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Star Trek: The Next Generation
Vendetta
The Borg, half organic being and half machine, are the most feared race in the known galaxy. In their relentless quest for technological perfection, they have destroyed entire star systems, enslaved countless people, and, in a single brutal attack, decimated Starfleet's mightiest vessels. Answering a distress call from a planet under attack by the Borg, the U.S.S. Enterprise meets Delcara, the lone survivor of an alien race the Borg obliterated. Blinded by hatred, Delcara seeks the ultimate revenge, the complete destruction of her race's executioners. But the U.S.S. Enterprise crew learns that Delcara's vengeance carries a terrible price, for once unleashed, the destructive force she commands will annihilate not only the Borg, but countless innocents as well.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Peter David
3,537 books1,317 followersaka David Peters
Peter Allen David (often abbreviated PAD) is an American writer, best known for his work in comic books and Star Trek novels. David often jokingly describes his occupation as "Writer of Stuff". David is noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real world issues with humor and references to popular culture. He also uses metafiction frequently, usually to humorous effect, as in his work on the comic book Young Justice.
Peter Allen David (often abbreviated PAD) is an American writer, best known for his work in comic books and Star Trek novels. David often jokingly describes his occupation as "Writer of Stuff". David is noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real world issues with humor and references to popular culture. He also uses metafiction frequently, usually to humorous effect, as in his work on the comic book Young Justice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
August 1, 2016
Absolutely fantastic!
This novel serves as a sequel to the events of the two-parter TV episodes "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 & 2 of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", but also making a following to the classic TV episode "The Doomsday Machine" from "Star Trek: The Original Series".
THE BEST OF BOTH GENERATIONS
I am a great fan of Peter David's work on Star Trek, so I was sad that I wasn't able to read Vendetta since that book appears in many toplists about the best novels of Star Trek.
Now, that I read it (back in 2013) and I'm totally glad of that!
As I explained above, Vendetta is a sequel to the events of "The Doomsday Machine", an episode of the original series of Star Trek and also of the episodes "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 and 2, from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Again, Peter David showed his mastery to combine elements of the Original Series with the Next Generation, as he did it too, on the novel Imzadi and he did it once again on the novel Q-Squared, and I think that's something to make happy to everyone since not matter if you are fan of one of the other TV series, you will find enough of both series to please you plenty enough.
ONE BIG FLEET AND A TOTALLY USEFUL CREW
Also, if you complain about that the USS "Enterprise is always, very conveniently, the only ship available in the quadrant, you will get a feeling, in this book, of really being in a Starfleet, since you not only have the Enterprise-D but also the starships USS Repulse and USS Chekov.
The full crew of the Enterprise-D is here and everyone has something important to do in the story, even characters like Dr. Crusher and Lt. Cmdr. La Forge, that many times they are only used if there is a medical and/or engineering emergency, and while they will have to cover their usual duty posts, the story is able to develop them in other things.
Moreover, you get recognizable support members of the crew in key moments, but even previous comrades of the Enterprise-D managed to get back to the story.
THE DEADLIEST OF BOTH AGES
The Borg are back after their terrible attack in The Best of Both Worlds but they aren't alone!
A vengeful woman has a personal agenda to take care of the Borg...
...and the means to do that!
Since she is in control of one of the most powerful mobile weapons ever found in the final frontier...
...a doomsday machine!
And all leads that they were built indeed to counter-attack the Borg! One hundred years ago!
The Borg vs The Doomsday Machine! And the Federation in the middle of the battlezone!
This novel serves as a sequel to the events of the two-parter TV episodes "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 & 2 of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", but also making a following to the classic TV episode "The Doomsday Machine" from "Star Trek: The Original Series".
THE BEST OF BOTH GENERATIONS
I am a great fan of Peter David's work on Star Trek, so I was sad that I wasn't able to read Vendetta since that book appears in many toplists about the best novels of Star Trek.
Now, that I read it (back in 2013) and I'm totally glad of that!
As I explained above, Vendetta is a sequel to the events of "The Doomsday Machine", an episode of the original series of Star Trek and also of the episodes "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 and 2, from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Again, Peter David showed his mastery to combine elements of the Original Series with the Next Generation, as he did it too, on the novel Imzadi and he did it once again on the novel Q-Squared, and I think that's something to make happy to everyone since not matter if you are fan of one of the other TV series, you will find enough of both series to please you plenty enough.
ONE BIG FLEET AND A TOTALLY USEFUL CREW
Also, if you complain about that the USS "Enterprise is always, very conveniently, the only ship available in the quadrant, you will get a feeling, in this book, of really being in a Starfleet, since you not only have the Enterprise-D but also the starships USS Repulse and USS Chekov.
The full crew of the Enterprise-D is here and everyone has something important to do in the story, even characters like Dr. Crusher and Lt. Cmdr. La Forge, that many times they are only used if there is a medical and/or engineering emergency, and while they will have to cover their usual duty posts, the story is able to develop them in other things.
Moreover, you get recognizable support members of the crew in key moments, but even previous comrades of the Enterprise-D managed to get back to the story.
THE DEADLIEST OF BOTH AGES
The Borg are back after their terrible attack in The Best of Both Worlds but they aren't alone!
A vengeful woman has a personal agenda to take care of the Borg...
...and the means to do that!
Since she is in control of one of the most powerful mobile weapons ever found in the final frontier...
...a doomsday machine!
And all leads that they were built indeed to counter-attack the Borg! One hundred years ago!
