Excalibur: Requiem

I've followed the Pocket Books Star Trek publishing program for twenty years since Vonda McIntyre's "The Entropy Effect." Many of its hundreds of books have been pretty good. Some have been great. A lot have been less-than-average. But page-for-page, no one Trek writer has entertained me as much as Peter David, and none of Peter David's Trek books have inspired so much enthusiasm in me as his "Excalibur" novels. Filled with characters (mostly) of his own creation, unfettered by a writer's bible or much of the complicated Trek continuity, these twelve (so far) novels have proven to be my ultimate favorites in Trek books, and the two newest are better than ever.I've mentioned in other Trek book reviews that I heartily applaud any attempt to focus on characters other than "the big three" of each TV series (c'mon, I can't be the only Chekov fan out there!) so the whole concept of the Excalibur books and their non-TV cast crew has been most enjoyable. David takes this concept one step further in "Requiem" and its sequel "Renaissance": after the destruction of the Starship Excalibur and the apparent death of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, the crew breaks up to follow their own adventures. David deftly mixes three subplots: Soleta searching for her hated father, McHenry and Kebron on a funny "X-Files" type investigation which leads them into conflict with a previously-established Trek character, and Si Cwan and Kalinda search for the murderer of their teacher. Nearly every chapter ends with a decent hook or cliffhanger, showing David could write a compelling TV episode that might at least keep us tuned through the commercials!Why are these among the best Star Trek novels ever? The characterization is, in a mere dozen books, incredible--David takes time and effort to get us inside the heads of his Starfleet crew, to the point where I know much more about most of them than many of the "Voyager" characters. His dialogue is entertaining, brisk, and best of all *fun* to read: David has a keen ear for the way people talk--with sarcasm and humor. The action is fast-paced. And best of all, the characters *grow* and *learn* through the book, throughout the series. Soleta's quest surprises us as much almost as much as it does her, mostly for the reason that I can't think of the last time a Trek character has "grown up" and discovered something so major about themselves since DS9's "In the Pale Moonlight" episode. David's not above throwing in a shocker of characterization once in a while (what *is* the mysterious connection between McHenry and a long-standing Trek nemesis?)--it wouldn't be a Trek novel without surprising revelations. In short, Rick Berman could do worse than to hire Peter David as story editor and consultant for the next Trek series: no one quite brings humanism to "Star Trek" like Peter David.

I waited and waited and waited to find out if there was ever going to be more books like this. Then out of the blue, when I'd given up hope and left the crew of the Excaliber for gonners....Two new ones jumped right out at me off the shelf and demanded I buy them. Best thing I ever did.Peter David has taken us so many places and done so many things with these characters and I for one was glad that they didn't all perish. Soleta's quest was humourous, but also gut wrenching. Mark and Zak's predicament had me guessing all the way through. As for Si Cwan and his sister....I don't know what to think of their problems. But we all know that everything will turn out well...As long as the ship doesn't blow up again...

There's not much more I can add to the previous reviews, but I wanted to echo the fact that New Frontier is indeed one of the best things to happen to the Star Trek Universe in years. The characters are, far and above, the most interesting and eclectic group ever presented in a Trek series. I doubt it will happen, but I would love to see the new TV series based on this crew and ship.As for this book: Very good and full of surprises. Peter David pulled out all the stops on this one! I also admit to being slightly annoyed by the lack of information on how the Excalibur was destroyed, and exactly how Captain Calhoun was supposed to have died (I say "supposed" because it seems fairly certain that Calhoun will have at least as many spare lives as Kirk has had).A great read! I highly recommend this book and all the others in the series. And I want to emphasize that this IS a series; if you don't read them all from the beginning, you'll be at a significant disadvantage in understanding the story line and character interactions.

Peter David's "New Frontier" series is easily the best thing to happen to the Star Trek franchise in years. In a time in which Voyager is mired down in dull plots and a lack of character development, David is following the Trek credo and exploring "strange new worlds" with his series of novel. The New Frontier books have always been about finding the perfect blend of gripping plots, humorous moments and superlative character development. And just when you think you've got it all figured out and are getting comfortable, David pulls the rug out from under you.Such is the case with the latest novel. At the end of the last book, David ended with the destruction of the starship Excaliber. The novel picks up several weeks after the destruction of the ship and finds the crew in a mandatory "cooling down" period before they are given new assignemts--all except Shelby who uses the Excaliber's destruction to force Starfleet to give her what she's always wanted--command of her own. After a lengthy scene in which the surviving regulars (everyone but Calhoun) commiserate on the ship and say farewell, the book takes off in several directions--all of them intriguing. One is a lightweight one featuring McHenry and Kebron going to a backwater planet to stop a series of practical jokes pulled by Starfleet ensigns (they convince the natives that aliens are attacking by doing such typical things as using flashing lights and tipping cows). Along the way, the stumble across something far more insidious--an old foe from TNG is back...but to tell who would be to ruin it all. Next up, Si Cwan's sister Kalenda is haunted by dreams of the death of their teacher and Si Cwan swears vengeance. Add to it the book's best plotline--Soleta finding out the Romulan who raped her mother and is her biological father has been set free and how she confronts him and the news that he's dying. The scene in which Soleta confronts him for the first time is chilling and complusively readable. You can almost feel the book getting heavier in your hands as you read it and the temperature in the room get colder. It's that good. All in all, David gives each of the plots balance and a great deal of depth and interest. The pages fly by as everything spirals out of control into the final pages in which you find out that not everything can or will be resolve in one book. As with all the best books of a series, this one leaves you with more questions than answers and leaves you utterly begging for more. For my fellow reader who complained that you don't find out why the Excaliber is destroyed, keep reading. The explanation will come to you soon enough and it's certainly shocking. A must-read for any Star Trek fan out there. This is Trek at its best.

Requiem is the first of three books about the crew of the Excalibur following its explosion and the death of the charismatic maverick captain MacKenzie Calhoun. After a brief get-together, the crew members go their separate ways. Soleta goes home to Vulcan to see her father on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of her mother's death and learns some shocking news, leading her to the moon Titan. Zak Kebron and McHenry become detectives, investigating strange happenings on a world not yet ready to join the Federation. There is a surprise guest appearance which I refuse to spoil and a fascinating revelation or two about some of the characters. I read this in a couple of hours, so it's a good fast read you won't want to put down.