Star Trek: The Next Generation: Before Dishonor

Peter David — 2007

An enemy so intractable that it cannot be reasoned with. The entire race thinks with one mind and strives toward one purpose: to add our biological distinctiveness to their own and wipe out individuality, to make every living thing Borg. In over two centuries, the Federation has never encountered a greater threat. Twice Starfleet assembled and threw countless starships to stand against them. The Borg were stopped, the price paid in blood. Humanity breathed a sigh of relief, assuming it was safe. And with the destruction of the transwarp conduits, the Federation believed that the killing blow had finally been struck against the Borg. Driven to the point of extinction, the Borg continue to fight for their very existence, for their culture. They will not be denied. They must not be stopped. The old rules and assumptions regarding how the Collective should act have been dismissed. Now the Borg kill first, assimilate later. When the Enterprise manages to thwart them once again, the Borg turn inward. The dark places that even the drones never realized existed are turned outward against the enemy they have never been able to defeat. What is revealed is the thing that no one believed the Borg could do.

Reviews

Matthew Rasnake@coffeemonk

Oct 18, 2022

I have long considered Star Trek novels to be a kind of "cotton-candy" literature--mostly sugar and little substance. This novel doesn't break out of this established mold. Also included is something that has frequently annoyed me with fan-produced and professional non-canon stories--the inclusion of cross-series characters and references. Of course, I can certainly understand the compulsion, considering how all the Trek series are taking place within the same universe, and there is precedent even within the canon stories, but it seems that every time these characters are called into non-canon action, it's just so the author can say "hey, see, I know Star Trek, remember this guy?" without there being a real solid reason, and without putting the characters to appropriate use. That said, the inclusion of Seven and Janeway in this particular storyline is certainly warranted, if poorly handled. I can't say that Seven is mischaracterized, but Janeway is very ill-served by this novel. If you're a Janeway fan, you're going to hate this novel. As with most Trek novels, I can't really recommend it if you're not already a fan of the Trek universe, and even then I can really only recommend this novel if you're jonesing for a Trek story.