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pabloshevik's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Strong characterization has always been the beating heart of the Star Trek franchise. Pathways follows in this rich tradition (if a bit unevenly) by exploring the life and times of the crew of the Federation starship Voyager.
The narrative finds the crew as prisoners of war in a harrowing death camp. This adventure-of-the-week frame story provides them with plenty of time to get to know each other in between attempts at concocting an escape plan. Through a series of campfire stories, the crew narrates their biographies, unraveling for their comrades the paths they took to end up together in the Delta Quadrant.
Fans of the series will enjoy a deeper look into the formative events in the lives of the Voyager crew. Author and series writer, Jeri Taylor, certainly understands the characters well, having had a key hand in their creation. The narrative is a bit uneven, in that some of the backstories are more nuanced and detailed than others. Chakotay’s segment in particular (in a reflection of his treatment in the TV series) suffers from a lack of “screen time,” and the tale of Tom Paris does little to disprove those who theorize that he is a thinly-veiled avatar of a certain character from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a fan of Voyager (and Tom Paris), I thought that he deserved more than a recycled backstory.
But overall I was pleased to delve deeper into the inner lives of the Voyager crew. The frame story effectively paces these vignettes and even manages to inspire some pathos in its own right. Taylor unfurls the individual segments in competent, colorful prose, every so often conjuring up some truly striking moments. These moments are fleeting, as the book does not take too long to linger on any one character. Pathways is a fun and informative voyage; I only wish we could have taken more opportunities for sight-seeing along the way.
The narrative finds the crew as prisoners of war in a harrowing death camp. This adventure-of-the-week frame story provides them with plenty of time to get to know each other in between attempts at concocting an escape plan. Through a series of campfire stories, the crew narrates their biographies, unraveling for their comrades the paths they took to end up together in the Delta Quadrant.
Fans of the series will enjoy a deeper look into the formative events in the lives of the Voyager crew. Author and series writer, Jeri Taylor, certainly understands the characters well, having had a key hand in their creation. The narrative is a bit uneven, in that some of the backstories are more nuanced and detailed than others. Chakotay’s segment in particular (in a reflection of his treatment in the TV series) suffers from a lack of “screen time,” and the tale of Tom Paris does little to disprove those who theorize that he is a thinly-veiled avatar of a certain character from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a fan of Voyager (and Tom Paris), I thought that he deserved more than a recycled backstory.
But overall I was pleased to delve deeper into the inner lives of the Voyager crew. The frame story effectively paces these vignettes and even manages to inspire some pathos in its own right. Taylor unfurls the individual segments in competent, colorful prose, every so often conjuring up some truly striking moments. These moments are fleeting, as the book does not take too long to linger on any one character. Pathways is a fun and informative voyage; I only wish we could have taken more opportunities for sight-seeing along the way.
storyofcory's review
4.0
I don't consider myself a Trekkie/Trekker, and as a result, really couldn't care less about "Star Trek canon". This book was good for what *I* think it was meant for... an interesting read that was fairly independent of the Voyager series as a whole. To me, this was a "what if" book... what if the crew was marooned somehow on some hostile planet? What would they do? What would they talk about? This book does a pretty good job of supposing just a scenario, and playing said scenario out in prose. I think, in order to get the maximum amount of enjoyment out of a book like this, you have to "flush" canon from your mind entirely and not get wrapped up in what's "supposed" to happen, according to canon, or what someone is "supposed" to do, according to canon, and just go with the flow and enjoy the ride the story takes you on.
THAT SAID... I did read a few reviews before writing this, and those reviews that said the book is heavy on "purple prose" DO have a very valid point. If the flowery, filler language was pared down, and a couple of the characters' stories were shorter, this book would probably top out at around 350 pages (for what it's worth, each character's backstory is about 50 pages in length, give or take, followed by a 10-20 page chapter wrapping up the story and transitioning to the [b:Pathways|217956|Pathways (Star Trek Voyager)|Jeri Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387739139s/217956.jpg|1077601]next character's story). Don't get me wrong, the majority of the stories WERE interesting, but at the same time, a couple of them WERE overly long.
This IS a Star Trek book worth reading, in my opinion, even if you are a die-hard Trekker/Trekkie who lives and dies by ST canon. You just have to put your knowledge of ST canon aside for a while as you read it.
