The First Virtue [Import] [Unbound]

Michael Jan Friedman (Author), Christie Golden (Author)

Product Details

• Unbound
• Publisher: Pocket Books (August 1999)
• ISBN-10: 0743421361
• ISBN-13: 978-0743421362
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great conclusion to an excellent set of six novels, March 13, 2000

By 

Ben R (West Des Moines, Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Virtue (Star Trek the Next Generation: Double Helix, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

This story is another wonderful tale in the Star Trek: The Next Generation tradition. It is based in the same wonderful universe as all other star trek books where faster than light travel and communications make galactic journeys possible. Unlike most other Next Generation books, this story does not take place aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Instead it is based a few years before the Next Generation series began on the U.S.S. Stargazer, Captain Picard's former ship. There are a few familiar characters though, obviously Captain Picard, and the often spoken of but seldom seen husband of Dr. Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Jack Crusher. Also joining these two characters is one Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. If the name sounds familiar to Star Trek: Voyager fans, it is the same as your Lieutenant Tuvok but a few years before his Voyager years. The story is of a mission to the Kellasian sector to try and help defuse the war cries of two races on different worlds brought on by old hatred and recent terrorist attacks. While Picard tries to solve the problem diplomatically, he assigns Crusher and Tuvok to investigate the attacks because he believes they are coming from an outside source. This is the final tale in the series of the plot of a mad man to destroy the entire Federation. Interestingly, this last story is the first chronologically and answers the questions posed by the first five novels about why this mad man has been sending virtually incurable diseases to seemingly random places in the galaxy over a period of nearly a decade. Some of the most interesting parts of the story come when a carefree and impulsive Jack Crusher teams up with the completely logical and reserved Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. The clash of their personalities is nearly audible to the reader in the early stages of the book.

"The ease with which they found a place to land and hide their small craft, all within a few kilometers of a main city, was actually rather unsettling. `Any disreputable type can sneak onto this planet,' Crusher said. `But then,' Tuvok told him as they concealed their ship with loose foliage, `so can a team of Starfleet officers.' The commander looked at him. `In other words, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.' The Vulcan appeared perplexed--and maybe a little annoyed as well. `The reference escapes me,' he said. `What it means,' Crusher explained, `is that you shouldn't question good luck. You should just run with it.' Tuvok sighed a little. `I see.' `Don't you have any colorful Vulcan expressions?' asked the human. The ensign glanced at him. `No,' he said flatly. And he dragged a few last branches full of leaves up against their vessel. Crusher brushed off his hands. `Looks like we're done.' `Indeed,' said Tuvok. he gestured. `The city is that way.' and he began to walk toward it. The human had no trouble catching up with him. `Impatient, aren't we?' he asked his companion. Tuvok stopped and turned to him, obviously a little surprised. `Not really. I simply saw no reason to delay.' Crusher smiled at the ensign's expression. `My fault. You're absolutely right-- there isn't.' And as he started walking again, he reminded himself that he couldn't joke with the Vulcan as he might [with other people he knew]."

However, as they work together, they realize that their differences do not need to stand in the way of forming a friendship, not that Tuvok would ever admit to needing friendship. Friedman and Golden use dialogue very well to show what is happening, not only around the characters but also to show how the characters are feeling. When Tuvok is explaining how he talked an adversary out of killing Crusher and himself.

"`When he attempted to sense my emotions, our minds were linked. it was not difficult to examine his thoughts and extract something useful for them. and the rest--' He hesitated. `The rest . . . ?' Crusher prodded. Again, Tuvok's dark eyes seemed to glimmer with the faintest hint of mischief. `The rest,' said the Vulcan, `I made up.' Crusher grinned at him. `Tuvok, you son of a mugato. I didn't know you had it in you.' The ensign's brow wrinkled ever so slightly. `There is much you do not know about me, Commander. Perhaps we will have the chance to rectify that at a later time.'"

Although he remains constantly icy to Crusher, Tuvok does change and begin to show a bit of affection for his illogical and slightly annoying partner. Friedman & Golden do a wonderful job of tying together a series of six novels into one chronologically spaced out story. This book is not for everyone. I will be the first to admit that Star Trek or Science-Fiction in general really turn some people off. But if you are a Trekkie, or are someone who is willing to open his mind to a tale based in the far distant future but not far enough that you can not relate to the story. And if you've got a lot of extra time on your hands, read the whole series, it's worth your time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great conclusion to an excellent set of six novels, March 13, 2000

By 

Ben R (West Des Moines, Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Virtue (Star Trek the Next Generation: Double Helix, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

This story is another wonderful tale in the Star Trek: The Next Generation tradition. It is based in the same wonderful universe as all other star trek books where faster than light travel and communications make galactic journeys possible. Unlike most other Next Generation books, this story does not take place aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Instead it is based a few years before the Next Generation series began on the U.S.S. Stargazer, Captain Picard's former ship. There are a few familiar characters though, obviously Captain Picard, and the often spoken of but seldom seen husband of Dr. Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Jack Crusher. Also joining these two characters is one Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. If the name sounds familiar to Star Trek: Voyager fans, it is the same as your Lieutenant Tuvok but a few years before his Voyager years. The story is of a mission to the Kellasian sector to try and help defuse the war cries of two races on different worlds brought on by old hatred and recent terrorist attacks. While Picard tries to solve the problem diplomatically, he assigns Crusher and Tuvok to investigate the attacks because he believes they are coming from an outside source. This is the final tale in the series of the plot of a mad man to destroy the entire Federation. Interestingly, this last story is the first chronologically and answers the questions posed by the first five novels about why this mad man has been sending virtually incurable diseases to seemingly random places in the galaxy over a period of nearly a decade. Some of the most interesting parts of the story come when a carefree and impulsive Jack Crusher teams up with the completely logical and reserved Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. The clash of their personalities is nearly audible to the reader in the early stages of the book.

"The ease with which they found a place to land and hide their small craft, all within a few kilometers of a main city, was actually rather unsettling. `Any disreputable type can sneak onto this planet,' Crusher said. `But then,' Tuvok told him as they concealed their ship with loose foliage, `so can a team of Starfleet officers.' The commander looked at him. `In other words, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.' The Vulcan appeared perplexed--and maybe a little annoyed as well. `The reference escapes me,' he said. `What it means,' Crusher explained, `is that you shouldn't question good luck. You should just run with it.' Tuvok sighed a little. `I see.' `Don't you have any colorful Vulcan expressions?' asked the human. The ensign glanced at him. `No,' he said flatly. And he dragged a few last branches full of leaves up against their vessel. Crusher brushed off his hands. `Looks like we're done.' `Indeed,' said Tuvok. he gestured. `The city is that way.' and he began to walk toward it. The human had no trouble catching up with him. `Impatient, aren't we?' he asked his companion. Tuvok stopped and turned to him, obviously a little surprised. `Not really. I simply saw no reason to delay.' Crusher smiled at the ensign's expression. `My fault. You're absolutely right-- there isn't.' And as he started walking again, he reminded himself that he couldn't joke with the Vulcan as he might [with other people he knew]."

However, as they work together, they realize that their differences do not need to stand in the way of forming a friendship, not that Tuvok would ever admit to needing friendship. Friedman and Golden use dialogue very well to show what is happening, not only around the characters but also to show how the characters are feeling. When Tuvok is explaining how he talked an adversary out of killing Crusher and himself.

"`When he attempted to sense my emotions, our minds were linked. it was not difficult to examine his thoughts and extract something useful for them. and the rest--' He hesitated. `The rest . . . ?' Crusher prodded. Again, Tuvok's dark eyes seemed to glimmer with the faintest hint of mischief. `The rest,' said the Vulcan, `I made up.' Crusher grinned at him. `Tuvok, you son of a mugato. I didn't know you had it in you.' The ensign's brow wrinkled ever so slightly. `There is much you do not know about me, Commander. Perhaps we will have the chance to rectify that at a later time.'"

Although he remains constantly icy to Crusher, Tuvok does change and begin to show a bit of affection for his illogical and slightly annoying partner. Friedman & Golden do a wonderful job of tying together a series of six novels into one chronologically spaced out story. This book is not for everyone. I will be the first to admit that Star Trek or Science-Fiction in general really turn some people off. But if you are a Trekkie, or are someone who is willing to open his mind to a tale based in the far distant future but not far enough that you can not relate to the story. And if you've got a lot of extra time on your hands, read the whole series, it's worth your time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No that great especially for a mini series., October 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The First Virtue (Star Trek the Next Generation: Double Helix, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

Bad conclusion to wrap up this whole double helix thing. Found the book rather slow and couldn't finish it. Really did not have much that kept you holding. I am good friends with mike friedman and he told me that Christie hogged most of the writing and that was why it was poor.