Star Trek: The Next Generation Volume 1: Boukenshin by Christine Boylan and Diane Duane

I was going to read this and write it up when I was reading the Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek manga, but then I decided that reading so many sci-fi tv show adaptations in a row would tax my brain so I took a little break.

The four stories in this volume focus on different members of the Star Trek TNG crew. “Changeling” shows Wesley Crusher learning an important lesson about having empathy for others. In “Sensation” Dr. Crusher tries to contain a mysterious disease that has broken out among members of an archaeological excavation team. When the enterprise crew is also infected, Deanna Troi ends up helping to contain the disease. “The Picardian Knot” shows Picard having lost emotions as a result of a mind-meld with Sarek, so everyone on the Enterprise attempts to get him to act human again by forcing him to listen to stories about their feelings. “Loyalty” focuses on Commander Riker’s battle against Star Fleet command after Picard was possessed by the Borg.

The art in this volume was consistent, and the characters were all recognizable even though each story was drawn by a different artist. I enjoyed reading this, although I don’t think it will wind up with a permanent place on my bookshelf. I wish that there had been a Q story included in this volume, because I always thought that those episodes were the most fun.

Review copy provided by the publisher.