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Star Trek: Voyager
Mosaic
Mosaic tells the life story of Captain Janeway, a compelling tale of personal bravery, personal loyalty, tragedy and triumph. As told by Jeri Taylor, co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek: Voyager, this is an in-depth look into the mind and soul of Star Trek's newest captain.
Deep in the unexplored reaches of the Delta Quadrant, a surprise attack by a fierce Kazon sect leaves Captain Janeway fighting a desperate battle on two fronts: while she duels the Kazon warship in the gaseous mists of a murky nebula, an Away Team led by Lt. Tuvok is trapped on the surface of a wilderness planet.
Deep in the unexplored reaches of the Delta Quadrant, a surprise attack by a fierce Kazon sect leaves Captain Janeway fighting a desperate battle on two fronts: while she duels the Kazon warship in the gaseous mists of a murky nebula, an Away Team led by Lt. Tuvok is trapped on the surface of a wilderness planet.
312 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
About the author
Jeri Taylor
10 books33 followersJeri Cecile Taylor is a television scriptwriter and producer who is known for her contributions to the Star Trek franchise.
She is an alumna of Indiana University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
She is an alumna of Indiana University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
September 8, 2015
Ah-may-zing. Janeway is my favorite Captain and anything involving her is of immediate interest to me. When I found this book laying dust-covered in the corner of my in-law's living room, I ran off with it and devoured it in 2 days.
We follow two stories: the 'present' issue of an away team being trapped on an alien planet while dealing with the Kazon, and then glimpses of Janeway's growing pains: from an adorable four year old up to her first command. We see her grow as a human and I felt more of an attachment to her than ever before.
Jeri Taylor obviously knows how to write the characters true to themselves and you can hear their voices while you read their dialog. It was an easy, and very enjoyable read.
December 26, 2018
Janeway's flashback scenes were definitely the better parts of this books. I found myself skimming over the 'present' day chapters
January 6, 2016
Sometimes it's really hard to find a good novel written for the spin-off Star Trek: Voyager. No doubt that the books published after the return of the vessel to the Alpha Quadrant and its later expedition returning to Delta Quadrant must be really entertaining (and I plan to read them eventually). It's not so easy to find really engaging novels set on its time when the crew was stranded 75,000 light-years away from Federation space. You can find a lot of very good novels of The Original Series and The Next Generation, even there are some quite good of Deep Space Nine, while Enterprise is in a situation quite similar to Voyager. And again, I am not taking in account on these comments the novels of the "Relaunch" era of all these series. I am talking about novels set in the time period when they were airing on TV. While Mosaic hardly reach a level of exceptional. Still, it's a fair option if you wish to read some book of Star Trek: Voyager set in the middle of the years of the TV series, also it's a really insightful book about the life of Captain Kathryn Janeway. The mission set in "the present" of the story is kinda dull, I can't lie to you about it, BUT the events set in "the past" of the life of Kathryn Janeway is the real treat on this book. One of my best memories about the novel was when Kathryn Janeway was a very young kid, I don't know, maybe 5 years old or younger, and she was talking about "your sister" this and "your sister" that, and I wasn't following what you meant with "your sister", since she was using the whole phrase "your sister" like a proper name, and then it hit me, she was a 5 years-old kid and she hears her parents refering to her younger baby sister, only as "your sister" and not using her name, so, it was very logical for this quite young Kathryn to suppose that "your sister", the whole phrase, was the name of her baby sister. Priceless! I was amazed how well the author, Jeri Taylor (co-creator of the spin-off TV series), was able to get into the mind of a 5 years-old kid and reasoning like her. Brilliant. A sweet moment in literature for me. So, maybe this novel isn't a masterpiece but it's competitive option if you want to read a book of this sci-fi spin-off series.
January 26, 2022
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This was a good Trek novel and I liked the structure.
But man, some of the decisions made with regard to Janeway’s backstory made me roll my eyes so hard.
This was a good Trek novel and I liked the structure.
But man, some of the decisions made with regard to Janeway’s backstory made me roll my eyes so hard.
June 12, 2021
The two narrative stands of the book - Janeway's mission to rescue Tuvok's stranded away team from attack by the Kazon; Janeway's reminisces on her childhood, youthful romances and early Starfleet career - interweave, coming together at the climax in a rather forced way. The Kazon story is interesting, if uninspired; the memoir is interesting if you're a Trekkie who particularly likes Janeway. Given I'm the latter, I ended up enjoying the story more than what I've written so far would suggest.
The Kazon story being fairly standard fare, the main USP is Janeway's back story, and I'd rather have had a whole novel on that subject, as there were plenty of elements which could have been explored and expanded. Given that Taylor was one the main creators of Voyager, and had defined Janeway's character for the show, she does Kathryn justice in the book. I guess the Delta Quadrant itself was a character in the show, so at the time of publication, 1996, that setting would have been important to include.
I don't think it works on its own merits, that is, it wouldn't be a good jumping on point as you have to already care for and know something about the characters to feel invested, but as fan-service it's 3.5 🌟
The Kazon story being fairly standard fare, the main USP is Janeway's back story, and I'd rather have had a whole novel on that subject, as there were plenty of elements which could have been explored and expanded. Given that Taylor was one the main creators of Voyager, and had defined Janeway's character for the show, she does Kathryn justice in the book. I guess the Delta Quadrant itself was a character in the show, so at the time of publication, 1996, that setting would have been important to include.
I don't think it works on its own merits, that is, it wouldn't be a good jumping on point as you have to already care for and know something about the characters to feel invested, but as fan-service it's 3.5 🌟
June 18, 2019
Excellent Star Trek Voyager story, with audio narration by the kick-ass Captain Janeway herself, Kate Mulgrew. As far as I know, this is the only ST audio narration she's done. There are several interweaving plot lines, one set comprising a present day story featuring Janeway and the Voyager crew, which is quite good in its own right. However, the more interesting lines convey some of the formative events in Janeway's childhood, school years and early Starfleet career, giving some fascinating depth to Star Trek's first female captain. Highly recommended for ST Voyager fans!
