The Cry of the Onlies

Star Trek: The Original Series #46

by Judy Klass

The Cry Of The Onlines Boaco Six -- a once-tranquil Federation colony, now caught up in the throes of revolution. The Enterprise's re-establish contact with the planet, and determine whether or not formal ties between the Federation and Boaco Six Should be strengthened. Negotiations beteween Captain Kirk and the planet's ruling Council of Youngers are proceeding smoothy, until the atmosphere of goodwill is shattered by the sudden destruction of a Boacan -- at the hands of an experimental Starfleet vessel! Now, in order to prevent full-scale war from breaking out, the Enterprise?must recapute the stolen Starfleet vessel and its abductors. A mission that will require the aid of the galaxy's most reclusive genius -- and bring Captain Kirk face-to-face with the long-buried secrets of his past...

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fiction, Star Trek Original Series, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space, Adventure

255 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

Reviews

[Carol Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

So just by chance this book was lying in the used book bin at my library. And it was really falling apart, so much so that when I finished I dropped it right in the dumpster.

But still this was a lot of fun. The author took two of my favorite original series episodes, "Miri" and "Requiem for Methusaleh" and put them together in a a really poignant way. There were some great actions scenes and the usual confrontation with the Klingons too. There was even a sexy girl resistance leader on this primitive planet they visited, and her name was "Tamara Angel!"

Now I would have given this book five stars if the following things had happened.

There should have been more of Jahn. Way more of "Bonk! Bonk! On the head!" I miss the old days, when the "Onlies" were more like mean, bad-ass J.D.'s in a James Dean movie, and not frightened, weepy six year old kids who cling to Kirk and McCoy like Rhesus monkeys. And I enjoyed having Flint back but I wish instead of building M7 (basically M4 with arms) he could have built a new version of Rayna that was even more beautiful and even better at, um, shooting pool. Among other things!

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loose thread needed to be dealt with. And i don't mean de faith of the onlies after their rescue by the Enterprise. But the fact that Spock blocked the memory to Kirk feelings/actions concerning this fight for the cyborg girl and her creator.
As often, this story is not al all as fun as it could be. Fun means happy endings. This story starts with a tragedy and the happy end would be a war avoided. But at what cost!
Overall the outcome is good since we only look at the ones that remain standing and take into account the fact that the bad guys are adequately dealt with. That is the case.
Well written, fast paced, too much psychology to my taste, lots of action in space and at planetside, little humor, flashbacks.

[Mae Crowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Episodes Involved: Miri (major, 1x08), Dagger of the Mind (minor, 1x09), Requiem for Methuselah (major, 3x19)

This took me waaaaaaay too long to read, but it's more a reflection of my life than the book. The Cry of the Onlies is no better, no worse than the average novel in this series: good characterization, good writing, and a decent storyline.

It was exciting to catch up with the Onlies, from one of my favorite episodes in TOS, Miri. (Guys, never watch that episode while thinking about Tarsus. BAD IDEA.) It also deals with Requiem for Methuselah, giving the reader a chance to watch Spock squirm over how he helped Jim suppress his memories without permission. And as much as I love my boy, it is fun to watch him squirm sometimes, especially when I know it's going to turn out okay.

The plotline was mildly intriguing, the characters engaging. That said, it was a little too plot-driven for the good characterization to bump the rating up to a four. (Praise be to Klass for acknowledging Jim's hopeless romanticism and Spock's deep-seated emotionalism. And also for understanding that Jim's concern for Miri is not romantic, that him using her crush on him to calm her and convince her to let him help the Onlies was not an expression of interest in her but a strategic move.)

Some good Spirky moments as one would expect from a follow up to Requiem for Methuselah, but not central enough to be deemed "Spirktastic."

