Rating: 
Summary: Excellent conclusion to the Double Helix series
Review: The book was a good conclusion, despite being set 20 years before the other books. The only real problem with the book is Mike Friedman and Christie Golden's writing styles are very different and you can tell who wrote each part. The Starfleet: Year One chapter was a nice surprise, but only 13 pages long. Hopefully it will be longer in later books.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent conclusion to the Double Helix Series!
Review: The First Virtue is an excellent conclusion. It pretty much wraps up the reasoning to everything we learned in "Double or Nothing." In the First Virtue, we learn why Gerrid Thul wanted to create the Double Helix virus and why he wanted so much revenge for the loss of his only child. Both authors did a great job with their portions. The plot is well thought out, especially the portions of the book with Commander Jack Crusher and Lieutenant Tuvok. I felt that they captured Tuvok's personality quite well and gave a precursor to some of the decisions and general personality we saw on screen in Voyager. Overall, I would recommend the whole series, or the Omnibus that's due out in November to any and all Star Trek fans. Thank you to the author's for their excellent work.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent conclusion to the Double Helix Series!
Review: The First Virtue is an excellent conclusion. It pretty much wraps up the reasoning to everything we learned in "Double or Nothing." In the First Virtue, we learn why Gerrid Thul wanted to create the Double Helix virus and why he wanted so much revenge for the loss of his only child. Both authors did a great job with their portions. The plot is well thought out, especially the portions of the book with Commander Jack Crusher and Lieutenant Tuvok. I felt that they captured Tuvok's personality quite well and gave a precursor to some of the decisions and general personality we saw on screen in Voyager. Overall, I would recommend the whole series, or the Omnibus that's due out in November to any and all Star Trek fans. Thank you to the author's for their excellent work.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent conclusion to the Double Helix Series!
Review: The First Virtue is an excellent conclusion. It pretty much wraps up the reasoning to everything we learned in "Double or Nothing." In the First Virtue, we learn why Gerrid Thul wanted to create the Double Helix virus and why he wanted so much revenge for the loss of his only child. Both authors did a great job with their portions. The plot is well thought out, especially the portions of the book with Commander Jack Crusher and Lieutenant Tuvok. I felt that they captured Tuvok's personality quite well and gave a precursor to some of the decisions and general personality we saw on screen in Voyager. Overall, I would recommend the whole series, or the Omnibus that's due out in November to any and all Star Trek fans. Thank you to the author's for their excellent work.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the best in the series, more like fourth virtue!
Review: The Plot:
This is the final in the series of six books dealing with an assault with biological weapons on the Federation. In the fifth book, we found out that it is a result of Picard being responsible for the death of someone, and that it is all about vengeance. A little tired but workable as a plot point. This book takes the reader back to the time of Picard as Captain of the Stargazer and adds Tuvok and Jack Crusher to the series. Picard is assigned diplomatic duties for a system on the verge of war. Working together with Tuvok and Crusher, they quickly realize that the war is being primed by someone, but they're just not sure who. Tuvok and Crusher go undercover and they form the majority of the story. What I Liked:
Tuvok's and Crusher's undercover antics are interesting reading, and represent a solid addition to Tuvok's background. What I Didn't Like:
Crusher's character is only superficially developed, as is the character of the man who eventually becomes the assailant for the other five books. The Bottom Line:
A little disappointing, but still interesting reading: 3.00 lilypads out of 5.00. Date of Review: March 4, 2001
Format Reviewed: Softcover
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Rating:
Summary: Average story
Review: The story here tells the reason why the plague was started. Tuvok gets recruited and has to work with Picard and Jack Crusher. (Do not understand why Beverly Crusher is with Tuvok on the cover, I suppose no one knows how Jack Crusher looks like). The story is rather slow and unexciting as it is highly predictable. Two species at a peace meeting, shouts at one another, a third party under cover causes trouble for each side and each side blames the other and threaten war. Along comes Picard trying to make peace, naturally he will fail at first, then he succeeds and the bad guy is captured. Highly predictable, no suspense element. 'First Virtue' gets a few mention.
