taaya's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
If only that had focused more on the sociological aspects, then the slowness would've at least been interesting. But this way it felt more like a bad TOS book (I mean, the Captain takes the first woman to bed that he sees? Not very Picard of him.)
We still have no answer, why a human theater group would want a planet as home base that's not inside Federation space, why they didn't do any scans before settling, and what the heck the motif of the books villain was, except random "I want power" thoughts.
Yeah, no huge -isms, but that's the only good thing to be said about this novel.
We still have no answer, why a human theater group would want a planet as home base that's not inside Federation space, why they didn't do any scans before settling, and what the heck the motif of the books villain was, except random "I want power" thoughts.
Yeah, no huge -isms, but that's the only good thing to be said about this novel.
lindenblatt's review
adventurous
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ryuutchi's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
divadiane's review
3.0
What? I’ve read this?!? Someone recommended this title to someone else on FB and I searched for it here and discover I’ve read it already?! I have zero recollection. Also I only gave it 3 stars, which kind of surprises me, but I read it 25 years ago during a phase I had of reading pretty much only lit classics (Hardy, Austen, the Brontës) and classic SF/Fantasy, like Le Guin, Lewis and Tolkien. I think I might have been more snobbish back then. Anyway, I think I might have passed the book on, because I don’t think I own it anymore, otherwise, I’d reread it sooner rather than later.
frakalot's review
5.0
This one was really good! The story is fun and interesting and the away team finds all sorts of mischief. The characters were pretty spot on. This would have made a silly episode with visually presented masks but in book form it was great.
The story is well written, with compelling descriptions and engaging dialogue. The only contention I could find was that the crew were only able to replicate a specific set of masks.
The story is well written, with compelling descriptions and engaging dialogue. The only contention I could find was that the crew were only able to replicate a specific set of masks.
djwudi's review
3.0
Given current events, it’s kind of amusing to be reading a Trek adventure in a society where everyone wears masks at all times, and their status is determined by the type and quality of their mask.
octavia_cade's review
3.0
This is deeply silly, but it's still pretty entertaining regardless. I lost count of the times I shook my head at the idiot decisions of the crew, but the pace zips along and the culture depicted is just odd enough - and over-the-top enough - to be interesting. Everyone wears masks, all the time, and the masks represent their function in society, albeit anyone at any time can be challenged to a duel and lose the mask they are wearing to the winner. There's a number of problems with this that are never, ever explored - if you're injured, do you really want to be treated by a healer who got their position by stabbing someone rather than study? - but it all becomes so farcical I found myself just going with it for amusement value.
Though I can't stop myself from asking: why is it, on this highly volcanic world where volcanoes blow at the top of a hat, is there no mention of masks as they relate to breathing problems? Instead, the crew beam down with Halloween masks, because Troi can order any fudge sundae she wants from the replicator, but no-one thinks to exploit this same technology when it comes to getting Worf something different to wear than a plastic pig face. And they're wandering round this pretty terrible landscape, and one of their local companions gets killed by a volcanic eruption and no-one, not even the doctor, says, "About all this ash... maybe we should adapt these masks so we're not breathing it in all the time and fucking up our lungs?" But nooooooo.
As I said, it's immensely silly. But it's entertaining in its silliness, certainly more so than the last few TNG tie-ins I've read, so I enjoyed myself reading it anyway.
Though I can't stop myself from asking: why is it, on this highly volcanic world where volcanoes blow at the top of a hat, is there no mention of masks as they relate to breathing problems? Instead, the crew beam down with Halloween masks, because Troi can order any fudge sundae she wants from the replicator, but no-one thinks to exploit this same technology when it comes to getting Worf something different to wear than a plastic pig face. And they're wandering round this pretty terrible landscape, and one of their local companions gets killed by a volcanic eruption and no-one, not even the doctor, says, "About all this ash... maybe we should adapt these masks so we're not breathing it in all the time and fucking up our lungs?" But nooooooo.
As I said, it's immensely silly. But it's entertaining in its silliness, certainly more so than the last few TNG tie-ins I've read, so I enjoyed myself reading it anyway.
rainydaydayreams's review
4.0
This book is basically fanfiction. I think I enjoyed it because of this, rather than in spite of it.
valancysnaith's review
5.0
This book was absolutely amazing... the best I've read so far in the Star Trek: The Next Generation series. A complex and beautiful plot, involving so many of the characters on the ship, and a wonderful ending -- and then, of course, there are the masks. Such a fascinating concept, and definitely not something I would ever have thought of!!
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