Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
---
I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
---
Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
---
I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
---
Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

If You Were Let Down by Knaak..., 13 Aug 2008
...then rejoice because Christie Golden's "Rise of the Horde" delivers everything you've come to expect from fantasy - an interesting plot, good character development, and, most importantly, professional literary writing that sets it well apart from the stylistic disasters that were "The War of the Ancients" and "Day of the Dragon".

The eventual culmination of the book contains no secrets to anyone who has played World of Warcraft or, indeed, any of the Warcraft RTS games. The backstory of Archimonde, Kil'Jaeden and Velen is very well-told and contains valuable lore for anyone who appreciates World of Warcraft for its, well, world.

As you can imagine, the focal point is the rise (or, as one could say, the fall) of the Orcish Horde. Christie traces its evolution from its humble beginnings as a collection of scattered Orc tribes to its emergence as a single entity - and the dark bargains made and betrayals that took place along the way.

What I like the most about the book is its writing style. Although Christie Golden makes a few stylistic faux pas, they're mostly limited to tautology, and, as such, the book itself feels like a much higher quality read that Knaak's Warcraft works. If you were disappointed by Knaak's works - as I was - then Christie Golden is here to show you that there are still books in the WoW setting that can be read without cringing.

Excellent!, 30 May 2008
This was a great read and leaves you with a wealth of background knowledge on the horde and Draenei!
You learn loads about: Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Velen, Kil'jaeden, The Naaru, Ner'zhul, Guldan, Archimonde, Sargeras, Blackhand, Drek'Thar, Grom Hellscream, Blood Lust, Draenor -Hellfire Peninsula/Terrokar/Nagrand.

The book tells you everything you need to know about the corruption of the Eredar and the escape of Velen and the Draenei, it also tells of the Orcs heritage and tradition and their unification and corruption leading to them waging war on the Draenia and the opening of the Dark Portal.
I found the background to the Draenei's tale particulaty interesting!
An excellent read!

Make sure you follow it up with 'Lord of The Clans' also by Christie Golden, as the tale continues.

Root for the Horde in this tale from the World of Warcraft, 13 Dec 2007
I've always been a big fan of the World of Warcraft game where I play a level 60 Alliance Mage fighting the Horde. So, I was pleasantly surprised with this story that describes their rise - and fall - in a well crafted story that sets the scene for many familiar locations and characters within the game.

Those of you who have purchased The Burning Crusade expansion will also find a wealth of information on the origin of the Draenei race and the building of the Dark Portal, all tightly woven into a well written storyline. Those of you who play the Horde in the game will also find a great deal of information on many, key Horde characters including Durotan and Doomhammer.

Overall, a well told story that is in keeping with the warcraft theme that will keep you entertained and add to the colour of your online gameplay.

For the Horde! (oops I meant the Alliance!)

A refreshing Warcraft read, 30 May 2007
Ever since the release of 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos', I've been a fan of the series of games. They have a great plot and a well thought-out world. I've read all the Warcraft novels that have been released up until now and I have to say this is one of the better. The story is interesting and ties in to the one in the games almost perfectly. Finally we know the story of the orcs on their homeworld Draenor. One problem I had with the novel was with the character Ner'zhul. He was always represented as a person with evil ambitions who converted the orcs to his cause. In this novel however he seems rather reluctant with what's happening. In conclusion, it's a good read, but only if you're a Warcraft fan.

Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
---
I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
---
Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

If You Were Let Down by Knaak..., 13 Aug 2008
...then rejoice because Christie Golden's "Rise of the Horde" delivers everything you've come to expect from fantasy - an interesting plot, good character development, and, most importantly, professional literary writing that sets it well apart from the stylistic disasters that were "The War of the Ancients" and "Day of the Dragon".

The eventual culmination of the book contains no secrets to anyone who has played World of Warcraft or, indeed, any of the Warcraft RTS games. The backstory of Archimonde, Kil'Jaeden and Velen is very well-told and contains valuable lore for anyone who appreciates World of Warcraft for its, well, world.

As you can imagine, the focal point is the rise (or, as one could say, the fall) of the Orcish Horde. Christie traces its evolution from its humble beginnings as a collection of scattered Orc tribes to its emergence as a single entity - and the dark bargains made and betrayals that took place along the way.

What I like the most about the book is its writing style. Although Christie Golden makes a few stylistic faux pas, they're mostly limited to tautology, and, as such, the book itself feels like a much higher quality read that Knaak's Warcraft works. If you were disappointed by Knaak's works - as I was - then Christie Golden is here to show you that there are still books in the WoW setting that can be read without cringing.

Excellent!, 30 May 2008
This was a great read and leaves you with a wealth of background knowledge on the horde and Draenei!
You learn loads about: Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Velen, Kil'jaeden, The Naaru, Ner'zhul, Guldan, Archimonde, Sargeras, Blackhand, Drek'Thar, Grom Hellscream, Blood Lust, Draenor -Hellfire Peninsula/Terrokar/Nagrand.

The book tells you everything you need to know about the corruption of the Eredar and the escape of Velen and the Draenei, it also tells of the Orcs heritage and tradition and their unification and corruption leading to them waging war on the Draenia and the opening of the Dark Portal.
I found the background to the Draenei's tale particulaty interesting!
An excellent read!

Make sure you follow it up with 'Lord of The Clans' also by Christie Golden, as the tale continues.

Root for the Horde in this tale from the World of Warcraft, 13 Dec 2007
I've always been a big fan of the World of Warcraft game where I play a level 60 Alliance Mage fighting the Horde. So, I was pleasantly surprised with this story that describes their rise - and fall - in a well crafted story that sets the scene for many familiar locations and characters within the game.

Those of you who have purchased The Burning Crusade expansion will also find a wealth of information on the origin of the Draenei race and the building of the Dark Portal, all tightly woven into a well written storyline. Those of you who play the Horde in the game will also find a great deal of information on many, key Horde characters including Durotan and Doomhammer.

Overall, a well told story that is in keeping with the warcraft theme that will keep you entertained and add to the colour of your online gameplay.

For the Horde! (oops I meant the Alliance!)

A refreshing Warcraft read, 30 May 2007
Ever since the release of 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos', I've been a fan of the series of games. They have a great plot and a well thought-out world. I've read all the Warcraft novels that have been released up until now and I have to say this is one of the better. The story is interesting and ties in to the one in the games almost perfectly. Finally we know the story of the orcs on their homeworld Draenor. One problem I had with the novel was with the character Ner'zhul. He was always represented as a person with evil ambitions who converted the orcs to his cause. In this novel however he seems rather reluctant with what's happening. In conclusion, it's a good read, but only if you're a Warcraft fan.

Not quite as good as part I, 22 Dec 2008
I wasn't as keen on this as I was with part I for a couple of reasons.

There were a couple of jarring continuity glitches in the book (notably a scene in which Data is sent out on his own to rendezvous with Janeway, then in the next paragraph, Dr Kaz is with him, despite saying he is staying in sickbay), and also the illness sweeping the planet seems to change from Xakarian to Xanarian flu.

My main complaint of the first book was that the main cast didn't really seem to have much to do, by and large, and I think this book does the same. Secondary characters are more responsible for driving the plot.

The holographic strike story in this book didn't particularly interest me this time round and, in fact, became a bit of a distraction from the Borg and Torres plots.

The book makes a reference to Deus Ex Machina at one point, and unfortunately, I can't help feeling it played at least a small part in wrapping up the book - which I thought was very abruptly done. The whole 500 pages are summed up in literally the last two pages after the Almighty Borg Nanoprobes save the day again.

Characterisations still seemed a little off to me, particularly Seven's, and once again the majority of the Voyager crew is absent, with no real explanation of how they're adjusting to life on Earth, which I would've really liked to see.

While this book also has some good action scenes and excellent pace like its predecessor, it didn't feel as well-rounded an adventure as the first book. And I would've much preferred a character driven/emotional story for Voyager's return than a last triumphant phaser fight with the senior officers fighting side by side one last time. Hopefully the Spirit Walk books will explore these issues for me.

Set a course for home........Now they wish they hadn't!, 17 Feb 2005
Like all Star Trek 2 parters, the first part is the stronger and works things up which is later spoilt by the "floppiness" of the conclusion. It flowed just aswell as Homecoming, and had the same errors. Things were a little to similar to Homecoming though, and we never read about any events in space. The ending has very bad and the follow up books are even worse - just think, would you want Harry Kim firing your phasers???

The Voyager crew united once more..., 16 Feb 2005
As someone who acutely misses the action, intelligence and style of the 'Star Trek Voyager' TV series (and of course, as someone who has read 'Homecoming') this is a must-read! Not only is it well written with humour, tension and sparkle by Christie Golden, but it also captures the essence of the Voyager crew without exception. The unique and engrossing storyline is certainly compelling, but the book's main strength lies in its effortless prose that keep the reader turning the pages. And not least of all...it's wonderful to get a continuation from the 'Endgame' finale!

