i have actually read this book 3 times....what an enjoyable read and a time to reflect....want to feel better---buy a copy and you will immediately cheer up (with a few tears shed along the way). of course i'm a bit prejudice, believing that golden retrievers are our gift from heaven....

Anyone who owns a Golden Retriever will see a little bit of Bailey in him/her. Patricia Burlin Kennedy has been able to put into words what so many of us feel in our hearts. Anyone who reads this book will "feel" the connection that these four legged creatures have with us. You will smile, you will cry and hopefully, you will pause to think about these life lessons and promise to be a better person because of these reminders. Please buy this book for your children and encourage them to live by Bailey's example.

Bravo! Kennedy and Christie have done it again. "Bailey Bymyside" is not simply a book about the amazing life of a fine Golden. It is a spiritual journey that will teach the reader some of the most important lessons life has to offer. Each page carries a profound statement with a glorious accompanying illustration, that will make you pause and reflect sometimes sirring a tear or a "dog earred" grin. For example, the lesson "that compromise allows us to move forward together" with a picture of 2 dogs swimming upstream with a shared stick in their mouths. What an profound message in today's world! This book is really for the young and old. Pair this book with their first book, "Through Otis' Eyes: Lessons from a Guide Dog Puppy" and you will be giving the best holiday or birthday gift a dog lover has ever received!

This is the way Voyager should have ended in the TV series. All complete with a meeting with the Enterprise captain. This time it's the Borg invading our world via Voyager. Without giving away everything this novel, a two parter, has everything you'd like in a two hour movie of the series. We get to see a few reunions between the characters and their families. Janeway acts in character because of the talents of Christine Golden. For all intents and purposes it's a great way to re launch the series into new direction. I'd like to see Voyager have a long life on the book shelf. The novels were superior to a lot of the TV material.

This is not your typical Star Trek novel. This one is very well written and highly intelligent. I would easily recommend this to any Star Trek Voyager fan.

This book takes up right after the TV series ends. I can't wait until part 2 comes out!

"Infection" by John Gregory Betancourt

The Enterprise is called to Archaria III, a planet jointly colonized by humans and Peladians. A new disease has cropped up and is only treatable (the double helix), in a temporary fashion. The Enterprise supposed to deliver the drug, quarantine the planet and see what help they might render. What follows is an excellent story, primarily using Dr. Crusher in her quest to find the cure. The author set everything up very well and wrapped up his portion beautifully.

"Vectors" by Dean Wesley Smith & Kristin Kathryn Rusch

Finally we have a story using Dr. Pulaski, who was unceremoniously dumped from the show. Not that she was anywhere near a replacement for Dr. Crusher. It is particularly interesting to see "Terok Nor" during the occupation and have the interaction with Gul Dukat. I felt the character development was very good and the Ferengi portions were written very well. The only true complaint is that the author's seemed to have done a poor job of closing out Kira's story.

"Red Sector" by Diane Carey

Red Sector is a fantastic story. It's very refreshing having a book that concentrates almost primarily on a non main character in John Eric Stiles. The character is extremely well thought out and written. The author nailed Spock and a hundred and thirty something Dr. McCoy perfectly. I'm dying to find out who the voice is at this point. Hopefully the next three in the Double Helix series will be as good as this one and the other two were.

"Quarantine" by John Vornholt

John Vornholt kicks out another fantastic story. Quarantine gives us a good idea of how "Tom Riker" ends up joining the Maquis. As is par for the course with John Vornholt, he goes into great detail describing a beautiful planet and all of its surroundings. Not a lot of Trek authors do that. I thought Torres seemed a little soft, considering her personality, but that can be explained away.

"Double or Nothing" By Peter David

This is another great installment to the New Frontier and the Double Helix series. Not having read the last of the Double Helix books yet, it seems that this one pretty much finishes the Double Helix storyline???? A favorite quote from the book, Riker - "I've got to get off this ship." Peter David did an excellent job of integrating Picard and Riker into the New Frontier. It's really interesting and well done how he brought Riker and Shelby together again. That portion was done very well and even better than I'd expected in another meeting of those two.

"The First Virtue" by Michael Jan Friedman & Christie Golden

The First Virtue is an excellent conclusion. It pretty much wraps up the reasoning to everything we learned in "Double or Nothing." In the First Virtue, we learn why Gerrid Thul wanted to create the Double Helix virus and why he wanted so much revenge for the loss of his only child. Both authors did a great job with their portions. The plot is well thought out, especially the portions of the book with Commander Jack Crusher and Lieutenant Tuvok. I felt that they captured Tuvok's personality quite well and gave a precursor to some of the decisions and general personality we saw on screen in Voyager.

