Rating: 
Summary: STNG #35 The Romulan Stratagem - A fantastic novel!
Review: "The Romulan Stratagem" is author Robert Greenberger's first solo Star Trek novel and if you read the author's notes at the beginning of the book, you'll see that it was a labor of love for him to write this novel and it paid off extremely well. What I find surprising about this novel is that it was released as a paperback because I truly believe it had earned a hardback release.I found Robert Greenberger's writing style to be extraordinarily well paced and his knowledge of Star Trek in general shows on the pages, his characterizations are "spot on" and his usage of guest characters in the story is beyond reproach. I especially liked his usage of Ensign Ro Laren, one of STNG's best non regular characters. "The Romulan Stratagem" clearly puts this author in my top ten Star Trek authors list. The cover art for this novel is above average for the time in which this novel was published. The premise: The Enterprise is on a mission to the planet Eloh, which is dangerously close to the Klingon/Romulan border, to negotiate its potential Federation membership. Upon arrival though, a Romulan Warbird shows up and it's commanded by Commander Sela and she's there to "negotiate" with the Elohsians as well, hoping that they will soon join the Romulan Star Empire. A series of fatal incidents brings suspicion upon both delegations and Data must form an uneasy alliance with Sela in order to prove the innocence of the Enterprise; at stake is this strategic stronghold, vital to the Federations vigilance of the Romulan Star Empire. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction. Author Robert Greenberger's work with this novel deserves all the praise that is possible for it. {ssintrepid}
Rating:
Summary: STNG #35 The Romulan Stratagem - A fantastic novel!
Review: "The Romulan Stratagem" is author Robert Greenberger's first solo Star Trek novel and if you read the author's notes at the beginning of the book, you'll see that it was a labor of love for him to write this novel and it paid off extremely well. What I find surprising about this novel is that it was released as a paperback because I truly believe it had earned a hardback release. I found Robert Greenberger's writing style to be extraordinarily well paced and his knowledge of Star Trek in general shows on the pages, his characterizations are "spot on" and his usage of guest characters in the story is beyond reproach. I especially liked his usage of Ensign Ro Laren, one of STNG's best non regular characters. "The Romulan Stratagem" clearly puts this author in my top ten Star Trek authors list. The cover art for this novel is above average for the time in which this novel was published. The premise: The Enterprise is on a mission to the planet Eloh, which is dangerously close to the Klingon/Romulan border, to negotiate its potential Federation membership. Upon arrival though, a Romulan Warbird shows up and it's commanded by Commander Sela and she's there to "negotiate" with the Elohsians as well, hoping that they will soon join the Romulan Star Empire. A series of fatal incidents brings suspicion upon both delegations and Data must form an uneasy alliance with Sela in order to prove the innocence of the Enterprise; at stake is this strategic stronghold, vital to the Federations vigilance of the Romulan Star Empire. I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction. Author Robert Greenberger's work with this novel deserves all the praise that is possible for it. {ssintrepid}
Rating: 
Summary: Sela returns.
Review: A continuation of the Picard/Sela storyline. Interesting enough telling of a premise we have seen in other Star Trek novels. See if you can find the errors on pages 5, 41, and 58.
Rating:
Summary: Sela returns.
Review: A continuation of the Picard/Sela storyline. Interesting enough telling of a premise we have seen in other Star Trek novels. See if you can find the errors on pages 5, 41, and 58.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad for a first solo effort.
Review: Having done two prior collaborations with others, I thought it high time to try one on my own and I am very proud of the way this turned out. Working with Sela, a familiar but still vaguely sketched character, gave me a great deal of fun. Best yet, I got to have the Federation lose which was a little different at the time.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Book!
Review: I remember being totally enthralled in this one. The culture of the people is sooo good. I can't remember becoming bored in any part of it. It is a good, solid story, and when Romulan Commander Sela is added to an already interesting Federation-member treaty story, well, hang on to your uniforms! I loved the scenes with Data and Sela, and the tension was high in Geordi's scenes (can't tell you why!). A gripping ending, too! Great read.
