Rating: 
Summary: Battle of Betazed was Great.
Review: "The Battle of Betazed" is a must for any fan of Deanna Troi. The writers due a good job in showing the emotions of Deanna Troi in dealing occupation of Betazed. It also a good book because it put to rest the fate of the planet, an issue that was never address on DS9. Overall, "The Battle of Betazed" a must for any Deanna Troi or Next Generation fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Betazed Unbridled!!!
Review: Among the shrinking legion of people who will publicly admit to being fans of Paramount Pictures' most enduring franchise, STAR TREK, a good read typically consists of a villain worth the 'boos' and 'hisses,' relative character development, and a wealth of phasers 'set to kill.' (Note: these are not 'bad things' but, rather, just notable benchmarks for a successful Trek book.) Charlotte Douglas and Susan Kearney's long-awaited and much-ballyhooed THE BATTLE OF BETAZED succeeds on those levels and those levels only. Playing out much like an unproduced episode of 'The Next Generation' filling in the historical gap and answering the question of "What was the Enterprise-E up to during the Dominion War?"The Good Douglas & Kearney (D&K) move their BATTLE along at breakneck pace, introducing the reader to new characters and situations with a subtle grace. To a Trekker's delight, D&K grasp of the characteristics and mannerisms of TNG's principle players are thankfully at a master's level (with the notable exception of the underused Dr. Beverly Crusher). These characters breath; they are lifted off the page and easily imprinted on the reader's mind, transforming the tale that is told into an adventure well worth the time invested. The Bad However, the expediency with which D&K hampers any serious exploration of the events taking place. An entire escape attempt appears all too easy, as it is reduced to a few paragraphs. For purposes of expediting the plot, D&K reduced the competency of the fierce Jem'Hadar soldiers to the level of airport securing prior to the tragic events of September,11, 2001. These genetically-bred soldiers seemingly have forgotten how to be truly menacing and, instead, are portrayed as victims to a lesser species (the Cardassians) torturous mind-altering experiments; once telepathically incapacitated, they even turn their weapons on themselves, killing upwards to 15,000 of their own kind. The Ugly As has sadly been the case in TNG's movie outings and their series run, Dr. Beverly Crusher is afforded little time and appears highly qualified in making such plot-shattering diagnoses ("If we move him any further, he'll be dead") without the use of proper medical equipment. Throughout the mission to retake Betazed, her character reads as if D&K tossed her in for a single, viable purpose; once her goal has been accomplished, she's given only a cursory mention in passing. D&K's creation of Hent Tevren, a long-hidden Betazed secret, doesn't appear to be much of a secret to the inhabitants of the world. Virtually every member of the Betazed Resistance seems to know about him and his serial killer ability -- to murder with a mere thought. Strongly reminiscent of one of literature's more formidable lunatics (Harris's Hannibal Lechter), Tevren's personality gravitates awkwardly and haphazardly between 'arch nemesis' and 'snivelling coward'; his only redemption in the book is the fact that his talents do provide the Resistance with the secret to eventually defeat the Occupation forces. The Last Word Still, despite minor flaws, the book is a brisk read that fits the bill for entertainment. Amicable, if not admirable, THE BATTLE OF BETAZED is a war worth waging.
Rating: 
Summary: A must have book for Counselor Troi fans.
