Star Trek: TNG — A Rock and a Hard Place
{4.5/5} “I’ve seen suns going nova and suns being born. I’ve stood on planets with life just beginning to crawl out of the primordial ooze. knowing that millions of years into the future, something great and majestic might be there, and I’ve rejoiced. I’ve stood on planets where the only things remaining were vast radioactive wastelands, buildings bombed into oblivion, and I’ve wept.” — Riker
Star Trek: TNG — A Rock and a Hard Place by Peter David, published in 1990
Commander William Riker has been temporarily reassigned to a desolate world called Paradise, where terraformers are working — including a couple of old friends. Captain Jean-Luc Picard has been assigned a temporary new first officer, Commander Quintin Stone. Starfleet wants Picard to instill some discipline in Stone, who gets things done but it also a loose cannon — and no one wants to work with him.
It’s about dealing with indescribably terrible events, and dealing with people you’re unsure of.
There are some great conversations between the characters, including one between Troi and Worf in which they clear the air after being at odds regarding her “child” Ian.
This is the 2nd time I’ve read it.
I’ve read 26 novels, 3 graphic novels, and a bunch of comic books by David. I previously reviewed Star Trek: The Rift.