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Star Trek: The Original Series #72
The Better Man
When the planet Empyrea, a colony of genetically perfected Human beings, demands that the Federation remove a science station which has been in place for nearly twenty years, the Starship Enterprise is assigned to transport to the planet the Federation ambassador who negotiated with the Empyreans long ago – an ambassador who was once Dr. McCoy's closest friend, but is now a bitter rival.
On Empyrea, McCoy discovers Anna, a daughter he never knew he had. McCoy soon realizes that the isolationist Empyreans must not learn her father is an off-worlder, and that her genes are less than "perfect." As relations with the Empyreans collapse around him, McCoy must find a way to save his newfound daughter from the harshest penalty her planet can impose!
On Empyrea, McCoy discovers Anna, a daughter he never knew he had. McCoy soon realizes that the isolationist Empyreans must not learn her father is an off-worlder, and that her genes are less than "perfect." As relations with the Empyreans collapse around him, McCoy must find a way to save his newfound daughter from the harshest penalty her planet can impose!
268 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1994
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390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 2, 2023
I found this one to be more engrossing than usual for this series.
March 23, 2022
A snow day let me finish this in one go...and it's definitely one of Howard Weinstein's winners. The plot is almost TNG in its soapy nature, but the author's masterful command of the TOS characters & his smooth prose style transform it into an ideal, hits-the-spot classic Trek adventure. It also acts (as is slightly implied in the forward) as a follow-up (and a successful one) to the approach to Doctor McCoy that Michael Jan Friedman took with his own Trek novel, "Shadows on the Sun". My only irritant is the book cover: why would a story specifically set in the aftermath of "Star Trek The Motion Picture" feature a TV-era cover? Ridiculous!
September 29, 2024
The enterprise is sent to interact with a human colony that through selective breeding and, at least from the sounds of it, genetic manipulation have made themselves into "perfect" humans. They are isolationists, are not a part of the Federation, and are in the end an alien society.
I gave this book until 60% to draw me in, which was excessive. The main conflict centers around McCoy and his history with the colony. He had an affair with a woman from the colony and got pregnant. Of course, it's his child. Now the daughter is about to be examined at the genetic level to ensure she lacks any unwanted genes that could damage their "perfect" society. After this examination, she is given the right to have children in their society. Obviously, during her exam, they'll detect that she's got unwanted genes in her DNA since her father is an offworlder and they've bred out all of his nasty flaws.
This whole plot drug on and on. Eventually, we learn that . I dropped out of the story at around his point. This is all found out during McCoy's research and experimentation to find a way for the daughter to pass this exam.
There's a B-plot where, ages ago, Starfleet left a station in orbit and the colonists want it removed. This is the political issue that brought the Enterprise to the planet this time around. There are glitches and failures throughout the station which the colonists blame on the Federation. Also, side note, there are Federation scientists who just live full-time on the station. Finally, there's a C-plot where the daughter is falling in love with a boy. Also, she wants to break into a compound for some reason?
I gave this book until 60% to draw me in, which was excessive. The main conflict centers around McCoy and his history with the colony. He had an affair with a woman from the colony and got pregnant. Of course, it's his child. Now the daughter is about to be examined at the genetic level to ensure she lacks any unwanted genes that could damage their "perfect" society. After this examination, she is given the right to have children in their society. Obviously, during her exam, they'll detect that she's got unwanted genes in her DNA since her father is an offworlder and they've bred out all of his nasty flaws.
This whole plot drug on and on. Eventually, we learn that . I dropped out of the story at around his point. This is all found out during McCoy's research and experimentation to find a way for the daughter to pass this exam.
There's a B-plot where, ages ago, Starfleet left a station in orbit and the colonists want it removed. This is the political issue that brought the Enterprise to the planet this time around. There are glitches and failures throughout the station which the colonists blame on the Federation. Also, side note, there are Federation scientists who just live full-time on the station. Finally, there's a C-plot where the daughter is falling in love with a boy. Also, she wants to break into a compound for some reason?
June 16, 2020
A treaty of cooperation between the Federation and Empyrea, a colony of genetically enhanced humans, is coming to an end and the 'Enterprise' is ordered to transport Ambassador Rousseau to the planet to either renegotiate or begin the withdrawal of Federation assets from the planet.
