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Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Q Continuum #1-3
The Q Continuum
The unpredictable cosmic entity known only as Q has plagued Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise™ since their very first voyage together. But little was known of Q's mysterious past or of the unearthly realm from which he hails.
Until now.
A brilliant scientist may have found a way to breach the energy barrier surrounding the Milky Way galaxy, and the Enterprise is going to put it to the test. The last thing Captain Picard needs is a surprise visit from Q, but the omnipotent trickster has more in mind than his usual pranks. Kidnapping Picard, he takes the captain back through time to the moment the Q Continuum faced its greatest threat.
Now Picard must learn Q's secrets -- or all of reality may perish!
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 17, 2025
This is the omnibus edition of the Q Continuum trilogy series set in the post-Nemesis Star Trek: The Next Generation universe. We have only two plots that converge into one at about the middle point of the last novel so things are moving annoyingly slow. They do pick up in the last quarter of the book but too little, too late. Trouble started for me when Q introduced his wife, Q, and his child, q. 3Q. There is a very irritating repetition of the old trope: Q is annoying and the humans are annoyed. Hundreds of pages of this. Unfortunately, nothing else really happens. The action of the book could have taken place in 100 pages tops. This is the trouble with writing series of books when you don't have the material - you have to put in a lot of padding, and this novel is almost all padding and no story.
September 22, 2012
I disagree with the comment about irrelevant detail. I have watched Star Trek since I was a young child and this is the first book of Star Trek I have read. I felt the details were important to the story and fleshed out just how long Q has been around. When references are made to the original Star Trek series, I was pleased with how much I related to them.
March 20, 2022
This was a tough one for me to get through, even with the reading load divided across a little more than two weeks. Peter David wrote the two Q novels before this trilogy, titled Q-in-Law and Q-Squared. While I enjoyed the latter less than the former, my eyes were glued to both of them. With this trilogy, which consists of Q-Zone, Q-Space, and Q-Strike, it felt like the pacing was not as on point.
It started out with promise. Seeing Q with his wife and their child who had been introduced in Voyager was fun stuff. Q even almost mentions Janeway before being cut off by an alarm. There's all this talk of crossing the galactic barrier, which fascinated me. We get to know what Q was like when he was younger, and learn a bit more about the Continuum, though in retrospect, maybe certain things did not really need to be answered. Mystery can be compelling. We also find out about an entity known as 0, the new threat. But a huge chunk of this trilogy (particularly the middle chapter) focuses on what happened with the Tkon Empire, and I just didn't feel very invested in that. By the time I was going through the third book, my interest in the story had deflated. I really don't think this needed to be a trilogy.
The interview at the end was fun to read. I found it interesting how, even though it wasn't a requirement, Greg Cox re-read Peter David's Q novels because he did not want to contradict them. I appreciate that effort, even though his trilogy, to me, feels like a separate universe from Peter David's books. I'd even say David's two books each feel like their own universe to me. I'd be curious to hear how other Star Trek readers perceive them, unified or separate.
The next book on my list is I, Q, which brings me back to Peter David. I really hope I'm back to enjoying a story that's more my speed. It would be worrying if I enjoy it less due to Q book burnout, and I hope that doesn't end up being the case.
It started out with promise. Seeing Q with his wife and their child who had been introduced in Voyager was fun stuff. Q even almost mentions Janeway before being cut off by an alarm. There's all this talk of crossing the galactic barrier, which fascinated me. We get to know what Q was like when he was younger, and learn a bit more about the Continuum, though in retrospect, maybe certain things did not really need to be answered. Mystery can be compelling. We also find out about an entity known as 0, the new threat. But a huge chunk of this trilogy (particularly the middle chapter) focuses on what happened with the Tkon Empire, and I just didn't feel very invested in that. By the time I was going through the third book, my interest in the story had deflated. I really don't think this needed to be a trilogy.
The interview at the end was fun to read. I found it interesting how, even though it wasn't a requirement, Greg Cox re-read Peter David's Q novels because he did not want to contradict them. I appreciate that effort, even though his trilogy, to me, feels like a separate universe from Peter David's books. I'd even say David's two books each feel like their own universe to me. I'd be curious to hear how other Star Trek readers perceive them, unified or separate.
