A review by octavia_cade
Starfall by Brad Strickland, Barbara Strickland

fast-paced

3.0

This is the most unadventurous of the Starfleet Academy books that I've read so far, and I think that's why I like it the best. The others are deeply unrealistic in what they put their protagonists through, but this one is actually relatable. Picard has failed in his first attempt at entering the Academy; it's a rigorous testing process and he does well... but not well enough. His failure is difficult to deal with, but worse is the attitude of his (deeply unpleasant) father, who insists that his younger son should stay on the family vineyard. Picard wants none of it, but going against his father's wishes may estrange them both forever.

It's more a family drama than a science fiction story, although there is one (fake) holodeck battle as part of the testing. The inability of the Picard sons to tell their dad where to get off is frustrating, but again, as I said, relatable. It feels like a story that could happen, as opposed to the other Academy books, which are less convincing.