebuilding the Thallonian Empire. It was a bad idea, Calhoun knew it was a bad idea and Si Cwan knew it was a bad idea. However, Si Cwan is one of those characters I like ala Tyrion Lannister who thinks they're worse people than they are so they underestimate the level of stupidity as well as narcissism that makes evil people do things even against their own self-interest because pragmatism isn't actually a quality of the worst. Basically, Si Cwan can't comprehend the idea of giving up power to a master because toadying is antithetical to someone with genuine self-respect.

Basically, you can't win the game of thrones by being smart because a lot of the people with power are just genuinely stupid.

[Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while (yikes, 10 years!) but I finally revisited the New Frontier universe, created by Peter David as a literature-only off shoot of The Next Generation-era crew. Throughout the series, David has been dropping unusual details in the previous installments of this series about one of the bridge crew and this book attempts to finally explain them. Guest starring "the Beings" first seen in an Original Series episode was pure fan service but still fun. I had forgotten how puerile these stories are; this isn't your typical Starfleet starship crew. The stories have always focus more on the personal interactions (and some are very personal of the crew and the aliens they meet than on technobabble and hard-scifi. Although David throws in a few innovations -- manning the battle bridge via VR-style headsets instead of actually being physically present on the bridge -- this was more of the next installment of Star Trek Soap Opera than it was anything else. After all, we all know that on a starship, every one of the main characters is secretly (or openly) in love with someone, right? So therefore David is giving us what we really want by exploring that, right? (insert eye roll)

My devotion to the connected Star Trek lit verse is what keeps me reading these, more-so than the the attraction of "Ooooh! Peter David Star Trek books" which originally landed these books on our home Star Trek bookshelf! But I'm much preferring some of the other Trek installments, specifically the "Season 8" DS9 and some other old novels picked up here and there. The good news is it was an easy read so I didn't have to suffer much through it. My 24 year old self I think enjoyed these more when they first came out 21 years ago, but now they're not doing much for me beyond enjoying the continuing expansion of the now-shared TNG/DS9/VOY/NF/etc. lit-universe.

[Wayland Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of more interesting supporting characters in the New Frontier series has been helmsman Mark McHenry. He can sense when the ship changes course, even while seemingly dozing at his duty station. Now, we finally learn what his story is, and it even connects back to a story from the original tv series.

The Excalibur gets sent to investigate strange energy readings in a remote sector of space. Meanwhile, Shelby and her crew on the Trident deal with a new development with the powers that be in their assigned space sector. Will Si Kwan take a new position that seems to offer everything he's ever wanted? How will this effect his relationship with the crew, especially Robin Lefeleur?

There's all of this going on, as well as something strange with the Brikar Security Chief, Calhoun's adopted son Moke, and Selar and Burgoyne's son Xyon. There's a great deal happening on the two starships, and little of it is what it seems. Add in Peter David 's wonderful writing and hysterical sense of humor (I laughed out loud several times) and you get a great story.

As always, with established series where the author knows how to build a plot and subplots, I recommend starting with book one. Lots of fun, recommended for Star Trek fans, sci fi fans, and anyone that likes action with a good dose of humor.

[David H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As has been common in Star Trek: New Frontier, we end on a cliffhanger, but this time with nothing resolved. (At least with the earlier The Quiet Place/Dark Allies, we got some plots resolved in the first volume, and the Excalibur trilogy had individual plots that resolved.)

This was a fun look at Mark McHenry, whose humanity ended up being questioned in Requiem and is at least one small subplot that's resolved in this book. We get a pretty neat callback to the Star Trek original series episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" which I appreciated.

The addition of a second vessel patrolling the former Thallonian Empire is fun and helps gives us some more fun plots, though it's weird to see Burgoyne as the new First Officer under Calhoun. (Also, baby Xyon cracks me up, and Soleta is Soleta as always.)

I almost forgot to mention--the appearance of Gleau, a Selelvian science officer, is super creepy. Really didn't not enjoy that subplot at all.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, well. It seems this volume expands on the original series episode “Who Mourns For Adonais?” It seems Apollo was human enough to get Lt Palamas with child. Four generations later we have a direct descendent manning the navigator position on the Excalibur. Which goes far in explaining McHenry’s eccentricities. Apollo’s sister Artemis has been visiting our near godlike navigator over time. Of course there are some twists to go along with all this coincidental stuff going on. Definitely recommended

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my biggest gripe with this book is that it assumed I remembered everything from all the prior books in the series and unfortunately I don't read them frequently enough. However once I got past that hurdle and got more into the story I did in the end like it and how it developed. Not entirely sure what the point of the way they conducted the space battle was and just how stupid Si Cwan can be but I was right along with the story and where it was going. Didn't anticipate it would end on a cliffhanger so be ready to read the next one!

