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Star Trek: The Next Generation #26
The Romulan Prize
Hermeticus 2 is a planet so shrouded in secrecy that few in the Federation even know of its existence. When a Romulan spy learns of the world, it becomes the centerpiece of a far-reaching Romulan plan. On routine patrol near the border of the Neutral Zone, the "Starship Enterprise" TM discovers an advanced Romulan Warbird prototype drifting lifeless in space. Investigating the vessel, Captain Picard is drawn into a plot that threatens the very foundation of the Federation. Now, with time running out, Captain Picard and the crew of the "U.S.S. Enterprise" must stop the Romulans before the deadly secret of Hermeticus 2 overwhelms them all.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
About the author
Simon Hawke
92 books226 followersaka J.D. Masters, Nicholas V. Yermakov
He was born Nicholas Valentin Yermakov, but began writing as Simon Hawke in 1984 and later changed his legal name to Hawke. He has also written near future adventure novels under the penname "J. D. Masters" and mystery novels.
He was born Nicholas Valentin Yermakov, but began writing as Simon Hawke in 1984 and later changed his legal name to Hawke. He has also written near future adventure novels under the penname "J. D. Masters" and mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 21, 2021
Now this is Star Trek as I've come to expect it. A convoluted plot, compelling writing, a despicable villain, exciting interstellar life...what's not to like?
August 18, 2015
This is it. This is THE book that started me down the path of reading prose fiction as an adult.
I’d read all sorts of stuff as a kid, but in my teenage years had decided that fiction was for other people. My reading time was dedicated to higher pursuits. Namely, non-fiction.
I didn't think I was being an ass at the time.
But one of the things I loved loved loved in the world was TNG. I could not get enough of Picard and the gang. I worked at a gas station at the time, graveyard shift. The nights were long and full of boredom. There was this little metal box embedded next to the entranceway that served as the 'transaction nexus' at night. I sat behind bulletproof glass and waited on customers who came to the window. If they wanted something and it would fit through the pass-through box in the window, then I would sell it to them.
Long-necked glass beer bottles (6 packs) would not fit. Short-necked ones would. No one believed me. People would demand I pass them bottle one at a time if they were too big, or they would offer me ‘favors’ for making sure they got their stuff.
Sexual favors, monetary favors, whatever. It’s so weird having a position of power. I can see why it corrupts. People can get desperate for some Ho-Ho’s in 3 a.m. and are sometimes willing to do anything for them.
I didn’t abuse my power, fyi, I just did my job. Pretty much incorruptible, was I. I liked people, they liked me. If it was illegal I wouldn’t do it. And if someone offered me something under the table I wouldn’t accept.
In retrospect, I was a moron.
Whatever. In the place and time I worked, alcohol sales were cut off at 3 a.m. every evening. Things tended to slow down after midnight (aside from that 2:59 rush every night), the place became as quit as a tomb. I mention that this now, because I might be giving the wrong impression here. For a gas station, it was big. It was huge actually. It was the whole convenience store on one side, and a very large video rental place on the other - we even had our own porn room behind some saloon doors (and yes, if someone wanted to rent a movie - I'd have to go check to see if it was in). But I still camped out in a locked building, every night, and wandered the place, alone.
Just me and the crickets. Every night. I would mop, clean the coffee machines, bag ice, stock the cooler, I’d do it all. And that would take me maybe an hour. The rest of the night I was pretty bored.
So I started reading. Again, it was a Star Trek life for me outside of work, well, aside from my social life, I guess. I think I was pretty popular, I don’t know. Get off my back about it. Sheesh.
Whatever, I’m just saying that those long nights got real long. I worked this 10 hour night shift, 4 days per week. It was pretty great because I would work the last 4 days of one week, then the first four of the next – my work schedule was 8 days on, 6 days off. It was awesome.
Except after I’d been working for 5 or 6 days consecutively, then it wasn’t so great.
But, whatever. I had decided to start reading at work to pass the time, and when I was wondering around the book store one evening I saw this novel, with the face of Picard, and a Romulan Warbird… let’s just say I was intrigued.