Rating: 
Summary: More background on the U.S.S. Stargazer and its crew
Review: This story explains why there were so many viruses spread across the quardant. This story gives even more background on the Stargazer, and has special guest star, Tuvok.
Rating:
Summary: A great conclusion to an excellent set of six novels
Review: This story is another wonderful tale in the Star Trek: The Next Generation tradition. It is based in the same wonderful universe as all other star trek books where faster than light travel and communications make galactic journeys possible. Unlike most other Next Generation books, this story does not take place aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Instead it is based a few years before the Next Generation series began on the U.S.S. Stargazer, Captain Picard's former ship. There are a few familiar characters though, obviously Captain Picard, and the often spoken of but seldom seen husband of Dr. Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Jack Crusher. Also joining these two characters is one Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. If the name sounds familiar to Star Trek: Voyager fans, it is the same as your Lieutenant Tuvok but a few years before his Voyager years. The story is of a mission to the Kellasian sector to try and help defuse the war cries of two races on different worlds brought on by old hatred and recent terrorist attacks. While Picard tries to solve the problem diplomatically, he assigns Crusher and Tuvok to investigate the attacks because he believes they are coming from an outside source. This is the final tale in the series of the plot of a mad man to destroy the entire Federation. Interestingly, this last story is the first chronologically and answers the questions posed by the first five novels about why this mad man has been sending virtually incurable diseases to seemingly random places in the galaxy over a period of nearly a decade. Some of the most interesting parts of the story come when a carefree and impulsive Jack Crusher teams up with the completely logical and reserved Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. The clash of their personalities is nearly audible to the reader in the early stages of the book. "The ease with which they found a place to land and hide their small craft, all within a few kilometers of a main city, was actually rather unsettling. `Any disreputable type can sneak onto this planet,' Crusher said. `But then,' Tuvok told him as they concealed their ship with loose foliage, `so can a team of Starfleet officers.' The commander looked at him. `In other words, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.' The Vulcan appeared perplexed--and maybe a little annoyed as well. `The reference escapes me,' he said. `What it means,' Crusher explained, `is that you shouldn't question good luck. You should just run with it.' Tuvok sighed a little. `I see.' `Don't you have any colorful Vulcan expressions?' asked the human. The ensign glanced at him. `No,' he said flatly. And he dragged a few last branches full of leaves up against their vessel. Crusher brushed off his hands. `Looks like we're done.' `Indeed,' said Tuvok. he gestured. `The city is that way.' and he began to walk toward it. The human had no trouble catching up with him. `Impatient, aren't we?' he asked his companion. Tuvok stopped and turned to him, obviously a little surprised. `Not really. I simply saw no reason to delay.' Crusher smiled at the ensign's expression. `My fault. You're absolutely right-- there isn't.' And as he started walking again, he reminded himself that he couldn't joke with the Vulcan as he might [with other people he knew]." However, as they work together, they realize that their differences do not need to stand in the way of forming a friendship, not that Tuvok would ever admit to needing friendship. Friedman and Golden use dialogue very well to show what is happening, not only around the characters but also to show how the characters are feeling. When Tuvok is explaining how he talked an adversary out of killing Crusher and himself. "`When he attempted to sense my emotions, our minds were linked. it was not difficult to examine his thoughts and extract something useful for them. and the rest--' He hesitated. `The rest . . . ?' Crusher prodded. Again, Tuvok's dark eyes seemed to glimmer with the faintest hint of mischief. `The rest,' said the Vulcan, `I made up.' Crusher grinned at him. `Tuvok, you son of a mugato. I didn't know you had it in you.' The ensign's brow wrinkled ever so slightly. `There is much you do not know about me, Commander. Perhaps we will have the chance to rectify that at a later time.'" Although he remains constantly icy to Crusher, Tuvok does change and begin to show a bit of affection for his illogical and slightly annoying partner. Friedman & Golden do a wonderful job of tying together a series of six novels into one chronologically spaced out story. This book is not for everyone. I will be the first to admit that Star Trek or Science-Fiction in general really turn some people off. But if you are a Trekkie, or are someone who is willing to open his mind to a tale based in the far distant future but not far enough that you can not relate to the story. And if you've got a lot of extra time on your hands, read the whole series, it's worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: A great conclusion to an excellent set of six novels
