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Star Trek Adventures #8
The Starless World
Captain's Log, Stardate 6532.1
While investigating rumors of renewed activity by the Klingon Empire within the Galactic Core, the Enterprise made contact with a shuttlecraft from the USS Rickover, a starship presumed lost with all hands over 20 years ago. The lone occupant of that shuttlecraft—Thomas Clayton, once my roommate at Starfleet Academy, now the self-proclaimed chosen son and favored prophet of a deity he calls Ay-nab. I had planned on disregarding Clayton entirely—until control of our engines was seized by an as-yet-unexplained outside force… a force, Clayton insists, that is now taking us to meet his god.
While investigating rumors of renewed activity by the Klingon Empire within the Galactic Core, the Enterprise made contact with a shuttlecraft from the USS Rickover, a starship presumed lost with all hands over 20 years ago. The lone occupant of that shuttlecraft—Thomas Clayton, once my roommate at Starfleet Academy, now the self-proclaimed chosen son and favored prophet of a deity he calls Ay-nab. I had planned on disregarding Clayton entirely—until control of our engines was seized by an as-yet-unexplained outside force… a force, Clayton insists, that is now taking us to meet his god.
152 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
October 21, 2016
This one wasn't anything special. Kinda drug in places. 2.5 stars
February 7, 2023
Before there were the hundreds upon hundreds of Star Trek novels, there were "Star Trek Adventures"...and they were...okay...
The crew encounter a Dyson Sphere full of small humanoid creatures who are unaware that they live in a Dyson Sphere - which also happens to have an enclosed star that may be a god, or a super computer, or an incredibly powerful alien and is hurtling towards a Black Hole (apparently, because the "god" is suicidal, I guess) ? Even Spock concedes that not only is the existence of a god possible, but that a star could also be a god...and maybe all stars are actually gods...**cough** bullshit **cough**...he does state that it could also be a super-computer because the furry aliens inside are from a civilization that has destroyed itself and rebuilt itself many, many times, so they may have built a god-computer during one of those times...
There are also Klingons (including a sexy, Klingon lady), Kirk speaking with a "god", primitive indigenous inhabitants, an outside force of kind-of-mercenaries, lots of talk about native, hairy boobs - and Uhura's boobs...Holy crap! Is this Star Trek V!?!?!?
I mean, if you want to read a "less-refined" version of "The Final Frontier" go for it...and I did because "I need my pain!!!"...otherwise, yah, no...skip it. :)
The crew encounter a Dyson Sphere full of small humanoid creatures who are unaware that they live in a Dyson Sphere - which also happens to have an enclosed star that may be a god, or a super computer, or an incredibly powerful alien and is hurtling towards a Black Hole (apparently, because the "god" is suicidal, I guess) ? Even Spock concedes that not only is the existence of a god possible, but that a star could also be a god...and maybe all stars are actually gods...**cough** bullshit **cough**...he does state that it could also be a super-computer because the furry aliens inside are from a civilization that has destroyed itself and rebuilt itself many, many times, so they may have built a god-computer during one of those times...
There are also Klingons (including a sexy, Klingon lady), Kirk speaking with a "god", primitive indigenous inhabitants, an outside force of kind-of-mercenaries, lots of talk about native, hairy boobs - and Uhura's boobs...Holy crap! Is this Star Trek V!?!?!?
I mean, if you want to read a "less-refined" version of "The Final Frontier" go for it...and I did because "I need my pain!!!"...otherwise, yah, no...skip it. :)
September 6, 2017
A surprisingly compact, surprisingly intense, surprisingly philosophical "Star Trek" story that manages to be enormously epic yet wonderfully intimate. The climax is a bit (well, more than a bit) rushed, but it's a minor irritant in an otherwise satisfying adventure.
November 12, 2022
Has plot elements encountered in the television show - strange technology, sensor glitches, a technologically superior being (or deity?), the threat of destruction. This is a lot to cover in one "episode" (or 150 page book).
The characters are well written here. Also like the episodes, one of the characters gets a focus - this time it is Uhura. Things that happen with the ship are believable, and the encounters with the Klingons a nice addition.
That said, the Klingon subplot wasn't completely resolved, nor was the Thomas Clayton affair. I firmly believe there are better restraints on the Enterprise, and his escapades were only there to clumsily move the plot along. On television, our main cast would have mused about the Strangers before fading to credits - that was missing in this book.
The pocketbook version of this travelled with me to three countries - Canada, Finland, and Estonia. I ended up spending more time on an e-reader than with this, which is perhaps telling. 3 of 5 stars.
