02 January 2005

Archival Review: The Star Trek Reader III by James Blish

The Star Trek Reader III

This was like Reader II, except it omnibized Star Treks 5, 6, and 7, which had the misfortune of mostly consisting of those bizarre and awful episodes classic Trek did in Season 3.

Archival Review: Star Trek: A Time to Heal by David Mack

Star Trek: A Time to Heal

You know, after his super-debut in Invincible and Wildfire, I'm becoming somewhat less enamored of Mr. Mack. This book is more OMG KEWL ACTION! except here it's interspersed with the TNG cast at its most ineffectual (I'm not sure anything a main character does actually substantially contributes to the resolution), as well as somewhat out-of-character. The politics, which I eagerly anticipated, are, well, kinda dumb. I have trouble seeing how Min Zife could have been elected to oversee the township zoning commission, much less a hundred-plus-planet interstellar nation, and the idea that a cabinet member would take a month off his job to personally arrange for the disposition of illicit cargo is stupid beyond belief. Hopefully A Time for War, A Time for Peace handles the politicking a bit better. This book flounders romantically, too, with Peart/Perim. It's take on Crusher/Picard is not much better, since it turns Bev Crusher into a pining schoolgirl.

Archival Review: Star Trek Fotonovel #3: The Trouble with Tribbles by David Gerrold

Star Trek Fotonovel #3: The Trouble with Tribbles

This is a comic book. But with photos. And it's of "The Trouble with Tribbles." I have nothing of import to say beyond that.

Archival Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This was a reread 'cause we got the paperback. It's probably one of the weaker Potter books-- maybe on par with Goblet of Fire, which at least had a gripping end sequence to make up for a plodding beginning. Dumbledore's a big dope as he himself points out, but then so is Harry, which is glossed over. Still, the examination of the flaws in Harry's character and his previously oh-so-wonderful parents are some of the reasons this series is not usual kiddie fare.

Archival Review: The Star Trek Reader II by James Blish

The Star Trek Reader II

This is an omnibus of James Blish's classic Trek novelizations (though short storyizations is more accurate), specifically Star Treks 1, 4, and 9 (kinda random). It was typical James Blish. The early stuff was most interesting, since it would often wildly differ from the episodes.

Archival Review: Star Trek: S.C.E. #40: Failsafe by David Mack

Star Trek: S.C.E. #40: Failsafe

This book could best be summed up with OMG KEWL ACTION! because I'm not really sure there was anything beyond that here. David Mack is rapidly becoming my least favorite Trek author to handle romance: even John Vornholt's are built up to and seem semi-plausible. But Ambramowitz/Hawkins? Okeday, then. Hurrah for being totally random. 'Bout the only worthwhile thing this story does is wrap up Gomez's feelings about Duffy being gone... which would've been more useful if we'd seen these feelings in the preceding books, or if they hadn't already been wrapped up in Breakdowns.