Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: This overlong trilogy finally comes to an unspectacular end Review: "Q-Strike" is the concluding volume in Greg Cox's trilogy, "The Q Continuum." Just as we anticipated half-way through the first volume, Q has not been able to tell his extremely long story of how he was led astray as a youth by an insane alien who proved to be a bad influence in time for Captain Picard to get back to the Enterprise and stop Professor Faal from starting his grand experiment to pierce the galactic barrier. Whatever momentum was building in this series is long gone by the time we actually get to the conclusion. The whole melodramatic sub-plot of Faal the mad scientist going off the deep end to the detriment of his children certainly could have been removed or at least considerably toned down. The same is true for the scenes with Q's precocious offspring. What is of interest here is getting Q to finally finish his cautionary tale, in which we learn more about his early days than we ever had before. Let a good editor whittle "The Q Continuum" down to a single novel and Cox might actually have something here. But this book would appeal to Star Trek fans and they are going to recognize that this is pretty much familiar ground. The idea that impenetrable barriers are there to keep bad aliens away from us was done in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." Similarly, incorporating powerful alien characters from previous Trek episodes was already done in Peter David's "Q-Squared," which is a much superior work. This series is okay, but it could have worked a lot better if we did not have to wade through three volumes to get to the obvious conclusion.
Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: This overlong trilogy finally comes to an unspectacular end Review: "Q-Strike" is the concluding volume in Greg Cox's trilogy, "The Q Continuum." Just as we anticipated half-way through the first volume, Q has not been able to tell his extremely long story of how he was led astray as a youth by an insane alien who proved to be a bad influence in time for Captain Picard to get back to the Enterprise and stop Professor Faal from starting his grand experiment to pierce the galactic barrier. Whatever momentum was building in this series is long gone by the time we actually get to the conclusion. The whole melodramatic sub-plot of Faal the mad scientist going off the deep end to the detriment of his children certainly could have been removed or at least considerably toned down. The same is true for the scenes with Q's precocious offspring. What is of interest here is getting Q to finally finish his cautionary tale, in which we learn more about his early days than we ever had before. Let a good editor whittle "The Q Continuum" down to a single novel and Cox might actually have something here. But this book would appeal to Star Trek fans and they are going to recognize that this is pretty much familiar ground. The idea that impenetrable barriers are there to keep bad aliens away from us was done in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." Similarly, incorporating powerful alien characters from previous Trek episodes was already done in Peter David's "Q-Squared," which is a much superior work. This series is okay, but it could have worked a lot better if we did not have to wade through three volumes to get to the obvious conclusion.
Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: This overlong trilogy finally comes to an unspectacular end Review: "Q-Strike" is the concluding volume in Greg Cox's trilogy, "The Q Continuum." Just as we anticipated half-way through the first volume, Q has not been able to tell his extremely long story of how he was led astray as a youth by an insane alien who proved to be a bad influence in time for Captain Picard to get back to the Enterprise and stop Professor Faal from starting his grand experiment to pierce the galactic barrier. Whatever momentum was building in this series is long gone by the time we actually get to the conclusion. The whole melodramatic sub-plot of Faal the mad scientist going off the deep end to the detriment of his children certainly could have been removed or at least considerably toned down. The same is true for the scenes with Q's precocious offspring. What is of interest here is getting Q to finally finish his cautionary tale, in which we learn more about his early days than we ever had before. Let a good editor whittle "The Q Continuum" down to a single novel and Cox might actually have something here. But this book would appeal to Star Trek fans and they are going to recognize that this is pretty much familiar ground. The idea that impenetrable barriers are there to keep bad aliens away from us was done in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." Similarly, incorporating powerful alien characters from previous Trek episodes was already done in Peter David's "Q-Squared," which is a much superior work. This series is okay, but it could have worked a lot better if we did not have to wade through three volumes to get to the obvious conclusion.
Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: A fitting end to the trilogy. Review: After a decent opener, a flat sequel, this third installment is the best of the bunch. Though it is much more action packed than the last, and the main characters are all reunited once again to fend off a common threat, it somewhat lacks the humor (from Q's dialouge) of the 1st book. What I really enjoyed was more of the background of the main villian/s and their lore in past Star Trek moments. It is really neat to see how tightly alligned some of these books in comparison to the Star Trek Universe can be. I was expecting a bit more of the Continuum to rear their heads as the trilogy implies, but not really. Also, after done with all three, I'm not sure I learned anything spectacular about the Continuum and thier origins. All in all, Mr. Cox I believe redeemed himself with this book as number 2 was a let down. Enjoy, and I look forward to more Q antics.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: This is what a Q book should be! Review: After starting well in book one, and then slowly down to a crawl in book two,book three lets loose with some of the best story telling in the book series! Q faces an enemy more powerful than himself (a storyline touched on in Peter David's incredible "Q-Squared"), but this time he is trapped aboard the Enterprise and must play a sadistic game of "Hide and Seek" against his enemy, O. The storyline involving the female Q and baby q was equally gripping, as they faced the Betazoid professor now enhanced by the Galactic Barrier (as happened to Gary Mitchell in the original series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before"). The story races along incredibly well, and makes up for the horrible sluggishness of the second book in the series. Definitely not one to miss!
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: This is what a Q book should be! Review: After starting well in book one, and then slowly down to a crawl in book two,book three lets loose with some of the best story telling in the book series! Q faces an enemy more powerful than himself (a storyline touched on in Peter David's incredible "Q-Squared"), but this time he is trapped aboard the Enterprise and must play a sadistic game of "Hide and Seek" against his enemy, O. The storyline involving the female Q and baby q was equally gripping, as they faced the Betazoid professor now enhanced by the Galactic Barrier (as happened to Gary Mitchell in the original series episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before"). The story races along incredibly well, and makes up for the horrible sluggishness of the second book in the series. Definitely not one to miss!
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: So good it's anoying! Review: Aparently Cox decided he had explain every undefined mystery in the star trek universe! From the dinos, to the barier on the inner and outer part of the galaxy, to why Q hangs around with humans, and even people from TOS! That's the only thing I can complain about, his obvious need to stop watching Star Trek for a few days. The book was good, but the cover was better! How come we can't review the cover?
Rating: ![1 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-1-0.gif) Summary: A remarkably tedious read. Review: First of all, let me acknowledge Mr. Cox for taking on the monumental task of a triology. As an author myself, I certainly appreciate the commitment. Secondly, it could easily have been pruned down to one volume. I only read through all three because I am a die-hard ST:TNG fan, thirsty for my heros after the long drought of their adventures (hint, hint to the powers that be). Anyway, what a disappointment to wait so long and so eagerly, only to receive this very boring set of books. Oh well, maybe next time...
Rating: ![3 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-3-0.gif) Summary: The concepts were good, but needed to be developed more. Review: Greg Cox surely took on a momentous project, chronicaling the life and times of Q. In this third installment, I was disappointed to see the plot somewhat disintegrating as 0 mostly chased Q around the ship; there were no surprises either concerning Faal and his son. Still, to give Cox, the credit, he brought it together, made it make sense -even if it was a little thin and disappointing at times.
Rating: ![2 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-2-0.gif) Summary: Definitely not worth the money. Review: How frustrating to pay for 3 books to get a story that really isn't worth a single book. Definitely agree with the others that this was too drawn out. In fact, many times it seems things are thrown in JUST to link them to other Trek references. I'm never a big fan of stories that do this, try to pull in characters and situations we've already seen, other than the essentials (I guess it's supposed to make the author look clever)...but this series did it so much I wanted to scream. In fact, I can't think of single character or plot device that was completely original and din't have SOME reference to something else in the Trek universe. Having said that, there were things to like about the books, so I give it 2 stars...not totally awful, but not sure it'd be worth reading when you have other choices.
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