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Stargate SG-1 #11
The Barque of Heaven
The Stargate SG-1 team find themselves transported to a world where they must solve a series of riddles and avoid deadly traps in order to travel home. Pursued by Goa'uld and Jaffa, it is a race against death to the finish line.
357 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 25, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 11, 2012
As much as I adore the television series, I was dubious about these tie-in books. I was convinced the authors of these books would fail at capturing the essence of the show or, most unforgivable, poorly portray the characters and their dynamics. I was desperate for more Stargatey goodness, though, so I scoured the reviews on Amazon and finally settled on "Barque of Heaven" as my intro to the Fandemonium series.
The verdict: excellent.
Not only does author Suzanne Wood capture everything that I love about Stargate, she also writes a darn good story. Reading "Barque of Heaven" really is like watching the show: a goodly amount of action, well-timed humor, enough detail to lend authentication, and the perfect blend of otherworldly science fiction with thoughtful mythology. Best of all, Wood absolutely does justice to our favorite foursome. Each of the main characters receive the same amount of attention, resulting in a balanced narrative of multiple perspectives. I would have enjoyed this book even if I had never heard of Stargate.
The verdict: excellent.
Not only does author Suzanne Wood capture everything that I love about Stargate, she also writes a darn good story. Reading "Barque of Heaven" really is like watching the show: a goodly amount of action, well-timed humor, enough detail to lend authentication, and the perfect blend of otherworldly science fiction with thoughtful mythology. Best of all, Wood absolutely does justice to our favorite foursome. Each of the main characters receive the same amount of attention, resulting in a balanced narrative of multiple perspectives. I would have enjoyed this book even if I had never heard of Stargate.
January 1, 2010
I was surprised to find out that this is Suzanne Wood's first novel. It's well thought out, nailed the characters and team dynamics dead on. I especially enjoyed the way she's written Daniel Jackson. If you're a fan of the show, the book is a great read. If you've never seen the show, some things might confuse you as the author doesn't particularly explain the characters' backgrounds as well as the Goa'uld (but a reader, even one unfamiliar to Stargate SG1 and its mythology can definitely put two and two together themselves upon reading the details she did include), but overall it doesn't hinder the story much. The story was interesting and one I wouldn't mind seeing transferred on screen, however there were a few downsides, in particular to the ending and resolution. However for a first novel, well done and I only wish more writers can learn to write SG1 as well as Suzanne Wood managed.
September 7, 2019
Most excellent read this one.
You get swept up into the Trial of Moons, and before you know it, you're almost actively helping SG-1 gate from one planet to the next, anxious when they seem to take too long to get back to the stargate or miss out on finding the address or password to the next planet.
No spoilers here, but this book is a great way of showing what could have been just one of the consequences of killing Ra.
Also, I'm particularly pleased to see the use of the Egyptian names of the gods as opposed to the more commonly known Greek names.
I highly reccommend this book to all SG-1 fans.
You get swept up into the Trial of Moons, and before you know it, you're almost actively helping SG-1 gate from one planet to the next, anxious when they seem to take too long to get back to the stargate or miss out on finding the address or password to the next planet.
No spoilers here, but this book is a great way of showing what could have been just one of the consequences of killing Ra.
Also, I'm particularly pleased to see the use of the Egyptian names of the gods as opposed to the more commonly known Greek names.
I highly reccommend this book to all SG-1 fans.
September 20, 2013
Well-written, good use of the team and its dynamics; they're not all split up and worrying about each other ad nauseum but working together as a cohesive unit. In character, plausible - I like it! I might have wanted a little bit more at the end, but then I may be spoiled by fan fiction.
June 26, 2021
While I liked the premise and found the story quite interesting at first, it quickly got very repetitive. Unlike most quests, the goal was always the same. Once you’ve read the quest of the chapter twice, it starts to get old, even if the way to reach that goal changes by a tiny bit every single time.