June 13, 2020
The flashback story was stronger than the one set during Janeways time on Voyager. Personally, I would have preferred the entire book to have focused on Janeway's past.
January 31, 2016
Jeri Taylor gives us Captain Janeway's backstory, from her childhood days trying to be the best and brightest to impress her father, through her friendships and relationships in high school and at the Academy, to her early years in Starfleet.
The writing is clunkier than I remembered from reading this when it first came out, but the spirit of the story still holds up.
The writing is clunkier than I remembered from reading this when it first came out, but the spirit of the story still holds up.
November 14, 2012
I'm going to start off by openly acknowledging that my thoughts and feelings regarding this book are entirely biased, because I absolutely love Kathryn Janeway. She is one of my favorite characters of all time, and though I realize she has her flaws, she's on the short list of characters who I can get very, very defensive of.
I had actually saved this book up for a long time. I'm not sure if I was saving it for a rainy day, or as a treat. But in any case, I finally decided to read it to give me some idea of the backstory Jeri Taylor had in mind for the character, thinking that perhaps it might help me with a fanfiction piece I was working on for fun. I took my time with it, and my thoughts on what I would rate it ranged from two or three stars to five, depending on where I was in the narrative. After I had finished it, I found it took me some time and distance from it to determine how I really felt about it as a whole. Ultimately, I went with four stars, because I really liked this book. In fact, it surprised me how much I liked it, considering that in the beginning I was not feeling like it lived up to my expectations somehow...
This novel basically weaves a story set during Voyager's early time in the Delta Quadrant with Janeway's own recollections of her life before she found herself there. Through snippets that often seem somewhat random, the reader experiences pieces of Janeway's childhood, her first relationship, her time in school, her time with Starfleet, the first time she met Tuvok, and many other moments. Through revisiting big moments and small ones, tragedies and triumphs, it gives a great deal of insight into how she became the woman that we see on the bridge of Voyager during the series. I appreciate that this book was written, and even the side story was fairly engaging for me. (I love a tale of exploration!)
But of course, it was Janeway's stories I was there for. Much of the knowledge of her character I gained here was unexpected and interesting... Like the fact that she grew up with "traditionalist" parents who insisted she go to a traditionalist school and learn things she resented, but that they said were important for her to learn because unlike many things, they weren't easy for her. I found her relationship with her sister, Phoebe, a very intriguing part of the book, and I wish it had been focused on a bit more. The first meeting with Tuvok was wonderful, and her blind date with Riker while at the Academy (along with her "I must escape before I fall in love with him" extreme reaction) was a big surprise for me. The brief encounter she had with Data while traveling with her father as a child was rather cool too. (Data was my first favorite Star Trek character!) These stories are just a taste of what is contained within the book, and I feel that the collective effect of these tales does definitely give me a stronger impression of who Kathryn Janeway is.
In the end, my only real issues with the book were that I didn't really buy into the relationship with Mark (same thing happened in the show I guess, so that's not major for me), and I felt like Jeri Taylor tried to wrap it up too quickly. We went from a moment which should have represented an extreme emotional trauma to a neat little wrap up, even incorporating the title of the book...and it just seemed...forced and abrupt. I felt like I was being closed off from whatever fallout was about to occur after the revelation that Janeway had blocked for years key memories concerning the most tragic event in her life, the death of both her father and her fiance. I felt like she pulled through it in the heat of another crisis, but there had to be things to deal with once she was back in the darkness and calm of her own quarters, her own thoughts...
But despite these issues, I'm very glad I read this book, and I feel I will probably read it again in the future. I loved the chance to get a little closer to one of my favorite heroines. I know that many of the moments I shared with Janeway through reading this will stick with me (and help me deepen her characterization in any fanfic I might write). Though some minor details contained in this backstory were mentioned in the show, most of it was not...and I actually think that is a shame. After having read this, I wish that more of it had been incorporated into the Voyager series, giving everyone who watched a deeper understanding of first female Captain in Star Trek history.
I had actually saved this book up for a long time. I'm not sure if I was saving it for a rainy day, or as a treat. But in any case, I finally decided to read it to give me some idea of the backstory Jeri Taylor had in mind for the character, thinking that perhaps it might help me with a fanfiction piece I was working on for fun. I took my time with it, and my thoughts on what I would rate it ranged from two or three stars to five, depending on where I was in the narrative. After I had finished it, I found it took me some time and distance from it to determine how I really felt about it as a whole. Ultimately, I went with four stars, because I really liked this book. In fact, it surprised me how much I liked it, considering that in the beginning I was not feeling like it lived up to my expectations somehow...
This novel basically weaves a story set during Voyager's early time in the Delta Quadrant with Janeway's own recollections of her life before she found herself there. Through snippets that often seem somewhat random, the reader experiences pieces of Janeway's childhood, her first relationship, her time in school, her time with Starfleet, the first time she met Tuvok, and many other moments. Through revisiting big moments and small ones, tragedies and triumphs, it gives a great deal of insight into how she became the woman that we see on the bridge of Voyager during the series. I appreciate that this book was written, and even the side story was fairly engaging for me. (I love a tale of exploration!)