I found only two problems with 'The Farther Shore'- firstly, the various new characters are given too much limelight. Those whose relevance and place in the story I could recall, I just didn't care enough about and the rest faded from my memory too easily. Secondly- without the excitement of the crew's return to Earth and all that entails extending into this second installment from the first, I didn't feel the plot compensated as much as it should have for that absence. But in conclusion- an excellent read and very reminiscent of those good old days. And it also has an ending that neatly wraps up all loose ends satisfactorily and leaves wide open the possibility for more 'Star Trek Voyager' books to come...

What's that clunking noise?, 25 Nov 2004
What is it with Star Trek two-part stories? The television series always had problems with conclusions, and now the book series is following suit. Unlike the television series, though, the book series is just taking flaws in the first book and expanding on them in the conclusion, making the final installment a step down from the first. Such again is the case with Voyager's relaunch novel, The Farther Shore. After writing my review for Homecoming, I read some other reviews that mentioned that Christie Golden's writing had way too many romance novel tropes. While I don't necessarily agree with that for Homecoming (or at least I don't agree that they were prominent), it is true in spades with A Farther Shore. The writing is trite and evokes too many "bodice-ripper" images for my taste. If this is the way the relaunch is going to continue (and it evidently is completely Golden's ball, handed to her by the editors), then I hope she learns to rein them in.

There are a lot of problems with this book, so I'll start with the good stuff. Golden continues to write the regulars well, as far as characterization goes. She's obviously a fan of the Janeway/Chakotay relationship, though she avoids them falling into bed together, instead giving them a "very close friends who could almost have been lovers" feel. Hopefully, she'll keep it that way in subsequent books. The friendship between them is very well done. Seven is still a little too emotional, but she otherwise is also written well. Torres, off on her own quest for her mother, is finally coming to terms with her dual-heritage, and the scenes between Torres and her mother are very interesting. In fact, the sequences on Boreth with Torres are the best part of the book. Too bad that they didn't have anything to do with the main plot. Also, the Borg plot is interesting in its own way, though I truly hope this is the last gasp of the Borg. Thankfully, the problem ends up being a lot less predictable than "they brought the virus with them," which is nice.

Unfortunately, while the regular characters are done pretty well, the others are not. The main villain of the piece, once revealed, is *way* overdone, sounding shrill at times. The Starfleet admirals that Janeway and others have to deal with also seem way too strident in their feelings toward the Voyager crew. Also, the final resolution, as hard as it is to get there, ends up being way too simple when it finally occurs. It's almost an afterthought, which is not a good thing. The leader of the holographic rebellion is written way over the top, especially when we get the scenes in his fantasy world. I found myself shaking my head way too many times in this book. I also have to wonder at the abrupt end to the holographic rights plot. Perhaps this is going to be picked up in future books?

Which leads me to the main problem with A Farther Shore: the writing. I can live with descriptions of men and women as "muscular" and "beautiful" without thinking a lot about it. I think that's what many reviewers had a problem with in Homecoming. But A Farther Shore takes it one step further, especially with characters we care nothing about. There is a sequence where many Starfleet personnel, as well as other workers, are replaced by holograms, and the real people are placed in some holographic world where they are slaves to the holograms. This is supposedly to teach them what it's like to be oppressed. These scenes involve characters we aren't familiar with at all, and the limited scenes they have in the book before this happens just didn't make me care about them. What's even worse, though, is the way the sequence is written. It seriously is like a romance novel come to life. Lieutenant Andropov is described as being extremely muscular, and the woman who he takes under his wing is quite beautiful. He's old enough to be her father, and thankfully we are spared any romantic entanglements, but we still get prose that's ripped from the bodice of those novels. It made me cringe every time Golden went back there.

Finally, there is one major internal continuity gaffe that is so bad only because the scenes happen one right after the other. In the first scene, the Trill doctor suggests that Data go off for the rendezvous with the other Voyager crewmembers by himself while he continues to work with the holographic Doctor in sickbay. The very next scene, however, is the rendezvous, and the Trill is right there. He speaks quite a lot, and it's obvious not a communication from sickbay. He is right there. Surely this should have been caught in editing even if Golden was writing the scenes out of order and forgot this?

A Farther Shore has an interesting premise with some good characterization (but some horrible characterization too), but the writing just fails it. Romance-lite, overbearing and overdrawn, this book just seems such a let-down after Homecoming. Problems that were below the radar rear their ugly head, and don't bode well for the series. I hope Golden can do better than this.

David Roy

For every Star Trek Voyager fan, 03 Aug 2004
I loved voyager, 7 years and they got home, but what happened next? Did seven and Chakotay get married? Did paris and b'lanna live on earth or Kronis? Did starfleet welcome them with open arms, well this book will answer all your questions. The first book was a great introduction, but the second was a great finish, and one to lead the way for the future. Hidden surpises, new technology, new adventures. This book is real ending and begining of the Voyager story, and one i hope to continue reading. Buy it, if you don't you'll never know what happens....

Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
---
I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
---
Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

If You Were Let Down by Knaak..., 13 Aug 2008
...then rejoice because Christie Golden's "Rise of the Horde" delivers everything you've come to expect from fantasy - an interesting plot, good character development, and, most importantly, professional literary writing that sets it well apart from the stylistic disasters that were "The War of the Ancients" and "Day of the Dragon".

The eventual culmination of the book contains no secrets to anyone who has played World of Warcraft or, indeed, any of the Warcraft RTS games. The backstory of Archimonde, Kil'Jaeden and Velen is very well-told and contains valuable lore for anyone who appreciates World of Warcraft for its, well, world.

As you can imagine, the focal point is the rise (or, as one could say, the fall) of the Orcish Horde. Christie traces its evolution from its humble beginnings as a collection of scattered Orc tribes to its emergence as a single entity - and the dark bargains made and betrayals that took place along the way.

What I like the most about the book is its writing style. Although Christie Golden makes a few stylistic faux pas, they're mostly limited to tautology, and, as such, the book itself feels like a much higher quality read that Knaak's Warcraft works. If you were disappointed by Knaak's works - as I was - then Christie Golden is here to show you that there are still books in the WoW setting that can be read without cringing.

Excellent!, 30 May 2008
This was a great read and leaves you with a wealth of background knowledge on the horde and Draenei!
You learn loads about: Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Velen, Kil'jaeden, The Naaru, Ner'zhul, Guldan, Archimonde, Sargeras, Blackhand, Drek'Thar, Grom Hellscream, Blood Lust, Draenor -Hellfire Peninsula/Terrokar/Nagrand.

The book tells you everything you need to know about the corruption of the Eredar and the escape of Velen and the Draenei, it also tells of the Orcs heritage and tradition and their unification and corruption leading to them waging war on the Draenia and the opening of the Dark Portal.
I found the background to the Draenei's tale particulaty interesting!
An excellent read!

Make sure you follow it up with 'Lord of The Clans' also by Christie Golden, as the tale continues.

Root for the Horde in this tale from the World of Warcraft, 13 Dec 2007
I've always been a big fan of the World of Warcraft game where I play a level 60 Alliance Mage fighting the Horde. So, I was pleasantly surprised with this story that describes their rise - and fall - in a well crafted story that sets the scene for many familiar locations and characters within the game.

Those of you who have purchased The Burning Crusade expansion will also find a wealth of information on the origin of the Draenei race and the building of the Dark Portal, all tightly woven into a well written storyline. Those of you who play the Horde in the game will also find a great deal of information on many, key Horde characters including Durotan and Doomhammer.

Overall, a well told story that is in keeping with the warcraft theme that will keep you entertained and add to the colour of your online gameplay.

For the Horde! (oops I meant the Alliance!)

A refreshing Warcraft read, 30 May 2007
Ever since the release of 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos', I've been a fan of the series of games. They have a great plot and a well thought-out world. I've read all the Warcraft novels that have been released up until now and I have to say this is one of the better. The story is interesting and ties in to the one in the games almost perfectly. Finally we know the story of the orcs on their homeworld Draenor. One problem I had with the novel was with the character Ner'zhul. He was always represented as a person with evil ambitions who converted the orcs to his cause. In this novel however he seems rather reluctant with what's happening. In conclusion, it's a good read, but only if you're a Warcraft fan.

Not quite as good as part I, 22 Dec 2008
I wasn't as keen on this as I was with part I for a couple of reasons.

There were a couple of jarring continuity glitches in the book (notably a scene in which Data is sent out on his own to rendezvous with Janeway, then in the next paragraph, Dr Kaz is with him, despite saying he is staying in sickbay), and also the illness sweeping the planet seems to change from Xakarian to Xanarian flu.

My main complaint of the first book was that the main cast didn't really seem to have much to do, by and large, and I think this book does the same. Secondary characters are more responsible for driving the plot.

The holographic strike story in this book didn't particularly interest me this time round and, in fact, became a bit of a distraction from the Borg and Torres plots.

The book makes a reference to Deus Ex Machina at one point, and unfortunately, I can't help feeling it played at least a small part in wrapping up the book - which I thought was very abruptly done. The whole 500 pages are summed up in literally the last two pages after the Almighty Borg Nanoprobes save the day again.

