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Star Trek: The Original Series
Unspoken Truth
A social experiment was conceived. Its goal was to breed the best, the brightest, the most malleable and most loyal soldiers to ever serve. To this end, the Romulan Empire used its own children, blinded by the belief that anything that would bring glory to the praetor was justified. And when the winds of politics changed, these children were abandoned, left to die on a world so horrifying that it was dubbed—by those who dared to cling to life—Hellguard.
One wild child, Saavik, was rescued by Spock. He took the half-Vulcan, half-Romulan child home to his parents, knowing that if anyone could reach and rescue Saavik, it was them.
Now a Starfleet officer, Saavik has striven to honor her mentor and her Vulcan heritage. But recent events have shaken her. Left behind on Vulcan while the rest of the Enterprise crew goes to face court-martial for stealing and destroying their ship, the young science officer is adrift when two men from her past confront her. Tolek, another Hellguard survivor, tells Saavik that the survivors are being killed one-by-one and only they can discover who and why. The other, a Romulan who claims to be her father, swears it is the Vulcans who are eliminating the Hellguard survivors because they are an embarrassment to all of Vulcan, but that she has the power to stop it, by bringing down the Vulcan ambassador, Sarek.
Not knowing where to turn, not knowing whom to trust, Saavik must find her own answers, and discover who she truly is.
One wild child, Saavik, was rescued by Spock. He took the half-Vulcan, half-Romulan child home to his parents, knowing that if anyone could reach and rescue Saavik, it was them.
Now a Starfleet officer, Saavik has striven to honor her mentor and her Vulcan heritage. But recent events have shaken her. Left behind on Vulcan while the rest of the Enterprise crew goes to face court-martial for stealing and destroying their ship, the young science officer is adrift when two men from her past confront her. Tolek, another Hellguard survivor, tells Saavik that the survivors are being killed one-by-one and only they can discover who and why. The other, a Romulan who claims to be her father, swears it is the Vulcans who are eliminating the Hellguard survivors because they are an embarrassment to all of Vulcan, but that she has the power to stop it, by bringing down the Vulcan ambassador, Sarek.
Not knowing where to turn, not knowing whom to trust, Saavik must find her own answers, and discover who she truly is.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
25 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Wander Bonanno
35 books46 followersMargaret Wander Bonanno was an American science fiction writer, ghost writer and small press publisher. She was born in New York City. She wrote seven Star Trek novels, several science fiction novels set in her own worlds, including The Others, a collaborative novel with Nichelle Nichols, a biography, and other works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 14, 2010
After a long absence from the world of "Star Trek" novels, Margaret Wander Bonanno has come back with a vengeance in the past couple of years. Her return should be a cause for celebration and for the most part it is. Bonanno is one of the early set of "Trek" fiction writers who did more than just tell standard "Trek" stories but actually offered some character insight into the regular crew and some fairly rounded new characters to the "Trek" universe.
So when I heard she was going to write a story that would bridge the gap of the Saavik we last saw in "The Voyage Home" and the one we meet in the "Vulcan's Heart" series, I hoped we were in for something special. Or at least something good.
And for the first half of "Unspoken Truth" we get something pretty good. Easily the best first half of a "Trek" novel I've read in a while, Bonanno explores the past and present of Saavik's life, augmenting what we saw in "The Pandora Principle" and providing some insight into how the events of "Star Trek III" had a major impact on her life. The only major complaint I have early is the flashbacks sometimes take a paragraph or two to figure out what time period we're dealing with.
Then we get to the second half of the novel and the story starts to fall apart. Part of it is that the story of Saavick joining a new ship and setting out to explore a "strange new world" feels fairly repetitive of a lot of other "Trek" fiction. We've got some mysterious aliens and Saavik is able to communicate with them. Nothing groundbreaking here nor does it necessarily have to be. I just wish it had felt like something a bit more substantial than what we get.
Where the story really falls apart is an attempted conspiracy/blackmail thread that never gels like it could or should. Again, it's nothing new and it doesn't offer any real insight into Savvik. It also hinges a lot on remembering details of "Pandora," a novel I read when it first came out and I've forgotten a lot of details about.
In the end, "Unspoken Truth" does a lot of things well, a few things not as well. Unfortunately, the not as well parts are in the last half and left me feeling unsatisfied as I turned the final page.