Twenty years previously, Rousseau and his friend, Leonard McCoy, were assigned to help set up the Federation presence on Empyrea and not all the Empyreans are sorry to see them return.
Weinstein has encapsulated the character of McCoy so well that you can practically see and hear DeForest Kelley while reading this novel which explores McCoy's past in Starfleet and his complicated friendship with Mark Rousseau.
Twenty years previously, Rousseau and his friend, Leonard McCoy, were assigned to help set up the Federation presence on Empyrea and not all the Empyreans are sorry to see them return.
Weinstein has encapsulated the character of McCoy so well that you can practically see and hear DeForest Kelley while reading this novel which explores McCoy's past in Starfleet and his complicated friendship with Mark Rousseau.
June 4, 2021
The character work is really well done here, both with the Enterprise crew and the people of Empyrea. The stakes are high personally but low on a galactic scale, if that helps anyone make their decision. The story plays out mostly in the way you would expect. This would be a 3.5/5 if half stars were possible.
July 29, 2024
why was this genuinely so interesting and good
June 8, 2017
Well, this was... interesting.
Definitely calls to mind early episodes of TOS. Lots to unpack but not much time to do it in. The Empyreans say they've studied Nazis and the Eugenics Wars, but (as we eventually find out) are doing the exact same thing themselves. People are given a form of birth control until they are 18, and then those who don't measure up are promptly sterilized. Where have we heard that before?
To give the novel some credit, the Empyreans are definitely not framed as the good guys in all of this, but after we've established that 1) McCoy's alleged daughter is going to run into trouble when it's discovered her dad was a terran and 2) the guy working with Spock and Scotty thinks they are inferior in every way, the story doesn't have much to say about the whole eugenics thing. In fact, the Empyrean characters who don't like the way things are being handled seem to be more upset with the fact that they can't leave the planet than they are with the fact that the motto of their people is "Some people just shouldn't be allowed to reproduce!"
Additionally, as it turns out, sh*tty entitled dudebros remain sh*tty and entitled even after generations of inbreeding. The character Ethan, much like our old friend Charlie X, has an apparently unrequited crush on McCoy's supposed daughter, Anna, and, like Charlie, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Literally no one asks him to do this thing. He kidnaps and ransoms McCoy. He very nearly gets Anna killed. He has a weird fixation on guns. He's self-righteous about every opinion he has. He seems to parallel Charlie's creepy, stalkerish obsessiveness right up until the end, where he is redeemed in a conversation with another character whose obsessiveness caused deadly consequences prior to the events of the novel. At least the aliens recognized what a sh*theel Charlie was at the end of his episode, and carried him off where he couldn't hurt anyone.
Unrelated notes:
*Good to see that even in the novels McCoy can't catch a break as far as romantic escapades are concerned.
*There is a side character who assists McCoy's former love interest. He isn't described overly well, and he doesn't appear to have any personal motivation, so I have decided he is Tuvok from Voyager with his ears hidden under a hat.
*It's kind of disappointing that after coming all this way, seeking a planet where they could distance themselves from regular Terrans, the Empyreans ended up on a planet that is exactly like earth, right down to the bugs and snakes.
Definitely calls to mind early episodes of TOS. Lots to unpack but not much time to do it in. The Empyreans say they've studied Nazis and the Eugenics Wars, but (as we eventually find out) are doing the exact same thing themselves. People are given a form of birth control until they are 18, and then those who don't measure up are promptly sterilized. Where have we heard that before?
To give the novel some credit, the Empyreans are definitely not framed as the good guys in all of this, but after we've established that 1) McCoy's alleged daughter is going to run into trouble when it's discovered her dad was a terran and 2) the guy working with Spock and Scotty thinks they are inferior in every way, the story doesn't have much to say about the whole eugenics thing. In fact, the Empyrean characters who don't like the way things are being handled seem to be more upset with the fact that they can't leave the planet than they are with the fact that the motto of their people is "Some people just shouldn't be allowed to reproduce!"
