STAR TREK - ENTERPRISE - THE ROMULAN WAR - BENEATH THE RAPTOR'S WING

POCKET BOOKS

Written by Michael A. Martin

Copyright 2009 by CBS Studios Inc.
STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.
All Rights Reserved.




In Beneath the Raptor's Wing, the first novel of The Romulan War series written by Michael A. Martin, the Earth-Romulan War is in full swing. With the Romulan Star Empire's ability to remotely take control of other alien race's starships, the other races of the Coalition slowly pull out of their commitment to the Coalition of Planets - leaving Starfleet alone to deal with the Romulans as it turns out that the Starfleet ships resists the Romulan takeover programming better than the others ships in the Coalition. Captain Jonathan Archer was very upset at being abandoned by the Coalition, while the news media escalates both sides of the story.

I was disappointed that the Vulcans had refused to have an active part of the war. While I understand the Vulcans non-involvement in the war, especially with their racial connection to the Romulans, it was very disconcerting to me to watch the Vulcans just stand by and let Earth handle the war mostly by themselves and the Andorians. The Vulcans offer of a detection grid in Coalition space hardly makes up for the Vulcan's lack of support - especially when the detection grid seems to be ineffectual to any type of detection of the Romulan ships as the Romulans continue to get through the grid and launch sneak attacks on the various planets.

I was sad that Travis Mayweather was so pissed off with Archer over what had happened with the freighter the Kobayashi Maru - that Mayweather packs up and leaves the Enterprise. I can understand how Mayweather would feel - in that Archer would have treated his family's freighter the same way under the same circumstances, and that he can not work with Archer anymore. With Archer trying to form an alliance with the Klingon Empire in order to have the Klingons to join Starfleet against the Romulans - it shows how the reader of how desperate the situation is becoming for Earth in this first year of the Romulan war.

Having the Romulans undergoing a Machiavellian power struggle amongst themselves in the middle of the war was interesting. It was like a comeuppance to the Romulans for me. Meeting Captain Dunsel for the first time in the Star Trek series was anti-climatic for me as I expected a more incompetent person to be the infamous Captain Dunsel, and I did not feel that Dunsel had deserved his infamous reputation that he had amongst the midshipmen at Starfleet Academy.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - THE LOST ERA - CATALYST OF SORROWS

An Original Publication of POCKET BOOKS

Written by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Based upon STAR TREK and STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION created by Gene Roddenberry

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE created by Rick Berman & Michael Piller

and STAR TREK: VOYAGER created by Rick Berman & Michael Piller & Jeri Taylor

Copyright 2004 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.



In Catalyst of Sorrows by Margaret Wander Bonanno, Romulan Tal-Shiar agent Zetha is sent from the Romulan Star Empire to Federation space by an old and trusted Romulan friend of Admiral Uhura, chief of Starfleet Intelligence. Zetha was to bring news to Uhura of an ancient deadly plague that crosses species - which is spreading throughout the Empire. Uhura's friend hopes of Federation assistance in stopping the plague. Uhura picks a young Lieutenant Benjamn Sisko, Lieutenant Tuvok, Dr. Selar, and Zetha to investigate in the field to try to locate the origin and try to stop it.

I like that the relationships between the young people from the different cultures survive their various governments politics after all these years, like the young Uhura and the young Romulan diplomatic assistant. It was great to see Uhura overcome Dr. McCoy's excuse of wanting to remain in retirement so he can work remotely on finding a cure for this plague. It was also good to see Dr. McCoy working with Beverly Crusher in the lab. When they discover that the disease was actually manufactured, the ground team searches for the creator of the disease with the possibility that he may have created a cure as well. However, other factions also want the creator for their own agenda.

Surprisingly, a minor character from Star Trek: The Search for Spock becomes an important part of the book. How this character got from his position in the movie - to the position he has in the book was a little hard for me to believe, but sufficient time had elapsed that I could accept his career path and his current position. I liked seeing the juxtaposition of the leader of the Tal-Shiar and of a young Luther Sloan, who would soon be in charge of Section 31 - both of which are covert agencies of their respective governments.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - THE LOST ERA- SERPENTS AMONG THE RUINS

POCKET BOOKS

Written by David R. George III

Copyright 2003 by Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.



