Once Burned

Another excellent addition to both "The New Frontier" and "The Captain's Table" series. I particularly like the cover art with the author drawn in the background. In "Once Burned" we finally get Captain Calhoun's back story about what happened to him on the USS Grissom. This back story had been eluded to several times in the previous "New Frontier" stories. As with most, if not all of Peter David's stories, this one is a completely captivating page turner. In this trek masterpiece, we find out where the tension between Captain Calhoun and Admiral Jellico originated. A truly exceptional story. If you've not picked this one up, I recommend you do so before it goes out of publication. Thank you to Peter David for another great read.

Peter David does it again and brings another exciting chapter to the New Frontier Mythos. Now that the TV Series for TOS and DS9 are over. I get my Star Trek fix for David. In "Once Burned", Mackenzie Calhoun tells the fateful story of the USS Grissom that has only been hinted at in the regular series. Peter David uses the "Captain's Table" concept to the fullest by telling a story in the past thus allowing new readers to jump on board, but also adding another dimension to the Captain for us older readers. A+

The first chapter had me a bit worried. It moved a bit too slow for me (as do many of Peter David's first chapters). But true to form, it picked up from there and ZOOOOOM we were off. GREAT story. GREAT action. You feel the uncertainties and worries as Calhoun tries to deal with the much loved captain of the Grissom. I nearly cried at the end when you discover who he is telling the story to! Definately a MUST READ for any Calhoun fans!

'Once Burned' could possibly top the charts as the BEST book of the year so far! Talk about a page turner! I couldn't put the thing down! Peter David takes the rare opportunity to tell it in first-person and runs with it. It brings a whole new level to the character of McKenzie Calhoun, and the character stays true and consistent all throughout. And it reveals to us the many mysteries about why Calhoun acts as he does, and what happened to make him this way. Tragic and exctiting, the action is wonderful, and the pure horror of what they all go through stand out in this wonderful work of fiction. I read TONS of star trek books, and this one stands out as possbily one the best books I have ever read, up there even with classics such as "Imzadi", "Prime Directive" and "Federation". Most certainly a book worth reading!

Peter David gets to do what we all love to do: color outside the lines, AND get full approval from The Powers That Be to do so. While Mr. David can be a big pompous windbag in person, he sure knows how to pen a wonderfully satisfying story.When I read a Star Trek novel, I wanna be entertained, and Peter David's stories entertain me "Rakash." Oh, sorry. To discover what "Rakash" means, you gotta read the book. Anyway, because of David's outstanding ability to write the words, I'll forgive him his "windbag-ness" every single time.For those of you following the New Frontier adventures of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun and the intrepid but rather whacko crew of the Excalibur, you will certainly remember the many references to the incident aboard the U.S.S. Grissom.Well, this here little paperback describes that incident in full detail. And believe me, it ain't for the faint of heart.Once again, the Captain's Table bar sets the stage for Star Trek storytelling, and Peter David is one of Trek's finest tellers. Action, adventure, heartache, revenge, death, destruction, humor, sex, and scandal - this book has it all and then some.