Additionally, as it turns out, sh*tty entitled dudebros remain sh*tty and entitled even after generations of inbreeding. The character Ethan, much like our old friend Charlie X, has an apparently unrequited crush on McCoy's supposed daughter, Anna, and, like Charlie, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Literally no one asks him to do this thing. He kidnaps and ransoms McCoy. He very nearly gets Anna killed. He has a weird fixation on guns. He's self-righteous about every opinion he has. He seems to parallel Charlie's creepy, stalkerish obsessiveness right up until the end, where he is redeemed in a conversation with another character whose obsessiveness caused deadly consequences prior to the events of the novel. At least the aliens recognized what a sh*theel Charlie was at the end of his episode, and carried him off where he couldn't hurt anyone.
Unrelated notes:
*Good to see that even in the novels McCoy can't catch a break as far as romantic escapades are concerned.
*There is a side character who assists McCoy's former love interest. He isn't described overly well, and he doesn't appear to have any personal motivation, so I have decided he is Tuvok from Voyager with his ears hidden under a hat.
*It's kind of disappointing that after coming all this way, seeking a planet where they could distance themselves from regular Terrans, the Empyreans ended up on a planet that is exactly like earth, right down to the bugs and snakes.
December 5, 2017
This would have been a 4 or even 5 star book, except for blatant errors in continuity. The story itself is quite good, focusing primarily on McCoy, although Spock and Scotty do have some very good moments as well.
The continuity errors should have been caught by the editor (John Ordover), but I can only presume that he gave it only a cursory once over for spelling/punctuation since the author was "well known". There were numerous times where the book contradicted itself:
- One of the Empyrians claims that the observatory was built before he was born, but in a later chapter he said he was only a child when it was built (20 years ago).
- One of the Empyrians is beamed to the Enterprise to check on Scotty & Spock after they prevented an explosion, then in a later chapter Scotty offered to teleport him for the first time.
Overall a very good bood, but keep in mind that you'll need to overlook or ignore the 'glitches'.
The continuity errors should have been caught by the editor (John Ordover), but I can only presume that he gave it only a cursory once over for spelling/punctuation since the author was "well known". There were numerous times where the book contradicted itself:
- One of the Empyrians claims that the observatory was built before he was born, but in a later chapter he said he was only a child when it was built (20 years ago).
- One of the Empyrians is beamed to the Enterprise to check on Scotty & Spock after they prevented an explosion, then in a later chapter Scotty offered to teleport him for the first time.
Overall a very good bood, but keep in mind that you'll need to overlook or ignore the 'glitches'.
July 15, 2012
Oy. McCoy versus a rival. That never ends well.
The whole thing felt like set-up followed by a cop-out. It had an okay premise, but it just wasn't really all that great.
The second star that boosted it from 'didn't like' is merely because of McCoy's moment of awesome near the end, where he talks down a psycho kid.
The whole thing felt like set-up followed by a cop-out. It had an okay premise, but it just wasn't really all that great.
The second star that boosted it from 'didn't like' is merely because of McCoy's moment of awesome near the end, where he talks down a psycho kid.
November 8, 2023
"The Better Man" had me locked in within the first thirty pages. It did this without any space battles or phaser fire. Instead, it compelled me by doing a deep dive on the characters involved, thier backstories, and how they relate to each other. I found these elements just as exciting as any space opera, and was anxious to see how this story was going to play out. I am pleased to report that the payoff was worth every page.
The plot takes us down an unexplored road in Dr. McCoy's past-one that is both painful and relevant to the Enterprise's current mission. That mission being one of escorting a Federation Ambassador to a human colony in hopes of renewing a treaty. Bones has a history with both the colony and the Ambassador sent to negotiate.
"The Better Man" is definitely McCoy's book, and author Howard Weinstein provides an excellent story to showcase him in. Weinstein embelishes on elements of McCoy we already know while simultaneously adding even more depth to the character.
Our favorite curmudgeon CMO has never been written better. Winestien nails his dialogue, facial ticks, and personality as if he knew the man himself. If you're a McCoy fan-this book is DEFINITELY for you!
The story takes place shortly after the events in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". This works well in many ways as it gives the reader an older, slightly crankier Dr. McCoy. It also gives us an Enterprise crew who have an experienced familiarity with each other-making them a well oiled machine. There are also certain plot elements that work well with this spot on the timeline, but I'll Iet you the reader figure those out.
