This was the first. This was the first TNG movie and this was the first TNG movie book! J.M. Dillard did every one of them too! Her magic on the page all starts with "Star Trek Generations". It was a great story for bringing together the old die-hard TOS fans to the TNG fans, but also for satisfying the hunger of fans of both shows. The two greatest "Enterprise" captains come together to save billions of lives. And once again that Star Trek magic is felt when they find a way to bring back Captain James T. Kirk or admiral in this case. We've been teased with Spock, Bones, and Scotty on the show, but this time they met and defeated the enemy together! Like all the other movie books she's done for TNG in the future, she plays on putting more background to the scenes just touched by the movie. There's even a special scene for Spock fans at the beginning where he makes a teaser for all his loyals. We get to see more of how Kirk just dreaded the hero that he had become. Not because people looked up to him, but because of the ceremonies and the attention he got for it. Too much red tape for a man who just wanted to be out among the stars and romancing an alien woman they might come in contact with. It's a sad start to a retirement that Kirk deserved, but he never really gets to enjoy it before he is 'killed' on the "Enterprise-B". It's one of those rare moments that don't seem to happen very often on the screen. One of the main characters gets a promotion! Lieutenant Worf is now Lieutenant Commander Worf as he is promoted on the holodeck and we once again see that Data just hasn't gripped the human emotion of humor. The celebration is cut short when Picard learns of the deaths of his family members and the attack on the Amargosa Observatory leaves only five survivors. The away team beams over to find Dr. Tolian Soran and dead Romulans. They return to the ship, trying to piece together what has happened and why it was attacked with a captain who is clearly grieving. Dr. Soran returns to the station, kidnaps Geordi LaForge, and destroys the Amargosa star. Why would a man destroy a star? Now Picard is not the only one grieving as Data fights his emotion chip's guilt for not having saved LaForge, but they must go on. They figure out from Guinan about the Nexus and then discover that destroying the stars is how Soran is moving the star towards him. Picard goes after him and is taken into the Nexus while the "Enterprise-D" succumbs to an early death. There in the Nexus, Picard finds an ally, but he's not willing to leave the Nexus. Picard has one of the greatest heroes at his fingertips with millions of lives at stake and he can't convince him to help him just one more time. Will Soran get away with murdering millions just for his happiness or will Kirk get over the galaxy owing him one? This is not my favorite Star Trek movie, but this is a great combination for fans of both shows. You have the first part of the book being about the TOS crew, the middle about the TNG, and then the two captains of each combining to become the heroes when the sun goes down over the mountains when it should with the promise that it will return the next morning. If you are a fan of both, then Dillard really evens out the book for you. This is a true Star Trek story and you probably wouldn't enjoy it unless you're a true Star Trek fan, but you can respect that it's a good, solid story that brings together generations to save millions.
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Title: Generations
Author: J.M. Dillard
Review by: CL6 Amanda Sielu Paris
2-17-05