The characters are well written here. Also like the episodes, one of the characters gets a focus - this time it is Uhura. Things that happen with the ship are believable, and the encounters with the Klingons a nice addition.
That said, the Klingon subplot wasn't completely resolved, nor was the Thomas Clayton affair. I firmly believe there are better restraints on the Enterprise, and his escapades were only there to clumsily move the plot along. On television, our main cast would have mused about the Strangers before fading to credits - that was missing in this book.
The pocketbook version of this travelled with me to three countries - Canada, Finland, and Estonia. I ended up spending more time on an e-reader than with this, which is perhaps telling. 3 of 5 stars.
July 8, 2017
A rather fun read that plays more on Star Trek's history of asking philosophical questions rather than a lot more of the action driven novels in some of the spin off series like New Frontier or SCE. The cover art is a tad bit misleading as the Klingons are more of an accessory to the story rather than the main focus. For fans of Spock, this is a must read.
June 3, 2022
Although I can't recall a single plot detail, I remember being really struck by this one. I read this (along with Eklund's other Trek novel) at a time in my young life when I was emersed in the Original Series adventures of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest. What I truly loved about this and the other Eklund Trek novel is how they offer a somewhat alternate version of the Enterprise and Her crew. The tone of these novels doesn't exactly match that of the show, and the characters don't quite speak or behave the way they do on the show, and I remember finding that to be exhilarating!
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July 2, 2025antireligiös propaganda. wordbuildingen var sjuk ändå, man älskar ju en dyson sphere! och Uhura var väldigt välskriven!
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January 2, 2026Star Trek adventures no.3
September 29, 2016
Though unworthy of being considered "canon," THE STARLESS WORLD does just enough right to capture some of that old-timey STAR TREK TOS magic. Yes, it's all pretty silly and by-the-numbers, but my inner twelve-year-old couldn't help but eat it up. Still, I have several complaints. At one point, Kirk pointlessly antagonizes a group of Klingons by claiming to wish them dead. Only by divine intervention (literally) does he manage to avoid being murdered on the spot. Such comments are especially strange, considering he later goes out of his way to save the Klingons' lives.
Another thing that annoyed me was Kirk's security detail. I actually laughed out loud when Kirk scouted a dangerous area before signaling his security team that it was safe to enter. Um, isn't that a little backwards? (In another scene, a prisoner is able to escape because the security team is playing cards with their backs turned.) This book makes lots of lame excuses for why Kirk needs to constantly put himself in danger rather than rely on other members of his crew, but, heck, that's STAR TREK for you.
Kirk's effectiveness at using a stick to fight off a large bear wins him the undying love of the only young female living on the entire "starless world," but, unfortunately, her resemblance to an Ewok precludes anything in the way of mutual romance. Poor Uhura has it particularly rough. Not only does she get part of her soul devoured, she also runs into her long-lost father--a plot twist so unlikely, the book doesn't even attempt to explain it.
Another thing that annoyed me was Kirk's security detail. I actually laughed out loud when Kirk scouted a dangerous area before signaling his security team that it was safe to enter. Um, isn't that a little backwards? (In another scene, a prisoner is able to escape because the security team is playing cards with their backs turned.) This book makes lots of lame excuses for why Kirk needs to constantly put himself in danger rather than rely on other members of his crew, but, heck, that's STAR TREK for you.
Kirk's effectiveness at using a stick to fight off a large bear wins him the undying love of the only young female living on the entire "starless world," but, unfortunately, her resemblance to an Ewok precludes anything in the way of mutual romance. Poor Uhura has it particularly rough. Not only does she get part of her soul devoured, she also runs into her long-lost father--a plot twist so unlikely, the book doesn't even attempt to explain it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2011
Sociological Star Trek from the 70’s, analytical and original. Utilizing the endlessly fascinating sci-fi concept of a Dyson Sphere, “The Starless World” offers smart and plausible speculation on the function of an imagined society with good plotting and solid storytelling.
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January 16, 2021The Enterprise is at the Galactic Core, charting black holes and searching for signs of Klingon activity, when they encounter a Federation shuttlecraft, identified as coming from the USS Rickover, lost more than twenty years prior.
The shuttlecraft is piloted by a madman calling himself Jesus Christ, who Kirk recognizes to be Thomas Clayton, Kirk's old roommate at the academy (he must have had a lot of those--in Star Trek Log Seven , we learn that he had a Klingon roommate named Kumara, who returns in Star Trek Log Ten ).