So when I heard she was going to write a story that would bridge the gap of the Saavik we last saw in "The Voyage Home" and the one we meet in the "Vulcan's Heart" series, I hoped we were in for something special. Or at least something good.
And for the first half of "Unspoken Truth" we get something pretty good. Easily the best first half of a "Trek" novel I've read in a while, Bonanno explores the past and present of Saavik's life, augmenting what we saw in "The Pandora Principle" and providing some insight into how the events of "Star Trek III" had a major impact on her life. The only major complaint I have early is the flashbacks sometimes take a paragraph or two to figure out what time period we're dealing with.
Then we get to the second half of the novel and the story starts to fall apart. Part of it is that the story of Saavick joining a new ship and setting out to explore a "strange new world" feels fairly repetitive of a lot of other "Trek" fiction. We've got some mysterious aliens and Saavik is able to communicate with them. Nothing groundbreaking here nor does it necessarily have to be. I just wish it had felt like something a bit more substantial than what we get.
Where the story really falls apart is an attempted conspiracy/blackmail thread that never gels like it could or should. Again, it's nothing new and it doesn't offer any real insight into Savvik. It also hinges a lot on remembering details of "Pandora," a novel I read when it first came out and I've forgotten a lot of details about.
In the end, "Unspoken Truth" does a lot of things well, a few things not as well. Unfortunately, the not as well parts are in the last half and left me feeling unsatisfied as I turned the final page.
December 21, 2014
2.5 stars. While the first part of this book was enjoyable looking at a first contact situation as well as dealing with a character that does not tend to get the limelight, the second part of the book just left me confused. No, confused is the wrong word. Bewildered. Not only is that part of the storyline implausible according to canon, it made very little sense, and dragged the book down. Having said that, the climax was delicious, but then the ending was abrupt.
August 21, 2021
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more. I like Saavik as a character and this deep dive into her was interesting. However, the first third or so of the novel was really the best part including the science mission with the Chaffee, unfortunately all of the espionage and Spy stuff this time around really didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the lack of a certain Section 31. the climax and unveiling of everything was good and I could almost say thrilling but there's not just enough to edge me towards a 3 star enjoyment level.
February 13, 2012
In the Star Trek movies, there's a sort of central trilogy comprised of Star Trek II, III, and IV. They hold together as a story about the death, resurrection, and return of Mr. Spock. Central to that story is a new character who wasn't part of the original Star Trek series, Lieutenant Saavik. A Vulcan woman, played in The Wrath of Khan by Kirstie Alley and then in The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home by Robin Curtis, Saavik gets a lot of screen time, but somehow we don't end up knowing much about her. In the 2010 Star Trek novel Unspoken Truth, longtime Trek author Margaret Wander Bonanno aims to correct that.
Most of the book is set during and immediately following Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Saavik is left behind on Vulcan as Captain Kirk, Spock, and everyone else goes back to Earth to face trial for stealing the U.S.S. Enterprise, blowing it up, breaking all sorts of Starfleet laws, and eventually getting a pair of humpback whales from 1986. It's a long story. Watch the movie. In any case, Saavik is left on Vulcan, having just lost everything and everyone she cares about. She's not sure if she should take a break from Starfleet, stay on Earth with adoptive parents Sarek and Amanda, or find some other path.
Her story is told through a combination of flashbacks and moving forward through a series of adventures. It seems that Bonanno wants to tell every Saavik story all at once, figuring that Pocket Books won't approve another one. That serves the character well, because we find out more about her than has ever been revealed in her sketchy profiles before. All I knew about her before is that she was born on a Romulan colony planet called Hellguard (really), and that she was part of an experiment, born to unwilling Romulan and Vulcan parents. This hybridization program failed, the colony abandoned, the children left behind to become feral animals, scrabbling for existence. Saavik was rescued from all this by Mr. Spock and Starfleet, and became his protege.
Unspoken Truth picks up Saavik's story as other Hellguard survivors are being assassinated on Vulcan through mysterious means. One of her only friends from that life, Tolek, asks for her help. She starts her own investigation, just as her new starship is embarking on a mission to a strange new world.