In Serpents Among the Ruins, the legendary Tomad Incident - in which thousands were killed - is finally told. Flight tests conducted for a prototype starship, the U.S.S. Universe with it's new engines, ends tragically in disaster close to the border space of the Romulan Star Empire. When the news of the observed disaster reaches the Romulans, the Romulans believe that the Federation is developing weapons of mass destruction to be used against them. As a military buildup ensues on all sides, which includes the Klingons - who want to regain the glory of their Empire - Captain John Harriman of the U.S.S. Enterprise confronts an old Romulan enemy aboard the Romulan flagship Tomad.

This is an older John Harriman of the Enterprise than the one who was shown in the movie Star Trek: Generations.  Harriman is not the insecure bumbler that he was in the movie, but a mature experienced individual who is quite at home on the Enterprise B  - and is also an almost burned-out Captain approaching the end of his career. The diplomats deal with the tense strategic negotiations between the three major powers in order to prevent another Federation/Romulan war and having the Klingons fighting for peace. Harriman, in what is basically his final mission, is sent on a classified mission by Starfleet Special Operations - which includes a young Elias Vaughn. Harriman and Vaughn are snuck aboard the Romulan Flagship Tomad, commanded by Harriman's old enemy Admiral Aventeer Vokar, deep in Romulan space - while Harriman leaves Demora Sulu in command of the Enterprise as they rotate the personal in the outposts monitoring the Romulan Neutral Zone. Vokar's desire for vengeance against his old enemy Harriman makes Harrison's mission extremely dangerous as they perform sabatouge on Vokar's ship Tomad. This mission is also sad as Harriman must undertake the mission while his father Admiral Harriman was critically injured during the U.S.S. Universe disaster. You wish that Harriman and his father the Admiral would reconcile with each other after the Admiral's injury as Admiral Harriman has been disappointed with him ever since the events of Star Trek: Generations and the book Star Trek - The Captain's Daughter. It is also sad when Vaughn is forced to kill for the first time.

This book is basically the flash point where several parts of the Star Trek universe changes after the events in the book, at least in the Star Trek literature.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - THE ASHES OF EDEN

DC Comics

Co-writers - Judy & Gar Reeves-Stevens
                   - William Shatner

Penciller - Steve Erwin

Inker - Jimmy Palmiotti

Colorist - Gloria Vasquez

Letter - Willie Schubert

Copyright 1995 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

In this graphic novel, based on the book The Ashes of Eden  by William Shatner with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Captain James T. Kirk - after a long career of service - elects to leave Starfleet to retire but is then recruited by Romulan/Klingon woman Teilani to save her world from her parent's people. Meanwhile, Kirk's old Starfleet rival Admiral Drake is determined to do away with Kirk as Drake persues a secret agenda about Teilani's world.

Teilani's world has a dark secret in space being the experimental colony of both the Romulans and Klingons. Kirk becomes seduced by Teilani as he seems to have found the secret to the fountain of youth in his new home and a purpose in life again. While on a classified intelligence mission, Checkov gets upset at his old friend Captain Sulu of the U.S.S. Excelsior that Sulu did not tell him he was secretly Chekov's backup. Sulu and Checkov reluctantly join forces as Admiral Drake recruits them and the rest of the Enterprise crew to go after the rogue Kirk, unbeknownst to them that there was secretly a link to their intelligence mission and Admiral Drake. The artwork by penciller Steve Erwin, inker Jimmy Palmiotti, letter Willie Schubert, and colorist Gloria Vasquez captures the images that were described in the book.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - COUNTDOWN

IDW PUBLISHING

Story by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman

Writers Mike Johnson & Tom Jones

Artist David Messina

Copyright 2009 by Paramount Pictures Corporation
Copyright 2009 by CBS Studios Inc.

In Countdown, the graphic novel collection of the four issue comic books, is the prequel to the movie Star Trek. The graphic novel shows the origin of Nero and why he was so determined to destroy Spock and Vulcan as an unstable star becomes a supernova that threatens Romulan space and soon Federation space.

It is great to see The Next Generation crew after Star Trek: Nemesis try and stop Nero. The crew has grown as characters and is basically the last you will see of them as Star Trek moves onto a different direction in the reimagining of the franchise. The developement of Red Matter to stop the supernova turns the nova into a singularity as Nero gets pulled into the singularity by it's gravitational field and winds up in the updated Star Trek movie universe. The art by David Messina captures the likenesses of the actors. There is also a gallery of several of the characters that were depicted at the end of the graphic novel.

