Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- The Children Of Kings" By David Stern

So I am still in the midst of settling down after the Nashville trip. Between prepping the presentation, packing our bags, getting things ready at work, and writing that last article for StarTrek.com, I have been one busy little Trek fan. Things are back to being fairly normal now though, so I should be back on a regular spotlight schedule by week's end. I did pick up a few goodies at the show that I want to post up soon (including a couple of new autographs I need to scan for TrekAutographs.com), but with a limited amount of time today, I'm going to have to spotlight something I have pictures readily available of... which limits me to this book spotlight. So, without further ado-



"The Children Of Kings", as you might expect from the cover, is a Trek-tale set during Christopher Pike's tenure as the Enterprise captain. The story revolves around the mysterious destruction of Starbase 18. All signs point to a Klingon plot, but the presence of Orions in the sector throws all previous theories out the window... and leads Captain Pike and his crew into a battle between the two warring races.

Where to begin... Let's start with what the story gets right. I highly enjoyed the Spock/ Number One dynamic. It was interesting to see these two characters working together to solve one of the main mysteries of the plot. Dr. Boyce is also handled very well, with an inordinately large amount of the book devoted to his personal back story. And as a sucker for Orions, I was happy to see their race featured prominently in the novel.

Unfortunately, I have quite a few gripes with this one. I know it's wrong to judge a book by its cover, but when I bought this one I expected to read a story that highlighted the virtually unexplored Pike/ Spock relationship. As the story unfolds though, Pike becomes more of a guest character, disappearing for almost the entire book. With Pike gone for such an extended time and Dr. Boyce really filling the majority of the novel, I left the book feeling almost cheated by that cover. The problems don't end with the missing Pike though. Both the Klingons and the Orions feel like they are being written to fit later shows (like "Enterprise") as opposed to playing them as TOS versions. In fact, as I read the book, I found myself thinking that this story was meant for a different continuity... which is proven correct in the author's note at the end. David Stern states in the afterword that the 2009 film freed him of the need to write specifically to one vision of humanity's future and that "The Children Of Kings" was written as a prequel to the 2009 film. Well... that would have been nice to know going into this one. That would have helped explain why the author did things like choosing names and locales (like "Petri" and "Argelius") that have seemingly no relation to the established TOS versions. But with a cover featuring Jeffrey Hunter and Leonard Nimoy as their respective characters, it is hard to think of this as a 2009 prequel. Even more maddening though is to try and look back at this through that new perspective... since the Enterprise was a brand new ship in the 2009 film. My head hurts...

It is really tough for me to put aside my disappointment and confusion about this novel enough to recommend it. While the character of Boyce is handled well, and it is nice to learn more about him, I just don't find his story compelling enough to warrant devoting basically the entire novel to. Add in the confusing canon game and you've got one novel that you are probably better off leaving on the shelf... unless of course you prefer Enterprise as your chosen back story. If that's the case, you might like this take on Pike and company. For everyone else though, "The Children Of Kings" is sadly skippable.

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Perry's Planet" By Jack C. Haldeman II

After reading the first two novels in the "Crucible" trilogy back-to-back, I decided that I needed a little breather before tackling book three. The epic scope of both the McCoy and Spock novels, while very compelling, might have been a tad overwhelming. I needed to reign myself back in with something a little more grounded and with a smidge less "oomph" to it... something more akin to watching an episode of the animated series. This way I could also distance myself from the McCoy novel a bit more before tackling Kirk's segment, since I would probably face the same comparison issues I tackled while reading "Crucible: Spock". So I headed over to the book shelves and grabbed this guy-



"Perry's Planet" by Jack C. Haldeman II is the perfect definition of light Star Trek reading. The plot revolves around a planet colonized by a group of settlers 300 years ago. Kirk and crew are ordered on a first contact mission to the planet after receiving a signal that the colonists wish to discuss joining the Federation. When the Enterprise arrives, they find a planet full of blissfully peaceful people, lead by the mysterious Wayne Perry. Records show Perry as the colony's original leader... from 300 years ago. Just as the crew begins to question Perry's existence, they find themselves infected by a mysterious "peace" virus which won't allow them to make any aggressive actions, no matter the circumstances. The infection is unknowingly spread to the crew aboard the Enterprise... just as a Klingon ship captained by an enemy from Kirk's past enters orbit. Stranded down on the planet, Kirk and company must find a cure to the disease and solve the mystery of Perry's planet, which may be tied to a brutish group of the colonists known as the "Immunes"...