Review: Being a huge fan of Deanna Troi, I had to get this book when I saw it on Amazon. I knew I would love this book, and in fact, I finshed it in one day. This book is very thought provoking, especially towards the end. The story tells of the occupation of Betazed during the Dominion War. Being peace loving and having few weapons of their own, Betazed fell easily to enemy forces. After only four months, the Cardassians and The Dominion have a new space station under construction and operational around the planet. They plan to use the station, Sentoch Nor, to launch attacks on the inner worlds of the Federation, such as Vulcan and even Earth. The Federation is well aware of this fact, and has launched several attempts to regain Betazed. Unfotunately, they have al ended in disaster. With starfleet sources stretched thinly, the Betazoid resistance (partially headed by Lawaxana Troi) comes up with a plan to retake their world with minimal help from starfleet. Unfortunately, it will require them to take an action that could destroy everything Betazoid society stands for. The peace and tranquility of Troi's homeworld could be forever destroyed. With this new plan from the resistance, the Federation forms a plan to destroy Sentoch Nor and retake Betazed. Troi, Crusher, and Data, along with starfleet Commander Vaughn, are sent to a Betazoid outpost to obtain a serial killer named Tevren. This Betazoid has an ability that could save their world, if it was taught to other telepaths. Doing so would go against every moral and ethic Deanna has learned from her people. While Troi and company attempt to secure Tevren, the Enterprise, supported by only three small light cruisers, is forced to take on a fleet of Cardassian and Dominion ships. They need to distract them, while Troi completes her mission. They also need to weaken Sentoch Nor's shields long enough for Riker, O'Brian and LaForge to beam in and destroy the station. In the end, this books comes down to one question for Couselor Troi. Is freedom worth sacrificing everything you believe in? This book is powerful and though provoking. Unfortunately, having two authors often leads to conflicting chapters and statements. I think they took the "I'll do one chapter, you do the next" approach. This often makes the writing style choppy and a bit confusing. Fortunately, the strong points in this book more than make up for it. This book is a must have for fans of Deanna Troi. You'll love it's in depth look at her inner struggles and pain resulting from the conquest of her world. The way it focuses on her moral dilemnas and decisions will keep you from putting this book down until you're done. And then, you'll want to know even more of how she'll deal with the knowledge and skill she has acquired.
Rating:
Summary: A Newer, Stronger Deanna Troi
Review: Deanna Troi is the heart and soul of this book, set before the final conquest and retreat of the Dominion, as Deanna is faced with a true moral dilemma: she can perhaps save her homeworld of Betazed from the Dominion/Cardassian conquerors, but the method she must use is morally repugnant to her. Making things worse, she has not heard from her mother, the indomitable Lwaxana, or her two-year-old brother Barin, who are trapped on the planet, since the invasion. The mysterious Commander Elias Vaughn, who has appeared in several other TNG & DSN books, has provided her with this chance to save the Betazed and possibly the Federation, as the withdrawal of Dominion/Cardassian control from Betazed would remove them from a position of proximity to other Federation worlds. Deanna, along with Vaughn, Data, and Dr. Crusher, form a commando troop to carry out the mission on Betazed, while Riker, Geordi, and Miles O'Brien, have a mission of their own on the Cardassian space station orbiting Betazed. Worf joins O'Brien in a welcome return to TNG from DSN. This is an exciting book and, as a Deanna Troi fan from day 1, a book I highly recommend. Even someone who does not enjoy the "science" in "science fiction" can follow this plot easily. Buy it; you'll like it.
Rating:
Summary: Charlotte & Susan: You GO Girls!
Review: First, I recommend you read both "imzadi" and Joe Zika's reviews and know I agree with them both. (On to my review.) After having just read "A Hard Rain," I can only say I'm glad I saved this one for last. This was one story that needed to be told. It's fast-paced and meaty, and packed with real-life decisions and hard truths about less-than-ethical compromises that must be made in times of war. Though this is going to sound perfectly ridiculous, the one thing that satisfied me the most had nothing to do with the battle but with a bit of continuity I applaud: We learn about the existence of Barin, Deanna's two-and-a-half year old half-brother. ...And this time, halleluia, the cover art *does* have something to do with the plot!
Rating:
Summary: Charlotte & Susan: You GO Girls!
Review: First, I recommend you read both "imzadi" and Joe Zika's reviews and know I agree with them both. (On to my review.) After having just read "A Hard Rain," I can only say I'm glad I saved this one for last. This was one story that needed to be told. It's fast-paced and meaty, and packed with real-life decisions and hard truths about less-than-ethical compromises that must be made in times of war. Though this is going to sound perfectly ridiculous, the one thing that satisfied me the most had nothing to do with the battle but with a bit of continuity I applaud: We learn about the existence of Barin, Deanna's two-and-a-half year old half-brother. ...And this time, halleluia, the cover art *does* have something to do with the plot!
