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Star Trek, The Next Generation: The Genesis Wave, Book 2

Star Trek, The Next Generation: The Genesis Wave, Book 2

List Price: $18.00
Your Price: $9.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Second Book of Trilogy
Review: 3.5 STARS
The first book in this series was one of the better Star Trek Books I had read, so I had no hesitation is continuing on with book #2 of, "The Genesis Wave". Like many initial installments of a multiple part story the first had an abrupt ending that definitely was a catalyst for searching out the next portion of the tale. The second book left me confused for it appears to end the tale completely yet there is a third book to the series. I suppose that many books can be continued but this second book ended with such finality that I don't know if I will pursue the third.

This book does resolve the beings that are behind the release of the Genesis Wave and they encompass a variety of alien life-form characteristics together with what amounts to the most extreme form of biological warfare. If there have been beings as extremely genocidal as those portrayed in book #2, I do not remember them.

The resolutions presented for the various storylines vary in how clever they are, ranging from the predictable to the disappointing. Taken as a pair of books the story is worthwhile with the first of the two being much stronger. I have no idea how they will transition this to the third installment, and it may be awhile before I find out.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Greatly Disappointed.
Review: After reading 4 or 5 chapters I decided this wasn't worth my time. Where's the action?! It's basically only conversation after bloody conversation and the dialogue between the characters isn't very believeable at all. I'm sorry, but I wanted to enjoy this Star Trek novel and it's following books in the trilogy but it's simply not exciting (I read a few chapters of Book 2. Same results) John Vornholt is an excellent writer and The Dominion War Books 1 and 3 he did were outstanding but he just didn't do well on this venture. If you want some of the best and most enjoyable Star Trek novels out today check out "Ashes of Eden", William Shatner's Mirror Universe Saga, "Crossover", "Captain's Peril", "The Return", "Avenger", the Mission Gamma books and the Dominion War Books 1-4.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: STNG The Genesis Wave II - A fitting conclusion...!
Review: As with the first book in this phenomenal series, "The Genesis Wave" book two is a continuation of author John Vornholt's finest work in the Star Trek genre to date. Just as in the first exceptional novel, his visualizations, plot setup and pacing is absolutely "spot on" perfect, lending greatly to a very fast and enjoyable read. Although I read a lot of books in the Star Trek genre, I can say with absolute certainty that only a select few of the titles are as gripping as this tale is.

Like the cover art for the first title, the cover art for this second title is absolutely perfect, greatly enhancing the story.

The premise:

In the first novel Starfleet and the Romulans found themselves dealing with the Genesis wave which was ravaging its way through the Federation, heading for Earth and then the Romulan Star Empire, prompting their help, albeit duplicitous. As the first novel closed, Geordi LaForge, Admiral Nechayev and other key characters were on the planet Mrymidon riding through the Genesis wave and praying that their plan to save as many lives as possible would work...

Now, author John Vornholt takes us through the process of finding a solution to the Genesis wave and finding those responsible for its re-creation and launching. What follows from there is nothing short of one of the most intriguing and gripping thrillers in the Star Trek genre. Even more unusual and intriguing are the "bad guys" in this particular trilogy which are rather odd and original, lending greatly to the mystery of this trilogy.

I highly recommend this trilogy to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction as I have found these first two tales to be among the best Star Trek novels to date. {ssintrepid}

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: STNG The Genesis Wave II - A fitting conclusion...!
Review: As with the first book in this phenomenal series, "The Genesis Wave" book two is a continuation of author John Vornholt's finest work in the Star Trek genre to date. Just as in the first exceptional novel, his visualizations, plot setup and pacing is absolutely "spot on" perfect, lending greatly to a very fast and enjoyable read. Although I read a lot of books in the Star Trek genre, I can say with absolute certainty that only a select few of the titles are as gripping as this tale is.

Like the cover art for the first title, the cover art for this second title is absolutely perfect, greatly enhancing the story.

The premise:

In the first novel Starfleet and the Romulans found themselves dealing with the Genesis wave which was ravaging its way through the Federation, heading for Earth and then the Romulan Star Empire, prompting their help, albeit duplicitous. As the first novel closed, Geordi LaForge, Admiral Nechayev and other key characters were on the planet Mrymidon riding through the Genesis wave and praying that their plan to save as many lives as possible would work...

Now, author John Vornholt takes us through the process of finding a solution to the Genesis wave and finding those responsible for its re-creation and launching. What follows from there is nothing short of one of the most intriguing and gripping thrillers in the Star Trek genre. Even more unusual and intriguing are the "bad guys" in this particular trilogy which are rather odd and original, lending greatly to the mystery of this trilogy.

