Customer Reviews

Have Tech Will Travel: SCE Omnibus

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.)

I picked up _Have Tech, Will Travel_ and couldn't put it down. I found myself thinking "this is what Enterprise should be!"

What put me off originally besides the techy sounding title was the fact that it was compiled into novellettes, billed as short stories by different writers. I really don't like short stories because, you know, they just get interesting and then they end. But the way it's put together it's really rather seemless and continues the character's stories into each new novelette even if the situtations change.

Each story was wonderfully surprising, high quality adventure Trek, with things to think about. I was surprised by each new twist in each story, kept on the edge of my seat and fell in-like with each new/old character. The decisions that each character maked is logical and the captain is admirable. I like that Scotty shows up in each story, even if it's just on the viewer, though I'd absolutely love to see him get more involved with a few storylines. These authors can write Scotty and LaForge so well you can hear their voices in your head.

Speaking of that, I loved the way the creators of the series and the writers used familiar characters to introduce new ones. I was very happy with the way Picard's adventure was turned over to Captain Gold. I liked that the new characters actually live up to the admiration of the original characters like Picard. When the old characters commented on how much they admired so and so, it wasn't just to lend credibility to a shallow character, but because the characters were so good any way the comments only added to the depth of the new characters.

Geordi gets "stuck" helping the da Vinci crew for three of the stories. It was nice to have "ensign" Commander Gomez be a little warry of her old commanding officer. This added a little depth to her character.... and well we all know everyone loves Georgi, so it was nice to see this little twist where he has to earn her trust back. Cool.

Hats off to the creators and writers of this, what should have been the newest tv series Trek. But I"m glad that its not seeing what they've done with Enterprise so far!

I am headed to the library tonight after work to get the second book. ...

Thanks,

Rosewelsh

I loved the idea of a book about the Starfleet Corps of Engineers from the start. But I didn't find the stories engaging. Written as an anthology with a continuing cast and a common history there is a nice try at developing characters as the stories go along, but I didn't find the characters paricularly striking or original.

What really irritated me was that when I finally started to get into a story, the last one, 'Interphase', about attempting to recover the Defiant from the TOS episode the Tholian Web it suddenly stopped (with a cliff hanger) and says it will be continued in the NEXT volume. I'd like to see how it turns out but I wasn't impressed enough by the other stories in this volume to buy another.

What would Kirk, Piccard, or any of the others do if they woke up and couldn't get their morning tea? Call SCE. This book is great. Stories that show how important the engineer is to Star Fleet. With out them you go no where and get nothing done. I like this series a lot and it is not just because I am a techie or a trekie, they are good stories.

Can't say enough about what a good idea was the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Heck, since the beginning - since *before* the beginning - even *I've* loved the engineers, and my life is so far removed from engineering as to be laughable, nevermind the fact that I couldn't write technobabble if you paid me.

But I'll tell you what, the adventures they find themselves in make for highly entertaining reading. And the beautiful thing about it is, there really could be no *end* to the adventures. Certainly, there's going to be an S.C.E., and even more certainly, there's always going to be a situation or two where they will be sorely needed.

In this, the first of the eBooks in print, we get four very different stories from five different authors, including three of my all-time favorites: Christie Golden, Keith R.A. DeCandido, and Dean Wesley Smith. We are introduced to the flagship of the S.C.E., the *da Vinci,* and its intrepid crew, which includes, in a wonderful nod to continuity, Sonya Gomez, the painfully-green ensign from The Next Generation, who unceremoniously spilled hot chocolate all over Captain Picard in the teaser of the episode, "Q Who."

In the ensuing decade or so, Ensign Gomez did, of course, mature into Commander Gomez, first officer aboard the *da Vinci.* As such, she does her job very, very well. This, however, makes little difference to those around her, who still tease her at every opportunity about what has come to be known as "the incident." The fact that this is carried over at all is one of the reasons the S.C.E. is so believable. You already feel as though you *know* these people - that the S.C.E. has simply always been there.

I'll leave it to other reviewers to tell you about the rest of the crew or describe the specific adventures if they so desire. As for me, I'll just say I'm LOVING these stories. I've already bought Book 2 and look forward to future editions.

This was a fun Star Trek book. I enjoyed reading it very much. Good character building, interesting plot. It was a very enjoyable read. After several book series that have left me cold (and yearning for new S.T. books), it's refreshing to read something decent. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. It wasn't deep, it wasn't revolutionary, but it was enjoyable.

Scotty, LaForge and Gomez too!

In this one Scotty, LaForge and Gomez (the ensign who spilled hot choclate on Picard in season 2) pick up the pieces after the Enterprise encounters a long battle with aliens that make the Borg look tame. Gomez is promoted to a team leader. Scotty and LaForge attempt to find out what lifeforms are consuming the dead crew aboard a mysterious starship. This one contains the first four e-books and I can't wait for the next one soon.

I can't say how much I love the stories in this book. If you want to see how the other characters like LaForge and Scotty survive on their own without Picard to guide them; this one is for you.

This is an interesting and action packed book. Have Tech, Will Travel is the first 4 eBooks in the Starfleet Corps of Engineers series.

I saw this new series unfold in the eBook format, and wanted to try to download the series but...alas not enough hard drive space or time to download to disk/tape etc. So, to my surprise, I saw that the series was being published in book form, I just had to have it.

I wasn't disappointed either. Starfleet Command opens a New Division and guess who heads it... no other than the miricle worker himself Scotty from TOS. Scotty spent 75 years in the regeneration pattern buffer of a transporter (Read Dyson Sphere)and now heads the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, as Capt. Montgomery Scott who better to head the fix-it squadron. Capt. David Gold of the U.S.S. da Vinci, the SCE's number one go-to ship for figuring out what makes things tick, and crew are very believable.

D.W. Smith leads off with "The Belly of the Beast" and it is an action packed adventure with Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise in battle with a hugh ship and going toe to toe. When the Enterprise gets the upperhand and subdues the alien ship... who do they call... the SCE and the da Vinci comes to the aid and figures out what's what. But I can't give you the ending that wouldn't be fair.

Keith R.A. DeCandido is next at bat with "Fatal Error" a continuation of the characters in the first book as we get used to their names and talents... a good tie in. This time a planetary computer system goes on the fritz. The alien computer calls Starfleet to help fix it. A good action and adventure, but I can't give you the outcome... a good fast read.

Christie Golden is on deck next with "Hard Crash" a book about a colony world being threatened by a deadly alien. This is very well written and a good read. We also get more depth of the characters here. We have a sentient life form as a starship who has lost a valuable component, the biological half and the emotions involved with the loss. This is an enjoyable fast read.

Last, but not least, comes Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore batting clean-up, with Interphase: Book One. Yes, this will be concluded in the second book in this series "Mircle Workers" but this is a very well thought out adventure and I can't wait for the conclusion of the rescue of a ship trapped in the ravages of interphase. The constitution class Defiant has been loss for around one hundred years and now has been located. Now, the job falls to the SCE to retrieve it.

Enjoy this high-tech adventure with the Starfleet Corps of Engineers as they take on the mysteries and solve the puzzles of alien technology.

This is a very promising series... and the stories are just long enough for a quick fix of TREK before bed and who better to be the head of it all... Scotty!

We got beamed a winner here folks.

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.
...

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.