Rating: 
Summary: By the Book - Buy the Book?
Review: I like the new Enterprise TV series, but so far, the books have not measured up to my version of Star Trek quality. The book gets 3 stars from me just because I like the cover and am glad that there is a book on Enterprise to read regardless of its literary value. "By the Book" is, in a large part, a tale about a Role Playing Game (RPG) that I found extremely boring. If you are into RPGs, you will love this book; if you are not, you will not find the book exciting. Thoughts to share: 1. The Role Playing Game seemed to be the focus of the book rather than the Enterprise adventure. The authors tried to pull the two together, but failed, in my opinion. 2. The story did not provide enough "conflict" to make my trip into outer space worth my $7. There was an encounter with an alien that went bad. But, because the affected crewman was not a senior officer, the disaster did not create enough reader concern. Had the man been one of the Main Seven (Bridge crew plus Dr. Phlox and Trip), the story may have had a different impact. Overall--this story just wasn't that great. Its like a flat pop. You can drink it, but you won't really savor it. 3. The authors are trying to get into the Captain Archer's head but they are really making him look sappy instead of like a man who possesses real leadership quality. Star Trek fans are used to James T. Kirk and JeanLuke Picard standards. The Archer that is being developed by the recent authors make it seem like it wasn't just the ship that left earth's dock too soon--it seems like the captain left earth's dock too soon, as well. I hope for better Enterprise books in the future. Do you want to buy this book? How can I say "No" to the second book of the series? So, sure, if you want an Enterprise story for the sake of reading about the Enterprise. But if you want a really good Star Trek book, this one should go near the bottom of your wish list.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Keep Reading, You'll Like It Fine In The End
Review: I picked up "Enterprise: By The Book" this morning and finished it a few hours later. While the format is deviant from most Star Trek books the style is smooth and flowing, urging the reader on. Smith & Rusch focus their tale on Crewman Cutler (who appeared in a single episode of Enterprise this season) as well as other characters not often exposed on the show itself. This is at first frustrating (we all want to hear about our favorite main characters not the sideline ones, right?) the method actually ends up rather agreeable. The only difficulties with the story itself were the Captain's Logs (Choppy, abrupt and rather un-Archerish in my mind...indeed Archer is portrayed rather unflatteringly throughout) and the RPG subplot. The subplot (a RPG game between four low rankers) is complimentary to the story, in fact it is far more relevant then most Trek novel or episode subplots are but is, none the less, somewhat awkward. There's just something uncomfortable about 4 military (that is, after all, what Trek is...military but more likeable) professionals sitting around playing an RPG in the mess hall. Regardless the book is, all for all, worth a read and an acceptable first step into the freeform Star Trek: Enterprise world. A note to those who are tempted to put it down after the first few chapters, push on it's worth the trip.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it!
Review: I thought the book was good. We see characters that are not a major part of the TV series developed a bit more and come to understand that humanity has far to go in trying to understand and sort out the intentions of an alien race. Things are not always what they appear on the outside.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it!
Review: I thought the book was good. We see characters that are not a major part of the TV series developed a bit more and come to understand that humanity has far to go in trying to understand and sort out the intentions of an alien race. Things are not always what they appear on the outside.
Rating:
Summary: Good start to the series
Review: I was looking forward to this series coming out in books. I liked the way the author picked an ensign as the lead character and how the whole crew seemed from her perspective.
Also good insight into how the "prime directive" may have (yet to)come about. About the only thing I'd cut down on is the Role Playing Game, but you can tell the authors are into that type of thing. Definitely worth the read, and looking for more
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Book
Review: I was pleased with 'By the Book'. It was well written and a good start for the second book based on a new series. The characters were portrayed very well, and I look forward to the next book. I liked the way Archer dealt with the Fazi and the Hipon. It seemed like a likely situation for the captain of the first ship to explore deep space to be in. I also liked the Archer/T'Pol interaction.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much about Fantasy Role Playing, not enough REAL action.
Review: I was really looking forward to reading a book about the new enterprise series but this book did not live up to my expectations. The subplot about Ensign Cutler's role-playing game just went on and on... (As a former gamer, I think playing a rpg is one thing... Reading about it for chapters on end didn't do it for me). Especially when there are so many MORE exciting things going down on the 'new' enterprise. While the writing wasn't bad, I didn't find the authors holding my interest like they should. Definately made me regret plunking down $X.
Rating: 
Summary: Jumped on the bandwagon too soon
Review: It would appear this novel was "thrown together" way too fast. Written in a few months and not well thought out. Probably every Trek writer wanted to be the one to write the first "Enterprise" book... so it was a race. As you can see, the editor at Pocket Books himself (Smith) published this, his own book, so it doesn't have to be good and reach the usual level of excellence. Besides that, and most importantly, we don't know enough about the Enterprise characters indepth just yet (or what kind of games they play in their future world), nor do we "love" them in that special way that must be earned. Talk about a book that's "ahead of its time".
Rating:
Summary: A quite good early "Enterprise" novel about first contact
Review: Let me begin by saying that I believe that the world of "Enterprise" offers more potential for good scripts and/or novels than either TNG or TOS simply because in "Enterprise" mankind (along with certain aliens) is for the first time venturing out among the stars. Thus, the universe is not well-travelled, the technology does not work perfectly, the nonhuman races are truly alien because humans have limited experience in dealing with aliens. This novel does a good job of exploiting the above potentials. It is about a first contact between the starship Enterprise (Earth's first deep-space faster-than-light cruiser) and a very unusual planet which features two very different intelligent races. The plot is solid, and there is some decent character development, particularly in connection with T'Pol and Archer. This is not great literature, but the novel certainly qualifies as a pleasent diversion into the Star Trek universe--which is a universe to which I like to pay frequent visits.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Trek entertainment.
Review: My interest in Star Trek waxes and wanes like the moon. Right now interest is pretty high, thanks to the new Star Trek series, "Enterprise". I was interested in this book because it is based on the new show, and I haven't read a Trek novel in ages, so I thought, "What the heck?" This is a neat little book about first contact and role-playing games. I, for one, enjoyed the moments with Cutler, Mayweather, et al. playing the game. The first contact stuff has been done before, but it worked, in a way. All in all a solid effort, and I will buy the next "Enterprise" based book.
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