TNG novel that doesn’t feel like TOS?
Prefacing this by noting that I have only read TOS novels up to this point:
Something I've noticed in my recent rewatches of older TNG (up through Season 2, even) is that the scripts fall back on TOS-style setups and end up feeling like old hat. One good example being "Justice," which feels like a script written in 1966 (complete with The Blonde People Aliens on the Eden-like Planet). I recently picked up a bunch of pocket novels (4/$1!) and ended up with one called "Spartacus." (TNG #20)
Reading the blurb on the back and the first few chapters, I found myself similarly disappointed by the premise. Riker and Data are essentially Kirk and Spock stand-ins, but without the inherent chemistry of the TOS figures. The premise itself feels like a TOS setup similar to "Cloud Minders." (Another thought I had was that the STC writers had Spartacus in mind when writing "Lolani.") Perhaps it's not fair of me to expect too much differentiation, and I will be reading the book regardless, but it left me wondering about the overall state of TNG novels.
Are there any standouts that you'd recommend over others?