The Borg vs The Doomsday Machine! And the Federation in the middle of the battlezone!
March 15, 2023
Thrilling borg story that leverages a clever tie-in with the so called planet killer from the classic TOS episode The Doomsday Machine to setup an epic showdown. The characterizations and dialogue I thought were generally authentic, with a few minor exceptions. The scenes featuring Geordi trying desperately to reach and rehabilitate a recovered borg drone were particularly visceral. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, with hardly a dull moment, yet there were a few too many coincidences and exaggerations and the conclusion felt a bit over romanticized. The heart of the story grapples with the dilemma of whether any and all means, however extreme, are justified in ending a brutal war, as well as confronting the heavy, all consuming tolls that weigh on those seeking vengeance at any cost.
April 10, 2014
Oh, early Star Trek: The Next Generation books, how I love thee. I couldn't get ENOUGH of TNG when it was on television in the 80s and early 90s. Of course, I was young then, so all the nuances I missed actually makes rewatching the show fantastic. However, the same does not hold true for the books. I read this book when it came out, and I loved it. I was wrong.
Peter David is a hack, pulp writer, and I'm sure he knows it. Perhaps his novels have improved since 1991, here is hoping. I'll never know. But one thing is abundantly clear: this book is terrible.
The characters are all wrong. Data is an automaton with no personality. He doesn't care to figure out humans while expressing his interest to do so in only a verbal fashion. Picard is closer, but much more emotional, even taking in account the Borg. He's always shouting or slamming his fists on the table or otherwise losing his cool. The rest of the characters, especially Worf, are cardboard cutouts. Almost jocular, their conversations are much more casual than you'd expect from them. Worf glowers menacingly at everyone and wants to shoot the phasers. That's it.
This is even worse with the side characters. Captain Korsmo, Picard's Starfleet Academy rival, is so incompetent and driven by jealousy it's like he has no other qualities. The disregard for the lives of his crew, the crew of the Enterprise, the whole of Starfleet, and basically anyone including himself is shockingly unbelievable.
In fact, only the Borg are characterized well. And that's because they are single-minded consumers and don't talk much.
Then there are the glaring plot holes, the jarring structure, and flimsy references to the Technical Manual as the stopgap for being creative in any way. At one point, during their pursuit of a Borg cube, Cpt. Korsmo asks Shelby how to fight the Borg. As if every Starfleet captain wouldn't, at this point, been briefed. Korsmo especially, since he KNEW he would be fighting the Borg and had Cmmd. Shelby as his first officer. But no, let's wait until we're actually FIGHTING the Borg to get that info. There are several scenes like this that either don't make sense because the characters have no grasp on reality or because the author literally forgot what happened in a previous scene and has characters act contrary to what they discussed earlier.
Still, there are two things that shine in this novel. As I mentioned before, the Borg. They are terrifying still. Single-minded, powerful, and implacable, they smash through almost all opposition, and when they don't, it's pretty satisfying.
Second, Delcara and her Doomsday Device. Miles long with an impenetrable hull and a weapon that destroys planets, she is formidable. A fine antagonist for the Borg, and a fun foil for Picard, she really shines. Insane, and nigh relentless, it is her love for Picard that ultimately destroys her.
I usually end up rooting for the villain in stories that have no real substance, because the villains tend to be more interesting. So, I'm always sad when Delcara meets her, somewhat ambiguous, demise. Certainly her insane drive to destroy the Borg led to her death, as one expects, but it would have been a much more interesting story if she had managed to go out in a blaze of glory instead of in a haze of love. Especially love so barely defined and pathetically described.
Peter David is a hack, pulp writer, and I'm sure he knows it. Perhaps his novels have improved since 1991, here is hoping. I'll never know. But one thing is abundantly clear: this book is terrible.
The characters are all wrong. Data is an automaton with no personality. He doesn't care to figure out humans while expressing his interest to do so in only a verbal fashion. Picard is closer, but much more emotional, even taking in account the Borg. He's always shouting or slamming his fists on the table or otherwise losing his cool. The rest of the characters, especially Worf, are cardboard cutouts. Almost jocular, their conversations are much more casual than you'd expect from them. Worf glowers menacingly at everyone and wants to shoot the phasers. That's it.
This is even worse with the side characters. Captain Korsmo, Picard's Starfleet Academy rival, is so incompetent and driven by jealousy it's like he has no other qualities. The disregard for the lives of his crew, the crew of the Enterprise, the whole of Starfleet, and basically anyone including himself is shockingly unbelievable.
In fact, only the Borg are characterized well. And that's because they are single-minded consumers and don't talk much.
Then there are the glaring plot holes, the jarring structure, and flimsy references to the Technical Manual as the stopgap for being creative in any way. At one point, during their pursuit of a Borg cube, Cpt. Korsmo asks Shelby how to fight the Borg. As if every Starfleet captain wouldn't, at this point, been briefed. Korsmo especially, since he KNEW he would be fighting the Borg and had Cmmd. Shelby as his first officer. But no, let's wait until we're actually FIGHTING the Borg to get that info. There are several scenes like this that either don't make sense because the characters have no grasp on reality or because the author literally forgot what happened in a previous scene and has characters act contrary to what they discussed earlier.
Still, there are two things that shine in this novel. As I mentioned before, the Borg. They are terrifying still. Single-minded, powerful, and implacable, they smash through almost all opposition, and when they don't, it's pretty satisfying.