It didn’t take me long to where I was running around and trying to find every Star Trek book I could get my hands on. It’s funny it turned out the way it did, I found that of the numbered TNG books, there weren’t that many I really enjoyed. If I’d picked one of the other ones up first, my love affair of reading, and writing, fiction, might never have been rekindled.
So here I am, just standing here, a guy with a book, 20 years or more after that fateful day. And I’ve given this one another go. It helps that I started (as I’ve mentioned before in other book reviews) rewatching TNG. I was doing it as part of a project where I was going to review every episode. I’m still doing that, but the missus ended up getting very hooked on the show. So much so that she refused to let me slowly and deliberately rewatch episodes (you know, once for fun, then a second time for a deeper look at it). No, she wanted to watch the next one. So I’m just plowing through episodes like a junkie in a heroin factory.
But I can’t always be watching episodes. I have a job. So does the missus. And when I can’t watch, I’m back to reading again. I did Vendetta recently, it was pretty good. This one, honestly, was also not bad. I think I got lucky (or the overall quality of the books was better than I thought they were). Whatever the reason, this one is pretty alright.
It’s like an episode of the series, but just a bit more epic. The characters feel right, and it’s full of action, some typical Star Trek philosophizing, and an enigma that needs to be solved.
And it works. Oddly enough, the weakest portion of the book, in my opinion, is the main story involving Picard and his Romulan counterpart. It’s certainly competently done, just not that engaging.
But the storyline involving the daring spacewalk by Riker and Geordi to a derelict craft in hopes of obtaining weapons to take back the Romulan controlled Enterprise, and Worf and the gang’s coup aboard the Warbird and escape into overloaded shuttlecraft – it was so well done. It’s what TNG could have been if it didn’t have budget and time constraints every week.
So, a fun book, a short one. And one I’m glad I reread. Pretty good stuff. Thank you Simon Hawke - I owe you everything that I am today.
I’d read all sorts of stuff as a kid, but in my teenage years had decided that fiction was for other people. My reading time was dedicated to higher pursuits. Namely, non-fiction.
I didn't think I was being an ass at the time.
But one of the things I loved loved loved in the world was TNG. I could not get enough of Picard and the gang. I worked at a gas station at the time, graveyard shift. The nights were long and full of boredom. There was this little metal box embedded next to the entranceway that served as the 'transaction nexus' at night. I sat behind bulletproof glass and waited on customers who came to the window. If they wanted something and it would fit through the pass-through box in the window, then I would sell it to them.
Long-necked glass beer bottles (6 packs) would not fit. Short-necked ones would. No one believed me. People would demand I pass them bottle one at a time if they were too big, or they would offer me ‘favors’ for making sure they got their stuff.
Sexual favors, monetary favors, whatever. It’s so weird having a position of power. I can see why it corrupts. People can get desperate for some Ho-Ho’s in 3 a.m. and are sometimes willing to do anything for them.
I didn’t abuse my power, fyi, I just did my job. Pretty much incorruptible, was I. I liked people, they liked me. If it was illegal I wouldn’t do it. And if someone offered me something under the table I wouldn’t accept.
In retrospect, I was a moron.
Whatever. In the place and time I worked, alcohol sales were cut off at 3 a.m. every evening. Things tended to slow down after midnight (aside from that 2:59 rush every night), the place became as quit as a tomb. I mention that this now, because I might be giving the wrong impression here. For a gas station, it was big. It was huge actually. It was the whole convenience store on one side, and a very large video rental place on the other - we even had our own porn room behind some saloon doors (and yes, if someone wanted to rent a movie - I'd have to go check to see if it was in). But I still camped out in a locked building, every night, and wandered the place, alone.
Just me and the crickets. Every night. I would mop, clean the coffee machines, bag ice, stock the cooler, I’d do it all. And that would take me maybe an hour. The rest of the night I was pretty bored.
So I started reading. Again, it was a Star Trek life for me outside of work, well, aside from my social life, I guess. I think I was pretty popular, I don’t know. Get off my back about it. Sheesh.
Whatever, I’m just saying that those long nights got real long. I worked this 10 hour night shift, 4 days per week. It was pretty great because I would work the last 4 days of one week, then the first four of the next – my work schedule was 8 days on, 6 days off. It was awesome.
