Homecoming (Book I)
The Farther Shore (Book II)
Star Trek Voyager Series
By Christie Golden

    In the final TV episode of Voyager, we saw the weary crew being welcomed back to Earth, but what happened next? This is the story of what follows, when the travelers have to get back into their lives again, and cope with being parted from their close companions after seven years’ traveling. Foremost in people’s minds is the recent Dominion War, so they are less feted than they expected which is tough or a relief, depending on one’s perspective. But when people start falling sick from something that looks suspiciously like Borg assimilation rather than “Xakarian Flu” Seven of Nine and Icheb are arrested. Then it is time for the friends to band together and face what could be their worst trial yet: total domination of Earth by the Borg.

     After quite a long introduction which sees most key crew members settling into their old (or new) lives, the story takes off. It is a fairly linear tale in one respect, but it certainly raises some thought-provoking issues. The sub-plot concerns the Doctor’s involvement in a “revolution” of holograms, which is being fronted by a fanatical human. Since the publication of his holonovel, Photons Be Free, he has desired to make holograms equal with organic beings. With technology advancing all the time, it certainly made me think about what would happen if things ever reached this point, making this part of the novel seem very plausible. The rest of the story concerns the Borg plot, which became exciting towards the end, but less compelling than the holographic equality question. It was interesting to read about each character facing severance from their own “collective” and I will be interested to read where the Voyager series is taken next, now that the crew is back home and the show is off the air. A well-realised and stimulating pair of books, and a strong addition to the Star Trek oeuvre.