Scan barcode
fruitkate's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
doriangaymer's review against another edition
4.0
I started watching “Star Trek: The Next Generation” when I was 8 or 9 years old. It had been on for a couple of years by that point. It was my first brush with Star Trek, and I found an almost immediate kinship with Captain Picard over his love of history and archaeology. Because ‘catching up’ with a series in a time before high speed internet wasn’t an easy task, I spent my summers scouring the shelves of my local library for Star Trek novels. “The Devil’s Heart” was my favourite of these ‘tie-ins’. The one I continued to come back to time and again, 27 years later.
The plot is complex to say the least. Multiple races across the entire galaxy appear to all be interconnected to each other through a seemingly normal stone object. It gives the barer power, and dreams. Has built empires and broken them. And now, the Enterprise gets involved when a Vulcan archaeological dig reaches out for medical assistance. Unknown to them, this simple request starts a vicious race for the MacGuffin dramatically known by some as ‘The Devil’s Heart’, which slowly gives up its secrets to the Captain.
The novel ties in one of the more interesting plot devices of the original series and expands on the story of several alien races only briefly discussed or hinted about. There’s something whimsical about the deep dive that may not be canon, yet for me kind of always will be an alternative history. It shows Picard in all his history loving glory. And with the arrival of the “Picard” series, I find the novel has lost nothing of its charm.
The plot is complex to say the least. Multiple races across the entire galaxy appear to all be interconnected to each other through a seemingly normal stone object. It gives the barer power, and dreams. Has built empires and broken them. And now, the Enterprise gets involved when a Vulcan archaeological dig reaches out for medical assistance. Unknown to them, this simple request starts a vicious race for the MacGuffin dramatically known by some as ‘The Devil’s Heart’, which slowly gives up its secrets to the Captain.
The novel ties in one of the more interesting plot devices of the original series and expands on the story of several alien races only briefly discussed or hinted about. There’s something whimsical about the deep dive that may not be canon, yet for me kind of always will be an alternative history. It shows Picard in all his history loving glory. And with the arrival of the “Picard” series, I find the novel has lost nothing of its charm.
madisonreadsbooks's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
dan_quags's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
bookhero6's review against another edition
3.0
In the midst of the current political turmoil in the US (re: Trump, the Muslim Ban, and all of the other divisive and heinous acts of his administration) I have really been enjoying the world of Star Trek. I've read this book and plan on reading more and I've started watching TNG on Netflix.
In the world of Star Trek, we seek to understand other cultures, we embrace diversity, gender/race is not a bar to advancement, and differences are celebrated, rather than reviled. It really is a beautiful utopian world we envision ourselves living in. We need to learn from Star Trek and apply it to our current lives.
About this book in particular, I kind of felt the ending was a copout. They didn't really resolve the primary problem, just transferred it to an unexplored (by them) location. What if they just foisted the problem off onto an entirely different inhabited galaxy? Or with the 5000 year timespan of the wormhole, to another time period. Wormholes work both ways, right? So it could come back when the wormhole opens up again? Right? But other than that I rather enjoyed this book.
In the world of Star Trek, we seek to understand other cultures, we embrace diversity, gender/race is not a bar to advancement, and differences are celebrated, rather than reviled. It really is a beautiful utopian world we envision ourselves living in. We need to learn from Star Trek and apply it to our current lives.
About this book in particular, I kind of felt the ending was a copout. They didn't really resolve the primary problem, just transferred it to an unexplored (by them) location. What if they just foisted the problem off onto an entirely different inhabited galaxy? Or with the 5000 year timespan of the wormhole, to another time period. Wormholes work both ways, right? So it could come back when the wormhole opens up again? Right? But other than that I rather enjoyed this book.
cg1256's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
4.25
kayisolo's review against another edition
3.0
When I saw a Star Trek: TNG book on the shelf, I had to pick it up. It doesn't really matter what it's about, but my love of TNG goes beyond judging a book by its cover (or synopsis, for that matter).
It was an enjoyable read on about the same level as other TNG books I've read by various authors. It didn't really stick out as anything unique, but it wasn't bad either. It kept my attention.
The author had a difficult job ahead of her, trying to manage a large number of stories and story arcs going on all at the same time, and she did it quite well. I feel that some things could have been explained better, because it got a little confusing at times. I remember having to read over certain passages multiple times. The ending also seemed rushed, the slow buildup suddenly coming to an end (though a satisfactory one) within just a chapter or two.
It has pretty decent re-read value though, I'd say, and it was a book of a quality I've come to expect from the many TNG books I've worked my way through.
It was an enjoyable read on about the same level as other TNG books I've read by various authors. It didn't really stick out as anything unique, but it wasn't bad either. It kept my attention.
The author had a difficult job ahead of her, trying to manage a large number of stories and story arcs going on all at the same time, and she did it quite well. I feel that some things could have been explained better, because it got a little confusing at times. I remember having to read over certain passages multiple times. The ending also seemed rushed, the slow buildup suddenly coming to an end (though a satisfactory one) within just a chapter or two.
It has pretty decent re-read value though, I'd say, and it was a book of a quality I've come to expect from the many TNG books I've worked my way through.
toddwe's review against another edition
2.0
I bought this book about 19 years ago and forgot about it. I found it on a shelf at my parents' house a number of months back and added it to my pile of reading. Perhaps if I had read it in my teens I would have rated this book with more stars; nowadays, I saw this book as a text that didn't get the care of an editor. The first 100 pages were so filled with stylistic gaffes that I wasn't sure I'd continue. The rest of the book was better written -- but the fuzziness of the plethora of minor characters and the oddness of some characters having fuller characterization (e. g., Picard) and others being kicked about in the text as horrid caricatures (e. g., Worf) resulted in much eye rolling.
amelianicholebooks's review against another edition
2.0
This is actually a somewhat enjoyable book, I just got bored half way through. I might pick it up again later.