A solid installment in the series with accurate characterization that explores the consequences of Miri and Requiem for Methuselah in addition to introducing a new planet and people. Unassuming, but comforting in a way that only Star Trek is.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel, set during the original Star Trek series, fails to capture the imagination and lacks both the characterization and subplots needed to work well. Klass captures the voices of Kirk, Spock and McCoy well enough, though some of their interactions read slightly off. Tying the story to two of the television episodes is a clever convention, however the connections are tenuous at best and the plot lacks intrigue or depth. Not horrible, but largely forgettable.

[Chip · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy Star Trek books- especially the quick read serialized ones- but this one was not my favorite. The author used two original series episodes that I didn’t especially like (the Onlies was a ridiculous episode and even during my first watch in the 1970’s I thought that Kirk would be a horrible father. Star Trek II confirmed that I was correct) and juxtaposed a few scenes involving characters from those episodes to talk about the Federation and its issues with a planet in a state of revolution.

Not my favorite but a quick read. Plus- it’s Star Trek so even crap Star Trek is better than most other things.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty much in the same vein as the other books from this series I've read lately...which isn't a good thing.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the Bocca Six story to be engaging and was really looking forward to the book. The inclusion of the Onlies only limited this story, and in the end the Bocca situation was solved unsatisfactory. Seems like a missed opportunity.

[Bailey Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reminded me of an STOS episode, but went a little bit slower than it should have.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main plot of the story is that the Enterprise is on a diplomatic mission with Boaca Six, which has recently rebelled from their oppressive government. The goal is just to see how things are going, and to try to convince them to join the Federation. Things are going well until a ship carrying ambassadors from the sister civilization and some of their own is destroyed, seemingly by a Federation vessel!
Initial Rating
This is just where I'm going to detail how I felt about the book and if you should read it - spoiler free. Some Star Trek books can be a little dull, they focus too much on drab plots with confusing pseudo-science. I found that this novel was quite the opposite. There was about three separate plots, that combined aspects from two other TOS episodes. While I was a little hazy on the details of these two episodes ("Mira" and "Requiem for Methuselah") I found that the author did a good job of incorporating these elements into the story so I was never confused on what I was reading. This book didn't try to go crazy out of the box with new characters or complex sci-fi (not that I don't enjoy that), instead it felt like a longer TOS episode, which to me felt like a good thing. If you're a Spirk fan, or like me just find it weird how in the 80's certain subtext was making it past publishers, this book isn't a must read. There were some moment of note, and I'll get into those below.
Characters
Like I said this book doesn't introduce many new characters. There's one ensign; who, to be honest, I still have no idea why he was included or what he brought to the story, he literally plays no role (I almost wonder if he had a bigger part and the author was instructed to take it down a notch). And like a historian who gets a name but no character. We don't see a lot of the TOS characters other than the Triumvirate of Spock, Kirk, and Bones. There's some fun interactions there, and aside from the like required Star Trek novel mention of "I'm a doctor not a..." everyone was characterized well. If you remember, this novel makes mention of a TOS episode where Kirk falls in love with an android. At the end of this episode Spock mind melds so that he forgets about Ranya. Does he do this out of compassion for his friend or jealously over another Kirk-lover? Up for debate.
Any Final Criticisms ?
Nope.
Maybe too many things going on in one story for some people. And the plot with the children was almost disturbing if you think about it for too long. And, oh yeah, not enough cool women :(.
The Obligatory Spirk Sidenote
First off I just want to point out that I've seen some amazing Beverly x Troi art online and I want more Star Trek subtext that points towards that . Not that I don't love Spirk, just emphasize that if I had more options I would explore them. Anyways....
There are a ton of parallels between Ranya and Spock, but because I hadn't seen the episode in a while it only hit me until this passage,

"There was a girl, an android. I feel it was somehow involved..." "It was" "But how? It wasn't human. Yet I feel that there was some relationship involved, she was so..." Kirk frowned, shook his head sharply. "How could a cold computer's brain cause emotional tension, emotional involvement? How could it feel ?"
"Feelings and emotional attachments can sometimes come from unexpected sources, Captain" Spock remarked tonelessly. In his steely gaze, Kirk could decipher nothing. He decided to give up (191).