Rating:
Summary: Battle Misses Potential
Review: I'm almost embarassed to admit that what first attracted me to this Star Trek tie-in was the cover. I've never been a big fan of Deanna Troi, especially in her turquoise dress days, but when she shifted to a uniform and actual Starfleet responsibilities, I kinda warmed to her character. The cover, depicting Troi, armed and ready, above a trio of Jem 'Hadar, with a swirling blue star background, caught my eye one day when I was browsing at the bookstore. I hadn't bought a Trek book in years -- the last one was The Captain's Daughter by Peter David, one of the better Trek authors (although Imzadi II still leaves me bitter) -- because of the decreasing quality and my own detachment to the series... so I was understandably reluctant to shell out good dollars. I kept looking for The Battle for Betazed at my local bookstore, but then I received it as a gift... and the book languished on my shelf until I pulled it down recently and thought, "Start reading... if you hate, it goes in the bin next to Chosen." The Battle for Betazed is set during the Dominion War, a time when shapeshifting beings and their hearty, genetically created army have invaded Federation space. In this particlar story, they've conquered the peace-loving Betazoids, a telepathic culture devoted to harmony. While horrific experiments occur on the new space station, built by the Dominion's allies, the Cardassians, the Betazoid resistence seeks Starfleets help to bring a dangerous serial killer back to their homeworld. Why? Because he can kill with a mere thought, and he could teach others how and then they might defeat the Dominion on their planet. As with most Trek books, this is not the sole plot. There are two others, both complimentary to the primary story. Commander Riker leads a strike team into the heart of the space station, intent to destroy it from within, while Captain Picard commands the Enterprise and a few other starships to distract the enemy ships. Some Deep Space 9 characters appear including Worf, commander of the Defiant, and Chief O'Brien, whose intimate knowledge of Cardassian space stations (DS9) makes him an ideal participant in the raid. Troi's mother returns as well, but in a much more subdued role as resistence leader and it was nice to envision a calmer, darker Lwaxana. There are some new characters including a steely Starfleet special ops expert, a ruthless Cardassian commander, and Tevren, the killer himself... none of these characters are, thankfully, Mary Sues. The writing, by Charlotte Douglass and Susan Kearney, is rather plain and somewhat expositive at times. There's not much in the way of character development that doesn't occur in a sort of passive sense. I was frequently distracted by Trek background material, inserted obviously to familiarize non-Next Gen readers with the setting and its characters. If a reader is picking up this book, chances are s/he's already aware that Riker and Troi were once a serious item or that LaForge has optical implants. Far better to invest writing effort and creativity in the emotional sides of these characters and breathe life into their actions. Admittedly, there's not much depth in Star Trek unless one injects it into the writing or performances, but it's no excuse for avoiding the potential. Having said that, however, the book does not completely fail its promise. The story itself is intriguing and offered bare hints at what the authors could have done to create a rich, conflicting situation. The novel could have easily doubled in length without much effort, focusing deeply on primary characters, particularly Troi, who once interned at the prison where the killer has been kept for 17 years. The potential for a creepy Lector-Starling interaction was ripe for exposure, but the authors barely touched on the relationship, Troi's later reaction to Tevren's role in the war, or what happens once she's face to face with him again. The authors occasionally touch on the Riker-Troi dynamic, which would have further enriched the psychological plot. I suppose I'm expecting too much of a Trek novel. After reading The Battle for Betazed, I picked up Immortal Coil, a Data-centric novel that also caught my eye because of its cover, and already I'm impressed with the detail and quality of writing. This is not to say that I'm going to start reading Trek novels again or rebuild my fannish collection. The few books I have left, now in storage, are novels that I truly enjoyed and hope to read again... I'm not sure where The Battle for Betazed falls. I almost feel as if it should be rewritten -- properly as a stand-alone, non-Trek world, and then I'd probably keep it. The Battle for Betazed is a harmless read for a lazy, rainy afternoon. I read it quickly without worrying about missing stuff and the story was compelling enough to retain my attention for the two days it took (between work and home obligations) to finish.