THAT SAID... I did read a few reviews before writing this, and those reviews that said the book is heavy on "purple prose" DO have a very valid point. If the flowery, filler language was pared down, and a couple of the characters' stories were shorter, this book would probably top out at around 350 pages (for what it's worth, each character's backstory is about 50 pages in length, give or take, followed by a 10-20 page chapter wrapping up the story and transitioning to the [b:Pathways|217956|Pathways (Star Trek Voyager)|Jeri Taylor|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387739139s/217956.jpg|1077601]next character's story). Don't get me wrong, the majority of the stories WERE interesting, but at the same time, a couple of them WERE overly long.
This IS a Star Trek book worth reading, in my opinion, even if you are a die-hard Trekker/Trekkie who lives and dies by ST canon. You just have to put your knowledge of ST canon aside for a while as you read it.
ckeithjohnson's review against another edition
2.0
The book was good in parts, but was overly dull in some places as well.
foxxie52's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
5.0
I love this book. It gives you a background story for all the main characters of Voyager (except Janeway) set against an interesting story in its own right. I have read this book multiple times and I still enjoy it. I think Neelix' story was the most interesting but none of them were dull. No doubt I'll re read this again at some point.
yaz20100's review
4.0
Very rich source for the previous lives of the Voyager crew and insights to how their characters developed.
amyz001's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this - a great story about the lives of each of the Voyager crew before they were taken to the Delta Quadrant. The main storyline in which all this is set is fine, if a bit predictable and at times outlandish - it would have been interesting to see that characters backstories link into this story a little more. The backstories are the main point to this book, with the storyline running through being a setting in which the characters talk about their lives. I agree with some other reviewers that it's not in some of the characters natures to share the intimate details of their past to a group of their colleagues so maybe setting them more privately would've been a little more believable.
However, I found every story gripping and engaging, even if a lot didn't align with later cannon from the show. It's interesting to get into each of their heads and hear about the lessons they've learned from the past and explain the way they are. I found a few sentences which spoke to my own worries and having all the characters deal with insecurity, regrets, and indecision helped them feel more relatable. Definitely worth a read if you are a Voyager fan.
However, I found every story gripping and engaging, even if a lot didn't align with later cannon from the show. It's interesting to get into each of their heads and hear about the lessons they've learned from the past and explain the way they are. I found a few sentences which spoke to my own worries and having all the characters deal with insecurity, regrets, and indecision helped them feel more relatable. Definitely worth a read if you are a Voyager fan.
jazin95's review
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The soundtrack was super odd in the background; it made it all sound like a dream. But the soundtrack made it fit to well with the show. There were so many great moments, one of my favourites was when B'Elanna said, “Tell me what you know about Klingons,” I was like, wow, here it comes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even though it was essentially a backstory book of most of the characters from Star Trek: Voyager.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even though it was essentially a backstory book of most of the characters from Star Trek: Voyager.
lefthandedmatt's review
3.0
A midly entertaining story that involves the main characters regaling each other with tales of their pasts. That would be an enticing reason to read if Voyager actually had interesting characters. As it turns out, the stories are mostly decent, although some fare better than others.
Chakotay's story is easily the weakest and most boring (just like him), whereas Tom Paris, Neelix and Kes get the most engaging backstories. Each tale seems to follow a similar theme about being unable to fit in and needing to prove yourself, but some go into pretty dark and emotional territory.
The framing story of the crew trapped in an alien prison is the real low point. Their attempt to escape is quite laughable in its mediocrity, and the writing quality is particularly poor through these sections.
Given that Jeri Taylor wrote the book, there's an element of semi-canon about it all and some of the back story details did get referred to in the show, so it's probably a fun read for anyone who particularly loves Voyager. That's definitely not me.
Chakotay's story is easily the weakest and most boring (just like him), whereas Tom Paris, Neelix and Kes get the most engaging backstories. Each tale seems to follow a similar theme about being unable to fit in and needing to prove yourself, but some go into pretty dark and emotional territory.
The framing story of the crew trapped in an alien prison is the real low point. Their attempt to escape is quite laughable in its mediocrity, and the writing quality is particularly poor through these sections.