See movie review:

Star Trek

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - UNSPOKEN TRUTH

POCKET BOOKS

Written by Margaret Wander Bonanno

Copyright 2010 by CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc.

Cover art by Doug Drexler

In Unspoken Truth, after the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Saavik - Spock's Vulcan/Romulan science officer protege, from the Romulan planetary experiment Hellguard - becomes a science officer aboard the research vessel U.S.S. Chaffee. She is then contacted by an old friend. Someone is killing Hellguard survivors and Saavik is recruited by her childhood colleague survivor from Hellguard to find out why.

We learn more about Saavik and how she grew from a feral discarded genetic experiment to the logical science officer she is now. It is cute how Spock's mother Amanda tries to educate the child Saavik, while on the Chaffee another scientist falls in love with Saavik - especially since they had similar rough childhoods. The womanizing scientist getting his comeuppance trying to get to know the cool Saavik is both rather funny and annoying at the same time. You feel that she deserves better as they catalogue a new planetary system and attend an alien wedding. When Saavik goes undercover to find out who is killing the Hellguard survivors, you feel that she really has gone over to the other side and I felt very disconcerted about that.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek

Pocket Books

A novel by
Alan Dean Foster

Written by Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Based upon "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry

Copyright 2009 by Paramount Pictures Corporation. Copyright 2009 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.



The novelization to the movie Star Trek is about the launching of the new crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise in an alternate universe from the original TV series Star Trek. After a bitter Romulan miner from an alternate universe destroys the planet Vulcan with Red Matter - in revenge for the destruction of his own home world of Romulus, the Enterprise is the sole surviving starship to stop him as he targets Earth.

This novelization by Alan Dean Foster is a good companion to the movie, whose prose adds more depth to the movie and the gathering of the crew of the Enterprise - including Doctor McCoy, asian helmsman Sulu, and Communications officer Uhura. You see a rebellious young James T. Kirk trying to live up to his late father's name, who once commanded a starship for 12 minutes before the ship was destroyed by the Romulan miner Nero in deep space of twenty years before. Starfleet cadet Kirk in turn becomes the captain of the Enterprise when captain Pike becomes a prisoner of Nero. An alternate universe explains outcomes that are different than what we have known before. With the original Spock as a link between the original universe and the new alternate universe, the concept seems more acceptable than having a totally re imagining of Star Trek. You look forward to a face-to-face meeting with both the mature and young Spock.

See the movie review of Star Trek.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Trek - Nemesis

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

Novelization by J. M. Dillard

Story by John Logan & Rick Berman & Brent Spiner

Screenplay by John Logan

Star Trek Created by Gene Roddenberry

Copyright 2002 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.


DVD
Novelization


Search Amazon.com for Star Trek Nemesis

In Nemesis, written by J.M. Dillard, Will Riker and Deanna Troi finally get married. After the wedding, Captain Picard and the Enterprise are sent on a diplomatic mission to Romulus. Captain Picard gets a shock when he meets the aggressive new Praetor - who had just murdered the entire Romulan Senate with a horrible new weapon.

I was much more interested in the story after reading the novelization of Star Trek - Nemesis, than I was when I was watching the movie Nemesis. This is probably because I understood the story so much more this time as I was reading the novelization. Initially, while watching the movie, I wanted to see Picard deal with real Romulans and Romulan intrigue and aggressiveness rather than me watching Picard deal with his own clone or with the Remans. The dichotomy between the two Picard's ethics and leadership styles was much more interesting to read about to me, than for me watching it onscreen.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language. 
DVD
Novelization


Search Amazon.com for Star Trek Nemesis

Star Trek - The Return

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

Written by William Shatner with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens

Copyright 1996 by Paramount Pictures

Star Trek - The Return is about the return of James T. Kirk - back from the dead. Using Borg technology, the Romulans reanimate Kirk with one mission - to kill Jean-Luc Picard!

As a Borg story, the story is interesting. With Kirk searching aggressively after Picard, it seems like petty jealousy is rearing it's head with Kirk, even if you realize his obsession is the result of Borg programming. It does feel like Willima Shatner's voice is behind Kirk in this story and Picard's character feels just right. This is the first of William Shatner's Star Trek books.

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.