Also unlike typical team quest stories, everything relied on one member of the team rather than having all the characters contribute their strengths and talents. As a book that should be centred around the entire team, this was far too focused on Daniel and almost every single part of the quest would not have been solved without him. It’s all about the action and Daniel’s knowledge of Ancient Egypt and the Goa’uld. The other characters are really just side characters or sounding boards to his greatness, a real Daniel love fest which did not at all feel like an actual SG-1 episode.
This was particularly at the detriment of Sam, who was at best useless (Sam Carter, useless?!), at worst trodden down to enhance Daniel’s gloom and doom and amazingness. How many times has Sam saved SG-1’s butts off-world? She might as well not have been in this novel; it really would not have made the slightest difference.
This novel generally swings wildly between moments which are in character but an overall feeling of everyone being out of character or the fanfic version of the characters, starting with how much Jack touches Daniel. Sure, they’re affectionate when there’s big stuff happening, which is great, but in this book, Jack is constantly touching Daniel.
Also unlike typical team quest stories, everything relied on one member of the team rather than having all the characters contribute their strengths and talents. As a book that should be centred around the entire team, this was far too focused on Daniel and almost every single part of the quest would not have been solved without him. It’s all about the action and Daniel’s knowledge of Ancient Egypt and the Goa’uld. The other characters are really just side characters or sounding boards to his greatness, a real Daniel love fest which did not at all feel like an actual SG-1 episode.
This was particularly at the detriment of Sam, who was at best useless (Sam Carter, useless?!), at worst trodden down to enhance Daniel’s gloom and doom and amazingness. How many times has Sam saved SG-1’s butts off-world? She might as well not have been in this novel; it really would not have made the slightest difference.
This novel generally swings wildly between moments which are in character but an overall feeling of everyone being out of character or the fanfic version of the characters, starting with how much Jack touches Daniel. Sure, they’re affectionate when there’s big stuff happening, which is great, but in this book, Jack is constantly touching Daniel.
February 25, 2012
I'll be honest. I was more than a little timid about reading this book. After all, it's one thing to be into a TV show, and something else entirely to start reading fanon novels.
My doubts were more than subdued. "Barque" is a good story, one with enough plot, character development, and interesting elements for me to like it based on its own merit, not its connection to SG-1. As others have said before me, it does a good job at staying consistent with the canon, while still managing to add to our understanding.My favorite parts involved the Egyptian mythology. Ms. Wood certainly knows her stuff!
Overall, highly recommended to any Stargate fans and anyone else brave enough to give it a try.
My doubts were more than subdued. "Barque" is a good story, one with enough plot, character development, and interesting elements for me to like it based on its own merit, not its connection to SG-1. As others have said before me, it does a good job at staying consistent with the canon, while still managing to add to our understanding.My favorite parts involved the Egyptian mythology. Ms. Wood certainly knows her stuff!
Overall, highly recommended to any Stargate fans and anyone else brave enough to give it a try.
July 18, 2015
Not bad for a first novel
The plot was really interesting and kept things moving. Thought the characters were slightly off, particularly Carter, but nothing that was so distracting as to make me want to put it down.
The plot was really interesting and kept things moving. Thought the characters were slightly off, particularly Carter, but nothing that was so distracting as to make me want to put it down.
May 30, 2015
Started out slow, but really picked up later on. As always the humor was amazing ;)
November 7, 2019
This story takes place after the Deadman's Switch episode.
SG-1 has been given a gate address from the Tok' ra that they're told was an old base of Ra. After they arrive the discover that when they dial, the chevron's will light up, but no wormhole will form.
After looking at the surrounding structures they learn that it was indeed a planet controlled by Ra, but it's also the start of a trial that Ra set up long ago. They have to solve a puzzle to obtain a gate address for the next planet. During the next challenge they also discover they will need a password as well in order to continue on for a total of thirteen planets. Oh, and they have to complete them before the timer ends or be trapped forever on the planet. And if that's not enough, they've each been injected with a sort of tracker that will kill them if they leave the planet before finishing. It's a particularly nasty ending which they get to witness as someone from a previous challenge follows them through the gate.
