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Greater Than the Sum by Christopher L. Bennett, Christopher L. Bennett, Christopher L. Bennett
joshknape's review against another edition
1.0
This Star Trek original novel typifies what frequent readers of novels based on science fiction TV programs with large fanbases disparagingly describe using a certain very vulgar seven-letter word starting with F.
It's poorly written, questionable in its depictions of some of the Star Trek characters' personalities, doesn't always bother with strong characterization, and endlessly shows off the author's knowledge of continuity from the various Star Trek series. When the book began expatiating the author's particular religious viewpoints, I threw it across the room in exasperation--the first time I have rejected a book in that manner.
When I was young, you could have induced me to read anything if you claimed it was about the Borg. (Star Dreck writers knew that, and a few of the more cynical ones weren't above inserting bogus hints of Borg involvement to capture readers' attention.) A residue of that obsession remains; that's why I started reading the book.) Fortunately, I'm not a Borg-obsessed Trekkie kid anymore, and can find better books to read than this drivel. I do not recommend it.
It's poorly written, questionable in its depictions of some of the Star Trek characters' personalities, doesn't always bother with strong characterization, and endlessly shows off the author's knowledge of continuity from the various Star Trek series. When the book began expatiating the author's particular religious viewpoints, I threw it across the room in exasperation--the first time I have rejected a book in that manner.
When I was young, you could have induced me to read anything if you claimed it was about the Borg. (Star Dreck writers knew that, and a few of the more cynical ones weren't above inserting bogus hints of Borg involvement to capture readers' attention.) A residue of that obsession remains; that's why I started reading the book.) Fortunately, I'm not a Borg-obsessed Trekkie kid anymore, and can find better books to read than this drivel. I do not recommend it.
summerinohio79's review against another edition
4.0
The baby theme was a little heavy handed but overly all an enjoyable read.
summerinohio's review against another edition
4.0
The baby theme was a little heavy handed but overly all an enjoyable read.
lori85's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes for this one. I was pretty brutally let down by Peter David's Before Dishonor, which I had eagerly awaited. Its sequel, Greater Than the Sum, is the first book I've ever read by Christopher L. Bennett. It picks up right where Before Dishonor left off, and preludes the massively epic Star Trek: Destiny trilogy. In other words, Greater Than the Sum is, I think, intended to bridge the gap between two great trilogies, if Vendetta-Resistance-Before Dishonor may be considered one. Now there's really only so much one can do with a filler, so I'm not sure the ambivalence I felt upon finishing it is really all Bennett's fault.
Bennett did have a lot of great material to work with, including a reintroduction of Hugh, which truly was needed since Star Trek just sort of abandoned him and his fellow rogue Borg at the end of the Next Generation episode "Descent". According to a book I used to have called Star Trek's Greatest Guest Stars, the fate of this particular group of Borg was supposed to be the subject of a Deep Space Nine episode, which for some reason never happened. (Although considering how overused the Borg were on Voyager, maybe that's a good thing.) Greater Than the Sum actually clarifies many loose ends from the Trek canon, such as, for example, Q's assertion that Borg drones are neither male nor female, which Seven of Nine later abundantly proved otherwise. But it was great seeing Hugh again, especially since he was such a beloved recurring character. My only complaint, which extends to the rest of the novel, is that Bennett didn't flesh him out as much as he could have. Despite Hugh's martyrdom in the end, he comes across as rather flat.
Overall, Bennett's writing here bothered me. I don't want to judge him based on only one book (if Before Dishonor was the only Peter David novel I ever read, I wouldn't be too impressed with him either). But literally, I've encountered better writing in fan fiction. For one thing, the storyline itself didn't flow well, jumping awkwardly from one scene to another and generally feeling very choppy.
And then there was the characterization. Bennett did well with at least one of his own creations, the Buddhist Indian security chief Jasminder Choudhury, but his other OC, the quirky half-Vulcan T'Ryssa, just screamed cliched "manic pixie dream girl." Everyone else was wooden and unfinished. I would've liked to have learned more about Hugh and his breakaway "good guy" Borg, for instance, particularly his girlfriend Rebekah Grabowski. There was so much more Bennett could have done with them, but he doesn’t even describe what Rebekah looks like! They have a ship called the Liberator, which Bennett doesn't talk much about either, other than that it's a ship and it has a mess hall.