The next book on my list is I, Q, which brings me back to Peter David. I really hope I'm back to enjoying a story that's more my speed. It would be worrying if I enjoy it less due to Q book burnout, and I hope that doesn't end up being the case.
July 7, 2020
This book is technically three books in one that all deal with a consistent plot involving Captain Picard and his attempts to help his old enemy Q deal with a mysterious enemy from his past at the outer edge of the galaxy. For those who are fans of the interactions between Q and Picard, this book is certainly an enjoyable one. It's by no means a perfect book but it has a lot going for it, even if it does offer some familiar tropes that are a bit tired for some readers--it has the red shirt problem, for example, in seeking to use expendable and little-known characters as cannon fodder to move a story along without having to show too much loss to the more familiar main characters. In addition, this particular story uses a trope of making biblical religion appear to be ridiculous and false through reviving a character encountered in the Original series with a similar anti-Christian bias. It is striking that Star Trek depends for its lore on common origin and common ancestry and common law for humanoid beings but rejects the common Creator implied by such a common design throughout creation, and this novel is no different in its polytheistic anarchy with predictable if lamentable results, even if there are elements of this book that are enjoyable.
As mentioned before, this book is a series of three novelas with a total of a bit more than 500 pages of material. The first one, Q-Space, is the largest, and it finds the Enterprise E in post-series events tasked with going to the edge of the galaxy to see if a hole can be punched in the barrier that separates the Milky Way from other galaxies. While approaching the barrier the Enterprise comes across an unfriendly but powerful species of gas creatures and Picard is kidnapped by Q, who is married and has a spoiled toddler for a son. In the second, Q-Zone, the Enterprise manages to escape the gas creatures by hiding in the barrier but that increases the psychic stress that the Enterprise and its crew are under, even as Picard and Q go on a massive visit of Q's past to see insights on how a dangerous threat can be dealt with before it is too late. Finally, in Q-Strike, the being known as 0 and Q have a showdown on the Enterprise-E as Picard joins forces with the gas-aliens and the Q to save his crew and save the galaxy from a madman bent on revenge for his exile from the galaxy.
Why was this book written? What sort of psychic needs does the author have to reject biblical religion while simultaneously arguing for the importance of humans in a universe where there are a lot of powerful beings whose raw strength and length of life far outlast that of humanity. As human beings we have the simultaneous longing to be like God but to reject God, and until we come to terms with that, what we will get from our fiction that struggles with this tendency is mere wish fulfillment like this novel is. There is a lot about this novel that shows the author's interest in higher matters of history and theology but also that show the author's bad faith when it comes to such issues and the way that fantasy and science fiction sit uneasily with unexamined theological mysteries. This is a book with a scintillating plot and some interesting contents, but which is sadly overwhelmed in dealing with the larger implications of its material. As a result this is a book that can be read enjoyably but which does not have the heft that the author clearly wishes with a 500 page volume.
As mentioned before, this book is a series of three novelas with a total of a bit more than 500 pages of material. The first one, Q-Space, is the largest, and it finds the Enterprise E in post-series events tasked with going to the edge of the galaxy to see if a hole can be punched in the barrier that separates the Milky Way from other galaxies. While approaching the barrier the Enterprise comes across an unfriendly but powerful species of gas creatures and Picard is kidnapped by Q, who is married and has a spoiled toddler for a son. In the second, Q-Zone, the Enterprise manages to escape the gas creatures by hiding in the barrier but that increases the psychic stress that the Enterprise and its crew are under, even as Picard and Q go on a massive visit of Q's past to see insights on how a dangerous threat can be dealt with before it is too late. Finally, in Q-Strike, the being known as 0 and Q have a showdown on the Enterprise-E as Picard joins forces with the gas-aliens and the Q to save his crew and save the galaxy from a madman bent on revenge for his exile from the galaxy.
Why was this book written? What sort of psychic needs does the author have to reject biblical religion while simultaneously arguing for the importance of humans in a universe where there are a lot of powerful beings whose raw strength and length of life far outlast that of humanity. As human beings we have the simultaneous longing to be like God but to reject God, and until we come to terms with that, what we will get from our fiction that struggles with this tendency is mere wish fulfillment like this novel is. There is a lot about this novel that shows the author's interest in higher matters of history and theology but also that show the author's bad faith when it comes to such issues and the way that fantasy and science fiction sit uneasily with unexamined theological mysteries. This is a book with a scintillating plot and some interesting contents, but which is sadly overwhelmed in dealing with the larger implications of its material. As a result this is a book that can be read enjoyably but which does not have the heft that the author clearly wishes with a 500 page volume.