Wow, if it wasn't enough that Spock said that we have the weird pause where it feels as though the reader and Kirk should definitely be trying to read way into Spock's comment. I mean when you think about it Ranya and Spock do have a lot of similarities; confusion at the expectations that the world has for them, confusion about emotions and love, and the general perception that they should both are emotionless. I mean honestly the English paper writes itself.
Sidenote, this is why I love these books. Are the writers in on the Spirk conspiracy, or was everyone just that oblivious in the 80's??
There's one more moment I feel the need to quote, and this one I'll admit is a lot less concrete then the first one but I thought it was funny, "His mind ran back over other times they had discussed sensitive matters, let down their guard enough to expose their frailties and lend each other support. In this very cabin . . . problems had been discussed" (187).
I did NOT add that ellipses. Idk if it's just me but slowly like drawing out the middle of a sentence like that is real weird, and seems to hold way more context then I think it was warranted.
Overall, not the most overt of the Spirk books I've read, but definitely something was up with Judy Klass (the women authors of Trek books always write the best ones, I don't make the rules).
Gee, There's a lot of Trek books on the market, why should I read this one?
If you're staring at a wall full of Trek books, let me narrow this one down.
We don't see a lot of the characters beside Spock, Kirk, and Bones, so if you're a Uhura stan maybe go read Uhura's Song .
Also because this book involves two different episodes if you're looking for a Trek book totally creative, again try something else.
If you dislike when Trek books randomly give you the POV of an alien you never know and the characters most likely never interact with... don't read this. It happens way too much.

[Reesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven read, this was sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, sometimes insightful or clever, sometimes over the top or too derivative.

This book brings in plot points from 3 different episodes Requiem for Methuselah (Flint and Rayna), Miri (Jahn and the other Onlies), and Dagger of the Mind (mind-destroying torture device). But though the title indicates it's about the Onlies, they appear only infrequently and their overall plight is mostly explained after the fact. Instead, we spend the majority of our time learning about the political history of an unrelated planet.

Some salient points are made about the folly of modern superpowers and the damage they do - sometimes accidentally, sometimes carelessly in pursuit of a goal - in the typical way of science fiction, as well as an on-the-nose representation of the white saviour complex in a visiting Federation citizen I presume was named Karen.

But it also droned on a lot, especially about the aforementioned planet, and had a completely ridiculous and uncreative plot point regarding the mistreatment of the Onlies that I was surprised an editor let the author get away with, it seemed so lazy to me.

But! It also had great moments between Kirk and Spock, a couple of interesting original characters, some good Spock and McCoy bickering, and I liked the way Flint's story was continued and resolved.

All of which is to say: It's just an uneven read. I didn't dislike reading it, but ultimately, I think it's going to be pretty forgettable.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just nostalgia, though I was consistently under the impression that it would be a good way to start conversations to tell people I was reading a well-intentioned but cheesy Star Trek novel. More interesting to me than to them, it turned out. Nobody seemed to care about judging in the way that would have made it worth it.

"Miri" is one of my favorite Star Trek episodes: a sense of eerieness and fascinating (if implausible) sociological speculation about long-lived feral children in a post-apocalyptic environment; ancient games based on a vaguely remembered society, games tinged with threat and painful memories.

This book was no Miri, but it does try to continue that story, and that was why I struggled through to the end.

Light reading, better at reminding you of the source material than telling a compelling new story.

[Frank Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Spock's Brain' cops a lot of flak for being the worst episode of TOS but I'd rather watch it any day over watching 'Miri.' So unfortunately this continuation or follow up to those events was starting on the wrong foot for me. But with that in mind, I did enjoy some of this much more than anticipated.

