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[startrekreviews]

TNG Novel #39: Rogue Saucer

TNG #39: Rogue Saucer by John Vornholt Book Jacket’s Summary:      “While its own saucer section receives needed repairs, the USS Enterprise tests a new experimental saucer. In theory, the new saucer can survive a planetary crash landing, but will it come through intact under genuine test conditions? Riker, Data, Worf, and La Forge risk their lives to find out, and so does Admiral Nechayev of Starfleet.       But a dangerous test turns even more deadly when hostile forces seize control of the saucer – and turn it against the Enterprise.” Yeaka’s Notes:     The bookjacket makes this story sound more unique and interesting than it actually is. All the talk of preparing to separate the saucer section and crash land it on a planet is amusing when one recalls the Generations movie, but beyond that, it doesn’t make much sense—for some reason, the Enterprise doesn’t just have to intentionally crash an expensive and experimental ship with living crew members on it, but it simulates an actually attack first which takes control of their systems. From there, everything goes predictably to hell—Riker, Geordi, and Admiral Nechayev are captured by Marquis, Picard, Worf, and Data deal with their broken ship, and Deanna, Beverly, and Guinan sit safely on a space station for most of the book after not being invited to a senior officers meeting because Picard’s trying to ‘protect’ them.     Even with that glaring problem aside, this book is full of sexism. It’s ingrained in the very narrative—almost every time a woman is introduced, it stops to mention how “attractive” she is or details parts of her body—her hips, her eyes, her lithe figure—whilst never once doing so for any of the men. The men often think about them in sexual terms after just glancing at them for a second, again without anything going the other way around. I was originally writing them down as minor annoyances (Beverly being introduced as “the attractive doctor” (p3), Ro being introduced as “very attractive” and referred to in the narrative as “the beautiful young woman,” (p16) or “the lovely Bajoran” that stroked a man with her supple hands to “arouse” him (p49), Geordi watching women bend over through his VISOR (p34), “Deanna Troi put her hands on her slim hips, which were accentuated by the slinky evening gown” (p39), a group of guards is somewhere and the men are brushed over while the woman “looked good up there” (p77), Deanna enters a bar where men lounge about but “the only women in the room were gathered in a dark corner” and the men ask Troi for “personal favours” (p111)) but eventually I just had to stop because these little digs, while insignificant on their own, were everywhere. Add to that that women were actually segregated from the mission, and, last but not least, Beverly and Guinan spent their shore leave bathing and received their eventual invitation to join the plot whilst fully naked.     Long story short, this book was difficult to slog through. The writing’s juvenile, the women are mishandled, and the trained officers are foolish—an example being that Picard actually forgets to put up his shields during a conflict. If you for some reason want to read it anyway, beware of a bit of random torture that comes out of nowhere in the end, some extremely needless violence, and the death of pretty much everyone not actually from the TV show. The many other episode references and Picard/Beverly hints can’t save this. Steer clear. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p3 Picard’s breakfast with Beverly is interrupted, Picard bemoans having to fight the Maquis (when the bridge has been disabled by them, they suspect Ro)

p14 Ro (it doesn’t say directly it’s her but heavily implies so) is running a Maquis cell

Ch2/p18 On shore leave at a starbase, Picard and Beverly discuss visiting museums together; Admiral Alynna Nechayev and Picard discuss sending Ro to the Maquis

p30 Riker seducing a Deltan woman

Ch3/p34 Geordi dressing Data up with a hat to play pool, apparently Data dislikes shore leave and misses Spot; Deanna and Worf watch an Andorian explain his religion, Worf considers going to a concert with Deanna because of his “growing attraction” to her; all the men are called to a conference

Ch4/p55 Mendon (TNG: “A Matter of Honor”)

Ch7/p105 Deanna enters an old fashioned private club and plays poker; Guinan and Beverly bathe in alien milk, Beverly thinks of Picard joining her

p117 Escorting the saucer section to Picard with Guinan, a human, and a Deltan, Beverly captains while Deanna volunteers for first officer; Bynars are working on repairs

Ch12/p211 Picard offers to make Guinan an acting ensign, she declines citing a dislike of uniforms

Ch16/p264 Ro on Bajor, tired of fighting for the Maquis