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Star Trek: TNG Movie Novelizations #2
Star Trek: First Contact
Die Borg greifen an
Die Borg greifen die Erde an. Die Enterprise-E kämpft zusammen mit den anderen Föderationsschiffen gegen die Würfelraumer der Borg, doch ein kleines Schiff des Feindes dringt bis zur Erde vor und öffnet einen Zeittunnel. Captain Picard erkennt die Absichten der Sie wollen den Flug des ersten Warp-Schiffes, der Phoenix , verhindern und damit den ersten Kontakt zwischen Menchen und Vulkanier unterbinden, der die Basis für die Entstehung der Föderation ist. Die Enterprise taucht ebenfalls in den Zeittunnel, um die Zukunft der Erde zu retten.
Die Borg greifen die Erde an. Die Enterprise-E kämpft zusammen mit den anderen Föderationsschiffen gegen die Würfelraumer der Borg, doch ein kleines Schiff des Feindes dringt bis zur Erde vor und öffnet einen Zeittunnel. Captain Picard erkennt die Absichten der Sie wollen den Flug des ersten Warp-Schiffes, der Phoenix , verhindern und damit den ersten Kontakt zwischen Menchen und Vulkanier unterbinden, der die Basis für die Entstehung der Föderation ist. Die Enterprise taucht ebenfalls in den Zeittunnel, um die Zukunft der Erde zu retten.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1996
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758 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Dillard
48 books114 followersJ.M. Dillard is the pseudonym under which Jeanne Kalogridis (b. 1954) publishes her Star Trek novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
November 15, 2023
Star Trek: First Contact is the novelization of the eighth Star Trek movie by J. M. Dillard. It is based on the story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, and Ronald D. Moore, and the Screenplay by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore. It was published by Pocket Books and released in Hardcover in December 1996.
J. M. Dillard is no stranger to Star Trek storytelling, as she has written numerous novels in the universe, but also has written the most movie novelizations (totaling at 6). She has a mixed bag so far for me. She wrote Star Trek The Undiscovered Country novelization, which I thought was superb, the Star Trek Generations novelization, which I also thought was superb, and the Star Trek The Final Frontier novelization, which I thought was ok. This book lines up closer in the “it’s fine” category of novelizations.
Interestingly, I believe that this is the best of the next generation era movies (certainly not an unpopular opinion in the Trek fandom). However, Dillard adds little to this book in terms of new scenes, dialogue or context. What she does add wasn’t particularly exciting to me as a reader.
The two characters who get additions are Zefram Cochrane and Lily. We get a few scenes featuring Lily’s backstory, explaining her time during the 3rd World War, as well as some new quick scenes of her during this story. We also have some scenes with Coochrane, and while they provide a little insight to his character, it doesn’t add much in the grand scope of the storytelling.
The best of the previous Trek novelizations, Search for Spock, The Undiscovered Country, and Generations worked so well because they recontextualized the movie and made me connect even more to the characters. The Trek novelizations that didn’t work, like Wrath of Khan and The Final Frontier didn’t work for me, because I felt exactly the same connection to the characters after finishing the book. Unfortunately, First Contact follows the later novelizations. I left feeling exactly the same emotions I entered.
In terms of characters, Jean Luc Picard is obviously the star character of the movie and is the star character here in the book. And we get to see a lot of his insights as he grapples with the Borg threat. However, most of the insights we see here are things we could easily infer in the movie, as Patrick Stewart was able to convey so much not only in his line delivery, but in his facial acting. As such, these additions feel hollow and unnecessary.
What could have made this book stellar would have been some added scenes about the Borg cube on its way to attack earth, or perhaps more of Earth’s battle before the Enterprise-E shows up. It also could have been cool to read a chapter from the perspective of the “assimilated earth” that we see for a fraction of a paragraph in the book. Unfortunately, none of these things are present, and we are left with a lackluster paint-by-numbers retelling of what’s in the movie.
There is a small section at the end of the book by Judith Reeves-Stevens and Garfield Reeves-Stevens that provides some behind the scenes information on the making of the movie, from the writing and early development to the actors involved and the production design process and choosing the director. While this was a little interesting, it didn’t add as much as the same section added in the Generations novelization and thus feels like an attempt to bulge up an already slim book.
Its sad to be so critical of a book, but when your novelization adds so little its demoralizing to a reader. Especially so when we know that J. M. Dillard has delivered fantastic novelizations in the past! And considering this is a pretty good movie, the novelization should have been a hit. Nonetheless, I’ll give the book 2 out of 5. Sadly, not a banner novelization for Star Trek. I actually think it ranks as my least favorite novelization I’ve read so far. But hopefully I will enjoy the Insurrection novelization next month.
J. M. Dillard is no stranger to Star Trek storytelling, as she has written numerous novels in the universe, but also has written the most movie novelizations (totaling at 6). She has a mixed bag so far for me. She wrote Star Trek The Undiscovered Country novelization, which I thought was superb, the Star Trek Generations novelization, which I also thought was superb, and the Star Trek The Final Frontier novelization, which I thought was ok. This book lines up closer in the “it’s fine” category of novelizations.
Interestingly, I believe that this is the best of the next generation era movies (certainly not an unpopular opinion in the Trek fandom). However, Dillard adds little to this book in terms of new scenes, dialogue or context. What she does add wasn’t particularly exciting to me as a reader.
The two characters who get additions are Zefram Cochrane and Lily. We get a few scenes featuring Lily’s backstory, explaining her time during the 3rd World War, as well as some new quick scenes of her during this story. We also have some scenes with Coochrane, and while they provide a little insight to his character, it doesn’t add much in the grand scope of the storytelling.
The best of the previous Trek novelizations, Search for Spock, The Undiscovered Country, and Generations worked so well because they recontextualized the movie and made me connect even more to the characters. The Trek novelizations that didn’t work, like Wrath of Khan and The Final Frontier didn’t work for me, because I felt exactly the same connection to the characters after finishing the book. Unfortunately, First Contact follows the later novelizations. I left feeling exactly the same emotions I entered.
In terms of characters, Jean Luc Picard is obviously the star character of the movie and is the star character here in the book. And we get to see a lot of his insights as he grapples with the Borg threat. However, most of the insights we see here are things we could easily infer in the movie, as Patrick Stewart was able to convey so much not only in his line delivery, but in his facial acting. As such, these additions feel hollow and unnecessary.
What could have made this book stellar would have been some added scenes about the Borg cube on its way to attack earth, or perhaps more of Earth’s battle before the Enterprise-E shows up. It also could have been cool to read a chapter from the perspective of the “assimilated earth” that we see for a fraction of a paragraph in the book. Unfortunately, none of these things are present, and we are left with a lackluster paint-by-numbers retelling of what’s in the movie.
There is a small section at the end of the book by Judith Reeves-Stevens and Garfield Reeves-Stevens that provides some behind the scenes information on the making of the movie, from the writing and early development to the actors involved and the production design process and choosing the director. While this was a little interesting, it didn’t add as much as the same section added in the Generations novelization and thus feels like an attempt to bulge up an already slim book.
Its sad to be so critical of a book, but when your novelization adds so little its demoralizing to a reader. Especially so when we know that J. M. Dillard has delivered fantastic novelizations in the past! And considering this is a pretty good movie, the novelization should have been a hit. Nonetheless, I’ll give the book 2 out of 5. Sadly, not a banner novelization for Star Trek. I actually think it ranks as my least favorite novelization I’ve read so far. But hopefully I will enjoy the Insurrection novelization next month.
October 15, 2024
The best of the TNG movies. Book is a good companion.
May 18, 2021
I’ve been reading all the Trek movie novelizations in order. I liked this one and enjoyed the book more than the movie. There’s lots of cool detail and the story reads well. I think the best Trek novelization is Wrath of Khan, where the movie is a jumping off point for the book. This one stays close to the screenplay.