This book was exactly what I needed it to be: A fun romp through the Trek universe. At less than 150 pages, the book doesn't spend a lot of time with drawn out explanations or character biographies. The author seemingly wrote this with the knowledge that his reader already knows their Star Trek- he just gets right to the adventure without bogging it down in expository fluff... and sometimes that is exactly what I want from a Trek novel. It's not the best story I've ever read, but I'd say it's definitely worthy of a boring Sunday afternoon. If you see this one on the cheapy shelves at Half-Price books, you just might want to lay down the 2 bucks for it....

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Crucible: Spock The Fire And The Rose" By David R. George III

A couple of months ago, I spotlighted the first book in the "Crucible" trilogy- McCoy- Provenance Of Shadows. I stated in that spotlight that if the other 2 titles in the trilogy were as good as the McCoy novel, then I may have found my new favorite Trek author. Well, I just finished the second one the other day. How did it turn out? Well...



"Spock- The Fire And The Rose" follows the same basic formula as the McCoy novel; The author takes us on a journey through Spock's life, tying events and decisions to the trip through time he shared with Kirk and McCoy in "The City On The Edge Of Forever". David R. George III again does a fantastic job of giving new life and underlying meaning to scenes from the original series and movies that we've all seen countless times over the years. Along the way, he forces you to question certain decisions that we witnessed Spock make throughout the years, causing the reader to reexamine a character that we all probably felt we had a pretty good handle on by now. Multiple times throughout the book I found myself thinking "oh yeah... why did Spock do that when he didn't do that before?". What's great about the book though is that George then answers those questions quite adeptly, almost to the point that you feel it was planned his way all along. He fills in gaps in logic that I hadn't even realized had gaps to fill.

Now that's not to say that this book is flawless. I felt a large portion of the book was handled very well, in particular the moments expanded from "The City On the Edge Of Forever". There were, however, a few aspects that I found myself questioning. For instance (and be warned that these next few lines are somewhat spoilery), Spock deciding to attempt the Kolinahr for a second time after learning of Kirk's death on the Enterprise-B seemed wrong to me. The films did a fantastic job of bringing balance to Spock's character. He was finally able to find balance between his vulcan and human halves. For Spock to then attempt the Kolinahr again to erase his human half out of grief just seems to negate all of that. Even worse, Spock later decides that the Kolinahr was the wrong choice and then has to go through ritual of reestablishing his emotions... which once again leaves us to question if Spock actually did achieve his balance in the films, or if he was simply going through a period of indecisiveness.

Overall though, I was quite pleased with the book. Is it as good as "Crucible: McCoy"? Not in my opinion, but man... that is one tough act to follow. That's the problem with starting off SO strong in a trilogy- Everyone expects your sequel to be as good or better than your first outing. Had I read this Spock novel first, I'm sure that I would have been blown away by the story and how George handled the character's history... It's just in comparison to the McCoy novel that this one shows its slight shortcomings. "Crucible: Spock" is still an incredible read and worthy of a spot on your Trek bookshelf. Now I just hope the author finishes strong with the Kirk-centric finale...

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Crucible: McCoy Provenance Of Shadows" By David R. George III

Remember awhile back when I said I needed to get caught up on my book reviews? Well, I apparently stink at keeping to my plans. I still have a couple that I have finished reading but haven't posted reviews for yet. But they are just going to have to wait a bit longer, because I just finished a book that I want to talk about IMMEDIATELY-



The "Star Trek- Crucible" trilogy of novels was released back in 2006 to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary. Each of the books focuses on one of the TOS "holy trinity" members- Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The novels chronicle their individual lives, following their histories with a basis around an event that all three played a major part in. What event you ask? Well, it's only one of the most important happenings in all of Trek-dom: The trip through time from "The City On The Edge Of Forever".

McCoy's novel looks at his life in a very interesting way; He actually has 2 different lifetimes. First, there's the McCoy we know and love. The one who came back through time with Kirk & Spock after Edith Keeler died. The one who almost died from xenopolycythemia. The one who made a bearded return to the Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". The one who carried Spock's katra. The one who was accused of assassinating Chancellor Gorkon. The one who made a tour of the Enterprise D with Lt. Commander Data...

All these events (and MANY more) are explored in the portions of the book focusing on McCoy's life in the "fixed" timeline. Though it's mostly stuff we've all seen hundreds of times while watching reruns of the old shows and movies, author David R. George III does an INCREDIBLE job of making them seem fresh and new, like we are seeing them all for the very first time. He writes the scenes so well and with such clarity and insight that I found myself going back to re-watch some of the episodes that he references here. Since he is able to describe in words what the characters might be thinking or doing internally, I wanted to see the shows again with his perspective applied... and boy does it work! I don't think I'll ever watch some of these shows again without thinking about this book. That's the mark of a good author- One that makes you question what you thought you knew already.

Of course, events in the book pertaining to this McCoy's life aren't simply relegated to things we've already seen. George also interweaves a complex story into the existing events, one that deals with McCoy's personal struggles. The end of the original 5 year mission and where it leaves him, his inability to commit to relationships, and a series of recurring nightmares about death are just a few of the trials that we watch McCoy go through... and they are every bit as interesting as having the crew face a ship full of Romulans. I say that because the book lacks the usual "bad guy" or predicament that the crew must escape from... and you don't even miss it. It doesn't need one. It's that damn good.

All that being said- The most interesting aspect of the book for me wasn't McCoy's life in the fixed timeline; It was the life of the "other" McCoy that grabbed me by the face and wouldn't let me put this book down. Who is the "other" McCoy? Well, remember when McCoy first made that jump through the Guardian and the whole universe changed? That's the other McCoy. The McCoy that saved Edith Keeler, inadvertently allowing the Nazis to conquer the world and erasing the universe from which he came. McCoy actually lived the rest of his life in that newly created parallel timeline.

It's that McCoy's life that is truly a marvel to behold. You are there with him as he saves Edith and changes everything. You witness his despair in trying to reach his friends, and his horror at the realization that he has caused a change that will have ramifications across the world. You are also there as he finally resigns himself to the life he is stuck in... and that's when things get really interesting. Though you know things can't possibly end well for this McCoy, the author does such an amazing job of making you care for him that you begin to find yourself hoping against all hope that he will somehow fix things...

I'm not afraid to admit that I got a little misty-eyed watching this McCoy's life unfold... and that's why I just had to tackle this one now. I've never had this kind of an emotional experience with a Star Trek novel before. This book isn't just a great Trek novel; It's a great novel period.

I give this one my highest recommendation. It's so good that I'm even trying to get my wife to read it, and she doesn't even like Star Trek that much. If the other 2 novels in the trilogy are half as good as this McCoy one, then I may have just found one of my new favorite Trek authors...

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Inception" By S.D. Perry & Britta Dennison

Ever wondered what the relationship between a young James T. Kirk and Carol Marcus was like? Or perhaps you've pondered what Spock saw in Leila Kalomi before their reunion in "This Side Of Paradise"? Well, wonder no more... (FAIR WARNING- Their are some slight spoilers in this review!)



The novel "Star Trek- Inception" attempts to tell the backstory of these 2 doomed romances, filling in an unexplored gap in the characters' lives. The story of their relationships is set against the backdrop of the Inception program (a precursor to the Genesis experiment), to which both Carol Marcus and Leila Kalomi are contributing. A crazed space environmentalist named Thaddeus Kent wants to shut Inception down by any means necessary, and it will take the combined efforts of Kirk and Spock to make sure that Marcus and Kalomi's work doesn't turn into a galactic disaster.

I was a bit trepidacious about this one when I first picked it up. Prequel stories are often very hard to pull off (as evidenced by Star Wars Episodes 1-3), since the reader knows how the story truly ends before they even turn the first page. Still, I thought it would be nice to see the author's interpretation of exactly how these relationships formed (and ended). I'd always wondered how Kirk made the decision to walk out on a pregnant Carol Marcus, or how the emotionless Mr. Spock had formed such a bond with Leila Kalomi. So I dug into it. The results were quite a mixed bag...

What the book gets right is the personification of the characters. Kirk and Spock are just as they should be, with Spock's unfamiliarity with emotion and Kirk's confident nature being showcased as the core of their characters. What's truly impressive though is the way the authors handle Marcus and Kalomi. While existing canon doesn't provide a whole lot on these two, the authors manage to capture their personalities quite well, even intertwining their histories in a completely believable manner. The authors also manage to get all 4 main players working together while not actually having Kirk and Spock cross paths, thereby avoiding any possible hiccups in the characters' histories.

Unfortunately, there is a lot that didn't work for me as well. First, there's the main villain of the piece: Thaddeus Kent. A great deal of the book is spent exploring his character and motivations. So much so in fact, that I feel the main characters get slighted in favor of learning more about why Kent does what he does. While I understand the need for a reader to identify with what motivates a villain, I felt that the exploration of his character was needlessly long, especially when you consider that the book is trying to cover two relationships in fairly short story. That's where my other main problem comes in: There isn't enough of either the Kirk/ Carol or Spock/ Leila relationships to fulfill any preconceived questions that the reader might have. I don't think I'm alone in putting the question of how Kirk left a pregnant Marcus as my main question in his and Carol's relationship. The entire book teases us with Carol's inability to reveal the pregnancy to Jim, awaiting the moment when all will be revealed and Kirk will make the decision to leave. Sadly, it never happens. The book ties up the Kent struggle in fairly short order, but the pregnancy thread is just left dangling out there. Even worse than that in my eyes is the way the Leila/ Spock relationship is handled. While one could see how Leila's feelings in "This side Of Paradise" could have been inspired by the events shown here, I don't see anything on Spock's side that would have caused the emotional reaction shown in that episode. I feel like the authors could have played a bit more towards Spock's inability to hide his emotions at this earlier stage in his life, showing a connection with Leila that would cause the stirring of emotions we witness in TSOP. It just feels like a lost opportunity all around.

While I do have some gripes with this one, it was still fun to see these relationships in the limelight. I can't recommend this one as a "must-buy", but since the book is fairly short (only around 300 pages with a pretty large type-font used), it might make a relaxing read on a rainy afternoon. If you go into this knowing that your questions on their relationships will largely go unanswered, you should be able to just check your inquisitive mind at the door and enjoy the ride...

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek Mirror Universe The Sorrows Of Empire" By David Mack

I've polished off a few Trek books lately, but I keep neglecting to post spotlights on them. I'm going to correct that in the next couple of weeks, so expect 2 or 3 more of these "reading room spotlights" in the next month... First up: The Sorrows Of Empire by David Mack!



In case you didn't know, I'm a HUGE fan of the Mirror Universe... So when I saw this cover staring at me from on my local book store shelf, I gleefully snatched it up. A book that explores how Spock and Moreau reshaped the Terran empire!? Sign me up.

The book picks up right where the original series episode "Mirror, Mirror" leaves off- The Mirror Universe version of Spock has now had the seeds of change planted in him by Captain Kirk and must decide how he is going to affect a change in the Terran Empire. At his side is Lt. Marlena Moreau, who has also been inspired by the words of our universe's Kirk and stands as Spock's only true confidant. Opposing them is the entire Terran Empire- led by Empress Hoshi Sato II (a great carryover concept from the Enterprise 2-parter "In a Mirror, Darkly"). Spock must somehow move up the ranks of the Empire and set forth a change that will have ramifications for not only his time, but into future centuries as well (leading to the state of the Empire in the DS9 "Mirror" episodes).

While the book isn't quite as "action-packed" as I'd hoped, I found myself engrossed in every chapter. I had expected the book to just take a quick romp in the Mirror Universe, exploring Spock's machinations relating to the TOS universe only. Boy, was I wrong. Spock's overtaking of the Enterprise is actually only the start, with the rest of the book following his story throughout the movie era as well. Familiar faces and concepts are seen again here, but this time through the broken reflection of the Mirror Universe. Mirror versions of characters like Sarek, Amanda, Garth of Izar, Will Decker, Carol Marcus, and Saavik all show up, each one with their own unique and integral contribution to the overall story. Mack masterfully works the existing Terran Empire timeline, making every action Spock takes fit into existing canon while establishing plausible causes to the effects we see in the DS9 episodes. It's almost like they had planned it this way all along...

So yeah, I liked this one. A LOT. If you are a fan of the Mirror Universe (and who isn't), I highly recommend picking this one up. Unlike some of the other books I've spotlighted, you should be able to find this one on book store shelves still. It retails for $7.99... and is worth every penny. Go buy it.

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek 365" By Paula M. Block With Terry J. Erdmann

During the height of Trek's popularity in the 1990's, it seemed like there was new "coffee table" book coming out every month on the franchise... It was a great time to be a fan. As the years passed and Trek started moving into an overly-saturated state, the release of these beauties became less and less frequent until they basically ceased to exist. Flash forward a decade or so, and Trek's presence in bookstores is just now finding it's footing again, I'm sure due in no small part to the popularity of the 2009 film. Publishers are once again giving Star Trek a chance... which leads us to this awesome piece of hardcover goodness... Star Trek 365! Let's take a look!



I ordered my copy of the book from Amazon, so I bought this sight unseen just based on the premise- 365 pages of info and pictures all about the original series. You don't really think about how massive 365 pages are until you see them smacked down on the table in front of you. The heft of the book is incredible! It's like a brick! I threw that comparison pic (featuring one of the old digest size TV guides) up there just to illustrate how massive this book is!



In case you aren't familiar with the 365 format, basically the book is laid out with a large picture or illustration on one page and text on the other. Star Trek 365 follows this format, with carefully selected images pertaining to the original series. I was amazed by the quality of the images in the book and pleasantly surprised by many that I had never even seen before! Even after over 40 years, there are still some images out there that are fresh and new...



The text portion of the book offers not only fantastic synopses of the original 79 episodes, but also insanely cool behind the scenes stories and wonderful insight into the making of the show. For a book the could have just relied on amazing imagery as it's selling point, Block and Erdmann put forth text that easily equals the pictures for enjoyment value.

Um yeah... BUY THIS BOOK! The suggested retail is $29.95, which it is well worth, but I got mine for the crazy low price of $19.77 from Amazon. I'm not sure how much longer that deal will last, so act fast. That being said, I would have had zero buyer's remorse at paying the full price on this. A great addition to the Trek reading room!

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek The Motion Picture Make-Your-Own Costume Book" By Lynn Edelman Schnurnberger

This spotlight is a bit of a departure from the standard "Reading Room" version in that this really isn't a novel... but hey, it's still a book so it counts!



When I saw this Star Trek TMP Make-Your-Own Costume Book, the first thought that popped in my head was "Man, they really did think that TMP was going to be as big as Star Wars, didn't they?". (Note- I actually prefer TMP to the original Star Wars) I mean take a look at that cover; Yep. That's a kid dressed in a homemade Zaranite costume. Did you ever see that in real life? I didn't think so.



I'm pretty sure you can figure out the premise of this puppy: The book details how to make homemade versions of your favorite uniforms and costumes from TMP. There's a preface by Robert Fletcher (costume and jewelry designer from the film) followed by a section entitled "The Basics" that details the starting steps in costume-making. From there, you can choose to construct a variety of Starfleet and alien uniforms! Keen! The kids up there seem to love it.



The center section of the book features some full color reference shots of various adornments used in the movie. At only 8 color pages, the selection is slim, but there are a couple of nice treats like the great shot of the Andorian seen above.



Now what would a homemade costume be without good accessories? Crap, that's what. This is why the last section of the book is devoted to stencils of various accoutrements to really spice up your look. That's the Arcturian mask stencil above. No, I didn't draw it. That's the actual stencil. Awesome.

Yeah, so you can skip this one entirely, unless you are into the truly quirky Trek stuff. Then go ahead and buy it, make a costume, and send me a pic. Seriously. I'll post it.

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Devil World" By Gordon Eklund

I'm trying to get back on track with my Trek book reading, so last week I randomly grabbed one off the shelving unit to peruse- "Devil World", by Gordon Eklund...



As with most novels, the back of the book gives you a brief rundown of what to expect when you read this; Spock has to beam back aboard the Enterprise in a state of severe shock, a man named Jacob Kell may be his only hope, a mysterious force rules the planet, and all but one of the planet's original 100 colonists are completely insane. Sounds like a pretty straight forward plot, right? Well, the Spock bit is pretty minor in the actual novel, and he's relegated to almost a "guest star" status. There's also no mention of Gilla Dupree, the female lead in the story. She's the one that gets the action started by convincing Kirk to head to the quarantined planet to aid her in a search for her missing father, Jacob Kell. Also absent from the brief synopsis are the planet inhabitants, the Danons, a race of aliens that resemble devils.

The book flows pretty strongly for awhile, with Kirk getting to know Gilla, the explanations as to why Kell went to the planet, and the introduction of the Danons as highlights. But just when things start to get interesting, you're almost at the end of the novel and everything gets wrapped up a little too quickly and easily for my tastes. The book is short at only 153 pages, and I think the ending could have really benefited with the addition of another 50 pages or so to really pad it up a bit. Oh, there's also a subplot with Kirk being saddled with an annoying steward that I could have totally done without.

This is one that I could only recommend reading if you get it dirt cheap and you have an afternoon of boredom that needs filling. The rushed ending reminds of a Coen brothers film, where I'm really into the movie for the majority of the run... but then everything gets rapidly sewn together in the last 10 minutes and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek The Khan Noonien Singh Trilogy" By Greg Cox

Awhile back, I spotlighted the excellent Trek novel "Assignment: Eternity" by Greg Cox. The tease at the end of the book about how Gary Seven would be instrumental in dealing with Khan's exile lead to 3 books focusing on the Rise and Fall of Khan. In the "Eternity" review I named it as the best Trek novel I had ever read. Well, after completing the Khan trilogy, that may have changed.



The first 2 books focus on Khan's origins and rise to power. Intertwined in Khan's origin story are Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln, who are on a quest to thwart the efforts of genetic engineering. You won't believe the role that Gary plays in Khan's life, from his earliest days up through his exile from earth. Cox also does a masterful job of making sense out of the Eugenics Wars taking place in the 1990's. Mixing in real world events and giving a plausibility to a "behind the scenes" genetic tyrant and cryogenic-capable sleeper ship make you almost question if perhaps Khan really did exist in the 90's...



The third book in the series focuses on Khan's years of exile on Ceti Alpha V. Again, Cox does a great job of making certain film inconsistencies not only work, but add depth to his stories (like why Khan keeps the one glove on...). I actually found myself rooting for Khan by the end, and it has enriched my views on Khan's character in "Wrath Of Khan". In fact, do yourself a favor if you pick this up and immediately watch TWOK after completing it. It's amazing how different you feel about Khan once you know where he comes from.

I went into these books thinking I'd probably like them, but not as much as Eternity since they lacked the TOS regulars (Kirk, Spock, & company). Boy was I wrong. While Kirk and crew do have small (yet still interesting) side stories in all 3 books, Khan easily held my interest all on his own. All 3 books are fantastic and get my highest recommendation. I just wish there were more...

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- A Comics History" By Alan J. Porter

I picked this up at my comic shop last week and I've been meaning to post something about it since then. If you're a fan of Star Trek comics like me, this book is a fantastic reference for Trek in all it's comic incarnations. From the original Gold Key comics up through IDW's acquisition of the license, the book covers just about every comic published. There's a quick synopsis for each issue, with all the pertinent info. The book really shines at giving details on rarities like the Sunday paper strips, McDonalds Happy Meal comics, and UK exclusive stories from their Joe 90 and TV21 anthologies. Oh, and there's quick snippets from a bunch of the creators behind the comics towards the end. The book is pretty decently sized, with tons of nice illustrations sprinkled throughout. The only real bummer is the lack of IDW coverage, but the author does mention that they will be covered in future editions.

The book ain't cheap, with a MSRP of $40. Amazon currently has it at $26.39 with free shipping though:

Star Trek- A Comics History on Amazon

That's still a lot to put down for a casual comic fan; The book is better suited for the hardcore Trek comic fan. If that's you, go snag this one!

-James

Reading Room Spotlight- "Star Trek- Assignment: Eternity" By Greg Cox

I have a whole bunch of Star Trek books. Lots. There's a bunch I have read, a bunch I haven't read, and a bunch that I can't remember if I've read or not. So I decided to pick up each one and treat it as if it's new. As a supplement to my regular spotlights, I'm going to throw in one of these recommendations (or in some cases warnings) every once in awhile to help steer people on their Trek literary journeys. I started off reading them in order, but then I got on a Gary Seven kick again and decided to jump forward to this one. Man, am I glad I did...

This book is seriously the best Trek book I have ever read. Greg Cox does a phenomenal job of characterization here, especially with Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln. As I read it, I could almost hear the actor's speaking their lines. The plot revolves around Mr. Seven and Miss Lincoln commandeering the Enterprise on a trip through Romulan space in an attempt to prevent a future catastrophe involving everyone's favorite Vulcan. The setting moves from 1969 all the way up through the closing moments of Star Trek VI effortlessly and not once did I find myself scratching my head as I have with many other time-travel tales. Cox keeps the action coming fast and furious and I couldn't put the book down once I started it.

Go to half price books or some other local used book store and give this book a reading. It's an especially welcome treat for Gary Seven fans like me who have always yearned to see more of his adventures. Oh, and the closing comments of the book leave the reader wanting more...which Gregory Cox fulfills with his Khan books, also featuring Gary Seven...