This book is my favorite in the Lost Years series for one simple reason: Dr. Leonard H. McCoy. Before other reviewers go to scoffing and rating this one unhelpful, let me explain why.

The scenes in which he treats a wounded Chekov for a broken arm show me so clearly what all doctors should strive for as an ideal: not just "bedside manner" which can be put on and taken off like a coat, but actual _compassion_ for their patients, that they left me breathless and dazed with wonder at the enormity of the revelation. L. A. Graf should be a lecturer (or is that lecturers?) at every medical internship school in the country. At the very least, this book should be required reading for all surgical students. (Probably a lttle unrealistic, I know, but where there is life, there is hope.)

I absolutely love this book, and rank it in my top three favorites! It, and other books by L.A. Graf are great in their Chekov material. My favorite phrase in reference to this author is this: "The only author that can write Chekov." Sooooo, for all you people that are sick of Chekov's two-syllable lines(Yes, sir. No, sir.), this is an awesome book and author!

This book is by far the best of the Lost Years books. It kept me on the edge of my seat. A fantastic example of great sci fi / adventure writing and with conspiracy intricately woven throughout the plot, it is an excellent book that even non-trekkers could enjoy. Also, like so many other L. A. Graf books, it focuses on the Chekov, Sulu, and Uhura group instead of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy (that's not to imply that we don't love them too!) so it makes for a refreshing change of pace. My advice to readers everywhere is this: DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!

After reading no.3 in the series,it was immediattly one of my favorites.It leaves you on the edge of your seat,uh er chair until the last page.Join Joe,Wishbone and the rest of the gang as they search for clues to the strange happenings at Wanda Gilmore's new house.Is someone playing a nasty trick on them,or could it be a real,live ghost at the Hathaway House !

BOTTOM LINE:The suspense is great with that little Jack Russel Terrior that you won't put the book down until your finished.

O my god! This book left me terrified! I seriously could not get to bed after reading a chapter! My favorite in the whole series! They should make it into 2- episode show for tv!

I have had this book now, for about 5 years. I must have read it dozens of times (yup i'm a geek). Its got all the technical stuff on filming the pilot (and beyond) from script development, model making and special effects, to acting and characters (even the story of how Morn came to be!). This book is well written, interesting, and above all a heap of fun. Go ahead and enjoy.

All the behind the scenes technical information in this book. Viewers get to see the original production sketches of the DS9 station in development. Many of the designs were far better than what was eventually used. Overall, it is an entertaining book to read. This show more than the others depicted life on other worlds. They gave Trek fans what they always wanted to see...more alien species and action. Something the Next Generation and Voyager lacked. This series showed us how we all have to work together for peace or all is lost.

It a really good book, & the cover is beautifully decorated too. Good for young readers and can be addicted to it. All Wishbone fans out there must getit!!!!!

This book is a wonderful read for the younger children.It introduces them to the splender of mysteries whale letting them have a lot of fun. With the mystery of the world through Wishbones eyes you almost wish you could bring that out in every animal.

For Wishbone fans all over the world "Case of the Unsolved Case" is a good book.Especially if you like the other books or if you like the TV show!

One of the "prequels" to the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry, Diane Carey's BEST DESTINY introduces the reader to the Enterprise at her birth. Commanded by Robert April, the Enterprise is on her "test-run". April's security officer, George Kirk, brings along his troubled son, Jimmy, for the ride.

STAR TREK fans will enjoy experiencing the first voyage of this famous ship, at this time still a carefully-guarded military secret without identifying insignia. The "mission" to Faramond is intended to be a short run to test the engines, but when the Kirks take a shuttlecraft to study a cosmic phenomenon, a run-in with space pirates begins young Jim Kirk's first adventure in space.

Also of interest is the look into Kirk's past. The story is told in flashback, as a late-career Kirk reflects on his wild adolescence and the single event that changed his life and set his destiny in the stars. For those less technically-inclined, basic STAR TREK physics (such as inertial dampers) are explained from the viewpoint of young Jimmy (read: lay terminology!)

A definite recommendation for Trekkers, Trekkies, and those who just wish they were!

Heather Foutz

Star Trek: Best Destiny written by Diane Carey is a flashback novel of James T. Kirk. This book mixes the past with the present in the Trek genre.

James T. Kirk is seen as a teenager wanting to show his father that he can and will be worthy of wearing the Starfleet uniform someday. This is the first adventure we get to read about where James T. Kirk plays a sugnificant role. There is personal danger, self-discovery, and unparalleled adventure.

We read about James T. Kirk about to retire from his long tenure with the fleet. Now, events draw him back to a youthful adventue with his father George and Captain Robert April. A part of the galaxy only left in James Kirk's memory, a world called Faramond, mysterious in nature Kirk takes us back when he was sixteen years old.

Although he was estranged from his father he admired what his father did for him, but Captain Robert April changes James Kirk's life forever. This is a good Father-Father image/ son book. The adventure now only in James' memory they face life or death... but a glimpse of the future sets James T. Kirk on a Trek of his own... best destiny.

