
The Children of Hamlin - solid, but unspectacular
The characterization is a little spotty which is not really a surprise for a book written so early in TNG's run. For a while I thought it had been written just by using the series bible, but eventually there are a few lines which make it clear that this takes place after The Arsenal of Freedom. I will say, this does feel very much like sitting down and watching a S1 episode. Carter captures that vibe well. The A plot and the B plot don't intersect much, but they both present unique challenges to our TNG crew. Unfortunately, pretty much all of the characters that aren't from the actual show are grating and frustrating to read.