The story seemed a little full for its size, at times, while at other times it didn't seem very substantive at all. I always like it when a story questions the impact of Starfleet's ostensibly benign missions. This one had a few unanticipated and thoughtless scenarios. But of course it also had a lot of Starfleet cheering, notably at the end when Kirk is discussing the Onlies interactions with other alpha quadrant species.

I enjoy a quick one like this.

[Dirk Wickenden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this back in the day, when the UK Titan paperback was first released. I've reread it this year, 2025 and I was surprised I didn't recall anything of the story - I remember liking it at the tine but on the reread, found it a little boring. I think it was wrong to kill off a character from one of the episodes and to do it with an offhand mention, only referred to by a character, not depicted (the only thing I remembered from my original read). The book features characters from two unrelated episodes and a macguffin from a third and I guess kudos that they weren't used as just a retread of their stories.

[Josh J Kuespert]

'Damn that pointy-eared Vulcan! McCoy had been looking forward all day to tearing into some juicy home-style southern fried chicken, but the vegetarian science officer always made him feel self-conscious about enjoying meat. He took another cautious nibble.
Spock seemed to sense his uneasiness. "Do not let my eating habits trouble you, Doctor. I long ago ceased to wonder how a healer of human flesh can take pleasure in the cooking and eating of other animals. Please continue to enjoy your meal"
"Thanks a lot," McCoy grumbled...'

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A renegotiation of a treaty between the Federation and Boaco VI is jeopardised when two centuries old children from Juram V (a planet where Captain Kirk saved a girl named Miri from dying) have stolen a highly experimental Starfleet cloaking device designed by the immortal Flint.

Klass' novel is sabotaged somewhat by the strong links to two episodes of 'Star Trek', neither of which sit particularly well together and neither of which have anything but a tangential connection to the main story.

[Will Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, there were like three plotlines that barely connected to each other, which was frustrating, and McCoy's personality started out incredibly shaky (though he got more like himself by the end). It would have been better if she'd chosen one or *maybe* two of the plots to focus on and gone into that in far more depth.

[James Hearn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because I'm visually impaired, have the kindle version. It goes from Chapter 14 to Chapter 14 to Chapter 16. No Chapter 15. Tried 3 times to get Amazon to fix the problem and it didn't work out at all.

[Katrina Veerkamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been reading all these books….this one was good but not one of my favorites. A good read though …all the guys on the ship,we’re well represented. Interesting references to two of the TOS episodes. I’d recommend it

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of fun and a story that feels like it could have been an episode. There’s a fair bit of Trek Bingo here but it doesn’t hurt the enjoyment of the story. Ms Klass likes and understands the characters and the universe they live in which is a boon for the reader.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read that felt true to the characters but there were an awful lot of different threads ongoing

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Startrek gefällt mit als Film wesentlich besser als im Buch. Wobei ich die hier genannten Episoden sofort wieder im Gedächtnis hstte.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Star trek TOS novel.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. But if you’re not familiar with the tv episode Miri, then the book may be a little confusing here and there.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story wasn't anything too special but I did enjoy the banter between the big 3 was fun (should have McCoy on the cover but oh well). Above average for the rest of the novel but I did enjoy it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sent to Boaco Six a federation colony because of a revolution. Kirk must soon face his past when several Onlies steal a Federation ship.
An enjoyable re-read