But of course, it was Janeway's stories I was there for. Much of the knowledge of her character I gained here was unexpected and interesting... Like the fact that she grew up with "traditionalist" parents who insisted she go to a traditionalist school and learn things she resented, but that they said were important for her to learn because unlike many things, they weren't easy for her. I found her relationship with her sister, Phoebe, a very intriguing part of the book, and I wish it had been focused on a bit more. The first meeting with Tuvok was wonderful, and her blind date with Riker while at the Academy (along with her "I must escape before I fall in love with him" extreme reaction) was a big surprise for me. The brief encounter she had with Data while traveling with her father as a child was rather cool too. (Data was my first favorite Star Trek character!) These stories are just a taste of what is contained within the book, and I feel that the collective effect of these tales does definitely give me a stronger impression of who Kathryn Janeway is.
In the end, my only real issues with the book were that I didn't really buy into the relationship with Mark (same thing happened in the show I guess, so that's not major for me), and I felt like Jeri Taylor tried to wrap it up too quickly. We went from a moment which should have represented an extreme emotional trauma to a neat little wrap up, even incorporating the title of the book...and it just seemed...forced and abrupt. I felt like I was being closed off from whatever fallout was about to occur after the revelation that Janeway had blocked for years key memories concerning the most tragic event in her life, the death of both her father and her fiance. I felt like she pulled through it in the heat of another crisis, but there had to be things to deal with once she was back in the darkness and calm of her own quarters, her own thoughts...
But despite these issues, I'm very glad I read this book, and I feel I will probably read it again in the future. I loved the chance to get a little closer to one of my favorite heroines. I know that many of the moments I shared with Janeway through reading this will stick with me (and help me deepen her characterization in any fanfic I might write). Though some minor details contained in this backstory were mentioned in the show, most of it was not...and I actually think that is a shame. After having read this, I wish that more of it had been incorporated into the Voyager series, giving everyone who watched a deeper understanding of first female Captain in Star Trek history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2012
Simply put: a must read for any Kathryn Janeway fan.
June 7, 2021
"There's Coffee in that Nebula"...
Get ready for a book about Janeway! Star Trek has always had a difficult time with it's books that are written while the series is being produced. This is typically because the book authors don't have the leeway that the television writers do, as they're working on the show and the show is "top dog". Occasionally, you get a hidden gem that was written during the run of a show that's actually good and adds to the story...
...although it kind of helps that the author of the book is Jeri Taylor, the co-creator and showrunner of Voyager.
This book alternates between two timelines. The flashback timeline featuring Captain Janeway growing up and the modern timeline occuring during the second year of the show. Each storyline takes up about half of the book, with each chapter flipping back and forth.
Personally, I thought the flashback chapters were excellent. Jeri Taylor not only nails the character of Janeway, but she also is able to set up her backstory without resorting to cliche'. Taylor explains why Janeway is so fiercely independent, not necessarily a rule follower, and why she puts such an emphasis on protecting her "family" during the show. We also see nuggets of her relationship with her mom and sister, which pay off if you've read the Post-Nemesis Voyager books. I think Taylor could have added a little more here, particularly with Janeway and Mark, as we know they were together during the show, but there is still part of their story missing here.
The other plotline, taking place in the "current" timeline during the second year of the show was fairly generic. It involves the Kazon, a need to get supplies from a planet, and a strange, unknown species on that planet that threatens the lives of everyone on the ship. This was a fairly run of the mill story that on it's own would have been very bland, but when coupled with the flashback portions, made for a good change of pace. In this section, I think Taylor did a pretty good job with the character of Neelix and Harry Kim. She is able to write the dialogue of all the characters so well, that I read a line of dialogue completely out of context at one point and knew exactly who was talking due to the syntax, diction, and tone of the line.
Where Taylor fails is a place that many a show writer and novel writer fail at: Balancing the characters. Chakotay got barely any lines in this book, and the Doctor has just ONE SCENE. Mabe when she was writing this, the fanbase's love of the Doctor wasn't as palpable, but it seems just terrible for him not to have barely any page time. B'elanna Torres also didn't get many lines, and most of her lines were technical or plot related lines, with little character development. I realize that for the length and focus of the story, Taylor had to focus on different characters, but I think that the book could easily have been 100 more pages to add in subplots for these characters.
That's another interesting thing about this book. It was released in hardback(albeit a small hardback), and most books don't get that treatment(especially at the time). I think this is mainly because Jeri Taylor was in charge of the show and therefore gets her way. If she wants a hardcover, she gets a hardcover. While that was nice, it seems like they could have made it longer and made it more special than the paperbacks. Average Voyager books at the time were 230-280 pages, and this book is slightly longer at 312 pages(it's paperback size is also 312), so it doesn't seem that much longer than it's counterparts. It's more of a small gripe, but I'm glad that the Trek line has focused on longer more professional novels now.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. It's a quick read, and feels like an episode or two of the t.v. show, and makes me look at Janeway and her family differently. However, I did have some problems with this book, and I certainly enjoyed some of the Kirsten Beyer Voyager books more, but this is up there with the Christie Golden Voyager books. 8.3 out of 10. Good job Jeri Taylor!
Get ready for a book about Janeway! Star Trek has always had a difficult time with it's books that are written while the series is being produced. This is typically because the book authors don't have the leeway that the television writers do, as they're working on the show and the show is "top dog". Occasionally, you get a hidden gem that was written during the run of a show that's actually good and adds to the story...
...although it kind of helps that the author of the book is Jeri Taylor, the co-creator and showrunner of Voyager.
This book alternates between two timelines. The flashback timeline featuring Captain Janeway growing up and the modern timeline occuring during the second year of the show. Each storyline takes up about half of the book, with each chapter flipping back and forth.
Personally, I thought the flashback chapters were excellent. Jeri Taylor not only nails the character of Janeway, but she also is able to set up her backstory without resorting to cliche'. Taylor explains why Janeway is so fiercely independent, not necessarily a rule follower, and why she puts such an emphasis on protecting her "family" during the show. We also see nuggets of her relationship with her mom and sister, which pay off if you've read the Post-Nemesis Voyager books. I think Taylor could have added a little more here, particularly with Janeway and Mark, as we know they were together during the show, but there is still part of their story missing here.