Characterisations still seemed a little off to me, particularly Seven's, and once again the majority of the Voyager crew is absent, with no real explanation of how they're adjusting to life on Earth, which I would've really liked to see.

While this book also has some good action scenes and excellent pace like its predecessor, it didn't feel as well-rounded an adventure as the first book. And I would've much preferred a character driven/emotional story for Voyager's return than a last triumphant phaser fight with the senior officers fighting side by side one last time. Hopefully the Spirit Walk books will explore these issues for me.

Set a course for home........Now they wish they hadn't!, 17 Feb 2005
Like all Star Trek 2 parters, the first part is the stronger and works things up which is later spoilt by the "floppiness" of the conclusion. It flowed just aswell as Homecoming, and had the same errors. Things were a little to similar to Homecoming though, and we never read about any events in space. The ending has very bad and the follow up books are even worse - just think, would you want Harry Kim firing your phasers???

The Voyager crew united once more..., 16 Feb 2005
As someone who acutely misses the action, intelligence and style of the 'Star Trek Voyager' TV series (and of course, as someone who has read 'Homecoming') this is a must-read! Not only is it well written with humour, tension and sparkle by Christie Golden, but it also captures the essence of the Voyager crew without exception. The unique and engrossing storyline is certainly compelling, but the book's main strength lies in its effortless prose that keep the reader turning the pages. And not least of all...it's wonderful to get a continuation from the 'Endgame' finale!

I found only two problems with 'The Farther Shore'- firstly, the various new characters are given too much limelight. Those whose relevance and place in the story I could recall, I just didn't care enough about and the rest faded from my memory too easily. Secondly- without the excitement of the crew's return to Earth and all that entails extending into this second installment from the first, I didn't feel the plot compensated as much as it should have for that absence. But in conclusion- an excellent read and very reminiscent of those good old days. And it also has an ending that neatly wraps up all loose ends satisfactorily and leaves wide open the possibility for more 'Star Trek Voyager' books to come...

What's that clunking noise?, 25 Nov 2004
What is it with Star Trek two-part stories? The television series always had problems with conclusions, and now the book series is following suit. Unlike the television series, though, the book series is just taking flaws in the first book and expanding on them in the conclusion, making the final installment a step down from the first. Such again is the case with Voyager's relaunch novel, The Farther Shore. After writing my review for Homecoming, I read some other reviews that mentioned that Christie Golden's writing had way too many romance novel tropes. While I don't necessarily agree with that for Homecoming (or at least I don't agree that they were prominent), it is true in spades with A Farther Shore. The writing is trite and evokes too many "bodice-ripper" images for my taste. If this is the way the relaunch is going to continue (and it evidently is completely Golden's ball, handed to her by the editors), then I hope she learns to rein them in.

There are a lot of problems with this book, so I'll start with the good stuff. Golden continues to write the regulars well, as far as characterization goes. She's obviously a fan of the Janeway/Chakotay relationship, though she avoids them falling into bed together, instead giving them a "very close friends who could almost have been lovers" feel. Hopefully, she'll keep it that way in subsequent books. The friendship between them is very well done. Seven is still a little too emotional, but she otherwise is also written well. Torres, off on her own quest for her mother, is finally coming to terms with her dual-heritage, and the scenes between Torres and her mother are very interesting. In fact, the sequences on Boreth with Torres are the best part of the book. Too bad that they didn't have anything to do with the main plot. Also, the Borg plot is interesting in its own way, though I truly hope this is the last gasp of the Borg. Thankfully, the problem ends up being a lot less predictable than "they brought the virus with them," which is nice.

Unfortunately, while the regular characters are done pretty well, the others are not. The main villain of the piece, once revealed, is *way* overdone, sounding shrill at times. The Starfleet admirals that Janeway and others have to deal with also seem way too strident in their feelings toward the Voyager crew. Also, the final resolution, as hard as it is to get there, ends up being way too simple when it finally occurs. It's almost an afterthought, which is not a good thing. The leader of the holographic rebellion is written way over the top, especially when we get the scenes in his fantasy world. I found myself shaking my head way too many times in this book. I also have to wonder at the abrupt end to the holographic rights plot. Perhaps this is going to be picked up in future books?

Which leads me to the main problem with A Farther Shore: the writing. I can live with descriptions of men and women as "muscular" and "beautiful" without thinking a lot about it. I think that's what many reviewers had a problem with in Homecoming. But A Farther Shore takes it one step further, especially with characters we care nothing about. There is a sequence where many Starfleet personnel, as well as other workers, are replaced by holograms, and the real people are placed in some holographic world where they are slaves to the holograms. This is supposedly to teach them what it's like to be oppressed. These scenes involve characters we aren't familiar with at all, and the limited scenes they have in the book before this happens just didn't make me care about them. What's even worse, though, is the way the sequence is written. It seriously is like a romance novel come to life. Lieutenant Andropov is described as being extremely muscular, and the woman who he takes under his wing is quite beautiful. He's old enough to be her father, and thankfully we are spared any romantic entanglements, but we still get prose that's ripped from the bodice of those novels. It made me cringe every time Golden went back there.

Finally, there is one major internal continuity gaffe that is so bad only because the scenes happen one right after the other. In the first scene, the Trill doctor suggests that Data go off for the rendezvous with the other Voyager crewmembers by himself while he continues to work with the holographic Doctor in sickbay. The very next scene, however, is the rendezvous, and the Trill is right there. He speaks quite a lot, and it's obvious not a communication from sickbay. He is right there. Surely this should have been caught in editing even if Golden was writing the scenes out of order and forgot this?

A Farther Shore has an interesting premise with some good characterization (but some horrible characterization too), but the writing just fails it. Romance-lite, overbearing and overdrawn, this book just seems such a let-down after Homecoming. Problems that were below the radar rear their ugly head, and don't bode well for the series. I hope Golden can do better than this.

David Roy

For every Star Trek Voyager fan, 03 Aug 2004
I loved voyager, 7 years and they got home, but what happened next? Did seven and Chakotay get married? Did paris and b'lanna live on earth or Kronis? Did starfleet welcome them with open arms, well this book will answer all your questions. The first book was a great introduction, but the second was a great finish, and one to lead the way for the future. Hidden surpises, new technology, new adventures. This book is real ending and begining of the Voyager story, and one i hope to continue reading. Buy it, if you don't you'll never know what happens....

Surprisingly good, 19 Sep 2008
Its hard to get excited about a book based on a game if you are not a gamer. Having played warcraft i thought it might be interesting to read the stories. Even if you are not into the game you will like this book just as a fantasy reader. Honestly i am going to try get my Mum to read it.
Having rolled Alliance i thought i might not like a book about the Horde. It actually gives you a bit of sympathy for them. This is not hard since the the humans in the book are pretty awful bar one maybe two. It gives you a better understanding of the orc race and what they stand for. If you are expecting a multi-race bonanza you will be disappointed because it just has Orcs and Humans.
Most importantly it is Thrall's story. It is an engrossing tale that only took me a couple of days. For players of WOW it also has an old favourite - Drek'Thar (i like to call him Drekkie-poos). Of added interest is Durnholde and the frost wolf clan in the story.
If you are feeling a bit put-upon and need to get some fight back then read this and take a bit of inspiration from the Orcs. Roar!

Excellent, gripping tale!, 30 May 2008
This book tells the stort of Thrall, Son of Durotan, Warchief of the Horde. The tale is gripping and emersive, leaving me feeling sympathetic to the orcs + wanting to make an orc on WoW! You will learn loads of background lore on: Thrall, Drek'Thar, Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Durnholde Keep/Orc Encampments + more!
It was a real enjoyable read!

Make sure you read Warcraft: 'Rise of the Horde No. 4 (Christie Golden)' prior to this book as it helps set the tale up, it tells the story of Thrall's Mother and Father and their journey to Azeroth.

Best until now, 14 Oct 2006
this is the coolest book i have read in the warcraft books, really good book to read and explain the end of a beggining, just read it i do not want to blow it away for you...
peace

Incredible and gripping....., 11 Nov 2003
I decided to buy all the books in the Warcraft series (I think theres 3?) and so far I haven’t been at all disappointed. I love the fantasy aspect which is very much similar to the lord of the rings. Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, Orcs, Dragons and many more mystical creatures patrol the world of Warcraft. This particular book I really connected with, I found the writing incredibly picturesque. Books that do this are the best as it’s like a movie in your head and when you remember it, you just want to read it again just like watching a good film for the second time. A good book also makes you experience various emotions from beginning to end, this book had me feeling happy, sad, angry and intrigued. Lord of the Clans starts of maybe a bit slow for some but once you get into it (If your into fantasy/fiction books) you will be hooked. You travel a journey with Thrall from his birth to his humble entrance into a clan. Thrall himself is created very well, and you feel you really get to know him by the end of the book. I would have liked it to be longer also, perhaps a sequel may be released in the future? Who knows. To anybody reading this I highly recommend this book, Its one of my personal favourites and in my opinion shouldn’t be missed. Very compelling stuff!
Thanx for reading all, peace!