Even though this is a very character driven novel, it's not without its moments of danger and suspence. It also provides some thought provoking science fiction and allegory.
"The Better Man" is an excellent 'actions and consequences' story, filled with emotion and heart. It provides the reader with compelling characters and a solid Star Trek story. More than anything, it reminded me that beneath McCoy's crusty exterior lies a complex man with a huge heart and deep empathy. This made for a special reading experience that I highly recommend.
The plot takes us down an unexplored road in Dr. McCoy's past-one that is both painful and relevant to the Enterprise's current mission. That mission being one of escorting a Federation Ambassador to a human colony in hopes of renewing a treaty. Bones has a history with both the colony and the Ambassador sent to negotiate.
"The Better Man" is definitely McCoy's book, and author Howard Weinstein provides an excellent story to showcase him in. Weinstein embelishes on elements of McCoy we already know while simultaneously adding even more depth to the character.
Our favorite curmudgeon CMO has never been written better. Winestien nails his dialogue, facial ticks, and personality as if he knew the man himself. If you're a McCoy fan-this book is DEFINITELY for you!
The story takes place shortly after the events in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". This works well in many ways as it gives the reader an older, slightly crankier Dr. McCoy. It also gives us an Enterprise crew who have an experienced familiarity with each other-making them a well oiled machine. There are also certain plot elements that work well with this spot on the timeline, but I'll Iet you the reader figure those out.
Even though this is a very character driven novel, it's not without its moments of danger and suspence. It also provides some thought provoking science fiction and allegory.
"The Better Man" is an excellent 'actions and consequences' story, filled with emotion and heart. It provides the reader with compelling characters and a solid Star Trek story. More than anything, it reminded me that beneath McCoy's crusty exterior lies a complex man with a huge heart and deep empathy. This made for a special reading experience that I highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2024
The dichotomy between what makes a good man and what makes a better man is definitely at the heart of this story. What is basically the TOS version of The Masterpiece Society from TNG they have the same arguments and the resolution of a society and what makes it better is what is at risk here. However where the TNG balanced it more on a highly structured society where everyone has their role, here it's more a planet that believes it is superior due to their genetics and making the ideal human but that is put to the test with a treaty between them and the Federation.
We see hallmarks of what makes a man better and courage, tenacity, arrogance and cooperation with those different from us is the central plot point with Scotty, Spock and Dr. Ortega. On the other plot point morality, righteousness, pride and compassion are the central factors in McCoy, Rousseau and March's side of things. Kirk is then the central pivot between these two.
Both stories delve into what makes a person "better" per se and assumptions and preconceptions are inevitably shattered with the future of a planet in the balance.
Weinstein has such a good grasp of these characters and it really does feel authentic to how they react and do things. I think the only knock on the book is that it is not wholly original, kind of steals a scene from Wrath of Khan and I don't think the conclusion was rightly expected. It is Star Trek comfort food but it is delicious.
We see hallmarks of what makes a man better and courage, tenacity, arrogance and cooperation with those different from us is the central plot point with Scotty, Spock and Dr. Ortega. On the other plot point morality, righteousness, pride and compassion are the central factors in McCoy, Rousseau and March's side of things. Kirk is then the central pivot between these two.
Both stories delve into what makes a person "better" per se and assumptions and preconceptions are inevitably shattered with the future of a planet in the balance.
Weinstein has such a good grasp of these characters and it really does feel authentic to how they react and do things. I think the only knock on the book is that it is not wholly original, kind of steals a scene from Wrath of Khan and I don't think the conclusion was rightly expected. It is Star Trek comfort food but it is delicious.
December 11, 2023
My third McCoy book this year! McCoy is easily my favorite character in all of Trek, tied with Garak. I can just relate to such as a human being. But with McCoy, I would say there is a quiet and unspoken tradegy about his character. You don't really learn anything about his character during the show, besides about him seperated from his wife and about his daughter, Joanna. This, Shadows on the Sun and the first Crubile book you learn about his backstory and so on
This book was ok to decent. The plot was decent but it was obvious from the beginning that Anna isn't his daughter. The Emyprans were also dicks for no reason, but all the characters' actions were rational and understandable. The stuff with Scotty and Spock dismantling and transporting the reactor into space to save everyone was a fun and clever twist. Overall, this was a decent read that filled in McCoy's backstory a bit.