May 31, 2021
Q-space: Det här var en riktigt bra start på trilogin – Som vanligt förstår man inte vad Q menar med sina kryptiska meningar och författaren är riktigt bra på att skriva detta, övertygande. 8/10 i betyg.
Q-zone: Storyn blir ännu mer rörig (fast det är inte fel – för Q är ju minst sagt rörig när han skall berätta något då han inte tänker eller agerar linjärt...) och komplex. Det är en drivande historia som tvingas vidare hela tiden och man känner verkligen kampen mot klockan. Som en mellanbok normalt sett är, är även denna något sämre än den första boken, men det är inget markant och boken behövs självklart som en del i trilogin.
Q-strike: Mycket bra avslutning på trilogin, även om just denna bok hade en något skakig början. Jag hade önskat få veta ännu mer om Q-kontinuet, men vi får definitivt veta en mängd information om karaktären Q och det är ju definitivt inte fy skam! Boken var mycket bra och spännande. 8/10 i betyg.
Q-zone: Storyn blir ännu mer rörig (fast det är inte fel – för Q är ju minst sagt rörig när han skall berätta något då han inte tänker eller agerar linjärt...) och komplex. Det är en drivande historia som tvingas vidare hela tiden och man känner verkligen kampen mot klockan. Som en mellanbok normalt sett är, är även denna något sämre än den första boken, men det är inget markant och boken behövs självklart som en del i trilogin.
Q-strike: Mycket bra avslutning på trilogin, även om just denna bok hade en något skakig början. Jag hade önskat få veta ännu mer om Q-kontinuet, men vi får definitivt veta en mängd information om karaktären Q och det är ju definitivt inte fy skam! Boken var mycket bra och spännande. 8/10 i betyg.
June 14, 2022
While the first third or so kind of dragged on, and I did find there was more exposition than necessary, I did enjoy this, the omnibus of The Q Continuum. Without Q, Star Trek TNG wouldn't have been the same (and admittedly, wouldn't have held my attention nearly as well). His is a character archetype I thoroughly enjoy: neither antagonist nor protagonist, but something of both. And while I'm sure this isn't entirely canon, it was still fun to see a bit more about him: his past, his progression as a Q, and his potential to be more than just the whimsical god-being that frustrates Picard every step of the way.
Worth the read if you like 80's/90's Star Trek and Q in particular.
Worth the read if you like 80's/90's Star Trek and Q in particular.
January 19, 2018
If you are a fan of Q and the Q episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I really recommend this book. Greg Cox is one of the best authors of Star Trek fiction and he does a wonderful job with this trilogy of Q novels (collected here in one volume). Cox understands the character of Q as well as Gene Roddenberry, Maurice Hurley, Ira Steven Behr and the many other writers who wrote Q in the television series. I highly recommend this collection!
August 14, 2022
I almost heard Peter David in these pages, Greg does seem to have been able to stamp Q in a similar way. It's a little sad that this is quite an old miniseries now; for many years, anything that happened beyond the enterprise D was new and futuristic feeling. Time catches us all, I suppose.
This was a little fun, light reading, good to pop into old friends. I felt sorry for poor Leyoro, and enjoyed very much hearing the tones of the familiar actor's voices as I read this one.
This was a little fun, light reading, good to pop into old friends. I felt sorry for poor Leyoro, and enjoyed very much hearing the tones of the familiar actor's voices as I read this one.
April 16, 2022
Very entertaining. Obviously not the best written book, but on the other hand very accessible for all kinds of readers. Even non-native speakers like myself. Great dialogue and Q is just funny. Adventurous and lighthearted fun.
March 10, 2018
For me this drug. I had trouble finishing it.
July 3, 2022
I have to admit that I lost interest in the last book. It's actually three books-in-one. It's Q and Picard. Too long.
April 20, 2024
Oh man, this did not hold up from when I was a kid. It took 100 pages to get going. I skimmed the rest of the trilogy.
Want to read
October 20, 2025Oct 2025
Started to read this but I'm not really in a philosophical mood. On hold.
