startrekreviews

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Due to the tumblr policy change, this blog will be moving out of protest. I hope to continue it elsewhere and will post when I figure out where.

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DS9 Novel #19: The Tempest

DS9 #19: The Tempest by Susan Wright Book Jacket’s Summary:      “When a ferocious plasma storm strikes the entire Bajoran system, Deep Space 9 becomes a port under siege, filled to overflowing with stranded space travelers, unpredictable aliens, and Klingon smugglers. Worf and Odo find themselves tested to the limit as they struggle to control the chaos that has consumed the station. But even greater danger faces Dax and botanist Keiko O'Brien when they must fly a runabout into the very heart of the storm – and encounter a strange new form of life!” Yeaka’s Notes:     The Tempest is one of those could-be-an-episode novels set right after Worf’s transferred to the station, and at first, it even contemplates his transition and reminisces on the Enterprise. In its frequent downtimes, this book is a good character study on him, Odo, Sisko, and the O’Briens. One of this book’s unique features is that it gives Keiko central stage—her and Jadzia wind up off together on an important mission, where they science it up, get sick, and talk relationships. As the main plot is an in-coming plasma storm, a lot of the dialogue is technobabble. There are a few easier-to-understand side-plots going on with rowdy Klingons and difficult aliens bothering Worf on the station. Easily the most charming plotline is Odo’s small babysitting adventures with Molly—who knew he was really a big softie inside.     Despite the constant threat of danger, this book doesn’t feel particularly dark. The scientific nonsense gets a tad difficult at times, but mostly, the characters are well used and enjoyable. It has a lot for Worf fans and gives more of the O’Brien family than most. All together, it’s a good read. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p18 Worf protects Dax from a console fire

Ch2/p22 Keiko picks Molly up from holographic horse riding lessons, Molly’s now dressed obsessed with ponies, they run into Leeta who fawns over Molly, Quark tries to sell Keiko massage programs

Ch3/p45 O’Brien and Keiko visit and talk parenting while Molly has a tantrum, O’Brien gives Keiko higher computer clearance to her delight

Ch4/p57 Klingons mock Worf and tell him his family’s lands and possessions have all been given away

Ch5/p78 When Keiko wants to go on an away mission, Sisko asks what her husband will think, she just looks at him and he corrects himself; Sisko keeps worrying about Kasidy

Ch8/p108 Worf has a bad Klingon drink that’s a gift fro Deanna

Ch8/p118 O’Brien has Rom emergency beamed over to help him

p121 O’Brien rescues Molly, then leaves her with Odo to babysit without asking

Ch9/p132 Worf finds Odo giving Molly piggyback rides

Ch11/p155 Odo babysitting Molly, he grows fond of her and is vaguely disappointed when he thinks O’Brien’s taking her back

Ch13/p192 Sisko has a cute moment with Jake, Jake offered their quarters to Kasidy when hers were taken

Ch14/p199 Dax talks about how joint Trills are often exhibitionists, Keiko mentions directing plays on the Enterprise, they discuss the last gratitude festival (DS9: “Fascination”)

p209 Dax and Keiko question if she should really be with O’Brien

Ch15/p225 “Worf felt something and looked down. Molly was standing right next to him. “Nice pony,” she told him, patting his knee. “Good pony.””

Ch16/p239 Because reasons, Dax insists Keiko leave O’Brien, but Keiko thinks “she and Miles belonged together.”

Ch17/p245 Bashir medically treats Dax; O’Brien comforts a sick Keiko

Ch19/p263 Odo thinks of Kira and hopes they can be together someday; Sisko visits Kasidy

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TOS Novel #51: Enemy Unseen

TOS #51: Enemy Unseen by V.E. Mitchell Book Jacket’s Summary:      “Transporting a diplomatic party is nothing new for Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise – but this particular mission promises trouble from the start.      For one thing, the wife of the Federation ambassador on this trip is an old flame of Kirk's – and she's determined to see that they resume their romance where they left off. Of course, when another ambassador presents Kirk with three of his wives, finding time for the first romance, let alone any of his other duties, is going to prove nearly impossible.      When a diplomatic attaché is murdered, and the prime suspect is one of his crew members, Kirk begins to wish that Starfleet Command would consider using some other Starship to ferry diplomatic personnel…” Yeaka’s Notes:     The bookjacket makes this sound more dramatic than it is. It’s setup as two new species negotiating for a new planet, though only one of them is actually featured, with a Federation diplomatic team following them, and Starfleet’s warning about a murdering spy in the party. For some reason, no one bothers to tell the aliens they have a murderer and imposter amongst them. The diplomatic team also brought with them a married woman that tries to seduce Kirk, although he knows she has a history of trickery and murder, but doesn’t actually do anything to monitor her obviously illicit activities. He does have a very minor fling with a different woman. People occasionally try to negotiate with the one-dimensional, sexist aliens. There are several original characters, most notably two Deltans and Kirk’s school friend, most of which are quite likeable. Kirk has the most to do, along with a bit from Bones, Chapel, eventually Chekov, and Uhura for a brief moment, while Sulu and Scotty rarely appear, and Spock’s shipped off at the very beginning. They’re all in character and have a few good interactions.     Despite the web of characters and immediate plots, the book moves very slowly. The entire thing is spent en route to a planet it never reaches. At some points, the leisurely pace works; the reader has a chance to really enjoy the characters just living their lives. At other times, it’s frustrating, especially because Kirk knows there’s a murderer on board who’s constantly sabotaging things, and yet he doesn’t buckle down to do anything until several people are dead. Warning, the deaths are gore-filled. It’s obvious early on who the killer is, and Kirk would probably find it obvious too if he bothered to so much as interview the suspects or tell his own security what’s going on. Instead, they just keep playing the ‘let’s see what happens next time’ game over and over. It gets a little ridiculous after a while.     That being said, this is still a decent read. It is written well, with some interesting new dynamics. Just be prepared for a slow burn of incredulity. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p27 Kirk tests Spock’s “logical advice” program for when Spock’s unavailable

Ch6/p111 Uhura learning a gymnastics routine

p116 Kirk trips over Chekov

Ch7/p144 “McCoy gave Chapel an affectionate smile. He was lucky to have her.”

Ch8/p182 Bones accidentally earns Kirk some “wives”

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TNG Novels #47-9: The Q Continuum

TNG #47-9: The Q Continuum trilogy by Greg Cox Book Jacket’s Summary:      “The unpredictable cosmic entity known only as Q has plagued Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Starship Enterprise since their very first voyage together. But little is known of Q's mysterious past or that of the unearthly realm from which he hails. Now Picard must learn Q's secrets – or all of reality may perish!      Ever since its discovery, the great galactic barrier has impeded humanity's exploration of the universe beyond the Milky Way. Now a brilliant Federation scientist may have found a way to breach the barrier, and the Enterprise is going to put it to the test. The last thing the crew needs is a visit from an omnipotent troublemaker so, naturally, Q appears.      Q has more in mind than his usual pranks, and while the Enterprise struggles to defeat a powerful inhuman foe, Picard must embark on a fantastic odyssey into the Q Continuum itself, with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance.” Yeaka’s Notes:     I read this trilogy individually, but as you couldn’t really read them without each other, I’m reviewing them all in one. And frankly, I think they could’ve all been condensed into one book anyway.     Long story short, all three of these carry the continuing, singular plot of the Enterprise (mid-DS9/VOY era) carrying a Betazoid scientist to the barrier that surrounds the edge of the galaxy, where he intends to open up a wormhole to the other side. When they arrive, Q, as well as Q’s wife and baby from Voyager, tell them not to. Picard asks why. Q won’t tell him why. If Q had, this series would’ve been about 600 pages shorter. Instead, Q takes Picard away to show him the long, drawn out story of how teenage-Q royally messed up (including a depressing, detailed tale of mass slaughter) and breaching the barrier will only make it worse. Meanwhile, the visiting scientist is a gratingly terrible father, Beverly, Deanna, Geordi, and Data pick up loose ends, a few other OCs and minor characters try to survive, and Riker tries to keep the Calamarain (TNG: “Deja Q”) from killing them all.     This is a well-written adventure. Some of the OCs are enjoyable, while others are appropriately awful. Q is as sometimes-likeable, sometimes-irritating as ever, and all the worse for having three consecutive books worth. If you’re a Q/Picard fan, this is a must have. There’s a ridiculous amount of references touching on everything from Kirk to Janeway, books, shows, and movies alike, including the history of the godlike being Kirk faced down in The Final Frontier. During those and several thrilling moments, this is a great ride—while during other moments, particularly those with Q needlessly adding a couple hundred pages, it’s almost unbearable.     So... pretty much Q. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Q-Space: Ch1/p3 Picard and Troi are relieved Lwaxana isn’t on Betazed to gree them 

p5 Troi recalls crashing the Enterprise D on Veridian III (TNG: Generations); Troi can sense Data’s emotions during a meeting

p8 Troi thinks: “Worf married a Trill, she remembered with only the slightest twinge of jealousy. Then she took her own advice and put that reaction behind her. I wish him only the best, she thought.”

p21 Barclay messes up and a scientist goes off on him

Ch3/p39 Picard notes Sisko punched Q in the face and Q didn’t return to bother him, thus maybe Picard should try it; Picard wonders if Sisko would trade the Jem’Hadar for Q

Ch5/p57 Data puzzles to Geordi over Spot only eating from round plates now

Ch5/p54 Q’s lover and baby show up

Ch7/p92 Beverly tells the female Q about the Traveler choosing Wesley, Deanna mentions Ian, the Q’s impressed

p108 Female Q comes to Beverly about the weight of motherhood

Ch11/p160 Picard sees Q as a teenager, Q hints that Riker was born because of a Q

Ch12/p189 Riker mentally helps Deanna through a crisis

Ch14/p212 Picard witnesses a Q date

p228 Q and Picard visit the Guardian of Forever

Ch20/p266 Organians aren’t allowed in the Q Continuum

p269 Someone else suggests testing lesser species to young Q

Q-Zone: Ch5/p116 EMH

Q-Strike: Ch4/p42 Quinn (VOY: “Death Wish”)

p45 Ruk (TOS: “What Are Little Girls Made Of”)

p47 Sargon, Thalassa, and Henoch (TOS: “Return to Tomorrow”)

p52 Bajor watching a phenomenon

p54 Organians

p70 Q killed the dinosaurs (Picard does not accept it)

Ch5/p77 The “god” from the center of the universe in The Final Frontier

p79 The creation of the galactic barrier

Ch5/p83 Q is officially assigned to oversee Earth

Ch11/p164 Q to Picard: “You’re the one who specialize in triumphing against over-whelming odds. Have Data whip up some technobabble. Tell Counselor Troi to get in touch with her feelings. Let Riker punch someone.”

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DS9 Novel #18: Saratoga

DS9 #18: Saratoga by Michael Jan Friedman Book Jacket’s Summary:      “When the Borg destroyed the USS Saratoga at Wolf 359, killing Captain Sisko's beloved wife, one chapter in his life came to a tragic end. Now painful memories are reawakened when the USS Defiant carries the survivors of the Saratoga to an important Starfleet ceremony. But Sisko's bittersweet reunion with his old crewmates is cut short when an unexpected malfunction threatens the Defiant as well as the lives of everyone aboard. Even worse, evidence suggests that the accident was caused by deliberate sabotage.      Has one of Sisko's oldest friends betrayed them all? Sisko and Dax must uncover the truth before death claims the survivors of the Saratoga.” Yeaka’s Notes:     Given the summary, this is a surprisingly, relatively enjoyable read. It does touch on the original Saratoga’s loss to the Borg, including Jennifer’s death, but not graphically, and there isn’t much violence in the current story. The main plotline is Sisko meeting with the other survivors, his old friends: a few quirky humans, a cheerful Bolian, and an odd alien. At first, Bashir and O’Brien are troubled by these officers, but Sisko gets along well enough with all of them. Those officers, Sisko, Bashir, O’Brien, and Jadzia are all sent off in the Defiant to see the new Saratoga. Meanwhile, Kira’s left behind to concoct a somewhat comical counterbalance plotline with Odo, Quark, and Rom. They all get fair screen time, they’re all written well enough, and even the OCs are interesting. The ending could’ve been terribly cliché but wasn’t, and there’s a pleasant wrap up for a falling action. Overall, despite being set during the Dominian War and drudging up some sad memories, this was fun. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch0/p1 Kira meets with an old resistance fighter

Ch1/p15 Dax helps Sisko come to terms with a decision; Rom finds more nuts for Morn and Quark says not to give Morn anything until he pays his giant tab

p19 Kira’s polite to Quark which immediately tells him she wants something

Ch4/p60 Showing a difficult doctor around sickbay, Bashir asks about when the Siskos contracted a deadly disease 

Ch5/p71 Bashir’s jealous when an OC hits on Jadzia; O’Brien and bashir hang out in Quark’s and play darts

Ch6/p92 Sisko has a vaguely romantic walk with an OC but remains respectful of Kasidy

Ch7/p102 Kirk finds Quark with Ferengi chicken pox

p107 Odo on Quark: “Despite appearances to the contrary that he’d worked rather hard to construct, he felt a certain kinship with the Ferengi. After all, they were both square pegs in round holes around here.” 

p109 Odo thinks: “He gazed at Kira, whom he held in more than amiable esteem. In point of fact, he was in love with her, though he would never have dared to come out and say so.”

Ch8/p112 Kira and Rom ask Odo to pretend to be Quark

p114 “Odo didn’t have a chance. When Kira looked at him that way, he melted. Not literally, of course, but pretty close to it.”

Ch10/p141 Jake and Nog talk, Jake says Nog needs to have confidence in Rom

Ch11/p157 Bashir says Quark sounds like a pregnant mugato

Ch12/p182 When the bar’s empty, Morn’s the only one who comes, Kira suggests he run things while Quark’s busy

Ch15/p210 O’Brien calls K/Ehleyr boarding the Enterprise in a probe

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TOS Novel #49: The Pandora Principle

TOS #49: The Pandora Principle by Carolyn Clowes Book Jacket’s Summary:      “A Romulan Bird-of-Prey mysteriously drifts over the Neutral Zone and into Federation territory. Admiral Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise investigate, only to find the ship dead in space. When Starfleet orders the derelict ship brought to Earth for investigation, the Enterprise returns home with perhaps her greatest prize.      But the Bird-of-Prey carries a dangerous cargo, a deadly force that is soon unleashed in the heart of the Federation. Suddenly, the only hope for the Federation's survival lies buried in the tortured memory of Commander Spock's protégé, a cadet named Saavik. Together, Spock and Saavik must return to the nightmare world of Saavik's birth, a planet called Hellguard, to discover the secret behind the Romulans' most deadly threat of all.” Yeaka’s Notes:     Set between the first two movies, The Pandora Principle is a fascinating thriller that can get incredibly dark but also prove thoroughly rewarding. If you want more of Saavik, or never quite got her and want to understand her better, this is an absolute must have. In the occasional well placed flashback, it tells the overview of Vulcans rescuing her from a nightmarish planet and Spock personally seeing to her education, refusing to give up on her despite the wishes of his people and father. She goes from a feral hellion to an inquisitive cadet, with tons of individual personality. In the present day story, she comes aboard her mentor’s ship only to find chaos from her past. Both sets of stories are intriguing. While the book focuses mostly on Spock and Saavik, all of the original cast members have something to do, even Kirk, who gets hilariously shelved for a good chunk.     Unfortunately, some of Saavik’s memories get truly disturbing—this book should come with a trigger warning for mass death, abused children, mentions of rape, and a couple graphic scenes of torture. Baring that, though, this one is really difficult to put down. It has a few other OCs that are equally unique and compelling, but mostly, this will make you fall in love with Saavik. If you can stomach the occasional bouts of violence, this is a more than worthy read. If it wasn’t for those few scenes, I’d dub this book an excellent and absolute must-have. Noteworthy moments: (below cut, spoilery) 

Ch1/p3 Spock speaks of half Vulcan children on an inhospitable Romulan world with the Council of Elders, Spock disagrees with the council and Sarek scolds him, they’re all appalled when he tries to bring the Federation into it, Sarek expresses disappointment in his human half and makes him leave 

Ch2/p26 Saavik wakes up from a childhood nightmare at Starfleet Academy

p32 Spock’s sent Saavik daily messages for years

p41 Uhura’s invented Starfleet’s new code, “Rosecrypt” (“a rose by any other name”)

p49 Uhura gets a com from Kirk: “I WANT SPOCK! NOW!”; Uhura’s stressed and gets the con; Bones gives her a hypospray and asks for a private shuttle in return

Ch3/p52 Starfleet officer with a strange, adorable alien friend he won’t leave behind

p54 Spock pulls rank to get himself a shuttle instead of Bones

p62 Spock took a year off to raise feral child Saavik because no one else would and she refused others, he takes her to an alien world, she starts taking animals and local children home, he appreciates that she gives him unconditional acceptance

p68 Spock has to give child Saavik the pon farr talk, he remembers his father telling him why he must bond with T’Pring; Spock tells Saavik of Amok Time and says “She [T’Pring] was a bitch!”