Clayton has come out of a Dyson sphere which the Enterprise soon finds itself pulled into. They find within a place called Lyra (McCoy initially suggests Pellucidar as a name), apparently ruled over by a god called Ay-nab, who is the sun.
Nothing very interesting happens for a hundred pages or so, and Kirk telepathically convinces Ay-nab to send the Enterprise back out before the whole Dyson sphere falls into a black hole. Spock ends the story unsure of whether the most logical explanation is that Ay-nab is a god, a telepathic computer, or what. The end.
Although there's a little exposition about what Ay-nab is doing (punishing the Lyrans for repeatedly starting wars), it's not satisfying.
The only alien that gets any meaningful amount of 'screen time', Ola, doesn't do much other than wring her hands and follow Kirk around, until she saves them all with the power of love. When we meet her, Kirk's appraisal isn't terribly inspiring:
And half the book later, when Ola has risked her life to help Kirk find Uhura (who had been kidnapped):
Well, it's not just Kirk and Spock who don't seem to think much of women, either:
Even Uhura doesn't think of Chapel except in relation to Spock.
Enough nitpicking. The book's not very interesting. Dyson sphere, hollow world, whatever. It's been done. By Trek, even. Ditto the space god ruling over the primitive people who once had more advanced tech. It's like Trek's Greatest Hits Volume 3: More B-sides.
Pass.
The shuttlecraft is piloted by a madman calling himself Jesus Christ, who Kirk recognizes to be Thomas Clayton, Kirk's old roommate at the academy (he must have had a lot of those--in Star Trek Log Seven , we learn that he had a Klingon roommate named Kumara, who returns in Star Trek Log Ten ).
Clayton has come out of a Dyson sphere which the Enterprise soon finds itself pulled into. They find within a place called Lyra (McCoy initially suggests Pellucidar as a name), apparently ruled over by a god called Ay-nab, who is the sun.
Nothing very interesting happens for a hundred pages or so, and Kirk telepathically convinces Ay-nab to send the Enterprise back out before the whole Dyson sphere falls into a black hole. Spock ends the story unsure of whether the most logical explanation is that Ay-nab is a god, a telepathic computer, or what. The end.
Although there's a little exposition about what Ay-nab is doing (punishing the Lyrans for repeatedly starting wars), it's not satisfying.
The only alien that gets any meaningful amount of 'screen time', Ola, doesn't do much other than wring her hands and follow Kirk around, until she saves them all with the power of love. When we meet her, Kirk's appraisal isn't terribly inspiring:
Kirk now had a chance to study the alien female more carefully. Her bare face struck him as very human; in fact, she was almost pretty. Her lips were thin and expressive. Her eyes were round and pink. The top of her head was as hirsute as her body. She had no ears. Her breasts were small, firm, and very feminine. She was young, Kirk guessed, and childless.
The Starless World (1978-11), 49
And half the book later, when Ola has risked her life to help Kirk find Uhura (who had been kidnapped):
Spock was cautious. “I wish you could be certain Lieutenant Uhura is indeed there.”
“I'm as sure as I'm going to be.”
“Unfortunately, you have only the word of the female.”
The Starless World (1978-11), 124
Well, it's not just Kirk and Spock who don't seem to think much of women, either:
Well, thought Uhura, turning on her right side, now, wasn’t that odd? Here she was thinking about Mr. Spock, while beside her slept poor Chapel, who was in love with him, very possibly dreaming of the same man. Spock did not love Chapel.
The Starless World (1978-11), 87–88
Even Uhura doesn't think of Chapel except in relation to Spock.
Enough nitpicking. The book's not very interesting. Dyson sphere, hollow world, whatever. It's been done. By Trek, even. Ditto the space god ruling over the primitive people who once had more advanced tech. It's like Trek's Greatest Hits Volume 3: More B-sides.
Pass.
May 4, 2020
This was my first book by Eklund and my first Star Trek book (or, to be honest, any book created from characters in a TV show or movie). Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from this, especially given its short length, but as a big fan of The Original Series, I figured I'd give it a shot. Of course, any book that involves a Dyson Sphere is something that will capture my attention.
Although the book is short, I can see this story easily fitting in to a standard Original Series episode nicely. The plot is intriguing without being overly complicated, and it manages to pack a lot of thought into a short space. It's a quick, fun read that isn't really deep, and it's certainly not the best story of its kind that I've read, but I still enjoyed it. If you're looking for a quick read that isn't completely devoid of meaning, then this is probably for you.
Although the book is short, I can see this story easily fitting in to a standard Original Series episode nicely. The plot is intriguing without being overly complicated, and it manages to pack a lot of thought into a short space. It's a quick, fun read that isn't really deep, and it's certainly not the best story of its kind that I've read, but I still enjoyed it. If you're looking for a quick read that isn't completely devoid of meaning, then this is probably for you.
November 10, 2020
Not the best Star Trek book. Gordon Eklund has written this story twice. One is the Star Trek Devil World and then there is the Starless World. Both have a planet they can't escape from, a daughter longing to meet their father, a shaft to climb down into the center of the planet, and the list goes on.
The problem is the book doesn't seem to know the direction it wants to go in. It tries to juggle Uhura's story with Ola's, Domo's and the Klingons with the villain and our sympathizers somewhat in between.
At its worst, the author makes sure to spell things out for the reader when no additional explanation is needed.
If you're looking for a Trek book you haven't read, give it a spin to relive Devil World, but otherwise, I can't recommend it to someone who is just getting into TOS books.
The problem is the book doesn't seem to know the direction it wants to go in. It tries to juggle Uhura's story with Ola's, Domo's and the Klingons with the villain and our sympathizers somewhat in between.
At its worst, the author makes sure to spell things out for the reader when no additional explanation is needed.
If you're looking for a Trek book you haven't read, give it a spin to relive Devil World, but otherwise, I can't recommend it to someone who is just getting into TOS books.
August 15, 2021
Eklund's first use of a sentient star (he would win a Nebula for If the Stars Are Gods) manages to fit the Star Trek universe rather well. We have a god-like being performing miracles and proper philosophical conundrums, as well as bits of action and alien girls falling for Captain Kirk. And while we saw a Dyson sphere in TNG's Relics, we actually get to visit this one and find out how it came to be. Uhura is particularly well-served in this story as Eklund gives us a rich background for her in just a few efficient paragraphs. There are some red herrings like the whole Klingon subplot and Thomas Clayton's revenge ambitions against Kirk (who blew the whistle on his cheating at the Academy), which just don't get proper resolutions, but overall, it's a strong SF story where the cast is recognizable and well-written.
December 25, 2023
Eklund writes Spock marginally better this time around, though it's still embarrassingly 'off.' At times you can see Eklund wrangling with the fact that he doesn't know how to write Spock, overexplaining simple lines he gives.
Kirk is also marginally better. Here at least he doesn't fall headfirst for the only female alien that shows up, though he's still asking for ideas from the entire crew any time he comes up against the slightest hardship.
Some random Klingon cameos that will never go anywhere, sadly. And, again, it all boils down to a supercomputer (I guess? Although it's left ambiguous, and we're REALLY supposed to believe that it was actually a star god trapped in a Dyson sphere ...).
Overall it just ... it feels enough like a Trek book to pass, but the ending is WAY off the rails and it's suddenly something completely different. Woof.
Kirk is also marginally better. Here at least he doesn't fall headfirst for the only female alien that shows up, though he's still asking for ideas from the entire crew any time he comes up against the slightest hardship.
Some random Klingon cameos that will never go anywhere, sadly. And, again, it all boils down to a supercomputer (I guess? Although it's left ambiguous, and we're REALLY supposed to believe that it was actually a star god trapped in a Dyson sphere ...).
Overall it just ... it feels enough like a Trek book to pass, but the ending is WAY off the rails and it's suddenly something completely different. Woof.
October 18, 2025
The Enterprise gets trapped in a Dyson Sphere--a huge sphere 93 million miles in diameter that's built around a sun, so people can live on the inner side of the sphere. There's enough space for trillions of beings, but the only intelligent life is a small village of natives and some Klingons who had early gotten trapped. Also, the sun is apparently a sentient being with god-like power. Finally, the sphere is moving towards a black hole.
It's an intriguing premise and the book--though a little slow-paced--unfolds the mystery effectively as Kirk and crew try to figure everything out and escape from the sphere. The author also catches the crew's personalities effectively--though there are a few times when Spock's dialogue isn't quite... "Spocky" enough. It's a good, though not great, Star Trek novel.
It's an intriguing premise and the book--though a little slow-paced--unfolds the mystery effectively as Kirk and crew try to figure everything out and escape from the sphere. The author also catches the crew's personalities effectively--though there are a few times when Spock's dialogue isn't quite... "Spocky" enough. It's a good, though not great, Star Trek novel.