Started to read this but I'm not really in a philosophical mood. On hold.
January 24, 2016
The Q Continuum Signature Edition is comprised of a previously published trilogy by Greg Cox: Q-Space, Q-Zone, and Q-Strike, in addition to a bonus interview with the author.
I felt like this trilogy could have had a lot more incredible, omnipotent plot detail as opposed to the "potential" character detail. In Q-Space and for about 2/3's of Q-Zone, I found myself drifting in the vacuum of my own mind while reading about the mystery behind the Galactic Barrier. While the reader is allowed two main snippets of Q's troublesome past, I think he could have made more headway with the Q Continuum as this trilogy is so divinely named. However, there are more Q's than just Q featured in the book: There's Q. And Q. And Q. And q. And Quinn. That's about all of the continuum I know of from this book, aside from what fans have learned from TNG, DS9, and VOY - which the author often alludes to (as well as some features from TOS). So I suppose that makes some headway for the continuum. But I digress...
Q-Space had multiple "interludes" which could have been separated by a simple line or chapter break which would not have changed the overall effect of this portion of the book. Instead, I felt these interludes took away from this portion of the book, making it seem longer than it should have been. Seeing how I barely remember what happens in this portion of the book, I think it's safe to say there could have been more relevant detail as opposed to whatever my mind has already erased. It is the longest introduction I have ever read next to an Oxford Edition of The Art of War, but not half as bad. I believe this part can mainly be summed up as "present-day" background information and "an ominous warning from an omnipotent being."
Q-Zone, I think, begins to introduce the historical background of the Galactic Barrier as well as other insights, but never really reaches a conclusion until Q-Strike, when the book really starts to take off for me. I mean, it was interesting to learn about the Tkon Empire and what not from the first two portions of the book. Though, again, the details could have been even more relevant to Q and his partner in crime, 0 (like that of which the reader will see with the Coulalakritous), and less to do with interplanetary warfare (unless that's what you're into). The range of characters introduced on behalf of 0 seems slightly wasted, as if they barely belonged in the book, let alone in "our" multiverse. 0 could have been so much more without relying on the counterparts of his gang.
As for the Enterprise crew, almost all of the characters seemed true to nature, with the exception of Captain Picard. I couldn't stand his portrayal in this book as a very seemingly one-dimensional character. Maybe that was Cox's intention since Q is supposed to be omnipotent and Cox could have been using Picard as a surrogate for the casual reader. However, it did not seem to mesh well until Q-Strike when we see Picard directing orders instead of following them.
But there are some good things about this trilogy:
- Cox makes a great use of fundamental astronomy and quantum physics.
- The back-stories are indeed revealing to the extent at which I can only guess was allowed at the time of publishing.
- He hits the nail on the head when it comes to the personality of Q, [Suzie Plakton's] Q, and the young devil-may-care Q.
- The "prologues" highlighting the crazed being lurking in the Galactic Barrier were delightfully frightful for the most part.
- He can write and make things seem smarter than what they are, though I have to admit I did develop a distaste for the word, "corporeal," after this book. But a little vocabulary elevation never hurt anyone.
- The battle between the supreme and omnipotent beings was relatively stimulating compared to the interplanetary warfare.
The Exclusive Interview at the end of the book was okay. It offered minimal insight about the Q Continuum and other novels Cox has written. I hoped for just a bit more insight, but what's in there will do.
I felt like this trilogy could have had a lot more incredible, omnipotent plot detail as opposed to the "potential" character detail. In Q-Space and for about 2/3's of Q-Zone, I found myself drifting in the vacuum of my own mind while reading about the mystery behind the Galactic Barrier. While the reader is allowed two main snippets of Q's troublesome past, I think he could have made more headway with the Q Continuum as this trilogy is so divinely named. However, there are more Q's than just Q featured in the book: There's Q. And Q. And Q. And q. And Quinn. That's about all of the continuum I know of from this book, aside from what fans have learned from TNG, DS9, and VOY - which the author often alludes to (as well as some features from TOS). So I suppose that makes some headway for the continuum. But I digress...
