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Star Trek: The Original Series
Shadow of the Machine
An all-new original e-novella set in the Original Series universe—taking place immediately after the events of the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture!
After its recent encounter with V’ger, the U.S.S. Enterprise has returned to dry dock to finish its refit before commencing its second five-year mission. The crew has been granted a two-week period of shore leave before preparations for their next voyage begins. Shaken by their encounter with V’ger, Kirk, Spock, and Sulu travel to their respective homes and must reflect upon their lives—now forever changed.
After its recent encounter with V’ger, the U.S.S. Enterprise has returned to dry dock to finish its refit before commencing its second five-year mission. The crew has been granted a two-week period of shore leave before preparations for their next voyage begins. Shaken by their encounter with V’ger, Kirk, Spock, and Sulu travel to their respective homes and must reflect upon their lives—now forever changed.
95 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
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170 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 17, 2015
This e-novella takes place after V'Ger (1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture) and before the next five year mission.
The crew is on a two-week shore leave before the preparations for the next voyager starts and Sulu travelers home to his pregnant wife, Kirk goes home to Iowa to visit his family and Spock travelers to Vulcan to inform about his decision to not continue with the kolinahr ritual.
This short e-novella is perfect for TOS fans that don't mind reading stories taking place between or after major events like V'Ger. I can say that I was very pleased reading this one because I love getting a glimpse into the lives of the crew of the Enterprise, despite that nothing serious happens. But for Sulu, Kirk and Spock are these visits very important. Sulu is about to become a father and he knows that he will not be there for his child since he is only on Earth for two weeks. Kirk is visiting his aunt Hanna and uncle Abner and for important his nephew Peter who is in need of someone to talk to and Kirk himself isn't his old self since the loss of Ilia and Decker. Spock is going home, not to pick up the kolinahr ritual again instead he has decided not to deny his human side anymore. So in a way, this may not be earth-shattering events, but it is important for them.
A great short story that I recommend warmly!
I received this copy from the publisher through Netgalley in return for an honest review!
The crew is on a two-week shore leave before the preparations for the next voyager starts and Sulu travelers home to his pregnant wife, Kirk goes home to Iowa to visit his family and Spock travelers to Vulcan to inform about his decision to not continue with the kolinahr ritual.
This short e-novella is perfect for TOS fans that don't mind reading stories taking place between or after major events like V'Ger. I can say that I was very pleased reading this one because I love getting a glimpse into the lives of the crew of the Enterprise, despite that nothing serious happens. But for Sulu, Kirk and Spock are these visits very important. Sulu is about to become a father and he knows that he will not be there for his child since he is only on Earth for two weeks. Kirk is visiting his aunt Hanna and uncle Abner and for important his nephew Peter who is in need of someone to talk to and Kirk himself isn't his old self since the loss of Ilia and Decker. Spock is going home, not to pick up the kolinahr ritual again instead he has decided not to deny his human side anymore. So in a way, this may not be earth-shattering events, but it is important for them.
A great short story that I recommend warmly!
I received this copy from the publisher through Netgalley in return for an honest review!
October 5, 2015
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story takes place immediately after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Interesting insight into how each of the main characters react and recover from the events in the movie. Not a bad read, but it felt kind of forced to me, and I kept waiting for something to happen. This was more of a character study, and I would recommend it for serious Star Trek fans.
This story takes place immediately after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Interesting insight into how each of the main characters react and recover from the events in the movie. Not a bad read, but it felt kind of forced to me, and I kept waiting for something to happen. This was more of a character study, and I would recommend it for serious Star Trek fans.
March 9, 2015
I'm a long time Star Trek fan and at one time regularly bought and read the books based on and inspired by the series. Then I drifted away and stopped reading. But in the past few months I've been wandering back. I didn't love the first ST movie, heck it was disappointing, but I was intrigued by the idea of what a writer might do with the aftermath of the movie's events.
Not much as it turns out. There are three separate stories, with a slight overlap; Sulu, Kirk, and Spock each get their own story. Kirk and Spock are dealing with the fallout of V'Ger while Sulu has a personal matter. There's a bit of drama in Sulu's and Kirk's stories but not much action; all of the stories are character studies. Unfortunately, the stories add little to what we know about the characters and the stories contain references to characters that appear in later movies. So if you haven't seen all of the movies, you may be confused. This was definitely written for hard core fans and not the casual fan.
I did enjoy seeing Kirk's nephew Peter again. After the TV episode where his parents are killed, he pretty much disappeared from the Star Trek universe. We also get some nice reminiscences from Kirk about his brother, Peter's father. Other than that, despite my love for the original Star Trek, the book pretty much felt like a waste of time. Part of the problem was the narrow time frame Harrison was working with. It's a tight timeline and Harrison really can't introduce new events or actions without impacting the official timeline. There just wasn't enough wiggle room for him to develop anything. As character studies, the stories were adequate but didn't add to our knowledge of the characters or illuminate any aspects of their personalities. Unless, you're a hardcore fan, don't bother with the book.
Not much as it turns out. There are three separate stories, with a slight overlap; Sulu, Kirk, and Spock each get their own story. Kirk and Spock are dealing with the fallout of V'Ger while Sulu has a personal matter. There's a bit of drama in Sulu's and Kirk's stories but not much action; all of the stories are character studies. Unfortunately, the stories add little to what we know about the characters and the stories contain references to characters that appear in later movies. So if you haven't seen all of the movies, you may be confused. This was definitely written for hard core fans and not the casual fan.
I did enjoy seeing Kirk's nephew Peter again. After the TV episode where his parents are killed, he pretty much disappeared from the Star Trek universe. We also get some nice reminiscences from Kirk about his brother, Peter's father. Other than that, despite my love for the original Star Trek, the book pretty much felt like a waste of time. Part of the problem was the narrow time frame Harrison was working with. It's a tight timeline and Harrison really can't introduce new events or actions without impacting the official timeline. There just wasn't enough wiggle room for him to develop anything. As character studies, the stories were adequate but didn't add to our knowledge of the characters or illuminate any aspects of their personalities. Unless, you're a hardcore fan, don't bother with the book.
February 2, 2023
Free, ARC from NetGalley, thank you!
The story fits in well after the original Star Trek motion picture, the characters stay true to the original series. I liked the various plotlines, but this was too short to explore any of the themes in depth.
Spock and the Vulcans in general seem to be a bit emotional to me. And Sulu came along as pretty bland in my opinion. But I never really liked Sulu, so I might be biased.
Generally nice character studies, with a little bit of action towards the end to liven it up.
I recommend this to fans of the original series, but it is really only a little filler and it does not add anything relevant to the Star Trek universe.
The story fits in well after the original Star Trek motion picture, the characters stay true to the original series. I liked the various plotlines, but this was too short to explore any of the themes in depth.
Spock and the Vulcans in general seem to be a bit emotional to me. And Sulu came along as pretty bland in my opinion. But I never really liked Sulu, so I might be biased.
Generally nice character studies, with a little bit of action towards the end to liven it up.
I recommend this to fans of the original series, but it is really only a little filler and it does not add anything relevant to the Star Trek universe.
March 18, 2015
This novella reminded me of the TNG episode "family". The three main stories cover Sulu, Spock and Kirk as each one goes home after the events during the V'ger encounter. I felt the Sulu story was the weakest it just didn't feel right. The Kirk story had some good character moments in it, and the Spock story had a scene in it that reminded me of the end of The Voyage Home with the scene between Sarek and Spock. It's a quick enjoyable read. If you like novels set after the events of the motion picture I would also check out the novel Ex Machina just note that some of the events in that book conflict with the stories in this one.
February 12, 2024
A really enjoyable character piece that follows Kirk, Spock and Sulu, separately, in the aftermath of the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the life changing decisions they each must make as they prepare to shortly return to the starship Enterprise.
July 21, 2015
Set just after the events of ST: The Motion Picture, this examines the crew of the Enterprise coming home to decompress as the ship gets its final refit and prep for Kirk and Co's second five year mission.
This is basically a rework of the TNG episode, "Family". It tries, but ultimately fails to pull off the pain, regret, and pathos of the episode. An interesting idea, but ultimately the entire thing feels very forced.
This is basically a rework of the TNG episode, "Family". It tries, but ultimately fails to pull off the pain, regret, and pathos of the episode. An interesting idea, but ultimately the entire thing feels very forced.
March 11, 2015
Absolutely loved this book! Great story, character-play, new insights into this time period's gaps, terrific lessons on courage and fear, loyalty, destiny, family and friends (whomever they may be)... Scott Harrison nailed it! Well done!
January 23, 2024
Star Trek: TOS: Shadow of The Machine Is The Perfect Coda To Star Trek: The Motion Picture
This story is perfect and should've been the epilogue at the end of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I have never read anything by Scott Harrison but his grasp of the TOS characters and their inflections when they speak is just incredible! I can picture the actors in my mind when reading this story and that doesn't always happen with the Star Trek novels or novellas. Yes, this is basically TOS's version of the Next Generation's episode "Family".
But, because that is my all time favorite episode of TNG, that is why I love this story even more. The heart of Star Trek isn't about exploring the Final Frontier. It's about exploring the human condition and us always striving to be more, to be better, than what we are. That is what lies at the heart of Star Trek and why, for 57 years now, it is so beloved by people and fans all over the world and that's what lies at the heart of this story.
Admiral Kirk is struggling with losing two crew members. Sulu is struggling with being a newfound father and the fact that he's not ready to leave the Enterprise yet and stop being a hero. And finally Spock is torn between his two halves even more than usual because he was in the process of going through Kolinahr (the purging of ALL emotions from a Vulcan's mind) when V'Ger arrived and touched Spock's mind and the cool calculatedness of V'Ger caused Spock to postpone the completion of his Kolinahr ritual. Scott Harrison handles all three storylines superbly!
One thing I really loved about this story was Admiral Kirk returning home to his family farm in Iowa. There's horses on the farm and I believe that is a nice little nod to William Shatner because he's very passionate about horses in real life and he loves to ride them too. I also loved that Mr.Harrison told the story of Demora Sulu's birth. A story which has remained untold until now.
And, even though it's not canon, it does make for an interesting "What If". People can get so caught up in whether this is canon or is that canon when reading the Star Trek novels or comics. I just say " Hey, if it looks interesting and you want to read it, just read it". Don't worry about the minutiae.
Because, if you do, then you may miss out on reading a really great story just because it's not canon such as this one. Spock's storyline was also fantastic, by the way. I could really hear Leonard Nimoy's voice and I imagined him as the older Spock from the movies perfectly. It was nice to read another untold chapter which had never been told before in Star Trek and in Spock's story in particular.
And that is what leads to him and Sarek making peace and to Sarek finally accepting his decision to join Starfleet over going to the Vulcan Science Academy. All three stories were handled beautifully by Mr.Harrison and I look forward to reading other novellas from him. If you're looking for a quick read that tugs on the heartstrings, then I highly recommend this story 🙂🖖.
This story is perfect and should've been the epilogue at the end of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I have never read anything by Scott Harrison but his grasp of the TOS characters and their inflections when they speak is just incredible! I can picture the actors in my mind when reading this story and that doesn't always happen with the Star Trek novels or novellas. Yes, this is basically TOS's version of the Next Generation's episode "Family".
But, because that is my all time favorite episode of TNG, that is why I love this story even more. The heart of Star Trek isn't about exploring the Final Frontier. It's about exploring the human condition and us always striving to be more, to be better, than what we are. That is what lies at the heart of Star Trek and why, for 57 years now, it is so beloved by people and fans all over the world and that's what lies at the heart of this story.
Admiral Kirk is struggling with losing two crew members. Sulu is struggling with being a newfound father and the fact that he's not ready to leave the Enterprise yet and stop being a hero. And finally Spock is torn between his two halves even more than usual because he was in the process of going through Kolinahr (the purging of ALL emotions from a Vulcan's mind) when V'Ger arrived and touched Spock's mind and the cool calculatedness of V'Ger caused Spock to postpone the completion of his Kolinahr ritual. Scott Harrison handles all three storylines superbly!
One thing I really loved about this story was Admiral Kirk returning home to his family farm in Iowa. There's horses on the farm and I believe that is a nice little nod to William Shatner because he's very passionate about horses in real life and he loves to ride them too. I also loved that Mr.Harrison told the story of Demora Sulu's birth. A story which has remained untold until now.
And, even though it's not canon, it does make for an interesting "What If". People can get so caught up in whether this is canon or is that canon when reading the Star Trek novels or comics. I just say " Hey, if it looks interesting and you want to read it, just read it". Don't worry about the minutiae.
Because, if you do, then you may miss out on reading a really great story just because it's not canon such as this one. Spock's storyline was also fantastic, by the way. I could really hear Leonard Nimoy's voice and I imagined him as the older Spock from the movies perfectly. It was nice to read another untold chapter which had never been told before in Star Trek and in Spock's story in particular.
And that is what leads to him and Sarek making peace and to Sarek finally accepting his decision to join Starfleet over going to the Vulcan Science Academy. All three stories were handled beautifully by Mr.Harrison and I look forward to reading other novellas from him. If you're looking for a quick read that tugs on the heartstrings, then I highly recommend this story 🙂🖖.
February 3, 2024
This ebook novella takes place just days after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The crew of the Enterprise is given several weeks of shore leave on Earth, while repairs are done to the ship. The narrative breaks into three main threads, following Spock, Kirk, and Sulu.
Spock returns to Vulcan, where he will lay down his Kohlinar training for good. In this visit home, there are some minor points of friction between Spock and Sarek and between Spock and his Kohlinar master, but no major revelations. Sulu's story involves the birth of his daughter, Demora, and a decision to stay in Starfleet or to be present to his young family. And Kirk returns to Iowa to help get his young nephew Peter back on track as he slides into depression and anti-social behaviors.
These three stories are largely quiet and internal. The book features little in the way of action, instead focusing on character development, thoughts and emotions. The stakes are relatively low, compared to many Star Trek plots, and because we know the final outcomes - or at least the final disposition of the characters - there is little suspense. Perhaps most importantly, because this is a novella with three plots, we don't spend much time on any one of them. Another reviewer wrote that they could see one or more of these stories being a good B-plot in another novel that had a more traditional Star Trek A-plot. Of course, there is no A-plot here, just a series of subplots strung together with no over-arching theme.
There's nothing really wrong with this book, but it's not memorable, and it doesn't linger. Like the bridge in a piece of music, or a transitional shot in a film, this feels like material designed to tie other things together. But it holds very little substance of its own. At its best, it might be intriguing background material. At its worst, its nothing more than filler.
Spock returns to Vulcan, where he will lay down his Kohlinar training for good. In this visit home, there are some minor points of friction between Spock and Sarek and between Spock and his Kohlinar master, but no major revelations. Sulu's story involves the birth of his daughter, Demora, and a decision to stay in Starfleet or to be present to his young family. And Kirk returns to Iowa to help get his young nephew Peter back on track as he slides into depression and anti-social behaviors.
These three stories are largely quiet and internal. The book features little in the way of action, instead focusing on character development, thoughts and emotions. The stakes are relatively low, compared to many Star Trek plots, and because we know the final outcomes - or at least the final disposition of the characters - there is little suspense. Perhaps most importantly, because this is a novella with three plots, we don't spend much time on any one of them. Another reviewer wrote that they could see one or more of these stories being a good B-plot in another novel that had a more traditional Star Trek A-plot. Of course, there is no A-plot here, just a series of subplots strung together with no over-arching theme.
There's nothing really wrong with this book, but it's not memorable, and it doesn't linger. Like the bridge in a piece of music, or a transitional shot in a film, this feels like material designed to tie other things together. But it holds very little substance of its own. At its best, it might be intriguing background material. At its worst, its nothing more than filler.
November 4, 2021
An interesting and different approach to a Star Trek story/novel. This is not an adventure/crisis of the week story. There is no action/adventure. It is strictly a character/background driven tale. If you know that going in, you won't be disappointed or upset by what it is NOT.
The story takes place immediately after Star Trek the Motion Picture and the Enterprise's encounter with V'Ger. It primarily focuses on Kirk, Spock & Sulu and the aftermath of that experience and how it is affecting the way they are perceiving the events in their personal lives outside of Starfleet. I liked the 'inside' look at these men away from the confines of starship and space. It really helps create much more complex & multi-dimensional persons. It's something we never got to see in the TV show.
The story itself is pretty good, based on these parameters. It's only a novella, so it doesn't go into great depth & detail; but does provide a nice diversion from the normal Star Trek read.
Based on what was to follow in the movies, some things don't feel or fit quite right. An example would be Kirk receives pictures & messages from Carol Marcus on David. For one, they have David too young in this book based on how old he is in Wrath of Khan & the time span between the first two films. Also, if Kirk were receiving pictures he would have recognized David when they beamed down to the Genesis planet...he didn't. Little things like that are somewhat jarring & take away from the feel & effectiveness of the story.
It's a quick read and a nice addition to the Star Trek library
The story takes place immediately after Star Trek the Motion Picture and the Enterprise's encounter with V'Ger. It primarily focuses on Kirk, Spock & Sulu and the aftermath of that experience and how it is affecting the way they are perceiving the events in their personal lives outside of Starfleet. I liked the 'inside' look at these men away from the confines of starship and space. It really helps create much more complex & multi-dimensional persons. It's something we never got to see in the TV show.
The story itself is pretty good, based on these parameters. It's only a novella, so it doesn't go into great depth & detail; but does provide a nice diversion from the normal Star Trek read.
Based on what was to follow in the movies, some things don't feel or fit quite right. An example would be Kirk receives pictures & messages from Carol Marcus on David. For one, they have David too young in this book based on how old he is in Wrath of Khan & the time span between the first two films. Also, if Kirk were receiving pictures he would have recognized David when they beamed down to the Genesis planet...he didn't. Little things like that are somewhat jarring & take away from the feel & effectiveness of the story.
It's a quick read and a nice addition to the Star Trek library
February 9, 2020
Author Scott Harrison brings us a tale that takes place following the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. After the Enterprise has returned to space dock the crew goes on leave while Scotty repairs and continues the refit that had been halted while they dealt with V'Ger. Admiral Kirk is going home to Iowa and his family farm to talk with his nephew Peter, while Spock goes back to Vulcan to talk with the master that he left when V'Ger had made contact with him. And Sulu is faced with becoming a father. As we read we see how the events of the film have effected all three but we also see that Kirk really can't wait to get back in the command chair of the Enterprise while Spock has a conversation with his father that mirrors the one that he will have with him near the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. And Sulu takes on the responsibility of being both a husband and father to the future helm officer of the Enterprise-B, Demora Sulu. This is a great novella that I had been waiting to read since before reading the 40th Anniversary Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and I highly recommend it to all trek fans.
May 22, 2023
amazing set of stories
I loved the original Star Trek series. Scott wove a series of powerful stories into compassionate insight into these characters. Just shows you don’t need aggressive aliens and battle scenes to make a good sci-fi.
I loved the original Star Trek series. Scott wove a series of powerful stories into compassionate insight into these characters. Just shows you don’t need aggressive aliens and battle scenes to make a good sci-fi.
January 16, 2025
Rating 3.5
Enjoyable novella set after STTMP whilst the enterprise is being repaired and the final upgrades completed.
Basically follows the characters of Kirk, Sulu and Spock as they deal with the aftermath of the v’ger encounter.
Enjoyable novella set after STTMP whilst the enterprise is being repaired and the final upgrades completed.
Basically follows the characters of Kirk, Sulu and Spock as they deal with the aftermath of the v’ger encounter.
February 17, 2018
a nice lil quiet and introspective novella. Spock goes through a kibd of epiphanie that directly mirrors the voyage home. everyones in flux.
December 24, 2020
What a great short story. It covers during the TMP era which many books do not cover.
January 22, 2021
A quick read about the crew immediately after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
June 3, 2021
Seemed more like a short story than a novel. Nothing happened. We just get to see some of the crew deal with the results of the motion picture. I would not recommend.
June 18, 2023
Just Discovered These Books
I had no idea that there were other authors writing the short Star Trek stories. This was interesting and I look forward to reading more.
I had no idea that there were other authors writing the short Star Trek stories. This was interesting and I look forward to reading more.
April 4, 2024
Awesome Insights
Very good insight into crew members we know, during a critical time. This is a period we know very little about.
Very good insight into crew members we know, during a critical time. This is a period we know very little about.
April 3, 2015
Originally published at Reading Reality
This short novella is not exactly a story. Instead, it reads like three character profiles of people we know well. We see Kirk, Spock and Sulu at a pivotal point in their lives – the immediate aftermath of the V’ger incident portrayed in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
It is also, for each of them a meditation on the place that is called home, and a glimpse into their relationships with people that we know of but are not necessarily familiar with.
The poet Robert Frost once said that, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Which does not mean that you necessarily want to go there, that you want to stay, or that it still feels like home to you.
For Jim Kirk, it is not a place that he wants to go; for Spock, not a place he wants to stay, and for Hikaru Sulu, not a place that feels like home to him.
Jim Kirk is called back to his family farm in Iowa. (“I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space”) His nephew Peter is being raised on the family farm, by Jim Kirk’s aunt and uncle, making Abner and Hanna Peter Kirk’s great-aunt and great-uncle. We’ve met Peter once before, in the episode Operation: Annihilate. His father, Jim’s brother Sam, and his wife Aurelan were killed in the invasion of the energy suckers. Only Peter survived.
Peter seems to have lost his way, or been lost in the black depths of depression after V’ger. He thought he was safe on Earth, but it has just been brought home to him, and everyone on Earth, that there is no such thing as a safe place. The teenaged Peter has lost interest in any future, and Jim’s Aunt Hanna hopes that something he might say to the boy will bring him back. That both is and isn’t the way it works.
Spock returns to Vulcan to tie up the loose ends related to his abandonment of the Kolinahr ritual at the beginning of the V’ger incident. Everyone he meets assumes that Spock plans to return to the ritual, but in meeting V’ger, he discovered that his human (and emotional) side has as much value as his logical and Vulcan side. He has been denying his own place in the IDIC principle (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) in his mistaken attempt to become fully Vulcan, which he is not.
In meeting with both his human mother Amanda and his Vulcan father Sarek Spock’s new knowledge of himself helps to further heal the family rifts that were apparent in the episode Journey to Babel.
Last, but in this case not least, Hikaru Sulu comes home to await the birth of his daughter, and while he is awed by the love and responsibility of becoming a new father, his partner also makes him aware that she understands him as much as she loves him. She is making a home for herself and their daughter, knowing and accepting that Sulu’s life is and will always be in space and not on Earth.
He discovers that he has a home, but it is not truly his.
Escape Rating B: While I enjoyed this, it is not so much a story as it is a visit with old and dear friends. The character portraits in this novella are definitely for the fans – there isn’t enough story to draw in anyone who is not already very familiar with Star Trek.
While this is an original work, there were quite a few points where the dialogue between the characters felt spot on – I could hear their voices in my head, including those that we will not hear again. For that gift, I thank the author.
The bit of the story that was most original was Sulu’s story. He is not featured in as many of the stories as might have been – the Original Series was much less of a true ensemble than Next Gen, but in this case we learn a bit that has not been known before. Demora Sulu appeared in Star Trek Generations as the current helmsman of the Enterprise B, and Kirk greets her as Hikaru Sulu’s daughter – but no one ever knew anything about her mother or where she came into the story. This is that story, and it is illuminating.
I originally picked this book after reading and reviewing The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission by Jim Bell. That true space science story had so many resonances with ST:TMP that I couldn’t resist reading a V’ger story. After the news about Leonard Nimoy’s death, I moved the book as far up the schedule as I could find a slot. It is only coincidence (but an excellent one) that this Sunday (March 22) will be William Shatner’s 84th birthday.
Live Long and Prosper.
This short novella is not exactly a story. Instead, it reads like three character profiles of people we know well. We see Kirk, Spock and Sulu at a pivotal point in their lives – the immediate aftermath of the V’ger incident portrayed in the movie Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
It is also, for each of them a meditation on the place that is called home, and a glimpse into their relationships with people that we know of but are not necessarily familiar with.
The poet Robert Frost once said that, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Which does not mean that you necessarily want to go there, that you want to stay, or that it still feels like home to you.
For Jim Kirk, it is not a place that he wants to go; for Spock, not a place he wants to stay, and for Hikaru Sulu, not a place that feels like home to him.
Jim Kirk is called back to his family farm in Iowa. (“I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space”) His nephew Peter is being raised on the family farm, by Jim Kirk’s aunt and uncle, making Abner and Hanna Peter Kirk’s great-aunt and great-uncle. We’ve met Peter once before, in the episode Operation: Annihilate. His father, Jim’s brother Sam, and his wife Aurelan were killed in the invasion of the energy suckers. Only Peter survived.
Peter seems to have lost his way, or been lost in the black depths of depression after V’ger. He thought he was safe on Earth, but it has just been brought home to him, and everyone on Earth, that there is no such thing as a safe place. The teenaged Peter has lost interest in any future, and Jim’s Aunt Hanna hopes that something he might say to the boy will bring him back. That both is and isn’t the way it works.
Spock returns to Vulcan to tie up the loose ends related to his abandonment of the Kolinahr ritual at the beginning of the V’ger incident. Everyone he meets assumes that Spock plans to return to the ritual, but in meeting V’ger, he discovered that his human (and emotional) side has as much value as his logical and Vulcan side. He has been denying his own place in the IDIC principle (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) in his mistaken attempt to become fully Vulcan, which he is not.
In meeting with both his human mother Amanda and his Vulcan father Sarek Spock’s new knowledge of himself helps to further heal the family rifts that were apparent in the episode Journey to Babel.
Last, but in this case not least, Hikaru Sulu comes home to await the birth of his daughter, and while he is awed by the love and responsibility of becoming a new father, his partner also makes him aware that she understands him as much as she loves him. She is making a home for herself and their daughter, knowing and accepting that Sulu’s life is and will always be in space and not on Earth.
He discovers that he has a home, but it is not truly his.
Escape Rating B: While I enjoyed this, it is not so much a story as it is a visit with old and dear friends. The character portraits in this novella are definitely for the fans – there isn’t enough story to draw in anyone who is not already very familiar with Star Trek.
While this is an original work, there were quite a few points where the dialogue between the characters felt spot on – I could hear their voices in my head, including those that we will not hear again. For that gift, I thank the author.
The bit of the story that was most original was Sulu’s story. He is not featured in as many of the stories as might have been – the Original Series was much less of a true ensemble than Next Gen, but in this case we learn a bit that has not been known before. Demora Sulu appeared in Star Trek Generations as the current helmsman of the Enterprise B, and Kirk greets her as Hikaru Sulu’s daughter – but no one ever knew anything about her mother or where she came into the story. This is that story, and it is illuminating.
I originally picked this book after reading and reviewing The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission by Jim Bell. That true space science story had so many resonances with ST:TMP that I couldn’t resist reading a V’ger story. After the news about Leonard Nimoy’s death, I moved the book as far up the schedule as I could find a slot. It is only coincidence (but an excellent one) that this Sunday (March 22) will be William Shatner’s 84th birthday.
Live Long and Prosper.
July 7, 2025
The story in the novella takes place shortly after the events chronicles in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The story centers on the characters of Kirk, Spock, and Sulu and their journeys home to reconcile the impact their encounter with V'ger will have on their futures. While what follows is a more introspective look at the characters, I ultimately found it unsatisfying. Kirk connects with his brother Sam's son Peter, Spock returns to Vulcan to deal with his interruption of the Kolinahr discipline, and Sulu returns to San Francisco for the birth of his daughter. The portrayal of the characters does not always mesh with my evaluation of them (based on decades of Star Trek fandom). Kirk's story is probably the most satisfying, while Spock's story seems almost pointless. Sulu's story is interesting as it portrays the birth of his daughter, Demora, but again, I feel the portrayal of Sulu falters. So, while a unique novella, this one is for true Trekkers only.
March 7, 2015
With the recent death of Leonard Nimoy on my mind, I thought it was a good time to preview this Star Trek Novella. I attended college in Buffalo at UB (a SUNY school) and had signed up to be a reporter for the school's newspaper - The Spectrum. This afforded me the opportunity to be a part of the interview team for a Q and A session with Leonard Nimoy who was promoting his book of poetry. It was a day of firsts, first meeting of a cast member of Star Trek and first time getting drunk at a bar (also the last time). It was my nineteenth birthday, the last year of my teens, probably the best year of my life where I'd both get accepted into my major and find true love all in the same week. The Press Pass for the Spectrum opened doors at the Star Trek Convention I attended in NYC that same year. I met all the characters from the TV show (except for "Captain Kirk") in a much smaller setting than the crowded ballroom where the rest of the fans congregated. While I was not a total Trekkie (i.e. I didn't have episode names and numbers memorized), I was a big fan of the show which had been off the air for a few years. This was the pre-movie era (although there was a Saturday morning cartoon - one which Chekov complained did not use his character). Over the past forty years the thrill of the show has faded - although I did catch most of the Star Trek movies. I am no longer a huge science fiction fan, but that doesn't mean I don't still enjoy revisiting the SF genre on occasion. This is one of those days.
In college, my best friend and I were writing our own Star Trek stories where we were ensigns on the USS Enterprise, fresh out of Star Fleet Academy. (I guess that makes me more of a Trekkie than I'm willing to admit). Shadow of the Machine (Star Trek: The Original Series) by Scott Harrison reminds me of our attempts to be a part of the Star Trek phenomena. The setting of this short story is immediately following the incident portrayed in the 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The crew is on leave while the "ship" is being refitted for its next five year mission. Scottie is staying aboard the USS Enterprise to supervise the process. Lieutenant Uhura and Chekov are traveling on earth. Spock has personal business on his home planet of Vulcan, while James T Kirk and Hikara Sulu are "going home". So what happens on those off years when our heroes have some down time?
Everyone has been affected in some way by the events surrounding the V'Ger incident (see the movie), Sulu has nightmares, Kirk has guilt, and Spock has doubts about his purpose. By returning back to their roots, these three men find some sort of closure towards recent events. Sulu rushes to be with his wife who is in the hospital after prematurely delivering a baby girl. Spock touches base with his parents to try to deal with his failure to complete the Kolinarh process. Kirk goes back to his roots in Iowa where he attempts to help his teenage nephew overcome feelings of uncertainty over the future. The farm is surrounded with memories of Kirk's boyhood days spent adventuring with his now deceased brother, Sam. Uncle Abner and Aunt Hannah are counting on "Jamie" to help Peter deal with the tragic death of his parents. By reaching out to his nephew, Kirk is able to resolve some of his own issues.
Luckily this was a short piece because there wasn't much substance to it. The message could have been summed up with a couple of paragraphs instead of a hundred or so pages. Part of the story consisted of flashbacks to the V'Ger tragedy with the rest being reactions to that event as it affected the current lives of the three main characters, with a look towards what would happen in the future. Spoiler alert: They will all head back to the USS Enterprise, leaving their loved ones behind to mop up and deal with everyday realities - ones that are not connected to "the mission". This obvious conclusion isn't exactly rocket science.
So, despite a walk down memory lane (non Star Trek fans don't bother) there really wasn't much content to deal with, even for a short story, let alone a novella. Back to the drawing board. Two stars.
A thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free me download of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
In college, my best friend and I were writing our own Star Trek stories where we were ensigns on the USS Enterprise, fresh out of Star Fleet Academy. (I guess that makes me more of a Trekkie than I'm willing to admit). Shadow of the Machine (Star Trek: The Original Series) by Scott Harrison reminds me of our attempts to be a part of the Star Trek phenomena. The setting of this short story is immediately following the incident portrayed in the 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The crew is on leave while the "ship" is being refitted for its next five year mission. Scottie is staying aboard the USS Enterprise to supervise the process. Lieutenant Uhura and Chekov are traveling on earth. Spock has personal business on his home planet of Vulcan, while James T Kirk and Hikara Sulu are "going home". So what happens on those off years when our heroes have some down time?
Everyone has been affected in some way by the events surrounding the V'Ger incident (see the movie), Sulu has nightmares, Kirk has guilt, and Spock has doubts about his purpose. By returning back to their roots, these three men find some sort of closure towards recent events. Sulu rushes to be with his wife who is in the hospital after prematurely delivering a baby girl. Spock touches base with his parents to try to deal with his failure to complete the Kolinarh process. Kirk goes back to his roots in Iowa where he attempts to help his teenage nephew overcome feelings of uncertainty over the future. The farm is surrounded with memories of Kirk's boyhood days spent adventuring with his now deceased brother, Sam. Uncle Abner and Aunt Hannah are counting on "Jamie" to help Peter deal with the tragic death of his parents. By reaching out to his nephew, Kirk is able to resolve some of his own issues.
Luckily this was a short piece because there wasn't much substance to it. The message could have been summed up with a couple of paragraphs instead of a hundred or so pages. Part of the story consisted of flashbacks to the V'Ger tragedy with the rest being reactions to that event as it affected the current lives of the three main characters, with a look towards what would happen in the future. Spoiler alert: They will all head back to the USS Enterprise, leaving their loved ones behind to mop up and deal with everyday realities - ones that are not connected to "the mission". This obvious conclusion isn't exactly rocket science.
So, despite a walk down memory lane (non Star Trek fans don't bother) there really wasn't much content to deal with, even for a short story, let alone a novella. Back to the drawing board. Two stars.
A thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free me download of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
April 18, 2015
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.25 of 5
Star Trek fiction is my comfort blanket. This is what I read when I'm looking to read something that I don't have to think too hard about but will typically satisfy. I think most people have something they like to turn to for comfort reading, whether it is religious or romance or scientific journals. I've thought about why I like ST fiction and I think it's because the characters are not only already very familiar to me, but beloved as well. I know how they should act and react and speak, and as long as the author keeps pretty close to how I picture it, then I'm generally willing to take the ride and learn something 'new' about the characters.
The Star Trek line of books has likely done very well by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books and they have very cleverly discovered that they can produce shorter books, novellas, and sell them digitally, because people like me will pick them up (and because they are digital and short, they are typically less expensive as well). Shadow of the Machine, by Scott Harrison, is one of the latest in this novella e-book trend.
The events in the book occur just after the first ST movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (you know...the movie with the really bad costume designs and the focus on special effects rather than story...). The Enterprise has returned to dry dock for retrofitting before continuing on with its mission. The crew are granted shore leave, but some, particularly Kirk, Spock, and Sulu, are haunted a bit by their encounter with V'ger and need to do a little soul-searching.
That's it.
That is the action of this book.
Now...most any ST fan will tell you that the draw to Star Trek is that it isn't an action series (at least not originally, though the spin-offs and reboots certainly are), but a series about stories of people and a look at what humanity is all about. And this is certainly true. But action doesn't have to mean fist-fights and chases and shoot-'em-ups. It means something has to happen. What we get here is insight into the characters, which I really appreciated. I was especially interested in the take on Spock and his return to Vulcan to put to rest his 'kolinahr' -- an ancient Vulcan ritual most of you are already familiar with based on your interest in Star Trek. This was action. There were intentions and results and, as I say, some nice insights into the character's background, as well as on his family. This alone gets the stars I give this book.
Kirk's story has less interesting (he visits his family and gives his nephew Peter a much-needed talking-to and a boost of confidence).
Sulu's story is ... well, there was potential, but it never got off the ground (pun intended). Sulu is about to become a father (HUH?!) and he agonizes over this fact since he won't be there for the birth of the child since he'll be leaving with the Enterprise in two weeks. First, I was completely thrown off by Sulu having a child (I must have forgotten or missed something in the ST universe) and, as a father, his reactions just don't really seem appropriate.
The characters were typically well-defined and the new insights were good, and Harrison even does a nice job over-coming the aspect of following up on an existing story that is typically far from a fan favorite. But the lack of anything happening, really brings the short book down.
Looking for a good book? Star Trek fans will appreciate some character insight in Scott Harrison's Shadow of the Machine, but nothing much really happens within.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Star Trek fiction is my comfort blanket. This is what I read when I'm looking to read something that I don't have to think too hard about but will typically satisfy. I think most people have something they like to turn to for comfort reading, whether it is religious or romance or scientific journals. I've thought about why I like ST fiction and I think it's because the characters are not only already very familiar to me, but beloved as well. I know how they should act and react and speak, and as long as the author keeps pretty close to how I picture it, then I'm generally willing to take the ride and learn something 'new' about the characters.
The Star Trek line of books has likely done very well by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books and they have very cleverly discovered that they can produce shorter books, novellas, and sell them digitally, because people like me will pick them up (and because they are digital and short, they are typically less expensive as well). Shadow of the Machine, by Scott Harrison, is one of the latest in this novella e-book trend.
The events in the book occur just after the first ST movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (you know...the movie with the really bad costume designs and the focus on special effects rather than story...). The Enterprise has returned to dry dock for retrofitting before continuing on with its mission. The crew are granted shore leave, but some, particularly Kirk, Spock, and Sulu, are haunted a bit by their encounter with V'ger and need to do a little soul-searching.
That's it.
That is the action of this book.
Now...most any ST fan will tell you that the draw to Star Trek is that it isn't an action series (at least not originally, though the spin-offs and reboots certainly are), but a series about stories of people and a look at what humanity is all about. And this is certainly true. But action doesn't have to mean fist-fights and chases and shoot-'em-ups. It means something has to happen. What we get here is insight into the characters, which I really appreciated. I was especially interested in the take on Spock and his return to Vulcan to put to rest his 'kolinahr' -- an ancient Vulcan ritual most of you are already familiar with based on your interest in Star Trek. This was action. There were intentions and results and, as I say, some nice insights into the character's background, as well as on his family. This alone gets the stars I give this book.
Kirk's story has less interesting (he visits his family and gives his nephew Peter a much-needed talking-to and a boost of confidence).
Sulu's story is ... well, there was potential, but it never got off the ground (pun intended). Sulu is about to become a father (HUH?!) and he agonizes over this fact since he won't be there for the birth of the child since he'll be leaving with the Enterprise in two weeks. First, I was completely thrown off by Sulu having a child (I must have forgotten or missed something in the ST universe) and, as a father, his reactions just don't really seem appropriate.
The characters were typically well-defined and the new insights were good, and Harrison even does a nice job over-coming the aspect of following up on an existing story that is typically far from a fan favorite. But the lack of anything happening, really brings the short book down.
Looking for a good book? Star Trek fans will appreciate some character insight in Scott Harrison's Shadow of the Machine, but nothing much really happens within.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2015
After their encounter with V’Ger, the Enterprise crew is going onshore leave during the ship refit. While Kirk goes back to Iowa tohelp his nephew Peter, who still suffers from his parents’ death,Spock heads back to Vulcan to deal with his abandoned Kolinarh, and Sulu is confronted with the consequences of being a father sooner than expected.
My knowledge of the Original Series era is pretty rusty and somewhat incomplete, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying this novella. The three main characters each faced family-related struggles: Kirk tries to reach to his nephew, the son of his dead older brother, which bring as much memories from their childhood as regrets over his own son, David, that barely knows him ; Spock is coming to term with his struggle to be a “real” Vulcan, and decides to embrace his human part as well ; and Sulu realises that though his newborn daughter is, from now on, the most important person in his life, it’s not enough to keep him away from the Enterprise, even if it means being mostly out of his family’s life. The themes are universal and well-treated, and it makes me want to check on the characters later, just to see how their situation has evolved (and I guess it would be possible, given that there are movies set at later periods).
It’s an enjoyable read for Star Trek fans knowing roughly what happened in the first movie and wanting to know how it impacted some of the main characters.
Disclaimer: I got this book through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
My knowledge of the Original Series era is pretty rusty and somewhat incomplete, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying this novella. The three main characters each faced family-related struggles: Kirk tries to reach to his nephew, the son of his dead older brother, which bring as much memories from their childhood as regrets over his own son, David, that barely knows him ; Spock is coming to term with his struggle to be a “real” Vulcan, and decides to embrace his human part as well ; and Sulu realises that though his newborn daughter is, from now on, the most important person in his life, it’s not enough to keep him away from the Enterprise, even if it means being mostly out of his family’s life. The themes are universal and well-treated, and it makes me want to check on the characters later, just to see how their situation has evolved (and I guess it would be possible, given that there are movies set at later periods).
It’s an enjoyable read for Star Trek fans knowing roughly what happened in the first movie and wanting to know how it impacted some of the main characters.
Disclaimer: I got this book through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
February 10, 2015
At its heart, Star Trek was all about humanity and the relationship between its main characters. On a personal basis I was an avid reader of the Trek novels that kept us going once we no longer had a TV series and before the success of Star Wars generated a revival of Star Trek at the cinema. After a couple of hundred books, I kind of lost my way and only occasionally dabble now, but here was a novella that seemed to be about crew members that almost feel like family to us.
This is set after the events of the first film and the incident with V’Ger. The Enterprise and its crew are back home and the crew is taking a much needed break. Normally we don’t see much of the time ‘between’ adventures where the command crew deal with the consequences of their actions and have the need to re-charge their batteries. Here the focus is on Kirk, Spock and Sulu. Kirk is reviewing his actions and the losses associated with V’Ger, Spock needs to go home and confront where his studies and experience have brought him, and Sulu has a life changing event to deal with.
So don’t expect any action, but a focus on the people concerned, what it means to be them, to make the decisions they do and what it is to be human.
I enjoyed this, an interesting perspective that I thought was well written by someone who understood the characters they were dealing with.
This is set after the events of the first film and the incident with V’Ger. The Enterprise and its crew are back home and the crew is taking a much needed break. Normally we don’t see much of the time ‘between’ adventures where the command crew deal with the consequences of their actions and have the need to re-charge their batteries. Here the focus is on Kirk, Spock and Sulu. Kirk is reviewing his actions and the losses associated with V’Ger, Spock needs to go home and confront where his studies and experience have brought him, and Sulu has a life changing event to deal with.
So don’t expect any action, but a focus on the people concerned, what it means to be them, to make the decisions they do and what it is to be human.
I enjoyed this, an interesting perspective that I thought was well written by someone who understood the characters they were dealing with.
February 25, 2015
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite Star Trek series is honestly still the Original one. I love DS9, and watched TNG gives me some warm nostalgia, but the characters I have the greatest affection for are Kirk, Spock, and Bones. There were TOS novels out long before TNG was even a twinkle in anybody's eye, and I loved those books too for how they gave me a chance to revisit my fictional friends. "Doctor's Orders", "My Enemy, My Ally", "Spock's World", to name a few, were also well written and gave me a bit more insight into the characters.
So sure, I'll try this new novella. However, I did not recognize the characters as my old friends. Kirk talked like written dialogue, not like a person, and I didn't see the traits that defined him for me. Sulu was caught up in a will-he-or-won't-he plot about choosing his girl and baby vs. Starfleet. Hard to care about either girl or baby when I've never seen them before and know I won't ever again. Spock went back to his homeworld, which managed to lose some of its magic for me.
There was nothing that made this specifically a Star Trek: Original Series novel. I felt like the characters were not themselves, but off-the-rack, and the stakes just never seemed very high. I actually wish I hadn't read it.
My favorite Star Trek series is honestly still the Original one. I love DS9, and watched TNG gives me some warm nostalgia, but the characters I have the greatest affection for are Kirk, Spock, and Bones. There were TOS novels out long before TNG was even a twinkle in anybody's eye, and I loved those books too for how they gave me a chance to revisit my fictional friends. "Doctor's Orders", "My Enemy, My Ally", "Spock's World", to name a few, were also well written and gave me a bit more insight into the characters.
So sure, I'll try this new novella. However, I did not recognize the characters as my old friends. Kirk talked like written dialogue, not like a person, and I didn't see the traits that defined him for me. Sulu was caught up in a will-he-or-won't-he plot about choosing his girl and baby vs. Starfleet. Hard to care about either girl or baby when I've never seen them before and know I won't ever again. Spock went back to his homeworld, which managed to lose some of its magic for me.
There was nothing that made this specifically a Star Trek: Original Series novel. I felt like the characters were not themselves, but off-the-rack, and the stakes just never seemed very high. I actually wish I hadn't read it.
May 11, 2015
'Star Trek: The Original Series: Shadow of the Machine' by Scott Harrison is a short Trek novel. It's more about character reflection than anything else. If you like your stories more dramatic and action packed, this may not work for you.
The story takes place in between the first Star Trek movies. In the aftermath of their encounter with V'ger, the crew finds themselves back on Earth to get the Enterprise repaired and refitted. This story follows three of the crew. Kirk is on his Aunt and Uncle's farm trying to come to terms with the death of crew by V'ger and the death of his brother. Sulu is a new father and faced with some doubts about that job. Spock travels back to Vulcan to finish his Kohlinahr.
Sulu's story is perhaps the weakest, Kirk's gets him set up to meet his son in the second movie, and Spock's continues his wrestling with his human and Vulcan parts. Not a lot externally happens, but with such a short page count, it's over fairly quickly. If you are a Trek novelization completist, it's not bad, but there are probably better Trek novels out there.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The story takes place in between the first Star Trek movies. In the aftermath of their encounter with V'ger, the crew finds themselves back on Earth to get the Enterprise repaired and refitted. This story follows three of the crew. Kirk is on his Aunt and Uncle's farm trying to come to terms with the death of crew by V'ger and the death of his brother. Sulu is a new father and faced with some doubts about that job. Spock travels back to Vulcan to finish his Kohlinahr.
Sulu's story is perhaps the weakest, Kirk's gets him set up to meet his son in the second movie, and Spock's continues his wrestling with his human and Vulcan parts. Not a lot externally happens, but with such a short page count, it's over fairly quickly. If you are a Trek novelization completist, it's not bad, but there are probably better Trek novels out there.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
January 20, 2015
just a note: i got this free in exchange for an honest review from Net Galley.
this is a well written novella that takes place just days after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. depending on if you were a fan of this movie or have seen it will vary your enjoyment of this story in my opinion. i love these characters, enjoyed the original series and for that matter like the ideas behind this movie even though the movie itself wasn't the greatest. that being said you don't necessarily need to have seen the movie prior to reading the book but doing so will give you a better insight into the mood and feeling of the story and actions of the characters.
the writing style of quality suit this story and these characters well and pay respect to these friends we've had all these years and fills in some nice little corners of their lives. i don't really want to give anything away but know that you'll enjoy the story which is a pretty good character story that brings these people back to life like it was just another episode back in the day.
overall it was an enjoyable read.
this is a well written novella that takes place just days after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. depending on if you were a fan of this movie or have seen it will vary your enjoyment of this story in my opinion. i love these characters, enjoyed the original series and for that matter like the ideas behind this movie even though the movie itself wasn't the greatest. that being said you don't necessarily need to have seen the movie prior to reading the book but doing so will give you a better insight into the mood and feeling of the story and actions of the characters.
the writing style of quality suit this story and these characters well and pay respect to these friends we've had all these years and fills in some nice little corners of their lives. i don't really want to give anything away but know that you'll enjoy the story which is a pretty good character story that brings these people back to life like it was just another episode back in the day.
overall it was an enjoyable read.
March 13, 2015
Shadow of the Machine (Star Trek: The Original Series)
by Scott Harrison
The book follows three of the original Star Trek characters Kirk, Spock, Sulu after the events in the first movie of the series. All three have to deal with their encounter with V’ger and the loss of two crew members. Kirk needs to understand his role, how he sees himself and helps his nephew decide what to do with his life. Spock needs to face his past failures, and declare his intentions compared to Vulcan society. Sulu is faced with the difficult decision to stay and complete a five year mission, or return home and raise his new born daughter. The book looks into the dynamics of the characters and their interactions with in the cultural and ideology of the Star Trek universe. This is a great introduction to the Star Trek books series.
by Scott Harrison
The book follows three of the original Star Trek characters Kirk, Spock, Sulu after the events in the first movie of the series. All three have to deal with their encounter with V’ger and the loss of two crew members. Kirk needs to understand his role, how he sees himself and helps his nephew decide what to do with his life. Spock needs to face his past failures, and declare his intentions compared to Vulcan society. Sulu is faced with the difficult decision to stay and complete a five year mission, or return home and raise his new born daughter. The book looks into the dynamics of the characters and their interactions with in the cultural and ideology of the Star Trek universe. This is a great introduction to the Star Trek books series.
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