I don't normally enjoy the Star Trek novels that ditch the original crew for new characters; I read Trek books because I like Kirk, Spock, Scotty and the rest. But they only appear in about ten pages of the 386 page novel, and yet Bonanno makes it work. She's able to build strong enough characterization in Saavik, and then surround her with new characters that fit in in a way that's both entertaining and (forgive me) logical. Her new captain, another scientist, and new and bizarre aliens that they encounter all make this a great sci-fi adventure in addition to a good character study. The intriguing elements of Vulcan society, at once scientific and medieval are on display here, with Saavik and Spock's parents Sarek and Amanda as signposts on the way.
If you're a fan of the Star Trek movies in general, or of Saavik and the Vulcans in particular, you'll enjoy Unspoken Truth. Bonanno is a masterful author, and it's great to have a new novel from her. Sharpen those pointy ears, and give this one a read.
Most of the book is set during and immediately following Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Saavik is left behind on Vulcan as Captain Kirk, Spock, and everyone else goes back to Earth to face trial for stealing the U.S.S. Enterprise, blowing it up, breaking all sorts of Starfleet laws, and eventually getting a pair of humpback whales from 1986. It's a long story. Watch the movie. In any case, Saavik is left on Vulcan, having just lost everything and everyone she cares about. She's not sure if she should take a break from Starfleet, stay on Earth with adoptive parents Sarek and Amanda, or find some other path.
Her story is told through a combination of flashbacks and moving forward through a series of adventures. It seems that Bonanno wants to tell every Saavik story all at once, figuring that Pocket Books won't approve another one. That serves the character well, because we find out more about her than has ever been revealed in her sketchy profiles before. All I knew about her before is that she was born on a Romulan colony planet called Hellguard (really), and that she was part of an experiment, born to unwilling Romulan and Vulcan parents. This hybridization program failed, the colony abandoned, the children left behind to become feral animals, scrabbling for existence. Saavik was rescued from all this by Mr. Spock and Starfleet, and became his protege.
Unspoken Truth picks up Saavik's story as other Hellguard survivors are being assassinated on Vulcan through mysterious means. One of her only friends from that life, Tolek, asks for her help. She starts her own investigation, just as her new starship is embarking on a mission to a strange new world.
I don't normally enjoy the Star Trek novels that ditch the original crew for new characters; I read Trek books because I like Kirk, Spock, Scotty and the rest. But they only appear in about ten pages of the 386 page novel, and yet Bonanno makes it work. She's able to build strong enough characterization in Saavik, and then surround her with new characters that fit in in a way that's both entertaining and (forgive me) logical. Her new captain, another scientist, and new and bizarre aliens that they encounter all make this a great sci-fi adventure in addition to a good character study. The intriguing elements of Vulcan society, at once scientific and medieval are on display here, with Saavik and Spock's parents Sarek and Amanda as signposts on the way.
If you're a fan of the Star Trek movies in general, or of Saavik and the Vulcans in particular, you'll enjoy Unspoken Truth. Bonanno is a masterful author, and it's great to have a new novel from her. Sharpen those pointy ears, and give this one a read.
March 26, 2013
This book does not seem to me to capture the character of Saavik as I have always envisioned her; I perceived her as being more thoroughly Vulcan, less troubled by submerged emotion than this author does. Still, the book is remarkably well-written, the characters internally consistent even if not, in my opinion, consistent with what was seen elsewhere (and what was seen elsewhere did not provide a sufficient statistical universe to conclusively establish that the author's perception of the character was wrong and mine right). The story was a very compelling, very enjoyable read, so I can find no reason not to grant it a full five stars.
August 25, 2014
The first two thirds would get a five star rating but the last third would only get a three. When Saavik finally starts on her 'mission' it gets messy, chaotic, and moves too quickly, glossing over what is happening. This could have easily been two books, one focusing on the Chaffee and their encounters on Deema III and the other on the survivors of Hellguard, and I would have preferred it that way.
It puts forward a pairing I am not fond of, creating an unnecessary subplot. But I love how Amanda and Sarek are portrayed. They are warm and fuzzy in their own Human/Vulcan way.
It puts forward a pairing I am not fond of, creating an unnecessary subplot. But I love how Amanda and Sarek are portrayed. They are warm and fuzzy in their own Human/Vulcan way.
June 12, 2020
If I could, I'd probably rate this closer to 3.5 stars, as I find the actual plot to be over-long and glacially-paced. But I'm going to be generous and settle on four stars because of (1) the superb character work, (2) the imaginative follow up to all sorts of plot & character points from both the TOS movies & the previous Saavik novel, "The Pandora Principle", and (3) Margaret Bonano's wonderful prose style. It makes the snail's pace of the actual story more than tolerable, when there is so much more to enjoy.