Q-Space had multiple "interludes" which could have been separated by a simple line or chapter break which would not have changed the overall effect of this portion of the book. Instead, I felt these interludes took away from this portion of the book, making it seem longer than it should have been. Seeing how I barely remember what happens in this portion of the book, I think it's safe to say there could have been more relevant detail as opposed to whatever my mind has already erased. It is the longest introduction I have ever read next to an Oxford Edition of The Art of War, but not half as bad. I believe this part can mainly be summed up as "present-day" background information and "an ominous warning from an omnipotent being."
Q-Zone, I think, begins to introduce the historical background of the Galactic Barrier as well as other insights, but never really reaches a conclusion until Q-Strike, when the book really starts to take off for me. I mean, it was interesting to learn about the Tkon Empire and what not from the first two portions of the book. Though, again, the details could have been even more relevant to Q and his partner in crime, 0 (like that of which the reader will see with the Coulalakritous), and less to do with interplanetary warfare (unless that's what you're into). The range of characters introduced on behalf of 0 seems slightly wasted, as if they barely belonged in the book, let alone in "our" multiverse. 0 could have been so much more without relying on the counterparts of his gang.
As for the Enterprise crew, almost all of the characters seemed true to nature, with the exception of Captain Picard. I couldn't stand his portrayal in this book as a very seemingly one-dimensional character. Maybe that was Cox's intention since Q is supposed to be omnipotent and Cox could have been using Picard as a surrogate for the casual reader. However, it did not seem to mesh well until Q-Strike when we see Picard directing orders instead of following them.
But there are some good things about this trilogy:
- Cox makes a great use of fundamental astronomy and quantum physics.
- The back-stories are indeed revealing to the extent at which I can only guess was allowed at the time of publishing.
- He hits the nail on the head when it comes to the personality of Q, [Suzie Plakton's] Q, and the young devil-may-care Q.
- The "prologues" highlighting the crazed being lurking in the Galactic Barrier were delightfully frightful for the most part.
- He can write and make things seem smarter than what they are, though I have to admit I did develop a distaste for the word, "corporeal," after this book. But a little vocabulary elevation never hurt anyone.
- The battle between the supreme and omnipotent beings was relatively stimulating compared to the interplanetary warfare.
The Exclusive Interview at the end of the book was okay. It offered minimal insight about the Q Continuum and other novels Cox has written. I hoped for just a bit more insight, but what's in there will do.
August 31, 2011
I started this book highly eager to learn the important secrets of the continuum that the TV series and movies never addressed, but I was soon disappointed and angry at the slow pace, irrelevant detail, and poorly conveyed beloved characters (although this did improve as the book went on...and on, and on...). This book was nearly 600 Nook-pages long. It could have easily been faster paced, and more informative about the Q continuum (which it wasn't at all) while still being hundreads of pages shorter. The author lost me so many times that it took me 6 weeks to read this. I might have given up entirely if it wouldn't have been wasted reading towards my Goodreads challenge. It sputtered back to life near the 500 page mark, but then failed me again.
While I really appreciated the tie-ins to post-NTG series and other nuances that only real fan would "get", these only served to hook me in at the begging of the book and leave me feeling tricked by the end. Reading this book felt like a cruel setup that I had to endure to get the few precious nuggets I was after. Only because of these nuggets, which are available nowhere else, and the tie-ins does this book get even 2 stars. Why did you do this to me Greg Cox?
While I really appreciated the tie-ins to post-NTG series and other nuances that only real fan would "get", these only served to hook me in at the begging of the book and leave me feeling tricked by the end. Reading this book felt like a cruel setup that I had to endure to get the few precious nuggets I was after. Only because of these nuggets, which are available nowhere else, and the tie-ins does this book get even 2 stars. Why did you do this to me Greg Cox?
July 30, 2016
The biggest problem with this trilogy is that there aren't three books worth of story.
As one book, this would have made a decent story, as a trilogy it drags so much that you lose interest and find yourself skimming because you see where most of its going and just want to get there.
I'm a big Trek fan, a bigger Q fan and really look forward to books featuring him, as there are no budget restraints and writers can go big and cosmic.
Plus, Greg Cox makes good use of Trek history and is a solid writer.
So, this was a bittersweet reading experience. When it works, it is a lot of fun, when it doesn't it is so by the numbers.
There is a decent attempt to balance the big, godlike stuff and the smaller efforts by the 'mere mortals', but it doesn't always work.