The other plotline, taking place in the "current" timeline during the second year of the show was fairly generic. It involves the Kazon, a need to get supplies from a planet, and a strange, unknown species on that planet that threatens the lives of everyone on the ship. This was a fairly run of the mill story that on it's own would have been very bland, but when coupled with the flashback portions, made for a good change of pace. In this section, I think Taylor did a pretty good job with the character of Neelix and Harry Kim. She is able to write the dialogue of all the characters so well, that I read a line of dialogue completely out of context at one point and knew exactly who was talking due to the syntax, diction, and tone of the line.
Where Taylor fails is a place that many a show writer and novel writer fail at: Balancing the characters. Chakotay got barely any lines in this book, and the Doctor has just ONE SCENE. Mabe when she was writing this, the fanbase's love of the Doctor wasn't as palpable, but it seems just terrible for him not to have barely any page time. B'elanna Torres also didn't get many lines, and most of her lines were technical or plot related lines, with little character development. I realize that for the length and focus of the story, Taylor had to focus on different characters, but I think that the book could easily have been 100 more pages to add in subplots for these characters.
That's another interesting thing about this book. It was released in hardback(albeit a small hardback), and most books don't get that treatment(especially at the time). I think this is mainly because Jeri Taylor was in charge of the show and therefore gets her way. If she wants a hardcover, she gets a hardcover. While that was nice, it seems like they could have made it longer and made it more special than the paperbacks. Average Voyager books at the time were 230-280 pages, and this book is slightly longer at 312 pages(it's paperback size is also 312), so it doesn't seem that much longer than it's counterparts. It's more of a small gripe, but I'm glad that the Trek line has focused on longer more professional novels now.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book. It's a quick read, and feels like an episode or two of the t.v. show, and makes me look at Janeway and her family differently. However, I did have some problems with this book, and I certainly enjoyed some of the Kirsten Beyer Voyager books more, but this is up there with the Christie Golden Voyager books. 8.3 out of 10. Good job Jeri Taylor!
April 9, 2019
A thoroughly good read for this Janeway fan. I think the one objective complaint I have is that the story glazes over how her friendships (with other girls) shaped her. Her female friendships were only catalysts to the next guy, it seemed to me. At least her relationship with her sister was something of substance. Ultimately the story left me with the impression that Taylor thought Janeway was a "Idk why but I just can't be friends with other women" kind of woman--and I. Hate. That. And strong, female leaders were glimpsed but never formed a true connection with Janeway.
Moving to subjective, personal opinion territory, I also (ironically) wish there had been more romantic action with the men! (Not Cheb tho.) I was craving a romantic/sexual scene with both Justin and Hobbes. But this was a sci-fi/action read, not a romance novel, so I won't hold it against the book.
But half a star is deducted because I spent too much time in Neelix's head. On that point, Jeri Taylor: Thanks, I hate it.
Moving to subjective, personal opinion territory, I also (ironically) wish there had been more romantic action with the men! (Not Cheb tho.) I was craving a romantic/sexual scene with both Justin and Hobbes. But this was a sci-fi/action read, not a romance novel, so I won't hold it against the book.
But half a star is deducted because I spent too much time in Neelix's head. On that point, Jeri Taylor: Thanks, I hate it.
October 10, 2020
As a Janeway fan, of course I enjoyed this read, but I would have much preferred a straight telling of her backstory, rather than this interspersed-flashbacks format. The "current" Voyager story (fairly run of the mill - exploring the remnants of a mysterious race on a new planet, with threat from the Kazon) didn't really add any value to the backstory, and didn't tie in at all. There is a slightly forced tie-in right at the end, but all it does is emphasise her resilience, which was already well understood from the backstory thread. I will say, that, as a low-key Trekkie, this is the first Star Trek novel I have read, so I make no judgement on where Mosaic sits in the general scheme or style of Star Trek and/or Voyager-specific novels, but simply as a story and as a piece of Kathryn Janeway.
I am really looking forward to the upcoming "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway" by Una McCormack.
I am really looking forward to the upcoming "The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway" by Una McCormack.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2019
Kate Mulgrew is a great book narrator. It was fun to hear her voice reading the background story of her character. The story itself is strong too. This book gives you a glimpse of how Captain Janeway grew from a girl, to a young woman, to an experienced senior officer. Recommended for any Star Trek fan. Even casual fans would like this one.
June 5, 2024
Really really good. Surprised Janeway's backstory wasn't in the show more since some pretty significant stuff happened to her in the past.
July 25, 2014
Definitely one of the better Voyager books. The plot of the events happening in real time was fairly disposable, and so were the characters - with one notable exception.. Janeway. Ultimately it is a Janeway biography, and I wasn't expecting miracles from the set up so it didn't bother me too much.
Janeway's back story is creative, although at times almost too dramatic. Her characterization in the actual tv series is haphazard at best, but this really solidified her for me. A couple lines thrown here and there about her fear of vulnerability, her frustration at being humiliated and her early disregard for "unnecessary" rules really help sell some of her actions in the show that seemed out of place at the time.
I do take issue with the fact that Janeway doesn't seem to confront what she did with her fiance and her father- she acknowledges it happened, and then it switches back to the lacking real time plot. I think that would have been a high point of the novel, and it was sorely missed. The ending was very bland. It was as if Taylor were in a rush to ship the book off and rushed through it like a 3 am college essay compared to the strength of other passages.
The Kazon perspective was an necessary intrusion. They were a poorly designed, one dimensional race to begin with so I don't get the appeal of the perspective. Janeway and crew never even met them! I think they would have represented a much more dangerous and respectable threat if we didn't get their insultingly primal inner monologue. The doctor character, besides providing some information for the bridge crew was also mostly useless.
