The Quiet Place (Star Trek New Frontier, No 7)

As is usual with this series, Peter David's writing is very strong. This is an intriguing and enthralling story, which like most, if not all of Peter David's stories, is a page turner that is very hard to put down. The premise: The Quiet Place, most of all, is the realization of Si Cwan's quest to find his sister. Previous New Frontier novels have established that Zoran, Si Cwan's childhood friend, turned traitor, had kidnapped and hidden his sister Kalinda. The Quiet Place begins with Kalinda, who doesn't know who she actually is, living on a backwater planet name Montos, going by the name of Riella. She's living with Malia, whom Riella (Kalinda), believes to be her mother. There are some very interesting scenes here.We also meet Xyon who is an adventurous young man, who in his first chapter, is in a very dire situation. He's about to be put to death. As you read about Xyon, you almost get the impression you're reading about Captain Calhoun. We're then introduced to the Dogs of War. Only Peter David can convincingly create this warrior race of genetically engineered dogs and write them into a story so well. Throw in the Redeemers and what we have here is not only one of the best New Frontier novels written, this one falls into the category of one of the best Star Trek books ever written. As is usual with this wonderful series, it ends with the big bold To Be Continued..... This was of course preceded by a shocking discovery. Thank you very much to Peter David for this excellent addition to the New Frontier Series.MINOR SPOILER - One note of interest, in past New Frontier novels, Peter David fairly well detailed the Redeemers as far as skin color, facial features and general demeanor. If I remember correctly, he had not talked much about their height. Somehow, I never figured the Redeemers to be somewhat similar to Star Wars Jawas, in height at least. It almost makes them sort of comical, whereas my previous impression of them had been of average to large bad guys. This almost makes them funny except that they have some personal abilities that more or less takes the humor right out of these little villains

The Quiet Place, as well as the rest of the New Frontier books, is really in true Star Trek form. What characterizes this new series is its freshness. The seventh in the series, Quiet Place isn't centered on Calhoun as most of the books have been, but what we get is new characters and new plot beginnings. We meet Xyon, smart and witty, as well as a mysterious young women who might be the missing sister Si Cwan has been searching for.The only complaint I have is that the books are all so frustratingly short. The finish of each book leaves readers with so many more questions about what will happen next then they started with. Each book is a joy, but waiting for the next installment is so very hard.We get to know more about the crew, which is good, but this book is clearly setting up for the next one. I can't wait to find out what'll happen on the Excaliber next.

Peter David is one of my all time favorite Trek authors and I know a set-up when I read one. Sometimes books are nessessary to set up a scene for a new adventure. It was a great book and I can't wait to read the rest of the adventure.

The Quiet Place is the next leg of Si Cwan's journey to find his sister, who was kidnapped when their empire fell. Si Cwan, the Vulcan scientist Soleta, and the Brickar security officer are sent on a diplomatic mission which goes bad. Meanwhile, on that planet, a young girl named Riella has strange dreams (you don't have to be a rocket scientist to guess who she really is) about a "quiet place," that many others (including the Dogs of War & the Redeemers)want to find. Enter Xyon, a soldier of fortune who turns out to be. . . .You'll have to read it to find that out! It's great fun.