Renaissance

I've praised Peter David's "Excalibur" series left and right (see also my review of the prequel to this book, "Requiem.") "Renaissance" carries on the same great tradition and in the best of all possible worlds, gives us action, personal growth stories, examinations of alien cultures, guest stars galore, and one heck of a cliffhanger. But it's in his handling of themes that are ignored by the TV series that Peter David excels, making these among the best Trek novels ever.Free of the restraints of television censors, David is able to examine a much-ignored theme of "Star Trek": sexual relations of the twenty-fourth century. His treatment of these subjects is always tasteful and tactful (although I'm aware that by even mentioning the subject in this review, I'm likely to turn off or even outrage a few potential readers). Much of the novel is taken up with a child-custody battle between Selar and Burgoyne--"Kramer vs. Kramer" in the 24th Century--but with the added twists of ancient Vulcan law and the examination of exactly how a hermaphrodite species treats and understands the concept of children. Add to all this a gay Vulcan, introduced as a very natural and ordinary character with the minimum of fuss. It's nuances and treatments like this that bring the Excalibur universe best into line with Roddenbury's original vision: a time in which those beliefs and lifestyles that caused societal strife today have simply ceased to be a matter for conflict four hundred years from now (which is not to say *all* problems have been solved, or it would be a short and uninteresting book!). It's a love story, it's a personal growth story, and there's even one humdinger of a very-Trekkish action sequence.Though it's not part of the "official" continuity, this Excalibur novel features not one, not two, but *three* classic Trek guest-stars. It's to David's credit that these guest appearances seem natural and welcome (too often a 'special guest appearance' reads like a ratings stunt or a fan fiction). As always, David's characterization in the Trek universe is second-to-none, and intriguing mysteries about established characters are introduced: *I* personally always thought that Morgan Primus must look like Naomi Judd (well, her daughter *is* played by Ashley Judd!), but Peter David has other ideas who she must look like...and personally, I can't wait to find out the rest. "Renaissance" ends with a classic Trek cliffhanger, but thankfully we won't have to wait a whole summer to find out the ending in "Excalibur: Restoration" out in October.

Just wanted to add my hearty endorsement to the growing list of kudos. Characters are what make a story, and Peter David has done a superb job of making them as interesting and surprising as possible. And just wait until you find out who Morgan Lefler *really* is! Get it. Read it. You won't be disappointed!

I have a love/hate relationship with Peter David's book...I love them so much that I can read them in one sitting, but I hate that they have to come to end. Such is the case with the new addition to the New Frontier series--itself the second portion of a trilogy that won't be completed until November (thankfully it's not a year otherwise I'd have to be seriously upset with Pocket Books). The storyline continues to follow the crew after the destruction of the Excaliber. There are only two plotlines going this time around. The first finds Selar and Burgy battling (literally and figuratively) for the future of their son. The other features the mother-daughter team of Robin Lefler and her mother, Morgan. Of the two, the vacation that Robin and Morgan takes seem the more lightweight of the two until the final fifty pages when David pulls the rug out from under the reader (to say too much would, honestly, ruin the fun). David pays homage to the history of Trek by bringing in old characters from the past and actually making them useful to the story. The characters aren't just there for shock value but actually contribute to the plot. Especially nice is a chance to catch up with David's vision of how Scotty might turn out, trapped in the 24th century, many years after his time.This is an enjoyable and fun novel to read. The final 50 pages are staggering in that they take some disparaging threads together and serve as the jumping off point for the final leg of the trilogy in which we will hopefully find out the fate of Captain Calhoun (I don't think for an instance he's dead) and what really happened to the Excaliber (we're told how the ship was destroyed here and it's truly a wonderful moment of revelation). Staggering and superb, this series only gets better and better. And it only makes waiting until November that much harder.

This book, second of three, chronicles the struggle between Dr. Selar and Burgoyne, the Hermat, over the right to care for their son, Xyon. Selar wants to bring him up on Vulcan as a Vulcan, while Burgoyne just wants to remain a part of his life. Meanwhile, Robin Leffler & her mother, Morgan Primus, have gone to Risa, the pleasure planet, for some rest and relaxation and a chance to spend time together. From the beginning, the reader knows that there's more to Morgan than meets the eye. But just who she is is an excellent question. I read this book in just a couple of hours. It's a fast read and, like its predecessor, very hard to put down! Enjoy!

Book 10 picks up where 9 left off with the continuing saga of the Excalibur crew. This book focuses on Selar, Burgoyne, Robin, and her mother. In addition it continues the story of the Si Cwan story. Also you finaly learn why the Excalibur exploded. There are also a couple of guest appearances in this one as well. I can't wait for the upcoming hard cover as well as the upcoming comic book from Wildstorm press. In case you have not heard about it, it should be out on SEPT 27. Peter David continues the series that he created with some great books, he shows once again that he will always have a place in the Star Trek universe.