Except after I’d been working for 5 or 6 days consecutively, then it wasn’t so great.
But, whatever. I had decided to start reading at work to pass the time, and when I was wondering around the book store one evening I saw this novel, with the face of Picard, and a Romulan Warbird… let’s just say I was intrigued.
It didn’t take me long to where I was running around and trying to find every Star Trek book I could get my hands on. It’s funny it turned out the way it did, I found that of the numbered TNG books, there weren’t that many I really enjoyed. If I’d picked one of the other ones up first, my love affair of reading, and writing, fiction, might never have been rekindled.
So here I am, just standing here, a guy with a book, 20 years or more after that fateful day. And I’ve given this one another go. It helps that I started (as I’ve mentioned before in other book reviews) rewatching TNG. I was doing it as part of a project where I was going to review every episode. I’m still doing that, but the missus ended up getting very hooked on the show. So much so that she refused to let me slowly and deliberately rewatch episodes (you know, once for fun, then a second time for a deeper look at it). No, she wanted to watch the next one. So I’m just plowing through episodes like a junkie in a heroin factory.
But I can’t always be watching episodes. I have a job. So does the missus. And when I can’t watch, I’m back to reading again. I did Vendetta recently, it was pretty good. This one, honestly, was also not bad. I think I got lucky (or the overall quality of the books was better than I thought they were). Whatever the reason, this one is pretty alright.
It’s like an episode of the series, but just a bit more epic. The characters feel right, and it’s full of action, some typical Star Trek philosophizing, and an enigma that needs to be solved.
And it works. Oddly enough, the weakest portion of the book, in my opinion, is the main story involving Picard and his Romulan counterpart. It’s certainly competently done, just not that engaging.
But the storyline involving the daring spacewalk by Riker and Geordi to a derelict craft in hopes of obtaining weapons to take back the Romulan controlled Enterprise, and Worf and the gang’s coup aboard the Warbird and escape into overloaded shuttlecraft – it was so well done. It’s what TNG could have been if it didn’t have budget and time constraints every week.
So, a fun book, a short one. And one I’m glad I reread. Pretty good stuff. Thank you Simon Hawke - I owe you everything that I am today.
November 11, 2010
It's reassuring to know one can crack open one of the numerous Star Trek novels and be in familiar territory. One day, I'll have read them all, and then where will I be?
This was a pretty good one as they go, with plenty of references to other events to ground us in the universe. Hawke's written other Trek material of course and his facts seem plausibly accurate.
I have a niggle with the omnipresent almightyness of the Ambimorphs, but that's just a personal grudge. They seem reminiscent of the aliens in the TNG episode Clues (mysterious, very powerful, and high and mighty). this works once, I suppose, and even as an episode stretches our credibility somewhat. A novel where more can be made of things, centring on a species like this, isn't my idea of a superb story.
nevertheless the characterisations were very good and the plot well-executed. Worth reading, if the series interests you.
This was a pretty good one as they go, with plenty of references to other events to ground us in the universe. Hawke's written other Trek material of course and his facts seem plausibly accurate.
I have a niggle with the omnipresent almightyness of the Ambimorphs, but that's just a personal grudge. They seem reminiscent of the aliens in the TNG episode Clues (mysterious, very powerful, and high and mighty). this works once, I suppose, and even as an episode stretches our credibility somewhat. A novel where more can be made of things, centring on a species like this, isn't my idea of a superb story.
nevertheless the characterisations were very good and the plot well-executed. Worth reading, if the series interests you.
May 21, 2024
i really did like this book. i liked that the romulan captain and picard had to join forces to combat this alien threat. i have read this book three times and i still like it. i do like the part in the book where picard and the away team board the abandoned warbird and find that the romulan crew look like they're dead but they have been placed into a state of suspended animation.
April 2, 2018
A quick, pleasant read with a curious mystery at its heart. It's a bit TNG-by-the-numbers, with some overly-strident Romulans and some awkward character dynamics with the Enterprise crew, but it's a serviceable adventure in the TNG universe. The ending of the story is very evocative of its era, and is probably the best part of the novel. That said, the giant info-dump/re-run of Data's trail in "The Measure of a Man" could be completely excised from the novel without impacting the narrative.