[Tobias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Judy Klass – Der Boacozwischenfall
Capt. Kirk fliegt mir der USS Enterprise zum Planeten Boaco Sechs. Auf dem Planeten fand vor kurzem eine Revolution statt und das alte Regime wurde abgesetzt. Die Föderation versucht zur neuen Regierung, den Rat der Jungen, diplomatische Beziehungen aufzubauen. Zu Beginn herrscht aber ein starkes Misstrauen vor, da die Föderation aus wirtschaftlichen Gründen zum alten Regime ebenfalls diplomtische Bezi9ehungen unterhielt. Nach und nach bessert sich aber das Klima zwischen der Crew der Enterprise und den Ministern der neuen Regierung. Aber dann wird ein Raumschiff von Boaco Sechs auf dem Weg zum Planten Boaco Acht angegriffen und zerstört. Anscheinend vom einen Starfleet Kreuzer. Aber war es wirklich ein Kreuzer der Sternenflotte oder stecken die Klingonen und Romulaner hinter dem Angriff, da diese ebenfalls an dem Planeten interessiert sind. Kirk verlässt den Planten und versucht das Rätsel zu lösen.
Der Roman von Judy Klass ist nur mäßig spannend. Die Erzählweise ist flüssig. Nur wenn es um die "Kleinlinge" geht wird die Erzählweise etwas stockend. Aber vielleicht soll es auch so sein, da das Verhalten der "Kleinlinge" auch etwas wirr ist. Die Charaktere verhalten sich so, wie ich es gewohnt bin. Auch die Tarnvorrichtung der Föderation ist unglaubwürdig, sie hat doch noch nie eine entwickelt.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 2 out of 5]

From October 1989 comes a book that is a sequel/follow-up to "Miri" & "Requiem for Methuselah". Judy Klass's "The Cry of the Onlies" has the Enterprise on a diplomatic mission to Boaco Six to meet with the Council of Youngers to stave off a revolution. This council is of kids similar to the children on Miri's planet. When a planetary ship is destroyed by what appears to be a Federation ship diplomacy is out the window & this story falls apart in a hurry. Don't get me wrong, Klass's story is well intentioned but the reintroduction of Flint to help with a cloaking device seems like a convenient plot point & unnecessary. We've also got the re-introduction of the children from Miri's world that solve part of the plot itself. The story itself even with the Klingon component is still workable & easy to read. The conclusion is a bit rushed which doesn't help. Overall skip this sequel unless you're a die-hard fan

[Conan Tigard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cry of the Onlies based on the science fiction television show that ran for three years from 1966 to 1969. This book takes place after the third year of their original five-year mission. Star Trek is supposed to be a space western. It always has been and it is what the fan expect.

The Cry of the Onlies reads more like a Star Trek: The Next Generation book; that is, diplomacy comes first. I found this a little disappointing. We all love Captain Kirk and his wild side, something Captain Picard never really had. We love the fights and the action. Most of that is missing from this story. Yes, the tie into to the two television episodes is a lot of fun, and it was nice to visit those worlds again, but I felt something was missing from this story. I must admit that the story does peak, but it is over so fast you barely have time to get excited.

Overall, The Cry of the Onlies by Judy Klass is not bad, but I sure was hoping for a lot more.

I rated this book a 6½ out of 10.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have fond memories of this book (it was the first ST novel purchased for me and also the first one I ever read) but in hindsight I realize there are a few point lacking in this novel.
A few other reviewers also made note of these concerns, including the fact we never find out if Kirk retrieves or recalls his memories of Rayna (from the Original Series episode Requiem for Methuselah) and we are not given a proper memorial scene for Miri. (We find out she has died during events leading up to those that occur in the novel).
Overlooking these points, however, I have to say the novel as a whole is quite good from a ST novel perspective. Klass is a decent writer and the scenes from Boaca Six are fantastic. She even manages to weave in character elements from the series quite well - most notably Dr. McCoy and his famous catchphrase, "I'm a doctor, not a______."

[Dustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy books that continue storylines where old episodes left off, which is what this book does. I enjoyed exploring the world of Boaco Six along with the characters in the book and seeing a world torn apart by a recent revolution and the struggles of trying to bring a pre-warp civilization into modern times while retaining their own heritage. The Boaco Six parts of the book were very well done. The parts regarding to the Onlies and leading up to their interaction with the Boaco parts of the storyline felt a bit lacking however. It didn't seem like the main focus of the book was on them, as the title implies. It is a minor gripe however, as I would still very recommend reading.