Customer Reviews

Ancient Blood: Day of Honor #1 (Star Trek The Next Generation)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Tired of those one-episode Star Trek books? The new Day of Honor Series, at least Book 1, promises to be one of the first Star Trek books/series in years with depth. Ancient Blood intertwines two story lines, one a secret mission that challenges Worf's sense of honor and another that teaches his son Alexander about the concept of honor, uniquely not from a Klingon point of view. If you want action, this is also one of the most violent Star Trek stories I've read recently. Let's hope Book 2 is just as good

First off, I'm sorry, the holodeck plotline was a COMPLETE waste of time. I'm glad that Ms. Carey has a store of information about Revolutionary War fighting; perhaps she should write a historical novel to make use of it, but squeezing it into a Star Trek novel served no purpose. The notion that Picard wouldn't have taken even the most half-brained precautions about potential injuries is simply too much to expect; at the very least, he could have arranged for a "stop button" on his clothing so he wouldn't have to speak and could thus spare us the "I beg your pardon" stuff when he says "freeze program." Better extrapolation on how an extra 400 years just might change perception of the Revolutionary War would've added a lot. However, at least one or two of the holodeck people demonstrated SOME complexity of character; no one in the 24th century plot could claim that. I'm sorry, I couldn't side with Worf's point of view for a SECOND. And Picard and Riker are laughing over Data's misunderstanding of mass human dismemberment? That's distasteful. And were we actually supposed to be worried about Data being hurt by the Rogues when we KNOW how tough he is? How could the away team have even been a little concerned? Data's taken much worse. Worf's friend Grant came out of nowhere and went right back; neither one of them demonstrated the level of competence we would expect from such professionals. The villain was so cliched it was absurd. I discerned no effort to make us even CONSIDER the idea that we were in an at all alien society (I know it was a human colony, but not all human colonies are alike.). I have read some great Star Trek novels, and I have read some bad ones; this one unquestionably falls into the latter category. This was almost as bad as some of Ms. Carey's adaptations (smug humanocentrism at its worst in those), and far below the quality she demonstrated in "Dreadnought" and "Battlestations." This stuff would have been embarrassing back in the space opera age.

On another note, the "gore" didn't bother ME, anyway.

So, I didn't think much of it. Others did. To each his own. No problem here.

I have never been a fan of Klingons, or their claims to honor. I have never been a fan of subplots in holosuites. I have never been a fan of the writing of Diane Carey.

So imagine my surprise when I say, this is not only (by far) the best-written novel by Diane Carey that I have ever read (she only got over-cute with her word choice twice in the entire book; usually, she ruins the effect of her otherwise acceptable writing by trying desperately for "clever" and managing only "wrong", every few pages) but may well be the absolute best Star Trek story I've ever read, by any author, from any series; Worf was handled quite well, his claims that "Klingons don't behave that way; it would be dishonorable" are thoroughly debunked by the fact that the other Klingons do, indeed, behave "that way"; the holodeck subplot involving Picard and Alexander in a holoprogram set during the American Revolutionary War managed, in spite of my general dislike for the holodeck as a plot device, to be quite compelling, and the various dillemmas involving honor were most assuredly not stock situations, but involved a great deal of very careful work on the part of the author to make the ethical questions murky and challenging. The subplot in the holodeck had perhaps the best representation of the legitimate points of view of a loyal British soldier during the Revolution that I've ever seen, and the fact that the focus of that story was on an "aristocratic redcoat", rather than a more standard "valiant rebel" was a marvellous concept.

I cannot say enough about how marvellous this book is.

This was a great book that took the reader to an unexpected era. It's quite clear that the author has of love for sailing and historic vessels. She found a wonderful way to intertwine the 18th and 24th centuries. It was great to see Alexander make it into a book as well. Some minor portions of the book were a little hard to swallow, however, if Trek readers want reality they should stick with non fiction. Thank you to Diane Carey for a wonderful story.

This is one of the best Star Trek books I have read. It very neatly splits two story lines and keeps you wanting more of both. Picard teaches Alexander about the Day of Honor in a holosuite program designed around the American Revolution while Worf is on a secret mission fighting DISHONORABLE KLINGONS! Well written and a must for Worf fans.

Form reading the other reviews, it seems other people thought it was too bloody, but if you know anything about Klingons you know the are a VERY violent race. I didn't think this book was that bloody. I've been following Star Trek for most of my life and this book was one of the most accurate I've ever read. And, of course, the other accurate books were also writen by Diane Carey.

This book does justice to the Day of Honor. It gives you an excellent perspective into Worf in the course of doing so. Some perople think it's too bloody, but what did you expect from a book about Klingons? Peace and love? I think not. If you want a good perspective into Klingons - GET THIS BOOK! You won't be disappointed. Qapla'!

This may very well be the best Star Trek book
ever. Asks some very deep questions to think
about. As everyone is saying, it is bloody,
but it seemed necessary for the plot.

Two major plotlines, one of substance revolving around Picard and Alexander learning about honor, while the other meanders through a botched mission and it's implications of honor for Worf. The holoprogram visit to the US Revolutionary War is fascinating and compelling. The rest is pretty well stock-in-trade. Good concept, competently wrought, however filled with blood and gore to excess

Blood and gore never help a story. They ruin it. Too bad