In all the Star Trek lore that's been written over 30 plus years, it's rare to see books that delve into the past of the primary characters in anything other than alternate realities or brief flashbacks. More of this book takes place in Kirk's teenage years than in the "present" (Kirk's last voyage before the Enterprise "A" gets mothballed). I hate reviews that ruin good books by giving away major plot points, so I'll resist. Overall, the flashback scenes really make the story while the current events are less interesting. The end of the "present" events are anticlimactic compared the the end of the flashback events, but kudos to the Authors for further fleshing out characters from earlier books: Captain Robert April (first Captian of the original Enterprise), Commander George Kirk (Jimmy's father), and Kirk's right hand man Drake (great comic relief). McCoy & Spock sadly are reduced to small roles, but the book is, after all, a story about a young Jimmy Kirk, and in that respect it does an admerable job.

There were some really intriguing ideas in "Sins of Commission" - some very alien aliens, a series of crimes to solve, personal conflicts that need resolution.
Unfortunately, Wright's writing skills do not match up to her imagination. The characterisation did not match that in the TV series particularly well, and the writing was frequently clunky. Some matters, such as Tarses' problems and his solution, were explained less clearly than they should have been.
"Sins of Commission" could have been better. Let's hope that Wright keeps at it, so that her skills come to match her creativity.

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sins of Commission by Susan Wright is an excellent tale told well, with Worf, Troi, Riker as the main three characters.

Wright has worked in an excellent character development with weaving a tale of murder, intrigue, and mystery. The story is told and the Enterprise is the main background for this book. As the Enterprise orbits the planet Lessenar, the planet is threatened with an environmental collapse, but this is a secondary problem. The main thrust of the book falls on a murder, where the plot thickens and falls on Worf to solve.

The crew of the Enterprise fall under an onslaught of extreme emotions projected by a telepath race of beings known as the Sli shortly after they were beamed over. Now, as the crew becomes crippled, it falls on Data's shoulders to solve the crime. This is a good mystery, filled with treachery, murder, and alien influence. The crew are a little out of character, but since they are under attack on a cerebral level, it is understandable. Beverly Crusher and Geordi LaForge are extremely affected and are quite entertaining.

As the alien influence overcomes Worf, he has to find the true killer. All in all, this is a fascinating adventure worked with a flair for the characters and their development, woven with emotional intrigue, making this one of the best TNG adventures.

You will enjoy this story as Worf's Klingon honor rests in the balance.

This novel is an excellent book, focusing mostly on Worf, Troi & Riker. When an emotion-casting species called the Sli come on board the Enterprise, the crew is affected by their emotional projections. The crew must save the planet Lessenar from ecological collapse, and try to find a saboteur even though the Sli are affecting their emotions. The writing style is excellent and flowing, and the characterization is great. We get to see more of Worf's son Alexander, Guinan, Ro Laren, and the quarter-Romulan crewman Simon Tarses (from the episode "The Drumhead"). The storyline is unique and has many interesting twists, and we get to see events from many of the senior crew's points of view. A funny thing was how the Sli made everybody act slightly odd. Riker was acting all insecure, Beverly was a ditz, and Geordi was in a VERY foul mood. The other senior officers also had goofy emotional problems. The only bad thing I found was that the story on the planet Lessenar did not have much to do with anything else in the book. It seemed to be there just so there would be an extra difficulty in the plot. But Sins of Commission is really enjoyable read. Recommended.

From the book jacket, "Inspired by _The Last of the Mohicans_ by James Fenimore Cooper," _Last of the Breed_ is part of the "Adventures of Wishbone" series. Wishbone, a perky Jack Russell Terrier, connects modern-day events with books he remembers "reading." In this particular adventure Mr. Leon King, a local real estate developer in Wishbone's home town of Oakdale, wants to build a Tastee Oasis fast-food outlet on the edge of the town park. He gets permission to do so, by nefarious means, from the Oakdale Town Council. The moral of the book, from which Wishbone draws parallels to Cooper's novel, is that the land is important and progress (in the form of fast food outlets) isn't measured by paving over every available inch of landscape. What is especially impressive about Steele's treatment of _Mohicans_ is that he is truthful to the original. He does not gloss over the violence (he includes a throat-slashing and the Massacre at Fort William Henry), nor does he try to change the ending of Cooper's novel. Wishbone even says, "I had forgotten how sad the ending of this story is. Let me just take a moment..." before moving back to the "triumph" over Mr. Leon King. _Last of the Breed_, while certainly not a substitute for Cooper's _Last of the Mohicans_, is certainly a good primer for reading Cooper's novel. Moreover, it treats readers, both children and adults, to a throughly enjoyable ecofriendly story. Well done, Wishbone!