There's a huge flaw in the time travel element that nobody in the entire trilogy even bothers to ask about and there's a lesser plot hole concerning how some of the cosmic entities powers work that is answered with basically 'because I say so.'
It's very frustrating.
There are some really nice character moments, and great use of Trek history but the good parts add up to an unsatisfying, uneven whole.
Better than 'I, Q', but a bit of a stumble from a usually reliable writer.
As one book, this would have made a decent story, as a trilogy it drags so much that you lose interest and find yourself skimming because you see where most of its going and just want to get there.
I'm a big Trek fan, a bigger Q fan and really look forward to books featuring him, as there are no budget restraints and writers can go big and cosmic.
Plus, Greg Cox makes good use of Trek history and is a solid writer.
So, this was a bittersweet reading experience. When it works, it is a lot of fun, when it doesn't it is so by the numbers.
There is a decent attempt to balance the big, godlike stuff and the smaller efforts by the 'mere mortals', but it doesn't always work.
There's a huge flaw in the time travel element that nobody in the entire trilogy even bothers to ask about and there's a lesser plot hole concerning how some of the cosmic entities powers work that is answered with basically 'because I say so.'
It's very frustrating.
There are some really nice character moments, and great use of Trek history but the good parts add up to an unsatisfying, uneven whole.
Better than 'I, Q', but a bit of a stumble from a usually reliable writer.
January 7, 2012
The Q trilogy, in one volume ... I'm partial to Q, as a character (one of the more intriguing villains in the Star Trek universe, IMO) -- so I was thrilled to find this particular trilogy available on my new e-reader.
When an obsessive Betazoid scientist discovers a way to breach the Great Barrier, Q shows up and at first tries to bully Picard into backing down. Picard, however, refuses to be bullied -- so in an effort to persuade him, Q takes Picard on a journey through time that includes, among other things, the truth about the long-extinct Taguan civilization and a rink-side seat for the destruction of the T'Kon Empire.
In the meantime, Riker must contend with the single-minded scientist's obsession with completing his experiment while simultaneously defending the Enterprise from the Calamarain (not to mention Q's wife and son, an omnipotent toddler who gives new meaning to the expression "the terrible two's").
The narrative shows signs of splitting in some places, and Cox might have provided more connections between the two story lines. But in spite of that, I found it to be a very enjoyable read.
When an obsessive Betazoid scientist discovers a way to breach the Great Barrier, Q shows up and at first tries to bully Picard into backing down. Picard, however, refuses to be bullied -- so in an effort to persuade him, Q takes Picard on a journey through time that includes, among other things, the truth about the long-extinct Taguan civilization and a rink-side seat for the destruction of the T'Kon Empire.
In the meantime, Riker must contend with the single-minded scientist's obsession with completing his experiment while simultaneously defending the Enterprise from the Calamarain (not to mention Q's wife and son, an omnipotent toddler who gives new meaning to the expression "the terrible two's").
The narrative shows signs of splitting in some places, and Cox might have provided more connections between the two story lines. But in spite of that, I found it to be a very enjoyable read.
May 9, 2007
This book, is simply put, a Q fan's dream. It is actually made up of a trilogy that was seperately released - Q-Space, Q-Zone and Q-Strike. Though it has its sluggish moments and some relatively simple parts, it often makes up for that with the history of Q and the Q Continuum, spanning countless eons and even encompasses a great ancient war involving the Q (including a few other Q that we've met along the way of the shows!) The classic Q-type wit is mostly there, and most of the lines I can imagine John deLancie saying himself, which makes it all the more enjoyable. I've read this book numerous times and often pull it off of my shelf to read again.
June 24, 2018
If I could get it -5 I would. This book series was awful. From the bad characterization to the downright disappointing plot, I don't even know where to start.
It did get interesting when the Q started fighting 0 and his band, but that only lasted a chapter.
It did get interesting when the Q started fighting 0 and his band, but that only lasted a chapter.
March 31, 2011
My favorite of the books about Q. I liked the way it combined somethings all the way back to the original Star Trek.
September 28, 2013
Some of the best Star Trek fiction out there.
May 15, 2016
Long, and seemingly over-detailed, it actually references many episodes\movies. I enjoyed it.
