foxxie52's review against another edition
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 against another edition
4.0
Very rich source for the previous lives of the Voyager crew and insights to how their characters developed.
amyz001's review against another edition
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.
ladyj95's review against another edition
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 against another edition
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.
octavia_cade's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favourite Star Trek novels, primarily I think because of the sustained focus on character. The frame story's a little thin, but that's forgivable here because it's not really the point - it's merely an excuse to give the backstory of all the supporting characters of Voyager. They're all decently well-written, but naturally some are more interesting than others and the real stand-out here is Tuvok. I may be biased because he's one of my favourite characters on the series anyway, but Taylor's building of his background is both immensely believable and immensely interesting. It can't have been easy trying to form a regular Vulcan character after the enormity that is Spock, but Tuvok is completely unlike him and yet still as fascinating, and his desert sojourn especially is outstanding. Worth reading for that alone.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
3.0
That was just what I needed, a nice relaxing book that was entertaining and unstressful. I'd say this was a pretty solid Voyager novel. The plot deals with several members of the crew getting abducted and held in a prison camp. That plot serves basically as a framing story, since most the book is devoted to fleshing out the background stories of the main characters. The author already filled in Janeway's life story in her book Mosaic. Also The Doctor & Seven were excluded because they don't really have backstories. Some of the characters really held up and could carry a story, others just didn't work in my opinion. Chakotay, Kes & Tom's life stories were the most interesting. The others had their moments but were a little weak. So as a whole this wasn't perfect, but still worth the read.
bdplume's review against another edition
5.0
I liked Voyager more after reading this. Good job revealing the characters.