There's a very good amount of action as well as Daniel doing what he does. At one point they're able to contact the SGC by the use of a Goa'uld communication ball. Jacob has shown up and tells them that years ago a Tok' ra agent did complete the trial and they can neutralize the tracker and they've got a ship on the way. However, due to one of the challenges Teal'c's symbiote is out of action and if he leaves, he'll die. SG-1 chooses to continue the trials.
It's a well written book, great pacing, and we're only in season three so the team has that bond and we see that along with each of their particular traits and characteristics shining through.
SG-1 has been given a gate address from the Tok' ra that they're told was an old base of Ra. After they arrive the discover that when they dial, the chevron's will light up, but no wormhole will form.
After looking at the surrounding structures they learn that it was indeed a planet controlled by Ra, but it's also the start of a trial that Ra set up long ago. They have to solve a puzzle to obtain a gate address for the next planet. During the next challenge they also discover they will need a password as well in order to continue on for a total of thirteen planets. Oh, and they have to complete them before the timer ends or be trapped forever on the planet. And if that's not enough, they've each been injected with a sort of tracker that will kill them if they leave the planet before finishing. It's a particularly nasty ending which they get to witness as someone from a previous challenge follows them through the gate.
There's a very good amount of action as well as Daniel doing what he does. At one point they're able to contact the SGC by the use of a Goa'uld communication ball. Jacob has shown up and tells them that years ago a Tok' ra agent did complete the trial and they can neutralize the tracker and they've got a ship on the way. However, due to one of the challenges Teal'c's symbiote is out of action and if he leaves, he'll die. SG-1 chooses to continue the trials.
It's a well written book, great pacing, and we're only in season three so the team has that bond and we see that along with each of their particular traits and characteristics shining through.
March 10, 2020
To be honest, I couldn't finish it, but I still feel that I read (too) far enough to make a judgement: holy terrible.
Can I swear the author wouldn't write good stories in her own universe? No, I guess not. But a lot of it was just stereotypical character-type writing. It really, honestly felt like the author had not seen a single episode, beyond maybe the first. And was just mimicking "the studious nerd" and "the thoughtful warrior" and etc., with no concept of who those characters actually are.
I finally got fed up when, on an alien planet, Jack (the armchair astronomer with his own telescope) needs astronomy lessons from the physicist. Because... she didn't know who the character are. And then the advice/commentary revolves around whether they could see the same constellations from another planet. Aaaaand the answer wasn't no, I slapped my forehead, resulting in the book flying into the nearby incinerator (actually, I dumped it at a Little Free Library, because maybe a kid will enjoy it) and I vowed to scratch an author off my list.
Yeesh.
Can I swear the author wouldn't write good stories in her own universe? No, I guess not. But a lot of it was just stereotypical character-type writing. It really, honestly felt like the author had not seen a single episode, beyond maybe the first. And was just mimicking "the studious nerd" and "the thoughtful warrior" and etc., with no concept of who those characters actually are.
I finally got fed up when, on an alien planet, Jack (the armchair astronomer with his own telescope) needs astronomy lessons from the physicist. Because... she didn't know who the character are. And then the advice/commentary revolves around whether they could see the same constellations from another planet. Aaaaand the answer wasn't no, I slapped my forehead, resulting in the book flying into the nearby incinerator (actually, I dumped it at a Little Free Library, because maybe a kid will enjoy it) and I vowed to scratch an author off my list.
Yeesh.
August 5, 2018
MUCH too long. I was into it at the very beginning, after the first couple of worlds I kind of started wanting them to hurry along, and by the end of it I was so tired of it, I wanted to break something. If there was some point to these trials, some connective tissue that held it all together beyond "and then they went to this planet and did this thing, and it was very difficult, but they managed to get out in the nick of time to go to the next world in the sequence" repeated 13 times, I might be able to give it a bit more benefit of the doubt. As is, they should have been dead 13 times over, and I can't imagine anyone else with any training ever being able to clear the course. That really pulled me out of it. And if it had some satisfactory ending, that might have been one thing, but it was just pointless, and didn't amount to much.
