Resistance (Spoiler)

S P O I L E R

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I have been looking forward to this book and also the books that will
follow for a very long time. The main reason is, I liked the
announcement very much that these Star Trek books will bring the Borg
back we knew in early TNG. I remember that "Vendetta" by Peter David
left a very strong impression on me (One day I really have to read that
book again!) and I was hoping for books that leave a similar impact on
me. I was also curious. I know that the Star Trek authors and editors
don`t have the luxury to just forget some of the Borg aspects I wish
never happened. On the other hand, there are a few ideas in Voyager also
about the Borg that make them more chilling, more menacing, more
dangerous.

I have just finished "Resistance" and must say I am impressed. This book
makes very good use of the fact established in Voyager that every Borg
is not just a robot you can trash without a second thought. These are
people who are trapped and being forced to be killer machines, people
who can potentially be freed and rehabilitated if they haven`t been
turned into Borg at a very young age. I also found these much more
unpredictable and vicious Borg more menacing but also more interesting
than the Borg from early TNG who followed a pattern that was often too
programmed in order to be interesting in the long run. I don`t think I
would have enjoyed reading the book as much without these changes. They
certainly make them more complex and offer more room for surprises.

It was interesting to read how the book addressed some of what we know
about the Borg but we wondered about. The explanation about the nature
of the Borg Queen made a lot of sense to me. I also liked the way the
IMO daft idea introduced in Voyager that people willingly become Borg by
infecting themselves with nanoprobes (if I remember that correctly) has
been dropped. Voyager treated this as nothing else but an ordinary
disease like it doesn`t really matter to become a Borg. I am glad that
the author of this book didn`t decide to just follow the Voyager path
and inject all members of the team with these nanoprobes. The horror of
being turned into a Borg was left intact as it should be.

I read quite a few comments and when I read the book I wondered if I
would feel the same that Picard decided too quickly to become Locutus
again. I don`t think so. He had to act quickly because there was not
much time but I wasn`t left with the impression that this was an easy
decision. Especially because of Picard`s history, because of his
mistakes in the past concerning the Borg and his personal experiences
with the Borg Queen, I even think this was a natural decision for him.
It was natural but nevertheless, the author made it very clear that it
was one of the most difficult sacrifices he ever had to make in order to
save humanity. I found it very moving to read about his personal battle
and could see again why I like this character so much and why he is such
a good captain and leader.

This brings me to another strength of this book. The author does an
impressive job at combining character development with action. Some
people might think when reading the back page description that this book
is an action story and little else. I think it is the character
development that carries the story and the action is much less
important. I think this is a strength of the book, certainly not a
weakness. I don`t think people who say that not much happens in this
book are doing it justice.

I like it very much how the TNG Relaunch books have started. I think it
was right to focus on the Picard/Crusher relationship in "Death in
Winter". "Resistance" is broadening the base by building on what was
established in "Death in Winter" concerning this relationship and I must
say, I loved the way the author handled this couple. I am glad that
Picard seemed to have overcome his past objections towards having a
relationship with a fellow officer on the same ship and having to send
the woman he loves into dangerous situations. Not only Picard showed a
lot of courage but Beverly too. As I keep saying, I love stories
featuring a strong male and female character working together and if
they are also romantically involved, that is even better.

I like it that this book is exploring Worf as well and the introduction
of the Vulcan counsellor T`Lana was very interesting to read. I think
people who in general don`t like Klingons and who associate Worf with
how he was written in the late DS9 seasons might be as pleasantly
surprised as T`Lana was. I would like to recommend fans who hesitate
buying TNG Relaunch because Worf is the first officer in these books
that these books and Worf deserve a chance. The author was very good at
exploring the many different layers Worf has and the contradictions
inside him. Worf is a Klingon warrior but so much more than that. This
book shows very well how much Worf matured. It shows his strengths but
also his weaknesses.

That Worf`s decision in "Change of Heart" is still haunting him is very
understandable and I think it was time to address this once and for all.
I am glad that the author didn`t try to find a definitive answer if Worf
made the wrong decision. The author brought the book to a nice
conclusion with the last part in the last chapter. I couldn`t have
agreed more: Important is to try to do what is right at the time. I am
glad that Worf decided to become the first officer on the Enterprise for
good now. I am confident that he will be an excellent first officer who
will work well with Picard. I didn`t like the Worf in late DS9 at all.
"Change of Heart" was one of the few exceptions. But I like the Worf in
"Gorkon" and I like this Worf. The way TNG Relaunch is developing so
far, it could very well become one of my favourite Star Trek book
series.

When T`Lana was hurt I immediately looked at the end of the book in
order to find out if she will also be around in future. I like her and I
agree with what the author explored in this book, that she is providing
a balance this crew and also Picard needs. T`Lana is a highly skilled
professional but she is definitely not perfect. I think T`Lana has the
right balance. I like that. Her problems with Worf were understandable
but it is also good to see that she is able to learn and grow. T`Lana
will never be a counsellor like Deanna Troi was but for the more
emotional side Picard has Beverly now more than in the past. I am
looking forward to meet her again in the coming books and get to know
her better.

I think it was the right decision not to focus on Geordi in this book as
well. Hopefully he will get a bigger part in another book in this
storyline. I must admit that I have problems with the idea to dismantle
B-4. He was far away from Data`s level but nevertheless he is classified
as a sentient AI. I don`t think that makes it right to take sentience
away from him and pack him away like a robot you don`t want to use any
more. B-4 wasn`t a threat as Lore was. He was in many ways like a child
with, to use the PC phrase, "learning difficulties" and it felt wrong to
me to treat him like somebody inferior.

With a story featuring the Borg I expected to encounter red shirts,
people we never met before and never will again after this book.
Nevertheless, I think it is important to also offer good backgrounds to
people who won`t survive the book. Their contribution to the story was
important and it mattered to me what happened to them. Also in this
case, the author did a good job.

I am very much looking forward to meet Seven of Nine in the coming books
but Janeway is a very different matter. This woman has been very much in
character so far in book form: There are times when I actually like and
respect her but there are other times when she reminds me of Jellico at
his worst. She is unpredictable and inconsistent, as she was on TV. In
"Resistance", I am leaning more towards her being like Jellico but
although she was bad enough and annoying, she wasn`t as bad as Jellico
was sometimes in NF.

After Janeway`s experiences with the Borg her attitude absolutely amazed
me. She should know better than anybody else (except maybe Picard and
Seven) that this was a situation in which there was no time to waste.
Picard had to act now and it is him who is immediately confronted with
what is going on. Together with his unique background he is the best
qualified person to decide what to do, not somebody light years away. If
Picard would have waited, there would be a Borg Queen. This worst case
scenario would not have changed if Picard had failed. On top of this
Janeway threatened Picard with a court martial! No, I can`t say I am
looking forward to see her again within this storyline but I am afraid
that this will happen.

Now I am very much looking forward to the next book that will build on
"Resistance" which is "Q & A" by Keith R.A. DeCandido.


Baerbel Haddrell