Books

I read…a lot. Here’s where I ramble about books and printed media.

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📚 forty of 2020: A Call to Darkness by Michael Jan Friedman ⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng 🖖

Almost a standard 3-star “stranded in primitive conditions/‘Bread and Circuses’ variant” adventure, but had some really weird oversights that knocked a star off.

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📚 thirty-nine of 2020: Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1969 Hugo Best Novel

While it was good, it was so tough right now to read a cynical dystopian novel about overpopulation, eugenics, and colonialism, featuring endemic racism and sexism, that it was a real slog.

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📚 thirty-eight of 2020: The Captains’ Honor by David and Daniel Dvorkin ⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng

Somehow the Roman gladiator planet from TOS has become a full member of the Federation, with a Starfleet ship crewed entirely by these neo-Romans. It does not go well.

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📚 thirty-seven of 2020: Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids by Isaac Asimov ⭐️⭐️

Even for this series of ‘50s YA space adventures, a bit underwhelming. A key point basically depends on magic, and has a twist that is painfully obvious very early on.

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📚 thirty-six of 2020: Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus by Isaac Asimov ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s ‘50s pulp young-adult space adventure. Quality? Accurate? Progressive? Nope. But for what it is, it serves just fine. Plus, you know, telepathic Venusian frogs.

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📚 thirty-five of 2020: Masks by John Vornholt ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng 🖖

Given current events, it’s kind of amusing to be reading a Trek adventure in a society where everyone wears masks at all times, and their status is determined by the type and quality of their mask.

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📚 thirty-four of 2020: Power Hungry by Howard Weinstein ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng 🖖

Much better than the last one. While the environmental themes are pretty heavy-handed, it’s nice to find a Trek novel where everything isn’t wrapped up neatly with a bow by the end.

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📚 thirty-three of 2020: Strike Zone by Peter David ⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng

Can’t decide if it wants to be comedic or serious, and has wildly out-of-character (or ridiculously exaggerated) moments for nearly every main character. Amusing moments, but not a good Trek novel.

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📚 thirty-two of 2020: Survivors by Jean Lorrah ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #startrek #tng

Explores Tasha Yar’s past, her reconciliation with parts of that past shortly before her death, and her relationship with Data. Despite having some early-novel oddities, this one was a bit above average. 🖖