House of Cards is the first book in an 18-book Star Trek subseries that we started at book 12 (Being Human) -- this book makes a lot more sense and requires a lot less context than the first one we read. The plot, however, amounts only to "let's get all these characters introduced and onto a starship" -- so the book isn't worth reading unless you intend to read more books in the series. (You should read the series if the idea of reading lengthy Star Trek novelizations is exciting -- don't go out of your way, but definitely worth the time if this genre is your cuppa.)

Having read a later book and only half understood the characters, it was fantastic to have them introduced properly, get their backstories in one place, and learn all the monikers. Even so, a book that introduces about a dozen main characters without actually doing much with them might be hard to follow for someone who hadn't already engaged a story in this universe -- so your appreciation will likely vary based on your background and willingness to engage the series genre. ( )