October 6, 2022
¿Por qué sigo leyendo estos libros, con lo malos que son? En este caso me ha venido a la cabeza la serie de animación. La historia no está mal y no deja de ser un episodio clásico más, pero la narración es aburrida: Kirk hace esto, Uhura mira de tal manera, Spock arquea una ceja, McCoy suelta una frase. Una mujer hermosa quiere casarse con Kirk, otros quieren matarlo. Es como si alguien narrase objetivamente un partido de fútbol: tedioso a más no poder. Y por último, el haberse topado con un ser tan excepcional (una estrella que es un dios), ¿no debería haber dejado huella en el "lore" de la serie clásica? Vamos, ni Q, casi (aunque sea de la siguiente serie). En fin, entretenidillo pero aburrido. No lo recomendaría.
December 4, 2024
One of the very first Star Trek books back in the day. Captures the original Star Trek spirit but has a weak plot. The Enterprise and a Klingon ship get pulled into a Dyson sphere with the inhabitants claiming that the sun is their god, how will Kirk and co escape? Good setup with some interesting happenings but falls apart in execution because of a very sudden and anticlimactic ending. Really could have used another 100 pages or so.
The author won a nebula for a short story about god like aliens living in stars/being stars and that idea is reused here. If that concept interests you, you might find this worth the read, otherwise leave it for collectors only.
The author won a nebula for a short story about god like aliens living in stars/being stars and that idea is reused here. If that concept interests you, you might find this worth the read, otherwise leave it for collectors only.
February 2, 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable story, engagingly told, and perfectly situated in the world of Star Trek. The amount of tension, mystery, and science is enough not only to make this a viable product for an episode of the series, but I believe this is weighty enough to have been a whole feature length film.
Full length review linked below.
https://bowdoinplumer.wixsite.com/the...
Full length review linked below.
https://bowdoinplumer.wixsite.com/the...
May 23, 2025
Bit of a goose egg for this one compared to most of the others in the series so far. No interesting incidental characters, no signature main character moments, just felt very routine. There were a few good Uhura scenes but nothing to really make it worth the 150 pages. Maybe the Dyson Sphere aspect of the plot was supposed to carry the reader's interest but there really was not much in the way of detail there to even make it a notable part of the story.
June 17, 2018
Una storia di Star Trek, fuori canone, ok, ma è sempre una storia di Star Trek.
Eklund onestamente ha scritto di meglio, ma nel complesso la caratterizzazione dei personaggi è abbastanza azzeccata e l'idea di fondo abbastanza in linea. La resa complessiva però non è eccellente, e alcuni punti deboli della trama si fanno sentire.
Eklund onestamente ha scritto di meglio, ma nel complesso la caratterizzazione dei personaggi è abbastanza azzeccata e l'idea di fondo abbastanza in linea. La resa complessiva però non è eccellente, e alcuni punti deboli della trama si fanno sentire.
September 13, 2019
3 stars for readers who're fans of Star Trek TOS (like me), otherwise 2 stars. It really feels like a typical TOS episode (with all the good and the bad aspects), just in written form. A quick, but rather unmemorable read with a very plain style of writing and outdated expressions. The German translation is quite cringy...
January 18, 2023
The plot was interesting, but the author got most of the characters wrong, especially Spock. The resolution to the plot also arrived much too quickly, occurring in the last 10 pages. It felt like the book was supposed to be much longer but the ending was edited down to fit in a confined space. Overall, I didn't care for the resolution.
May 23, 2018
Primo romanzo di Star Trek TOS che leggo.
Carino, una lettura veloce senza troppe pretese; buono per passare qualche ora con le atmosfere della serie tv.
Sicuramente meglio dei fumetti di TOS della Gold Key.
Carino, una lettura veloce senza troppe pretese; buono per passare qualche ora con le atmosfere della serie tv.
Sicuramente meglio dei fumetti di TOS della Gold Key.
September 23, 2023
This book shares a lot of both the positive and negative points of the original Star Trek TV series on which it is based. I enjoyed reading it, but I think a 3/5 is fair. Stylistically, it opts for a lot of very short chapters (about 6 pages on average).
August 27, 2019
Kirk and crew explore a Dyson sphere… I really enjoyed this short, fun little book. Loved it!
April 12, 2024
Not a very good book, and yet for some reason I enjoyed reading it. Very much like a TV episode from the 1970s : campy, predictable, and yet satisfying entertainment.
September 19, 2024
Another enjoyable original series Star Trek novel.
March 23, 2025
Interesting ideas. Poorly written. Probably not canon, as, for example, Uhura's father and Kirk's academy roommate.
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