7/10
This book was ok to decent. The plot was decent but it was obvious from the beginning that Anna isn't his daughter. The Emyprans were also dicks for no reason, but all the characters' actions were rational and understandable. The stuff with Scotty and Spock dismantling and transporting the reactor into space to save everyone was a fun and clever twist. Overall, this was a decent read that filled in McCoy's backstory a bit.
7/10
March 21, 2018
The Better Man is 72nd book in the Original Series book series. It is a novel that focus heavily on Dr. McCoy. However, it also tackles a lot of important issues such as genetics, the impact of environment, the definition of family, and friendship. While I have been reading Star Trek books for years, I was struck by the depth that could be found in this novel.
It is evident that Howard Winstein is both an excellent writer and well versed in the Star Trek universe. The writing is excellent, and the characters are extremely developed and true to form. The book looks at more the interactions between characters and less on the technological or historical aspect of Star Trek.
I am excited to see that Winstein has authored more than the nine books that were mentioned in his bio of this book. I will be checking out more of his work.
It is evident that Howard Winstein is both an excellent writer and well versed in the Star Trek universe. The writing is excellent, and the characters are extremely developed and true to form. The book looks at more the interactions between characters and less on the technological or historical aspect of Star Trek.
I am excited to see that Winstein has authored more than the nine books that were mentioned in his bio of this book. I will be checking out more of his work.
May 7, 2024
Great premise! Weinstein is taking the eugenics idea to a new level. Here, the superior society with superior humans are not like Khan at all. They have no interest in conquering the universe - in fact it is exactly the opposite. This society makes the claim that perfect genetics can only be achieved in total isolation, and they work very hard to achieve just that. Shouldn't be a real problem then, should it? Just leave them alone.
Well, when Leonard McCoy receives information that pretty much forces him to interfere, it suddenly becomes interesting.
I liked most things in The Better Man. The pace, the story, the characters - it's all good, often great. But... The relationship between three of the main protagonists is so weird.
McCoy and his old best friend from childhood (which he now despises), visited this genetically superior colony 18 years ago. Back then the colony wasn't as xenophobic. McCoy met a woman and they had sex. That woman is now President, and has an 18 year old daughter - Turns out McCoy is the father. He wallows in self-loathing, thinking about his other daughter back on earth which he abandoned.
It turns out McCoy isn't the father - his old friend is. And he wallows in self-pity too and wants nothing to do with it. But in the end, they both want to help her. The mother says she sees them both as fathers - and all three smile and become best friends in a very weird - I suppose it is meant to be heartfelt? - and uncharacteristic way.
Basically two shitty, selfish fathers had sex with the same woman 18 years ago... They didn't know they both had sex with the woman. 18 years later they decide to redeem their shitty-father-choices by... co-parenting a daughter they never knew existed? The whole thing is so very stupid and unnatural and a little bit creepy. Except for that, it is a solid fun Star Trek story.
Well, when Leonard McCoy receives information that pretty much forces him to interfere, it suddenly becomes interesting.
I liked most things in The Better Man. The pace, the story, the characters - it's all good, often great. But... The relationship between three of the main protagonists is so weird.
McCoy and his old best friend from childhood (which he now despises), visited this genetically superior colony 18 years ago. Back then the colony wasn't as xenophobic. McCoy met a woman and they had sex. That woman is now President, and has an 18 year old daughter - Turns out McCoy is the father. He wallows in self-loathing, thinking about his other daughter back on earth which he abandoned.
It turns out McCoy isn't the father - his old friend is. And he wallows in self-pity too and wants nothing to do with it. But in the end, they both want to help her. The mother says she sees them both as fathers - and all three smile and become best friends in a very weird - I suppose it is meant to be heartfelt? - and uncharacteristic way.
