When it comes to Star Trek, I’m only familiar with the original 1960’s television series & a few of the films. I’m not an uber fanboy, unlike people who have spend most of their childhood memorizing planets, species, past wars & Star Trek related elements that have their own periodic chart. That honor of dedicated fandom goes to Star Wars, but I won’t pick just a side. Star Trek is a thinking man’s Science fiction franchise, taking time with exploring & dealing with morality instead of the typical “prrtew! Prrtew!! Laser goes boom!” people expect of the sci-fi genre.
Star Trek is cerebral for cerebral audiences, which is why fans aren’t all too fond of how Star Trek is being sold to the typical movie going audience rather than the fans. Trailers for the recent film were cut to mimic that of the recent ‘Fast & The Furious’ film than a story driven science fiction film.
Thus brings me to today’s pick, Doctor’s Orders, a Star Trek novel written by Diane Duane, published after the critical flop of ‘The Final Frontier’, but before the redeeming ‘The Undiscovered Country’. McCoy is chosen as the de-facto captain of the Enterprise while Kirk disappears while exploring an undiscovered planet full of energy efficient aliens who work as a renewable energy source. While McCoy tries to handle everything on the ship, he faces stress, difficult decisions & the lingering threat of the Klingons & space pirates.
While I haven’t finished reading the whole book, my thoughts so far are positive. Duane does a good job pouring the small details of the show & films into the written page. She even includes the raised eyebrow Spock is familiar with doing. Everything in the book could be imagined as a very thrilling addition to the franchise. Despite that, I get a little annoyed when Chekov says ‘Vessel’ instead of ‘Wessel’.
Star Trek novels are a perfect way to get new incoming people interested to the series. If any novel, start with this one.
Two other flaws I must mention: 1.) The book needed a heavy editor. Some paragraphs are full of run on sentences & sometimes there are moments when I can’t tell who is talking.
2.) Without reading the synopsis, the book tricks me into thinking that the book was going to contain Spock & McCoy going at odds with each other. A southern doctor & an intelligent alien. Fight to the death!
Star Trek is cerebral for cerebral audiences, which is why fans aren’t all too fond of how Star Trek is being sold to the typical movie going audience rather than the fans. Trailers for the recent film were cut to mimic that of the recent ‘Fast & The Furious’ film than a story driven science fiction film.
Thus brings me to today’s pick, Doctor’s Orders, a Star Trek novel written by Diane Duane, published after the critical flop of ‘The Final Frontier’, but before the redeeming ‘The Undiscovered Country’. McCoy is chosen as the de-facto captain of the Enterprise while Kirk disappears while exploring an undiscovered planet full of energy efficient aliens who work as a renewable energy source. While McCoy tries to handle everything on the ship, he faces stress, difficult decisions & the lingering threat of the Klingons & space pirates.
While I haven’t finished reading the whole book, my thoughts so far are positive. Duane does a good job pouring the small details of the show & films into the written page. She even includes the raised eyebrow Spock is familiar with doing. Everything in the book could be imagined as a very thrilling addition to the franchise. Despite that, I get a little annoyed when Chekov says ‘Vessel’ instead of ‘Wessel’.
Star Trek novels are a perfect way to get new incoming people interested to the series. If any novel, start with this one.
Two other flaws I must mention: 1.) The book needed a heavy editor. Some paragraphs are full of run on sentences & sometimes there are moments when I can’t tell who is talking.
2.) Without reading the synopsis, the book tricks me into thinking that the book was going to contain Spock & McCoy going at odds with each other. A southern doctor & an intelligent alien. Fight to the death!
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