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Star Trek: New Earth #4
The Flaming Arrow
Beyond the borders of the Federation, Kirk must bring peace and security to the final frontier. His new mission: to defend an isolated human colony an a newly discovered world, deter aggression from neighboring alien races, and ensure the survival of a brave new Earth The Flaming Arrow
Belle Terre's stubborn colonists have survived the countless hardships and natural disasters of their new home, only to face a deadly foreign enemy. The alien Kauld, intent on claiming the world's unique resources for their own are determined to destroy the human settlements at any cost. Months away from any hope of Starfleet reinforcements, the Starship Enterprise is all that stands between Belle Terre and an all-out alien invasion. But Kirk and his valiant crew may not be enough to save the planet from a relentless assault by the ultimate superweapon.
Belle Terre's stubborn colonists have survived the countless hardships and natural disasters of their new home, only to face a deadly foreign enemy. The alien Kauld, intent on claiming the world's unique resources for their own are determined to destroy the human settlements at any cost. Months away from any hope of Starfleet reinforcements, the Starship Enterprise is all that stands between Belle Terre and an all-out alien invasion. But Kirk and his valiant crew may not be enough to save the planet from a relentless assault by the ultimate superweapon.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 7, 2022
So I am having a hard time writing a review for this one...
The problem is that I am having a hard time accepting the fact that the superweapon in here can actually burn hotter than the sun. I did just look it up on google and apparently it is true (according to scientists) but I still just cannot accept it? Or wrap my head around it? And that certainly affects the story you know... So that leaves me with a tad of a problem writing the review! So while reading most books - even insane ones with all sorts of odd creatures rampaging about I have no problems suspending my belief at all - but I sure have that problem with this one! Which is odd.
I also feel they sort of "borrowed" the superweapon idea from Star Wars ? I mean how can I not compare the two when this secret weapon is so similar? Yes, this story focuses more on the science (which the other series certainly doesn't) but still... Once I had figured out the similarities it all sort if clicked in my head. Like "oh, that's what the weapon is!" But surely they should have thought up something more original? Then I had another problem with the weapon too. They built up the hype about it so much, that nothing could stop it, that the maybe solution just seemed lame ? You know, like you got this horrible weapon and than there is just a very simple basic fix for it. You can't have it both ways! So I guess the science in here just leaves me confused?
I also think this is not a character driven story? Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Scotty may be in here but the plot doesn't seem to be driven by any of these characters? The science seems to take center stage? Or the weapon? Definitely the weapon.
I do think I enjoyed the previous book better? Although I did just order the next book in this series from my library today.
I also never had any doubt that Captain Kirk would win. He always wins. But there weren't really any thrills or excitement on my part. That is I didn't feel any while reading this. At all. And I think I should, especially at the climax of the book when the danger was the highest. But I just sort of rushed through the pages so I could finish it? I guess the plot fell sort of flat?
The problem is that I am having a hard time accepting the fact that the superweapon in here can actually burn hotter than the sun. I did just look it up on google and apparently it is true (according to scientists) but I still just cannot accept it? Or wrap my head around it? And that certainly affects the story you know... So that leaves me with a tad of a problem writing the review! So while reading most books - even insane ones with all sorts of odd creatures rampaging about I have no problems suspending my belief at all - but I sure have that problem with this one! Which is odd.
I also feel they sort of "borrowed" the superweapon idea from Star Wars ? I mean how can I not compare the two when this secret weapon is so similar? Yes, this story focuses more on the science (which the other series certainly doesn't) but still... Once I had figured out the similarities it all sort if clicked in my head. Like "oh, that's what the weapon is!" But surely they should have thought up something more original? Then I had another problem with the weapon too. They built up the hype about it so much, that nothing could stop it, that the maybe solution just seemed lame ? You know, like you got this horrible weapon and than there is just a very simple basic fix for it. You can't have it both ways! So I guess the science in here just leaves me confused?
I also think this is not a character driven story? Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Scotty may be in here but the plot doesn't seem to be driven by any of these characters? The science seems to take center stage? Or the weapon? Definitely the weapon.
I do think I enjoyed the previous book better? Although I did just order the next book in this series from my library today.
I also never had any doubt that Captain Kirk would win. He always wins. But there weren't really any thrills or excitement on my part. That is I didn't feel any while reading this. At all. And I think I should, especially at the climax of the book when the danger was the highest. But I just sort of rushed through the pages so I could finish it? I guess the plot fell sort of flat?
December 20, 2020
Three stars for Nova the cat.
January 1, 2019
It's taken me literally months to read this; it just couldn't hold my attention. Doesn't mean that it's awful - it isn't - but there's not enough character work in here to appeal to me, I think. The basic concept of the book, in a nutshell, is that a giant life-destroying laser beam has been directed at a colony planet that's under the protection of the Enterprise, and Kirk and company have to figure out how to stop it. This sounds like it should be pretty exciting, and credit where it's due the last 20 odd pages actually are exciting - at least mildly so. But for the most part all I remember of this book, having only just finished it, is a tendency to technobabble. Star Trek is fairly notorious for this, I know, but I've never thought it's done much in service of story and that's the case here.
