Death in Winter (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

This is a great book. I just wish more of the original characters were around, but things change and lives move on, even on Star Trek. However, MJF writes a compelling book here. He is one of the best Star Trek authors and he doesn't let you down here. I just hope the powers that be let him write more TNG books.

Since this book came out in Hardcover last year ive heard a lot of bad reviews on the book. So now that I had the chance to read it it was better than I thought.

It was worth the wait to recieve this book on it's release date. I usually don't buy hardcover ST books, but this was worth it. Friedman knows ST and definately knows Jean Luc Picard. It's got action, Romulans, a frozen planet and a bit of realized love. What more can you want?

The story of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" continues in "Death in Winter." Michael Jan Friedman weaves a powerful and emotional tale of suspense, love and dedication. As the Enterprise E is being retrofitted, Beverly Crusher has accepted once again the role of head of Starfleet Medical. Picard thinks he can with it, thinks he'll be okay --- after all, she's really not all that far away. But he finds himself longing for her and regretting what he's let slip away. Then, things all change when Beverly is declared lost, and possibly dead on a secret mission that Picard had no idea about. Beverly had gone to help the people of Kevrata, a Romulan subject-world, find a cure for a plague that's afflicting them. It's something with which she's quite familiar, as the plague had affected the colony she lived in when she was young, but she managed to survive. But with the Kevratans and other of their subjects revolting, the Romulans want to see to it that the Kevratans do not obtain a cure for their disease. And they sent someone with whom both Picard and Beverly are quite familiar to deal with it --- Sela! "Death in Winter" features this plot, an intriguing substory on treachery and rebellion among the Romulans themselves, but most important "Death in Winter" is the story of Jean Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher and I think it's here that it's really at its strongest. Beverly is obviously a fan-favorite, replaced by Katherine Pulaski for one year and then triumphantly returning for the rest of the series. This book explores the deepest connections of their relationship and sends it on a new path. There are flashbacks to past events and the emotions and situations are explored fully. Perhaps the only thing I didn't like about this novel was the poor use of Admiral Janeway, who really seems to be getting the short shrift lately. Janeway is a powerful and amazing character and if she's just going to be stuck in for bit stuff, then she shouldn't be used at all. I know this is a "Star Trek: The Next Generation" novel and not "Voyager," but it still doesn't hold with me.

This book had more plot lines than three books and yet there were more gaps and a rushed ending that stole the drama of the final scene. Overall, the book left me wanting more. More TNG characters, more exporation of both Picard and Crusher's thoughts as they moved through the plot and more of an explanation for the sudden turnaround at the end. I found the various Romulan characters and sordid power plays to be a bit confusing and often times it seemed to detract from the prime or rather more prime storylines. Friedman did a great job of winding them all together in the end to create some great drama as the final scenes began to unfold. However, just as we catch our breath and the hero finds the girl, nothing. She rejects him for no good reason! This is a good Beverly Crusher story, in that it explores some of her background and gives her a strong role in her own survival. For Picard, we see his somewhat blank, if determined, efforts to rescue her but we never truly get in his head - we just get to see how he moves through his role as Starfleet Captain, not a man dealing with potential loss of the love of his life, but the Captain out to rescue a fellow officer and friend. As others have said, it would have been nice to see the other TNG characters actually have a role rather than just acting like they were going to do something but never actually doing anything. And while I'm sure Greyhorse was once a good physician, not having practiced in years, we're really to believe only he was qualified to try to come up with a cure? The cameo appearances by various Trek characters was almost as distracting as all the Romulan players and I'm not sure if any of them added to the story. Even Sela's, the ever-present Romulan enemy, role could have been enhanced. I would have loved to have a scene where Sela used Picard's feelings for Beverly against him or vice versa. Although the Crusher versus Sela fight was almost worth it. Minor gripes aside I enjoyed this offering from the Trek writing world. It's been a long time since I visited with these characters on such an intimate level so I was glad to read the teasers and looked forward to finally having a new copy in my hands. I hope you'll find your copy soon and spend some time with these old friends. Oh and the best it seems, is yet to come! Be sure to read the teaser at the end of the book for the next book.