An excellent read - especially for all Warcraft players, 06 May 2003
This is the story of Thrall, a yong orc slave who is trained as a gladiator by human masters but escapes in order to seek out his own people and lead them to freedom. The storyline gradually reveals more about the culture and history of the orc clans, interesting for those already familiar with the Warcraft games. After their total defeat in the wars the orcs are looking for a way forward, which involves rediscovery of their identity and a return to their honourable shamanistic traditions of the past.

Thrall's story has echoes of Sparticus and Conan the Barbarian. As a reader you can empathise with the chatacter as he goes through a series of harsh ordeals before finally emerging as Lord of the Clans.

Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
---
I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
---
Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

If You Were Let Down by Knaak..., 13 Aug 2008
...then rejoice because Christie Golden's "Rise of the Horde" delivers everything you've come to expect from fantasy - an interesting plot, good character development, and, most importantly, professional literary writing that sets it well apart from the stylistic disasters that were "The War of the Ancients" and "Day of the Dragon".

The eventual culmination of the book contains no secrets to anyone who has played World of Warcraft or, indeed, any of the Warcraft RTS games. The backstory of Archimonde, Kil'Jaeden and Velen is very well-told and contains valuable lore for anyone who appreciates World of Warcraft for its, well, world.

As you can imagine, the focal point is the rise (or, as one could say, the fall) of the Orcish Horde. Christie traces its evolution from its humble beginnings as a collection of scattered Orc tribes to its emergence as a single entity - and the dark bargains made and betrayals that took place along the way.

What I like the most about the book is its writing style. Although Christie Golden makes a few stylistic faux pas, they're mostly limited to tautology, and, as such, the book itself feels like a much higher quality read that Knaak's Warcraft works. If you were disappointed by Knaak's works - as I was - then Christie Golden is here to show you that there are still books in the WoW setting that can be read without cringing.

Excellent!, 30 May 2008
This was a great read and leaves you with a wealth of background knowledge on the horde and Draenei!
You learn loads about: Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Velen, Kil'jaeden, The Naaru, Ner'zhul, Guldan, Archimonde, Sargeras, Blackhand, Drek'Thar, Grom Hellscream, Blood Lust, Draenor -Hellfire Peninsula/Terrokar/Nagrand.

The book tells you everything you need to know about the corruption of the Eredar and the escape of Velen and the Draenei, it also tells of the Orcs heritage and tradition and their unification and corruption leading to them waging war on the Draenia and the opening of the Dark Portal.
I found the background to the Draenei's tale particulaty interesting!
An excellent read!

Make sure you follow it up with 'Lord of The Clans' also by Christie Golden, as the tale continues.

Root for the Horde in this tale from the World of Warcraft, 13 Dec 2007
I've always been a big fan of the World of Warcraft game where I play a level 60 Alliance Mage fighting the Horde. So, I was pleasantly surprised with this story that describes their rise - and fall - in a well crafted story that sets the scene for many familiar locations and characters within the game.

Those of you who have purchased The Burning Crusade expansion will also find a wealth of information on the origin of the Draenei race and the building of the Dark Portal, all tightly woven into a well written storyline. Those of you who play the Horde in the game will also find a great deal of information on many, key Horde characters including Durotan and Doomhammer.

Overall, a well told story that is in keeping with the warcraft theme that will keep you entertained and add to the colour of your online gameplay.

For the Horde! (oops I meant the Alliance!)

A refreshing Warcraft read, 30 May 2007
Ever since the release of 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos', I've been a fan of the series of games. They have a great plot and a well thought-out world. I've read all the Warcraft novels that have been released up until now and I have to say this is one of the better. The story is interesting and ties in to the one in the games almost perfectly. Finally we know the story of the orcs on their homeworld Draenor. One problem I had with the novel was with the character Ner'zhul. He was always represented as a person with evil ambitions who converted the orcs to his cause. In this novel however he seems rather reluctant with what's happening. In conclusion, it's a good read, but only if you're a Warcraft fan.

Not quite as good as part I, 22 Dec 2008
I wasn't as keen on this as I was with part I for a couple of reasons.

There were a couple of jarring continuity glitches in the book (notably a scene in which Data is sent out on his own to rendezvous with Janeway, then in the next paragraph, Dr Kaz is with him, despite saying he is staying in sickbay), and also the illness sweeping the planet seems to change from Xakarian to Xanarian flu.

My main complaint of the first book was that the main cast didn't really seem to have much to do, by and large, and I think this book does the same. Secondary characters are more responsible for driving the plot.

The holographic strike story in this book didn't particularly interest me this time round and, in fact, became a bit of a distraction from the Borg and Torres plots.

The book makes a reference to Deus Ex Machina at one point, and unfortunately, I can't help feeling it played at least a small part in wrapping up the book - which I thought was very abruptly done. The whole 500 pages are summed up in literally the last two pages after the Almighty Borg Nanoprobes save the day again.

Characterisations still seemed a little off to me, particularly Seven's, and once again the majority of the Voyager crew is absent, with no real explanation of how they're adjusting to life on Earth, which I would've really liked to see.

While this book also has some good action scenes and excellent pace like its predecessor, it didn't feel as well-rounded an adventure as the first book. And I would've much preferred a character driven/emotional story for Voyager's return than a last triumphant phaser fight with the senior officers fighting side by side one last time. Hopefully the Spirit Walk books will explore these issues for me.

Set a course for home........Now they wish they hadn't!, 17 Feb 2005
Like all Star Trek 2 parters, the first part is the stronger and works things up which is later spoilt by the "floppiness" of the conclusion. It flowed just aswell as Homecoming, and had the same errors. Things were a little to similar to Homecoming though, and we never read about any events in space. The ending has very bad and the follow up books are even worse - just think, would you want Harry Kim firing your phasers???

The Voyager crew united once more..., 16 Feb 2005
As someone who acutely misses the action, intelligence and style of the 'Star Trek Voyager' TV series (and of course, as someone who has read 'Homecoming') this is a must-read! Not only is it well written with humour, tension and sparkle by Christie Golden, but it also captures the essence of the Voyager crew without exception. The unique and engrossing storyline is certainly compelling, but the book's main strength lies in its effortless prose that keep the reader turning the pages. And not least of all...it's wonderful to get a continuation from the 'Endgame' finale!

I found only two problems with 'The Farther Shore'- firstly, the various new characters are given too much limelight. Those whose relevance and place in the story I could recall, I just didn't care enough about and the rest faded from my memory too easily. Secondly- without the excitement of the crew's return to Earth and all that entails extending into this second installment from the first, I didn't feel the plot compensated as much as it should have for that absence. But in conclusion- an excellent read and very reminiscent of those good old days. And it also has an ending that neatly wraps up all loose ends satisfactorily and leaves wide open the possibility for more 'Star Trek Voyager' books to come...

What's that clunking noise?, 25 Nov 2004
What is it with Star Trek two-part stories? The television series always had problems with conclusions, and now the book series is following suit. Unlike the television series, though, the book series is just taking flaws in the first book and expanding on them in the conclusion, making the final installment a step down from the first. Such again is the case with Voyager's relaunch novel, The Farther Shore. After writing my review for Homecoming, I read some other reviews that mentioned that Christie Golden's writing had way too many romance novel tropes. While I don't necessarily agree with that for Homecoming (or at least I don't agree that they were prominent), it is true in spades with A Farther Shore. The writing is trite and evokes too many "bodice-ripper" images for my taste. If this is the way the relaunch is going to continue (and it evidently is completely Golden's ball, handed to her by the editors), then I hope she learns to rein them in.

There are a lot of problems with this book, so I'll start with the good stuff. Golden continues to write the regulars well, as far as characterization goes. She's obviously a fan of the Janeway/Chakotay relationship, though she avoids them falling into bed together, instead giving them a "very close friends who could almost have been lovers" feel. Hopefully, she'll keep it that way in subsequent books. The friendship between them is very well done. Seven is still a little too emotional, but she otherwise is also written well. Torres, off on her own quest for her mother, is finally coming to terms with her dual-heritage, and the scenes between Torres and her mother are very interesting. In fact, the sequences on Boreth with Torres are the best part of the book. Too bad that they didn't have anything to do with the main plot. Also, the Borg plot is interesting in its own way, though I truly hope this is the last gasp of the Borg. Thankfully, the problem ends up being a lot less predictable than "they brought the virus with them," which is nice.

Unfortunately, while the regular characters are done pretty well, the others are not. The main villain of the piece, once revealed, is *way* overdone, sounding shrill at times. The Starfleet admirals that Janeway and others have to deal with also seem way too strident in their feelings toward the Voyager crew. Also, the final resolution, as hard as it is to get there, ends up being way too simple when it finally occurs. It's almost an afterthought, which is not a good thing. The leader of the holographic rebellion is written way over the top, especially when we get the scenes in his fantasy world. I found myself shaking my head way too many times in this book. I also have to wonder at the abrupt end to the holographic rights plot. Perhaps this is going to be picked up in future books?

Which leads me to the main problem with A Farther Shore: the writing. I can live with descriptions of men and women as "muscular" and "beautiful" without thinking a lot about it. I think that's what many reviewers had a problem with in Homecoming. But A Farther Shore takes it one step further, especially with characters we care nothing about. There is a sequence where many Starfleet personnel, as well as other workers, are replaced by holograms, and the real people are placed in some holographic world where they are slaves to the holograms. This is supposedly to teach them what it's like to be oppressed. These scenes involve characters we aren't familiar with at all, and the limited scenes they have in the book before this happens just didn't make me care about them. What's even worse, though, is the way the sequence is written. It seriously is like a romance novel come to life. Lieutenant Andropov is described as being extremely muscular, and the woman who he takes under his wing is quite beautiful. He's old enough to be her father, and thankfully we are spared any romantic entanglements, but we still get prose that's ripped from the bodice of those novels. It made me cringe every time Golden went back there.

Finally, there is one major internal continuity gaffe that is so bad only because the scenes happen one right after the other. In the first scene, the Trill doctor suggests that Data go off for the rendezvous with the other Voyager crewmembers by himself while he continues to work with the holographic Doctor in sickbay. The very next scene, however, is the rendezvous, and the Trill is right there. He speaks quite a lot, and it's obvious not a communication from sickbay. He is right there. Surely this should have been caught in editing even if Golden was writing the scenes out of order and forgot this?

A Farther Shore has an interesting premise with some good characterization (but some horrible characterization too), but the writing just fails it. Romance-lite, overbearing and overdrawn, this book just seems such a let-down after Homecoming. Problems that were below the radar rear their ugly head, and don't bode well for the series. I hope Golden can do better than this.

David Roy

For every Star Trek Voyager fan, 03 Aug 2004
I loved voyager, 7 years and they got home, but what happened next? Did seven and Chakotay get married? Did paris and b'lanna live on earth or Kronis? Did starfleet welcome them with open arms, well this book will answer all your questions. The first book was a great introduction, but the second was a great finish, and one to lead the way for the future. Hidden surpises, new technology, new adventures. This book is real ending and begining of the Voyager story, and one i hope to continue reading. Buy it, if you don't you'll never know what happens....

Surprisingly good, 19 Sep 2008
Its hard to get excited about a book based on a game if you are not a gamer. Having played warcraft i thought it might be interesting to read the stories. Even if you are not into the game you will like this book just as a fantasy reader. Honestly i am going to try get my Mum to read it.
Having rolled Alliance i thought i might not like a book about the Horde. It actually gives you a bit of sympathy for them. This is not hard since the the humans in the book are pretty awful bar one maybe two. It gives you a better understanding of the orc race and what they stand for. If you are expecting a multi-race bonanza you will be disappointed because it just has Orcs and Humans.
Most importantly it is Thrall's story. It is an engrossing tale that only took me a couple of days. For players of WOW it also has an old favourite - Drek'Thar (i like to call him Drekkie-poos). Of added interest is Durnholde and the frost wolf clan in the story.
If you are feeling a bit put-upon and need to get some fight back then read this and take a bit of inspiration from the Orcs. Roar!

Excellent, gripping tale!, 30 May 2008
This book tells the stort of Thrall, Son of Durotan, Warchief of the Horde. The tale is gripping and emersive, leaving me feeling sympathetic to the orcs + wanting to make an orc on WoW! You will learn loads of background lore on: Thrall, Drek'Thar, Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Durnholde Keep/Orc Encampments + more!
It was a real enjoyable read!

Make sure you read Warcraft: 'Rise of the Horde No. 4 (Christie Golden)' prior to this book as it helps set the tale up, it tells the story of Thrall's Mother and Father and their journey to Azeroth.

Best until now, 14 Oct 2006
this is the coolest book i have read in the warcraft books, really good book to read and explain the end of a beggining, just read it i do not want to blow it away for you...
peace

Incredible and gripping....., 11 Nov 2003
I decided to buy all the books in the Warcraft series (I think theres 3?) and so far I haven’t been at all disappointed. I love the fantasy aspect which is very much similar to the lord of the rings. Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, Orcs, Dragons and many more mystical creatures patrol the world of Warcraft. This particular book I really connected with, I found the writing incredibly picturesque. Books that do this are the best as it’s like a movie in your head and when you remember it, you just want to read it again just like watching a good film for the second time. A good book also makes you experience various emotions from beginning to end, this book had me feeling happy, sad, angry and intrigued. Lord of the Clans starts of maybe a bit slow for some but once you get into it (If your into fantasy/fiction books) you will be hooked. You travel a journey with Thrall from his birth to his humble entrance into a clan. Thrall himself is created very well, and you feel you really get to know him by the end of the book. I would have liked it to be longer also, perhaps a sequel may be released in the future? Who knows. To anybody reading this I highly recommend this book, Its one of my personal favourites and in my opinion shouldn’t be missed. Very compelling stuff!
Thanx for reading all, peace!

An excellent read - especially for all Warcraft players, 06 May 2003
This is the story of Thrall, a yong orc slave who is trained as a gladiator by human masters but escapes in order to seek out his own people and lead them to freedom. The storyline gradually reveals more about the culture and history of the orc clans, interesting for those already familiar with the Warcraft games. After their total defeat in the wars the orcs are looking for a way forward, which involves rediscovery of their identity and a return to their honourable shamanistic traditions of the past.

Thrall's story has echoes of Sparticus and Conan the Barbarian. As a reader you can empathise with the chatacter as he goes through a series of harsh ordeals before finally emerging as Lord of the Clans.

Fairly solid outing, 26 Dec 2008
This book had a lot more pace and action to it than part one, which was a nice surprise. I think as the eloquent Mr Roy put it though, there's still far too much romanticising and Astall can be a little bit OTT at times with her almost bipolar attitude swinging between holding back tears and hugging people.

I did commend Golden on bringing the various plot threads together, and especially on the increased pace of the book around page 200 until the end. It's good to see that the seemingly unrelated plots introduced in Old Wounds were actually leading towards the main plot, rather than just giving Janeway and the others not on Voyager something to do.

There are a couple of things that bothered me though - I'd worked out where the Paris story was going early on, and it seemed a bit convenient and cliched to me. Also the characters seemed to keep calling the Maquis traitor Arak Katal by his 'friendly' name, rather than Arak, which struck me as odd.

It did seem to take the crew - and only two of them at that! - quite a while to start questioning Chakotay's behaviour. It makes me think the new security chief isn't up to the job!

I was taken aback again at how quickly the book was resolved - literally in the last couple of pages, as with The Farther Shore. I was hoping that all the plot threads of the relaunch to date would be tidied up and new ones allowed to start with the upcoming Full Circle (under a new author's supervision). Particularly Libby Webber's story.

I'm having a hard time telling if the mole she was chasing in Homecoming is still the same mole as in Spirit Walk, and if so - why no more mentions of selling information and technology to the Orion Syndicate, as it doesn't really seem to fit with what the mole was doing in this book.

Other than that, I think this was a pretty entertaining conclusion to the Spirit Walk story and I'm looking forward to more.

Why didn't i listen to David Roy, 17 Jul 2008
The Spirit Walk books were such a disappointment after reading David Roy's review (whom may I add is usually spot on with his comments) I still went ahead and bought books 1 and 2. The storylines were weak as were the new characters that seemed to dominate the whole of the two books. As a voyager fan I feel cheated, I don't really want to read Voyager books that focus on the new characters more then the old, I want to learn and hear more of the adventures of the characters I am familiar with and have grown to love over the years (I miss them!). I have previously read Buffy books by Christie Golden and had really enjoyed them so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I have to say I really don't think she should write anything more for Voyager, as I fan I was mortified at her portrayal of many of the old Voyager crew I found myself cringing at some of the statements she had each of them reciting so unlike their characters, I would say don't waste your money on these books but then again if you are a Voyager fan you'll probably want to have these in your collection anyway (just as I did)

Is the 'Enemy of my enemy' a friend?, 27 Dec 2004
I loved this book. One of Golden's best. It brings together a unique blend of old and new heroes, villians and of course the famous ship itself. We see Chakotay, and a few others confront the demons of their past and a few secrets from 'Homecoming and The Farther Shore' are reveled.The writing is excellent throughout, the plot well thought and the ending, fabulous. If you enjoyed book one this is a must have. However, if you were expecting something like The Farther Shore you'd be disapointed as this is completly original. Although the entire crew are envolved somewhere, maybe not as we would all hope!
Fab book - Highly recommended!

That was...uh...better?, 17 Dec 2004
After reading Old Wounds, I was left to wonder whether a book series could get any worse. I was almost dreading picking up the second book, Enemy of my Enemy, but since I had already bought it, there didn't seem to be much reason not to. Whatever its problems were, Old Wounds was a quick read, so this one promised to at least be the same (despite being 30 pages longer). I am happy to say that it is a lot better than the first book. I am unhappy to say that the reason for this is because the first one is so bad, not because this one is that good. Enemy of my Enemy doesn't have near the number of howlers as Old Wounds did, but that's mainly because it's using the same story and characters and thus we are used to them.