Second, Delcara and her Doomsday Device. Miles long with an impenetrable hull and a weapon that destroys planets, she is formidable. A fine antagonist for the Borg, and a fun foil for Picard, she really shines. Insane, and nigh relentless, it is her love for Picard that ultimately destroys her.
I usually end up rooting for the villain in stories that have no real substance, because the villains tend to be more interesting. So, I'm always sad when Delcara meets her, somewhat ambiguous, demise. Certainly her insane drive to destroy the Borg led to her death, as one expects, but it would have been a much more interesting story if she had managed to go out in a blaze of glory instead of in a haze of love. Especially love so barely defined and pathetically described.
February 7, 2023
A crazy adventure...but a good one, if a bit strange.
July 15, 2009
There are some things a man wants to be able to look back at his life and say he never did.
Never shot heroin.
Never owned a garden gnome.
Never read a Star Trek book.
But there comes a time in some men's lives when they have to own up to the shame of admitting they cannot make those claims.
I am such a man. I stand before you, flawed and imperfect.
I have read this novel.
Forgive me.
Never shot heroin.
Never owned a garden gnome.
Never read a Star Trek book.
But there comes a time in some men's lives when they have to own up to the shame of admitting they cannot make those claims.
I am such a man. I stand before you, flawed and imperfect.
I have read this novel.
Forgive me.
June 25, 2010
4.o stars. Another quality Star Trek book by Peter David. The Borg were the best thing that ever happened to "the Next Generation" and this book is all Borg. Recommended.
January 18, 2014
"You're irrelevant, you cosmic bastards."
I know it's just a ST-TNG novel, which isn't meant to shock the world or anything, but with masterpieces like I,Q and A Stitch in Time out there, I'm compelled to comment more critically, okay? Parts of the novel just seemed rushed, and concepts like a ship called 'planet-killer' which was fueled by hate, came across as more convoluted than exciting. The main thing that bothered me was that there seemed to be an awful lot of Geordi hate. His blindness is referenced in nearly every scene he's in, and he's portrayed more like a hopeless romantic than a brilliant engineer, who can't see beyond his own foolish heart to accomplish much of anything. I'm a Borg fan, and found the storytelling entertaining enough, but this is the kind of book that does NOT make Reading Rainbow. (You'll have to take my word for it.)
I know it's just a ST-TNG novel, which isn't meant to shock the world or anything, but with masterpieces like I,Q and A Stitch in Time out there, I'm compelled to comment more critically, okay? Parts of the novel just seemed rushed, and concepts like a ship called 'planet-killer' which was fueled by hate, came across as more convoluted than exciting. The main thing that bothered me was that there seemed to be an awful lot of Geordi hate. His blindness is referenced in nearly every scene he's in, and he's portrayed more like a hopeless romantic than a brilliant engineer, who can't see beyond his own foolish heart to accomplish much of anything. I'm a Borg fan, and found the storytelling entertaining enough, but this is the kind of book that does NOT make Reading Rainbow. (You'll have to take my word for it.)
January 24, 2017
I read this when I was twelve, and being one of those poor young Trekkies whom the Borg captured the imagination of, I read this book repeatedly.
Presently, I think it's an interesting story but an excellent example of why, as an adult, I can't stand Peter David's writing. Vendetta is very much written in the style of a Star Trek comic book story (which happens to be the mainstay of what David writes for a living). By that I mean mostly that David takes great liberties in his depiction of the Star Trek: The Next Generation characters (both the crew and the Borg).
The content of Vendetta is also extremely self-indulgent on David's part, in that it:
Peter David's style is consistently and self-consciously postmodern. Postmodernism doesn't agree with me, so I avoid David's work like the plague.
Presently, I think it's an interesting story but an excellent example of why, as an adult, I can't stand Peter David's writing. Vendetta is very much written in the style of a Star Trek comic book story (which happens to be the mainstay of what David writes for a living). By that I mean mostly that David takes great liberties in his depiction of the Star Trek: The Next Generation characters (both the crew and the Borg).
The content of Vendetta is also extremely self-indulgent on David's part, in that it:
-plays favorites with certain regular characters while blatantly ignoring others
-makes gratuitous pop-culture references, such as calling the Tholian web ships "Tholian Webslingers" as a reference to Spider-Man because David has edited Spider-Man comics
-names a character after one of David's daughters even though the character was depicted as male on television (and one of PD's later books apparently offered the excuse that the new character was the television character's daughter)
-includes a tasteless sexual anecdote of questionable relevance
Peter David's style is consistently and self-consciously postmodern. Postmodernism doesn't agree with me, so I avoid David's work like the plague.
July 20, 2020
Set several months after "The Best of Both Worlds," this novel tells the story of another Borg incursion. Also, it was written before some of the most egregious changes to the canon wrought by "Star Trek: First Contact" and "Star Trek: Voyager" - although that doesn't mean that this novel doesn't make some...interesting choices in regards to then current canon (and, yes, I know that the novels have been traditionally considered non-canon).
I was very entertained by the story and enjoyed this follow-up to the Borg. Although, the interplay between Picard and this friendly rival-colleague seemed very one-sided with the rival obsessed with how he stacked up against Picard and Picard coming across more as unaware that such a rivalry even exists. I also thought that the star-crossed lovers, destined to forever be apart was weird, and unnecessary. Picard does not need a personal motivation to "do the right thing" - his entire character is based upon doing the right thing no matter what the cost. I also feel that Vastator was completely underused and thus a confusing addition to the story.