All in all, worth a read, even if you were disappointed in Voyager - it gives some perspective that put Janeway in a better light for me, and hopefully for anyone else who gives it a soht.
Janeway's back story is creative, although at times almost too dramatic. Her characterization in the actual tv series is haphazard at best, but this really solidified her for me. A couple lines thrown here and there about her fear of vulnerability, her frustration at being humiliated and her early disregard for "unnecessary" rules really help sell some of her actions in the show that seemed out of place at the time.
I do take issue with the fact that Janeway doesn't seem to confront what she did with her fiance and her father- she acknowledges it happened, and then it switches back to the lacking real time plot. I think that would have been a high point of the novel, and it was sorely missed. The ending was very bland. It was as if Taylor were in a rush to ship the book off and rushed through it like a 3 am college essay compared to the strength of other passages.
The Kazon perspective was an necessary intrusion. They were a poorly designed, one dimensional race to begin with so I don't get the appeal of the perspective. Janeway and crew never even met them! I think they would have represented a much more dangerous and respectable threat if we didn't get their insultingly primal inner monologue. The doctor character, besides providing some information for the bridge crew was also mostly useless.
All in all, worth a read, even if you were disappointed in Voyager - it gives some perspective that put Janeway in a better light for me, and hopefully for anyone else who gives it a soht.
May 29, 2017
I was torn. I grabbed it off the library shelf because Janeway was my #1 favorite Captain, followed closely by Picard. So Janeway anything I'm going to read. But while I enjoyed the deep look into her formative years and why she became the person she did, parts of it annoyed me. Trying not to give anything away...we saw flashes of a person so unlike the Captain we know that I wanted to reach in and slap some sense into her. But then at other times, there were holes. We met some faces we already knew, like Riker, and Data, but we also found out she and Admiral Paris knew each other long before she took Tom on. As I recall, in the show, there was no recognition.
Overall, it was a fast read which I enjoyed.
The ending, as others have said, was rushed. And the big revealing moment that was supposed to be so influential in the saving of Voyager and its away team was, to me anyway, a disappointment. Others enjoyed it, so it seems to be a matter of personal taste.
Final thoughts...fun, enjoyable but unsatisfying ending.
Overall, it was a fast read which I enjoyed.
The ending, as others have said, was rushed. And the big revealing moment that was supposed to be so influential in the saving of Voyager and its away team was, to me anyway, a disappointment. Others enjoyed it, so it seems to be a matter of personal taste.
Final thoughts...fun, enjoyable but unsatisfying ending.
March 29, 2014
Wow! An excellent Voyager book! Mosaic starts out with the crew trying to find food, and encountering a situation which reminds Janeway of something that happened to her when she was younger. The book basically bounces back and forth between the present time and Janeway's youth. Very interesting to see how Taylor linked other characters such as Data and Riker into the book. Definitely top 3 Voyager books I have ever read. The only thing I did not like was there was no closure on the nocha cake and Tuvok, which just proves the cake is a lie! 5/5
September 25, 2020
I really wanted to give this a 4th star but I couldn't. I really wanted to enjoy this story more than I did. I love the concepts, the current scenario and the backstory were good ideas, but I didn't think it was well written.
The highlight was a very special guest star appearance, and for me that's about when the backstory got out of its rut. I thought it took far too long to link the backstory with the current scenario and felt that when it did it was less than satisfying.
What's behind the closed door is fairly brutal.
The highlight was a very special guest star appearance, and for me that's about when the backstory got out of its rut. I thought it took far too long to link the backstory with the current scenario and felt that when it did it was less than satisfying.
What's behind the closed door is fairly brutal.
November 25, 2022
Awful. Both of the plots have next to no storyline and the connection between the two of them is so weak. All of the flashbacks just happen, there's no "reason" behind any of them and they are all so ridiculous and feel very out of character for Janeway. Nearly every flashback was just another misadventure in the dating life of young Janeway, so frivolous and not in keeping at all with the character we know from the show. I can't believe this was written by someone who was behind the series. I actually hated this, worst Star Trek book I've ever read and that is saying something.
September 4, 2015
A very enjoyable read. I ended up downloading the Audio Book for a trip a few months later because Kate Mulgrew reads it. Trek Pocket Book stories tend to always be a full crew event, so I really enjoyed the clear focus on just the character and background of Captain Kathryn Janeway. Written by creator Jeri Taylor, this book is considered canon by most Trekkies. If you love the Janeway character, you will enjoy this book immensely.
December 10, 2020
Star Trek Voyager Mosaic presents the excellent tapestry of Janeway
Captain Kathryn Janeway survived massive odds and got her crew and ship home from being lost in space.
It was an excellent feat, requiring her to draw on all of her life experiences to do so.
All of this is chronicled in Star Trek Voyager Mosaic, written by show producer Jeri Taylor. She is a veteran writer and producer who worked for quite some time on different Star Trek shows and co-created Voyager. While writing Mosaic, which was published as a hardcover in 1996, she was asked to do the followup book Pathways. Taylor really knows and understands Janeway, and both those books are the only Star Trek novels considered cannon by the producers. And they got Katherine Mulgrew, the actress who plays Janeway to perform the audio book.
Star Trek, for the non cool, is a television and movie franchise, started in the 1960s by the late Gene Roddenberry, where humanity goes out to explore the unknown. Start Trek Voyager, the fifth spinoff, was like Lost In Space, where the ship is stranded seventy plus years from Earth and trying to get home.
Mosaic takes place towards the start of the series with Voyager investigating a strange planet when the brutal Kazon attack. Janeway has to retreat and rethink and regroup in order to save the day. At this point the narrative splits three ways, with Vulcan Turok working to keep hidden from the Kazon and figure out the planets secrets, Janeway on Voyager assessing the situation and having vivid dreams, and a huge chunk of the story with large flashbacks to Janeway’s life story.