Basically two shitty, selfish fathers had sex with the same woman 18 years ago... They didn't know they both had sex with the woman. 18 years later they decide to redeem their shitty-father-choices by... co-parenting a daughter they never knew existed? The whole thing is so very stupid and unnatural and a little bit creepy. Except for that, it is a solid fun Star Trek story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2023
This was a fun read, especially since as we know Star Trek novels tend to be of...varying quality. A McCoy-centric story (we love to see it) that I realized a few pages from the end does contain some minor similarities to the plot of Mamma Mia. I never like a "scheming woman" trope which this does have a mild version of. Overall a good adventure though, with a bit of more thoughtful discussion around isolationism and relating to people from other cultural backgrounds due to the political plot happening alongside the McCoy-as-father story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2021
I'm not sure if I would have given this book 5 stars if it wasn't for our current political climate in the United States, especially on Inauguration Day of all days.
This book can definitely teach us that deep seeded opinions, no matter how deep seeded they are, can definitely change. It also shows that broadening your horizons can bring a universe of unimaginable things to your being.
I highly recommend this one, especially if you're yearning for better things in the future.
This book can definitely teach us that deep seeded opinions, no matter how deep seeded they are, can definitely change. It also shows that broadening your horizons can bring a universe of unimaginable things to your being.
I highly recommend this one, especially if you're yearning for better things in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2021
I liked this book a lot the author devoted equal time to both the a story and the b story both plots were interesting when you found out that McCoy may have a daughter that he never knew about and the b story with the federation observatory that had to be dismantled if you like the Dr McCoy character then this book is definitely for you as Howard Weinstein has written a very good star trek novel overall it's a book I would read again
September 21, 2024
Empyrea is a colony of genetically perfected human being are demanding that the Federation remove their science station. The Enterprise is sent transporting an ambassador, an old friend of McCoys.
An entertaining reread
An entertaining reread
May 8, 2020
A rattling good read.
October 6, 2021
An enjoyable, fast read. Loved McCoy & his journey about the possibility of being a father again, also explores the overwhelming guilt her feels about his other daughter on earth. Poses the question: is genetic perfection really perfect?
November 13, 2015
The Better Man takes place two years after the events in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The story takes place in and around Stardates 7591.4 to 7598.5.
Not too many of the Star trek books focus on Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. Even though he is one of the three main characters in the series, he has always been in the shadows of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. Finally, in this book, he gets to take center stage while his cohorts remain in the wings. I'm not saying that the captain and his first officer don't play large roles in this story, it is just that the doctor has the largest. It was nice to witness.
Ambassador Mark Rousseau and McCoy have been friends since they were young. Eighteen years ago, Rousseau has been the captain of the USS Richard Feynman and Dr. McCoy was the chief medical officer. Something happened on their mission to Empyrea that caused a rift in their relationship and eventually caused McCoy to transfer to USS Koop as a junior medical officer. I found the character of Mark Rousseau hard to connect with, as he is a pompous man that has only has goal: peace with the Empyreans. He doesn't care who gets hurt in the process, as long as he can achieve this goal.
I could not help but think of Khan Noonien Singh and his group of genetically engineered superhumans from the TV episode Space Seed and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. After all, the Empyreans are a colony of genetically enhanced humans that consider themselves superior to regular humans. The sad thing about them is that they cannot hide their distain for the Federation crew of the Enterprise, so it makes the reader not care for them at all. Of course, this was probably the intention of the author, and he does a fine job of making us dislike them right from the start.
Howard Weinstein does and excellent job of writing the Star Trek characters that we know oh-so-well. He nails them all, and I especially loved Scotty getting mad at one of the Empyreans. I also enjoyed the character of Elizabeth March, McCoy's love interest from eighteen years ago. I found her to be a nice match to the doctor and I really enjoyed their relationship.
The pace of the story moves along nicely, but I found something to be missing. What is was, I cannot be certain. I did find myself disappointed by something that happens in the story, but I won't tell you what it is here because I don't want to spoil the surprise. Still, I enjoyed the story, but was not bowled over by it.
I know this has nothing to do with the actual book, but I found the cover artwork to be totally wrong. At no point in the story does the Enterprise visit a desolate moon, like the one pictured. Also, what is with Kirk's eyes? They look very feminine. That is totally wrong. On the other hand, McCoy and the starship look great.
Overall, The Better Man is a good story that features Dr. McCoy as the main character. I enjoyed the flashbacks to McCoy's younger days as a youth and then later when he first visites Empyrea and meets Elizabeth. So, if you are looking for a Star Trek book that features Dr. Leonard McCoy as the main character, this is one you definitely want to pick up. I still find it amazing that the actor that portrayed this man, DeForest Kelley, has been gone from this world since 1999. He is greatly missed by all Star Trek fans.