Rating:
Summary: Battle Misses Potential
Review: I'm almost embarassed to admit that what first attracted me to this Star Trek tie-in was the cover. I've never been a big fan of Deanna Troi, especially in her turquoise dress days, but when she shifted to a uniform and actual Starfleet responsibilities, I kinda warmed to her character. The cover, depicting Troi, armed and ready, above a trio of Jem 'Hadar, with a swirling blue star background, caught my eye one day when I was browsing at the bookstore. I hadn't bought a Trek book in years -- the last one was The Captain's Daughter by Peter David, one of the better Trek authors (although Imzadi II still leaves me bitter) -- because of the decreasing quality and my own detachment to the series... so I was understandably reluctant to shell out good dollars. I kept looking for The Battle for Betazed at my local bookstore, but then I received it as a gift... and the book languished on my shelf until I pulled it down recently and thought, "Start reading... if you hate, it goes in the bin next to Chosen." The Battle for Betazed is set during the Dominion War, a time when shapeshifting beings and their hearty, genetically created army have invaded Federation space. In this particlar story, they've conquered the peace-loving Betazoids, a telepathic culture devoted to harmony. While horrific experiments occur on the new space station, built by the Dominion's allies, the Cardassians, the Betazoid resistence seeks Starfleets help to bring a dangerous serial killer back to their homeworld. Why? Because he can kill with a mere thought, and he could teach others how and then they might defeat the Dominion on their planet. As with most Trek books, this is not the sole plot. There are two others, both complimentary to the primary story. Commander Riker leads a strike team into the heart of the space station, intent to destroy it from within, while Captain Picard commands the Enterprise and a few other starships to distract the enemy ships. Some Deep Space 9 characters appear including Worf, commander of the Defiant, and Chief O'Brien, whose intimate knowledge of Cardassian space stations (DS9) makes him an ideal participant in the raid. Troi's mother returns as well, but in a much more subdued role as resistence leader and it was nice to envision a calmer, darker Lwaxana. There are some new characters including a steely Starfleet special ops expert, a ruthless Cardassian commander, and Tevren, the killer himself... none of these characters are, thankfully, Mary Sues. The writing, by Charlotte Douglass and Susan Kearney, is rather plain and somewhat expositive at times. There's not much in the way of character development that doesn't occur in a sort of passive sense. I was frequently distracted by Trek background material, inserted obviously to familiarize non-Next Gen readers with the setting and its characters. If a reader is picking up this book, chances are s/he's already aware that Riker and Troi were once a serious item or that LaForge has optical implants. Far better to invest writing effort and creativity in the emotional sides of these characters and breathe life into their actions. Admittedly, there's not much depth in Star Trek unless one injects it into the writing or performances, but it's no excuse for avoiding the potential. Having said that, however, the book does not completely fail its promise. The story itself is intriguing and offered bare hints at what the authors could have done to create a rich, conflicting situation. The novel could have easily doubled in length without much effort, focusing deeply on primary characters, particularly Troi, who once interned at the prison where the killer has been kept for 17 years. The potential for a creepy Lector-Starling interaction was ripe for exposure, but the authors barely touched on the relationship, Troi's later reaction to Tevren's role in the war, or what happens once she's face to face with him again. The authors occasionally touch on the Riker-Troi dynamic, which would have further enriched the psychological plot. I suppose I'm expecting too much of a Trek novel. After reading The Battle for Betazed, I picked up Immortal Coil, a Data-centric novel that also caught my eye because of its cover, and already I'm impressed with the detail and quality of writing. This is not to say that I'm going to start reading Trek novels again or rebuild my fannish collection. The few books I have left, now in storage, are novels that I truly enjoyed and hope to read again... I'm not sure where The Battle for Betazed falls. I almost feel as if it should be rewritten -- properly as a stand-alone, non-Trek world, and then I'd probably keep it. The Battle for Betazed is a harmless read for a lazy, rainy afternoon. I read it quickly without worrying about missing stuff and the story was compelling enough to retain my attention for the two days it took (between work and home obligations) to finish.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: It's about time that they did something with Deannas homeworld, Early in the series of books they had done two books on Tasha Yars world and Worfs ofcourse,The Dominion war was a tragic time for the Federation and we had until now heard from all the aligned worlds we knew of except Betazed. Seeing Lwaxana Troi ready to free an insane criminal just to learn how to declare war was very interesting. I'm glad the writers had Riker & Deanna starting to rekindle the romance they once shared. Well Done
Rating:
Summary: Realistic and thought provoking
Review: One of the things I enjoyed about this book is that it did not sugar coat war. This title is a little darker than your average trek novel as the authors provide a realistic look at not only the physical horrors and atrosities of war but at the psychological impact as well. Well done and thoroughly enjoyable.
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