Now we know that Janeway will save her people and solve the mystery, but Mosaic shows how her life in many best destiny ways led up to this moment. What we are here for, and Taylor knows this, is the who of Janeway.
We start with Kathryn Janeway as a child with her father Admiral Janeway, impressing him with her accomplishments. As the years go by, she leads herself more and more into Starfleet, and shows her responsible and rebellious sides. We also see her taking command of a situation, which in typical Star Trek fashion, is not what it seems to be. One interesting choice is with Janeway’s first serious boyfriend, who is clearly emotionally abusive, and how she figures this out and moves on. Unfortunately, this is still an issue in the future, but people recover better. Mosaic also shows her academy days, first assignments, becoming Captain, meeting her moral compass Tuvok, and how she and Mark started. Along the way Janeway bumps into several guest stars, and thankfully they all make sense.
Taylor really digs into what drives Janeway, and it is not simply to impress her esteemed father, but to live her potential of discovery and altruism. To do this, she does occasionally put herself in dangerous predicaments, but as another famous Captain stated, risk is our business.
One of the big cruxes of the novel involves the final memory Janeway deals with, and the implications of it. At this point, Taylor gets into PTSD and how to learn and adapt so that history becomes teacher. It is not easy, which is part of the issue, but something that has to be done in order to move forward.
Thankfully, this is not the defining moment of Janeway’s life, but it is a big moment amoungst all sorts of big moments. This book is a tapestry of this concept, and If you are a Janeway fan, then Mosaic is a must read.
Scoopriches
Captain Kathryn Janeway survived massive odds and got her crew and ship home from being lost in space.
It was an excellent feat, requiring her to draw on all of her life experiences to do so.
All of this is chronicled in Star Trek Voyager Mosaic, written by show producer Jeri Taylor. She is a veteran writer and producer who worked for quite some time on different Star Trek shows and co-created Voyager. While writing Mosaic, which was published as a hardcover in 1996, she was asked to do the followup book Pathways. Taylor really knows and understands Janeway, and both those books are the only Star Trek novels considered cannon by the producers. And they got Katherine Mulgrew, the actress who plays Janeway to perform the audio book.
Star Trek, for the non cool, is a television and movie franchise, started in the 1960s by the late Gene Roddenberry, where humanity goes out to explore the unknown. Start Trek Voyager, the fifth spinoff, was like Lost In Space, where the ship is stranded seventy plus years from Earth and trying to get home.
Mosaic takes place towards the start of the series with Voyager investigating a strange planet when the brutal Kazon attack. Janeway has to retreat and rethink and regroup in order to save the day. At this point the narrative splits three ways, with Vulcan Turok working to keep hidden from the Kazon and figure out the planets secrets, Janeway on Voyager assessing the situation and having vivid dreams, and a huge chunk of the story with large flashbacks to Janeway’s life story.
Now we know that Janeway will save her people and solve the mystery, but Mosaic shows how her life in many best destiny ways led up to this moment. What we are here for, and Taylor knows this, is the who of Janeway.
We start with Kathryn Janeway as a child with her father Admiral Janeway, impressing him with her accomplishments. As the years go by, she leads herself more and more into Starfleet, and shows her responsible and rebellious sides. We also see her taking command of a situation, which in typical Star Trek fashion, is not what it seems to be. One interesting choice is with Janeway’s first serious boyfriend, who is clearly emotionally abusive, and how she figures this out and moves on. Unfortunately, this is still an issue in the future, but people recover better. Mosaic also shows her academy days, first assignments, becoming Captain, meeting her moral compass Tuvok, and how she and Mark started. Along the way Janeway bumps into several guest stars, and thankfully they all make sense.
Taylor really digs into what drives Janeway, and it is not simply to impress her esteemed father, but to live her potential of discovery and altruism. To do this, she does occasionally put herself in dangerous predicaments, but as another famous Captain stated, risk is our business.
One of the big cruxes of the novel involves the final memory Janeway deals with, and the implications of it. At this point, Taylor gets into PTSD and how to learn and adapt so that history becomes teacher. It is not easy, which is part of the issue, but something that has to be done in order to move forward.
Thankfully, this is not the defining moment of Janeway’s life, but it is a big moment amoungst all sorts of big moments. This book is a tapestry of this concept, and If you are a Janeway fan, then Mosaic is a must read.
Scoopriches
May 5, 2021
I really wanted to like this book, but sadly, never quite got there. The author is one of the head writers for Star Trek: Voyager, not to mention a woman, and I thought that would make this story about Star Trek's first female captain that much more relatable.
Instead, I had the feeling that I couldn't really related to Kathryn as much as I thought I would. She didn't seem to be the Captain that I liked so much for 7 TV seasons. In fact, there were times when I didn't like her at all. That was very disappointing.
I guess Janeway has always been a bit impetuous. She can be a lot like Captain Kirk, and I am much more a of a Picard person. It's also true that in her younger years, she would not yet be the same person we saw on Voyager. But knowing all these things still didn't help me like the book.
Right off the bat, I was annoyed with the characterization of little grade school Kathryn and how much she was totally and completely devoted to pleasing her father. I mean, she was Daddy's-Little-Girl-to-the-MAX. Taylor went way overboard, in my opinion.
It sort of becomes clearer, much, much later, why she over emphasized Kathryn's devotion to her father. It relates to a central event in Kathryn's life. It's a horrible event that leaves Kathryn in a "Sophie's Choice" kind of situation. It was just too cruel. I hate it when Hollywood decides to torture beloved characters for the sake of a plot line. It seems like, if your name is Kathryn (or Catherine) you are especially prone to this phenomenon.
