Reviews

Once Burned by Peter David

leland_hw's review

3.0

3.5 stars. Peter David is one of my favorite Star Trek writers. This was a good adventure story. The "Captain's Table" concept, however is really kinda dumb and forced throughout the whole series.

This was my first Mackenzie Calhoun book, but I'd be willing to read more of the adventures of Captain Calhoun and the starship Excalibur.

jarichan's review against another edition

4.0

Star Trek kenne ich nur vom Namen her und vom Reboot, dessen erster Film ich gesehen habe. Der war so "naja". Aber schon ewig steht das Franchise auf meiner "Kümmer dich mal drum!"-Liste.

Als ich also auf der Suche nach einem passenden Challenge-Buch war (Getränk auf dem Cover), musste es einfach das sein. Somit habe ich mich in dieses Universum gestürzt, ohne es zu kennen. Oder Reihe, dessen fünfter Band dieses Buch ist.

War aber alles absolut kein Problem. Vielleicht, weil sich bei mir ein wenig das Star Wars-Gefühl einstellte, obwohl es sich um unterschiedliche Welten handelt. Aber irgendwie fühlte es sich gut und richtig an. Ich fand mich problemlos in dieser Geschichte zurecht und hatte Spass am Lesen.

Am Schluss war ich sogar richtig emotional involviert; das hätte ich gar nicht erwartet. Star Trek - gerne mehr davon!

eaterofworlds's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

markmtz's review

3.0

The title is a mouthful, but Peter David comes through with this first-person tale told by Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. The Captain’s table format gives both David and his character an opportunity to tell a very personal story. I found it entertaining. You can find PAD among the crowd of the cover art.

Published in mass-market paperback by Pocket Books.

bdplume's review

5.0

Excellent, like all of the New Frontier installments I've read. Peter David always brings an excitement to Trek novels that a lot of the authors can't manage.

eliwray's review

5.0

This book has a much darker tone than the preceding ones in the New Frontier series. Rather than a flavor of quirky humor and enthralling action, this book is instead infused with anguish and foreboding. Captain Calhoun here tells the story of what he perceives as his biggest failure, a time when he was caught up in a heartbreaking series of events. His wounds and regrets are still raw years later. But David handles this more brutal tone fearlessly, and presents an honest look at a complex unspooling of actions and motivations.

The author's customary depth of character continues here, in the first crossover of the New Frontier series. His compelling explorations of the themes of strength, power and authority continue to unfold here. And his character Mackenzie Calhoun continues to be very compelling to me, as he reveals much more of his inner life here than he has before.

I am reading the series as close to chronologically as I can, and I am thoroughly enjoying every part of it I can get my hands on.