Quick Note to Readers: I am currently tasked with supervising my son’s virtual schooling. Due to the time commitment this requires, review postings (like this one) may be delayed to Friday evenings or Saturday mornings for the next few weeks. The reviews are getting written, but between handling virtual schooling and having to fit in sleep (because I work overnight), opportunities to transcribe them are severely limited. I know y’all will understand because you’re cool like that. I just wanted you to know. —Jess
This week, when a big brown furry thing takes a shine to Jake, Odo leaves it in his and Nog’s care. But when the wormholes burps up a soap bubble that’s looking for its abducted prince, their bylaws dictate that they can’t give out any useful information for finding him. Are Jake and Nog card-carrying members of G.R.O.S.S.? Does Morn ever panic? And do you even have to read this book at all? All this and more in The Pet, a book written by Mel Gilden. What a guy!
This week, the Enterprise-B scores Starfleet’s lowest ever Uber rating when James Kirk dies on its shakedown cruise. But when a mad scientist will stop at nothing to reach his happy place, Jean-Luc Picard must step outside of time and put in a formal crossover request to stop him. Is the time finally right for Jim and Carol? Are the Reeves-Stevenses being cheeky? And is Sulu ready to turn into a lizard? All this and more in Star Trek Generations, the book that finally tosses Scotty a compliment.
This week, a treaty renegotiation brings aboard an ambassador who dredges up memories of a somewhat lopsided rivalry for Dr. McCoy. But when Bones learns he’s a father again, he’ll have a dickens of a time remembering the right name to write on the birthday cards. Would McCoy make a good politician? Is this secretly a YA novel? And how long can we all keep pretending to care about Howard Weinstein’s résumé? All this and more in The Better Man, the book that hopes its fake ID is believable.
This week, Keiko’s class gets a new student, but the only class he’s interested in is Advanced Cardassian Murdering. But when they find a stowaway in the vents, they suddenly realize why there’s always cheesecake in the beef stew. Can the YA books handle full Garak? Is it harder to survive war or peace? And when did everyone turn British all of a sudden? All this and more in Prisoners of Peace, the book that may very well lay claim to the franchise’s first adorable Vulcan.
This week, when everyone’s favorite volatile starship fuel gets a day in the limelight, some Bajoran terrorists yank it off the stage. But when Sisko and Dax follow them through the wormhole to retrieve it, they have no idea just how bugged their hotel room is. Can the computer calculate your odds of scoring a hot date? Is there a Doctor on the station? And who’s been tapped to replace Sisko? All this and more in Antimatter, the book whose combadge location is better left undisclosed.