I guess Taylor was trying to show that all of the hardships and challenges Kathryn faced and overcame in her younger life prepared her to be uniquely qualified to guide Voyager through the Delta Quadrant and safely back home. Well, maybe so, but I still think this goal could have been accomplished in a more reader/fan-friendly way.
The story could also have been told differently. Chapters alternate between Janeway's past life and her current one on Voyager. There is a present day mission on a hostile planet involving the Kazon (a Delta Quadrant war-loving race) and a strange Insectoid race. It just wasn't that interesting and I was frustrated at the end of every other chapter knowing that I had to go back to the boring story on the planet when I just wanted to continue with what was happening to the younger Janeway.
I think there was an attempt to tie the 2 story-lines together near the end, but to be honest, I didn't even follow it that well.
Overall, this book is just an average Star Trek novel; and I've read many other, better ones, for sure.
Instead, I had the feeling that I couldn't really related to Kathryn as much as I thought I would. She didn't seem to be the Captain that I liked so much for 7 TV seasons. In fact, there were times when I didn't like her at all. That was very disappointing.
I guess Janeway has always been a bit impetuous. She can be a lot like Captain Kirk, and I am much more a of a Picard person. It's also true that in her younger years, she would not yet be the same person we saw on Voyager. But knowing all these things still didn't help me like the book.
Right off the bat, I was annoyed with the characterization of little grade school Kathryn and how much she was totally and completely devoted to pleasing her father. I mean, she was Daddy's-Little-Girl-to-the-MAX. Taylor went way overboard, in my opinion.
It sort of becomes clearer, much, much later, why she over emphasized Kathryn's devotion to her father. It relates to a central event in Kathryn's life. It's a horrible event that leaves Kathryn in a "Sophie's Choice" kind of situation. It was just too cruel. I hate it when Hollywood decides to torture beloved characters for the sake of a plot line. It seems like, if your name is Kathryn (or Catherine) you are especially prone to this phenomenon.
I guess Taylor was trying to show that all of the hardships and challenges Kathryn faced and overcame in her younger life prepared her to be uniquely qualified to guide Voyager through the Delta Quadrant and safely back home. Well, maybe so, but I still think this goal could have been accomplished in a more reader/fan-friendly way.
The story could also have been told differently. Chapters alternate between Janeway's past life and her current one on Voyager. There is a present day mission on a hostile planet involving the Kazon (a Delta Quadrant war-loving race) and a strange Insectoid race. It just wasn't that interesting and I was frustrated at the end of every other chapter knowing that I had to go back to the boring story on the planet when I just wanted to continue with what was happening to the younger Janeway.
I think there was an attempt to tie the 2 story-lines together near the end, but to be honest, I didn't even follow it that well.
Overall, this book is just an average Star Trek novel; and I've read many other, better ones, for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
Jeri Taylor's "Mosaic," a Star Trek: Voyager novel delves into the past of Captain Kathryn Janeway while simultaneously presenting a Delta Quadrant escapade. As a fan, I found myself engaged by the interweaving narrative strands that took me through Janeway's early life, her time as an ensign, and her relationship with familiar characters like Admiral Paris and Commander Riker.
As the story unfolds, we witness Janeway's extraordinary growth and development, which Taylor masterfully showcases with a seamless blend of action and character development. While the other storyline of the stranded away team initially piqued my interest, I eventually found myself drawn more to Janeway's backstory, particularly her time as an ensign and her interactions with other Starfleet officers.
Despite some minor distractions from occasional technobabble and a slightly rushed ending, the novel's pacing is good, ensuring a entertaining journey from start to finish. Only a few times did I find the connection between the two main narrative strands jarring, but overall, the integration was satisfactory.
"Mosaic" deepens our understanding of Janeway's character, revealing the pivotal experiences and choices that shaped her into the strong, resilient leader we know and admire. For fans eager to explore the untold story of Captain Janeway, this book is a must-read that adds a new dimension to the Star Trek: Voyager universe.
I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
#CaptainJaneway #StarTrekVoyager #MosaicNovel #DeltaQuadrant #JeriTaylor #JanewaysBackstory #StarTrek #Janeway #BookReview #ScienceFiction
As the story unfolds, we witness Janeway's extraordinary growth and development, which Taylor masterfully showcases with a seamless blend of action and character development. While the other storyline of the stranded away team initially piqued my interest, I eventually found myself drawn more to Janeway's backstory, particularly her time as an ensign and her interactions with other Starfleet officers.
Despite some minor distractions from occasional technobabble and a slightly rushed ending, the novel's pacing is good, ensuring a entertaining journey from start to finish. Only a few times did I find the connection between the two main narrative strands jarring, but overall, the integration was satisfactory.
"Mosaic" deepens our understanding of Janeway's character, revealing the pivotal experiences and choices that shaped her into the strong, resilient leader we know and admire. For fans eager to explore the untold story of Captain Janeway, this book is a must-read that adds a new dimension to the Star Trek: Voyager universe.
I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
#CaptainJaneway #StarTrekVoyager #MosaicNovel #DeltaQuadrant #JeriTaylor #JanewaysBackstory #StarTrek #Janeway #BookReview #ScienceFiction
May 29, 2024
A stunning volume of Trek history that adds an amazing amount of depth to one of Starfleet’s finest ever captains. Early on, it must be said, that the constant POV changes were annoying and distracting for the reader who was trying to settle in. Also a section of chapter 6 got lost in translation from physical to digital media which confused my kindle into thinking I was reading a sample instead of the full version of the book that I paid money for. But the story grew in quality and you soon looked forward to the different perspectives on offer.
Mosaic is unique in my Trek literary experience in that humanity finds itself in conflict with two aggressive species at the same”time” in the single book but spoilers prevent me from explaining why this is significant.