I rated this book a 7 out of 10.
Not too many of the Star trek books focus on Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. Even though he is one of the three main characters in the series, he has always been in the shadows of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. Finally, in this book, he gets to take center stage while his cohorts remain in the wings. I'm not saying that the captain and his first officer don't play large roles in this story, it is just that the doctor has the largest. It was nice to witness.
Ambassador Mark Rousseau and McCoy have been friends since they were young. Eighteen years ago, Rousseau has been the captain of the USS Richard Feynman and Dr. McCoy was the chief medical officer. Something happened on their mission to Empyrea that caused a rift in their relationship and eventually caused McCoy to transfer to USS Koop as a junior medical officer. I found the character of Mark Rousseau hard to connect with, as he is a pompous man that has only has goal: peace with the Empyreans. He doesn't care who gets hurt in the process, as long as he can achieve this goal.
I could not help but think of Khan Noonien Singh and his group of genetically engineered superhumans from the TV episode Space Seed and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. After all, the Empyreans are a colony of genetically enhanced humans that consider themselves superior to regular humans. The sad thing about them is that they cannot hide their distain for the Federation crew of the Enterprise, so it makes the reader not care for them at all. Of course, this was probably the intention of the author, and he does a fine job of making us dislike them right from the start.
Howard Weinstein does and excellent job of writing the Star Trek characters that we know oh-so-well. He nails them all, and I especially loved Scotty getting mad at one of the Empyreans. I also enjoyed the character of Elizabeth March, McCoy's love interest from eighteen years ago. I found her to be a nice match to the doctor and I really enjoyed their relationship.
The pace of the story moves along nicely, but I found something to be missing. What is was, I cannot be certain. I did find myself disappointed by something that happens in the story, but I won't tell you what it is here because I don't want to spoil the surprise. Still, I enjoyed the story, but was not bowled over by it.
I know this has nothing to do with the actual book, but I found the cover artwork to be totally wrong. At no point in the story does the Enterprise visit a desolate moon, like the one pictured. Also, what is with Kirk's eyes? They look very feminine. That is totally wrong. On the other hand, McCoy and the starship look great.
Overall, The Better Man is a good story that features Dr. McCoy as the main character. I enjoyed the flashbacks to McCoy's younger days as a youth and then later when he first visites Empyrea and meets Elizabeth. So, if you are looking for a Star Trek book that features Dr. Leonard McCoy as the main character, this is one you definitely want to pick up. I still find it amazing that the actor that portrayed this man, DeForest Kelley, has been gone from this world since 1999. He is greatly missed by all Star Trek fans.
I rated this book a 7 out of 10.
September 11, 2016
McCoy: "I should have told you about this in my quarters, not yours."
Kirk: "Why? Some kind of weird protocol?"
McCoy: "No, I've got a better liquor selection."
Fresh from a refit, the Enterprise has been summoned to the planet Empyrea. Or rather, Dr. McCoy has. In his days as a young officer, he and his captain-buddy Mark Rousseau discovered there an isolationist colony of human beings, dedicated to perfecting their own gene pool. Though the Emyreans were stridently against outside contamination, Rousseau did manage to win permission for Starfleet to set up a science station on the planet to monitor unusual star activity. Shortly after their ship, the Feynman, left Empyrea, McCoy sought transfer away from both it and his now ex-best friend, Rousseau. Whatever happened? And why have McCoy and Rousseau been asked back? (Was it a woman? Of course it was a woman. Discover new life and go to bed with it, that's the StarFleet way!)
The Better Man is a rare TOS book in that McCoy is the primary character, with Kirk stuck on the Enterprise. Though it takes place two years after The Motion Picture, the plot could have easily fit within the five-year mission: two main threads quickly emerge, with a third crisis tying them together. When McCoy visited the planet eighteen years ago, he worked with a local scientist, and now -- almost eighteen years later -- she has a daughter, just about eighteen years old. And that's a problem, because when the child is given her customary bioscan at eighteen to make sure she's worthy breeding potential, the government is going to realize her daddy is Not of This World. She'll be sterilized, or worse yet, killed, because that's the sort of thing that happens when people start controlling others to make things...Perfect. You get mass killings or reavers, and so in the fashion of Captain Mal, people here are aiming to misbehave. Specifically, McCoy manages to get himself kidnapped by the Empyrean Liberation Front, which is even more embarrassing than it sounds: the ELF is one teenager who wants to start a revolution and use McCoy as leverage.
I found A Better Man a fun, quick read. Weinstein gets the subtleties of McCoy's language fairly well, and there's several fun lines:
===============================================================
McCoy: "Y'know, that day Spock threw that bowl of soup at Christine Chapel will always be one of the highlights of my life."
Kirk: "I suppose that says something about your life."
Kirk: "I thought you wanted to have as little to do with them as possible."
Scott: "I do, sir, I just want it to be my idea -- not theirs!"
Scott: "Looks like so-called genetic perfection has doesn't away with the occasional horse's ass."
Spock: "A correct observation, Mr. Scott, if I understand the reference.
Scott: "That y'do, sir."
Kirk: "Why? Some kind of weird protocol?"
McCoy: "No, I've got a better liquor selection."
Fresh from a refit, the Enterprise has been summoned to the planet Empyrea. Or rather, Dr. McCoy has. In his days as a young officer, he and his captain-buddy Mark Rousseau discovered there an isolationist colony of human beings, dedicated to perfecting their own gene pool. Though the Emyreans were stridently against outside contamination, Rousseau did manage to win permission for Starfleet to set up a science station on the planet to monitor unusual star activity. Shortly after their ship, the Feynman, left Empyrea, McCoy sought transfer away from both it and his now ex-best friend, Rousseau. Whatever happened? And why have McCoy and Rousseau been asked back? (Was it a woman? Of course it was a woman. Discover new life and go to bed with it, that's the StarFleet way!)
The Better Man is a rare TOS book in that McCoy is the primary character, with Kirk stuck on the Enterprise. Though it takes place two years after The Motion Picture, the plot could have easily fit within the five-year mission: two main threads quickly emerge, with a third crisis tying them together. When McCoy visited the planet eighteen years ago, he worked with a local scientist, and now -- almost eighteen years later -- she has a daughter, just about eighteen years old. And that's a problem, because when the child is given her customary bioscan at eighteen to make sure she's worthy breeding potential, the government is going to realize her daddy is Not of This World. She'll be sterilized, or worse yet, killed, because that's the sort of thing that happens when people start controlling others to make things...Perfect. You get mass killings or reavers, and so in the fashion of Captain Mal, people here are aiming to misbehave. Specifically, McCoy manages to get himself kidnapped by the Empyrean Liberation Front, which is even more embarrassing than it sounds: the ELF is one teenager who wants to start a revolution and use McCoy as leverage.
I found A Better Man a fun, quick read. Weinstein gets the subtleties of McCoy's language fairly well, and there's several fun lines:
===============================================================
McCoy: "Y'know, that day Spock threw that bowl of soup at Christine Chapel will always be one of the highlights of my life."
Kirk: "I suppose that says something about your life."
Kirk: "I thought you wanted to have as little to do with them as possible."
Scott: "I do, sir, I just want it to be my idea -- not theirs!"
Scott: "Looks like so-called genetic perfection has doesn't away with the occasional horse's ass."
Spock: "A correct observation, Mr. Scott, if I understand the reference.
Scott: "That y'do, sir."
April 28, 2011
Howard Weinstein is my second favorite ST writer (next to Diane Duane). I love how he focuses on Dr. McCoy!
July 1, 2019
Not many of the books focus on Dr. McCoy so this was a nice change of pace. Great story that showed a softer side of good ol' Bones.
January 8, 2013
I needed a geek fix, and this did nicely :)
Want to read
March 2, 2013Bought: March 1, 2013
Location: Diplomat Book Centre (Festival Mall)
Price: P29
Location: Diplomat Book Centre (Festival Mall)
Price: P29
August 31, 2016
Loved
I love books with McCoy. This was an interesting species. It surprised me that someone could sleep with someone 5 minutes sleeping with another
I love books with McCoy. This was an interesting species. It surprised me that someone could sleep with someone 5 minutes sleeping with another
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