This book lives up to its editorial review! Even though the book is directed to young adults, it has value for all adults. Each chapter contains touching and beautiful stories of simple and complex love of God and Church. Each author was honest and direct about his/her journey in faith. Their experiences brought back wonderful, as well as, difficult memories of my own. You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy this book. The format makes it an excellent book for busy people, because the chapters are short and nothing is lost if you have to set the book aside for awhile; you can easily pick it up again later.

This was a great book but I just finished reading Spectre by William Shatner. These two books do not agree at all as Picard and the rest of the TNG crew have never (according to Shatner's story line) encountered the mirror universe.

While this is annoying, I would tend to view Shatner's writings as "cannon" or "more real" than this book. But nonetheless a very well written, and entertaining novel. Its a shame that the entire Star Trek universe must be at odds with itself.

Like other reviewers, this book did start out slow and was at times hard to read. But after the introductions of Hwii, a Delphine, who is an intellectual in hyperstring theory, we get down to the plot. The Enterprise Crew somehow finds itself in an alternate universe...and lo and behold another Enterprise crew awaits. However...this ship ICC-1701D and its crew are opposites. Picard, LaForge and Troi investigate after reading the details from Kirk's experience log. What they read and find are their mirror images, but with contrasting personas. Picard is selfish and ruthless, as is Riker and especially Deanna. There is no Data on the other Enterprise...and Worf and the Klingons, are actually slaves. To get back Laforge, Picard and Troi beam over without detection and assume the other's roles. Their goal is to download the information contained in the ship so they can get back to their universe. Gripping moments for the normal crew. This is a must read for a Trek fan. Per previous review, not sure why Shatner left the TNG crew from mirrored universe. Have not read Spectre yet. Guess this is what you get when you have various authors writing Star Trek novels. This book would have been a good TV episode for the TNG crew. The ending leaves room for sequels.

Once again, as with her back-history of the Romulans, Diane Duane has the misfortune of writing an excellent book about a subject which subsequently is treated differently onscreen, thereby rendering her version of events non-canonical in retrospect. This book, written before the airing of the DS9 episode "Crossover", is a sequel to the original series episode "Mirror, Mirror". As such, it details what has happened in the mirror universe between Kirk's time and that of the later Trek series; unfortunately, her back-history is radically different from that in the canonical DS9 episode. So what we clearly have, is a DIFFERENT parallel universe. Different from the one in the DS9 series, and different from the one in later novels, notably William Shatner's trilogy, "Spectre", "Dark Victory", and "Preserver", as well as the "Dark Passions" duology by Susan Wright, all of which follow the canonical DS9 history. If one accepts this concept, then the story works just fine. It is well-written, well-concieved, and well-executed, and is excellent in its own right. Granted, I find the concept of a parallel universe extremely dubious; every time someone does something different, it would alter the path of history a little bit, and soon it would be so different that there would be no parallel. But granting the basic concept for the sake of a good story (and I'll admit that it's a fascinating concept, even while it is ridiculously implausable) the writing here is excellent.

Highly recommended.

True, this book diverts from what some die hard TNG fans may be used to but it's still a good read. My favorite part is Data's search for a spiritual/religious belief. He consults with many crew members from various cultures and spiritualities regarding their beliefs.

Star Trek - The Next Generation: Guises of the Mind written by Rebecca Neason is an excellent change-of-pace novel where the isn't much action-adventure but there is a high quotient of intrigue making for an enjoyabe read. This book delves into some religion but it's only superficial. The main theme of this book is about the Crown Price being kidnapped by his lost twin brother usurping to the planetary thrown of absolute.

There are two plots in this book the main plot is where Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Deanna Troi and a nun Mother Veronica beam to the surface of Capulon IV to start final preparations to signing a treaty with the planet and the UFP. Also, to set-up the necessary facilities for the order of nuns to help the downtrodden and the young children. The second plot is where Data is trying to find his spiritual self as he asks his crew members for their spiritual beliefs as he trys to reconcile his existence.

There are plenty of plot twists and turns throughout the book to keep the readers interest as this book is mainly written with Deanna Troi in mind and also Mother Veronica as they try to find out what is happening. Mother Veronica is telepathic and Deanna is trying to help the Mother to cope with her ability through Betazed techniques. As these two sense treachery and quile in the Prince they also sense a duality and try to get to the bottom of it.

I found this book to be an excellent change-of-pace to the norm of the TREK universe where the main characters are seeking truth and enlightenment to some pretty heavy questions. It is dealt with in an understandable mannor and the story doesn't stall but moves on. The intrigue level is high in the book as the Enterprise crew works to solve problems not generally dealt with in TREK.

This is a solid 5 star book but remember there is not a lot of action-adventure, but nonetheless, it is a very interesting story.

Mother Veronica nodded. "For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God."

"Romans 8:28, " Data replied.

It may not be a christian theological theses, but at least one author realizes that there would be no Star Trek without a God who created everything. I would love to see a Star Trek book that was based on the morales of the bible. Maybe I should give Tim LaHaye (Left Behind Author) a call?