The return of the Planet Killer, or rather, a super-duper Planet Killer, was nice, even though it was the usual one-up-manship oft found in a sequel. However, it's still a nice tie in between two bits of Star Trek lore, combining them in a nice little package, and answering some lore questions - albeit uncanonically. There's even a pre-Hugh type of secondary storyline which, in its own way, somewhat goes against what happened with Hugh - although this was published before "I, Borg."
No female Borg? What?!?
And the ending was...ugh...but, hey I really did like the story (see 4-star rating)! :) It was vastly entertaining. I would definitely recommend the read if you are a fan of Star Trek.
I was very entertained by the story and enjoyed this follow-up to the Borg. Although, the interplay between Picard and this friendly rival-colleague seemed very one-sided with the rival obsessed with how he stacked up against Picard and Picard coming across more as unaware that such a rivalry even exists. I also thought that the star-crossed lovers, destined to forever be apart was weird, and unnecessary. Picard does not need a personal motivation to "do the right thing" - his entire character is based upon doing the right thing no matter what the cost. I also feel that Vastator was completely underused and thus a confusing addition to the story.
The return of the Planet Killer, or rather, a super-duper Planet Killer, was nice, even though it was the usual one-up-manship oft found in a sequel. However, it's still a nice tie in between two bits of Star Trek lore, combining them in a nice little package, and answering some lore questions - albeit uncanonically. There's even a pre-Hugh type of secondary storyline which, in its own way, somewhat goes against what happened with Hugh - although this was published before "I, Borg."
No female Borg? What?!?
And the ending was...ugh...but, hey I really did like the story (see 4-star rating)! :) It was vastly entertaining. I would definitely recommend the read if you are a fan of Star Trek.
November 26, 2022
I hadn't read this book since it first came out in 1991 and I was interested to see if my memory of enjoying it was correct. I have fond memories of everything I've read by Peter David, so I was hoping this was still the case. It was. This was an outstanding Star Trek novel.
Taking place during the fourth year of the Enterprise-D's voyage with the familiar crew, a vessel similar to the Doomsday Machine (from the classic episode of the Original Star Trek) is discovered to be destroying Borg vessels. The Federation is concerned that this vessel, and those running it, will think that the Federation should be next on its list to destroy. The Enterprise is sent out to investigate where the Borg ship was destroyed, as was another Federation ship, commanded by someone who went through the Academy with Picard.
That's all the tease I'm going to give because there's so much to enjoy in this book. The characters act exactly as the television counterparts, though still doing things that would surprise and engage long time fans. Guinan's inclusion was expected, though she has quite the bombshell to drop on the captain early in the novel. The pilot of the Doomsday Machine is interesting, exciting, and surprising. The Borg do what one would assume them to do, but the individual who's now their mouthpiece was absolutely welcome. There is also a character introduced in this novel that predates a fan favorite from a later Trek series that is astonishingly similar.
This book deserves all the hype and David remains the gold standard of Trek novelists.
Taking place during the fourth year of the Enterprise-D's voyage with the familiar crew, a vessel similar to the Doomsday Machine (from the classic episode of the Original Star Trek) is discovered to be destroying Borg vessels. The Federation is concerned that this vessel, and those running it, will think that the Federation should be next on its list to destroy. The Enterprise is sent out to investigate where the Borg ship was destroyed, as was another Federation ship, commanded by someone who went through the Academy with Picard.
That's all the tease I'm going to give because there's so much to enjoy in this book. The characters act exactly as the television counterparts, though still doing things that would surprise and engage long time fans. Guinan's inclusion was expected, though she has quite the bombshell to drop on the captain early in the novel. The pilot of the Doomsday Machine is interesting, exciting, and surprising. The Borg do what one would assume them to do, but the individual who's now their mouthpiece was absolutely welcome. There is also a character introduced in this novel that predates a fan favorite from a later Trek series that is astonishingly similar.
This book deserves all the hype and David remains the gold standard of Trek novelists.
December 31, 2022
Great read! First read this book 28 years ago. Loved the story again and was a real page turner. I’m impressed that this book was published around the end of the fourth season, and yet Peter David really captures the 1701-D crew. Usually when reading TV tie-in books written before a series ends, there are glaring bits that don’t feel right. This just works. Couldn’t put it down!
March 28, 2023
Very good TNG saga. Blends elements of TOS episode “The Domesday Machine” with the Borg. It had its odd moments when dealing with Guinan's sister but overall, a very good story. It would have made a good two-part episode or even a movie. (What did Kirk say at the end of Domesday Machine...” I found one quite enough.” Recommended for all TOS and Borg fans.
September 17, 2019
Vendetta was an exciting and interesting read. Peter David remains one of my favorite authors, and his work here doesn't disappoint.
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2011/05/v...
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2011/05/v...
January 28, 2013
Should have made this into a movie
July 27, 2022
this book got me hissing spitting yelling "jean-luc picard would never" and i'm honestly mad about that
February 11, 2022
Oh boy, now that's how you write a STNG book. I mean this one has it all:
1. Geordi's VISOR is the reason for several problems.
2. No one ever listens to Worf's perfectly reasonable advice.
3. Riker sits in a chair in his own wonderfully weird way (https://youtu.be/lVIGhYMwRgs).
4. Picard does whatever the hell he likes and gets away with it (something I'm totally fine with).
5. Everything wraps up in the last fifteen minutes and nothing is different as a result (another thing I'm totally fine with).