November 16, 2017
Well I was tempted to give this one two stars because I liked the Riker story line but that would be giving this book too much credit. It was awful. There are inconsistencies all over the place, Picard is an idiot (in this book) and although it's a good premise it was executed poorly. This writer seemed to have a minimal understanding of TNG and its characters and tried to explain things to the reader like they have never before known who these characters are...probably because he didn't. Riker and Geordi's story was the only redeeming quality in this book but that wasn't good enough from saving this book from mediocrity.
April 24, 2018
I always liked those slimy Romulans. This was well written and had some cool background info on my favorite villains. I hated how they were turned into sniveling babies by the end of the book, but it was an exciting piece.
Loosely connected, I remember having a serious stomach virus when I read this all those years ago. I definitely couldn't put it down, but had an excuse to read what with all the time I spent in the bathroom.
Anyway, good to see Riker kick ass, and a nice look into an enemy we normally wouldn't see.
Loosely connected, I remember having a serious stomach virus when I read this all those years ago. I definitely couldn't put it down, but had an excuse to read what with all the time I spent in the bathroom.
Anyway, good to see Riker kick ass, and a nice look into an enemy we normally wouldn't see.
July 22, 2023
Quite an entertaining read. My first endeavor into Trek books was great. Very intelligent writing, and felt in many ways like an actual episode, but was unique in its own way at the same time. It simultaneously feels comfortable like a grandparents den, but also as novel and exciting as the show. It’s one of those books that you just want to keep on reading if you could, especially because of the end.
September 9, 2016
Meh. It was OK. It was really great up until the end, I felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. I don't like half of the resolution to take place in a debreifing. I feel like that's lazy writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2024
The basic plot is interesting, but unfortunately the book is riddled with spelling errors, wrong use of idioms, and in general it could've really used a decent editor. Most importantly:
1.) Spelling errors all over the place. Like Commander Riker "sitting to the captain's fight." Or when they get a chance to turn the tables, they now have a "lighting chance." You mean a FIGHTING chance?
2.) Amateurish character development. Like, Picard beams into an away team situation, where Data is already there -- and the book takes nine paragraphs to go in-depth about Data's existence and humanity, and giving a quick synopsis of a couple of TNG episodes. That's just completely unnecessary, and it violates the general rule of "show, don't tell." Besides, we don't need a deep plunge into Data's backstory the moment Picard beams aboard a derelict warbird. Save that for when it matters.
3.) In fact, "show don't tell" is pretty much forgotten about here. The author tries to tell us everything, and doesn't do much showing. It's...kinda grates on my internal reading voice, honestly. The words just don't flow. It's too wooden, artificial. And it reeks of junior high.
4.) For some reason there aren't any dividers between scenes. For example, in many books, if you are taken to a different scene in the same chapter, there's a blank line or a "***" to show you that the scene has changed. There is none of that here; one line you're following two characters in one place, the next you're following different ones in a completely different place and you had no sign this was happening. Now that could be the fault of the original, or something that happened when they were converting it to Kindle.
5.) Lore. Not Data's brother, but for the setting. Clearly many of these novels were written early, and without input from the writing staff, so a lot of things can't be expected to match up. But there's a doozy of an error in this book, when they repeatedly insist that the TOS era only occurred 30 years prior to TNG. Now maybe that was the original idea, but I'm certain within the first 3 episodes of TNG, they establish that it's been a century since Kirk's time. Whoever was the editor on this book was asleep at the conn.
6.) The novel also does what Picard Season 1 did and repeats the same thing multiple times. Characters repeat what they said and did earlier in the scene. They constantly re-explain the same things multiple times. Did they just assume their readers were idiots?
1.) Spelling errors all over the place. Like Commander Riker "sitting to the captain's fight." Or when they get a chance to turn the tables, they now have a "lighting chance." You mean a FIGHTING chance?
2.) Amateurish character development. Like, Picard beams into an away team situation, where Data is already there -- and the book takes nine paragraphs to go in-depth about Data's existence and humanity, and giving a quick synopsis of a couple of TNG episodes. That's just completely unnecessary, and it violates the general rule of "show, don't tell." Besides, we don't need a deep plunge into Data's backstory the moment Picard beams aboard a derelict warbird. Save that for when it matters.
3.) In fact, "show don't tell" is pretty much forgotten about here. The author tries to tell us everything, and doesn't do much showing. It's...kinda grates on my internal reading voice, honestly. The words just don't flow. It's too wooden, artificial. And it reeks of junior high.
4.) For some reason there aren't any dividers between scenes. For example, in many books, if you are taken to a different scene in the same chapter, there's a blank line or a "***" to show you that the scene has changed. There is none of that here; one line you're following two characters in one place, the next you're following different ones in a completely different place and you had no sign this was happening. Now that could be the fault of the original, or something that happened when they were converting it to Kindle.
5.) Lore. Not Data's brother, but for the setting. Clearly many of these novels were written early, and without input from the writing staff, so a lot of things can't be expected to match up. But there's a doozy of an error in this book, when they repeatedly insist that the TOS era only occurred 30 years prior to TNG. Now maybe that was the original idea, but I'm certain within the first 3 episodes of TNG, they establish that it's been a century since Kirk's time. Whoever was the editor on this book was asleep at the conn.
6.) The novel also does what Picard Season 1 did and repeats the same thing multiple times. Characters repeat what they said and did earlier in the scene. They constantly re-explain the same things multiple times. Did they just assume their readers were idiots?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2020
Is it me or does that Romulan on the cover look like a young Larry Drake? Not the actor I would picture as the nemesis of this book.
A young Romulan named Valak is given a new Romulan ship to command, one that can challenge the Galaxy class ships of the Federation in firepower, speed, and the possible ability to fire while cloaked, and given a secret task that involves taking a Federation ship. By sheer luck, it's the Enterprise under Jean-Luc Picard that he's able to trap and it's from here that the story begins to go downhill for me.
I loved this antagonist. Valak is a wonderful Romulan who's made himself a bit of an outcast among his people because he's studied humans so intensely. His undeniably intelligent, clever with the turn of a phrase, and unquestionably full of himself. This is a character that can go far. However, this character and all the familiar crew members of the series fall into two categories for the remainder of the novel: those that say, "What's that?!" and those that plot escape. This was all that happened for the last half of the novel. It got tiresome. Additionally, the big reveal of what's going on in the massive location didn't have enough payoff for me. I was disappointed.
Read this book for the interaction between Picard and Valak.
A young Romulan named Valak is given a new Romulan ship to command, one that can challenge the Galaxy class ships of the Federation in firepower, speed, and the possible ability to fire while cloaked, and given a secret task that involves taking a Federation ship. By sheer luck, it's the Enterprise under Jean-Luc Picard that he's able to trap and it's from here that the story begins to go downhill for me.
I loved this antagonist. Valak is a wonderful Romulan who's made himself a bit of an outcast among his people because he's studied humans so intensely. His undeniably intelligent, clever with the turn of a phrase, and unquestionably full of himself. This is a character that can go far. However, this character and all the familiar crew members of the series fall into two categories for the remainder of the novel: those that say, "What's that?!" and those that plot escape. This was all that happened for the last half of the novel. It got tiresome. Additionally, the big reveal of what's going on in the massive location didn't have enough payoff for me. I was disappointed.
Read this book for the interaction between Picard and Valak.
July 31, 2023
The Borg, Klingons, and Vulcans seem to have made more headway into the popular culture than the Romulans. But the Romulans are the best Star Trek villains because they produce the best episodes. "Balance of Terror." "Minefield." Picard, season 1, and Narek. Admiral Jarok. "The Chase." Star Trek 2009.
You can't say much for their clothes and their hair, but the D'deridex Warbird is arguably the coolest Trek design. Disruptors. The cloak.
"It's always a chess game," says Picard of them.
The Neutral Zone.
"It's a fake!"
Devious, treacherous, determined, and cunning, the Romulans are great. And they're the adversaries here, good enough to generate a trap, misgivings, and a meeting in Picard's conference room in which the senior officers are charged with giving their captain some options.