September 5, 2011
This Star Trek novels takes place shortly after the events of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. It focuses on the character of Saavik, with flashbacks to her childhood, both on Hellguard (cf. "The Pandora Principle") and Vulcan. The story itself deals with both an elaborate Romulan conspiracy and a scientific expedition to a new planet populated by enormous telepathic worms. The mixture of these elements leads to a strange inconsistency of tone - imagine Charles Darwin's scientific journals crossed with a John Le Carre novel, all set in outer space - that can be jarring at times.
This book is enjoyable enough read, but I found myself wanting something more or different. This is common for me when I read Margaret Wander Bonanno's Star Trek novels. She has all the tools: she understands the characters, she can tell a good story, she writes credible prose, is passionate about the ST universe, etc. But somehow it never quite settles for me in a satisfying way.
Ultimately, Ms. Wander Bonnano's books remind me of all of the supposedly hot new alternative bands that were hitting the airwaves in the 1990's in the wake of the grunge scene. You felt like you should like them, but the music always seemed a little diffuse and self-absorbed. You had a sense that perhaps if the musicians had spent a little more time unearthing the melody from beneath the wall of distortion and had sharpened the production elements, this would be one of the best things you had ever heard. That was a bit what I felt like when reading this book - that a really good book was waiting just beneath the surface and with a bit more editing and refinement, it would have shown itself to us. As it was, it was just OK. I would recommend this primarily to die hard Trek fans or those specifically fascinated with the character of Saavik.
This book is enjoyable enough read, but I found myself wanting something more or different. This is common for me when I read Margaret Wander Bonanno's Star Trek novels. She has all the tools: she understands the characters, she can tell a good story, she writes credible prose, is passionate about the ST universe, etc. But somehow it never quite settles for me in a satisfying way.
Ultimately, Ms. Wander Bonnano's books remind me of all of the supposedly hot new alternative bands that were hitting the airwaves in the 1990's in the wake of the grunge scene. You felt like you should like them, but the music always seemed a little diffuse and self-absorbed. You had a sense that perhaps if the musicians had spent a little more time unearthing the melody from beneath the wall of distortion and had sharpened the production elements, this would be one of the best things you had ever heard. That was a bit what I felt like when reading this book - that a really good book was waiting just beneath the surface and with a bit more editing and refinement, it would have shown itself to us. As it was, it was just OK. I would recommend this primarily to die hard Trek fans or those specifically fascinated with the character of Saavik.
July 4, 2017
I enjoyed this "back to the future" star trek novel. It takes us back to the original crew, two of the big screen movies, and some background knowledge previously unknown to me. I have read a lot of Star Trek novels, paperback and hard cover. This was one of the better ones! So, If you want more info on Saavik and Spock's life saving adventure, when they ended up on the first terra formed planet, that Spock ended up on, accidently, in his burial pod, this is the book for you! There are a few new characters in this 2010 novel, that I need to do some research on, to find out if they are in any later publications. Enjoy!
September 11, 2018
A very complex and deceptive story. Certainly interesting and it gives some background on Saavik and her relation with her adopted family.
Nonetheless, i had problems following the story line because of the numerous backflashes and changes of viewpoint. I finished the book and was actually glad i did so, which is not normal with a star trek novel, on the contrary. It left me wondering if it could not have been split in 3 books, the main storylines, without losing its consistency. Personally i think it would be worth a try.
Nonetheless, i had problems following the story line because of the numerous backflashes and changes of viewpoint. I finished the book and was actually glad i did so, which is not normal with a star trek novel, on the contrary. It left me wondering if it could not have been split in 3 books, the main storylines, without losing its consistency. Personally i think it would be worth a try.
February 3, 2022
Hellguard: a Romulan experimental facility where a massive infiltration program is designed through extensive eugenics. It is Saavik's homeworld and a source of shame for Vulcans everywhere. When the children of Hellguard begin to die in mysterious circumstances, Saavik must flee Vulcan.
Bonanno brings Saavik into the spotlight and has written an excellent and thought-provoking exploration of adoption and chosen families.
Bonanno brings Saavik into the spotlight and has written an excellent and thought-provoking exploration of adoption and chosen families.
May 9, 2018
I tried to like it, I really did, but something about the writing style just didn't work for me. I did read the entire book out of curiosity for where the story was headed, but I didn't enjoy it. Reading it felt almost like a chore, something that I had to get done.
December 19, 2011
Worth reading, but no need to re-read.
June 17, 2025
I always wanted to know more about Saavik after seeing Robin Curtis portray her in the film The Search for Spock. Somehow the Kirstie Alley version of her hadn't registered on me, but the later incarnation of the character was so beautiful, so calm and collected, so Vulcan!
This story is set after the film the Voyage Home, the threat of the Probe is over, the damage it caused cleared up. The Enterprise crew has been recalled to Earth to account for why they stole the ship in the previous film, but Saavik stays on Vulcan because she was never involved in that. She has to decide what the next step in her career she should take. She accepts a post of science officer on a routine scientific planetary survey mission. However, while she is preparing to leave, a chance encounter with an old acquaintance marks the beginning of a very dark and dangerous episode in her life. She has to tread a very careful path, not just to stay alive herself, but also to save those closest to her.
As far as I can discover, this author has only written a few Star Trek books, which is a great pity, as she really makes the characters come alive. She stays true to how they are portrayed on screen but she also gives them extra depth, an inner life. There are little scenes in this book that are lovely, in spite of the fact it's pretty much an espionage thriller. I love the little glimpses into the home life of Sarek and Amanda, the temple in the desert, Vulcan society in general. And there's a secondary story going on too, that planetary survey mission Saavik goes on before her big adventure gets going, they discover a new kind of alien...
This story is set after the film the Voyage Home, the threat of the Probe is over, the damage it caused cleared up. The Enterprise crew has been recalled to Earth to account for why they stole the ship in the previous film, but Saavik stays on Vulcan because she was never involved in that. She has to decide what the next step in her career she should take. She accepts a post of science officer on a routine scientific planetary survey mission. However, while she is preparing to leave, a chance encounter with an old acquaintance marks the beginning of a very dark and dangerous episode in her life. She has to tread a very careful path, not just to stay alive herself, but also to save those closest to her.
As far as I can discover, this author has only written a few Star Trek books, which is a great pity, as she really makes the characters come alive. She stays true to how they are portrayed on screen but she also gives them extra depth, an inner life. There are little scenes in this book that are lovely, in spite of the fact it's pretty much an espionage thriller. I love the little glimpses into the home life of Sarek and Amanda, the temple in the desert, Vulcan society in general. And there's a secondary story going on too, that planetary survey mission Saavik goes on before her big adventure gets going, they discover a new kind of alien...
March 19, 2024
I love Saavik, so I was happy to read this as a Saavik-centered novel.
I'm hiding this, because I'm not sure what everyone considers to be a spoiler.
I like that the novel explores some of Saavik's feelings regarding her childhood and parentage. I also like that it touches on the experiences on the Genesis planet, and her conflict about that. I like the exploration of her Romulan side, and the fact that she's given a chance to be more multi-dimensional in this novel.
For all that, though, there was still something that felt not quite "in character" to me. That, of course, could simply mean it didn't go with my interpretation of the character.
There were also times that the plot seemed rather convoluted (beyond what was necessary), and there were some B-plot moments that could have been done without entirely. I think taking some less than necessary elements out might have helped the novel to drag less in places.
All in all, it was a good novel and I recommend it to fans of Saavik.
I'm hiding this, because I'm not sure what everyone considers to be a spoiler.
I like that the novel explores some of Saavik's feelings regarding her childhood and parentage. I also like that it touches on the experiences on the Genesis planet, and her conflict about that. I like the exploration of her Romulan side, and the fact that she's given a chance to be more multi-dimensional in this novel.
For all that, though, there was still something that felt not quite "in character" to me. That, of course, could simply mean it didn't go with my interpretation of the character.
There were also times that the plot seemed rather convoluted (beyond what was necessary), and there were some B-plot moments that could have been done without entirely. I think taking some less than necessary elements out might have helped the novel to drag less in places.
All in all, it was a good novel and I recommend it to fans of Saavik.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2018
I love Saavik and was really psyched for the idea of this book. But the first half and last half don’t connect, the ship she works on is like some sort of high school reality show with everyone trying to have sex with each other, and the twist at the end is not much of a twist. The original crew are hardly in the book and a lot of the writing is just not connected to the plot. Also I’m a Saavik/Spock shipper so to have the book refer to their shared pon far several times and then make their actual relationship like siblings... ew. For a Saavik story I like Vulcan’s Heart and Vulcan’s Forge a lot better.
January 23, 2020
"When one has lacked a sense of place in the formative years, one is never certain of one's welcome later on."
This is the story of Saavik .
Taking place after bringing Spock back from the Genesis Planet (film: Star Trek: The Voyage Home) instead of taking time to recover she goes on a science mission to Deema III. Prior to leaving Vulcan, a childhood friend from the trials of their time on Hellguard, she is asked to conduct data searches around the mysterious deaths on Vulcan of other survivors from Hellguard.
The mission on Deema III reveals an intelligent, telepathic large worm-like species and unusual interspatial rifts. After a successful first contact the ship Chaffee returns to Vulcan and Saavik appears to have a mental breakdown which leads her on a dangerous path.
This takes her on a series of high-risk paths involving the past with the future.
This is the story of Saavik .
Taking place after bringing Spock back from the Genesis Planet (film: Star Trek: The Voyage Home) instead of taking time to recover she goes on a science mission to Deema III. Prior to leaving Vulcan, a childhood friend from the trials of their time on Hellguard, she is asked to conduct data searches around the mysterious deaths on Vulcan of other survivors from Hellguard.
The mission on Deema III reveals an intelligent, telepathic large worm-like species and unusual interspatial rifts. After a successful first contact the ship Chaffee returns to Vulcan and Saavik appears to have a mental breakdown which leads her on a dangerous path.
This takes her on a series of high-risk paths involving the past with the future.
May 10, 2020
difficult as it is to form any sort of attachment to a new Vulcan from a few film portrayals, this managed to sketch in some background with some nifty tradecraft. Sarek and Amanda are handled interestingly and it's nice to see smaller, less flashy UFP ships take the limelight.
Of course with Discovery you could be forgiven for thinking Saavik was just another in a line of strays... But that aside I enjoyed this as I might another Kirk-era Trek movie.
Of course with Discovery you could be forgiven for thinking Saavik was just another in a line of strays... But that aside I enjoyed this as I might another Kirk-era Trek movie.
February 17, 2021
Copywrite 2010. This is the one where we learn about an orphan, raised by Sarek and Amanda and having a deep spiritual connection with Spock. No, silly! Not Burnham. This is also the one where the heroine is being chased, relentlessly, by a Romulan agent named Narak. No, silly, I’m not talking about Discovery or about Picard. This novel is about Saavik and her adventures between ST3 and ST6.
March 19, 2020
A different look at Saavik
This is an excellent story however, like a Jane Austen novel, it is a slow, contemplative read. Also it is more spy story than the space opera which I expected. I actually nearly abandoned it right before the happy ending because I thought that Saavik was betraying everything she was and which by loved in her as a character.
This is an excellent story however, like a Jane Austen novel, it is a slow, contemplative read. Also it is more spy story than the space opera which I expected. I actually nearly abandoned it right before the happy ending because I thought that Saavik was betraying everything she was and which by loved in her as a character.
March 10, 2022
A slog of a book that is half romance novel and half poorly plotted espionage thriller, which relies too much on the main character doing things that don't really make sense, followed by a huge info-dump at the end to explain what's been going on.
October 4, 2014
First, I will judge a book by its cover. Usually, a Star Trek novel has a cover illustraion of some combination of the characters, starships or planets and stars. You know, Star Trek stuff. Unspoken Truth has what appears to be some sort of futuristic office building on its cover. Easily the most boring ST cover I've ever seen. Without reading the text on the back, I would have had no idea what it was about, or even which Trek era it was set in.
When we last saw Lt. Saavik, she was standing on Vulcan at the begining of Star Trek IV, waving goodbye to the original Star Trek crew, never to be seen or mentioned again. This book picks up her story from that point. Saavik is the book's main character, with the core ST characters appearing only in cameo roles and flashbacks.
The events of Star Trek II and III have left the young Saavik adrift in both her career and emotionally. While her superiors at Starfleet recomend that she take a medical leave to regain her bearings at a Vulcan temple, she instead requests immediate assignment to science vessel surveying an unknown planet. At the same time, she becomes entangled in an espionage/thriller/mystery-type plot involving the murders of fellow survivors of Hellguard (the harsh Romulan colony world where she was born). The exploration subplot was remarkably good, featuring aliens with a truly alien appearance and culture (no bumpy heads here). The crew of the starship Chaffee were also well written, fleshed-out characters, not just redshirts. A good example of what I call a "boldly going" Star Trek story.
However, the murder mystery subplot was less good, in my opinion. It main merit is that it provides a conduit for numerous flashbacks to Saavik's youth the years after being adopted by Sarek and Amanda. That period has been briefly sketched in other novels and comics, but it gets a deeper treatment here. The actual story struck me as dull and lackluster, though. Romulan sleeper agents are hatching a conspiracy on Vulcan, and Saavik is the only one who can piece together the mystery before she is mysteriously murdered like her cohorts. The story was simultaneously overly complicated, slow moving, and trite. It did not manage to pull me in. I found myself rushing through the spy stuff hoping I would get to some of the more interesting character driven parts. The book would have benefitted from tighter editing and a less convuluted story.
When we last saw Lt. Saavik, she was standing on Vulcan at the begining of Star Trek IV, waving goodbye to the original Star Trek crew, never to be seen or mentioned again. This book picks up her story from that point. Saavik is the book's main character, with the core ST characters appearing only in cameo roles and flashbacks.
The events of Star Trek II and III have left the young Saavik adrift in both her career and emotionally. While her superiors at Starfleet recomend that she take a medical leave to regain her bearings at a Vulcan temple, she instead requests immediate assignment to science vessel surveying an unknown planet. At the same time, she becomes entangled in an espionage/thriller/mystery-type plot involving the murders of fellow survivors of Hellguard (the harsh Romulan colony world where she was born). The exploration subplot was remarkably good, featuring aliens with a truly alien appearance and culture (no bumpy heads here). The crew of the starship Chaffee were also well written, fleshed-out characters, not just redshirts. A good example of what I call a "boldly going" Star Trek story.
However, the murder mystery subplot was less good, in my opinion. It main merit is that it provides a conduit for numerous flashbacks to Saavik's youth the years after being adopted by Sarek and Amanda. That period has been briefly sketched in other novels and comics, but it gets a deeper treatment here. The actual story struck me as dull and lackluster, though. Romulan sleeper agents are hatching a conspiracy on Vulcan, and Saavik is the only one who can piece together the mystery before she is mysteriously murdered like her cohorts. The story was simultaneously overly complicated, slow moving, and trite. It did not manage to pull me in. I found myself rushing through the spy stuff hoping I would get to some of the more interesting character driven parts. The book would have benefitted from tighter editing and a less convuluted story.
April 15, 2010
It started off really well, and I was excited, but then it did sort of lose its steam (and my complete interest) about half-way through, though I did keep reading it.
I liked that the author seems familiar and well grounded in two earlier works, The Pandora Principle, which I grew up loving, and was one of the reasons I picked this book up, and the film. However, if one is looking for more of a development of a relationship between Spock and Saavik, and a "bridge" to say Vulcan's Heart, one will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, the appearance of Lady Amanda and Sarek are fun; difficult of course not to have Sarek in the back of one's mind. I personally did not find the time jumps that annoying, but I can see where they might be.
The "mystery" element sort of lost me, and I though that maybe could have been better clarified...I felt like that got lost at times in an exploration of Saavik's character.
I liked that the author seems familiar and well grounded in two earlier works, The Pandora Principle, which I grew up loving, and was one of the reasons I picked this book up, and the film. However, if one is looking for more of a development of a relationship between Spock and Saavik, and a "bridge" to say Vulcan's Heart, one will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, the appearance of Lady Amanda and Sarek are fun; difficult of course not to have Sarek in the back of one's mind. I personally did not find the time jumps that annoying, but I can see where they might be.
The "mystery" element sort of lost me, and I though that maybe could have been better clarified...I felt like that got lost at times in an exploration of Saavik's character.