Overall, I would recommend this Omnibus to any fan of good Star Trek fiction.

OMG, I can't believe it's been this long since IA aired! It's been a little less than a year since I bought the books and grrr! Hey, Christie, if you ever come back here to read reviews, it would be much appreciated if you had the assignment to write more! Any fan of the show *has* to have this book. I was no less than estatic when it arrived and I after I started reading it, well...Let's just say I wouldn't have even noticed if the house caught on fire. ;) Ooohhh, I wish there was more, be it the rest of the novelization, or sort of a continued prequel. You know, like the time gap between them leaving the Rez and heading for Glenport or basically anything that hasn't already been covered.

Finally, A prequel worthy of the original! I loved it! Thanx to all those out there who are trying to save IA! Just one question...is there a next book coming out? and when????

The Book was extremely exciting...at last I have the courage to say, I finished it. It was great, but what bummed me the most was that for those of you who read, well you know about Jaran. But I guess that's how the stories go....kinda like a Saving Private Ryan book...

A great transition from TV to book (or vice versa)! I enjoyed the TV show as much as the book. I saw the finale of the show and it said: END OF BOOK ONE... so I went out and found the book and read it in the space of 5 days. My only complaint is that it only covered the first half of the TV show. I need a continuation or exstension!!!

Golden is a normally "easy read" writer, and the stories are entertaining. Invasion America positively screams for a sequel! Maybe because it is Earth involved...I do not know....but I am chewing my knuckles, hoping for a follow-up, and not Nearly as interested in the series as in the next book!

Invasion America was one of the best books that I have ever read in my life. The story line is intresting, yet also easy to follow, I really think this book is a huge success, The way the it is written captivates characters actions, and the setting of the story I'm going crazy waiting for the rest of the series! When I read it, I feel like I am actually there along with the characters and traveling with them through out the journey!!!

I am in the middle of this book currently, and I can definitely say that it has met my expectations. Though the cover's line of "It's Paris and Torres against the wilderness, with Kes' life at stake!" is a bit deceiving (I haven't come across a B'Elanna/Tom moment yet), it has remained true to the characters and been an entertaining read. Christie Golden's writing style is informative yet pleasureable, making her one of the best Voyager book writers. The wonderful writing of Seven of Nine is repeated again in Marooned-I only withheld a star because I haven't finished the book yet. I would definitely recommend buying this book, it is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

I just finished reading this book for the second time, and I loved it even more. I've yet to read a Christie Golden book that I didn't thoroughly enjoy from beginning to end. Her excellent characterizations and wonderful sense of humor make reading her books a delight. She is the best Voyager author to date, and I look forward to her every book with great anticipation.

Marooned is a wonderfully engaging story filled with moments of apprehension, tension, humor, affection, and scenes so well written I forgot where I was while I was reading.

One thing that really stuck out about this book was Golden's portrayl of Kes. I must admit that this particular character never held much interest for me. She was nice enough, but seemed to blend in to the background. Not in this book. In this story, Kes is brave and strong, and yet she's as delicate as the flowers she loves so deeply. It changed the way I see the character, and I watched Voyager reruns with renewed interest.

One of my favorite things about this author, and this book in particular, is her ability to bring the characters to life and give them great depth. It's the simple things, for example: the way she describes Janeway running her fingers through her ratty hair and pulling it into a braid as she did when she was camping. What a human thing to do! Golden has a talent for making Janeway's femininity stand out, and blending it beautifully with her formidable command presence and discipline. That's something the shows writers never seemed to grasp.

Thank you, Christie, for another wonderful story!

Star Trek-Voyager: Marooned written by Christie Golden is a Kes book primarily with highlights on Tom Paris/B'Elana Torres. Not to forgetten that the characterizations of Nelix and Captain Kathryn Janeway play an integral part also.

The main plot of the book is to get Kes back to U.S.S. Voyager after she's been kidnapped. Kes is portrayed as a strong character in the book but she also has a delicate side that is exploited well in the novel. What I liked about the novel is that there is some fleshing out of the charcaters above making for an interesting read. The plot moves well with the expected twists and turns keeping the reader's interest, also there is a mixture of some tongue in cheek humor with a sprinkle of intrigue making for a well-written novel.

The book has the U.S.S. Voyager in hot pursuit of an alien who has kidnapped Kes and resucue attempts but the mission fails all adding spice to the story, as a shuttle crashs on an unknown planet. Janeway and her away team must find a way off the planet as the environment is hostile... while Chakotay and the Voyager crew confronts an enemy fleet.

