Rating: 
Summary: STNG #3 The Children of Hamlin - Thought provoking!
Review: "The Children of Hamlin" is but the first of only three great Star Trek The Next Generation novels that this fine author brought to fruition. While not being her best STNG novel, which in my opinion is "The Devil's Heart, it is a well written and thought provoking early Star Trek The Next Generation story. What is amazing is that it took the author two years to write her previous Star Trek The Original Series novel, "Dreams of the Raven," but after being given only three months for this novel, she wrote it so well!The premise: Everybody in Starfleet and the Federation knows the tale of the small Federation colony of Hamlin where aliens called the Choraii came and destroyed the colony, killed all of the adults and abducted the children and disappeared into the blackness of space. It is now fifty years later and the Choraii have returned, but this time they will have to deal with the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, her stalwart commanding officer, Captain Jean Luc Picard and her crew. I would definitely recommend this early Star Trek The Next Generation novel for it's author is among one of the best of the early trek authors and it is a well written, thought provoking tale, raising the question of children who were kidnapped and later, as adults, are given the opportunity to return to their own kind but wish to stay where they are. {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: STNG #3 The Children of Hamlin - Thought provoking!
Review: "The Children of Hamlin" is but the first of only three great Star Trek The Next Generation novels that this fine author brought to fruition. While not being her best STNG novel, which in my opinion is "The Devil's Heart, it is a well written and thought provoking early Star Trek The Next Generation story. What is amazing is that it took the author two years to write her previous Star Trek The Original Series novel, "Dreams of the Raven," but after being given only three months for this novel, she wrote it so well! The premise: Everybody in Starfleet and the Federation knows the tale of the small Federation colony of Hamlin where aliens called the Choraii came and destroyed the colony, killed all of the adults and abducted the children and disappeared into the blackness of space. It is now fifty years later and the Choraii have returned, but this time they will have to deal with the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, her stalwart commanding officer, Captain Jean Luc Picard and her crew. I would definitely recommend this early Star Trek The Next Generation novel for it's author is among one of the best of the early trek authors and it is a well written, thought provoking tale, raising the question of children who were kidnapped and later, as adults, are given the opportunity to return to their own kind but wish to stay where they are. {ssintrepid}
Rating: 
Summary: Average Trek Fare
Review: Carter's first Trek novel, Dreams of the Raven, was an outstanding effort. The Children of Hamlin, however, doesn't rise above the level of an average Trek book - a pleasant diversion, but nothing more. Like so many Next Gen episodes, Children of Hamlin is saddled with both an inane subplot (involving the ever-popular technology-impaired wandering farmers; fortunately, these don't talk with Irish accents!)and too much Wesley. Its main story, though, about efforts to reclaim children abducted by aliens fifty years before, raises interesting philosophical, moral, and ethical issues that are only given lip service by Picard and the crew. But, then, if you're looking for insights into philosphical, moral, and ethical issues you're not likely to be reading a Star Trek book, are you?
Rating:
Summary: Average Trek Fare
Review: Carter's first Trek novel, Dreams of the Raven, was an outstanding effort. The Children of Hamlin, however, doesn't rise above the level of an average Trek book - a pleasant diversion, but nothing more. Like so many Next Gen episodes, Children of Hamlin is saddled with both an inane subplot (involving the ever-popular technology-impaired wandering farmers; fortunately, these don't talk with Irish accents!)and too much Wesley. Its main story, though, about efforts to reclaim children abducted by aliens fifty years before, raises interesting philosophical, moral, and ethical issues that are only given lip service by Picard and the crew. But, then, if you're looking for insights into philosphical, moral, and ethical issues you're not likely to be reading a Star Trek book, are you?
Rating:
Summary: Interesting,but...
Review: The book has some nice (but rather too obvious) links to the first season of The Next Generation (examples such as Dr Crusher telling Yar that she doesn't want to see her in her sick bay again come to mind.) There are also some 'touching' bits with Wesley trying despiratly to help a friend, save the farm animals and probably the known universe. The characters are not too obvious in the moral message (by Trek standards anyway) although the idea of the Enterprise transporting an entire community plus animals is a leeeetle far fetched. All in all an enjoyable book to curl up with on a wet afternoon, and better than quite a few Trek books I have read. Not one of the best though.
Rating:
Summary: Some nice character bits but too much emphasis on Wesley!
Review: The book has some nice (but rather too obvious) links to the first season of The Next Generation (examples such as Dr Crusher telling Yar that she doesn't want to see her in her sick bay again come to mind.) There are also some 'touching' bits with Wesley trying despiratly to help a friend, save the farm animals and probably the known universe. The characters are not too obvious in the moral message (by Trek standards anyway) although the idea of the Enterprise transporting an entire community plus animals is a leeeetle far fetched. All in all an enjoyable book to curl up with on a wet afternoon, and better than quite a few Trek books I have read. Not one of the best though.
Rating:
Summary: Just like a first season episode...
Review: The Children of Hamlin is just as the title describes. It's about the decedents of a massacre where the children were thought to be taken away or slaughtered by ruthless aliens that outmatched the Federation. Fifty years after the dreaded event, it turns out many of the children thought to be long dead are alive among a people called the "Choraii." Picard negotiates with these ruthless aliens to get Hamlin survivors and decedents back home ... only some of them developed a life there and don't want to go back. It could have been a proposed script for the TV show and it has of all cast members Tasha Yar as head of security. This is classic season one material. The characters have a lot of unknowns that were later filled in by later episodes. In this novel the characters seem so a little fresher and more impulsive. In one scene Picard loses his temper with the a negotiator. He starts banging his fist his desk and demanding a straight answer from him.
Rating:
Summary: Picard must find the aliens that kidnapped the children.
Review: The old story of Star Trek captain faced with an abduction mystery. Averagely written.
Read the other STTNG novels first.
Rating:
Summary: Suprisingly good, if a bit slow-moving.
Review: This story is good for the interesting ideas it addresses in a science-fiction format, not as an action-adventure story. Ideas such as: if someone is the victim of a kidnapping, and has remained in the custody of their kidnappers for many years before an opportunity comes to free them, is it more appropriate to free them or not to free them if they have been brainwashed by their captors to the point where they do not desire freedom, and wish to remain where they are? Clearly, they are incapable of making an informed decision, but then, isn't freeing them against their will rather a contradiction in terms? Fascinating concept, and one that never is definitively answered in this story, for the obvious reason that there is no definitive answer. Still, it is addressed evenhandedly and in a very interesting manner. Further, the characters are handled well, the established characters ring true and the new characters are interesting (if in some cases not very pleasant). All in all, a well-written story, and worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting,but...
Review: This was a good book.I love books where children are kiddennapped,then raised by their captors(Indians,Pirates,Aliens).The Choraii seem trully alien,but...you never see them!The author seems intent on avoiding showing them(alien measles?).Overall,though,this is a great book.It is a little slow,though,so don't expect a rousing adventure,or you'll be disappointed.
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