I highly recommend this trilogy to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction as I have found these first two tales to be among the best Star Trek novels to date. {ssintrepid}

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: STNG The Genesis Wave II - A fitting conclusion...!
Review: As with the first book in this phenomenal series, "The Genesis Wave" book two is a continuation of author John Vornholt's finest work in the Star Trek genre to date. Just as in the first exceptional novel, his visualizations, plot setup and pacing is absolutely "spot on" perfect, lending greatly to a very fast and enjoyable read. Although I read a lot of books in the Star Trek genre, I can say with absolute certainty that only a select few of the titles are as gripping as this tale is.

Like the cover art for the first title, the cover art for this second title is absolutely perfect, greatly enhancing the story.

The premise:

In the first novel Starfleet and the Romulans found themselves dealing with the Genesis wave which was ravaging its way through the Federation, heading for Earth and then the Romulan Star Empire, prompting their help, albeit duplicitous. As the first novel closed, Geordi LaForge, Admiral Nechayev and other key characters were on the planet Mrymidon riding through the Genesis wave and praying that their plan to save as many lives as possible would work...

Now, author John Vornholt takes us through the process of finding a solution to the Genesis wave and finding those responsible for its re-creation and launching. What follows from there is nothing short of one of the most intriguing and gripping thrillers in the Star Trek genre. Even more unusual and intriguing are the "bad guys" in this particular trilogy which are rather odd and original, lending greatly to the mystery of this trilogy.

I highly recommend this trilogy to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction as I have found these first two tales to be among the best Star Trek novels to date. {ssintrepid}

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: It still doesn't work.
Review: I would like to warn all Mac peopleabout this ebook thing.
A.) It doesn't work in OS 9 or any other version.
B.) It won't download.
C.) I can't read it.
D.) It cost me $9.99 and I got NOTHING!!!!
E.) Amazon won't even respond to my emails or refund me.
F.) Steer away from any and all ebooks they are a waste of time.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A weapon is discovered and an enemy is revealed.
Review: The Genesis Wave, a mutated form of Dr. Carol Marcus's long believed buried Genesis Project, has washed over the planet Myrmidon, transforming it into a primordial horror. The Romulan phase shifting technology may have worked, sparing the lives of tens of thousands inhabitants, but the survivors are now intruders on a world not meant for them, and they are not alone. The creature behind the Neptune's pre-Wave assault on the Myrmidon shields infiltrates and attempts to hijack the Enterprise. Meanwhile Dr. Leah Brahms and her crew of Klingons try to track down the home of the genocidal aliens to avenge those that have died.

The first book of the series had everybody discovering the Wave and then running from it for their very lives while trying to figure out a way to stop it, or at least survive it, at the same time. Book Two allows the now haggard Federation forces, and our cast of characters in particular, the chance to fight back and get a few choice jabs at their new enemy. While light on dramatic story, B2 does not skip on the action that fans crave from the series. In the long run a four star rating may seem generous, but I'm grading this strictly on the entertainment curve. Recommended to fans only.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A weapon is discovered and an enemy is revealed.
Review: The Genesis Wave, a mutated form of Dr. Carol Marcus's long believed buried Genesis Project, has washed over the planet Myrmidon, transforming it into a primordial horror. The Romulan phase shifting technology may have worked, sparing the lives of tens of thousands inhabitants, but the survivors are now intruders on a world not meant for them, and they are not alone. The creature behind the Neptune's pre-Wave assault on the Myrmidon shields infiltrates and attempts to hijack the Enterprise. Meanwhile Dr. Leah Brahms and her crew of Klingons try to track down the home of the genocidal aliens to avenge those that have died.

The first book of the series had everybody discovering the Wave and then running from it for their very lives while trying to figure out a way to stop it, or at least survive it, at the same time. Book Two allows the now haggard Federation forces, and our cast of characters in particular, the chance to fight back and get a few choice jabs at their new enemy. While light on dramatic story, B2 does not skip on the action that fans crave from the series. In the long run a four star rating may seem generous, but I'm grading this strictly on the entertainment curve. Recommended to fans only.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not exactly the Garden of Eden
Review: The second book of the Genesis Wave series continues the rollicking ride that the first book gave us, though it's not quite as tight as I would have liked. We still have the galactic destruction, but this book is much more character-based, taking some of the characters in directions that are a little more absurd than I would have liked, but still enjoyable. The ending is predictable (though the method isn't necessarily), and the story is weakened by what turns out to be multiple scenes of monster slaughter. At times, the book felt like a variation on Dawn of the Dead, and lost a little bit of its luster because of it. Still, it was quite enjoyable.

Vornholt once again has some good characterization of the regulars in this book. Maltz and Brahms are the highlights here, as they add a lot of fun to a rather downbeat book otherwise. That Vornholt does this without making the Klingons caricatures is even more of an achievement. Instead, they stay true to their Klingon heritage, trying to die with honour and taking as many of the enemy with them as possible. They look down on the humans as soft (one amusing scene has Maltz on a Federation ship trying to get *uncomfortable* in the captain's chair because it shouldn't *be* comfortable), but they develop a healthy respect for Dr. Brahms, mainly because she realizes she has to be just as gruff and harsh as a typical Klingon captain. Other than Maltz and Gradok, we don't really get a good sense of why the rest of the crew is following her. That's a minor point, however.

What's not quite as minor is one of the twists involving the Romulans, which I won't get into here other than asking: for what possible purpose would the Romulans have a contingency plan in a fairly deserted area of space before any of this happens (we're talking a matter of days, so there's no way they could have set it up after the Genesis Wave began)? There doesn't seem to be any point to it unless they somehow knew that this area would be important, but there's no indication of that. This plot hole sets up the finale, which does cheapen it a little bit

The other problem with the book is that it does, at times, become a monster hunt. This hunt is related to the whole story, so it does serve a bit of a purpose, but on Myrmidon it doesn't seem to connect with the rest of the story. Yes, these monsters are the same as are being dealt with elsewhere, but it only serves to give jeopardy to an already poignant storyline on Myrmidon, where all of these Bolians are trying to survive on a planet that's not really hospitable to them anymore. That may have been an interesting story to tell. These sequences also emphasize a "Super Data" that became a bit annoying at times. Yes, I know Data is capable of leaping great distances, but picturing him bounding around, grabbing people and then jumping away again and again became a little silly. All in all, the situation on Myrmidon did tend to distract from the rest of the book (though it did contain the classic line from Data, "Actually, you were trying to bite my face." Ok, you had to be there).

What did I like about Genesis Wave: Book 2? While I found them a bit far-fetched, I loved the Brahms/Klingon scenes. They were just a lot of fun, filled with Klingon bluster and adventure. Maltz is once again the highlight, either when he's swearing vengeance on Carol Marcus or when he's offering to pretend to be Leah's consort in order to protect her from any untoward advances from a crew member. These scenes certainly aren't flawless, but my enjoyment of them outweighed any incredulity that I might have had for them. Carol Marcus was also handled well, especially when she figures out that she's been duped, that Jim Kirk and her son are not really around her, and she must do whatever she can to stop the Wave from being unleashed again. Again, there were a few bits here and there that didn't quite connect for me (I didn't buy how easily she was able to empty her thoughts so that her captors couldn't read them, for example), but I could put any faults aside for the sheer entertainment value and the strength of the characterization. She's a woman who has the deaths of billions on her conscience, even though she was duped. This guilt and determination to not let it happen again shines through.

Genesis Wave: Book 2 is not as good, not as cohesive as the first book. However, it is a fitting conclusion to a cosmic adventure. I particularly liked how the ending is not all tied up in a neat little bow for the characters, though it is for the reader. There are some questions that you know they will never be able to answer. It's a nice change of pace. This duology is definitely worth a look-see for any Trek fan.

David Roy

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Genesis Wave Book Two-- STNG
Review: This book is the 2nd of at least 3 books in this on going story.

We find that Earth is now threatened by one of the most remarkable achievements of the Alpha Quadrant... the Genesis Device. But, now some alien intelligence has purloined this technology and is wreaking havoc through the known universe.

We pick up where Book One leaves off. Now we know that Carol Marcus (inventor of the Genesis technology) has been kidnapped and is helping the aliens with the perfection of her work, but for being 137 years old she is not to be taken lightly, as you read on in the book.

The aliens prefer deception, stealth and guile to brute force and messy scenes after all they are cryptogamites. They are changing the Genesis Wave to carry their species genome throughout the galaxy. They are dying and the home planet Lomar is just about depleated of resources and they have a strong will to survive. So the aliens con, kidnap, and hijack their way to survival. But they need humanoid life forms to carry out these plans and a place to live.

Enter Jean-Luc Picard and company to save the day, but the alien plan is so large and threatening that it takes not only the Klingons but they have to ask the Romulans for help. Now we have a known villian mixed into the story, never trust a Romulan for anything but grief and debauchery. We are not disappointed. The fragile alliance is holding to defeat a common threat, just as in the Dominion Wars, but the Romulans want all the Genesis technology for themselves.

We have Georodi LaForge love struck by two women Leah Brahms and Deloros Linton. A Klingon who saw the Genesis Wave firsthand, Maltz, and wants to bring honor to his house through a blood oath. Riker taken over by the aliens and Dr. Crusher recuperating from the ill effects of the from the alien influence. Jean-Luc Picard trying to keep the alliance together and Data being Data.

Admiral Nechayev was injured from the attack by the Neptune that Dr. Crusher was in charge of and LaForge keeping things on the planet together via phase shifting to combat the Genesis effect. Suspense action and adventure abound in this book. Twists and turns are always a part of a Romulan mix. And Deanna Troi has an allergic reaction to the fungus subterfuge, a Dyson sphere moon and alien telepathy...all make interesting reading. But, of course, we are not through with these cunning aliens and their will to survive... ergo book 3.

I would recommend reading this book... enjoyable and a fast read.


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