Yet at the same time, Greater Than the Sum wasn't absolutely awful: it had its moments of light humor and really picks up towards end with. One Amazon reviewer accused Bennett of beating the reader over the head with his "children are the future" theme, but I disagree. The one who went overboard on theme was Peter David in Before Dishonor, when he made absolutely sure that the reader was aware of the inherent conflict between fate and free will in determining the course of human destiny. I thought Bennett, by contrast, handled his subject with very well, expertly weaving in a discourse on the propagation of life with speculation on cybernetic evolution and the strength of the singular individual versus the collective juggernaut that is the Borg.
Overall, I would have to say that Greater Than the Sum is, well, kind of meh. I would only recommend it to real Star Trek fans who enjoy Trek novels and are interested in following the series. Anyone else should really check out Vendetta.
Original Review
Bennett did have a lot of great material to work with, including a reintroduction of Hugh, which truly was needed since Star Trek just sort of abandoned him and his fellow rogue Borg at the end of the Next Generation episode "Descent". According to a book I used to have called Star Trek's Greatest Guest Stars, the fate of this particular group of Borg was supposed to be the subject of a Deep Space Nine episode, which for some reason never happened. (Although considering how overused the Borg were on Voyager, maybe that's a good thing.) Greater Than the Sum actually clarifies many loose ends from the Trek canon, such as, for example, Q's assertion that Borg drones are neither male nor female, which Seven of Nine later abundantly proved otherwise. But it was great seeing Hugh again, especially since he was such a beloved recurring character. My only complaint, which extends to the rest of the novel, is that Bennett didn't flesh him out as much as he could have. Despite Hugh's martyrdom in the end, he comes across as rather flat.
Overall, Bennett's writing here bothered me. I don't want to judge him based on only one book (if Before Dishonor was the only Peter David novel I ever read, I wouldn't be too impressed with him either). But literally, I've encountered better writing in fan fiction. For one thing, the storyline itself didn't flow well, jumping awkwardly from one scene to another and generally feeling very choppy.
And then there was the characterization. Bennett did well with at least one of his own creations, the Buddhist Indian security chief Jasminder Choudhury, but his other OC, the quirky half-Vulcan T'Ryssa, just screamed cliched "manic pixie dream girl." Everyone else was wooden and unfinished. I would've liked to have learned more about Hugh and his breakaway "good guy" Borg, for instance, particularly his girlfriend Rebekah Grabowski. There was so much more Bennett could have done with them, but he doesn’t even describe what Rebekah looks like! They have a ship called the Liberator, which Bennett doesn't talk much about either, other than that it's a ship and it has a mess hall.
Yet at the same time, Greater Than the Sum wasn't absolutely awful: it had its moments of light humor and really picks up towards end with
Spoiler
Hugh's sacrifice and Picard's attempts to communicate with an alien life-formOverall, I would have to say that Greater Than the Sum is, well, kind of meh. I would only recommend it to real Star Trek fans who enjoy Trek novels and are interested in following the series. Anyone else should really check out Vendetta.
Original Review
starwarrior91's review against another edition
3.0
Christopher L Bennett is probably my least favorite Star Trek author of those I’ve read. He definitely knows his Trek mythology and has many cool story ideas (Department of Temporal Investigations series is his best), but his execution can be off-putting. The gratuitous sex and nudity is what really bothers me. I’m not a fan of when the series don’t handle that tastefully and it’s a problem with a lot of the novels.
graff_fuller's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.25
This was a true TENSION build story. Being the fifth book, and at the outset, not knowing HOW big the Borg were going to be involved...and also making the Borg even MORE menacing than they already are. Jeesh.
The characters within this series and individual books are so well written. One author initiates us into the character's mind/story, but then another author carries it to the next story, then another author...it is so good. We grow to either, love or hate them (sometimes both). This series is doing an amazing job with the ancillary characters that support the main crew of the Enterprise.