I think my main issue with this one is Picard. I like it best when he’s a diplomat and reasons his way out of problems. In this one he’s more of an action hero, he definitely has an emotional journey. But the last action sequence seems to ignore Picard’s internal development.
My favorite part of the book was learning more about Lilly.
I think my main issue with this one is Picard. I like it best when he’s a diplomat and reasons his way out of problems. In this one he’s more of an action hero, he definitely has an emotional journey. But the last action sequence seems to ignore Picard’s internal development.
My favorite part of the book was learning more about Lilly.
February 19, 2023
Other than the inconsistency of first contact, this was a well written novelisation of a fantastic Star Trek story. The inconsistency could’ve been fixed by one more pass in the editing process.
According to Star Trek, first contact was made on April 5, 2063. When the Enterprise arrives in the past, Data gives the date as being April 6, one day before first contact. But when Picard gives his captains log at the end of the novel, he says that it is April 5, 2063.
According to Star Trek, first contact was made on April 5, 2063. When the Enterprise arrives in the past, Data gives the date as being April 6, one day before first contact. But when Picard gives his captains log at the end of the novel, he says that it is April 5, 2063.
January 1, 2018
Gates McFadden is not appropriate as the pov of Picard. I think they wanted her to represent the Borg, but this makes the audiobook unlistenable. Still intend to try the physical copy.
May 21, 2023
If you love the movie, you will love this book. Dialog is just about spot on with the movie. You learn about the background on Lily's character as well as Zephrim Cochran. An enjoyable quick read.
July 13, 2024
The novelisation (based on the screenwriting of Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore) of the eighth Star Trek film and the second to feature the Next Generation crew.
As the cybernetic Borg launch an attack against the Federation, the crew of the Enterprise-E have to step in to protect Earth. As Captain Picard faces the trauma of facing the aliens who once assimilated him, he and his crew have to also prevent the Borg from altering history by travelling back to the post-apocalyptic mid-21st Century.
'First Contact' is, rightly, one of the better-regarded Trek films and is undoubtedly the best of the Next Generation-era movies (although I genuinely think 'Generations' is underrated). This story features humour, action, time-travel shenanigans and no small amount of body-horror thanks to the Borg. It also saw the debut of an all-new Starship Enterprise.
As a novelisation, for the most part, this book is more or less just functional. There's not a lot of flair to it, but it does a good job of conveying everything that made the film enjoyable.
That said, however, Dillard does add a dimension that was lacking in the movie and which elevates this novelisation somewhat. What's added is a more thorough exploration of the 21st Century characters of Lily Sloane and Zefram Cochrane. We get to learn a little of Lily's personal history and how surviving the Third World War has left her somewhat jaded and cynical. Cochrane, on the other hand, we discover suffers from bipolar disorder. Giving a main character such a mental health problem to contend with adds a level of personal emotional stakes that might not otherwise have been there, as well as a realism that we can relate to. There's also an added element of tragedy to it in that we learn that bipolar disorder (or manic depression as it was once known) was cured before WW3 but has re-emerged in the post-war society of survivors.
Overall, a largely straightforward adaptation of the movie but with just enough added depth to make it engaging (pun intended) to those Trek geeks who've seen the film version dozens of times (*ahem*).
* More: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
As the cybernetic Borg launch an attack against the Federation, the crew of the Enterprise-E have to step in to protect Earth. As Captain Picard faces the trauma of facing the aliens who once assimilated him, he and his crew have to also prevent the Borg from altering history by travelling back to the post-apocalyptic mid-21st Century.
'First Contact' is, rightly, one of the better-regarded Trek films and is undoubtedly the best of the Next Generation-era movies (although I genuinely think 'Generations' is underrated). This story features humour, action, time-travel shenanigans and no small amount of body-horror thanks to the Borg. It also saw the debut of an all-new Starship Enterprise.
