Publisher: Pocket Books

Author: Peter David

Format: 4”x7” Paperback Book, 270 pages.

ISBN 0-671-04239-4

The second book of a trilogy, Peter David continues exploring the secondary characters of the USS Excalibur after the destruction of the ship along with the death of her captain.

There are two intermingled stories and unrelated stories. The first focuses on Dr Selar, her child Xyon, and the child’s father Burgoyne. Burgoyne wants to live as a family. Selar doesn’t want Burgoyne around.

She flees to Vulcan with Xyon. Burgoyne chases after her determined to get his son back. But he’s going to do it legally which means learning Vulcan law and more importantly Vulcan traditions. Meanwhile Selar is led to examine if she can be a good mother to Xyon.

In the second story, Robin Lefler and her mom, Morgan Primus, take a vacation to Risa. There they meet Montgomery Scott, who mistakes Morgan for Christine Chapel (thereby finally revealing that Majel Barrett has played too many Star Trek characters).

Anyways, the two start a fling with a handsome executive Rafe and his son Nik. It’s a chance for Robin to relax and get over Si Cwan. Of course Rafe and Nik are not what they seem as is revealed in the last few pages when Si Cwan and Kalinda show up on the trail of their master’s murderer.

I found the book enjoyable. The stories alternate chapters which on the one hand builds up suspense since the cliffhanger ending of a chapter doesn’t immediately lead to the resolution. But on the other hand it does make it a bit jarring to go back and forth when the two stories are completely independent.

Overall I liked this book and would recommend it to Star Trek: New Frontier readers.