Enemy of my Enemy contains many of the same problems as Old Wounds, but they aren't as prominent, mainly because there is actually some action and intrigue in this book. The cat and mouse game between "Chakotay" and the doctor got interesting at times, even if some of the scenes were just laughable (especially the scene where Kaz sneaks into Kim's quarters to wake him up. What, the door buzzer doesn't work?). While I didn't buy how long it took for everybody to figure out that something was wrong with Chakotay (as spiritual a man as Chakotay is leaving behind the body of his sister when it would be very easy to retrieve her? That's not the Chakotay I, or most of the others, know), I was able to put that aside and let some of the individual scenes wash over me. Granted, there weren't many of them, but there were a couple. The problem with this plot is that it's not even remotely believable. Not retrieving Sekaya's body is one of the main points. Sure, it makes everybody think that something's wrong, but nobody seems to realize that Chakotay's grief in no way explains it like they seem to think it does. It drags out the plot a lot longer than it should have (but then it'd be a pretty short book, wouldn't it?)

Golden's "romance novel" language is slightly toned down in this one, or at least I didn't notice it as much. There is one "heaving breasts" reference which I had to laugh at, but overall it's not too bad. The prose itself is fairly wooden, but at least I didn't feel like putting my finger down my throat. She has an annoying turn of phrase at times. One time, referring to Kaz and Kim, she actually says "The two Voyagers exchanged glances." Excuse me? Ugh. Golden also continues to have problems keeping continuity within her own books. In Old Wounds, Kaz's previous host's personality keeps coming to the forefront of his mind because his isoboromine levels were too low. Then, on page 97 of this book, he claims that his problems were caused by "elevated" isoboromine levels. Which is it?

Golden gets most of the other characters right (or at least close), but one character continues to stick out as being horribly designed. That is Astall, the Huanni ship's counselor, who continues to be written as overly emotional and, thus, unrealistic as a counselor. "Her huge purple eyes searched his, and tears welled in them. She blinked them back, striving to maintain her professional demeanor despite her almost overwhelming emotions." This is a counselor?

One of my earlier complaints was that the scenes with the holographic doctor and Seven of Nine didn't appear to have anything to do with the story. I still believe that, but at least their few scenes in this book actually did have a little relevance. The same can't be said for Torres' scenes. Torres is on the Klingon monastery world of Boreth, and she begins delving into the prophecies that may involve her daughter. This storyline is clearly intended for subsequent books and just feels shoehorned into this one, bringing what little tension there is in the main plot to a screeching halt. The Deep Space Nine relaunch series does have a lot of continuing plotlines that carry from book to book, but at least all of the characters are interacting within those plots. The O'Briens had gone back to Earth, and they weren't featured in any of the books until they returned to the station. Torres is so far removed from this story that she seems completely out of place in it.

All in all, Enemy of my Enemy is a marginally better book than Old Wounds. Some of the scenes are more interesting, the writing foibles are toned down slightly, and it didn't irritate me nearly as much. Consider it a mild sunburn to the poison oak of Old Wounds. I'm still not going to try any more of these Voyager relaunch books unless they get good reviews from people who are known to have hated these two.

David Roy

Excellent collection with great value, 03 Jun 2008
As the previous reviewer I can't but confirm that the Archive is a definitive collection to get started in Warcraft novels. The attractive package touches upon different parts of WC lore among it's 4 titles and all of them are a great way to build up on what you learn in-game, and even more to furtherly immerse you when you play WoW or WCIII. Highly recommended.

Excellent value, a brilliant read!, 30 May 2008
All the stories are brilliant, you can see my individual reviews of them on each seperate book.
This is great value for the 4 books and don't fear the cheap price does not mean cheap quality, the book is of high quality.
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I mainly bought this for the last book 'Of Blood and Honor' (Chris Metzen) as I had already read the others.
'Of Blood and Honor' is an excellent telling of Tirion Fordring's tale and his relationship with a certain orc and the honor that surrounds it. I really empathised with Tirion throughout the book as it deals with his personal struggles and what he knows at heart is right.

You learn about: Tirion Fordring, Taelan Fordring, Paladins, Uther the Lightbringer, Thrall, Eitrigg, Stratholme, Hearthglen + more.
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Overall an excellent priced and intersting book!

If You Were Let Down by Knaak..., 13 Aug 2008
...then rejoice because Christie Golden's "Rise of the Horde" delivers everything you've come to expect from fantasy - an interesting plot, good character development, and, most importantly, professional literary writing that sets it well apart from the stylistic disasters that were "The War of the Ancients" and "Day of the Dragon".

The eventual culmination of the book contains no secrets to anyone who has played World of Warcraft or, indeed, any of the Warcraft RTS games. The backstory of Archimonde, Kil'Jaeden and Velen is very well-told and contains valuable lore for anyone who appreciates World of Warcraft for its, well, world.

As you can imagine, the focal point is the rise (or, as one could say, the fall) of the Orcish Horde. Christie traces its evolution from its humble beginnings as a collection of scattered Orc tribes to its emergence as a single entity - and the dark bargains made and betrayals that took place along the way.

What I like the most about the book is its writing style. Although Christie Golden makes a few stylistic faux pas, they're mostly limited to tautology, and, as such, the book itself feels like a much higher quality read that Knaak's Warcraft works. If you were disappointed by Knaak's works - as I was - then Christie Golden is here to show you that there are still books in the WoW setting that can be read without cringing.

Excellent!, 30 May 2008
This was a great read and leaves you with a wealth of background knowledge on the horde and Draenei!
You learn loads about: Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Velen, Kil'jaeden, The Naaru, Ner'zhul, Guldan, Archimonde, Sargeras, Blackhand, Drek'Thar, Grom Hellscream, Blood Lust, Draenor -Hellfire Peninsula/Terrokar/Nagrand.

The book tells you everything you need to know about the corruption of the Eredar and the escape of Velen and the Draenei, it also tells of the Orcs heritage and tradition and their unification and corruption leading to them waging war on the Draenia and the opening of the Dark Portal.
I found the background to the Draenei's tale particulaty interesting!
An excellent read!

Make sure you follow it up with 'Lord of The Clans' also by Christie Golden, as the tale continues.

Root for the Horde in this tale from the World of Warcraft, 13 Dec 2007
I've always been a big fan of the World of Warcraft game where I play a level 60 Alliance Mage fighting the Horde. So, I was pleasantly surprised with this story that describes their rise - and fall - in a well crafted story that sets the scene for many familiar locations and characters within the game.

Those of you who have purchased The Burning Crusade expansion will also find a wealth of information on the origin of the Draenei race and the building of the Dark Portal, all tightly woven into a well written storyline. Those of you who play the Horde in the game will also find a great deal of information on many, key Horde characters including Durotan and Doomhammer.

Overall, a well told story that is in keeping with the warcraft theme that will keep you entertained and add to the colour of your online gameplay.

For the Horde! (oops I meant the Alliance!)

A refreshing Warcraft read, 30 May 2007
Ever since the release of 'Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos', I've been a fan of the series of games. They have a great plot and a well thought-out world. I've read all the Warcraft novels that have been released up until now and I have to say this is one of the better. The story is interesting and ties in to the one in the games almost perfectly. Finally we know the story of the orcs on their homeworld Draenor. One problem I had with the novel was with the character Ner'zhul. He was always represented as a person with evil ambitions who converted the orcs to his cause. In this novel however he seems rather reluctant with what's happening. In conclusion, it's a good read, but only if you're a Warcraft fan.

Not quite as good as part I, 22 Dec 2008
I wasn't as keen on this as I was with part I for a couple of reasons.

There were a couple of jarring continuity glitches in the book (notably a scene in which Data is sent out on his own to rendezvous with Janeway, then in the next paragraph, Dr Kaz is with him, despite saying he is staying in sickbay), and also the illness sweeping the planet seems to change from Xakarian to Xanarian flu.

My main complaint of the first book was that the main cast didn't really seem to have much to do, by and large, and I think this book does the same. Secondary characters are more responsible for driving the plot.

The holographic strike story in this book didn't particularly interest me this time round and, in fact, became a bit of a distraction from the Borg and Torres plots.

The book makes a reference to Deus Ex Machina at one point, and unfortunately, I can't help feeling it played at least a small part in wrapping up the book - which I thought was very abruptly done. The whole 500 pages are summed up in literally the last two pages after the Almighty Borg Nanoprobes save the day again.

Characterisations still seemed a little off to me, particularly Seven's, and once again the majority of the Voyager crew is absent, with no real explanation of how they're adjusting to life on Earth, which I would've really liked to see.

While this book also has some good action scenes and excellent pace like its predecessor, it didn't feel as well-rounded an adventure as the first book. And I would've much preferred a character driven/emotional story for Voyager's return than a last triumphant phaser fight with the senior officers fighting side by side one last time. Hopefully the Spirit Walk books will explore these issues for me.

Set a course for home........Now they wish they hadn't!, 17 Feb 2005
Like all Star Trek 2 parters, the first part is the stronger and works things up which is later spoilt by the "floppiness" of the conclusion. It flowed just aswell as Homecoming, and had the same errors. Things were a little to similar to Homecoming though, and we never read about any events in space. The ending has very bad and the follow up books are even worse - just think, would you want Harry Kim firing your phasers???

The Voyager crew united once more..., 16 Feb 2005
As someone who acutely misses the action, intelligence and style of the 'Star Trek Voyager' TV series (and of course, as someone who has read 'Homecoming') this is a must-read! Not only is it well written with humour, tension and sparkle by Christie Golden, but it also captures the essence of the Voyager crew without exception. The unique and engrossing storyline is certainly compelling, but the book's main strength lies in its effortless prose that keep the reader turning the pages. And not least of all...it's wonderful to get a continuation from the 'Endgame' finale!

I found only two problems with 'The Farther Shore'- firstly, the various new characters are given too much limelight. Those whose relevance and place in the story I could recall, I just didn't care enough about and the rest faded from my memory too easily. Secondly- without the excitement of the crew's return to Earth and all that entails extending into this second installment from the first, I didn't feel the plot compensated as much as it should have for that absence. But in conclusion- an excellent read and very reminiscent of those good old days. And it also has an ending that neatly wraps up all loose ends satisfactorily and leaves wide open the possibility for more 'Star Trek Voyager' books to come...

What's that clunking noise?, 25 Nov 2004
What is it with Star Trek two-part stories? The television series always had problems with conclusions, and now the book series is following suit. Unlike the television series, though, the book series is just taking flaws in the first book and expanding on them in the conclusion, making the final installment a step down from the first. Such again is the case with Voyager's relaunch novel, The Farther Shore. After writing my review for Homecoming, I read some other reviews that mentioned that Christie Golden's writing had way too many romance novel tropes. While I don't necessarily agree with that for Homecoming (or at least I don't agree that they were prominent), it is true in spades with A Farther Shore. The writing is trite and evokes too many "bodice-ripper" images for my taste. If this is the way the relaunch is going to continue (and it evidently is completely Golden's ball, handed to her by the editors), then I hope she learns to rein them in.

There are a lot of problems with this book, so I'll start with the good stuff. Golden continues to write the regulars well, as far as characterization goes. She's obviously a fan of the Janeway/Chakotay relationship, though she avoids them falling into bed together, instead giving them a "very close friends who could almost have been lovers" feel. Hopefully, she'll keep it that way in subsequent books. The friendship between them is very well done. Seven is still a little too emotional, but she otherwise is also written well. Torres, off on her own quest for her mother, is finally coming to terms with her dual-heritage, and the scenes between Torres and her mother are very interesting. In fact, the sequences on Boreth with Torres are the best part of the book. Too bad that they didn't have anything to do with the main plot. Also, the Borg plot is interesting in its own way, though I truly hope this is the last gasp of the Borg. Thankfully, the problem ends up being a lot less predictable than "they brought the virus with them," which is nice.

Unfortunately, while the regular characters are done pretty well, the others are not. The main villain of the piece, once revealed, is *way* overdone, sounding shrill at times. The Starfleet admirals that Janeway and others have to deal with also seem way too strident in their feelings toward the Voyager crew. Also, the final resolution, as hard as it is to get there, ends up being way too simple when it finally occurs. It's almost an afterthought, which is not a good thing. The leader of the holographic rebellion is written way over the top, especially when we get the scenes in his fantasy world. I found myself shaking my head way too many times in this book. I also have to wonder at the abrupt end to the holographic rights plot. Perhaps this is going to be picked up in future books?

Which leads me to the main problem with A Farther Shore: the writing. I can live with descriptions of men and women as "muscular" and "beautiful" without thinking a lot about it. I think that's what many reviewers had a problem with in Homecoming. But A Farther Shore takes it one step further, especially with characters we care nothing about. There is a sequence where many Starfleet personnel, as well as other workers, are replaced by holograms, and the real people are placed in some holographic world where they are slaves to the holograms. This is supposedly to teach them what it's like to be oppressed. These scenes involve characters we aren't familiar with at all, and the limited scenes they have in the book before this happens just didn't make me care about them. What's even worse, though, is the way the sequence is written. It seriously is like a romance novel come to life. Lieutenant Andropov is described as being extremely muscular, and the woman who he takes under his wing is quite beautiful. He's old enough to be her father, and thankfully we are spared any romantic entanglements, but we still get prose that's ripped from the bodice of those novels. It made me cringe every time Golden went back there.

Finally, there is one major internal continuity gaffe that is so bad only because the scenes happen one right after the other. In the first scene, the Trill doctor suggests that Data go off for the rendezvous with the other Voyager crewmembers by himself while he continues to work with the holographic Doctor in sickbay. The very next scene, however, is the rendezvous, and the Trill is right there. He speaks quite a lot, and it's obvious not a communication from sickbay. He is right there. Surely this should have been caught in editing even if Golden was writing the scenes out of order and forgot this?

A Farther Shore has an interesting premise with some good characterization (but some horrible characterization too), but the writing just fails it. Romance-lite, overbearing and overdrawn, this book just seems such a let-down after Homecoming. Problems that were below the radar rear their ugly head, and don't bode well for the series. I hope Golden can do better than this.

David Roy

For every Star Trek Voyager fan, 03 Aug 2004
I loved voyager, 7 years and they got home, but what happened next? Did seven and Chakotay get married? Did paris and b'lanna live on earth or Kronis? Did starfleet welcome them with open arms, well this book will answer all your questions. The first book was a great introduction, but the second was a great finish, and one to lead the way for the future. Hidden surpises, new technology, new adventures. This book is real ending and begining of the Voyager story, and one i hope to continue reading. Buy it, if you don't you'll never know what happens....

Surprisingly good, 19 Sep 2008
Its hard to get excited about a book based on a game if you are not a gamer. Having played warcraft i thought it might be interesting to read the stories. Even if you are not into the game you will like this book just as a fantasy reader. Honestly i am going to try get my Mum to read it.
Having rolled Alliance i thought i might not like a book about the Horde. It actually gives you a bit of sympathy for them. This is not hard since the the humans in the book are pretty awful bar one maybe two. It gives you a better understanding of the orc race and what they stand for. If you are expecting a multi-race bonanza you will be disappointed because it just has Orcs and Humans.
Most importantly it is Thrall's story. It is an engrossing tale that only took me a couple of days. For players of WOW it also has an old favourite - Drek'Thar (i like to call him Drekkie-poos). Of added interest is Durnholde and the frost wolf clan in the story.
If you are feeling a bit put-upon and need to get some fight back then read this and take a bit of inspiration from the Orcs. Roar!

Excellent, gripping tale!, 30 May 2008
This book tells the stort of Thrall, Son of Durotan, Warchief of the Horde. The tale is gripping and emersive, leaving me feeling sympathetic to the orcs + wanting to make an orc on WoW! You will learn loads of background lore on: Thrall, Drek'Thar, Durotan, Ogrim Doomhammer, Durnholde Keep/Orc Encampments + more!
It was a real enjoyable read!

Make sure you read Warcraft: 'Rise of the Horde No. 4 (Christie Golden)' prior to this book as it helps set the tale up, it tells the story of Thrall's Mother and Father and their journey to Azeroth.

Best until now, 14 Oct 2006
this is the coolest book i have read in the warcraft books, really good book to read and explain the end of a beggining, just read it i do not want to blow it away for you...
peace

Incredible and gripping....., 11 Nov 2003
I decided to buy all the books in the Warcraft series (I think theres 3?) and so far I haven’t been at all disappointed. I love the fantasy aspect which is very much similar to the lord of the rings. Elves, Dwarfs, Humans, Orcs, Dragons and many more mystical creatures patrol the world of Warcraft. This particular book I really connected with, I found the writing incredibly picturesque. Books that do this are the best as it’s like a movie in your head and when you remember it, you just want to read it again just like watching a good film for the second time. A good book also makes you experience various emotions from beginning to end, this book had me feeling happy, sad, angry and intrigued. Lord of the Clans starts of maybe a bit slow for some but once you get into it (If your into fantasy/fiction books) you will be hooked. You travel a journey with Thrall from his birth to his humble entrance into a clan. Thrall himself is created very well, and you feel you really get to know him by the end of the book. I would have liked it to be longer also, perhaps a sequel may be released in the future? Who knows. To anybody reading this I highly recommend this book, Its one of my personal favourites and in my opinion shouldn’t be missed. Very compelling stuff!
Thanx for reading all, peace!

An excellent read - especially for all Warcraft players, 06 May 2003
This is the story of Thrall, a yong orc slave who is trained as a gladiator by human masters but escapes in order to seek out his own people and lead them to freedom. The storyline gradually reveals more about the culture and history of the orc clans, interesting for those already familiar with the Warcraft games. After their total defeat in the wars the orcs are looking for a way forward, which involves rediscovery of their identity and a return to their honourable shamanistic traditions of the past.

Thrall's story has echoes of Sparticus and Conan the Barbarian. As a reader you can empathise with the chatacter as he goes through a series of harsh ordeals before finally emerging as Lord of the Clans.

Fairly solid outing, 26 Dec 2008
This book had a lot more pace and action to it than part one, which was a nice surprise. I think as the eloquent Mr Roy put it though, there's still far too much romanticising and Astall can be a little bit OTT at times with her almost bipolar attitude swinging between holding back tears and hugging people.

I did commend Golden on bringing the various plot threads together, and especially on the increased pace of the book around page 200 until the end. It's good to see that the seemingly unrelated plots introduced in Old Wounds were actually leading towards the main plot, rather than just giving Janeway and the others not on Voyager something to do.

There are a couple of things that bothered me though - I'd worked out where the Paris story was going early on, and it seemed a bit convenient and cliched to me. Also the characters seemed to keep calling the Maquis traitor Arak Katal by his 'friendly' name, rather than Arak, which struck me as odd.

It did seem to take the crew - and only two of them at that! - quite a while to start questioning Chakotay's behaviour. It makes me think the new security chief isn't up to the job!

I was taken aback again at how quickly the book was resolved - literally in the last couple of pages, as with The Farther Shore. I was hoping that all the plot threads of the relaunch to date would be tidied up and new ones allowed to start with the upcoming Full Circle (under a new author's supervision). Particularly Libby Webber's story.

I'm having a hard time telling if the mole she was chasing in Homecoming is still the same mole as in Spirit Walk, and if so - why no more mentions of selling information and technology to the Orion Syndicate, as it doesn't really seem to fit with what the mole was doing in this book.

Other than that, I think this was a pretty entertaining conclusion to the Spirit Walk story and I'm looking forward to more.

Why didn't i listen to David Roy, 17 Jul 2008
The Spirit Walk books were such a disappointment after reading David Roy's review (whom may I add is usually spot on with his comments) I still went ahead and bought books 1 and 2. The storylines were weak as were the new characters that seemed to dominate the whole of the two books. As a voyager fan I feel cheated, I don't really want to read Voyager books that focus on the new characters more then the old, I want to learn and hear more of the adventures of the characters I am familiar with and have grown to love over the years (I miss them!). I have previously read Buffy books by Christie Golden and had really enjoyed them so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I have to say I really don't think she should write anything more for Voyager, as I fan I was mortified at her portrayal of many of the old Voyager crew I found myself cringing at some of the statements she had each of them reciting so unlike their characters, I would say don't waste your money on these books but then again if you are a Voyager fan you'll probably want to have these in your collection anyway (just as I did)

Is the 'Enemy of my enemy' a friend?, 27 Dec 2004
I loved this book. One of Golden's best. It brings together a unique blend of old and new heroes, villians and of course the famous ship itself. We see Chakotay, and a few others confront the demons of their past and a few secrets from 'Homecoming and The Farther Shore' are reveled.The writing is excellent throughout, the plot well thought and the ending, fabulous. If you enjoyed book one this is a must have. However, if you were expecting something like The Farther Shore you'd be disapointed as this is completly original. Although the entire crew are envolved somewhere, maybe not as we would all hope!
Fab book - Highly recommended!

That was...uh...better?, 17 Dec 2004
After reading Old Wounds, I was left to wonder whether a book series could get any worse. I was almost dreading picking up the second book, Enemy of my Enemy, but since I had already bought it, there didn't seem to be much reason not to. Whatever its problems were, Old Wounds was a quick read, so this one promised to at least be the same (despite being 30 pages longer). I am happy to say that it is a lot better than the first book. I am unhappy to say that the reason for this is because the first one is so bad, not because this one is that good. Enemy of my Enemy doesn't have near the number of howlers as Old Wounds did, but that's mainly because it's using the same story and characters and thus we are used to them.

Enemy of my Enemy contains many of the same problems as Old Wounds, but they aren't as prominent, mainly because there is actually some action and intrigue in this book. The cat and mouse game between "Chakotay" and the doctor got interesting at times, even if some of the scenes were just laughable (especially the scene where Kaz sneaks into Kim's quarters to wake him up. What, the door buzzer doesn't work?). While I didn't buy how long it took for everybody to figure out that something was wrong with Chakotay (as spiritual a man as Chakotay is leaving behind the body of his sister when it would be very easy to retrieve her? That's not the Chakotay I, or most of the others, know), I was able to put that aside and let some of the individual scenes wash over me. Granted, there weren't many of them, but there were a couple. The problem with this plot is that it's not even remotely believable. Not retrieving Sekaya's body is one of the main points. Sure, it makes everybody think that something's wrong, but nobody seems to realize that Chakotay's grief in no way explains it like they seem to think it does. It drags out the plot a lot longer than it should have (but then it'd be a pretty short book, wouldn't it?)

Golden's "romance novel" language is slightly toned down in this one, or at least I didn't notice it as much. There is one "heaving breasts" reference which I had to laugh at, but overall it's not too bad. The prose itself is fairly wooden, but at least I didn't feel like putting my finger down my throat. She has an annoying turn of phrase at times. One time, referring to Kaz and Kim, she actually says "The two Voyagers exchanged glances." Excuse me? Ugh. Golden also continues to have problems keeping continuity within her own books. In Old Wounds, Kaz's previous host's personality keeps coming to the forefront of his mind because his isoboromine levels were too low. Then, on page 97 of this book, he claims that his problems were caused by "elevated" isoboromine levels. Which is it?

Golden gets most of the other characters right (or at least close), but one character continues to stick out as being horribly designed. That is Astall, the Huanni ship's counselor, who continues to be written as overly emotional and, thus, unrealistic as a counselor. "Her huge purple eyes searched his, and tears welled in them. She blinked them back, striving to maintain her professional demeanor despite her almost overwhelming emotions." This is a counselor?

One of my earlier complaints was that the scenes with the holographic doctor and Seven of Nine didn't appear to have anything to do with the story. I still believe that, but at least their few scenes in this book actually did have a little relevance. The same can't be said for Torres' scenes. Torres is on the Klingon monastery world of Boreth, and she begins delving into the prophecies that may involve her daughter. This storyline is clearly intended for subsequent books and just feels shoehorned into this one, bringing what little tension there is in the main plot to a screeching halt. The Deep Space Nine relaunch series does have a lot of continuing plotlines that carry from book to book, but at least all of the characters are interacting within those plots. The O'Briens had gone back to Earth, and they weren't featured in any of the books until they returned to the station. Torres is so far removed from this story that she seems completely out of place in it.

All in all, Enemy of my Enemy is a marginally better book than Old Wounds. Some of the scenes are more interesting, the writing foibles are toned down slightly, and it didn't irritate me nearly as much. Consider it a mild sunburn to the poison oak of Old Wounds. I'm still not going to try any more of these Voyager relaunch books unless they get good reviews from people who are known to have hated these two.

David Roy

WOW! Mindblowing end to a fantastic Star Trek Series., 20 Aug 2001
I bought this book due to the fact that I was going to miss the UK premier of Endgame on Sky One and there is NO DIFFERENCE between the two. I found this book to be just as great and exciting as the TV show. But this has something special at the end that the show lacks, a 4 chapter story of the Homecoming of voyager, which features cameo appearances of Troi and none other than Captain Picard. If you loved the show version, buy this book - the insights into the characters is great. What they are thinking etc. Its alot more deeper than the show. Buy this book if you are a fan. It wont dissapoint!

Best book ever, 18 Jul 2001
For seven tumultuous years, the U.S.S. Voyager" has explored the Delta Quadrant, encountering strange alien civilizations and bizarre space-time anomalies as it steadfastly made its way back toward the safety of Federation space. Captain Kathryn Janeway and her heroic crew have faced all manner of harrowing danger and hostile life-forms -- including the Kazons, the Borg, and the Q -- while never losing sight of their ultimate goal: home. Now, at last, Voyager's epic trek may be nearing its end...

After so many perilous and astounding adventures, will Captain Janeway finally bring her wayward starship back to the Alpha Quadrant? And what will become of her diverse yet tightly knit crew? Will Chakotay, B'Elanna Torres, and the other former Maquis freedom fighters face long-delayed justice for their crimes against the Federation? And is there any place in Starfleet for the uniquely independent Borg known as Seven of Nine?

As the ultimate destiny of Voyager is revealed, all that is certain is that nothing will ever be the same! This book is great and brings out alot of things that the episode on tv does not. This is for any voyager fan!

Will they make it home?, 17 Jul 2001
This great book tells the tale of the fate of the U.S.S. Voyager as they struggle to make it home with the help of a visitor from the future, and face the final confrontation with their ultimate enemy The Borg. The book baced on the television episode and is a wonderful ending to Star Trek Voyager.