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 - 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.