Mystery of the Missing Crew

Star Trek: Starfleet Kadetten #11

by Michael Jan Friedman, Catherine Huerta (Cover Art), Todd Cameron Hamilton (Interior Illustrations)

Before he was an office aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise...

An android is found in the ruins of a colony on Omicron Theta. The crew of the Tripoli reactivate the android and discover his name is Data, a name that suits his incredible curiosity. With the encouragement of his new friends, Data applies to Starfleet Academy and is accepted.

Cadet Data begins his journey to Starfleet Academy aboard the science vessel, Yosemite. Even as he looks forward to the Academy, he struggles to find his own identity and to fit in with the other cadets.

But Data's worries are cut short when the Yosemite is suddenly attacked by an unknown vessel and suffers severe damage. When power is restored, Data discovers that the adult crew has mysteriously disappeared, and only Data and the other Academy-bound cadets are left to face the wrath of a new alien race, who are demanding that Data and his cadet crew surrender their ship, or be destroyed!

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Star Trek The Next Generation, Fiction

119 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Michael Jan Friedman is an author of more than seventy books of fiction and nonfiction, half of which are in the Star Trek universe. Eleven of his titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. Friedman has also written for network and cable television and radio, and scripted nearly 200 comic books, including his original DC superhero series, the Darkstars.

Reviews

[Octavia Cade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like that this quick children's tie-in novel is strongly centred in the Star Trek ethos - that alien species are beings that can be communicated with and worked with, and that no matter how threatening they may initially seem, common ground can be found. The execution, on the other hand, is a little baffling. On his way to join the Academy, Data and a handful of other would-be cadets are faced with a situation that they have to handle alone, after the disappearance of all the ship's officers. And it's basically likeable, I suppose, but it's hard to get around the fact that none of these other young people do anything. Every action, every suggestion... everything comes from Data, and so I'm left wondering what was the point of having them there? Honestly, if the other cadets had disappeared along with the rest of the crew, nothing functionally would have changed with regard to the plot. And that just seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity, really.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

With any Star Trek book, regular or 'Young Adult', I really only have one requirement: that they would make a good episode/two parter/movie/season of their respective show. The Starfleet Academy books have a lot going against them in that regard. First, the simplified use of language. Second, because of licensing rights and quite frankly Minstrel/Pocket Books not think it was a good idea to do in a 'kiddizied' Star Trek, not telling stories in the traditional Star Trek way where they take a modern social issue and disguise it as science fiction. So they are basically neutered Star Trek. Which is strange because when I was in elementary school I remember finding the Star Trek: Whichways book and the James Blish novelizations in the third grade and up section. Third, you're dealing with the characters we've come to know and love when they were teenagers. Only they are really allowed to act like teenagers. (Teenagers with almost no hormones at least in this one that makes sense. Data's sex drive program wasn't activated until The Naked Now.) And it's not like there haven't been good Junior Star Trek novels. The first three- the Worf Trilogy- was really good.

But the failure of this book is a shame. I've liked a lot of Michael Jan Friedman's other Trek books and comics. Enough that I can forgive a lot. And the first three or four chapters, where we got Data's origin story match with what the show has told us and fills in quite a few gaps. It's when it gets to the 'unknown alien(s) of the week aspect of the story that it sort looses its way. If they had JUST done a story where had to deal with his sense of alienation without a sort of cosmic threat you would have had a much better and much more Star Trek kind of story.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute episode-esk book. It followed Data while a civilian. The author did a decent job of capturing his thoughts, but it felt much more like a fourth season Data then a pre-first season Data.

[Vorik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Der Autor hat Probleme bei Datas Figurenzeichnung, der schlichten Handlung fehlt es an Glaubwürdigkeit und die Dialoge sind manchmal fast auf Kinderbuchniveau. Diesen Kadettenroman kann man getrost auslassen.

[Will Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit boring and stilted, and didn't really "feel" like Data, but a fun enough sci-fi read.

[Scott Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sort of cute Data prequel story. It foreshadows his penchant for solving puzzles and mysteries that will so often save our Enterprise heroes later on.

[Mikael Kuoppala · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical, not bad but generally unimpressive academy story where our protagonist must turn unfair challenges into strength. Not nearly as clichéd as some stories, but still somehow soulless, "Mystery of the Missing Crew" works as a straightforward sci-fi mystery, but is too simple and unchallenging to impress.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Data has been found, and he decides to join the academy. On his way there, something strange happens to the ship he is on. Data is well depicted and acts within character. The plot didnt grab me as much as other academy books though. The artist does not seem to have really captured Data, and that is slightly distracting. A good read.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very happy with this book. I have been a fan of Star Trek Next Generation for years. It was great to learn more about Data who happens to have been my favorite person from the Next Generation series. I would recommend this book to any next gen fans along with the other books in this series.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

satisfying and cinematic, but doesn't fill me with quite the same glee as some others in the series. I wish the other Yann had been a bit less interchangeable, although I suppose there wasn't much time to give them all as much attention as Sinna.

[André · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool! The story is about how Data was found by the USS Tripoli. Nice and interesting story... Michael J. Friedman is one of my favorite Star Trek authors, I need to say.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the books of my very early childhood, oh, the love and hope and warmth and adventure these gave me as a kid.

[Partridge Public]

Friedman, Michael J. PB