Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope

I'm so torn about this book. It's well-written, it fleshes out the background of the Picard series, and really, what more can one expect from a tie-in novel? And yet ... First of all, I wish this book had been released prior to the launch of the TV series—not because I felt overwhelmed by the background as established in the show, but because much of this book felt redundant. Yes, it expanded greatly on what we learn from the show itself, but still, I knew how the story would end, which killed much of the suspense. More importantly, and not entirely the fault of this book, I worry about the vision of Gene Roddenberry that made me love Star Trek in the first place. Even in the time of the Original Series, it was established that humanity had grown beyond many of its petty differences, and its baser instincts. At least, to a large degree. Yet, here in this book, and the Picard series in general, it feels like humans are just as flawed as we ever were. Political scheming, drug use, swearing—Anybody remember how odd the Enterprise crew thought the constant swearing was in Star Trek IV? I'm very torn about this book, and the direction of current Star Trek. I used to be more inclined to the idea that it's more interesting to show humanity overcoming than to show it already having overcome. But living in such uncertain times as I feel like we are right now, I get more than ever what was being done with Star Trek back in the 60s. It would sure be nice to see or read stories that reassure we do get past all this crap, that there is hope. But no, apparently that's just too corny and old-fashioned. So yeah, as much as I liked this book, it has left me feeling hollow, and sad. I'm really getting tired of dark distopia. Star Trek was always a refuge of hope. And yet, I can't help noticing this puts me in the same frame of mind as Picard by the end of the story. So maybe that's the point? I guess only time, and the remainder of "Star Trek: Picard," will tell. ,