April 11, 2022
I liked this story because of its simplicity. It’s seems like something you would see in an old sci-fi movie. The enterprise must stop a giant laser in space. Simple but effective. They have struggled between evacuating and defending belle terre back and forth I am very curious to see how it ends up by book 6. 2 books to go and I am excited for the next one but am wondering if they will get back to various topics from earlier novels. The Kayla did not mention the sickness that was affecting their soldiers in book 1. Will they encounter the energy draining space entity from book 2. A lot yet to be seen.
June 25, 2019
Some interesting ideas contribute to an overall gripping story, but many of the drawbacks in the rest of the series continue to play out here. Characterizations and situations feel off from what has been established in other novels in the series, and the aimlessness of the series continues to mar what should be an interesting concept. The plot by the Kauld in this novel was interesting enough to hold my attention, but overall I'm still not sold on the New Earth series as a whole.
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/06/tos92...
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/06/tos92...
March 1, 2025
Mixed feelings on this: I’m not sure it really knew what sort of book it wanted to be but it went gangbusters at everything. There’s a great “superscience” novel in there, along with a race against time, a war novel… it’s exciting and wraps up neatly - largely due to one highly suspect coincidence in the middle of the book - but it just feels as though the authors knew they were only writing one episode of a series and had to hold something back for the other writers. There’s are some fabulous Star Trek moments in there, though, which make it all worthwhile.
September 6, 2019
Really enjoyed the personalized bad guys who give away a plan to wipe Bella Terre and wipe out the human colony. Kirk gets some while saving them again. Much more exciting than previous books though dropped the two bad guys pretty fast halfway through! Recommended
May 20, 2024
For those taking the New Earth journey, its better than the 3rd book. Pretty straight forward. Its "What If The Enterprise Had to Stop The Death Star Blast".
September 17, 2024
Better than some of the previous entries in this series, but still not great.
February 25, 2010
My first instinct was to slam this book. Give it 1, maybe 2 stars. In the end I decided on three because the climax of the story was decent, and I did enjoy some of the science in this book.
Reading this book after reading Diane Carey's and LA Graf's books before is like going from Tom Clancy to Dan Brown. The writing skill in this book is just so much lower. There were several thing that just ticked me off when I read it. Just because you're a huge fan and know every detail of the show doesn't mean you need to showcase that in your book. Some of the things that annoyed me were:
1) Shuricon. This guy went from a leader of his people who thinks in a way none of them have before to Kirk's lackey. In the first book, Carey set him up to be a great character. He had worked his way to Kirk's side, but he was secretly working with the Kauld. All of that was gone, and it was done with a throwaway sentence along the lines of "He opposed the Federation's presence but then he changed his mind". Blah. Sloppy writing, bad story telling, and just plain laziness. It's always easier to write about events than characters, and Oltion never once goes into characters.
2) The Kauld. When Carey wrote them, they were menacing. Their leader, Vellyngaith (sp?), was intelligent, and put everything on the line to make a truce with Shuricon so they could drive the Federation away. All of that left in this book, and Vellyngaith might as well have been twirling a mustache. And even a decent payoff in the end wasn't forthcoming; You never even heard from him after about page 150. Very disappointing. And while Carey portrayed the Kauld and the Blood as truely alien, with a different way of thinking from humans, the Kauld in this book could have been anyone. Very poorly written.
3) Governor Pardonett. Again, the writing failed this character. Carey, and even the second book, portrayed this character as an earnest, well meaning, if a bit naive character whose trust Kirk had earned. In this book, Pardonett was just another blustering politician that could have been from any episode of the original series. Again - Lazy writing.
4) Lilian Coates. He husband died in the first book. She was torn up but coping in the second book. In the beginning of this book it's portrayed that she it hurting more than she shows. 150 pages later, and bam, she's shacking up with Kirk. It doesn't make sense, and really makes Kirk seem like a jerk.
5) Just plain stupidness. There a bit where Reynold Coates talks about his science project to create a solid hologram. Like the holodeck. So according to Oltion, a ten year old created the holodeck from The Next Generation. Just stupid. Also, why did McCoy have to go with Scotty on the recon. A doctor doesn't belong on recon. It was like Oltion needed to give McCoy something to do.
All that said, the book is not completely horrible. The science of it is interesting, and the final battle is entertaining, even if it's no where near the level of Diance Carey's space battles. If you're reading this series, just grit your teeth and power through this book.