Ch4/p74 Saavik on the Enterprise for the first time, loving it because of all the stories Spock told her; she tells Uhura “I have never seen anyone so aesthetically pleasing,” Uhura tells her to look in a mirror, Spock explains it’s a complement

p78 Kirk runs into an admiring ensign reading Treasure Planet and teases him

p87 Saavik joins a baseball team

Ch7/p137 Spock in command, Kirk fusses, Spock promises to return the Enterprise in prime condition, Bones loudly bursts in to question everything

p146 Sulu explains Pandora’s box to Saavik (who thinks it was the gods’ fault)

Ch8/p154 Bones gives Saavik a medical exam, she dislikes him; “Saavik” means “little cat” in Romulan

Ch9/p185 Spock devised a secret plan with Scotty and Sulu in his quarters

Ch11/p222 Scotty and Sulu commanding Enterprise in a crisis

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VOY Novel #15: Echoes

VOY #15: Echoes by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and Nina Kirki Hoffman Book Jacket’s Summary:      “The USS Voyager finds itself in a system where a planet might have existed, but doesn't. Where the planet should have been, millions and then billions of people are appearing from nowhere and dying in the vacuum of space.      To solve the mystery and save billions of lives, Captain Janeway will have to face alternate versions of herself and the crew of Voyager – not just one almost-mirror-image, but many. Janeway will have to find a way to work with her alternate selves, with whom she shares much but each of whom has a different agenda. At stake is the survival ofVoyager and the lives of billions of innocents ” Yeaka’s Notes:     First off, fair warning: the plot of this book gets dark. Like the summary foretells, it has a massive death count, with the crew of Voyager left to witness the corpses. Which Voyager is in the fray can get a little confusing, because the chapters jump back and forth between three different Voyager crews with “different” away teams but still the same characters. They have minimal contact with each other but all seem to reach similar conclusions. One of the Voyagers meets a new alien species that is interesting but, sadly, doesn’t get much of a conclusion. All of them continuously reference the Deadlock episode, wherein they met another Voyager already. The physics of how they deal with these parallel universes and the alien technology is a suspension of belief moment, but whatever: it’s space. Aside from that massive body count and confusion, it’s a decent read. Noteworthy moments:

Ch5/p39 Chakotay, Tom, B’Elanna, and Kes on an away mission to a unique and deserted planet

Ch45 “Every since Tuvok started helping Kes with her mental abilities, she had shown starling perceptiveness, the kind that made Paris nervous. It made him wonder what she knew about him that she wasn’t telling.”

Ch9/p70 “Chakotay rubbed the tattoo on his cheek. He touched it on occasion when something moved him or perplexed him. It was a habit he had gotten into at the Academy, when he needed a reminder of who he was and where he came from.”

Ch25/p175 Harry’s cold to Tom, Tom pushes it, they have a little fight and Harry admits he still hasn’t accepted being from another universe

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TOS Novel #48: Rules of Engagement

TOS #48: Rules of Engagement by Peter Morwood Book Jacket’s Summary:     “A sudden revolution on the planet Dekkanar brings Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise running to evacuate Federation personnel trapped there. But their orders from Starfleet are quite clear; the U.S.S. Enterprise is to assist in the evacuation, no more. No weapons are to be displayed, no shields raised, no shots fired.     Meanwhile, halfway across the galaxy, an experimental Klingon warship sets forth on a mission of its own, a warship with hidden – and heretofore undreamed of – capabilities, commanded by a warrior who will stop at nothing to bring glory to his Empire – and restore his own lost honor.     The Klingon ship's destination? The planet Dekkanar…” Yeaka’s Notes:    Though technically a follow up to the original series episodes “Errand of Mercy” and “The Trouble with Tribbles,” Rules of Engagement is set between the first and second movies. It very heavily references other Trek books, including several of their movie-era characters, and especially their Klingon characterizations. They even mention The Final Reflection, and the Klingons, which are all over this story and have several POV chapters of their own, are indeed more like that than the later TNG and up version. As I personally found The Final Reflection insufferable, that was bad news for me, but if you don’t mind your Klingons in that light, it should be fine. The writing itself can get a bit dense and slow but is otherwise decent. Not a lot actually happens in this one, and the Klingons’ ‘plot’ is weak at best. Most of the original cast is present, and at least they’re in character and have some good humour. Basically this is just one of those ones that wasn’t for me, but if you love old-style Klingons and want more of their internal politics on a small, M-5 like ship, maybe it’ll be worth a shot for you.

Ch1/p2 Kirk disliked the undercover mission in TOS: “The Balance of Power” for its espionage

p3 Bones orders Kirk down for a physical; Bones concludes he’s healthy but a little over-weight and gives him Romulan Ale

p7 In the rec room, Kirk suspects a program was modified by “the Sulu-Chekov team”

p12 Kirk wonders how many of his crew read “The Final Reflection,” he worries about their Klingon fascination, they play a Klingon opera show, Kirk finds it immature and is disturbed when his crew regards such violence as casual entertainment

Ch2/p20 Kirk and Spock have quarters on opposite ends of the ship to avoid an attack killing them both at once, Spock’s early to duty and Kirk teases him that he ran there; Spock “was feeling thoroughly full of beans”

p30 Bones waits on the bridge to make sure Kirk goes to bed, Kirk says Bones sounds like his mother

p32 Discussing Chekov’s upcoming transfer, Sulu asks if he’d like a ship of his own, Chekov says a Russian-sounding one

p34 Uhura at the con

Ch3/46 The Klingons have an automated ship like the M-F

Ch7/p147 With Spock’s help, Kirk speaks Klingonese 

p152 A Klingon thinks “Makhoy” moves like a Romulan and has the name of a warrior

p159 Klingons research Kirk

Ch9/p193 Klingons on the Enterprise, one complains about how humans their drinks either too hot or too cold