What I really LOVED about this book was the way David seamlessly meshed two great Trek ideas from two different series (i.e. The Doomsday Machine & The Borg) into one wild story that really was fun to read from start to finish. David's pacing is impeccable and he completely nails the way these characters talk - you can practically hear the actors saying these lines. Perhaps his conflict between Troi and Geordi throughout the books was a bit much but I didn't really mind it since, in the end, they both kind of get over themselves and work through it, which is the essence of Trek in my opinion.
I also love that this book exposed more of Picard's weird relationship with Guinan and it illuminated more of his time at Starfleet Academy. In particular I like how it delved into how other starship captains see him and the jealousies it generates in them that Picard constantly seems to get away with everything. I think that's pretty realistic. I mean if some guy not only flies around in the best ship in the fleet but also is constantly pulling off impossible tasks all the time I can't help but see how other Type A ambitious Captains wouldn't get pissed about that after a while.
I highly recommend reading this book if you like STNG. It will feel like visiting with old friends and it's a story that's a ton of fun from front to back. Also, (SPOILER) you get a Ferengi Borg in this book which is delightful.
Final note, the editing on this book was HORRIBLE. So many typos and funky sentences that should have been caught. Sometimes I wish they would go back through the enormous mountain of Trek novels and rescue the good ones by reissuing them in newly edited editions. I think a line of "Best of Trek" books with intros from the authors and cleans up copy would be wonderful. Somebody need to get on that.
1. Geordi's VISOR is the reason for several problems.
2. No one ever listens to Worf's perfectly reasonable advice.
3. Riker sits in a chair in his own wonderfully weird way (https://youtu.be/lVIGhYMwRgs).
4. Picard does whatever the hell he likes and gets away with it (something I'm totally fine with).
5. Everything wraps up in the last fifteen minutes and nothing is different as a result (another thing I'm totally fine with).
What I really LOVED about this book was the way David seamlessly meshed two great Trek ideas from two different series (i.e. The Doomsday Machine & The Borg) into one wild story that really was fun to read from start to finish. David's pacing is impeccable and he completely nails the way these characters talk - you can practically hear the actors saying these lines. Perhaps his conflict between Troi and Geordi throughout the books was a bit much but I didn't really mind it since, in the end, they both kind of get over themselves and work through it, which is the essence of Trek in my opinion.
I also love that this book exposed more of Picard's weird relationship with Guinan and it illuminated more of his time at Starfleet Academy. In particular I like how it delved into how other starship captains see him and the jealousies it generates in them that Picard constantly seems to get away with everything. I think that's pretty realistic. I mean if some guy not only flies around in the best ship in the fleet but also is constantly pulling off impossible tasks all the time I can't help but see how other Type A ambitious Captains wouldn't get pissed about that after a while.
I highly recommend reading this book if you like STNG. It will feel like visiting with old friends and it's a story that's a ton of fun from front to back. Also, (SPOILER) you get a Ferengi Borg in this book which is delightful.
Final note, the editing on this book was HORRIBLE. So many typos and funky sentences that should have been caught. Sometimes I wish they would go back through the enormous mountain of Trek novels and rescue the good ones by reissuing them in newly edited editions. I think a line of "Best of Trek" books with intros from the authors and cleans up copy would be wonderful. Somebody need to get on that.
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July 23, 2022Gosh I enjoyed this one. It'd be very good SF even if it weren't Star Trek. Except, bonus, it depends on the Star Trek 'inventory' of characters, technologies, histories, and motifs and is the better for them.
It also adds some pretty significant entries into the canon....
I like the reference to The Picture of Dorian Gray even though I don't know if it was intentional or not.
It also adds some pretty significant entries into the canon....
I like the reference to The Picture of Dorian Gray even though I don't know if it was intentional or not.
March 17, 2017
Now I've read Peter David's three Trek giants and this one was..... Good. Out of the three, Q-Squared is the best then Imzadi then this one.
Not to say it's a bad novel, its very solid, but the middle of this one, just like in Imzadi, slows the book down to a drag. At times I felt like Vendetta was repeating itself which is funny when you think of the ending.
The first third of the novel is fantastic as it sets up the Borg threat once again and I couldn't read it fast enough. Then the middle happened with endless meetings and a sub plot with Geordi that really slowed the book down. The saving grace was the final third as it was epic and very exciting. Upon finishing it I wanted to rate it higher, but then I remember the few days where my reading had slowed to a crawl.
The three books have something else in common and it's usually a strong link to TOS. Imzadi had the Guardian of Forever, Q -Squared had Trelane and this one the Doomsday Machine. Reading all three books in relatively quick succession made this seem like a trope that had become over used.
To sum it up, the start and end are exciting and I liked a lot of the cameo's and references. Vendetta is a book with the old Borg and thus seems dated, because of it. Still it's a decent enough ride that all TNG fans should embark on.
Not to say it's a bad novel, its very solid, but the middle of this one, just like in Imzadi, slows the book down to a drag. At times I felt like Vendetta was repeating itself which is funny when you think of the ending.
The first third of the novel is fantastic as it sets up the Borg threat once again and I couldn't read it fast enough. Then the middle happened with endless meetings and a sub plot with Geordi that really slowed the book down. The saving grace was the final third as it was epic and very exciting. Upon finishing it I wanted to rate it higher, but then I remember the few days where my reading had slowed to a crawl.
The three books have something else in common and it's usually a strong link to TOS. Imzadi had the Guardian of Forever, Q -Squared had Trelane and this one the Doomsday Machine. Reading all three books in relatively quick succession made this seem like a trope that had become over used.
