The Captain’s Honor, TNG book number eight, was co-written by father and son David and Daniel Dvorkin.
The novel begins with the Enterprise joining the Centurion, another Starfleet ship, in the task of protecting the peace of a pacifist planet (Tenara). The people of Tenara have been violently raided by a strange feline species called the M’dok. The Centurion is manned by Magna Romans, who have in the time since they appeared in TOS apparently eased up a little and joined the Federation. Once this is set-up, the rest of the novel is concerned with uncovering what those dratted Romans are actually up to, whilst trying to prove the dilemma of helping the people of Tenara.
Comments: The idea of taking a TOS encounter and showing how the people affected by that encounter have developed in the interim is fascinating – in this case showing how Federation contact with the Magna Romans induced the latter to alter their society. However, in this particular case, the alleged development leaves too many discordant details for comfort. In particular, the reader is asked to accept that these Romans have developed into members of Starfleet, and yet they are presented so crudely as villains. It seems that every time the reader is presented with another aspect of their society, (anything from their feasting habits to their medical accommodations) it is done so as to reinforce this idea that the Romans are no good. Additionally, for a franchise that in its various guises so often focused on the dangers of cultural superiority, the Enterprise members (Picard and Troi in particular) are very quick to cast judgment in cases where it might not be warranted.
The book is filled with weak points that together contribute to a feeling that the entire artifice is more than a little weak. The following is merely an incomplete ramble, for taste, of things that bothered this reader: one plot element depends on (and so fails) the reader becoming horrified when one of the naughty-Romans plans a Latinised “No child left behind” program on Tenara; Picard “works out” why the M’dok are attacking with numbingly poor reason – they are attacking, ergo there is a famine, Q.E.D.; there are multiple misuses of the terms irony/ironic (argh!); and a big no-no is declaring at one point that the Klingons are part of the Federation (minus one-million Star Trek credibility points).
This is one of those stories that’s predicated upon characters doing stupid things (i.e. if you really think about the information available to them), but acting in a manner that bespeaks of moral certainty, and so it’s OK, (a) because they believe, and (b) because they’re our heroes and consequentially (i.e. as a consequence of being the heroes) are proved to be right by the end.
Compliments, sort of: The most original aspect of this novel is the M’dok, who are portrayed (mostly) as truly alien. The purpose is not to understand the M’dok, but merely accept that they are sentient and attempt to influence their actions. (Whether this was done on purpose or not is arguable). Also, the idea of Picard and Sejanus (the Manga Roman captain) as being similar is explored briefly at the end, and is a concept that is in itself worthy and interesting (i.e. Jung’s reminder that extremes meet); nevertheless, whatever its potential interest is, the book doesn’t manage to make this a poignant point, or nearly even relevant.
External links:
Siskoid has a review which offers more of a synopsis. There’s hardly anything at MemoryBeta, and while its sibling doesn’t have much more, it does have some nice background information.
