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Star Trek: The Original Series #44
Star Trek: The Original Series: Vulcan's Glory
Here is a very special Star Trek novel—from the woman consistently voted by the fans as their favorite writer from the original Star Trek television series!
D.C. Fontana, writer of such classic Star Trek episodes as "Journey to Babel" and "This Side of Paradise," here brings the never-before-told story of a very young Mr. Spock, on his first mission aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. You'll also meet Captain Christopher Pike and his enigmatic first officer "Number One" (previously seen only in the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage"), as well as the ship's brand new engineering officer, Montgomery Scott.
Vulcan's Glory is the take of Spock's struggle to reconcile his many obligations—those forced on him by his Vulcan heritage, and those chosen by him upon his enlistment in Starfleet—to balance the wishes of others against the desires of his own heart.
D.C. Fontana, writer of such classic Star Trek episodes as "Journey to Babel" and "This Side of Paradise," here brings the never-before-told story of a very young Mr. Spock, on his first mission aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. You'll also meet Captain Christopher Pike and his enigmatic first officer "Number One" (previously seen only in the original Star Trek pilot "The Cage"), as well as the ship's brand new engineering officer, Montgomery Scott.
Vulcan's Glory is the take of Spock's struggle to reconcile his many obligations—those forced on him by his Vulcan heritage, and those chosen by him upon his enlistment in Starfleet—to balance the wishes of others against the desires of his own heart.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
75 people are currently reading
839 people want to read
About the author
D.C. Fontana
27 books36 followersDorothy Catherine "D. C." Fontana (born March 25, 1939) was an American television script writer and story editor, best known for her work on the original Star Trek franchise and several western television series. After she attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, she moved to New York City briefly to work for Screen Gems as a secretary, but soon moved to Los Angeles where she worked in the typing pool at Revue Studios. She became the secretary for Samuel A. Peeples, who she sold her first story, "A Bounty for Bill", for the series The Tall Man. Her initial work was credited under the name Dorothy C. Fontana.
After Peeples left the studio, she moved to work for Del Reisman, a producer on The Lieutenant. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry, and after his secretary fell ill, Fontana covered. The Lieutenant was cancelled after one season, and Roddenberry began working on Star Trek. He had her work up one of his ideas into the episode "Charlie X", and after she re-wrote "This Side of Paradise", he gave her the job of story editor. She continued in this post until the end of the second season when she wanted to pursue her freelance writing work. She was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for an episode of Then Came Bronson.
Roddenberry brought Fontana back to write for Genesis II, and then as story editor and associate producer on Star Trek: The Animated Series. During the 1970s she worked on a number of series such as Logan's Run, the Six Million Dollar Man and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Roddenberry hired her to work on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but while she was given an associate producer credit, the experience soured the relationship with Roddenberry and resulted in a claim put to the Writers Guild of America. She later wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the plots for several of the franchise's video games, in addition to a comic story and an episode of the fan-made series Star Trek: New Voyages. She was awarded the Morgan Cox Award in 2002 by the Writers Guild of America, and named twice to the American Screenwriters Association's hall of fame.
D. C. Fontana died December 2, 2019, after a brief illness.
After Peeples left the studio, she moved to work for Del Reisman, a producer on The Lieutenant. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry, and after his secretary fell ill, Fontana covered. The Lieutenant was cancelled after one season, and Roddenberry began working on Star Trek. He had her work up one of his ideas into the episode "Charlie X", and after she re-wrote "This Side of Paradise", he gave her the job of story editor. She continued in this post until the end of the second season when she wanted to pursue her freelance writing work. She was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for an episode of Then Came Bronson.
Roddenberry brought Fontana back to write for Genesis II, and then as story editor and associate producer on Star Trek: The Animated Series. During the 1970s she worked on a number of series such as Logan's Run, the Six Million Dollar Man and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Roddenberry hired her to work on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but while she was given an associate producer credit, the experience soured the relationship with Roddenberry and resulted in a claim put to the Writers Guild of America. She later wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the plots for several of the franchise's video games, in addition to a comic story and an episode of the fan-made series Star Trek: New Voyages. She was awarded the Morgan Cox Award in 2002 by the Writers Guild of America, and named twice to the American Screenwriters Association's hall of fame.
D. C. Fontana died December 2, 2019, after a brief illness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
December 25, 2023
On the blog I share with my best friend of over 40 years, themustacheandthebeard.com, our 100th post was a 2-hour video special where some followers asked us to list our top 50 must-read, geek milestone books. That video was three years ago, but on the Beard's list was this book, which I had never read. I feel inclined to seek out some of his books to see if there are any of his 50, which should replace one of my 50. This one comes close.
This is a background Spock story from his initial meeting with Captain Pike. Upon assignment to the Enterprise, Spock was torn between his responsibilities to his parents on Vulcan, his planet, his betrothed, on the one hand, and his responsibilities to Starfleet, his career, and his ship. Along comes the added incentive of reclaiming an ancient artifact for his people called the Vulcan's Glory.
There is also another Vulcan science officer aboard the Enterprise making Spock consider the breaking of his betrothal. Spock has choices to make and D.C. Fontana puts him through his paces. There is an emotional wallop coming from the narrative. For me, this checks all the important story beats. Note: this is a Spock story without any of the other crew members except for Scotty. The novel is a complete flashback to Captain Christopher Pike's Enterprise. Great job by Fontana.
This is a background Spock story from his initial meeting with Captain Pike. Upon assignment to the Enterprise, Spock was torn between his responsibilities to his parents on Vulcan, his planet, his betrothed, on the one hand, and his responsibilities to Starfleet, his career, and his ship. Along comes the added incentive of reclaiming an ancient artifact for his people called the Vulcan's Glory.
