Power Hungry (Star Trek: The Next Generation # 6) [Unknown Binding]

Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• Publisher: New York, New York: Pocket Books, Inc (1989)
• ASIN: B002V3NS8U
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars STNG #6 - Power Hungry - An interesting early STNG tale!, July 19, 2003

By 

K. Wyatt "ssintrepid" (Cape Girardeau, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Power Hungry (Star Trek The Next Generation, No 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

Of the few Howard Weinstein Star Trek novels I've read so far, I've found them to be intriguing and well told stories, as is the case with this novel, Star Trek The Next Generation #6, Power Hungry. His writing style is fairly fluid and he sets the plot up fairly well. As other reviewers have noted, he wrote in an environmentalist point of view which is in good keeping with the overall "ethos" of Star Trek and, in my opinion, serves to help the plot along as opposed to detracting from it.

The premise:

Captain Picard and the Enterprise are sent to the planet Thiopa to deliver and provide emergency relief in the face of a planetary famine. Once there, they discover that there is more than meets the eye as the planetary government, thought to be a Federation ally, is a brutal dictatorship. Captain Picard finds that he's in the midst of a major dilemma, whether or not to deliver the famine relief which would only serve to help the dictatorship, knowing full well that they would not reach the people or attempting to change the attitude of the government, which would obviously be an uphill battle all the way.

What follows is an interesting and somewhat intriguing early Star Trek The Next Generation story that is well worth the time to read, giving the reader insight into the authors perceptions of the crew during this early period of STNG's run on television. {ssintrepid}

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Obvious Story, March 3, 2002

By 

Nancy A. Fox (West Covina, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Power Hungry (Star Trek The Next Generation, No 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

Howard Weinstein is very concerned about the environment. If you read the author's notes at the beginning of the book, you almost don't have to read the novel. Mr. Weinstein is quite correct in his concern for the environmental conditions on planet Earth, but I think there are better ways he could have expressed these concerns then in this by the numbers novel.

The Enterprise D is called to the planet Thiopa to bring supplies for victims of famine. When they arrive at Thiopa the crew discovers that everything is not quite as the primary planetary government purported.

Meanwhile Data decides to do a little looking into the planet's environmental concern, and discovers that their food shortages, drought conditions, etc. were caused by the people of Thiopa's own short-sighted rush to attain a technological society. The crew becomes concerned that even if they do provide assistance to the planet, they will just become extinct within 50 years if they don't change their pollutionary ways. Of course there is the sticky prime directive to deal with - how much can we tell them without interfering in the planet's natural progress.

This story probably would have worked well as a short story. In Mr. Weinstein's drive to expand the story to a novel, he added a number of stories and characters to expand the story. These include a race called the Nuarans that basically are annoying, like gnats buzzing around the ear. He starts to give background stories on some of the people surrounding Lord Stross, the planet's government leader, but then doesn't proceed to do anything with the character or the information.

The story is fast paced and a quick read. There are some enjoyable moments, such as Worf trying out for Riker's jazz combo. This is not a bad book, it's just not that interesting. If you're not a huge Next Generation fan, I'd probably give this story a pass.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Left hungry, April 12, 2000

By 

Siskoid - See all my reviews

This review is from: Power Hungry (Star Trek The Next Generation, No 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

This ecological morality play is standard Star Trek fare taken... nowhere new at all. Strange NEW worlds, people. That's what this is all about. Power Hungry uses the old "split-em-up" stand-by to place Riker on the "rebel" side while the rest of the crew negociate with the government of a planet that ruined its own eco-system. The conflicy between the two factions is tired material by now, and the supporting character brought in to fix their problems is odd and difficult to take seriously. Pass.