You can't say much for their clothes and their hair, but the D'deridex Warbird is arguably the coolest Trek design. Disruptors. The cloak.
"It's always a chess game," says Picard of them.
The Neutral Zone.
"It's a fake!"
Devious, treacherous, determined, and cunning, the Romulans are great. And they're the adversaries here, good enough to generate a trap, misgivings, and a meeting in Picard's conference room in which the senior officers are charged with giving their captain some options.
August 29, 2021
For the casual Stark Trek fan this is a great novel. It had everything that I thought an episode of Star Trek should have: a great villain, a terrible trap to overcome, and enough intrigue to keep my attention.
This novel has intrigue is spades. There are lot of things nobody on the Starfleet crew are aware of, which makes for a change. Even Data is perplexed.
The only downside for me is Riker. I've never warmed to the character, and he came across as too much like a MacGyver for my liking. Still, if that's my only criticism, then it is minor compared to the rest of the story.
This novel has intrigue is spades. There are lot of things nobody on the Starfleet crew are aware of, which makes for a change. Even Data is perplexed.
The only downside for me is Riker. I've never warmed to the character, and he came across as too much like a MacGyver for my liking. Still, if that's my only criticism, then it is minor compared to the rest of the story.
November 21, 2022
The author is not actually much of a fan of the show. His story about the Romulans' mission, and what they discover, is cool enough. But the characters and background are sketchy and don't fit the rest of the canon very well in my evaluation. Maybe it would have been more successful as a stand-alone novel, not part of ST. And Data was certainly under-utilized. Oh well. On to the next!
January 7, 2023
A solid entry for serious TNG fans only.
Pros
- most Enterprise characters well written.
- Features Ro Laren
- story moves along quickly
Cons
- several plot points set up at the beginning of the novel don't pay off.
- overuse of the word 'bastard'
- small but annoying continuity mistakes
- fairly predictable plot points
Pros
- most Enterprise characters well written.
- Features Ro Laren
- story moves along quickly
Cons
- several plot points set up at the beginning of the novel don't pay off.
- overuse of the word 'bastard'
- small but annoying continuity mistakes
- fairly predictable plot points
August 31, 2017
I think the author could used a map of the quadrants since he insisted that the Federation/Romulan Neutral Zone goes into the Delta Quadrant. It was a very interesting story and I would read it again.
May 27, 2020
Certainly not a bad STTNG novel, but not a great one. The author had a good grasp of the characters and everyone acted the way I expected them to act. It took a little while for the story to get going, and it was rather predictable. It passed the time.
January 11, 2023
A really interesting start with the introduction of a formidable adversary unfortunately doesn't become the battle of wits it hints it will be. Too many elements result in a story that could have been a lot better.
August 11, 2018
Pretty interesting and fairly well-written but the underlying premise of the crew being so easily bested is out of character.
February 9, 2019
It was an interesting read for my first Star Trek novel. It was fun envisioning the characters of the Next Generation while reading. I will most likely try another one at some point.
June 4, 2019
Very good and thrilling
August 23, 2019
One of the best TNG novels
May 13, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. One of the best Star Trek novels I have read so far. Kept my attention with lots of mysteries!
August 19, 2020
Nach langer Zeit mal ein spannendes Buch aus dem Star Trek Universum. Die Geschichte ist gut erzählt und würde sich auch gut für eine Verfilmung eignen. Daumen hoch und 5 Sterne.
August 28, 2020
I think the plot is good... after reading a few mediocre TNG series.
November 27, 2021
I enjoyed this Star Trek book a lot. Seeing the Enterprise crew where they fell into a trap and be helpless. It was nice to see how they used their other skills to make it out of the situation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2023
One of the better Star Trek novels across series. Reads like a great episode of TNG, lots of action and intrigue.
April 2, 2023
Great little Star Trek story. Love the next gen characters and this book stayed true to how they are on screen. Speed through this. A very easy read and round search out more of in the series.
October 6, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. Always thought the Romulans offered more and more compelling stories than they got in the shows. So I always enjoy a good book with a Romulan plot.
January 25, 2024
A mostly good ST adventure with an ending that leaves you a little wanting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews