I wasn't planning on continuing New Frontier (NF), because I felt it was becoming a soap opera, but I suppose I missed Peter David's sarcastic writing style. The Quiet Place (TQP) was the first in the series to make the step beyond short story and into novel (or novella rather) territory, and in my opinion it didn't need to be.

For starters, TQP doesn't follow up on anything that came before it. I didn't mind that too much (see above), but there was almost no focus on the regular characters, and that includes the Excalibur. The general plot was also not very interesting or as engaging like the average Trek. And finally, the Dogs of War? Really? (minor SPOILERS) They're literally dogs; genetically enhanced dogs. I get that NF is trying to be original and introduce new things, but at this point in Trek continuity there are probably a couple hundred known species, many of which we still know little about even to this day. Why not expand on one of them instead and add a little background? (End Spoilers)

It's not all bad though! Xyon, one of the new characters, is actually quite good. I didn't like him at first; seemed too good at too many things, but he quickly grew on me. The banter between Kebron and Si Cwan remains excellent, and now the duo becomes a trio adding Soleta into the group of wise crackers... however that term can describe most of the characters in this series so I guess that's no surprise.

Overall, TQP was uncomplicated and well-paced, but I'd say the good and bad are equally balanced, so unless you're a completest it's probably safe to skip altogether. Having said that, I've found that good Trek is hard to come by, and Peter David's writing style is a refreshing change of pace.