The Hidran race and the Klingon Empire have been at each other's throats for seventy years, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard has been asked to do the near-impossible: take the U.S.S. Enterprise™ to the planet Velex to mediate a treaty that will end the conflict between these two aggressive species. Things get off to a rocky start -- then turn deadly as the Hidran ambassador mysteriously dies, and kills a Klingon delegate as a last act of vengence.

When Lt.Worf is charged with the ambassador's assassinaton, and Commander Riker and Counselor Troi are trapped far below the surface of the planet, Captain Picard must not only act to save the Hidranas and Klingons from each other, but to save his Klingon officer from a hideous death sentence...

My only minor quabble with this book was some word choices and the structuring of sentences. But that comes more from my experiences as a writer and reader than anything else. It's just a matter of style preferences.

I'd highly recommend this book for anybody who loves a good mystery and some slam-blam action.


A Grain Sets About Conflict   September 1, 2001
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

First off, as I started reading this book for the first few chapters, I was disappointed in the writing style and the choppiness of the words the authors used. There really was no background at the start as in most Star Trek books, you were just thrown into the middle of a mission. Toward the middle half of the book it got better, both story and writing, so the average overall comes to three stars.

Basically, the foreign foes are the Hidran and Klingons who have a long history of fighting. Well, Picard and associates are sent to settle a crisis on the planet Velex. The Klingons need something from the Hidran and vice versa. Well, this planet already has a Federation prescence of scientists there, studying the field of so called grain. This grain however, rejuvenates ones health if eaten. Well, during the Hidran/Klingon proceedings, which are full of conflict, Worf apparently kills one of the Hidran ambassadors in private, and this sets the stage for Picard being taken hostage by the Hidran. Meanwhile, Riker and Troi, get beamed below ground into a maze of machinery, some of which start attacking them...and they have to figure a way out of there.

Aboard the Enterprise, Data is in command and one of the scientists from Velex gives him the grain and he trys it out.
Afterwards, Data has this premonition that Geordi and all Klingons are bad and he must destroy the Klingons in orbit around Velex and then take off to their homeworld Qo' NoS to settle matters there.
So, basically the book is a mystery in why Data is acting the way he is, and how can he be stopped...with Picard and most of the crew stuck on Velex with irritable Klingons and Hidrans about to kill each other. Only Geordi, without his VISOR, which malfunctions after beaming back from Velex can try and stop Data. He actually fails, but other things take place on the planet that may settle this whole conflict, and Picard must figure it out.


ST-TNG: Foreign Foes   April 20, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Star Trek-The Next Generation: Foreign Foes written by Dave Galanter and Greg Brodeur is a Captain Jean-Luc Picard solving a mystery and bring peace to two warring parties book.

For seventy years the Hidran and the Klingon Empire have been fighting a war with neither side gaining the advantage, but now Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise crew are sent to negotiate a peace. While on the planet Velex to mediate a treaty, Picard has his hands full as Worf is charged with the murder of the Hidran ambassador. And while inspecting a field of some new grain, Troi and Riker get trapped in an underground chamber with machenery attacking them.

The story with both plots is written well and you really get into the flow of the book, making for a very enjoyable read. There is mystery and intrigue to pique your interest and there is good character development.

This is a Picard and crew mediate peace between two warring parties book with a good sub plot, making for a fast read.


STNG #31 Foreign Foes - An exceptional first novel!   October 12, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

"Foreign Foes" is the first title by this outstanding writing team. I found their writing style to be well versed and engaging with pacing that doesn't bog down in the details. They also do an outstanding job with the characterizations, especially Picard. They captured his character with perfection and in this story; they put him in a situation that is very true to the character. Between this novel and their next, Star Trek Voyager #18 "Battle Lines," I'd definitely have to say that their novels are ones to be looked forward to. The cover art for "Foreign Foes" is different from the norm, but not extraordinarily different.

The premise:

The Klingon Empire and the Hidran have been at war with each other for seventy years and Captain Picard, being the extraordinary diplomat that he is, is called in to mediate a treaty between the two highly aggressive, warring parties. Things start off badly for Captain Picard and everybody else involved as the Hidran Ambassador mysteriously dies but as he's dying, as a last act of vengeance, he kills a Klingon delegate.

Lieutenant Worf is charged with the death of the Hidran ambassador and Commander Riker and Counselor Troi have become trapped far below the surface of the planet. Now Captain Picard must not only find a way of ending the violence between the two warring factions but he must also find a way of saving Riker and Troi and exonerate Worf of the crime he's been accused of prior to a horrendous death sentence.

I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of the genre as it will certainly make an excellent addition to your Star Trek library! Novels by this writing team to be greatly looked forward to. {ssintrepid}


Yay! A ST: TNG book where everyone gets something to do!   August 27, 2003
Don't be fooled by the cover: this Star Trek book is evenly distributed so that every character gets a chance to do something, a refreshing change from the usual Picard/Data focus.

The Enterprise arrives at a neutral planet to mediate negotiations between the warring Klingon and Hidran empires. Picard mangages to get the two talking, but of course, this is the Enterprise: things are bound to go wrong. When a Hidran delegate is murdered, Worf is accused as the assassin, with Picard left trying to defend him. Meanwhile, Riker and Troi go missing after taking a shuttle to investigate some odd communication discrepancies, Data gets completely paranoid about Klingon spies, Geordi is REALLY blind, and Beverly attempts to hold together the ship. Whew, with so much action going on, the author does a surprisinglly great job holding together a cohesive storyline, keeping audiences captive.

My favorite line of the book is Picard's thought after assigning Crusher to command the ship in his absence, "She wasn't his first choice, but everyone else was either under arrest, missing, blind, or insane." :) Anyway, its a great book, with some funny bits and enough action to satisfy anyone. My only quibble was the sudden resolution, which didn't seem to do the rising action of the book justice. Despite this, it is one of the better ST: TNG books I've read and would recommend it to any fan.