This book has action-adventure and good character developement making it one of the better Voyager books. Engaging and fascinating are just two words that can describe this book... read it and enjoy a good adventure tale.

I think what I like about this series is that we are seeing characters from just about all of the tv series.

This book is the 3rd look at the StarFleet Corp of Engineers, nicely written (if not a little short in pages). I enjoyed seeing the evolution of the main characters and look forward to the further adventures.

This subtle story of friendship, love and loyalty is fantastic. This series just keeps getting better and better.

This was a fascinating conclusion to the S.C.E. series. We learn more about the main characters, and at the same time, we learn a great deal about the so-called antagonists.

The imagery and detail of this story was some of the best of any Star Trek novel that I have read. Combined with the action and unusual turn of events, it is truly one of the best of the Trek novels.

As she herself states, this was her first Novel. While at time it may hint at that fact, the overall piece seems veteran. This, the first novel in the Ravenloft franchise, needs a tad of slack, the rest had a myriad of atmosphere and feel to go on. Soth came from Dragonlance, he had history, he had the attention of so many already. These guys, Strahd, Petya & Jander needed to start from scratch. Enough said on that issue. This novel is a great read, filled with dark emotions, and battles of will. The action that happens within the pages is well planned, and well described, despite the grislieness of what the characters do. The plot arc dealing with Jander transplanting the Lathanderan faith by merely looking like him was a hoot, and Ms. Golden did a wonderful job of making it matter to the story as a whole. Most people focus on the dueling Vampires, but I think the great job she did on the other principles, like Brother Martin & Petya was just as wonderful. I loved it, and it served as a wonderful tie in for Realms fans to the Ravenloft line. This isn't one to miss.

This is the first Ravenloft novel I've read and so is my first encounter with Jander Sunstar and Strahd. I must say that I'm impressed by the novel that Christie Golden has written. Jander is an extremely well-developed character that I was able to sympathize with. I could feel his anguish as being a Gold Elf that could never feel the kiss of golden sunlight and must feed himself on the lifeblood of others. The conflict between his elven nature and vampire existence made for a great character.

The one thing that hampered this book for me was the feeling that the Ravenloft world was too confined. I realize that this is the first novel in the series, but the land just seemed too small. Castle Ravenloft, two towns, and the land between seemed to be all there was. Somehow this setting just left me wanting more.

Overall this is a great first work for Christie Golden and a great start to the Ravenloft series. I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy, vampires, or adventure fiction.

I absolutely loved this book. Easily one of the best books I've ever read. It's hard to believe that Golden's a first time author. The character development was remarkable, particularly with Jander. Unlike the contrived endings of so many works of fantasy, this left a lot to the imagination with its open-endedness. When I finished, I couldn't wait to learn more about Barovia and the world of Ravenloft. I'm trying to read all the books sequentially. Too bad so many are out of print and hard to find...

This is the third installment of the three part series, Dark Matters: Shadow of Heaven written by Christie Golden.

What a wrap-up! All along you were hopeful that things would turn for the better... with the Voyager characters and the universe... the Romulans, the Shepards... even the deceitful rogue... as if I should doubt.

Christie Golden pulled it off in her unique way... I was riveted to the whole series, not only were they fast reading, but captivating till the end. And, yes, I too had a chuckle when Paris was not on the bridge... ahh just a little brain flatulence nothing more... something a good proof reader should have caught.

Nonetheless, a good story told well. To get the whole story reading all three volumes is a must. The Romulans were excellently portrayed, true to the essence of their character... even some redemption.

Shadow of Heaven was an incredible ending to an equally amazing epic that stretches across three volumes. One of the book's most compelling points is the masterful exploration of Romulan society and their people's frame of mind, a segment of the Star Trek universe that is too often neglected. The storyline is complex and yet its points, both superficial and philosophical, are easily grasped by the most casual readers. The characters are developed and believable. The readers will find them very easy to emphasize with.

The story takes a most innovative approach to the all too typical "end of the universe" plot. Despite getting off to a slow start in book one, the story line accelerates to warp speed near the end of volume one and takes the reader on a ride of their life through volume 2 and brings them to a climatic conclusion that is bitter sweet in volume 3. Truly, Dark Matters shines brightly as one of Voyager's finest.

This is a fantastic trilogy! The third book was as engaging as the first two, I simply could not put it down. Not only were the Voyager regulars beautifully written, but the Romulan characters were excellent. Jekri Kaleh was absolutely captivating, and I came to really care what became of her.