Review: This story is another wonderful tale in the Star Trek: The Next Generation tradition. It is based in the same wonderful universe as all other star trek books where faster than light travel and communications make galactic journeys possible. Unlike most other Next Generation books, this story does not take place aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. Instead it is based a few years before the Next Generation series began on the U.S.S. Stargazer, Captain Picard's former ship. There are a few familiar characters though, obviously Captain Picard, and the often spoken of but seldom seen husband of Dr. Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Jack Crusher. Also joining these two characters is one Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. If the name sounds familiar to Star Trek: Voyager fans, it is the same as your Lieutenant Tuvok but a few years before his Voyager years. The story is of a mission to the Kellasian sector to try and help defuse the war cries of two races on different worlds brought on by old hatred and recent terrorist attacks. While Picard tries to solve the problem diplomatically, he assigns Crusher and Tuvok to investigate the attacks because he believes they are coming from an outside source. This is the final tale in the series of the plot of a mad man to destroy the entire Federation. Interestingly, this last story is the first chronologically and answers the questions posed by the first five novels about why this mad man has been sending virtually incurable diseases to seemingly random places in the galaxy over a period of nearly a decade. Some of the most interesting parts of the story come when a carefree and impulsive Jack Crusher teams up with the completely logical and reserved Vulcan, Ensign Tuvok. The clash of their personalities is nearly audible to the reader in the early stages of the book. "The ease with which they found a place to land and hide their small craft, all within a few kilometers of a main city, was actually rather unsettling. 'Any disreputable type can sneak onto this planet,' Crusher said. 'But then,' Tuvok told him as they concealed their ship with loose foliage, 'so can a team of Starfleet officers.' The commander looked at him. 'In other words, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.' The Vulcan appeared perplexed--and maybe a little annoyed as well. 'The reference escapes me,' he said. 'What it means,' Crusher explained, 'is that you shouldn't question good luck. You should just run with it.' Tuvok sighed a little. 'I see.' 'Don't you have any colorful Vulcan expressions?' asked the human. The ensign glanced at him. 'No,' he said flatly. And he dragged a few last branches full of leaves up against their vessel. Crusher brushed off his hands. 'Looks like we're done.' 'Indeed,' said Tuvok. he gestured. 'The city is that way.' and he began to walk toward it. The human had no trouble catching up with him. 'Impatient, aren't we?' he asked his companion. Tuvok stopped and turned to him, obviously a little surprised. 'Not really. I simply saw no reason to delay.' Crusher smiled at the ensign's expression. 'My fault. You're absolutely right-- there isn't.' And as he started walking again, he reminded himself that he couldn't joke with the Vulcan as he might [with other people he knew]." However, as they work together, they realize that their differences do not need to stand in the way of forming a friendship, not that Tuvok would ever admit to needing friendship. Friedman and Golden use dialogue very well to show what is happening, not only around the characters but also to show how the characters are feeling. When Tuvok is explaining how he talked an adversary out of killing Crusher and himself. "'When he attempted to sense my emotions, our minds were linked. it was not difficult to examine his thoughts and extract something useful for them. and the rest--' He hesitated. 'The rest . . . ?' Crusher prodded. Again, Tuvok's dark eyes seemed to glimmer with the faintest hint of mischief. 'The rest,' said the Vulcan, 'I made up.' Crusher grinned at him. 'Tuvok, you son of a mugato. I didn't know you had it in you.' The ensign's brow wrinkled ever so slightly. 'There is much you do not know about me, Commander. Perhaps we will have the chance to rectify that at a later time.'" Although he remains constantly icy to Crusher, Tuvok does change and begin to show a bit of affection for his illogical and slightly annoying partner. Friedman & Golden do a wonderful job of tying together a series of six novels into one chronologically spaced out story. This book is not for everyone. I will be the first to admit that Star Trek or Science-Fiction in general really turn some people off. But if you are a Trekkie, or are someone who is willing to open his mind to a tale based in the far distant future but not far enough that you can not relate to the story. And if you've got a lot of extra time on your hands, read the whole series, it's worth your time.
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