p209 Horta ensign helps out

Ch10/p244 An Organian

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TNG Novel #45: Intellivore

TNG #45: Intellivore by Diane Duane Book Jacket’s Summary:      “The Great Rift lies between the Sagittarius and Orion arms of the galaxy. Stars are scarce there, beyond the authority of the Federation, and legends abound of lost civilizations and of ancient monsters that prey on those who dare to venture into the vast darkness between the stars.      When several ships and colonies mysteriously disappear into the Rift, the USS Enterprise leads an expedition to investigate various disturbing reports. Accompanied by two other Federation starships, Picard and his fellow captains discover a bizarre menace of unimaginable power. And the only way to trap this destructive entity is to use the Enterprise as bait.” TW: mass death and comas Yeaka’s Notes:     While every bit as dark as the summary suggests, Intellivore is actually a relatively slow, thoughtful piece. It follows the Enterprise and two other starship, each with likeable new captains, and their tentative exploration of a dangerous region of space. Not a lot can be said without spoiling what they find, so in broad strokes: you’ll get a bit of intrigue, a bit of mystery, a lot of personalized character interactions, and unfortunately, a lot of death tinged in mild psychological horror. The actual struggle with it doesn’t come until the very end, but there’s plenty of upsetting lead-ups. This is the sort of story you want to carry hope through, because the characters are so compelling and it’s written so well, but you’ve been warned: this is a gritty reality, sans any magical fix-its.     While the writing can occasionally become quite technical and dense, it’s overall fluid and extremely intelligent. The pace can be leisurely but never grows boring. Most of the TNG cast is present, especially Picard, Beverly, and Data. Data gets an interesting solo part, and Picard and Beverly share several moments. Despite the sadness in this story, it’s a fulfilling read. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p1 Picard horse riding through the Alpines

Ch5/p128 Reference to the Organians, who apparently haven’t talked to the Federation since TOS; A tale of the early Romulans leaving Vulcan

Ch8/p184 Holo-Trill homeworld

Ch9/p201 Data’s thoughts on experiencing the ship

Data learns pain

Picard’s old school sea ship holoprogram

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Hallmark Itty Bittys

Hallmark Itty Bittys Well, we said this blog is for all Trek merchandise, and we meant it. Besides, these adorable little buggers deserve noting as much as the books. Somewhere along the line, Hallmark figured out fandom + cute = money, and they’re not wrong. I already bought two of the Kirk and Spock set.

You can get a set of four: Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Uhura. These are, as you can see, adorable as all heck. Bones even has his tiny medical tricorder, Spock even has little pointed ears, and everybody but our Vulcan looks oh-so-happy to be yours. In my personal opinion, they should’ve done Uhura in the same style as the others, as it looks like she’s showing her midriff, but then, that’s supposed to simulate her dress and boots, and that might not bother others who prefer to see these as mashed-together-legs rather than entirely legless. Unfortunately, these are also a bit larger than what I would want given the style, but again, that’s a preference. At 4” tall, they’re just a tad larger than Pop Vinyls, and at 30$USD regular for the whole set, they weren’t a bad price—though as a collectors item, you might have to look second hand to get them now. Kirk and Spock are also available separately as smaller keychains, and they’re a perfect 2.75”. Well made, soft, sweet as Spirk, and sold as a set of 2, they’re a steal at 10$USD. Being light fabric, they’ll likely dirty after time—hence my double purchase—but for now, they’re the cutest accessories my purse has ever had. 

The larger sized Data and Geordi are also available as online exclusives for 8$ each. You can see how equally adorable they are. And if you really want to go all out, so are Picard and Worf... in their sweet, sweet ride. They’re 25$USD in their 9”x8” ship. Again, it’s a bit large, but then again, look at these ridiculous dorks.

In summary: d’awww.

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Hello! I just wanted to thank you for doing these great reviews! My aunt is a huge Trekkie (and so am I) and she's been giving me her TOS novel collection book by book. I've got a about two dozen now and whenever she sends me a new one I always check here to see if you've reviewed it! I just finished Vulcan Academy Murders and IDIC Epidemic and I really enjoyed them. Keep up the wonderful work!

Aw, no, thank you for the support! I plan to read most of the Trek books out there anyway so figured I may as well do this for my own memory, but it’s extremely gratifying to know that someone else is getting use out of it! I remember those two being good ones in particular. Happy reading!

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TNG Novel #44: The Death of Princes

TNG #44: The Death of Princes by John Peel Book Jacket’s Summary:      “Dangerous assignments come in pairs when Captain Picard and his crew are confronted with two desperate missions on two different worlds.      On the planet Buran, newly linked to the Federation, a mysterious disease devastates the population – and turns them against the visitors from the USS Enterprise. Meanwhile, on nearby Iomides, a renegade Federation observer has disappeared, intent on violating the Prime Directive by preventing a tragic political assassination.      While Dr. Crusher struggles to find a cure for the plague ravaging Buran, Commander Will Riker leads an away team to Iomides. Their forces divided, Picard and his crew find themselves the only hope of two worlds. ” Yeaka’s Notes:     As the bookjacket covers, The Death of Princes is a slow discovery story set on two unrelated planets of new alien species. The first one, where Picard, Beverly, Data, and Worf are battling a terrible plague, is home to an insular avian species new to the Federation. They have a monarchy with a Federation-friendly prince trying to install democracy despite the huge mistrust his people show the Federation. Meanwhile, Riker, Deanna, and Barclay take a shuttle to a pre-warp planet under Federation surveillance, where they’re tasked with finding an old classmate of Riker’s. That planet’s rife with trouble, especially the oft-addressed sexism, but they at least have leaders with more progressive views. In some ways, the two missions cover the best of Star Trek: learning of and about new cultures.     Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. Like the summary and title suggest, there’s a massive death count: trigger warning for misogyny, fatal illnesses, torture aftermath, gun violence, and suicides. Even though some of the original characters are quite likeable, it isn’t safe to get too invested in them. And while the plague part is necessary for the story, the scale of it, the torture, the guns, and the suicides really aren’t. This is one of those odd books where it gets quite fun and interesting for a while, only to suddenly shoot someone in the head.     The writing is simple but alright—some of the speculation drags a bit, but the cast is strong and in character. Most of the usual TNG crew is featured, except for Geordi, and Guinan and Ro have short cameos. The original characters are mostly enjoyable. Until they’re gone, anyway. This is another plus and minus one; take heed to your personal tolerances before picking it up. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p6 After arguing with a Vulcan leader over the prime directive, a human contemplates the necessity of occasionally breaking it, citing Captains Kirk and Sulu

Ch3/p28 Beverly cautions Picard against brining Deanna on a relief mission for fear the planet’s grief will overwhelm her, so he sends her and Riker off on another mission

