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Title: Have Tech Will Travel : SCE Omnibus by Keith R.A. DeCandido, Christie Golden, Dean Wesley Smith, Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore ISBN: 0743439961 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2002 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.3
Rating: 4
Summary: Likely the best Trek short stories written.
Comment: As is probably obvious from my previous Trek book reviews, I'm a fan of the Trek universe and the stories therein. The various "New Worlds" short story collections I've enjoyed, but this was the collection I've enjoyed the most. For one, the characters are sharp: this is no strange melange of aliens we've never seen before, one of the weaknesses of the "New Frontier."
As usual, there are the cameos: Geordi LaForge beams aboard for the first three short stories, and then departs - almost a "bridge" to the new group. Sonya Gomez (of "spilling Hot Cocoa on Picard" fame), and Dr. Elizabeth Lense are two other names that are familiar from previous shows and are aboard. The rest of the group include only one unique previously-unseen alien, a Bynar pair, and an otherwise wonderful cast of very well-written characters. Included in this list is something we see far too rarely in Trek writing: a gay crewman handled plausibly and intelligently. First "The Best and the Brightest," then "Rogue," and now "Have Tech, Will Travel." Thank you, Pocket Books!
The flaws are few: now and then there's some writing word-choices that made me cringe ("stunningly spectacular" for one), or some passages that confused me. If I could, I'd "4.5" star this one, but those little errors are enough to knock it down from a perfect score. But only just.
One of the stories, "Hard Crash," was actually moving: passages were very impactful, and I was quite stunned to have that occur with a Trek book. This is fine emotionally coherent, intelligent writing, folks. Don't hesitate.
...
Rating: 4
Summary: And we were doing so well!
Comment: This is the first book of a new series of Star Trek books, focusing on the "Starfleet Corps of Engineers", basically a group of troubleshooters who go in whenever there's a mechanical or alien technology problem that either can't be handled by a regular starship, or (more rarely) that COULD possibly have been handled by the regular starship, but there's actually enough time to call for specialists (usually, these things are sufficient crises that if the regular ship CAN handle them, they have to.)
This book was composed of four mid-length stories (longer than "short stories", but not novel-length) each written by a different author, which together follow a continuous time-line and thus more or less make up one book's worth of story. The writing is surprisingly even, given the different authors; the handoffs from each author to the next are seamless, and the writing itself is quite good. The characters are well-developed, a good mix of minor characters from various episodes on TV and new characters (although the first book begins with the Enterprise-E and crew for an introduction, and Geordi LaForge continues through the first three stories.) The plots, while not the MOST original I've ever seen, are good, workmanlike concepts, and the basic SCE concept is in many ways a marvellous return to early science fiction concepts, where there may be action and combat, but the ADVENTURE is in the discovery and the science.
So why is the rating only four stars, given how much good I have to say about the book? (And in fact, I thought harder about whether to knock it down to three than I did about granting it five.) Because the "ending" ISN'T one; they cut the last story off in mid-action in order to make a "tune in next week" cliffhanger to attempt to manipulate the reader into continuing to buy the following books of the series. I will do so, because I enjoyed the book as a whole, NOT because they left me hanging. I consider that a sufficiently cheesy scam to be worth the loss of AT LEAST one star, and demonstrates that they had no confidence in the quality of the series themselves (or they wouldn't have needed to use such a cheap scam.)
Rating: 4
Summary: Fresh new series
Comment: I had passed on trying this new series in ebook format but now that I've had a taste of it I will definately be reading more.
SCE, Starfleet Corps of Engineers, is a fresh and extremely interesting new series of books. Set within the world of Starfleet but with unique missions and adventures "Have Tech, Will Travel" is a perfect way to be introduced to the characters.
This volume includes the first four books of the series. Each was distinctly different but equally enjoyable. Each by a different author. My personal favorite was "Hard Crash" which is a touching story about friendship and loyalty. Each individual book is short enough to be read in one or two sittings but long enough to tell a complete tale.
Overall pretty satisfying reading, with great characters and interesting plots. I would recommend it to any SciFi or Trek fan.
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Title: Miracle Workers, S.C.E. Book Two by Keith R.A. DeCandido, Kevin Dilmore, David Mack, Dayton Ward ISBN: 0743444124 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Present Tense: The Janus Gate Book One of Three (Star Trek The Original Series) by L.A. Graf ISBN: 0671036351 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: June, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Mission Gamma Book Three : Cathedral by Michael A. Martin, Andy Mangels ISBN: 0743445643 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Mission Gamma Book One : Twilight by David R. George III ISBN: 0743445600 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: 01 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang ISBN: 0743405927 Publisher: Star Trek Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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