Given that Jeri Taylor wrote the book, there's an element of semi-canon about it all and some of the back story details did get referred to in the show, so it's probably a fun read for anyone who particularly loves Voyager. That's definitely not me.
judenoseinabook's review against another edition
4.0
It's a collection of short stories linked by a narrative about the away teams imprisonment in a dreadful camp. The stories are back-stories for many of the main characters. It really works - many of Star Trek genre short story collections are unsatisfying, but not this one. Greadat f
polywogg's review against another edition
4.0
BOTTOM-LINE:
Decent views of the various backstories
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
The Voyager crew are separated from the ship and captured by an alien race. The crew are placed in a prison camp full of various races. While awaiting rescue by Captain Janeway, the members tell stories from their pasts to each other at night to help pass the time.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Chakotay's tale is of his rejection of his tribe's ways and embracing the Starfleet ideals, and then joining the Maquis to chase the Cardassians. Harry Kim's focuses on his privileged upbringing, discovering Starfleet hikers, meeting Boothbie, and his rough adjustment at the Academy. Kes' tale is a bit odd, seems off from her character on the show, but covers her short life before meeting Neelix (told through some sort of psychic link with her essence that has already left Voyager) including pushing the Elders to reveal the history of the Caretaker and her decision to explore the surface. Tuvok's backstory includes his double career with Starfleet, namely first joining Starfleet as a young man, and then leaving Starfleet, returning home to raise a family, having a spiritual quest in the desert, and deciding to rejoin Starfleet, reviewing Janeway's first mission as part of his duties, and then being posted to her ship only to butt heads repeatedly with her over her impulsive nature.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I wasn't totally comfortable with B'Elanna's story about never being part of the life of either Klingons or humans, her decision to leave Starfleet Academy and work on a freighter, and meeting Chakotay and Paris in the Maquis. It seems at odds with her very Klingon personality at the start of Voyager, as if she didn't have much experience with humans. Yet the backstory talks about even her first serious boyfriend having been human. Paris' story doesn't reveal much, it's mostly rehash of excerpts from other episodes -- his relationship with his Admiral father, joining Starfleet and starting a ski team, an chance to be the pilot for the Enterprise, an accident with his flight team (similar to the character he played on TNG episode with Wesley Crusher), his joining the Maquis, his imprisonment for firing on a Starfleet ship to protect the Maquis, and finally joining Voyager. Neelix's story probably had the most potential as being different and unique, i.e. growing up on a quiet planet on the edge of war and the loss of his family and trading partners, and then meeting Voyager's crew, but the story went nowhere.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.
Decent views of the various backstories
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
The Voyager crew are separated from the ship and captured by an alien race. The crew are placed in a prison camp full of various races. While awaiting rescue by Captain Janeway, the members tell stories from their pasts to each other at night to help pass the time.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Chakotay's tale is of his rejection of his tribe's ways and embracing the Starfleet ideals, and then joining the Maquis to chase the Cardassians. Harry Kim's focuses on his privileged upbringing, discovering Starfleet hikers, meeting Boothbie, and his rough adjustment at the Academy. Kes' tale is a bit odd, seems off from her character on the show, but covers her short life before meeting Neelix (told through some sort of psychic link with her essence that has already left Voyager) including pushing the Elders to reveal the history of the Caretaker and her decision to explore the surface. Tuvok's backstory includes his double career with Starfleet, namely first joining Starfleet as a young man, and then leaving Starfleet, returning home to raise a family, having a spiritual quest in the desert, and deciding to rejoin Starfleet, reviewing Janeway's first mission as part of his duties, and then being posted to her ship only to butt heads repeatedly with her over her impulsive nature.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I wasn't totally comfortable with B'Elanna's story about never being part of the life of either Klingons or humans, her decision to leave Starfleet Academy and work on a freighter, and meeting Chakotay and Paris in the Maquis. It seems at odds with her very Klingon personality at the start of Voyager, as if she didn't have much experience with humans. Yet the backstory talks about even her first serious boyfriend having been human. Paris' story doesn't reveal much, it's mostly rehash of excerpts from other episodes -- his relationship with his Admiral father, joining Starfleet and starting a ski team, an chance to be the pilot for the Enterprise, an accident with his flight team (similar to the character he played on TNG episode with Wesley Crusher), his joining the Maquis, his imprisonment for firing on a Starfleet ship to protect the Maquis, and finally joining Voyager. Neelix's story probably had the most potential as being different and unique, i.e. growing up on a quiet planet on the edge of war and the loss of his family and trading partners, and then meeting Voyager's crew, but the story went nowhere.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.