Star Trek - Captain's Glory

Pocket Books, A Division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by William Shatner with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens

Copyright 2006

In Captain's Glory, an alien threat called "The Totality" tries to absorb all life in the Milky Way galaxy - including Captain Kirk's son. Because they have different agendas about The Totality, James T. Kirk and Captain Jean-Luc Picard are on opposing sides about The Totality as Captain Kirk searches for his lost son.

With the alien woman leader Norinda of The Totality's driven interest to embrace Kirk to her with The Totality's love, it makes you wonder what love truly is and what it means - as The Totality's persuasive love makes one become part of The Totality, which The Totality did with the Andromeda galaxy. This is definitely a Kirk book, although Picard's personality is just as strong - especially when Kirk and Picard go up against each other in their own ships. Can Kirk really defeat the Enterprise?

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek: Titan - Sword of Damocles

Pocket Books, A Division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by Geoffrey Thorne

Copyright 2007

In Sword of Damocles, the starship Titan is stranded in space by a planet that sent out a massive warp pulse that disabled the Titan's engines. The pulse is in response by the inhabitants to a celestial body that the inhabitants are in fear of. While sending a shuttlecraft down to the planet, another pulse sends some of the shuttlecraft's crew to the surface - and the rest of the crew into the planet's past.

With some of the crew stuck in the past, the issues of fate and predestination come into play with one of the Titan crew's religious beliefs. Religion is rarely dealt with in the Star Trek universe, unless the religion is part of an alien race. It is difficult to believe all the major religions of Earth have been disbanded in only a couple of centuries, which makes Starfleet and the Federation a little sterile, so the issues brought up by one of the Bajoran crew member adds more texture to the Star Trek universe.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek: Gateways - One Small Step

Pocket Books, A Division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by Susan Wright

Copyright 2001

In One Small Step, after defeating a hostile computer on an ancient Kalandan outpost, Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise search the Kalandan outpost to discover the technology that hurled the Enterprise a thousand light years away - when a race of aliens arrive claiming to be the Kalandans and want their station back.

The first of a seven book series about the mysterious Gateways, this continuation of the television episode That Which Survives is believable only as a continuation. I often wondered what happens immediately after the episodes and this book fits the bill. However, the aliens claiming to be the Kalandans are difficult to believe as Kalandans because an incredible amount of time has elapsed since the outpost was lost and the aliens seems to have made little technological improvements made in the intervening time. At least, it should have been difficult for the crew of the Enterprise to believe, especially Spock and Scotty.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek: Academy - Collision Course

Pocket Books, A Division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by William Shatner with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens

Copyright 2007

In Collision Course, before they became heroes, troubled teens James T. Kirk, who is haunted by his tragic experiences on the planet Tarsus IV, as told in the episode The Conscience of the King, and Spock, who has difficuties with his Ambassador father Sarek, are forced to enlist in Starfleet Academy where they become pawns in a smuggling ring.

This is a fun book about rebellious teen Jim Kirk. Too smart for his own good, his life changed when "space cadet" Kirk was sent by his father to Tarsus IV - just before the brutal eugenics control program administered by Governor Kodos. Tarsus IV is the backstory I would have liked to have seen in the Star Trek movie, and I hope Tarsus IV will be shown in the sequel. When Kirk steps on board the Starship Enterprise for the first time - you can see his sense of awe for the Enterprise as a starship.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek: Vanguard - Open Secrets

Pocket Books, A Division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by Dayton Ward

Copyright 2009

In Open Secrets, set during the original Star Trek series, Commodore Diego Reyes of Starbase 47 Vanguard is undergoing court-martial proceedings for revealing the secrets of Vanguard's true mission in the Taurus Reach to reporter Tim Pennington. Meanwhile, relations between the Klingons and the Federation deteriorate as they both search aggressively for the extensive secrets of the Taurus Reach to procure technology and weapons - eventually leading to war.

This continuing story of Vanguard gets more political as the conflict between the Klingons and the Federation heat up literally as the Organians from the TV episode Errand of Mercy finally intervene between them. It is interesting to finally meet Admiral Nogura as he takes over command of Vanguard during the court-martial of Commodore Reyes, as well as seeing the proceedings of the court-martial itself. Nogura does not seem, as his name would suggest, in following the traditional Japanese culture and traditions. From the various references of Admiral Nogura throughout the series, I always expected a lot of Japanese culture around Nogura, which would define his leadership style. It is nice to see Reyes relationship with his JAG lawyer Rana Desai grow as she switches sides from Prosecuter to Defense in support to defend Reyes.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek - Enterprise - The Good That Men Do

POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Copyright 2007

Written by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin

In The Good That Men Do, two old friends, human Jake Sisko and Ferengi Nog, discover a declassified file that rewrites history - Chief Engineer "Trip" Tucker of the original Enterprise did not die as recorded, but lived on as a secret agent for Section 31!

This is a satisfying book of what happened to Trip, who faked his death, instead of actually dying in the TV series finale These are the Voyages... - which was most unsatisfying for the end of the TV series. The book deals with Trip trying to come to terms with the secret intelligence agency of the Federation and his new part in it. Disguised as a Romulan, Trip goes on a mission into Romulan space to procure a warp 7 engine the Romulans are building.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Wars - Shadows of the Empire

A Bantam Sprectra Book/Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Written by Steve Perry

Copyright 1996

Set between the movies THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI, Shadows of the Empire feels like a proper sequel to the Star Wars universe. While searching for the carbon-frozen Han Solo, Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker is pursued by Darth Vader - as well as the head of the criminal organization Black Sun, Prince Xixor, who overhears a private communication between Emperor Palpatine and Vader about Luke. One wants Luke alive, the other wants Luke dead!

The book gives more insight into the Star Wars universe, set during the movies, with the introduction of the criminal syndicate Black Sun as part of the running of the Galactic Empire; this also includes running the various merchants and bounty hunters as part of Black Sun's operations.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.