Special mention must also be made of the cameos of big names in this era of Star Trek that we see at various points throughout the story. But it’s the senior crew of Voyager and the ship herself that gets the job done and kudos must go to Jeri Taylor who has written a highly entertaining and almost literary story of life, love, loss and death as well as a tribute novel about a woman who doesn’t know what defeat means and has endured enough heartbreak in her life to accept any more.
Mosaic is unique in my Trek literary experience in that humanity finds itself in conflict with two aggressive species at the same”time” in the single book but spoilers prevent me from explaining why this is significant.
Special mention must also be made of the cameos of big names in this era of Star Trek that we see at various points throughout the story. But it’s the senior crew of Voyager and the ship herself that gets the job done and kudos must go to Jeri Taylor who has written a highly entertaining and almost literary story of life, love, loss and death as well as a tribute novel about a woman who doesn’t know what defeat means and has endured enough heartbreak in her life to accept any more.
July 27, 2019
I had always known Kate Mulgrew as a great actress, but this audiobook made me realise that she made a great voice actor too! When she spoke certain lines as Tuvok or Kes, I couldn’t help but imagining the real actors. I also really enjoyed the sound effects and background music. This was definitely more of an audio drama than standard audiobook.
The story itself did feel authentically like one of Voyager’s episodes, which shouldn’t have been surprising given Jeri Taylor wrote the story. Admittedly I was a bit distracted while reading this, so the back and forth between present and past blurred a bit in some places, but the switches were done a lot better than some other audiobooks so I didn’t get confused for too long.
It was quite interesting to get a glimpse of Janeway’s past. Some sub-plots were a bit cliche, but forgivable for long term fans of the Captain.
Although a tad too short, it was a really enjoyable experience. Perhaps I’ll try the other ones read by Robert Picardo.
The story itself did feel authentically like one of Voyager’s episodes, which shouldn’t have been surprising given Jeri Taylor wrote the story. Admittedly I was a bit distracted while reading this, so the back and forth between present and past blurred a bit in some places, but the switches were done a lot better than some other audiobooks so I didn’t get confused for too long.
It was quite interesting to get a glimpse of Janeway’s past. Some sub-plots were a bit cliche, but forgivable for long term fans of the Captain.
Although a tad too short, it was a really enjoyable experience. Perhaps I’ll try the other ones read by Robert Picardo.
January 15, 2020
Full disclosure: Janeway is not my favorite captain and Voyager isn’t my favorite series. However, the flashback portions of this book are some of the best story material Voyager has ever produced. Each flashback is detailed and relevant to the person Janeway becomes as captain, with struggle, heartbreak, disappointment and happiness abound as in real life. These are compelling glimpses into her past.
The future story taking place on Voyager? Eh, it’s fine but certainly not nearly as compelling as anything in the flashbacks. Maybe it’s the presence of the Kazon or maybe it’s because none of the main characters are ever in harms way because they have to continue on in the series. Either way, the present story never compelled me to become invested in it. The flashbacks? Yeah, that’s the meat of this book.
The future story taking place on Voyager? Eh, it’s fine but certainly not nearly as compelling as anything in the flashbacks. Maybe it’s the presence of the Kazon or maybe it’s because none of the main characters are ever in harms way because they have to continue on in the series. Either way, the present story never compelled me to become invested in it. The flashbacks? Yeah, that’s the meat of this book.
September 5, 2022
This book is a triumph! Captain Janeway is one of my all-time favorite fictional characters, and her unflappable, determined self is truly an inspiration. This story was such a satisfying read and illuminated the depth of Janeway in such a way that you stand in awe of her and love her more.
The back and forth between the past and present is well balanced and equally entertaining, though at different times. There were moments for both storylines where I wanted to skip ahead to resolve one of them over the other.
The relationships presented and explored throughout the story fleshed out Janeway so perfectly. I feel as if the tenderness and toughness imbued in Janeway on the show are given real weight from this novel. I’m so happy I read it and am so grateful to Jeri Taylor for bringing it to life.
The back and forth between the past and present is well balanced and equally entertaining, though at different times. There were moments for both storylines where I wanted to skip ahead to resolve one of them over the other.
The relationships presented and explored throughout the story fleshed out Janeway so perfectly. I feel as if the tenderness and toughness imbued in Janeway on the show are given real weight from this novel. I’m so happy I read it and am so grateful to Jeri Taylor for bringing it to life.
December 4, 2017
The flashbacks through Janeway's life are all quite enjoyable, and at times excellent, but the present-day framing story is awful. I'm guilty of being overly critical of Voyager, but those parts manage to exemplify all of the problems I have with the show and its terrible characters.
But the flashbacks are almost all great fun and tell their own gripping stories. It adds a lot to Janeway's backstory and it feels significant since, being written by one of the show's creators, this book can be considered semi-canon.
It ends with a heavy-handed way of incorporating the novel's title into the text and Chakotay leading a slow round of applause for the captain on the bridge. Good lord.
But the flashbacks are almost all great fun and tell their own gripping stories. It adds a lot to Janeway's backstory and it feels significant since, being written by one of the show's creators, this book can be considered semi-canon.
It ends with a heavy-handed way of incorporating the novel's title into the text and Chakotay leading a slow round of applause for the captain on the bridge. Good lord.
May 21, 2018
I listened to this audiobook on Audible and I really enjoyed it. Kate Mulgrew narrated it and that made it even better. The story skipped around a lot going from past to present and that was simultaneously my favorite and least favorite part of the book. I really liked learning more about Capt. Janeway's past and how she became the outstanding leader she is, as well as more about her family and personal life too. But the back & forth made it essentially lots of different stories thrown together that didn't seem to be related other than they were important moments in her life. But I guess that explains the "Mosaic" title in that they were her stories pieced together. It made me love Capt Janeway even more!
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