Requiem

Marvellous story idea, wonderfully executed. The characterizations are handled exquistitely, the pacing is superb, one of the best of the Star Trek Novels. One quibble: the word you're looking for on page 184 is "genteel", not "gentile".

Although this exceptional numbered novel is today considered to be one of the early "Stargazer" novels, it is most definitely considered one of the best novels written to date by Star Trek's most prolific author Michael Jan Friedman and former Star Trek editor, Kevin Ryan. Few of the numbered novels can even compare to this fast paced, "historically" rich Star Trek novel. This novel is a pure sign of MJ Friedman's "true" genius and one of the reasons why he is Star Trek's most prolific author; he knows what the fans want to read about, primarily because he's a fan who also has the best job for a fan and the talent to back it up.Within these pages you'll find a story involving both the crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701-D and Captain Picard and the crew of the USS Stargazer, some twenty five years earlier. You'll also have a chance to visit Cestus III, first seen in the classic Star Trek episode, "Arena" and of course, the Gorn, who claimed sovereignty over the planet.Although the cover art does contain an "interesting" image of a younger Captain Jean Luc Picard and a drawing of the Gorn from "Arena," it's pretty much standard fare for the time in which this novel was published.The premise:Twenty five years prior to this story; Captain Jean Luc Picard, captain of the USS Stargazer, negotiated a breakthrough with the Gorn. Now, on the twenty fifth anniversary of that breakthrough, Captain Picard and the Enterprise are headed for the Gorn Homeworld to continue those negotiations.While en route to the Gorn Home world, the Enterprise discovers a mysterious alien artifact and suddenly, Captain Picard disappears. Just as Commander Riker and the Enterprise begins the investigation in to what happened to their Captain, the summit with the Gorn goes terribly wrong and war now looms over the Alpha Quadrant and Captain Picard is desperately needed to prevent it. Captain Picard finds that he's been transported through time and is now on Cestus III, shortly before the Gorn attack it, leaving only one survivor.What follows from there is, as stated above, one of the best numbered Star Trek The Next Generation novels to date. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of the genre and especially to those who've read MJ Friedman's Stargazer novels and would like to read as much on Captain Picard's time as the Captain of that ship as possible. {ssintrepid}

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Requiem by Michael Jan Friedman and Kevin Ryan is a classic. Where could you get Captain Picard, everyones favorite gnarley lizards (Gorn), time travel, interplanetary war, and camios by Kirk, Spock, and McCoy... only in this book.This book starts out on the U.S.S. Stargazer Captain Jean-Luc Picard's first command, twenty-five years prior to his command of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Picard works on negotiations with the Gorn, but as we know the Gorn are sneaky for lizards and can hardly be trusted. But the Enterprise and her crew are now sent to finish the negotiations with the Gorn some twenty-five years after Picard's initial contact. While on their way, the Enterprize comes into contact with an alien space station, as the crew begins to evacuate, Picard is caught in a blinding light and is transported 100 years back in time to Cestus III.At first Picard does not know where he is, then befriends the Doctor on the colony. All this time that Picard has been missing, Riker and the Enterprise crew have been searching , but to no avail, and the Gorn negotiations are going to hell in a hand basket. While on Cestus III, Picard witnesses the Gorn invasion and is in a position to change history.This is classic TREK at its very best. You will not be disappointed reading this book, as it keeps the reader well engrossed with a tale written for the trekker in mind. You will be thouroghly entertained as war looms over the galaxy.Picard is the key, the challenges are great, only now will the future of the Federation be held in the past?

I had so much fun reading this and many other Star Trek books in High School. Particularly good are books that elaborate on the more mediocre average Star Trek episodes. This book is one of them. It elaborates on the episode Arena, the first and only time we ever saw the Gorn in Star Trek. Time travel, another fun Sci Fi idea is also a part of this book. Seeing (in my imagination) Picard going back in time to the Original Star Trek is better than watching the DS9 episode Trials and Tribbilations (A crossover of the orginal classic episode Trouble with Tribbles). I good book. I highly recommend it if you're a Sci Fi buff.

I cant belive how great this book is. A must read for anyone who likes TNG or the Gorn!!!