April 3, 2010
Not bad; one of the better Star Trek novels I've read in a while. Bonanno has some good ideas and I think she can tell a good story, but the timeline constantly jumps around, moving from various points in Saavik's childhood to the events in and shortly after Star Trek II to an alien planet populated by sentient worms. This makes the plot hard to follow; it would have been helpful dates and places had been given for each section, as you have in some books. And then there's all this espionage stuff that plays a large part in the last third or so, which is when the book started to lose my interest. I don't think that part was as well done as the rest. I was more interested in young Saavik adapting to Vulcan and in the worm people. I miss the days when a Star Trek novel took one of the ships and one of the crews and put them into an interesting situation like meeting worm people. I'm getting tired of crossovers, arcs, backstories for everyone, and new ships with 3 canon characters and 30 original characters.
August 27, 2014
Margaret Wander Bonanno is one of my favorite Trek authors, author of some if the first trek books I loved and some of the more recent too, but there was something about this story that left me a little cold. Much of it might not be her fault: hanging over this novel is the shadow of the plot line in other novels which resulted in Spock and Saavik getting married, a development which I find a little creepy. This novel neither affirms nor contradicts that plot line directly, and it's own plot lines just didn't grab me. I was hopeful it would remove my distaste with the other books, and maybe that was too much to expect. A solid Trek writer who knows the voices of TOS characters more than most, she crafts details and characters expertly, but the mystery at the heart of this book just didn't grab me. Sorry.
April 6, 2010
This book gives some interesting back story elements to Saavik's past. The author had Saavik's character and personality spot on.
I think there was, maybe, a little too much going on in the book. We jump back and forth (sometimes confusingly) between different points in Saavik's life as she is trying to solve a mystery on mission while solving a mystery affecting her and her former Hellguard orphans as well as a burgeoning love story between her and Mikal.
I do like the way the author brought in the Vshar and how it was in a roundabout way linked to Sarek and his family.
Overall, I was pleased with the book and look forward to the next one by this author.
I think there was, maybe, a little too much going on in the book. We jump back and forth (sometimes confusingly) between different points in Saavik's life as she is trying to solve a mystery on mission while solving a mystery affecting her and her former Hellguard orphans as well as a burgeoning love story between her and Mikal.
I do like the way the author brought in the Vshar and how it was in a roundabout way linked to Sarek and his family.
Overall, I was pleased with the book and look forward to the next one by this author.
September 3, 2010
I generally like this author's other Star Trek books (Probe and Strangers from the Sky especially); however, I was disappointed in this one. The two subplots didn't really fit together - to me they felt disjointed,- the characterization of Saavik was okay but didn't show me anything new about the character, and I didn't like Mikal at all. I re-watched Wrath of Khan during the same period as I was reading this book, and the exploration of character in that movie was so well-done- that's what I look for in a Star Trek novel and unfortunately didn't really find (with the exception of the portrayal of Sarek) here.
February 9, 2015
This chronicles what happens to Lt Saavik just after the events of the Search for Spock movie. We get a lot more about her background, which I didn't know, and her horrific childhood. There is also a First Contact Situation, and a complex Romulan plot.
The action is good, and it's nice to see some of the Star Trek world that doesn't revolve around the Enterprise big guns (although most of them at least cameo). Sarek and Amanda have somewhat larger roles. It's a nicely detailed story with a lot of surprises and variations.
Recommended for sci fi fans, Star Trek fans that don't mind Kirk et al not being in every story.
The action is good, and it's nice to see some of the Star Trek world that doesn't revolve around the Enterprise big guns (although most of them at least cameo). Sarek and Amanda have somewhat larger roles. It's a nicely detailed story with a lot of surprises and variations.
Recommended for sci fi fans, Star Trek fans that don't mind Kirk et al not being in every story.
April 14, 2010
It wasn't the best Trek book I've read but not the worst either. Other reviews have complained about the time shifts spread throughout the book. It was annoying. I'm used to some when I read but never to this extent.
It also raised a question: Weren't the Ferengi fist seen in TNG? If so, why is one the characters talking about them as if they're common knowledge?
Lastly, I was hoping for some more development between Spock and Saavik.
It also raised a question: Weren't the Ferengi fist seen in TNG? If so, why is one the characters talking about them as if they're common knowledge?
Lastly, I was hoping for some more development between Spock and Saavik.
August 29, 2010
The continuation of Lt. Saavik's life and more back story as to where she came from and who she is. Not a bad read (I haven't read the previous book abut Saavik The Pandora Principle), especially the espionage on Vulcan sequence, but the rest of the novel is a bit ho-hum.
Not the worst Star Trek novel I've read, but not the best either.
Not the worst Star Trek novel I've read, but not the best either.
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