Triangle: Imzadi II

Seven years after David's Imzadi comes this sequel that continues the anything-but-romantic triangle among three of the Enterprise's officers: the human-raised Klingon Worf, the counselor and empath Deanna Troi and First Officer William Riker. Complicating the situation are sundry wild variables: Troi and Riker are Imzadi (bonded at a psionic level); Worf has a son, Alexander, torn between human and Klingon ways; Deanna's inimitable Betazoid mother, Lwaxana Troi, disapproves of Worf's engagement to Deanna; and Riker's doppelganger, Tom Riker, shows up, apparently working with a formidable and ruthless Romulan spy. The novel suffers two basic problems: its reliance on the Star Trek: The Next Generation universe to provide readers with many of its referents, and its status as a sequel that doesn't stand completely intelligibly on its own. It certainly stands intelligently, however. David is a genuine and veteran master of the demanding art of the tie-in novel, and provides smart handling of Star Trek elements and a brisk story, enhanced by well-done action scenes and the ability to give the Star Trek universe a lived-in feel. Add to this insight into the characters, David's usual wit and a graceful handling of sexuality, and readers will end the book with great satisfaction if they are serious Trekkers and recognition of a notable talent at work if they are not. (Oct.)