I really liked T'Ryssa Chen, being the person that she is (upending expectations) about her race and her character. She's not the model for Starfleet, but she's a character that is used REALLY well in this story. She is OUR eyes/ears, and we believe it, BECAUSE of her natural responses...and there were a number of laugh out loud moments in this book. I had fun with her. Not to say she wasn't frustrating. We know the mold of Starfleet, and she's truly unconventional/unorthodox, for sure.
Security Chief Leybenzon's arc was a surprise, but then also NOT. I grew to like him, and then dislike him, but not wanting him to die (or anything), but I understand his frustrations, too.
Jasminder Choudhury was a good character for the story, and one that could often be overlooked. She definitely has an interesting view on how she "attacks" her job, but one that makes you rethink "how could it be any different" and she shows you how...and that it works...for a reason.
Glad that Miranda Kadohata is back in this story. With what happened in the last book, I had my doubts. Glad that she stuck it out, and her character built upon that previous failure...and is better for it, for her career and for us readers...learning from her struggle. So good.
Interesting new counselor, and the the rank/position is different. Thought that was fixing an "error" of the past, but also making the crew more effective.
Now the main characters from the crew...obviously Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher...and their ongoing struggles were fun to see develop (or not). Their internal dynamics are fun to read about...and also their strengths and insecurities. So well revealed in this story.
Worf and LaForge had two arcs that I enjoyed. Poor Geordi, his love life/work balance is out of skue, that's for sure. Worf, having to deal with a co-worker that "seems" to have a COMPLETELY different view on his former job/position, but how that was resolved was fun to read, too.
The Borg are the main bad guys, obviously...but there's also an added development in this story about the "creatures" that are "in their way", that makes this story interesting and complex.
Not a fan of cliffhangers, but less so...since I am practically binge reading this series.
Not sure WHEN I'll pick up this thread, for I am going back a few steps and reading Taking WIng, #1 in the Titan series. This is a good point to make this transition. I will come back to THIS thread in a bit.
The characters within this series and individual books are so well written. One author initiates us into the character's mind/story, but then another author carries it to the next story, then another author...it is so good. We grow to either, love or hate them (sometimes both). This series is doing an amazing job with the ancillary characters that support the main crew of the Enterprise.
I really liked T'Ryssa Chen, being the person that she is (upending expectations) about her race and her character. She's not the model for Starfleet, but she's a character that is used REALLY well in this story. She is OUR eyes/ears, and we believe it, BECAUSE of her natural responses...and there were a number of laugh out loud moments in this book. I had fun with her. Not to say she wasn't frustrating. We know the mold of Starfleet, and she's truly unconventional/unorthodox, for sure.
Security Chief Leybenzon's arc was a surprise, but then also NOT. I grew to like him, and then dislike him, but not wanting him to die (or anything), but I understand his frustrations, too.
Jasminder Choudhury was a good character for the story, and one that could often be overlooked. She definitely has an interesting view on how she "attacks" her job, but one that makes you rethink "how could it be any different" and she shows you how...and that it works...for a reason.
Glad that Miranda Kadohata is back in this story. With what happened in the last book, I had my doubts. Glad that she stuck it out, and her character built upon that previous failure...and is better for it, for her career and for us readers...learning from her struggle. So good.
Interesting new counselor, and the the rank/position is different. Thought that was fixing an "error" of the past, but also making the crew more effective.
Now the main characters from the crew...obviously Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher...and their ongoing struggles were fun to see develop (or not). Their internal dynamics are fun to read about...and also their strengths and insecurities. So well revealed in this story.
Worf and LaForge had two arcs that I enjoyed. Poor Geordi, his love life/work balance is out of skue, that's for sure. Worf, having to deal with a co-worker that "seems" to have a COMPLETELY different view on his former job/position, but how that was resolved was fun to read, too.
The Borg are the main bad guys, obviously...but there's also an added development in this story about the "creatures" that are "in their way", that makes this story interesting and complex.
Not a fan of cliffhangers, but less so...since I am practically binge reading this series.