As a novelisation, for the most part, this book is more or less just functional. There's not a lot of flair to it, but it does a good job of conveying everything that made the film enjoyable.
That said, however, Dillard does add a dimension that was lacking in the movie and which elevates this novelisation somewhat. What's added is a more thorough exploration of the 21st Century characters of Lily Sloane and Zefram Cochrane. We get to learn a little of Lily's personal history and how surviving the Third World War has left her somewhat jaded and cynical. Cochrane, on the other hand, we discover suffers from bipolar disorder. Giving a main character such a mental health problem to contend with adds a level of personal emotional stakes that might not otherwise have been there, as well as a realism that we can relate to. There's also an added element of tragedy to it in that we learn that bipolar disorder (or manic depression as it was once known) was cured before WW3 but has re-emerged in the post-war society of survivors.
Overall, a largely straightforward adaptation of the movie but with just enough added depth to make it engaging (pun intended) to those Trek geeks who've seen the film version dozens of times (*ahem*).
* More: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
February 24, 2025
This is the novelization of the successful Star Trek: The Next Generation film of the same name. "First Contact" refers not to first contact with the Borg, but to Earth's first contact with alien civilization, six years after Picard's assimilation as Locutus. Captain Kirk and his crew meeting the extraordinarily old Zefram Cochrane, inventor of warp drive, in an episode of the original series, this story had yet to be told. It was hinted that this pivotal event in human history took place after a terrible Third World War on Earth.
As the story begins, the Borg, with one of their massive cube ships, heads straight for Earth. Picard and the new Enterprise-E starship defy Starfleet orders and join the battle. They follow a small Borg ship through a time portal to 21st-century Earth. The Borg plan to destroy the Phoenix, the spacecraft Zefram Cochrane launches, which captures the attention of a Federation scout ship with its successful warp drive test. If this pivotal event does not happen, the we all know and love will never exist. Half of the staff is on the planet ensuring the launch happens on schedule, while the rest of the crew battles a Borg infestation onboard the Enterprise. Data is captured, Pic's hatred of the Borg threatens to override logic, and we meet the Borg Queen. I have always felt that introducing the Borg Queen was a disservice to the greatest Star Trek villains. The Borg Queen is a complete contradiction, introducing individual vulnerability to a collective that was previously faceless and seemingly invulnerable.
As the story begins, the Borg, with one of their massive cube ships, heads straight for Earth. Picard and the new Enterprise-E starship defy Starfleet orders and join the battle. They follow a small Borg ship through a time portal to 21st-century Earth. The Borg plan to destroy the Phoenix, the spacecraft Zefram Cochrane launches, which captures the attention of a Federation scout ship with its successful warp drive test. If this pivotal event does not happen, the we all know and love will never exist. Half of the staff is on the planet ensuring the launch happens on schedule, while the rest of the crew battles a Borg infestation onboard the Enterprise. Data is captured, Pic's hatred of the Borg threatens to override logic, and we meet the Borg Queen. I have always felt that introducing the Borg Queen was a disservice to the greatest Star Trek villains. The Borg Queen is a complete contradiction, introducing individual vulnerability to a collective that was previously faceless and seemingly invulnerable.
October 2, 2023
Review 34. Star Trek First Contact by J.M.Dillard
Page Count : 276
Star Trek First Contact has always been one of my favourite Star Trek Films mainly because you get to see a NEW USS Enterprise and get to watch the USS Defiant strut her stuff in a big screen combat scene against the Borg.
This book whilst retaining most of the same dialogue and elements from the film does have extra dialogue and elements which made it a fantastic book to read.
There were several bits I loved which differed from the film, namely the scenes when Riker asks Worf if he still remembers how to fire phasers on the bridge and when Picard is explaining to Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodward) about the setting the phaser is on when she hands it back to him. I won’t spoil those bits if you plan on reading the book.
This book had one glaring error at the beginning of the story, the author listed the wrong date for when the Enterprise arrived after travelling in time back to the 21st century
I will definitely reread this book in the future especially if I was reading through all of the other Star Trek film books I have in my collection.
5*
*****
Page Count : 276
Star Trek First Contact has always been one of my favourite Star Trek Films mainly because you get to see a NEW USS Enterprise and get to watch the USS Defiant strut her stuff in a big screen combat scene against the Borg.
This book whilst retaining most of the same dialogue and elements from the film does have extra dialogue and elements which made it a fantastic book to read.
There were several bits I loved which differed from the film, namely the scenes when Riker asks Worf if he still remembers how to fire phasers on the bridge and when Picard is explaining to Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodward) about the setting the phaser is on when she hands it back to him. I won’t spoil those bits if you plan on reading the book.
This book had one glaring error at the beginning of the story, the author listed the wrong date for when the Enterprise arrived after travelling in time back to the 21st century
I will definitely reread this book in the future especially if I was reading through all of the other Star Trek film books I have in my collection.
5*
*****
March 16, 2025
I really enjoyed the First Contact novelization—it adds depth, emotion, and great character moments that make it worth reading. While Generations was fine, this one is just better.
Best part is more insight into Cochrane and Lily. Cochrane’s manic depression makes him more complex, and Lily knowing she’s doomed by radiation but still refusing to back down makes her character hit harder. The book also does a great job exploring Picard’s anger, Data’s temptation, and the sheer horror of the Borg invasion.
If you love the movie, this makes it even better.
Best part is more insight into Cochrane and Lily. Cochrane’s manic depression makes him more complex, and Lily knowing she’s doomed by radiation but still refusing to back down makes her character hit harder. The book also does a great job exploring Picard’s anger, Data’s temptation, and the sheer horror of the Borg invasion.
If you love the movie, this makes it even better.
May 13, 2024
A more detailed story about the movie.
I love well written books from screen plays, this was an excellent retelling of one of my favorite movies
I look forward to the next I'm the series.
I love well written books from screen plays, this was an excellent retelling of one of my favorite movies
I look forward to the next I'm the series.
December 27, 2024
A good novelisation of the movie though unlike the Generations novel, it doesn’t add much to the overall narrative besides a few points of view and internal dialogue of Picard’s struggle with his previous assimilation.
Read
August 1, 2023More detail then the movie and was a good read.
Read
October 25, 2023Basically a narrated version of the film with narrator Gates McFadden playing all the parts. Sadly, doesn't add anything to the experience.
January 11, 2025
A great film but a rather indifferent novelisation.
July 11, 2023
A very insightful novelization of the blockbuster movie!
I always enjoy reading what the characters were thinking during particular scenes & this was a very insightful one! I may need to go back & watch the movie but the Character of Zefram Cochrane is a much deeper character in the novel for reasons I don't think were even hinted at in the movie, let alone touched on. Overall a very good Trek Novel!
I always enjoy reading what the characters were thinking during particular scenes & this was a very insightful one! I may need to go back & watch the movie but the Character of Zefram Cochrane is a much deeper character in the novel for reasons I don't think were even hinted at in the movie, let alone touched on. Overall a very good Trek Novel!
October 16, 2024
Montana
This book was pretty much made as an ad for the movie. I was eagerly anticipating the behind the scenes section at the end of the book but it was pretty dry and dull, in my opinion. Still I always enjoy revisiting the Star Trek universe.
This book was pretty much made as an ad for the movie. I was eagerly anticipating the behind the scenes section at the end of the book but it was pretty dry and dull, in my opinion. Still I always enjoy revisiting the Star Trek universe.
October 14, 2016
Until quite recently, I was very much a Star Trek: The Original Series kinda gal. I never investigated the other realms of the Trek universe and I had no real desire to...and then Netflix recommended I watch Star Trek: The Next Generation. After that it was kind of a given that I was going to fall head over heels in love with that particular cast of characters. (If you're wondering, I'm torn between Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Data as my favorite.) This of course meant that I had never really explored the literature of ST unless it revolved around my boys Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. My first foray into worlds unknown was the movie tie-in for First Contact by J.M. Dillard. I'm going to be up front and tell you that I still haven't seen this film but I'm going to be rectifying this at my earliest opportunity. This book features the ST:TNG cast as they come face-to-face with their old enemies the Borg Collective. dun dun DUN There's a time travel element to this book which I found a bit squidgy but honestly anytime Trek goes down the time travel route it's questionably done. They're not going back to just any era, however. They end up going back to the time of Zefram Cochrane and to Earth's first glimpse of another planet's inhabitants. The Borg aren't just going back to witness history in the making. (Wouldn't that be a funny concept for a movie? And here's the Borg kicking back in recliners with buckets of popcorn to watch the human race exploring the vast unknown for the first time.) So the crew of the Enterprise must pull out all of the stops to try and defeat this formidable foe. This is a Picard/Data heavy storyline so I was definitely on board with it. It wasn't the most fantastically written Trek novel that I've ever read but it was probably the quickest. I read it in between panels at Star Trek: Mission New York to give you an idea of its length (276 pages). If you're a fan of ST:TNG then you've most likely read this before but if you're a Trek noob then you'll most likely find this an interesting tie-in to the film version. If you're not a Trekkie then you're probably going to pass on this one although honestly why isn't everyone a Trekkie at this point? ;-)
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December 15, 2023Compared to Generations, this is much more of a lukewarm, by-the-numbers interpretation of a fantastic movie. It could simply be that the movie had too much going for it that the book had little chance of competing with.
But there was still room for the novelization to add plot elements that could have greatly enhanced the overall story. In any novelization, the greatest opportunity for expansion generally comes at the beginning. Because very little has happened yet, you have more freedom to create your own aspects to the story without disrupting what has already been established.
I think it could have been really cool if we could have seen Worf on DS9, given the orders to lead the Defiant against the oncoming Borg threat. Considering that DS9 and Voyager never got the chance to see the big screen it would have been a nice consolation to have some appearances in this book. First Contact also saw the introduction of the first new Enterprise in over a decade. We could have gotten story detailing its construction and the emotional transitions the crew made in adapting to this new home. The ship is just as much a character as the crew so this was a chance to give it some focus.
There’s nothing wrong with the book. It tells the story and obviously it’s a good one. We do get a little more backstory on Lily and Cochrane but even that feels fairly mundane. I find the book a little perplexing as Dillard is a serious name in Star Trek and her other novelizations are fantastic. Maybe she didn’t have as much time to work this out or maybe the studio didn’t give her as much room to expand. Whatever the reason, the best I can say about this book is that it motivated me to watch the movie again.
But there was still room for the novelization to add plot elements that could have greatly enhanced the overall story. In any novelization, the greatest opportunity for expansion generally comes at the beginning. Because very little has happened yet, you have more freedom to create your own aspects to the story without disrupting what has already been established.
I think it could have been really cool if we could have seen Worf on DS9, given the orders to lead the Defiant against the oncoming Borg threat. Considering that DS9 and Voyager never got the chance to see the big screen it would have been a nice consolation to have some appearances in this book. First Contact also saw the introduction of the first new Enterprise in over a decade. We could have gotten story detailing its construction and the emotional transitions the crew made in adapting to this new home. The ship is just as much a character as the crew so this was a chance to give it some focus.
There’s nothing wrong with the book. It tells the story and obviously it’s a good one. We do get a little more backstory on Lily and Cochrane but even that feels fairly mundane. I find the book a little perplexing as Dillard is a serious name in Star Trek and her other novelizations are fantastic. Maybe she didn’t have as much time to work this out or maybe the studio didn’t give her as much room to expand. Whatever the reason, the best I can say about this book is that it motivated me to watch the movie again.
July 31, 2011
The movie was so cool, so this book was quite good as well. It ws very interesting to read about what life supposedly was after WW3, I also liked the sub-plot of Zefram Cochrane having a bi-polar disorder, it sure explained a lot about him which in the film seemed a bit odd. Picard and his thoughts and pain were well depicted, but why oh why the romantic tension with Lily? Since we all know he ends up with Beverly anyway, it a bit over the top the way he has an eye for the ladies in these novels...
The fact that the Borg hive dies when the queen dies is a bit contradictory; I would've rather thought that her body was just a body and her "spirit" was not a thing dependant on a body because she was the one who is many, the end and the beginning of the collective, I really thought she could've used any Borg's body!... Forgive me if I've got this wrong =)
All in all, this book was a quick read and a fine job.
The fact that the Borg hive dies when the queen dies is a bit contradictory; I would've rather thought that her body was just a body and her "spirit" was not a thing dependant on a body because she was the one who is many, the end and the beginning of the collective, I really thought she could've used any Borg's body!... Forgive me if I've got this wrong =)
All in all, this book was a quick read and a fine job.
January 23, 2016
Written by J.M. Dillard (and read by TNG cast member Gates McFadden in the audio version) the novelization of Star Trek: First Contact delivers all of the thrills and excitement of the film. In the mist of their attack on Earth a race of cyborgs known as the Borg make a desperate gambit for victory by traveling back in time to the 21st century in order to alter the past, but the U.S.S. Enterprise follows them back and attempts to stop them. Dillard does an excellent job at capturing the terror of the Borg and the energy of the fight sequences. He also expands upon Capt. Picard’s residual connection to the Borg Collective from the time that he was transformed into one of them. However, some of the moral ambiguity of the film is lost; as the book treats those who become Borg drones as “cyber-zombies” that are beyond saving once transformed and that killing them is a mercy. Still, Star Trek: First Contact is a rich and engaging adventure that’s action-packed.
January 12, 2021
My Star Trek knowledge is quite limited, but I thought I would give this book a try, mostly on a whim. I had never seen any of the Next Generation movies or the show, so the beginning of this book was a little much to get my head around, but I enjoyed it far more than I expected to. The story was engaging and while I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters, I felt invested in what was happening to them. There were some difficulties in the descriptions of the settings and actions scenes often became a little muddled. That was my biggest problem. On the other hand, I thought the subtleties of social interactions were conveyed really well. I watched the movie after I finished the book, and the way Dillard allowed the reader to enter the mind of the characters helped to bring the story together like the movie could not.
August 13, 2021
I got chatting to someone online about Star Trek: Generations and she said there was a lot more detail in the book, so I thought I'd check out TNG film novelisations, starting with my favourite. Unfortunately, this is 90% of just the screenplay written as prose, and when you know this film as well as I do, reading a book like that seems a bit redundant. There was some extra stuff, like Lily's backstory and how she ended up with Cochrane, but it wasn't anything terribly interesting or relevant to the plot.
Of course I can't review a novelisation without mentioning Star Wars: The Phantom Menace by Terry Brooks. Now THAT is how you do a novelisation. Take a below average screenplay, chuck out all the terrible dialogue, write new scenes that explain the character better, and end up with a book that most SW fans would wet themselves to see made into a movie.
Of course I can't review a novelisation without mentioning Star Wars: The Phantom Menace by Terry Brooks. Now THAT is how you do a novelisation. Take a below average screenplay, chuck out all the terrible dialogue, write new scenes that explain the character better, and end up with a book that most SW fans would wet themselves to see made into a movie.
May 4, 2022
Even though this was an abridged audiobook, it didn't feel like it, and filled in the movie in great and unexpected ways. So, not my favorite movie (that's still Generations!), but loved the book.
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5/4/22 - read the whole, unabridged book, and still liked it; there's not a whole heck of a lot that gets added to the movie story, but what there is, is definitely important and wish it was somehow added to the movie itself, mostly that the movie shows Cochrane just basically a drunk that wants to make money. But here, it goes into he's drunk to control his manic mental illness that was controlled (though not cured) before the war but after, since resources were no longer around flourished to the depths it did.
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5/4/22 - read the whole, unabridged book, and still liked it; there's not a whole heck of a lot that gets added to the movie story, but what there is, is definitely important and wish it was somehow added to the movie itself, mostly that the movie shows Cochrane just basically a drunk that wants to make money. But here, it goes into he's drunk to control his manic mental illness that was controlled (though not cured) before the war but after, since resources were no longer around flourished to the depths it did.
November 18, 2024
People who enjoy the movie will probably enjoy this an equal amount. It's a pretty straightforward translation from screen to page. A little bit of new stuff here and there, like Worf's thoughts when he thinks he's about to meet his doom, and Lily and Zef's thoughts on the characters from the future. You really get a good idea of how much Zef hates being perceived as a hero. Oddly, the characters say they've arrived on April 6th, and then the next day, it's said to be April 5th. I'm guessing the script for the film originally said the story takes place April 6-7 instead of 4-5. Zef's response to the Vulcan salute is different, and not as charming as how it's done in the film. But overall, a nice novelization. Even includes an interview about how the ideas for the film came out.
May 26, 2017
The Borg have, in my opinion, always been the most horrifying Star Trek villains, and the ones I have always been most interested in. Their mysterious origins, why they behave the way they do, why their unique bond with Picard. Many books, TV episodes and movies have gone a long way toward answering those questions. First Contact was one of the best. It described the lengths the Borg would go to to stop humanity and the Federation. In addition Picard's Captain Ahab element made this all the more taut of a novel. It really showed what the Borg fight meant to him. The action, and science elements with the first warp flight rounded out the story-line nicely.
June 14, 2010
I like J.M. Dillard's novelizations of Star Trek movies and episodes. She stays true to the details of the filmed version but adds a nice level of description and details as well.
My favorite part of this is actually the opening few paragraphs when she is describing the Borg ship. Otherwise the plot is the same as the movie version. My mother wouldn't let me go see this movie when it originally came out (I was 12 and it was rated PG-13, yeah, she was overprotective), so I read this novelization first (and therefore, wasn't tainted with having seen the film first).
My favorite part of this is actually the opening few paragraphs when she is describing the Borg ship. Otherwise the plot is the same as the movie version. My mother wouldn't let me go see this movie when it originally came out (I was 12 and it was rated PG-13, yeah, she was overprotective), so I read this novelization first (and therefore, wasn't tainted with having seen the film first).
September 8, 2012
This is one of the very few books I have ever read based on a movie; the last two were Videodrome and Star Wars, to give you some context. It was a perfectly fine verbatim capture of the film, but the movie is much stronger, interesting, and gripping than the novel (and has the sexy Lt. Hawk who can call me any time he is visiting NYC). If it had filled in some of the back story, such as Picard’s capture by the Borg, which is covered in the series and only briefly in the movie, than I might have enjoyed the book more, but the novelization does not deliver.
June 13, 2018
I did this as an audiobook. Gates McFadden read it. She was excellent as Dr. Crusher, she was superb as your narrator! Her voice was soothing, but she also would adapt to the characters at hand. Her Jean Luc and The Borg Queen was OUTSTANDING. A fan knows the story, this is unchanged. As a matter of a fact, I am pretty sure it's word for word with the film. For the Star Trek fan or for someone looking for an audio with lots of action. I will state this only once, this is not as good as the film, but that could be because Patrick Stewart is not in the book. :)
March 21, 2018
Frankly I was disappointed in this treatment of First Contact. Tense moments in the film were lost in the author over-emphasizing other unnecessary elements. I did appreciate the background stuff for Lily and Cochrane and getting to know those characters better but I think this novelization could have been done better in other hands. I liked the behind the scenes section at the back though, it's interesting to see what their original ideas were for First Contact- going back to the Renaissance Era and fighting the Borg with swords?! Crazy!
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