Star Trek: The Next Generation #18: Q-in-Law (1991) Book Review

 Hey everyone! How's it going? I'm doing okay. Today I'm here with my review of Star Trek: The Next Generation #18: Q-in-Law by Peter David. Spoiler Alert: It's one of my favourite TNG novels from the '90s. Also, there won't be too many spoilers as these are the novels where there isn't a whole lot to talk about, but there are a few things I'd like to mention. So let's get into it.

Pocket Books put out two types of Star Trek novels in the '90s. The thicker, longer hardcovers that became paperbacks and told deeper, lore heavy stories, and the shorter numbered straight to paperback novels that felt more like episodes of the TV show. Q-in-Law is the latter. It's number 18 in the series and it feels like an episode of the TV series with a hint of "What if?" thrown in. The "What if?" being Lwaxana Troi, ambassador for Betazed and the mother of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D's counselor, Deanna Troi, meeting Q. Being a Peter David novel, things get really ridiculous. But it's still alot of fun.

So the story is that the Enterprise-D is hosting the wedding of two previously feuding houses of the Tizarin race and representatives from all over the Federation are invited to the wedding. Including Lwaxana Troi since she's the ambassador from Betazed. But all hell breaks loose when Q arrives and catches Lwaxana's eye. 

Peter David seems to have gotten all the fun novels to write for Star Trek. Particularly many of the Q books. Actually, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that Peter David wrote all of the Q novels in the '90s, as there actually weren't that many in the main TNG novel series. And even when Q appeared outside of that series, in the New Frontier series, it was Peter David who wrote them. What gets me is how the writers of the various TV shows, particularly TNG and DS9, never thought to have Q and Lwaxana in an episode together. Especially by the time this novel came out as that was as TNG was at the height of its popularity during the fifth season.

As I mentioned the story is pretty simple. The Enterprise is on a diplomatic mission with a race we'll never see again (the Tizarin), and Q interferes, as usual, with Lwaxana onboard as well. Typical episode format for TNG back in 1991. And that's what I like about it. It's not universe threatening, there's no high stakes for the crew of the Enterprise, and it's not convoluted at all. It's pretty straightforward.

One thing I love about Peter David's Star Trek novels is the witty dialogue. There's one scene, near the end, where Q has given Lwaxana the power of the Q, and she's found out that Deanna and the rest of the crew had been right about Q all along so she starts beating him up. The senior staff is just watching this happen and Riker is like, "She's really beating the stuffing out of him. What do you think we should do?" and Worf replies, "Sell tickets." Which is totally something Worf would've said on the show in a Q episode if someone was beating up on Q. Yet, it's not something you'd expect in a Star Trek novel as they tend to be a bit more serious, especially during this period in time.

According to the 2006 Star Trek novels compendium reference book, Voyages of Imagination, Q-in-Law was originally turned down by Pocket Books and Peter David went on to write the second TNG Giant Novel, Vendetta. But he was at a convention with Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who played Lwaxana on TNG, gave her the completed manuscript, she read it, loved it, and went to Paramount, basically forcing them to let Pocket Books publish the book. It's Majel Barrett, she got alot of stuff done for Star Trek when she was alive. Even after Gene's death in 1991.  

There really isn't much else to say about the book. It's good, but it's your typical early '90s numbered TNG novel by one of the more prolific Star Trek author of the time. It's funny, it's interesting, but ultimately it's a throwaway story that doesn't add anything to the lore and it doesn't contradict anything either. I recommend it if you can get your hands on it. It was never republished like some of the other TNG and TOS novels that got new editions in 2006 and in the early 2010s, so there's just the one edition. Though I think it's a pretty common book because I found a copy easily at a used bookstore that I went to back in December, so if you can find it, definitely pick up a copy.

That's going to be it for me for today, but I will be back soon with more reviews. So until then have a great evening and I will talk to you all later. Take care.