Customer Reviews

Infection (Star Trek The Next Generation: Double Helix, Book 1)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought that the mystery behind the Virus that the crew faces was very interesting indeed. Don't worry, I won't tell you how it ends...A very good read and should be added to the collection.

P.S. For those readers who search out books featuring certain characters (I admit I am one of them) This book has very little to do with Data and Tasha who are featured on the cover. Their part doesn't even begin until the middle of the book and I would estimate is only four pages long.

I originally bought the first two Double Helix books sometime when they first came out. I was kind of intimidated by the cover of Infection! Infection is a wonderful, should I say, mystery book. Suspense never stops in this one!

A plague like virus has spread over the planet of Archaria III. However, it only seems to be affecting "mixers". Mixers are the non-pure offspring of humans and any other race, mainly being the Peladians on this planet. The plague kills within a week and the mortality rate is 100%.

The crew of the Enterprise is sent to Archaria III to bring in medical supplies and to place the planet under quarantine. Dr. Crusher discovers that the virus is manmade and cannot be contained by normal means. Things get out of hand and the Enterprise's task becomes difficult to say the least. Stop the spread, find a cure, and find the person(s) responsible for attempting biological genocide.

Infection is a good lead into what has the potential to be a great series. You can feel the urgency of the situation as the Enterprise's crew races against time to find a cure. My one complaint would be the ending. Though it is good, it just wraps the whole book up too abruptly. You read through 21 chapters of build up, and everything gets wrapped up nice and tidy in one chapter.

THE PLOT OR PREMISE:
This is the first of six books dealing with biological terrorism by an unknown foe. The story is interesting, as a planet has been infected with a plague with an 100% fatality rate -- but only for those aliens who are of mixed-race. Pure breeds remain unaffected!

WHAT I LIKED:
This is definitely different from most TNG plots where they steer away from racial relations that aren't easily solved. The plot is interesting and the medical portion is solid.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Unfortunately, the problem with this novel is that the characters are written similar to those of the first few books in the TNG series -- when the characters weren't quite developed yet or as well-defined. When you read those early books now, you can't help but say to yourself "But THEY wouldn't do THAT!". Such divergence from the real characters they become was understandable early on in the series, but now that there have been seven years worth of episodes, fifty odd books, and a couple of movies, going back to the "not yet defined" characters seems too far out of the fold. The characters fit the timeline in the series, but are not true to who the characters become.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Readable entry in the TNG universe but fans of the later seasons of the TNG series may have trouble relating to the earlier versions of the characters. 3.00 lilypads out of 5.00

Other Information:
* Source: Library
* Format reviewed: Softcover
* Series: Star Trek / ST: TNG (#051) / Double Helix (#01)
* Tags: Action, Adventure, Book Review, Star Trek, TNG, Fiction, Sci-Fi

This is the first book in a six-part "Star Trek: Double Helix" series about a mysterious villain, known as The General, who is testing his biological agents throughout the Alpha Quadrant.

Set at the very beginning of TNG's first season, a relatively green Enterprise crew investigates the mysterious outbreak of a devastating plague on a backwater Federation colony world long troubled with racial tensions.

Highlights are: 1) Dr. Beverly Crusher taking her first stab as an amateur detective. 2) Worf and Geordi in some of their first positions of authority. 3) a funny explanation as to why Troi kept calling Riker, Bill, early on in the series. 4) Tasha Yar, god bless her.

Nitpicks are: 1) a casual mention of Ferengi merchants, even though at this point in time the Ferengi were still a mysterious and threatening menace on TNG. 2) a Worf adventure with Klingons that felt out of place and unneeded. 3) Troi made a lousy plague victim. 4) the entire racist back story of the planet was also wasted, as characters got preachy and local bad guys acted like dumb country bumpkins.

Some people may not like the whole bio-thriller aspect of the plot, but I didn't think it was all that bad. The ending was also a bit rushed, but all in all, the book was a fairly fun read. And if you don't have the omnibus or other books in the series, don't worry. This can still be enjoyed all by itself.

As stated above this is an excellent beginning to the six book series. The author set everything up very well and wrapped up his portion beautifully. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about a whole series of books based on a medical crisis, however, I'm hooked and am looking forward to running through the other five. I'm definitely looking forward to adding the omnibus to the bookshelf later this year. Thanks to John Gregory Betancourt for a wonderful read.

Infection keeps the reader entertained with an interesting, though not too original, plotline, a genuinely baffling riddle and a credible resolution. Long time fans of The Next Generation will enjoy this trip back to season 1, to a time when the characters were relatively unacquainted with each other.

The quasi-religious sect of the Purity League, which wants to kill everyone who is the result of human/alien mating, makes for some interesting, though obvious social commentary. Infection's

treatment of sexual prejudice would have been more compelling if it had included brief discussion of examples of sexual bigottry in Earth's past, including the one that Star Trek itself is and remains unable to confront: homophobia. Star Trek's ongoing refusal to firmly establish that respect for different sexual orientations is part of the Federation's value system continues to compromise its moral credibility.

Despite this minor (and for those who are not sensitive to the issue negligible) flaw, Infection is thorougly enjoyable, and wets the appetite for further installments of the series.

This isn't my favorite Double Helix book, but still is a good book. It was really cool to look back at ST:TNG's first season with Natasha Yar. A good lead into the Double Helix series, it ends with plenty mysteries.

Infection was a nice change for me. I hardly ever read next generation Books. This was really good. I found that the characters were portrayed in their true light and the story sounded real. A must for any star trek reader!

This is a very good book. The 1st. season setting was a good decision and the plot has the right mix of suspense and action. Definitely a "must read" for all Star Trek fans