Review of "Star Trek Voyager: Incident at Arbuk," by John Greggory Betancourt

Review of

Star Trek Voyager: Incident at Arbuk, by John Greggory Betancourt ISBN 0671520482

Three out of five stars

 This book is a decent, but not thrilling episode in the Star Trek Voyager saga. Plot devices from earlier Star Trek stories are re-used to limited success.

The U. S. S. Voyager receives a distress call from the Arbuk System and following the ancient law of the sea, moves to investigate. While there, they encounter a massive weapon with power on the level of the one in the original series episode “The Doomsday Machine.” Only one of the aliens has survived of the tens of thousands on the ships in the area and it is a member of the Sperian species.

 It is a species where their culture encourages extensive bickering, even to make the most routine of decisions. Morale officer Neelix has dealt with them before and states that they have no enemies because no other species can stand to deal with them.

 Voyager is attacked and suffers massive damage, is on the brink of complete destruction and the situation is grim. Of course, a solution is found, a full recovery is made and Voyager continues their trek back to Federation Space.

 All of this is done, yet there is little tension generated. The story is presented in a routine manner that creates no real excitement in the reader. It was a fast and forgettable read.