Balance of Nature

Star Trek SCE (ebooks) Novellas #27

by Heather Jarman

In the wake of the catastrophic events of Wildfire, P8 Blue returns to her homeworld, only to find herself caught up in a web of intrigue. Strange disappearances among her fellow Nasats and odd happenings throughout her homeland have stymied local authorities. Due to her experiences with Starfleet in general and the S.C.E. in particular, Blue is asked to aid in the investigation. What they turn up will lead to a terrible secret from the Nasat's past, and it will take all of Blue's ingenuity to save her people -- and an entire world....

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Technology, Adventure, Ebooks

Kindle Edition

First published April 3, 2003

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is a bit slow.

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've never learned so much about the Nasat, nor Pattie herself! As a result, the ebook doesn't seem short at all, but rather rich and full. We're truly on an alien world, and come to understand P8's own difference (almost a prerequisite for non-human regulars on Star Trek), which just isn't an issue aboard a starship. And the differences mount up - she's been "infected" by the "softs'" values and attitudes. Her mentors, a Betazoid-Vulcan couple are good characters who could have happily returned, unusual "parents" for a Nasat, but while we don't necessarily get what difference the variably-colored shells make in their society (things I'm sure a longer novel would have gotten into), they evoke a strange and colorful world. The mysteries are interesting and not too techie, even if P8 brings some engineering expertise to it, and indeed, they converge pleasantly in the story. Heather Jarman has a holistic view of this world where everything we learn about them has bearing and consequence on the rest. And plenty of action to go along with the world-building. A fun book that makes you hope P8 will get more development down the line.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting novella that looks at Patti's planet and society. It explains an awful lot about her character, and her upbringing. A different society that does not look to the past, and therefore, has no recorded history. This can cause problems when history repeats itself. A good read.

[Christopher Preiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very few star trek stories allow us to see and feel something truly alien. Balance of Nature does and it was rather refreshing.

[John Barclay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting bit of character study, but a bit less of a story then the book deserved