Not sure WHEN I'll pick up this thread, for I am going back a few steps and reading Taking WIng, #1 in the Titan series. This is a good point to make this transition. I will come back to THIS thread in a bit.
hellsfire's review against another edition
5.0
I love Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it's still strange to read about the books post-Nemesis.
Like all post-Nemesis TNG books, there's a lot more conflict than on the show and a whole bunch of new characters. Sometimes those characters can be hit or miss but Tryss was interesting. She was like Spock but instead chose to shun her Vulcan side. Even though she's the central character of the book, the story isn't about her.
It's about the Borg. Actually, it's not but the Borg are in it and as always, they made for a damn good enemy. One problem I had with Voyager was that it made the Borg unscary. It also didn't help that the last TNG episode with the Borg also made them wimps and weird. However, that problem is rectified here and without giving too much away, there is a tie-in to the last TNG episode with them.
That's one thing I love about the ST books. There's a bunch of tie-ins to past episode and characters. You get a feel for the continuity. You don't have to know of those episodes to understand it.
While the title, Greater than the Sum, may make you think that it's about the Borg, it's actually about children. It's about the child/parent relationship and about wanting children in the first place. While the book is action packed, those "human" moments of it add a lot to the story.
Despite the fact that the previous books had a possibly bigger Borg threat in the Supercube, these Borg are just as scary. And it's just getting started.
Resistance is futile.
Like all post-Nemesis TNG books, there's a lot more conflict than on the show and a whole bunch of new characters. Sometimes those characters can be hit or miss but Tryss was interesting. She was like Spock but instead chose to shun her Vulcan side. Even though she's the central character of the book, the story isn't about her.
It's about the Borg. Actually, it's not but the Borg are in it and as always, they made for a damn good enemy. One problem I had with Voyager was that it made the Borg unscary. It also didn't help that the last TNG episode with the Borg also made them wimps and weird. However, that problem is rectified here and without giving too much away, there is a tie-in to the last TNG episode with them.
That's one thing I love about the ST books. There's a bunch of tie-ins to past episode and characters. You get a feel for the continuity. You don't have to know of those episodes to understand it.
While the title, Greater than the Sum, may make you think that it's about the Borg, it's actually about children. It's about the child/parent relationship and about wanting children in the first place. While the book is action packed, those "human" moments of it add a lot to the story.
Despite the fact that the previous books had a possibly bigger Borg threat in the Supercube, these Borg are just as scary. And it's just getting started.
Resistance is futile.
qualiareedauthor's review against another edition
3.0
Decent. I enjoyed how it explored character growth in picard with relation to his experiences in "inner light" and his life as Kaman.
Parts of the book border on being a bit too "fanfiction" for me especially with T'ryss but it's still a good read and the concept of the entity was awesome and great Sci fi.
Parts of the book border on being a bit too "fanfiction" for me especially with T'ryss but it's still a good read and the concept of the entity was awesome and great Sci fi.
ehsjaysaunders's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
The new Enterprise crew really starts to come together, at last, and it's a fun twist on a Borg story.
4/5 Dragged a bit for me, but it's just nice to have the team getting along again.
4/5 Dragged a bit for me, but it's just nice to have the team getting along again.
acreech's review against another edition
3.0
What's it about: It's set post-Nemesis, and is a part of a larger story arc involving the Borg. The Federation thought the Borg were defeated, but instead, they were evolving. Janeway is captured by the new Borg, and becomes their queen. It's up to Picard and Seven to stop them.
Why did I read it: I like Star Trek, particularly the Next Gen, and I wanted to read more in that universe.
Favorite idea: None. I wish the Borg never existed. The militarization of Star Trek is centered on them, to the detriment of any other type of story. I decided to not read the next one, after reading the teaser for it at the end of this book.
Why did I read it: I like Star Trek, particularly the Next Gen, and I wanted to read more in that universe.
Favorite idea: None. I wish the Borg never existed. The militarization of Star Trek is centered on them, to the detriment of any other type of story. I decided to not read the next one, after reading the teaser for it at the end of this book.