[Peter Rydén · Rating 3 out of 5]

En efterlängtad bok av Peter David där mysteriet med Mark McHenry faktiskt klaras ut. I boken avslöjas också mysteriet med tomten och många andra berättelser, vilket gör boken till en mer surrealistisk bok, inte helt förknippad med den verklighet vi kallar Star Trek och därmed var boken något svår i sin mer andliga inriktning.

[Celia Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story!

I truly enjoyed it. I wish that I would have read it 1st before the gods. I find this book enjoyable. The adventures of Si Chwan and Captain Calhoun. I'm 1surprised they have not made a movie.

[rivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

One of the better entries in this series.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent ST novel from Peter David!

[Vic Page · Rating 2 out of 5]

never really loved the whole greek gods thing :P

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, this one was a bit weird, but I did enjoy the added insight to McHenry

[S.J. Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally some answers to long gestating questions, and the continuation of an unexpected plot thread from many years prior.

4.5/5 A great time with an explosive, bonkers ending.

[David Palazzolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek: The New Frontier: Being Human is the 12th New Frontier book in ordinary time and the 18th chapter in what I like to call Star Trek: The Prime-Time Soap. In fact--to continue that analogy--given the number of cliffhangers, I would venture that this novel constitutes the second season finale ("season 1" ended with the destruction of the Excalibur in book 8).

Being Human is fast paced and reaches back all the way to the original TV series episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" featuring a being claiming to be the Greek god Apollo giving Capt. Kirk and company (including the beautiful archeology/anthropology officer Lt Carolyn Palamas) a run for their money. In the TV episode, Apollo claims to be the last of his kind, but with the appearance of Artemis, Thoth, Anubis and others, we see that is not so. The discrepancy is explained as mental illness on Apollo's part leaving him delusional.

The main thrust of the book is Lt Mark McHenry's background and his connection to these "old gods". Furthermore, it seems that Artemis wishes to use McHenry as a liason between the Beings (as these gods refer to themselves) and the Federation. Artemis' ultimate goal appears to be to an offer that can't be refused: to raise the Federation to unimaginable heights of culture, science and health (this last thru a substance called 'ambrosia') in exchange for worship. Or else. Oh--did I mention that McHenry has known Artemis all his life and that they used to be lovers--and that it ended badly? (soap opera!!)

Elsewhere on the USS Excalibur-A, there is more domestic bliss between Cdr. Burgoyne 172, Dr Selar and their son Xyon. Because Xyon is growing incredibly fast--at a few months of age he already seems between 2-3 years old--Burgy and Selar get babysitting help from Moke, Capt. Mackenzie Calhoun's adopted son. However, there is no bliss for Lt's Zak Kebron, Mark McHenry and Soleta, because of the secrets each harbors about themselves.

Meanwhile on the USS Trident, Capt. Elizabeth Shelby has been assigned the duty to deliver Ambassador Si Cwan and his sister Kallinda to Danter, the homeworld of the race that once ruled the planet Xenex (Capt. Mackenzie's home world) with an iron fist. En route, Si Cwan, his aide Lt Robin Lefler and Cdr. Kat Mueller (Trident's first officer) form a rather lopsided romantic triangle. Once on Danter, Cwan is given an offer he can't refuse: for virtually nothing except the promise of alliance, the Danteri will fast track the rebuilding of the Thallonian empire. He accepts.

When the cliffhangers come they're fast and furious. Cwan and Kallinda discover a dark motivation for the Danteri offer of rebuilding the Thallonian empire. Upon confronting the Danteri leader Lodec with their suspicions, they are introduced to Lodec's secret patron: the Being Anubis. Then Lodec, now possessed of super-human strength begins to strangle Cwan...On the Excalibur, Moke and Xyon appear to be stalked by a "Dark Man" whose description resembles that of the god Odin. Things come to a head when Moke, while chasing Xyon up a Jeffries tube is surprised by another appearance of "Odin," loses his grip on the service ladder, and takes a long, hard fall to the deck below...Capt Calhoun refuses Artemis' "offer" only to find the USS Excalibur under a sudden and vicious attack by a Being fleet of starships that look like ancient Greek triremes. The Excalibur seems lost, but is rescued from destruction by Capt Shelby and the USS Trident at the last moment. Unfortunately, during the attack, both McHenry and acting ops officer Morgan Primus (aka Robin Lefler's mom) are both horribly killed...