Ch4/p38 Riker recruits Barclay, who’s in an awful holodeck band; Riker hums a James Bond theme to himself

Ch11/p119 Worf and Ro on a shuttle mission

Ch12/p125 Picard commiserates with Guinan, “She somehow always left him feeling better for having talked to her”

Ch15/p159 Deanna and a security guard on an undercover infiltration mission 

Ch18/p188 Riker and Barclay on an undercover infiltration mission

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TOS Novel #47: The Kobayashi Maru

TOS #47: The Kobayashi Maru by Julia Ecklar Book Jacket’s Summary:     “A freak shuttlecraft accident – and suddenly Captain Kirk and most of his senior officers find themselves adrift in space, with no hope of rescue, no hope of repairing their craft, or restoring communications – with nothing, in short, but time on their hands.     Time enough for each to tell the story of the Kobayashi Maru – the Starfleet Academy test given to command cadets. Nominally a tactical exercise, the Kobayashi Maru is in fact a test of character revealed in the choices each man makes – and does not make.     Discover now how Starfleet Cadets Kirk, Chekov, Montgomery Scott, and Sulu each faced the Kobayashi Maru… and became in turn Starfleet officers. ” Yeaka’s Notes:    The Kobayashi Maru is unique by Trek book standards. For almost its entirety, Kirk, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty, and Bones are stranded in a broken shuttlecraft amongst asteroids and atmospheric distortions preventing the Enterprise from finding them. Sulu and Kirk are both injured, with Bones attending to them and Scotty and Chekov trying to keep the shuttle in one piece. All of them try to help their situation, but they’re also resigned to a probable death.    For one chapter each, they pass the time with stories of their command school experiences: Cadet Kirk and his road to defeating the infamous Kobayashi Maru test, Cadet Chekov with his unorthodox ferocity in both the Kobayashi Maru and a larger survival test, Cadet Sulu and his close relationship with his dying grandfather and subsequent Kobayashi Maru resignation, and Cadet Scotty with his passion for engineering instead of the command path his parents put him on. Each of the past chapters is interesting and different, offering compelling insight into each character’s youth. Kirk’s is intriguing, Chekov’s is exhilarating, Sulu’s is heartfelt, and Scotty’s is relatable. They’re all engaging enough that each could’ve easily been its own novel, and this feels like a treat for having four in one. The in-between chapters of the current day crew reacting to each other’s stories and working together through their situation are equally enjoyable.    Add to all that that it’s written well and with an obvious affection for the cast, and this becomes a difficult book to put down. If you like any of those command-department characters (or even Bones grumbling at them) you owe yourself this story. Noteworthy moments: (below cut; more spoilers than usual) 

Ch2/p25 Cadet Kirk obsessively rewatching his failed Kobayashi Maru attempt, he angrily retakes it and his professors tell him it’s a no-win scenario and to move on

p40 Kirk used to be a perfectly behaved student until the Kobayashi Maru put him at odds with his professors’ philosophies; Kirk rigs the simulation so the Klingons are eager to help “The Captain Kirk”

Ch3/p53 Chekov tells Sulu Kirk cheated on his test, Sulu says he’s not surprised; Sulu wants to share his and Chekov’s Kobayashi Maru tests despite Chekov’s protests

Ch4/p57 Cadet Chekov idolizes Kirk; a teacher scolds him for “kamikaze-ing” his ship in the Kobayashi Maru, he argues he did the right thing

p73 Cadet Chekov in a massive survival test where he ambushed and outsmarted fellow cadets despite only being told to survive

p122 Cadet Chekov, isolated and angry, learns how well Kirk did in the same scenario and fears Kirk would be ashamed of him

Ch5/p136 Kirk consoles Chekov

p140 Bones grumbles about how Sulu is a much better patient than Kirk, to Kirk’s protests and Sulu’s amusement

Ch6/p142 Cadet Sulu windsurfing with his grandfather, who tells him about the paper crane legend and says not to worry about going into Command school

p150 Sulu with strange plants

p160 Sulu first entering command school and joining a simulated Federation debate where he’s only allowed to talk via passing paper notes

p182 Sulu’s great-grandfather sneaks in to see him and say a final goodbye; Sulu can’t accept it and feels guilty afterwards

Ch8/p213 Cadet Scotty feels guilty being in command school only because his family wants it when he doesn’t, he works on engineering for his cousin on the side; he uses an engineering hypothetical theory to cheat the Kobayashi Maru

Ch2/p252 Relieved, Sulu and Chekov hug, Sulu’s taken off for medical treatment, Chekov says he’ll visit as soon as he can and Sulu says he’ll wait for him

p253 Spock offers Kirk an arm, Kirk leans heavily  on it and asks if Spock’s want to lead, Spock doesn’t understand and Kirk teases him about dancing

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TNG Novel #43: A Fury Scorned

TNG #43: A Fury Scorned by Pamela Sargent and George Zebrowski Book Jacket’s Summary:      “With their sun about to go nova, the people of Epictetus III face annihilation. Although the USS Enterprise-D has come to lead the rescue operation, there is no way to evacuate a population of over twenty million, leavingCaptain Picard to make an agonizing decision. Should he try to salvage the planet's children, its greatest leaders and thinkers, or its irreplaceable archaeological treasures? No matter what he decides, millions must be sacrificed – unless another solution can be found.      With time running out, Data proposes a revolutionary scientific experiment that could save all of Epictetus III, or doom both the planet and the Enterprise as well.” TW: Suicide Yeaka’s Notes:     A Fury Scorned is an interesting read. It’s well written and has well fleshed out, compelling characters. The plot is relatively different than most Star Trek books, and though it has the main problem mapped out from the very beginning, it develops enough to keep the reader hooked, and it doesn’t use all the obvious plot twists that would be expected from its red herrings. There are lots of upsides to this one.     Unfortunately, it’s also littered with death. If you’re triggered by suicide, do not read this book. There’re several and it explores that thought process. The whole problem the Enterprise is facing is horribly unpleasant, but they make it worse by not being honest about the hope they offer. For lightweight and unbelievable reasons, the Federation orders them not to tell the troubled people what help they plan to try. This feels like a ridiculous choice given that they’re making a huge decision about a planet without the consent of the planet’s government, and worse, the government tells the Enterprise of the skyrocketing suicide rate due to people thinking they have no chance, and the Enterprise, knowing fell well that there is a chance, just lets those deaths pile up. Add to that people aren’t told why to follow the Enterprise’s vague instructions, thus causing people to either ignore it or cause trouble, and huge swaths of the death in this book could’ve easily been avoided with simple honesty.     So basically, depending on your grief tolerance, this is either a good or upsetting book. Go in prepared. Noteworthy moments: (below cut)

