The Genesis Wave 3 - John Vornholt

For a story that already resolved itself in book 1 and 2, The Genesis Wave 3 seems remarkably superfluous. Sure, it has some redeeming qualities, but in general, it's a book that doesn't really need to exist.

In case you didn't get it from the previous review, the Genesis Wave story ended in book 2. They beat the wave. It took a pretty epic assembling of 40,000 ships, but the wave fizzled into nothingness, and Earth was saved. After a finale like that, what reason is there for a third book? Because....surprise! All of a sudden we have space monsters, that are coming out of a dimensional rift from another of John Vornholt's books (Gemworld), and there are dimensional cracks caused by the Genesis wave and if the Enterprise doesn't do something the dimensions are going to collapse together! Oh no! Seems like a contrived attempt to link stories with another novel (though, to be fair, it did make me semi-interested in the other novel, at least).

Suffice it to say, we don't need book 3 in this story. Which is really a shame, because character development surpasses the other two books. We get a glimpse at Nurse Ogawa's personal life, and her adorable little daughter, Suzi. Ogawa and Crusher get a little bit of real characterization in reaction to Raynr Sleven, the shapeshifter on the Enterprise. But other than that bright spot, there isn't much to like, except the Ferengi, Chellec, who is hilarious, as Ferengi are supposed to be.

This book is full of bizarre oddities. Picard somehow falls for a fake Romulan captain and heads off on a quest to prove his love for her. A Bajoran monk prepares to unleash the Genesis wave again, which he thinks is the Orb of Life that will bring youth to all Bajorans. Oh, and the end of the book? A moment of 'harmony' as all of the dimensional rifts are healed, leading everyone in the Alpha quadrant to release their prisoners and assist in the cleanup. I guess John Vornholt, already low on ideas, just got tired of writing and wrapped things up like that.

Sure, there are some exciting bits to this book, but in general it's a book that doesn't need to exist. The story ended in book 2, and The Genesis Wave 3 seems like an absurd attempt to link Vornholt's Gemworld series with The Genesis Wave. Don't even waste your time with this book, even if you've read the other two already.

~ Andrew