March 3, 2021
Perfect SG-1 novel. Great team interactions, solid characterization (Carter seemed a wee bit off but still good), and lots of danger and peril for the whole team (and ensuing hurt/comfort, esp relating to Daniel, which I am always here for :D)! PLUS it addressed several plot holes from the show that I hadn’t even considered!
It was fantastic - I’m just sad the author didn’t write any more novel-length SG-1 stories! This is my fave out of the 6 or so I’ve read so far, and I don’t think any others could beat it.
It was fantastic - I’m just sad the author didn’t write any more novel-length SG-1 stories! This is my fave out of the 6 or so I’ve read so far, and I don’t think any others could beat it.
January 21, 2025
This is the best of the tie-in novels that I’ve read. Good paced story that you can see, and dialogue you can hear the characters saying. All the team gets their own viewpoint, and there’s no hint of romance between Jack and Sam, which has annoyed me about other books so I’m glad there’s none here. Instead, it’s a good team story and we finally get to find out why the bounty hunter Aris Boch had the completely wrong idea about Daniel in the show.
May 1, 2019
4.5 stars. I had so much fun reading this. The actual story and the setting are really interesting and I never wanted to put the book down and wanted to see what the next planet would be like. Towards the end the story becomes really intense and I just had to keep reading. I also really loved how the friendships between everyone on the team were portrayed. Really happy I picked this one to read.
February 26, 2021
This one started off really good but my interest petered off before it finished. I thought the characters were great and the premise was too. I liked the "how you got here" explanation but later on I wasn't impressed with the bit about "slicing off a piece of life". Nonetheless this was a really good story overall.
September 19, 2021
This one is the best SG-1 novel I've read so far. It's more descriptive than the others, and has the fun banter of the show. It has some action, but a good amount of adventure, which I love more. It's also darker, but not too dark. There's a sweet scene between all four of them where they bond by speaking vulnerably.
July 3, 2018
An entertaining read
I was nervous when I read the synopsis. The story could easily become a slog as the team faces puzzle after puzzle, but the author manages to make it interesting and entertaining throughout. It feels very connected to the Stargate canon, as well.
I was nervous when I read the synopsis. The story could easily become a slog as the team faces puzzle after puzzle, but the author manages to make it interesting and entertaining throughout. It feels very connected to the Stargate canon, as well.
April 4, 2019
Wow! A thrilling roller-coaster adventure from start to finish!!
July 28, 2019
This was so good!! So many amazing team moments, whump, Danny whump, protective Jack, Sam and Teal'c and everyone all helping each other . . . so good.
Also, was Bes an Ancient?
Also, was Bes an Ancient?
October 20, 2019
I love, love, love this book! It’s my favorite in the series so far!!!
February 17, 2021
Wow!!! Great concept. Great execution.
January 12, 2022
Fun read
I could well imagine this book being an episode of SG1. The author does the characters justice, which is always a concern with novels based on a TV series.
I could well imagine this book being an episode of SG1. The author does the characters justice, which is always a concern with novels based on a TV series.
February 20, 2024
Good read
The pace is fast through the entire story with rollercoaster emotions following on. Characters are believable. Well worth the read.
The pace is fast through the entire story with rollercoaster emotions following on. Characters are believable. Well worth the read.
May 16, 2024
VERY satisfied! I really enjoyed the story. SG -1 is one of my favorites.
October 6, 2025
I need this book injected into my blood stream every 2-6 weeks. Straight in the vein.
If you are a Daniel girl, this is it. This is the one. 10/10.
If you are a Daniel girl, this is it. This is the one. 10/10.
February 6, 2025
This story takes place during 3rd season. You definitely need to know the series up to that point, but not the previous book.
The story itself is pretty exciting. As can be seen from the summary, they are going from planet to planet in a test. It's very hard to stop reading, because you keep wondering how they are going to get the address and password to the next gate, and when they go through, what's going to be the next challenge. Though there are more exciting planets than others, but if we were talking about actual people, then they would be all dead halfway through.
The characterization is generally good, but O'Neill feels a bit off. On the one hand, he says these nicknames that I can't remember him doing in the show. He calls Daniel "Danny" sometimes, and Teal'c "T". I took off half a star for that. My actual rating is 3.5 stars.
What it also lacked for me was Carter. She seems to be sometimes forgotten. The guys all have something going on, but Carter feels like she's just dragged along.
Overall, an enjoyable story, exciting, and interesting. Good entertainment.
The story itself is pretty exciting. As can be seen from the summary, they are going from planet to planet in a test. It's very hard to stop reading, because you keep wondering how they are going to get the address and password to the next gate, and when they go through, what's going to be the next challenge. Though there are more exciting planets than others, but if we were talking about actual people, then they would be all dead halfway through.
The characterization is generally good, but O'Neill feels a bit off. On the one hand, he says these nicknames that I can't remember him doing in the show. He calls Daniel "Danny" sometimes, and Teal'c "T". I took off half a star for that. My actual rating is 3.5 stars.
What it also lacked for me was Carter. She seems to be sometimes forgotten. The guys all have something going on, but Carter feels like she's just dragged along.
Overall, an enjoyable story, exciting, and interesting. Good entertainment.
March 24, 2015
What a wonder surprise! I've never read any fan fiction before, and admittedly even looked down on it. I'm a long time fan of the Stargate franchise, and have been re-living all the SG-1 episodes on Amazon Prime. I'm coming up on the end up season 10, have already re-watched SGA and SGU, so thought I'd risk a fan book to keep the love alive. A little Goodreads research told me Barque of Heaven was my best bet, and I wasn't disappointed for a second. Suzanne Wood has done an amazing job with the dialog. Speech patterns exactly matched what I have come to expect from each character, and I could hear their voices in my head as I read. It was an immersive experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. Now for some more Goodreads research to choose the next book. I hope I'm lucky enough to find more that portray the characters so well.
Read
July 4, 2009One of the best books I read dealing with Stargate SG-1. It was like reading an action packed episode, and I never wanted to put it down. However, I did notice the way she wrote the characters seemed to suggest a closer relationship between Sam and Daniel than I thought the show had evidence for.
I could hear the characters in my head, when she wrote it, and I haven't seen the show in a while.
The writer must have thoroughly researched her stuff, in order to know Egyptian mythology so well. I was impressed. If she writes any more Stargate SG-1 books, I'll be sure to look them up.
I could hear the characters in my head, when she wrote it, and I haven't seen the show in a while.
The writer must have thoroughly researched her stuff, in order to know Egyptian mythology so well. I was impressed. If she writes any more Stargate SG-1 books, I'll be sure to look them up.
July 27, 2011
A very good Stargate novel, well written, great concept and the characters were written as they are in the series.
The plot tries to rectify the inconsistencies between the series and the original movie regarding Ra, and does so very well. It's an interesting take on it and does make it all fit together much better. The attention to detail was good as well, particularly with the 'gate symbol names which have only been briefly mentioned so far in Stargate.
Plenty of action and some great character moments.
The plot tries to rectify the inconsistencies between the series and the original movie regarding Ra, and does so very well. It's an interesting take on it and does make it all fit together much better. The attention to detail was good as well, particularly with the 'gate symbol names which have only been briefly mentioned so far in Stargate.
Plenty of action and some great character moments.
January 1, 2022
I consider this one the very best SG novel, to date, to have been published by Fandemonium. Wood, almost entirely throughout, with a small number of misses, got the team dynamic down, especially their friendship and family ties to each other. Interesting story. Pretty well written. Less typos than normal. It was a good day. Good story. Will definitely read again.
2021: Really does hold up well. Very creative, especially for the Fandemonium series. Fun.
2021: Really does hold up well. Very creative, especially for the Fandemonium series. Fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews