The Star Trek Bookshelf: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Showing posts with label Star Trek: The Next Generation. Show all posts

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Book Hunting #9

I cannot claim the kill on this beautiful trophy. My wife, who is a better book hunter than I am, found this hardcover title buried under a ton of romance novels in the sale bin of Powerbooks. It is now safe among my other Star Trek books. Whew!

(Star Trek: The Next Generation) (Genesis Wave: Book 4 ) Genesis Force

Total Cost: PhP 99.00

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Book Hunting #7

Bought 3 Star Trek books from Booksale today:

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 2) Entropy Effect
(Star Trek: The Next Generation) Metamorphosis: The First Giant Novel
(Star Trek: The Original Series) Star Trek - The Motion Picture (Printed in the U.K., ISBN# 0-7088-1725-4)

Total Price: PhP150.00

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation, No. 45) Intellivore

Title: Intellivore
Date Published: 1997
Author/s: Diane Duane
Main Plot:
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The Enterprise leads a small fleet of Starfleet vessels to investigate the disappearance of starships in an almost starless region of the galaxy. One of the ships had already been in the area conducting archaeological research on civilizations that disappeared eons ago. Legends and the little proof they gather are all they have to repel the greatest threat to the galaxy ever imagined.

My Short Review:
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An exhilarating story of how greed can take over the simple need to survive. An enemy so primal and yet so intelligent, it can anticipate your next move and be there with an open mouth just waiting for you to fall in. The parallels that Diane Duane invokes are all too real in today's world.

My Overall Rating:
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation) Dark Mirror

Title: "Dark Mirror"
Date Published: 1994
Author/s: Diane Duane
Main Plot:
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The Enterprise-D gets pulled into an alternate universe where a barbaric Empire exists instead of the peace loving Federation. A ship, one which is almost an exact copy of their own, is the first thing they encounter. The crew discovers the differences between the lives they know and the lives they could have had as they interact with their counterparts in this realm, and their battle to survive depends on their ability to outwit themselves.

My Short Review:
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At last! A mirror universe story of "The Next Generation" crew. I've always imagined how the alternate Picard would have been like. Diane Duane did a great job on this one.

Choices, the ones we make because it's easier than the alternative, could profoundly affect our future as a race. The way we go about our daily lives, the way we deal with other people, even the things we teach our children. What books to read, what shows to watch, even who we vote for during the elections. These freedoms, and all our other freedoms, are a responsibility that should be taken seriously. It's scary knowing that a lot of us make these mistakes because we couldn't care less, or even see them affecting the way we think and, ultimately, our future.

My Overall Rating:
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Monday, May 14, 2007

Book Hunting #4

The book I'm about to review was so good that I almost forgot to post this. I hit Booksale on May 8, 2007 and got these 5 nice titles:

Total Price: PhP280.00

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation, No. 23) War Drums

Title: "War Drums"
Date Published: 1992
Author/s: John Vornholt
Main Plot:
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Selva, a young Federation Colony world, becomes a battlefield when the settlers meet Klingon refugees that have been there long before they landed. The refugees, having landed on the planet as children, have had to rely on their instincts for most of their lives making them as primal as can be imagined. Without the support of the Enterprise, which has been called on another urgent mission, Worf leads a small away team to prevent a bloodbath before the planet reveals its past, and a deadly secret that could mean the end for all.

My Short Review:
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I'm reminded of how small we are against the grander scheme of the universe and yet warned that, more often than not, our actions have more repercussions than we intend them to. A classic Star Trek lesson. John Vornholt gives us that same old lesson in a unique action packed package.

Bigotry, Hatred, Prejudice, Revenge, Fear. We deal with these words daily, and yet never seem to outgrow them. It is the urge to reject what we do not understand, and therefore only hold fast to that which we do, that limits our capabilities. It will only be when we learn to work together and see what is beyond ourselves that we will overcome our own deficiencies. Perhaps one day, with books written as skillfully like this, we will listen to the lessons of our past.

My Overall Rating:
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Saturday, May 5, 2007

Book Hunting #3

This is becoming a habit. Good or bad, I don't know. Anyway, I took my family to Fully Booked today to show them the titles available on sale, knowing I cleared one table of titles I didn't have yet. After a few minutes in the store, I'm told there was another table in the back with more Star Trek titles. These 9 I found in that pile and bought them, again at a ridiculous bargain:

Total Price: PhP900.00

That's 41 new titles in my library in the span of 3 days. Whew! I think I'll stay away from the bookstores for a while to give them a chance to replenish their stocks. Unless there's a sale, of course.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Book Hunting #2

I had a meeting at Fully Booked yesterday. After the meeting, I discovered that they had a sale going on. They had a table of books in the middle of the store at ridiculously low prices. All the Star Trek books on sale were arranged in a row, and most of titles were those that I did not have yet. When the people I just had a meeting with saw the look on my face, one said "Get him a shopping basket. No, make that two", another said "Call an ambulance", and yet another said "Breath, Pao, breath." So I ended up with 31 new books and will be going back for more tomorrow. The titles I got are:

I also got a book at Booksale prior to my fateful visit to Fully Booked:

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 37) Bloodthirst

All in all, I think that was a book hunt I will have a hard time surpassing in terms of volume.

Total Price: P1,885.00