Star Trek: The Next Generation: Before Dishonor by Peter David
This 2007 novel ups the ante with a Borg attack, Picard disobeying orders and sparking a mutiny on his ship and Kathryn Janeway being made into a Borg Queen and getting killed off. The Janeway ‘death’ was undone by later ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ books, people shrug off the mutiny and Pluto being ‘eaten’ was apparently forgotten. The humorous tone, shoehorning in of Seven and Spock, the changing character of poor Leybenzon, making this the sequel to ‘Vendetta’ that nobody asked for and the author validating his own opinion of Worf being a noble savage bubbling with mischief were fatal slips.
The multiple dull narratives, bad writing, problematic character interaction, Picard’s chilly relationship with his new crew, Lady Q showing up to be beatific and Janeway having severe fear avoidance beliefs makes this book highly provocative but unprofessional and inconsistent. The author inflames readers opinions but his 80s/90s style of ‘writing’ isn’t really what people are accustomed to nowadays. There is a Calhoun cameo, Starfleet is only mildly military and the final two chapters are ridiculous.
Best Lines:
“Those who support you in any manner are simply acting as enablers to your delusions of infallibility.”
“Words are useless.”