April 30, 2019
*SOME SPOILERS*
This started out with such promise as I was immediately sucked into the Q Family Dramaᵀᴹ and the mystery of the Galactic Barrier, but as the story continue to unfold, it became more and more evident that there wasn't enough plot and substance to carry the momentum and the story's ideas forward. If you have already read reviews on here or on Amazon about this problem, where so much of it drones on and on in needless details and how it feels very stretched and tedious, you should listen them as they are absolutely right. Which is unfortunate because the ideas and concepts are really big and wonderful and it could have been a pretty hefty story if they had just taken the time to develop it more so that it would have more to say and to do. It felt almost like the story was being constrained by the expectations of what we would expect a "Star Trek story" to be like, rather than allowing it to expand and push those boundaries. In short, they should have just committed to this unorthodox concept completely - developed the new characters and their stories so we would feel more emotionally connected, gave us a more interesting and expansive look into the Tkon Empire and its downfall, and flesh out the concepts of 0 and his gang with more depth.
In fact, that is probably the main problem - the author was too intent on trying to connect various Star Trek entities with his story which inevitably constrained what he could actually do with them. It would have been wiser if he would have just kept this as a 0 vs Q story. The other entities actually made no noticeable difference to the plot since the whole climax just ended up being between 0 and Q anyway, so why have them there in the first place? 0 was actually much more mysterious and malicious when young Q first met him trapped in the In-between near the Guardian of Forever all alone. You didn't know where he came from or how he became trapped, and with the Guardian of Forever's ominous warnings, you truly felt like this could be an entity that could strike fear even in the Q Continuum itself. Yet he became almost laughable and clownish when he started "getting the ol' gang back together". The whole time I was reading this book I kept just thinking of these guys:
image:
For those of you who have read this book, once you see it you can't unsee it. Haha. But I mean seriously, I wouldn't have exactly been looking to use material from Star Trek The Final Frontier - with its cheesy and childish caricature of a patriarchal Old Testament "God". How could you take any entity, even an all-powerful omnipotent one, seriously if he aligns himself with such a comical character? I would have been much more impressed and terrified of who and what 0 was if he had just taken on the destruction and torment of the Tkon Empire himself. As it is, that whole section of the story just dragged needlessly and was dreadfully boring. I just skipped most of it, actually. And that is such a shame, because I saw what the author was trying to do here and I appreciated the concept. 0 could have been a provocative and terrifying multi-dimensional villain bringing true chaos and horror that would turn the stomache of even one such as Q, but as it was, 0 and his gang were basically just interdimensional space thugs.
I also don't understand why this book was written the way it was, with copious amounts of pointless internal monologuing of the various characters on the events transpiring before them. It was almost like watching paint dry with how tedious it was for the characters to reason out every little aspect to the events and how they would respond and what it could mean. It slowed all the action, which could have been very intense and suspenseful, to a very painful crawl. Instead of being eager to read what was going to happen next, you just wanted the chapters to be over and done with us you slog through the character's thoughts to the point you just want them to DO something already!
The climax, however, almost made the whole thing worth it as the various plot points, the unflappable Picard, and the dubious Q come together for a pretty satisfying conclusion. And if you love anything having to do with Q and the Q Continuum as much as I do, you will enjoy the trek into Q's past which is as entertaining and enlightening as you would imagine. I mean Q and Picard sniping at each other like an old married couple as they travel through the fabric of spacetime and watch a transdimensional space drama unfold is just Quality A+ Material right there.
Also, BABY Q.
To have a little omnipotent toddler running amok on the Enterprise is just ADORABLE and this is honestly the kind of content I'm here for. The relationship Q has with his son just melts my heart into a giant puddle of primordial mess, so any chance to have him interact with him and his Lady Q is always very much appreciated.
