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A review by jlynnelseauthor
The Good That Men Do by Michael A. Martin, Andy Mangels
3.0
After watching the last episode of "Enterprise," I was mighty ticked off. So when my brother informed me that there was a book that changed Trip's fate, I could not wait to find it!
While the story includes some of the best elements of the series, "Enterprise," it suffers due to the authors' choice of its time period. We'll get to that in a sec. Needless to say, any chapter with Shran in it was fantastic. Scenes between T'Pol and Archer also added some heart to the story.
In this story, Trip dies 6 years earlier than the "Enterprise" series shows that it happens. Okay, as long as we can explain this in the end, I'm fine with this change. However, that did not happen sufficiently. The short explanation saved for the last page just did not sell it.
While the motivations for Trip are very real and visceral in the novel's time, how were the 6 subsequent years accounted for in Starfleet records? Lets look at today's time period. Social media is a rampage of photos, texts, status updates, friend requests, etc. So, somehow, the flagship of Starfleet gets 6 years falsified? Someone is dead, and crew logs, mission logs, encounters with other aliens, shore leaves, etc., account that Trip is alive... for 6 years... everywhere in the galaxy... serving as the chief engineer for the Enterprise??? The final episode of "Enterprise" had him firmly established as the chief engineer. Yet this book is proposing that to cover up the hints of Trip's activities (in the novel), Starfleet moved UP Trip's death by 6 years? Not plausible. Its not like he's some scrub serving his duty as a red shirt. He's the chief engineer. What about the actual chief engineer during those subsequent 6 years? Does he just get erased? Accounted for somewhere else? The galaxy is HUGE. And no matter the time period, its not possible to falsify someone being alive for a whole six years on a starship that is exploring space and making first contact with alien races. It just did not work for me.
We also STILL do not get Archer's famous speech spelled out. The entire final episode of "Enterprise" eluded to Archer pining away over his speech he was about to give. Yet you never hear it at the end! No grand finale! Just a walk away right when he's about to speak. SERIOUSLY? We get jipped AGAIN? Writers for "Enterprise" need to stop developing strong concepts that the characters as well as the galaxy hinges upon, and then ditch it last minute.
Also, how did Trip know the Romulan attack would be within 72 hours when he made contact with Archer? I only read that the Romulan engine prototype didn't use dilithium. How do you get 72 hours out of that? Did Ehrehin let this fact slip as he was outlining his engine design? This hint was not given to the readers and left me confused as to where Trip pulled that number from. The chapter Trip realized Cordan was in mortal danger, he only appeared to discover that the new Romulan engine didn't use dilithium.
Okay, another thing, Sopek? What happened to him? Was he a Vulcan, a Romulan? A double agent just really cold hearted?
Honestly, I did enjoy delving into the lives of the Enterprise crew again. The dialogue read well and were easily recognizable to each character. The plot line kept me turning the pages. Sadly, though, the time element thing really disappointed me. Why did Starfleet feel it necessary to rewrite its history? That rather large question was never realistically answered. I would read another novel of Trip's adventures, but we need a little more clarification of the time falsification.
While the story includes some of the best elements of the series, "Enterprise," it suffers due to the authors' choice of its time period. We'll get to that in a sec. Needless to say, any chapter with Shran in it was fantastic. Scenes between T'Pol and Archer also added some heart to the story.
In this story, Trip dies 6 years earlier than the "Enterprise" series shows that it happens. Okay, as long as we can explain this in the end, I'm fine with this change. However, that did not happen sufficiently. The short explanation saved for the last page just did not sell it.
While the motivations for Trip are very real and visceral in the novel's time, how were the 6 subsequent years accounted for in Starfleet records? Lets look at today's time period. Social media is a rampage of photos, texts, status updates, friend requests, etc. So, somehow, the flagship of Starfleet gets 6 years falsified? Someone is dead, and crew logs, mission logs, encounters with other aliens, shore leaves, etc., account that Trip is alive... for 6 years... everywhere in the galaxy... serving as the chief engineer for the Enterprise??? The final episode of "Enterprise" had him firmly established as the chief engineer. Yet this book is proposing that to cover up the hints of Trip's activities (in the novel), Starfleet moved UP Trip's death by 6 years? Not plausible. Its not like he's some scrub serving his duty as a red shirt. He's the chief engineer. What about the actual chief engineer during those subsequent 6 years? Does he just get erased? Accounted for somewhere else? The galaxy is HUGE. And no matter the time period, its not possible to falsify someone being alive for a whole six years on a starship that is exploring space and making first contact with alien races. It just did not work for me.
We also STILL do not get Archer's famous speech spelled out. The entire final episode of "Enterprise" eluded to Archer pining away over his speech he was about to give. Yet you never hear it at the end! No grand finale! Just a walk away right when he's about to speak. SERIOUSLY? We get jipped AGAIN? Writers for "Enterprise" need to stop developing strong concepts that the characters as well as the galaxy hinges upon, and then ditch it last minute.
Also, how did Trip know the Romulan attack would be within 72 hours when he made contact with Archer? I only read that the Romulan engine prototype didn't use dilithium. How do you get 72 hours out of that? Did Ehrehin let this fact slip as he was outlining his engine design? This hint was not given to the readers and left me confused as to where Trip pulled that number from. The chapter Trip realized Cordan was in mortal danger, he only appeared to discover that the new Romulan engine didn't use dilithium.
Okay, another thing, Sopek? What happened to him? Was he a Vulcan, a Romulan? A double agent just really cold hearted?
Honestly, I did enjoy delving into the lives of the Enterprise crew again. The dialogue read well and were easily recognizable to each character. The plot line kept me turning the pages. Sadly, though, the time element thing really disappointed me. Why did Starfleet feel it necessary to rewrite its history? That rather large question was never realistically answered. I would read another novel of Trip's adventures, but we need a little more clarification of the time falsification.