Rating:
Summary: Superb Book!
Review: I remember being totally enthralled in this one. The culture of the people is sooo good. I can't remember becoming bored in any part of it. It is a good, solid story, and when Romulan Commander Sela is added to an already interesting Federation-member treaty story, well, hang on to your uniforms! I loved the scenes with Data and Sela, and the tension was high in Geordi's scenes (can't tell you why!). A gripping ending, too! Great read.
Rating: 
Summary: Trash Trek?
Review: Now we know who the weak link in the TNG novel "Doomsday World" was. Is The Romulan Strategem a completely terrible work? No, it's not. But it barely passes, and here are some of the reasons why. First, the packaging. Yes, I know that Greenberger is not responsible for how the editors assemble the book, but be warned: 1) Ro's role is both minimal and stupid; 2) there is no "threat to the Federation" despite the exclamation points at the top of the front cover; 3) as we've come to expect with Trek novels, the infamous "back of the book" is both misleading and preemptive - there isn't much of a Sela/Data "alliance," and what there is of it occurs two-thirds into the book. Way to not give anything away, editors. Second, the poor editing. There are just plain mistakes throughout. One particularly frustrating example: Data sees Geordi standing in a corner at a party, a party where, we are told, there are no chairs. Three paragraphs later both Data and Geordi are sitting down! Such sloppiness is aggravating and unacceptable. (A disclaimer: should you find any typos or other mistakes in this review, remember that *I* am not a professional!) Third, the [bad]sub-plot. Ro has to play nursemaid to a teen-age boy who develops a crush on her. Oh, what sheer unadulterated joy . . . . Fourth, lots of annoying little details. For example, Picard mentions Edgar Allen Poe early on, and suddenly everybody, including Worf, is reading Poe. Poe-lease! Fifth, constant thoughts by Picard of how beautiful Sela is. Sorry, folks, but a hotty Sela is not. The only saving graces here are a sympathetic leader of the alien planet at issue, and an ending that is other than the usual good guys always win. Buy it used, if at all!
Rating:
Summary: Trash Trek?
Review: Now we know who the weak link in the TNG novel "Doomsday World" was. Is The Romulan Strategem a completely terrible work? No, it's not. But it barely passes, and here are some of the reasons why. First, the packaging. Yes, I know that Greenberger is not responsible for how the editors assemble the book, but be warned: 1) Ro's role is both minimal and stupid; 2) there is no "threat to the Federation" despite the exclamation points at the top of the front cover; 3) as we've come to expect with Trek novels, the infamous "back of the book" is both misleading and preemptive - there isn't much of a Sela/Data "alliance," and what there is of it occurs two-thirds into the book. Way to not give anything away, editors. Second, the poor editing. There are just plain mistakes throughout. One particularly frustrating example: Data sees Geordi standing in a corner at a party, a party where, we are told, there are no chairs. Three paragraphs later both Data and Geordi are sitting down! Such sloppiness is aggravating and unacceptable. (A disclaimer: should you find any typos or other mistakes in this review, remember that *I* am not a professional!) Third, the [bad]sub-plot. Ro has to play nursemaid to a teen-age boy who develops a crush on her. Oh, what sheer unadulterated joy . . . . Fourth, lots of annoying little details. For example, Picard mentions Edgar Allen Poe early on, and suddenly everybody, including Worf, is reading Poe. Poe-lease! Fifth, constant thoughts by Picard of how beautiful Sela is. Sorry, folks, but a hotty Sela is not. The only saving graces here are a sympathetic leader of the alien planet at issue, and an ending that is other than the usual good guys always win. Buy it used, if at all!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!
Review: ROBERT GREENBERGER HAS DONE A SUPERB JOB OF CAPTURING THE ROMULAN MINDSET IN 'THE ROMULAN STRATEGEM'. THIS BOOK ALSO GIVES US A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF THE 1/2 HUMAN, 1/2 ROMULAN COMMANDER, SELA - A TNG CHARACTER WHOM VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT. A MUST-HAVE FOR ANY TNG/TASHA YAR/SELA FAN!
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