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Swimming through the nothingness that fills the distance between
the seas of stars, the Enterprise holds its course,
towards adventure, towards danger, towards the future...
Star
Trek: the Next Generation: The Sky's the Limit is a new
collection from some of the best Trek writers around.
The book contains thirteen self contained Next Generation
stories, with an excerpt from the Star Trek manga.
Each
of the stories has a piece at the front to place the stories
in their correct historical place as well as a write up on
each author.
The
book opens with Meet With Triumph and Disaster by Michael
Schuster and Steve Mollmann, which details the story of Captain
Thomas Halloway, who oversaw the construction of the Enterprise
D and should have been its first Captain. Although the
story contains little in the way of action it is a well written
character piece.
Acts
of Compassion by Dayton and Kevin Dilmore is a Yar and
Crusher story. During the delicate peace negotiations between
the Federation and the Cardassians, they have to travel deep
into Cardassian territory to rescues injured Starfleet personnel.
Thematically this is a re-visitation to Kirk's problems with
trusting the Klingons. Given their history, can both sides
put away their animosity, or will old prejudices put Yar and
Crusher in danger?
Redshift
by Richard C. White is a Pulaski story. Although it hung on
a structure of the Enterprise
being attacked, this is another character piece and will please
fans of the Data/Pulaski problem. The story also has the added
benefit of humanising the good doctor; I often felt that in
the show she was portrayed as a one dimensional character,
so it's nice to have some insight into what was going on in
her head.
Among
the Clouds by Scott Pearson is a real attempt to portray
an alien civilisation. When the Enterprise picks up
a distress call that is hundreds of years old, although they
are too late to avert the disaster, they are surprised by
what they find. Not to be outdone in having a particular individual
carry the bulk of the story Pearson has plumped for Geordi.
Thinking
of You by Greg Cox takes Ro Laren, Reg Barclay and throws
in Lwaxana Troi for a story that centres around terrorists.
Rather than learning any great new depths of understanding
of the characters this is a much more straight forward action
adventure tale, nothing wrong with that.
Turncoats
by Susan Shwartz and this time we have Ensign Stefan DeSeve
in another rip roaring action story of sacrifice and Romulans.
Ordinary
Days by James Swallow and what would at first seem to
be an odd choice, a Wesley story, actually turns out to be
very enjoyable. If only he could have been this well written
in the show he wouldn't have turned out to be the Adric of
Star Trek.
Twould
Ring the Bells of Heaven by Amy Sisson and another successful
attempt at portraying a truly alien life form as Troi takes
command of her first away mission, with Data at her side.
Friends
with the Sparrows by Christopher L. Bennett and following
the events in Generations
Data first goes a little weird and then decides to go a lot
weird. It's a story that is unusual for Star Trek,
but well written and well worth a slice of your time. You
could take out the references to Trek and this would
still be a good science fiction story.
Suicide
Note by Geoff Trowbridge and finally someone has gotten
around to telling us what happened to Jarok's note to his
family. I found this a very touching story as Picard returns
to Jarok's family to fulfil his promise, although the reception
that he gets is not the one that he was expecting.
Four
Lights by Keith R. A. DeCandido sees DeCandido on top
form. The Enterprise picks up survivors from a Cardassian
ship in distress, only for Picard to discover that one of
the passengers is the self same Madred who had tortured him.
Did he break him, well Decandido cleverly leaves that up to
the reader.
'Til
Death by Bob Ingersoll & Thomas F. Zahler and finally
Riker gets a look in. Obviously being Riker, this is an action
adventure romp. So, if you want to know how to cure a dirty
great hole in your trunk, then look no further.
On
the Spot by David A. McIntee is a Worf and Spot the cat
story, I kid you not. The Enterprise is invaded, can
Spot repel them? The story is not as silly as it sounds and
is really about Worf coming to terms with the fact that warriors
can come in all shapes and sizes.
Trust
Yourself When all Men Doubt You
by Michael Schuster & Steve Mollmann is the bookend story,
the clue is in the title as both plunder the same poem and
tell us what really happened to Captain Thomas Halloway and
no, I won't spoil it by telling you.
The
book is rounded off with a fairly unimpressive manga version
of Trek.
So
another good collection for Next Gen fans, without
a dog amongst the stories. There is enough variety here that
everyone should find something they like.
Charles
Packer
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