I've heard several comments from various Star Trek fans who feel there were flaws with technobabble. And I also noticed the slip up where someone speaks to Paris on the bridge, when he had been missing since early on in the story. But to be completely honest, I don't see the big deal. When I saw Tom being addressed in that scene, I simply smiled to myself and went on. It didn't distract me from the story. Why? Because the story isn't really ABOUT the technobabble. It's about the hearts of these characters that I have come to love and adore so much.

Christie Golden has a way of capturing the essence of the Voyager characters that seems to elude most authors. She gives them depth and a realism that many Voyager novels lack. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Voyager not only for the space battles and futuristic technology, but for the heart and the character interaction.

Shadow of Heaven is a wonderful conclusion to a brilliant story. If you love Janeway's wry humor mixed with her deep devotion to her crew, or B'Elanna's Klingon temper toned down by her newly found sense of belonging and acceptance, and all the things that make each character unique ... if you love action, humor, and emotion all rolled up neatly into one story - this trilogy is for you.

Kudos to Christie Golden! Once again, she wrote a book that touched my heart, and took my mind off of reality for a short while. What a gift. Thank you, Christie!

I had passed on trying this new series in ebook format but now that I've had a taste of it I will definately be reading more.

SCE, Starfleet Corps of Engineers, is a fresh and extremely interesting new series of books. Set within the world of Starfleet but with unique missions and adventures "Have Tech, Will Travel" is a perfect way to be introduced to the characters.

This volume includes the first four books of the series. Each was distinctly different but equally enjoyable. Each by a different author. My personal favorite was "Hard Crash" which is a touching story about friendship and loyalty. Each individual book is short enough to be read in one or two sittings but long enough to tell a complete tale.

Overall pretty satisfying reading, with great characters and interesting plots. I would recommend it to any SciFi or Trek fan.

This is the first book of a new series of Star Trek books, focusing on the "Starfleet Corps of Engineers", basically a group of troubleshooters who go in whenever there's a mechanical or alien technology problem that either can't be handled by a regular starship, or (more rarely) that COULD possibly have been handled by the regular starship, but there's actually enough time to call for specialists (usually, these things are sufficient crises that if the regular ship CAN handle them, they have to.)

This book was composed of four mid-length stories (longer than "short stories", but not novel-length) each written by a different author, which together follow a continuous time-line and thus more or less make up one book's worth of story. The writing is surprisingly even, given the different authors; the handoffs from each author to the next are seamless, and the writing itself is quite good. The characters are well-developed, a good mix of minor characters from various episodes on TV and new characters (although the first book begins with the Enterprise-E and crew for an introduction, and Geordi LaForge continues through the first three stories.) The plots, while not the MOST original I've ever seen, are good, workmanlike concepts, and the basic SCE concept is in many ways a marvellous return to early science fiction concepts, where there may be action and combat, but the ADVENTURE is in the discovery and the science.

So why is the rating only four stars, given how much good I have to say about the book? (And in fact, I thought harder about whether to knock it down to three than I did about granting it five.) Because the "ending" ISN'T one; they cut the last story off in mid-action in order to make a "tune in next week" cliffhanger to attempt to manipulate the reader into continuing to buy the following books of the series. I will do so, because I enjoyed the book as a whole, NOT because they left me hanging. I consider that a sufficiently cheesy scam to be worth the loss of AT LEAST one star, and demonstrates that they had no confidence in the quality of the series themselves (or they wouldn't have needed to use such a cheap scam.)

As is probably obvious from my previous Trek book reviews, I'm a fan of the Trek universe and the stories therein. The various "New Worlds" short story collections I've enjoyed, but this was the collection I've enjoyed the most. For one, the characters are sharp: this is no strange melange of aliens we've never seen before, one of the weaknesses of the "New Frontier."

As usual, there are the cameos: Geordi LaForge beams aboard for the first three short stories, and then departs - almost a "bridge" to the new group. Sonya Gomez (of "spilling Hot Cocoa on Picard" fame), and Dr. Elizabeth Lense are two other names that are familiar from previous shows and are aboard. The rest of the group include only one unique previously-unseen alien, a Bynar pair, and an otherwise wonderful cast of very well-written characters. Included in this list is something we see far too rarely in Trek writing: a gay crewman handled plausibly and intelligently. First "The Best and the Brightest," then "Rogue," and now "Have Tech, Will Travel." Thank you, Pocket Books!

The flaws are few: now and then there's some writing word-choices that made me cringe ("stunningly spectacular" for one), or some passages that confused me. If I could, I'd "4.5" star this one, but those little errors are enough to knock it down from a perfect score. But only just.

One of the stories, "Hard Crash," was actually moving: passages were very impactful, and I was quite stunned to have that occur with a Trek book. This is fine emotionally coherent, intelligent writing, folks. Don't hesitate.
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