STAR TREK - THE LOST ERA - THE SUNDERED

POCKET BOOKS
a division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Written by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels

Copyrigtht 2003 by Paramount Pictures. All rights Reserved.

In The Sundered, Captain Sulu and the U.S.S. Excelsior is sent on an ambassadorial mission to the Tholians, but is secretly on an intelligence mission to spy on Tholian space. Ambassador Burgess finds about him spying on the Tholians and tells them. As the Tholians engage them, along with their more advanced Tholian energy Web, they run across a mysterious race that is closer to home than they think.

Ambassador Burgess was not a likable character as she goes behind Sulu and Starfleet and tells the Tholian ambassadors what is happening with little apology to Sulu. Even she says her career was finished, although she was determined to stop the war between the Federation, the Tholians, and the aggressive Neyel race. Her solution to establish communications, while unorthodox, did leave you feeling that there is something good about her after all as the Neyal search for their ancient home. Reading about the genesis of the engineered Neyal was a bit sudden as they go from an intelligent peaceful people to aggressive phobic conquerors.

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.