To sum it up, the start and end are exciting and I liked a lot of the cameo's and references. Vendetta is a book with the old Borg and thus seems dated, because of it. Still it's a decent enough ride that all TNG fans should embark on.
April 7, 2020
A ripping action adventure yarn, set directly after The Best of Both Worlds. Unputdownable, I’d recommend it to any fan of the franchise.
October 13, 2016
I have to confess, I've been watching the ever-loving shit out of Star Trek TNG lately. I'd watched it so much during the 90's that I'd assumed I'd seen everything half-a-dozen times at least. As I've been working my way through the series I've found that there are a few episodes in there that I'm sure I missed. So I started this big 'rewatch project' to log my thoughts of every episode so I can have an all-time list of everything I've seen related to Trek.
But the unintended side-effect has been that the missus has gotten really into the show. We finally got to Best of Both Worlds the other day and she freaked out. I even made her wait a few hours between episodes to ensure that she feel at least a hint at the pain I went through that whole damned summer not having any idea what was going to happen.
But after the two-parter was over I remembered that I'd picked up a few TNG books a few years ago for something super cheap (like, a dime, maybe) when I found them at a used bookstore. Not just any TNG books, but ones I remember reading back in the 90's and really enjoying at the time. Vendetta was the first of them (this wasn't the first one I read, but it had the earliest publication date of the books I'd repurchased) and since I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with my Borgish emotions. I decided to read this again. It was downstairs, just waiting for me to pick it up.
It was interesting to read it again. I remember thinking it was very epic at the time I read it. And it certainly had that feel of Picard and the rest of Starfleet being gnats buzzing around the heads of true giants as they did battle. I felt that the bad guys were just too powerful to have any reasonable hope of things working out.
But this time through I saw flaws I never noticed before. A more liberal use of adverbs, some of them hard to understand, i.e., "he said, archly."
Not exactly poetic.
There were other things, I'm not sure the TNG characters outside of Picard were fleshed out in a way that was terribly consistent with the series. Maybe Geordi felt real, but Riker, Data, Worf, I don't know, they felt... wrong.
And a lot of time was dedicated to non-bridge crew characters. I'm not sure what the breakdown for POV characters, but this was so heavily plot driven that the TNG folks I know and love disappeared for long stretches.
In the end, I really enjoyed it. More than Depth, which I just reviewed and gave the same rating too. But I liked this more not because it was better - it wasn't - but because I liked it more. That may sound stupid, but it makes sense to me. A lot of the hard work of building a cohesive universe and filling it with engaging characters, well, that's already been taken care of. So all the writer has to do is come in and tell a story. It's really much easier that way.
So what am I saying? I don't know. Shut up.
If they are all this good, I'll be reading an ass-load of TNG books in the near future though.
But the unintended side-effect has been that the missus has gotten really into the show. We finally got to Best of Both Worlds the other day and she freaked out. I even made her wait a few hours between episodes to ensure that she feel at least a hint at the pain I went through that whole damned summer not having any idea what was going to happen.
But after the two-parter was over I remembered that I'd picked up a few TNG books a few years ago for something super cheap (like, a dime, maybe) when I found them at a used bookstore. Not just any TNG books, but ones I remember reading back in the 90's and really enjoying at the time. Vendetta was the first of them (this wasn't the first one I read, but it had the earliest publication date of the books I'd repurchased) and since I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with my Borgish emotions. I decided to read this again. It was downstairs, just waiting for me to pick it up.
It was interesting to read it again. I remember thinking it was very epic at the time I read it. And it certainly had that feel of Picard and the rest of Starfleet being gnats buzzing around the heads of true giants as they did battle. I felt that the bad guys were just too powerful to have any reasonable hope of things working out.
But this time through I saw flaws I never noticed before. A more liberal use of adverbs, some of them hard to understand, i.e., "he said, archly."
Not exactly poetic.
There were other things, I'm not sure the TNG characters outside of Picard were fleshed out in a way that was terribly consistent with the series. Maybe Geordi felt real, but Riker, Data, Worf, I don't know, they felt... wrong.
And a lot of time was dedicated to non-bridge crew characters. I'm not sure what the breakdown for POV characters, but this was so heavily plot driven that the TNG folks I know and love disappeared for long stretches.
In the end, I really enjoyed it. More than Depth, which I just reviewed and gave the same rating too. But I liked this more not because it was better - it wasn't - but because I liked it more. That may sound stupid, but it makes sense to me. A lot of the hard work of building a cohesive universe and filling it with engaging characters, well, that's already been taken care of. So all the writer has to do is come in and tell a story. It's really much easier that way.
So what am I saying? I don't know. Shut up.
If they are all this good, I'll be reading an ass-load of TNG books in the near future though.
January 11, 2020
I read this book as an experiment, to see if reading it would allow me to relive those old Star Trek days. It kinda did, but not really. Reading this felt like viewing one of the forgettable episodes. You know the ones, they're all about politics or technobabble or using the holodeck as a way to have an episode set in the past. The familiar characters made those episodes watchable, but the lack of any meaningful SF made them forgettable.
But this book features the Borg! And maybe even a weapon that could destroy them! An episode like that could never be boring, but somehow, this book was. I guess there was just too much talking about hate being a bad thing. The combat scenes were good, but there weren't many of those.
The biggest problem I had with the plot was that it was completely dependent on the incredibly unlikely, out of the blue, infuriating coincidence that Picard and this woman had met before in a nonsensical way. That's the only reason Picard managed to get through to her at all.
