Star Trek: The Next Generation: Shadows Have Offended by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Synopsis:
The USS Enterprise has been granted the simple but unavoidable honor of ferrying key guests to Betazed for a cultural ceremony. En route, sudden tragedy strikes a Federation science station on the isolated planet Kota, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard has no qualms sending William Riker, Data, and Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher to investigate. But what begins as routine assignments for the two parties soon descends into chaos: Picard, Worf, and Deanna Troi must grapple with a dangerous diplomatic crisis as historic artifacts are stolen in the middle of a high-profile ceremony…while nothing is as it seems on Kota. A mounting medical emergency coupled with the science station’s failing technology—and no hope of rescue—has Doctor Crusher racing against time to solve a disturbing mystery threatening the lives of all her colleagues….
Review:
While Captain Picard, Worf, and Troi investigate a major theft on Betazed; Dr. Crusher, Riker, and Data find themselves in the middle of a dangerous, medical mystery. These two storylines a fairly standalone, and are very different – despite being mysteries at their cores.
As Data and a team are on a beach, gathering samples and data, they bring back a strange infection. While it becomes a little easy to guess what’s happening, it’s still very suspenseful and dramatic. This was my favorite of the two storylines because of the strangeness and intensity. The situation on Betazed is more humorous and complex (as anything involving Lwaxana Troi is!). I always enjoy a Next Generation story – and this is no exception. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end – the engaging characters and the fun, well-developed mysteries.