Ch2/p28 Wes coms Beverly, wanting help for a girlfriend

Ch4/p52 After having Geordi help him with a hunch, Data makes Geordi guess why to check his deductive reasoning against human intuition

Ch4/p56 Worf’s friends with an unfortunate ensign, he talks her through her despair

Ch9/p165 Alexander brings scared children to Guinan for comfort

Ch13/p261 A diplomat questions Picard’s mental state, saying he seems abstracted, Beverly contemplates it and knows he’s fine

Ch14/p263 Picard and Guinan talk, mentioning her species

Ch14/p270 Picard and Data discuss Picard’s guilt vs. Data’s objective views on Deanna’s recommendation 

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TOS Novel #46: The Cry of the Onlies

TOS #46: The Cry of the Onlies by Judy Klass Book Jacket’s Summary:       “Boaco Six, a once-tranquil Federation colony, is now caught up in the throes of revolution. The Enterprise's mission is to re-establish contact with the planet, and determine whether or not formal ties between the Federation and Boaco Six should be strengthened.       Negotiations between Captain Kirk and the planet's ruling Council of Youngers proceed smoothly, until the atmosphere of goodwill is shattered by the sudden destruction of a Boacan ship, at the hands of an experimental Starfleet vessel!       In order to prevent full-scale war from breaking out, the Enterprise must recapture the stolen Starfleet vessel and its abductors, a mission that will require the aid of the galaxy's most reclusive genius, and bring Captain Kirk face-to-face with the long-buried secrets of his past.” Yeaka’s Notes:     Despite being set mainly in an all new star system with new aliens, The Cry of the Onlies heavily relies on the original series episodes “Miri” and “Requiem for Methuselah.” Though Miri herself isn’t in it, this has a very Onlies feel, as the new planet is run mostly by youngsters. This gets unintentionally uncomfortable in the face of all the gritty violence it discusses, and especially the way Kirk describes and flirts with the “very young” matriarch. I have to admit this book wasn’t my cup of tea, but then, neither was the Onlies episode; if you enjoyed the focus on disturbed children in that, you’ll likely have a different experience reading this. If you’re interested in Flint, you’ll also get to see where he ends up.     The writing itself is simple if a little dated, and the whole thing does feel very early Trek. It mainly stars Kirk, Spock, and Bones; the rest only appear peripherally. Bones and Spock bicker and criticize one another to the point where it feels like genuine dislike, but some of Spock and Kirk’s thoughts towards one another almost cross the line into shipping. They spend much of the book visiting an under-developed world, some of it traipsing about the galaxy on Starfleet orders, a bit checking in on the Onlies and a fraction in a Klingon skirmish. A rogue Romulan also briefly appears. The plot evolves through a number of different problems, and there’s a nice falling action after everything’s resolved.     Basically, if you want more of the Onlies, Jahn, Flint, an emphasis on youngsters in general, or a pro-Spirk but anti-Spones read, you may want to pick this one up. If you’re put off by mentions of torture, childish babbling, children in adult situations, or the more dated side of TOS in general, avoid it.

Ch3/p34 “For Spock, too, Kirk’s health and state of mind were extremely important. Any danger or disturbance that Kirk fell victim to played upon the Vulcan’s nerves as if they were harp strings”; Spock thinks Kirk’s “an especially fine and complex human” Ch10/p102 Kirk buys drinks for a revolutionary in a bar Ch11/p110 Flint recalling being Brahms Ch15/p146 Kirk looks at the wooden doll Miri gave him p148 The facility where the onlies ended up Ch17/p170 Bones and Spock talk in the mess hall, seeing Spock makes Bones feel bad about eating meat; Spock tells Bones he used a mind meld to help Kirk forget Flint and Rayna Ch18/p181 “[Spock] would gladly face court-martial, or give up his life if it meant helping his captain” Ch19/189 Spock confesses to suppressing Kirk’s memory to protect him, Spock suggests a reprimand but Kirk thanks him Ch23/p228 Flint with onlies, understanding their long life End spoiler: Flintadoptsanonlynamedpalandmovestotheirworld

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DS9 Novel #17: The Heart of the Warrior

DS9 #17: The Heart of the Warrior by John Gregory Betancourt Book Jacket’s Summary:      “While a crucial peace conference fills Deep Space 9 with rumors of intrigue and conspiracy, Major Kira and Lt. Commander Worf embark on a dangerous undercover mission deep into the heart of the Gamma Quadrant. Their mission: to find the secret of the addictive substance that the Changelings use to control their Jem'Hadar warriors. But how long can Worf and Kira remain undetected in the midst of the Dominion? Odo may be their only hope; but to save them, he'll have to stand against his own people.” Yeaka’s Notes:     Despite being set amidst the Dominion War, The Heart of the Warrior reads like an early DS9 episode. It features all of the main cast for one thing or another, even up to Rom and Garak. Mostly, Sisko, Bashir, Jadzia Dax, and O'Brien handle a conference between the Federation, Maquis, Cardassians, and new aliens, while Kira, Worf, and Odo fly to the gamma quadrant. Worf and Kira get some cute bonding time on the way, Odo briskly reunites and re-confronts his people, Sisko survives exasperating politics, and Bashir fumbles like his pre-genetic reveal. Aside from that one thing, the characterizations are all bang on.     To fit in all those character moments, the plot of this one can be brisk and simple, but it's also ever-evolving and still satisfying. The writing is much the same: brisk and simple, but solid. There's also a likeable new character and alien spotlights for Bajorans, Cardassians, Jem'Hadar, and the Changelings. For more DS9 adventures in general, this is a good add to the collection.