The Planetkiller was weird. An incredibly advanced technology, but it can't even follow a simple plan by itself without someone in the driving seat? A bit of a design flaw! And why did nobody think to offer the woman a star map with all known uninhabited star systems between her and the Borg? As long as she stuck to eating planets in those systems, they could have just let her get on with her vendetta and maybe cripple or completely destroy the Borg.
The Borg drone they rescued could have made for an interesting story, but when she lost her arm, how dumb was it to give her a very strong prosthetic one? Shouldn't those things default to an ordinary-human-strength setting? Otherwise you could seriously injure people while you're still getting used to it. But it was way beyond dumb that she was allowed to keep her superhuman arm after she had attacked people with it.
I guess it was still better than any Star Trek currently on TV and it did take me back to my younger years. Two stars for that, but I'm not planning on reading the whole series. Maybe just a couple that sound interesting enough.
But this book features the Borg! And maybe even a weapon that could destroy them! An episode like that could never be boring, but somehow, this book was. I guess there was just too much talking about hate being a bad thing. The combat scenes were good, but there weren't many of those.
The biggest problem I had with the plot was that it was completely dependent on the incredibly unlikely, out of the blue, infuriating coincidence that Picard and this woman had met before in a nonsensical way. That's the only reason Picard managed to get through to her at all.
The Planetkiller was weird. An incredibly advanced technology, but it can't even follow a simple plan by itself without someone in the driving seat? A bit of a design flaw! And why did nobody think to offer the woman a star map with all known uninhabited star systems between her and the Borg? As long as she stuck to eating planets in those systems, they could have just let her get on with her vendetta and maybe cripple or completely destroy the Borg.
The Borg drone they rescued could have made for an interesting story, but when she lost her arm, how dumb was it to give her a very strong prosthetic one? Shouldn't those things default to an ordinary-human-strength setting? Otherwise you could seriously injure people while you're still getting used to it. But it was way beyond dumb that she was allowed to keep her superhuman arm after she had attacked people with it.
I guess it was still better than any Star Trek currently on TV and it did take me back to my younger years. Two stars for that, but I'm not planning on reading the whole series. Maybe just a couple that sound interesting enough.
April 14, 2021
So, I first discovered Peter David in Middle School, just a bit after I also developed a love of Star Trek (carrying on the family tradition - my Mum is a Trekkie too). I think Vendetta was one of the first novels of Mr. David's that I ever read, and I adored it. I was fascinated by the Borg, who creeped me out to no end, and I'd already seen Best of Both Worlds, so I understood the story the background of the novel. Peter David became one of my favorite writers for a few years as a result, and being a comics book fan as well, I developed a love for his run on Spider-man 2099.
And then ... I somehow wandered away from Star Trek for a number of years. I always liked it, but I drifted away - part of my efforts to rebrand myself in college and all that. And then, a few years ago, I became close friends with someone who reawakened my love of Trek. One of the first things I did was buy a new copy of Vendetta, somewhat excited but also filled with prepedation over how well it would stand up, or not.
To my pleasant surprise, it DID stand up. The book was as good as I remembered it, and I tore into it with some gusto. David's vision of the Borg (and, for that matter, Picard) is different from how they developed in the show and movies - but it's a brilliant take all the same. The story actually has a fair bit emotional resonance, and the callback to TOS is cleverly done and doesn't seem out of place. And the poor Ferengi who becomes Locutus' successor is ... at times both tragic and hilarious (how often do the Borg attempt to make a deal?)
Definitely recommended for fans of Mr. David's work as well for fans of Star Trek.
And then ... I somehow wandered away from Star Trek for a number of years. I always liked it, but I drifted away - part of my efforts to rebrand myself in college and all that. And then, a few years ago, I became close friends with someone who reawakened my love of Trek. One of the first things I did was buy a new copy of Vendetta, somewhat excited but also filled with prepedation over how well it would stand up, or not.
To my pleasant surprise, it DID stand up. The book was as good as I remembered it, and I tore into it with some gusto. David's vision of the Borg (and, for that matter, Picard) is different from how they developed in the show and movies - but it's a brilliant take all the same. The story actually has a fair bit emotional resonance, and the callback to TOS is cleverly done and doesn't seem out of place. And the poor Ferengi who becomes Locutus' successor is ... at times both tragic and hilarious (how often do the Borg attempt to make a deal?)
Definitely recommended for fans of Mr. David's work as well for fans of Star Trek.
January 25, 2018
So, caveats ahoy, I was never expecting some marvellous piece of literature going into a Star Trek novel. But, hell, this was bad.
Forums told me this was the best Star Trek book; it was the one I HAD to read if I wanted to read any Star Trek book, Peter David is allegedly - according to the Internet folks - the best writer of Star Trek stories. This is a dude that uses the term "more loud", which is really all you need to know about the quality of the writing. That and everything - EVERYTHING - is "insane" or conducted "insanely." Man, this was a wild ride.
All this really felt like was weird fan wish-fulfillment, a vehicle for hints at circa 1991 ships (get it, ships?) and the kind of thing someone might write when their dreadful script was rejected by the showrunners. Like a "hah, I'll write it in a book, that'll show them. It'll be better that way, more dramatic, more loud."
I read bad books all the time. I re-read two Game of Thrones books at the end of last year and I've read a few chapters of Twilight. I read half of The Alexandria Quartet. I am no stranger to shitty stories and this was by no means the very worst. But, especially while I'm listening to Federation, this belongs in that particular trash heap.