Next up: "Episode one" of "Season three": Gods Above

[***Dave Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 13th in Peter David's "Star Trek: New Frontier" series finally delves into the mysteries around long-time character Mark McHenry (who actually goes back to David's earlier "Star Fleet Academy" children's series). And, in true David fashion, he manages to tie it neatly into pre-existing ST mythos. Nicely done.

Meanwhile, Si Cwan and his sister get an offer they can't refuse from the Danteri, and another long-time character in the series dies in a space battle.

In some ways the action here is almost too big and divided among multiple players, plots, and starships. But it's still good fun (and a quick read).

------

Original review, 3/7/02, grading from 0-3:

Summary: [2] The latest in PAD’s Star Trek: New Frontiers series carries on the various plot lines of the past dozen-plus volumes. Humor, TOS continuity, in-jokes, and drama are tossed about with PAD’s usual aplomb. the enigmatic McHenry finally gets his story told — which, like most long-standing mysteries, is less entertaining than the enigma, but still worth the price of admission. PAD does the usual deft juggling of different places, in this case splitting the action between two starships (as his cast of characters continues to grow).

Entertainment: [3] My only complaint is that these books can be polished off in a long evening.

Profundity: [2] What does it mean to be human? Or, from the B-plot, when is it worth making a deal with the devil?

Re-readability: [2] I’ve actually just started rereading the series. Their shortness, though, makes it difficult to take them on vacation.

[Sean Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

"And if we happened to be a literature-appreciation circle, I would be extremely pleased with the direction in which things are going. However, what with this being a starship and all, I'd be far more pleased if we could actually accomplish our mission."


So here we see our intrepid heroes thrust up against the almighty. Or as almighty as you get in space, anyway. the mystery of Mchenry is finally explained at least.

"Since I do not wish you to do anything about it, the response of 'no' is relatively all-purpose."

Selar and Burgoyne's child not to mention the stray calhoun brought aboard the starship pad out the whacky cast of characters quite well. The love lives of everyone seems to be on the agenda once again, though; and there is something of an anticlimactic thread to the whole thing.

[Benjamin Plume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter David is an excellent storyteller, although at times a less excellent wordsmith. This installment in the New Frontier saga was no exception in either case. His flavor is uniquely bold and satisfying within the realm of Star Trek. The true strength here is character...his cast continues to develop along fascinating lines both individually and as a unit. The addition of a second starship to the mix offers yet more such opportunities. David's own characters blend astonishingly well with those he has chosen from established Trek episodes and literature.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why stop the Peter David when I'm on a roll? This one's important as the new comic series references events in here. A decent sequel to an old ST:TOS episode, although it ends on a cliffhanger...

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

McHenry's ability to sense where he is in the universe is addressed. One of those powerful godlike aliens like we saw in TOS shows up. The Danteri want to make a deal with the Thallonians.

Ends with a lot of hanging threads, and the literal words "to be continued".

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally get to get inside the head of Mark McHenry and learn why he's the way he is. Also, Zak Kebron is starting to change - change in a way that might just leave him both more or less than he was...

Well done episode in the "New Frontier" series by Peter David.

[Loki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, but not quite up to the normal standards of the series. It's the first half of a two volume story, and noticeably the weaker for it. But even a weak New Frontier book is still pretty damned good.

[Ossy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Battle with Greek Gods? Yeah right....

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Frontier at its best, with exciting adventure, great characters, a fun reveal regarding McHenry, and a nice callback to TOS.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Fairly solid story. Trekkies I am sure would appreciate this story. =)

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each time I finish one of these (and this is #12) I say to myself "that was the best one." Peter David does not disappoint. Here's just one sample of his brilliant writing:
"There was some more sounds of movement, a short cough, more movement that was farther away . ..
. . . and then nothing.
They waited.
More nothing followed the nothing that they had amassed up until that time."
He uses a familiar device of parallel plot structures in most of these books, but I honestly didn't even realize he was doing it in this one until the very end. The B story was also linked to the A story in a way that I never saw coming. Okay, let's just say the story had a lot of surprises right up into the last 20 pages or so. It's one thing to name your book "Being Human," and then the plot could be about, well, anything. This title was really apropos to the central narrative. One really awesome thing about the New Frontier stories is the way he plants seeds throughout the novels and those grow into larger themes as they take root in later novels. In this novel for example, . . . oh, heck. I don't want to spoil it for you, Gentle Reader. Let me just say that everything you thought you knew about life on the Excalibur is probably wrong, but that's just a simple fact of Being Human.