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Will Riker believes that it is an honor to belong to the Starfleet Academy Band. When the big competition on the resort planet of Pacifica takes place, the Starfleet Academy Band is so good that they attract the attention of an alien warship. They are given a choice--perform for alien troops or be destroyed.
103 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 2, 2018
This one was pretty ridiculous. Just imagine young Will Riker running for his life in the middle of a war desperately gripping his trombone. Yup.
September 21, 2015
One of my least favourite Academy books starring Geordi and Riker in the Academy band.
March 24, 2024
This was so fun, all the characters were on point, and it was written very well. I loved how they portrayed young Riker!
It was a kind of silly plot, with the band, and how they defeat the armies, but I still found it very fun to read.
It was a kind of silly plot, with the band, and how they defeat the armies, but I still found it very fun to read.
January 16, 2018
A quick read, a little silly in parts but not horrible.
September 4, 2023
I just don’t think this was a particularly Star Trek kind of story.
December 23, 2024
This one’s a bit silly, but probably entertaining enough for young kids.
May 24, 2022
I don't think it's adequate for ages 9 - 12, too much violence
June 9, 2012
John Vornholt is a very two-faced Trek author. He has the ability to write ambitious and well written stories as well as producing just as many naíve and brainless action adventures.
"Crossfire" is the purest example of the latter.
The main character is the drily portrayed younger version of Geordi LaForge, who works as a roadie for the Starfleet Academy Big Band, where the equally dimensionless younger version of Will Riker plays the trombone. The book starts with the band traveling to a music competition on Pasifica, the often mentioned vacation planet of Starfleet officers.
The first half of this ridiculously short but still overstreched story centeres around the question of the band winning or not, with tons of unnecessary and clumsy scenes filling the pages. The action begins as a bunch of Orios kidnapp the band.
Why?
Because they like the way the youngsters play and want them for themselves. Perhaps they can't afford the CD...
The muscicians are taken to a planet where Orion troops are fighting as mercinaries in a war they've got nothing to do with, and the band is instructed to cheer them up. And of course the fighting begins just as they get there, leaving LaForge and Riker stranded together in the middle of a war zone. Probably needless to say, the book has a discusting 'Happily Ever After'-ending wich involves a lot of technobabble and a solution any reader can figure out aeons before the characters.
By the end of the novel I was truly perplexed by the question of how such a potentially talented author could waste his time on something so utterly horrible.
"Crossfire" is the purest example of the latter.
The main character is the drily portrayed younger version of Geordi LaForge, who works as a roadie for the Starfleet Academy Big Band, where the equally dimensionless younger version of Will Riker plays the trombone. The book starts with the band traveling to a music competition on Pasifica, the often mentioned vacation planet of Starfleet officers.
The first half of this ridiculously short but still overstreched story centeres around the question of the band winning or not, with tons of unnecessary and clumsy scenes filling the pages. The action begins as a bunch of Orios kidnapp the band.
Why?
Because they like the way the youngsters play and want them for themselves. Perhaps they can't afford the CD...
The muscicians are taken to a planet where Orion troops are fighting as mercinaries in a war they've got nothing to do with, and the band is instructed to cheer them up. And of course the fighting begins just as they get there, leaving LaForge and Riker stranded together in the middle of a war zone. Probably needless to say, the book has a discusting 'Happily Ever After'-ending wich involves a lot of technobabble and a solution any reader can figure out aeons before the characters.
By the end of the novel I was truly perplexed by the question of how such a potentially talented author could waste his time on something so utterly horrible.
May 11, 2015
Geordi is a roadie for the Academy band. They need a trombone player, and Will Riker applies. The band go off planet to play in a competition but things get serious when an Orion really likes the bands music. This is a fun story, and its interesting to see a young Riker. There are no illustrations in this book, unlike others in the series. A good read.
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April 9, 2009SF-Vor
June 22, 2010
One of the weaker books of the series, but still a fun adventure.
June 13, 2015
disappointing in comparison to Vornholt's other contribution to the series — Crossfire is passable, but lacks Capture the Flag's charm and heart.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews