by David Dvorkin “Vulcans and Earthmen are both descended from an ancient race who colonized most of the known galaxy.  Almost all of the humanoid races we know of are descended from them, and that probably includes you.  Of course there has been genetic drift and adaptation to extreme conditions, producing anomalies like the Vulcans.” Enterprise picks up a group of terrorist prisoners for transport to Starfleet Headquarters.  Even though the terrorists being transported are VERY DANGEROUS, Enterprise must rush to the aid of the […]

by Diane Duane “It didn’t necessarily follow that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one; that was a choice that could be ethically made only if the “one” was your own self.” (The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas) This is possibly my most favorite Star Trek book (tied with “Uhura’s Song”).  It is one of my favorite books of any genre.  Upon re-reading it, I realized how much the concepts in this book have shaped my beliefs […]

by Robert E. Vardeman “Zarv’s entire family had been killed by the Romulans in a brief incursion years before.  His hatred for them and all they stood for transcended mere duty; it took on personal overtones.” This is a direct sequel to Mr. Vardeman’s “The Klingon Gambit,” and it is just as wretched, ridiculous, and poorly-written as its predecessor. Even though Enterprise and her crew are in desperate need of repairs and rest after their last mission, they are given a trio of ambassadors and […]

by A.C. Crispin  “I wish that once, just once, I could command a mission where everything goes perfectly.  Everything.  The transporter functions without a hitch, both the warp drive and the impulse engines stay on-line for the duration, nobody from security suffers so much as a hangnail, and the ship’s computer doesn’t even hiccup.”  Since this a sequel to the same author’s “Yesterday’s Son,” I decided to read it out of order.  It’s actually #39 in the Pocketbooks series, while “Yesterday’s Son” is #11.  I […]

by A.C. Crispin  “I specified clearance for three, Captain.  Taking into account Dr. McCoy’s predictable penchant for rushing in where angels fear to tread, I reasoned he would attempt this.  There is usually a logical pattern to his illogical behavior.”  Remember when Spock and McCoy found themselves transported through time 5,000 years into the past, into the middle of an ice age? And Spock reverted to pre-Surak Vulcanism and ate meat? And had a brief, passionate affair with a woman named Zarabeth? When Spock and […]

by M.S. Murdock  “Jim Kirk was aware of sound.  The ship roared around him, its gentle vibration magnified by his receptivity.  It throbbed through bone and muscle, its pulse his.  He thought fleetingly of the computer’s statement he and the ship were joined, and had to admit in some ways it was right, though the joining was on a different level…more his love of an idea.”  Ok, so an epidemic is wiping out the Romulan empire.  The only cure is derived from a grain (named […]