Another hilarious point that delighted me to no end was whenever the Q Family would appear before Picard or Riker in the Enterprise uniform and high ranking, literally EVER SINGLE TIME both Picard and Riker had to internally comment about how that uniform and rank were "unearned", and how it rankled them to see the Qs wearing them. I then rewatched Deja Q the other night, and at the end when Q gets his powers back and snaps out of his mariachi band costume into the Enterprise uniform both Picard and Riker simultaneously look at his uniform with obvious disapproval and disdain! I about died. I could just HEAR their internal monologue. I am like, omg you guys! This is EXACTLY why Q does what he does! You are such easy targets. 😂
This started out with such promise as I was immediately sucked into the Q Family Dramaᵀᴹ and the mystery of the Galactic Barrier, but as the story continue to unfold, it became more and more evident that there wasn't enough plot and substance to carry the momentum and the story's ideas forward. If you have already read reviews on here or on Amazon about this problem, where so much of it drones on and on in needless details and how it feels very stretched and tedious, you should listen them as they are absolutely right. Which is unfortunate because the ideas and concepts are really big and wonderful and it could have been a pretty hefty story if they had just taken the time to develop it more so that it would have more to say and to do. It felt almost like the story was being constrained by the expectations of what we would expect a "Star Trek story" to be like, rather than allowing it to expand and push those boundaries. In short, they should have just committed to this unorthodox concept completely - developed the new characters and their stories so we would feel more emotionally connected, gave us a more interesting and expansive look into the Tkon Empire and its downfall, and flesh out the concepts of 0 and his gang with more depth.
In fact, that is probably the main problem - the author was too intent on trying to connect various Star Trek entities with his story which inevitably constrained what he could actually do with them. It would have been wiser if he would have just kept this as a 0 vs Q story. The other entities actually made no noticeable difference to the plot since the whole climax just ended up being between 0 and Q anyway, so why have them there in the first place? 0 was actually much more mysterious and malicious when young Q first met him trapped in the In-between near the Guardian of Forever all alone. You didn't know where he came from or how he became trapped, and with the Guardian of Forever's ominous warnings, you truly felt like this could be an entity that could strike fear even in the Q Continuum itself. Yet he became almost laughable and clownish when he started "getting the ol' gang back together". The whole time I was reading this book I kept just thinking of these guys:
image:
For those of you who have read this book, once you see it you can't unsee it. Haha. But I mean seriously, I wouldn't have exactly been looking to use material from Star Trek The Final Frontier - with its cheesy and childish caricature of a patriarchal Old Testament "God". How could you take any entity, even an all-powerful omnipotent one, seriously if he aligns himself with such a comical character? I would have been much more impressed and terrified of who and what 0 was if he had just taken on the destruction and torment of the Tkon Empire himself. As it is, that whole section of the story just dragged needlessly and was dreadfully boring. I just skipped most of it, actually. And that is such a shame, because I saw what the author was trying to do here and I appreciated the concept. 0 could have been a provocative and terrifying multi-dimensional villain bringing true chaos and horror that would turn the stomache of even one such as Q, but as it was, 0 and his gang were basically just interdimensional space thugs.
I also don't understand why this book was written the way it was, with copious amounts of pointless internal monologuing of the various characters on the events transpiring before them. It was almost like watching paint dry with how tedious it was for the characters to reason out every little aspect to the events and how they would respond and what it could mean. It slowed all the action, which could have been very intense and suspenseful, to a very painful crawl. Instead of being eager to read what was going to happen next, you just wanted the chapters to be over and done with us you slog through the character's thoughts to the point you just want them to DO something already!
The climax, however, almost made the whole thing worth it as the various plot points, the unflappable Picard, and the dubious Q come together for a pretty satisfying conclusion. And if you love anything having to do with Q and the Q Continuum as much as I do, you will enjoy the trek into Q's past which is as entertaining and enlightening as you would imagine. I mean Q and Picard sniping at each other like an old married couple as they travel through the fabric of spacetime and watch a transdimensional space drama unfold is just Quality A+ Material right there.
Also, BABY Q.
To have a little omnipotent toddler running amok on the Enterprise is just ADORABLE and this is honestly the kind of content I'm here for. The relationship Q has with his son just melts my heart into a giant puddle of primordial mess, so any chance to have him interact with him and his Lady Q is always very much appreciated.
Another hilarious point that delighted me to no end was whenever the Q Family would appear before Picard or Riker in the Enterprise uniform and high ranking, literally EVER SINGLE TIME both Picard and Riker had to internally comment about how that uniform and rank were "unearned", and how it rankled them to see the Qs wearing them. I then rewatched Deja Q the other night, and at the end when Q gets his powers back and snaps out of his mariachi band costume into the Enterprise uniform both Picard and Riker simultaneously look at his uniform with obvious disapproval and disdain! I about died. I could just HEAR their internal monologue. I am like, omg you guys! This is EXACTLY why Q does what he does! You are such easy targets. 😂
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