Customer Reviews

DREADNOUGHT (STAR TREK #29)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This novel remains among my all time favorites. A very human Lt. Piper is assigned in a whirlwind manner to the Starship Enterprise and before she can even see her post is caught up in a plot to take over the galaxy. Involving a superweapon capable of destroying a fleet of Starships, the stakes are incredibly high. Piper must thread her way through a maze of deception and intrigue to learn the truth about who is who and what is intended for the galaxy. She then must become a true commander to hault the forces of a military takeover and preserve the Federation in its most desperate hour. A gripping story, grand in its implications and still very human, this book should not be missed.

Where to begin? It starts strong enough- as the quoted Kobiyashi Maru scene unfolds, but soon the thin plot and cardboard characters begin to reveal themselves. As one reviewer mentioned, this is fanfic before the web. Hackneyed plot devices, and stilted dialogue including a whopping exposition on the back-history of Earth and the Federation which would've been fine enough, if overlong, but wow, the author really wears her politics on her sleeve- it comes off as cribbed from some poorly written Libertarian screed...okay, everyone is entitled to their opinion, BUT then having a Vulcan, you know, "The Needs of the Many out weigh The Needs of the Few" folks, be horrified that humans had socialized their government is a whopping big leap to make, especially if that angsty Vulcan is trying to be more-Vulcan-than-Vulcans. So much for continuity-in-Universe. The bad guy is about as subtle as a steam-roller, and the way he first traps Piper is just downright...Well, if she's a command candidate, Starfleet is obviously going down the tubes. It makes for fine fan fic, but to pay money for this book is laughable. Save your money. Buy Ford's books, or Dian Duane's, or D.C. Fontana... or A.A. Milne if you like children's books...but this? No. Get it from the library if you need a brainless book for a short commute

This is a remarkably different book taken from the perspective of a newly minted starship crewman thrust into the middle of a tangled web of intrigue and treason. The Federation, under direction of Vice Admiral Rittenhouse, has undertaken the building of the most powerful battleship the galaxy has ever seen. This ship is stolen by a supposed group of terrorists who, instead of threating mass destruction, claim they have stolen the ship as a last desperate bid for peace. Kirk, with the wet-behind-the-ears Piper in tow, chases off after the dreadnought. One by one, little anomalies in the conduct of Vice Admiral Rittenhouse and the passionate pleas of the dreadnought's crew bring to light a terrible plot to forcefully unify the galaxy at any cost. Piper, pushed through situation after situation, discovers the truth, escapes from Rittenhouse, and reaches the dreadnought. There, she, her Vulcan friend Sandra, and a crew of students and desk officals must meet the threat head on, as Rittenhouse takes a desperate gamble to annilate the dreadnought, destroying those aboard and their knowledge of his plan. Kirk, seeing through Rittenhouse (aided by a rather impromptu arrest of Kirk himself and several of his officers by Rittenhouse) comes to the aid of the dreadnought in defiance of all orders, and he and Piper togeather face a fleet of the Federation's best starships in desperate combat for the fate of the galaxy. The edge of the seat excitement and clever story line make this book a hit in itself, but Piper herself is the real star. I felt like chearing when she overcame her doubts, took command of the dreadnought, and faced death to defend what she believed in. She embodies the spirit of Star Trek, and at the same time reminds us that all heros are at bottom ordinary people.

I think I enjoyed the intense relationship between a human officer and her Vulcan counterpart who at first hates her, yet he comes to understand and essentially like her. The amount of humor the author puts into this story will keep you awake and alert the entire time, as well as the eccentric characters in the story like Piper's friends.

In my reviews of Classic Star Trek novels, it must be understood that I adhere to the original canon as invisioned by Gene Roddenberry, and not the "Star Trek" universe accepted by Rick Berman and company.

I generally rate a classic novel thus:

Adherence to Canon -- does this novel adhere to the vision of the original Star Trek?

In this case, pretty much so.

Believability (within the confines of 23rd century Star Trek viability) -- is this novel well-plotted and well written? Can I picture this novel or imagine myself in it?

Yes. Definitely.

Coherence and Consistency -- does this novel internally consistent? Is it consistent with other Star Trek
novels by the same author? Is it consistent with what is known of the CLASSIC Star Trek universe?

Yes, as well as with a sequel.

Mitigating Factors -- pluses or minuses which dramatically affect the enjoyment of this book

The book is fun. Not particularly brilliant, but fun. Certainly one to bring to the beach or to the pool for an afternoon diversion.

This book has a good many surprises. Instead of the Kirk and Spock team, we are introduced to Piper, who shows as much drive and initiative as Captain Kirk. The new characters are believeable and likeable. She does manage to get herself into quite a lot of trouble. as well as impress Captain Kirk with her ability. Carey's style is easy to follow and her wit adds to the experience.

In this side-story in the Star Trek universe, we see that the Federation has a new class of ship at it's disposal, the Dreadnought! A must have for anyone who loves ship-to-ship combat in the galaxy. Also, there are a few surprises that you wouldn't count on in this kind of battle...

I read this book and Battlestations for the first time when I was in Junior High. They were my favorite two star trek books for a long time and still rank right up there. Before Voyager, Piper was the epitome of Star Trek Women. I wanted to be her. I think these two books are great and really let female readers get into the star trek universe in a way we can't reading about captain kirk chasing skirts.

I loved Dreadnought the moment I picked it up off the bookshelf nearly a decade ago. I have read it about thirty times and I, too, wished I was Piper. Unlike some other novels which attempt to minimize Star Fleet into a future U.S. military, Dreadnought keeps the truth of Trek right on track - Starfleet is NOT a military organization as we know it, not based on fighting, but on exploration, science, and of course, human beings at their best. Please read this novel. Carey really knows her stuff.

This novel describes what happens when "terrorists" steal a new ship, the Star Empire, on the eve of her maiden voyage. A new character, Lt.Piper, is introduced, along with a group of her friends from the Academy, and is required by Kirk to find out why the "terrorists" stole the new ship. Along the way, we learn about an ambitious admiral who wants to use the ship to get rid of the Klingons, Romulans, etc., a new friendship between a human and a Vulcan, and how an untested officer can "think outside the box" and defeat the admiral and his cohorts.

One intriguing item was the presence of the Gorn officer aboard a Federation starship: When did the Gorn become Federation allies--was that event after the TOS episode "Arena"?