More loud, guys... more loud.
Forums told me this was the best Star Trek book; it was the one I HAD to read if I wanted to read any Star Trek book, Peter David is allegedly - according to the Internet folks - the best writer of Star Trek stories. This is a dude that uses the term "more loud", which is really all you need to know about the quality of the writing. That and everything - EVERYTHING - is "insane" or conducted "insanely." Man, this was a wild ride.
All this really felt like was weird fan wish-fulfillment, a vehicle for hints at circa 1991 ships (get it, ships?) and the kind of thing someone might write when their dreadful script was rejected by the showrunners. Like a "hah, I'll write it in a book, that'll show them. It'll be better that way, more dramatic, more loud."
I read bad books all the time. I re-read two Game of Thrones books at the end of last year and I've read a few chapters of Twilight. I read half of The Alexandria Quartet. I am no stranger to shitty stories and this was by no means the very worst. But, especially while I'm listening to Federation, this belongs in that particular trash heap.
More loud, guys... more loud.
July 6, 2013
Ok, so I'm a sucker for nostalgia. I get it. But the Doomsday Machine was easily my favorite old Star Trek episode (There was...but not any more! /corny acting), so combining that story with the Borg in a galactic conflict stretching across time does a really nice job of connecting those pivotal arcs of the Star Trek Universe.
I'm actually surprised we don't have more books like this one, connecting older generation stories with modern ones. Obviously this one was amped up to 11 on the epic-o-meter, but that doesn't make it any less fun.
I thought the plot with Picard and the pilot of the super-doomsday machine was oddly presented, but I understand the reasoning behind it. Picard is, as other people frequently cite, kind of a nonsexual character. This story adds a measure of tragedy to his character (but nothing on the scale of the 'Inner Light' episode, which is easily the finest non-action episode in Star Trek history) which really does reinforce the image of the detached, consummate professional.
Great book.
I'm actually surprised we don't have more books like this one, connecting older generation stories with modern ones. Obviously this one was amped up to 11 on the epic-o-meter, but that doesn't make it any less fun.
I thought the plot with Picard and the pilot of the super-doomsday machine was oddly presented, but I understand the reasoning behind it. Picard is, as other people frequently cite, kind of a nonsexual character. This story adds a measure of tragedy to his character (but nothing on the scale of the 'Inner Light' episode, which is easily the finest non-action episode in Star Trek history) which really does reinforce the image of the detached, consummate professional.
Great book.
January 31, 2021
I've seen a bit of fanfare for Peter David but personally hadn't been convinced from what I'd read up to here. This one was different though. I thought it was a cleverly thought through and well devised plot.
Not a particularly surprising approach to the problems and solutions but it was a very well told story and it brought in many delightful Trek references.
The characters were all drawn up well and most were used well. However, I thought Worf didn't get much attention other than to have his scowl repeatedly described. Probably a highlight for me was the part played by Guinan.
Deanna asking both Picard and La Forge if they were in love didn't work for me but the whole love at first sight vibe is par for the course in much of Trek's history.
Vastator was great. Especially the recruitment/assimilation scene.
The ending got madder and madder as it ploughed on but I still really enjoyed this one.
Not a particularly surprising approach to the problems and solutions but it was a very well told story and it brought in many delightful Trek references.
The characters were all drawn up well and most were used well. However, I thought Worf didn't get much attention other than to have his scowl repeatedly described. Probably a highlight for me was the part played by Guinan.
Deanna asking both Picard and La Forge if they were in love didn't work for me but the whole love at first sight vibe is par for the course in much of Trek's history.
Vastator was great. Especially the recruitment/assimilation scene.
The ending got madder and madder as it ploughed on but I still really enjoyed this one.
May 21, 2008
When Peter David stops trying to be funny and clever he can really write some knock you on your butt Star Trek stories.
Here's an epic feeling Borg story that blows away nearly every Borg TV episode. Even knowing he's not going to kill any of the Enterprise crew you still find yourself worrying over how they're going to get through this. Good characterization and a real big screen feel to the whole thing.
Here's an epic feeling Borg story that blows away nearly every Borg TV episode. Even knowing he's not going to kill any of the Enterprise crew you still find yourself worrying over how they're going to get through this. Good characterization and a real big screen feel to the whole thing.
March 20, 2014
It's bad. I don't know why I even attempted it, but I think I read a bunch of reviews that said it was great. I didn't think about the fact that most probably meant "compared to other Star Trek novels." It was bad. I gave it sixty or seventy pages. I gave up when Picard was chuckling at how women take so long to get ready. Then I read a bit more. Finally, I reminded myself that life is only so long.
January 14, 2012
First appearance of the Borg in the novels. Set after Best of Both Worlds, it deals with Picard's problems and emotional turmoil when he meets them again. The novel also questions what is acceptable to stop the borg, and how far can you go before you become worse than them. A very good, action filled novel.
October 20, 2012
Epic Star Trek! Obviously it would be the Borg, and obviously you just can't go wrong with the Borg. It kind of has all the usual Borg plot elements; mass destruction beyond the scope of our comprehension, lots of war and subversion, high stakes, et cetera. Can't fault it, though; it's a great TNG book.
August 12, 2010
I like this book but it wasn't one of my favorites.... I'm glad we got some of Guinin action back in but it was sad! The whole ending made me creeped out about how This dream girl will be forever and ever traveling with no peace at all. Curse the Borg!
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