Rating: 
Summary: Very good
Review: I thought that this book was a well-written and well-planned book. It had a few humorous spots, and it talked about life at the Academy. I enjoyed this book, although it was not one of my favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Wesley Crusher Not The Golden Child?!?
Review: I thought this was a good exploration of Wesley Crusher and his very serious problems fitting in at the Academy. If he were portrayed this realistically in the TV series, so many people wouldn't despise him. :-)For a ST:TNG novel, this had a few plot holes but overall was entertaining and really kept my interest. I liked learning more about Wesley, if you can believe it!
Rating:
Summary: Wesley Crusher Not The Golden Child?!?
Review: I thought this was a good exploration of Wesley Crusher and his very serious problems fitting in at the Academy. If he were portrayed this realistically in the TV series, so many people wouldn't despise him. :-) For a ST:TNG novel, this had a few plot holes but overall was entertaining and really kept my interest. I liked learning more about Wesley, if you can believe it!
Rating: 
Summary: Not your Father's Oldsmobile; atypical but great Trek novel
Review: It would appear to me, after having read a handful of reviews, that readers either loved this book or hated it. Those who loved it, I happen to agree with and will not argue with. But those who hated it, I beg to differ with. The haters claim that these Star Trek characters were wildly out of character, one reader even going so far as to claim (paraphrasing) that anyone, even the most casual observer, could tell that the characters didn't ring true, even for someone who has watched only two episodes of the TV series. Er, excuse me, but is it logical to presume to know the characters so well, after only two 43 minute episodes (less commercials), so as to even recognize when they are out of character? Bologna. What this author did, aside from not taking himself too terribly seriously, was entertain me like no other Star Trek author has ever done, even causing me to laugh out loud, embarassing myself in public, while reading on a bus. The fact that Paramount and the Simon & Schuster people sanctioned this book and published it, clearly illustrates that it passes whatever mysterious criteria there might be for a ST:TNG novel. Rather than bore me endlessly by introducing an entirely new race of aliens, cultures and customs, as many Star Trek novels do, forcing you to only guess at how to pronounce weird, funky alien names, that never quite sound right in your head as you're reading -- instead, this author made the book about what we already know and love, and even love to hate -- I refer to the Ferengi, who in this novel are the "bad guys", although the author was clever in that not all Ferengi were bad, only these two renegades, and even includes the Grand Nagus as a sort of "good guy" who lends his assistance after the Federation gets itself, as Data puts it, "up the proverbial aquatic waterway without an oar", thanks to the criminal avarice of the outlaw Ferengi, Tunk and Munk (God bless this author for giving me names I can easily pronouce in my mind's ear!!) I could TOTALLY envision Wallace Shawn, who portrays the Grand Nagus in numerous Deep Space Nine episodes, whining, squeaking and spitting out his dialouge; the author gave depth and humor to these supporting characters, unlike any Star Trek novel I've read. It's inportant here to mention that one of the ideals conveyed in the novel, as realized by Wesley, is that not all Starfleet officers are the same, nor should they be, in that the uniqueness of each individual offers a fresh perspective to the rest, otherwise, why not dispense with Starfleet Academy entirely, and replicate 73 million Commander Datas, and be done with it? Likewise, this book doesn't necessarily squash itself into a preconceived mold, and its uniqueness offered me a fresh perspective that made me laugh, made me think, and above all, kept the pages turning. Here's a litmus test: Read the first paragraph, and if you fail to see the humor in the description of the unpronouncable Klingon scoutship, which, loosely translates into "Strange Legendary Klingon Fish That Hides in Rocks and Spies on Enemies of the Warrior Gods," then this book isn't for you. If, however, you find it amusing that the Ferengi, Tunk, unable to recall the name of The Enterprise, refers to it instead as "The Business Venture," as only a Ferengi could, this book is for you. So as to remain as impartial as possible for a positive review, I will make mention of one small detail, or oversight, and that is that the Ferengi home world is referred to repeatedly as Ferengi, when in the DS9's, it's referred to as Ferengenar. But hey, for as well executed as this novel was, I can live with that minor annoyance.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor characterization
Review: Never thought I'd give a Star Trek novel 1 star! But this story was weak, and the Star Trek characters were cardboard and did not fit their personalities, except maybe for Data. Basically, the story centers on Wesley Crusher being kidnapped by Ferengi, after they discover he has a device that countefeits latinum. A big auction of a dead scientists inventions takes place on Novus Alamogordus. The Federation, Klingons, Romulans and Ferengi, among others travel there to bid on these inventions, the biggest of which is the photonic pulse cannon. Using counterfeit latinum, the Ferengi, Munk and Tunk, using Wesley as their slave per se, end up winning most of the items. It's up to Wesley to figure out how to stop the two, while at the same time, not breaching his Ferengi contract, and getting charged with counterfeiting by Starfleet. I thought the writing was deplorable and weak. And when does Picard call everyone by the first name during most of a book or TV show? Except for Data, who was experimenting with a laughter program, the rest of the book drew low interest.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing personal but,
Review: Nothing against the author but, this was the worst Star Trek book I have ever read. The author completly ignored the Star Trek mold. The characters weren't the Star Trek characters you know and love, at all.
Rating:
Summary: Jolly Good
Review: Star Trek-The Next Generation: Balance of Power written by Dafydd Ab Hugh is a Wesley Crusher/Ferengi book with some very funny humor sprinkled in to make the book read quickly. Wesley Crusher is at Starfleet Academy and his roommate and best friend has a project that is half-finished (a machine that can counterfeit gold pressed latinum), Wesley finishes the machine but is kidnapped by an outlaw Ferengi who wants to control the universe through commerce. There is also an auction where a famous Federation scientist dies and his son puts up all of his fathers half-baker inventions, of course, none of them work, but there is one invention that piques the crowd... a photon cannon that can penetrate a ships shielding. You've got people from the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, and Ferengi all in the mix of things. The auction scene is in particular very humorus. If you like a light read with humor this is the book for you. It can be quickly read and you'll get some good belly-laughs.
Rating:
Summary: ST-TNG: Balance of Power
Review: Star Trek-The Next Generation: Balance of Power written by Dafydd Ab Hugh is a Wesley Crusher/Ferengi book with some very funny humor sprinkled in to make the book read quickly. Wesley Crusher is at Starfleet Academy and his roommate and best friend has a project that is half-finished (a machine that can counterfeit gold pressed latinum), Wesley finishes the machine but is kidnapped by an outlaw Ferengi who wants to control the universe through commerce. There is also an auction where a famous Federation scientist dies and his son puts up all of his fathers half-baker inventions, of course, none of them work, but there is one invention that piques the crowd... a photon cannon that can penetrate a ships shielding. You've got people from the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, and Ferengi all in the mix of things. The auction scene is in particular very humorus. If you like a light read with humor this is the book for you. It can be quickly read and you'll get some good belly-laughs.
Rating:
Summary: I hated this book!
Review: The inconsistencies with the rest of the Star trek universe ruined it for me. For example, do you really think the ferengi wouldn't press charges against wesley for his robbery?
Rating:
Summary: Balance Of Power
Review: This is a really good book, very funny, esp. for a Star Trek book! The official synopsis left out the most important parts. Wesley Crusher's roommate at the Academy leaves a half-finished experiment laying around the room. Wesley finishes it to find that it is a gold-pressed latinum counterfeiter. The roommate loses the machine in a big poker game to some Ferengi, and when Wesley tries to steal it back he is kidnapped. The back - and - forth between Wesley and the Ferengi, the auction scenes, are very funny without losing the characters' personalities.
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