Reading this book after reading Diane Carey's and LA Graf's books before is like going from Tom Clancy to Dan Brown. The writing skill in this book is just so much lower. There were several thing that just ticked me off when I read it. Just because you're a huge fan and know every detail of the show doesn't mean you need to showcase that in your book. Some of the things that annoyed me were:
1) Shuricon. This guy went from a leader of his people who thinks in a way none of them have before to Kirk's lackey. In the first book, Carey set him up to be a great character. He had worked his way to Kirk's side, but he was secretly working with the Kauld. All of that was gone, and it was done with a throwaway sentence along the lines of "He opposed the Federation's presence but then he changed his mind". Blah. Sloppy writing, bad story telling, and just plain laziness. It's always easier to write about events than characters, and Oltion never once goes into characters.
2) The Kauld. When Carey wrote them, they were menacing. Their leader, Vellyngaith (sp?), was intelligent, and put everything on the line to make a truce with Shuricon so they could drive the Federation away. All of that left in this book, and Vellyngaith might as well have been twirling a mustache. And even a decent payoff in the end wasn't forthcoming; You never even heard from him after about page 150. Very disappointing. And while Carey portrayed the Kauld and the Blood as truely alien, with a different way of thinking from humans, the Kauld in this book could have been anyone. Very poorly written.
3) Governor Pardonett. Again, the writing failed this character. Carey, and even the second book, portrayed this character as an earnest, well meaning, if a bit naive character whose trust Kirk had earned. In this book, Pardonett was just another blustering politician that could have been from any episode of the original series. Again - Lazy writing.
4) Lilian Coates. He husband died in the first book. She was torn up but coping in the second book. In the beginning of this book it's portrayed that she it hurting more than she shows. 150 pages later, and bam, she's shacking up with Kirk. It doesn't make sense, and really makes Kirk seem like a jerk.
5) Just plain stupidness. There a bit where Reynold Coates talks about his science project to create a solid hologram. Like the holodeck. So according to Oltion, a ten year old created the holodeck from The Next Generation. Just stupid. Also, why did McCoy have to go with Scotty on the recon. A doctor doesn't belong on recon. It was like Oltion needed to give McCoy something to do.
All that said, the book is not completely horrible. The science of it is interesting, and the final battle is entertaining, even if it's no where near the level of Diance Carey's space battles. If you're reading this series, just grit your teeth and power through this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2011
What started with a decent premise quickly went downhill. While the plot was adequate, the characterizations were very weak and the 'treknology' was borderline terrible.
At first I found the idea of a giant laser constructed from a comet was very intriguing, but Mr. Oltion obviously didn't look up any information on space science (and the Editors didn't either). They should have caught the laughable reference that the after the laser fired the beam was over 30 Light Minutes long - almost 4 times the distance from Earth to the sun!
The second issue deals with the "gamma night" phenomenon. When the Enterprise is seeking the laser beam they pass through multiple 'waves' of "gamma night" within the solar system. The phenomenon is supposed to only pass through the system 10 out of every 30 hours - thus each 'wave' should be roughly 144 Astronomical Units apart. That is well beyond the Kuiper Belt in the SOL system, so either the Belle Terre system is vastly larger than our own, or the author once again just couldn't be bothered to look up basic information found on Wikipedia.
Based primarily on the author's laziness I can't give this one any more than 2 stars.
At first I found the idea of a giant laser constructed from a comet was very intriguing, but Mr. Oltion obviously didn't look up any information on space science (and the Editors didn't either). They should have caught the laughable reference that the after the laser fired the beam was over 30 Light Minutes long - almost 4 times the distance from Earth to the sun!
The second issue deals with the "gamma night" phenomenon. When the Enterprise is seeking the laser beam they pass through multiple 'waves' of "gamma night" within the solar system. The phenomenon is supposed to only pass through the system 10 out of every 30 hours - thus each 'wave' should be roughly 144 Astronomical Units apart. That is well beyond the Kuiper Belt in the SOL system, so either the Belle Terre system is vastly larger than our own, or the author once again just couldn't be bothered to look up basic information found on Wikipedia.
Based primarily on the author's laziness I can't give this one any more than 2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2016
A fantastic episode in a great series. This time most of the story takes place in the Enterprise in space. We meet some of the most devious Kauld but also find out that they are not all like that. Total destruction of Belle Terre seems unavoidable so the most exciting part is following how Scotty and Spock are building up to a solution while at the same time the Enterpise faces an entire Kauld attacking fleet. Star Trek at its best (again). At the end we get a glimpse of the next catastrophe arriving which will be the subject of the episode #5.
February 27, 2021
On one hand, this was an improvement over book 3, On the other hand, it just seems like one attack after another. I know, every book has to has a problem to solve. Still though, I enjoyed this one decent enough.
June 22, 2017
This one was good. I'm not sure how plausible the central event is, or if they got the physics right, but if you suspend disbelief it's downright frightening.
March 19, 2016
Not great. Just ok.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews