The Best and the Brightest (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

by Susan Wright

Book Overview

They come from all over the Alpha Quadrant to Starfleet Academy, to prepare themselves for the challenges of the final frontier. This story introduces a new generation of cadets, among them Trill,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671015494
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Star Trek
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 0.8" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Where no one has gone before.

There will, undoubtedly, be people disappointed with this book because it has only cameo appearances by the familiar characters; the story centers around the Starfleet Academy years of six cadets, from around the time of the episode "Time's Arrow" through slightly after the "Generations" movie. The author does a fine job of integrating the known background of the series into a story about people only marginally touched by those events, but the real story is a very touching coming-of-age story. As such, it is very different from what we've come to expect in a "Star Trek" novel, but there is enough action that anyone who reads these books for the action should be satisfied, even if the action is mostly episodic and does not provide the overarching storyline, which focusses primarily on character development.What makes this book special is the two love stories it contains, both between pairs of the primary characters. In both cases, this is treated in a very unusual way (and one that I would dearly love to see more often): the people in question first get to know one another, then become friends, and only later fall in love and pair off. This remarkably sensible form of love story is doubtless considered very unromantic by some, thanks to the standard "Romeo and Juliet" love stories that we've all been force-fed since before we knew enough to resist them, in which the couple fall in love first, and only then (sometimes) get to know one another and become friends. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows that this story's take on the concept is the best way to go about things, but there are way too few people out there with an ounce of sense.What REALLY makes this book special, however, is that one of the couples in question is two women. Taking the great tradition instituted by Gene Roddenberry that Star Trek is set in a world where all of the prejudices, biases, and disputes that so upset our century have long since ceased to be issues where it has never been taken before, Wright tells a love story between two women in which the words "lesbian", "gay", and "homosexual" never appear, and in which none of the characters find it at all odd or worthy of comment that the two friends/acquaintances of theirs who are in love happen to be of the same gender. In neither love story is sexuality more than hinted at; still, the pairbonding is clear and unambiguous, and totally unashamed.A beautiful novel.

Interesting Book over Life at Starfleet Academy

This book was very intriguing because you never knew what was going to happen at any given time. The cadets learned to deal with other people and an array of problems. Also, the book showed how classmates stick together for life.

Excellent

I have been reading Trek novels for a long time now from classic to the more current incarnations, and I enjoyed this book to no end. It is refreshing to see a new group of people in these situations rather than useing the same old characters in re-hashes of the same old stories. I can't wait to read more in this series.

A Great Book!!

This book has got to be the best star trek I've ever read. These characters are different from one another and kinda gives you a sample of different cultures, ways of thinking, and lifestyes. these characters are believable. I also like the way this book adds a few reconizable names,incidents, and "guest stars" and I find it interesting how the author portrays Molls and Jaymes lesbian relationship hinting that in the 24th century it isnt a big thing . It also dosnt shy away from the fact that starfleet is dangerous and many die in service. Over all I love this book. Its great to see the younger side of starfleet.

A wonderful book!

I thought that this book was quite good. The characters are involving, and the plots interesting. I myself, like to learn more about the Star Fleet Academy, while giving the other characters somewhat of a rest. I especialy enjoyed the way that they involved the plot of the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine series in the book. I think that if you are a big Star Trek fan, as I myself am, that you definately read this book.