Noteworthy Moments: (below cut)

Ch1/p2 Kira resists strangling Quark over a derelict ship that intrigues O'Brien

Ch2/p12 Bashir's nervously made a DNA scanner and proves a glowering Worf is Klingon and not a Changeling

Ch3/p23 Falling right into Quark's financial trap, Kira gets a bargain from a Bajoran who remembers her fondly from the resistance, O'Brien jokes that she knows everyone on Bajor, Kira thinks of how the resistance brought Bajorans closer together

Ch4/p45 Sisko outwits Quark and takes bets from Dax/Kira/O'Brien

Ch6/p68 Romulans have leant a personal cloaking device to the Federation for a secret mission, which Worf finds cowardly but amazes the others

Ch7/p79 Dax leans on Sisko's shoulder and invites for a drink and to watch the O'Brien vs Bashir darts match

Ch8/p82 Dax makes Sisko feel better, he says she should've been a psychiatrist, she says that's too boring

Ch9/p89 On a long flight, Kira and Worf decide to get to know each other better, they discuss working with Starfleet, the Enterprise, and Q

Ch10/p94 Quark avoids a bar fight by saying O'Brien's a Klingon martial arts expert and a murderer, O'Brien thinks "He didn't want a reputation as some kind of Captain Kirk"

Ch11/p110 Odo on a mission with Jem'Hadar and Changelings, the Changelings try to recruit Odo

Ch16/p149 Dax gets prune juice because Worf claims it's the drink of a warrior

Ch17/p163 Dealing with a new alien, Worf thinks "How would Deanna have handled it?"

Ch18/p172 Garak tries to sell Bashir a silk suit with cutouts that Bashir says is way too revealing, Garak asks him to go for a drink instead, Garak gives him spy advice

Ch24/p233 Quark sneakily stands up to Bajoran terrorists

p259 Garak helps Bashir, Bashir says he owes Garak a drink, Garak counters Bashir owes him wearing the skimpy outfit instead

Ch27/p269 "Odo transformed himself into a cushion to take up less room. They all sat on him."

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TNG Novel #42: Infiltrator

TNG #42: Infiltrator by W.R. Thompson Book Jacket’s Summary:      “Centuries ago, followers of the tyrant Khan Noonien Singhleft Earth for the planet Hera to continue his experiments in selective breeding. Now, they are finally ready to launch their plan of universal domination – with the USSEnterprise as their weapon. Captain Picard must enlist the help of Heran expatriate Astrid Kemal to defeat her fellow superbeings. Unless the captain and crew of theEnterprise can stop them, the Heran infiltrators could alter the genetic landscape of the galaxy for generations to come.” Yeaka’s Notes:     The bookjacket makes Infiltrator sound like yet another galactic war story (and offers a spoiler to an otherwise interesting plot development for it) but it’s actually a slow-burn tale of understanding and acceptance. It focuses mainly on the Enterprise learning of a colony left over from the time of the Genetic Wars, where the survivors have since been genetically altered to be, as they call it, ‘the perfect weapons.’ The human crew is notably uncomfortable with this, including a difficult admiral constantly on Picard’s back. A few other crewmembers have a different take on genetic engineering, such as a Tellarite officer and an aggressively rude alien on cultural exchange. Geordi gets a love interest in the form of a likeable original character stuck between both sides. All of the characters get something to do at one time or another, even Guinan with her listening ear and Barclay with his paranoia. Worf’s honour is questioned, Riker’s compared to Khan, Beverly’s hard at work, Deanna’s perceptive, Data’s curious, and Picard is staunchly on the side of peace. Eventually Klingons show up to support the Federation with both peace and battle.     Surprisingly, the war mentioned isn’t too unpleasant. The plot is interesting and constantly evolving, and the conflict is based more on misconceptions than actual malice. Morality is called into play more than once, most notably over the concept of eugenics and the events of Simon Tarses’ trial from TNG: “The Drumhead.” For the different take on scifi tropes and the solid character writing, this is a fun, intriguing read. Noteworthy moments: (below cut) 

Ch1/p13 Worf wonders to Troi why a new woman on board seems so formidable yet is such a klutz around him

Ch5/p42 TW: Genetic elitists bully Geordi over him being blind, then a Tellarite for their appearance

Ch6/p47 Deanna sees people scanning Picard’s office for personality clues and thinks his décor’s deceptively unimaginative and austere

Ch6/p51 Deanna shows Worf how to deal with a seemingly rude new alien recruit

Ch10/p103 Deanna tells Riker: “Will, at times I think we’re like two planets in orbit around one another. Sometimes we move apart and sometimes we move closer together. Now it’s as though you’re in an escape orbit. You’re moving in a direction that will take you away from me forever.” Riker asks how to fix that; Guinan tells Riker not to pick women up in bars because he’s terrible at it, she tells him how she pulled a pulse-rifle on a drunk earlier

Ch11/p119 Guinan brings wine to and discusses it with Picard

p121 Geordi has a session with Deanna

Ch12/p123 Worf goes to thank a woman for saving him, she responds in traditional Klingon fashion

Ch13/p125 Geordi gets roses to apologize to a woman

p139 Picard’s got the computer set to alert him whenever historians uncover a new Dixon Hill novel, when he tries to order it, the computer tells him Work sent him a different book as a gift

Ch16/p179 Worf swears vengeance on a tribble

Ch17/p198 Geordi talks about the benefits of his VISOR and Picard’s bionic heart

p207 Riker’s told Alaska is partially made up of Khan’s offspring

Ch19/p232 Khan married Marla McGivers, they’re dealing with a woman named after her

Ch20/p245 Data mutinies

Ch23/p279 Worf’s composing his own opera and asks Riker’s opinion