There is also another Vulcan science officer aboard the Enterprise making Spock consider the breaking of his betrothal. Spock has choices to make and D.C. Fontana puts him through his paces. There is an emotional wallop coming from the narrative. For me, this checks all the important story beats. Note: this is a Spock story without any of the other crew members except for Scotty. The novel is a complete flashback to Captain Christopher Pike's Enterprise. Great job by Fontana.
December 29, 2020
A well written and wholly authentic feeling Trek novel from one of the original and most revered TOS writers. The main story concerns the discovery of the long lost Vulcan Glory, an invaluable gem of great symbolic importance to Vulcans, after its mysterious disappearance ages ago somewhere in unexplored space. There's intrigue in the form of murder, a kidnapping, a theft, and quite a few sub-plots involving Spock, Captain Pike, Number One and Scotty. These offer interesting looks at a young Spock and young Scotty's first mission aboard the Enterprise, pre-Kirk. Fontana spices it up with some unexpected romance and old school style fun, including Scotty and a pal rigging up a still to make "engine-room hooch" for the enjoyment of the crew. It's interesting also to get a look at Pike in action with Spock on an away mission, as well some history on his Pike's first officer, Number One, as played by Gene Roddenberry's wife, Majel Barrett, in the original series pilot.
January 31, 2022
I wasn't too impressed by this one.
EDIT: I enjoyed this one more the second time around; maybe it’s because I’m more familiar with the characters than I was when I first read it.
EDIT: I enjoyed this one more the second time around; maybe it’s because I’m more familiar with the characters than I was when I first read it.
February 1, 2024
One star off for putting spock in a heterosexual relationship. . He would not do that . Another star for killing her off anyway
October 11, 2014
This is one of the "old school" Star Trek novels (published in 1989), i.e. it's independent of all the other Trek novels, but you're expected to be familiar with the TV episodes. This book is about Spock's first mission on the Enterprise (under Captain Pike), and it's a decent enough story. It's been a while since I've seen any of Fontana's episodes, but I remember seeing her name in the credits for some good ones, so I was willing to try out one of her novels, and I think she did a good job with it.
My only real criticism is related to context. For instance, you will benefit from watching the TOS episode "The Cage", so that you can picture Pike and Number One while you read the book; however, if you haven't seen that episode then you can make something up, and that will still work. By contrast, this book has a sub-plot with T'Pring (Spock's fiancee), which is resolved in the episode "Amok Time"; if you haven't seen that episode then it will just seem like a dangling plot thread, and there's nothing in the book (e.g. an afterword) to say "Watch that episode to find out what happens next". Similarly, the book mentions the mystery of Spock's cousin Selek, but never resolves it; you need to watch the animated episode "Yesteryear" (also written by Fontana) to find out who Selek was. I think the best approach would have been to include an appendix with the necessary references; Kurt Busiek did that with some of his comics that were very continuity-heavy (e.g. Avengers Forever), and that worked well.
My only real criticism is related to context. For instance, you will benefit from watching the TOS episode "The Cage", so that you can picture Pike and Number One while you read the book; however, if you haven't seen that episode then you can make something up, and that will still work. By contrast, this book has a sub-plot with T'Pring (Spock's fiancee), which is resolved in the episode "Amok Time"; if you haven't seen that episode then it will just seem like a dangling plot thread, and there's nothing in the book (e.g. an afterword) to say "Watch that episode to find out what happens next". Similarly, the book mentions the mystery of Spock's cousin Selek, but never resolves it; you need to watch the animated episode "Yesteryear" (also written by Fontana) to find out who Selek was. I think the best approach would have been to include an appendix with the necessary references; Kurt Busiek did that with some of his comics that were very continuity-heavy (e.g. Avengers Forever), and that worked well.
December 26, 2018
Before I get into this review, I simply want to say this: bless D.C. Fontana. Bless her for her work, bless her for the person she is, and bless her for the role she played in the Star Trek fandom. All my love to this incredible, amazing woman. Bless her.
Now, the Trek fandom as a whole generally agrees that each space-faring Starfleet officer - assuming they're on active duty long enough - faces a turning point where they're forced to acknowledge the sheer danger of their career for the first time. They might have seen or known it before, but it never really sunk in.
This is Spock's.
I should have expected that. I should have known it as soon as I plucked this book from the shelf, noted the tagline, and noted the author. But all the while I was reading it, it never struck me that I was about to watch Spock go from resenting his loneliness to deciding that being alone is the best way to protect himself and those around him. And dammit, it hurts.
My heart literally broke in the last pages, when Pike and Number One both note how much colder, quieter, impassive he's become. They both seem to accept that there's nothing they can do about it, which hurts even more somehow, because a part of me really believes that if someone had pushed through and forced him to accept their help in time, he would have been saved years of pain and loneliness. I don't blame them: Spock's a new member of the crew, and they probably don't know him well-enough to understand the signs. But as a reader, stars, it hurts.
I also appreciate the way Spock and T'Pris's relationship was handled. It started quickly, which usually would drive me to aggravation, but there's a good reason why it started so quickly. Spock has just recently been forced to face both his father and T'Pring in terms of their expectations for him. He feels trapped by his inability to control parts of his own future, and he feels especially trapped by the fact that he is being denied the ability to chose a bondmate out of love. T'Pring honors the bond and wishes to go through with their marriage for status reasons, and Spock is aware of this. He admires that she's willing to go through with it, but acknowledges that he would prefer to be with someone who genuinely cares about him.
So when he meets T'Pris - an intelligent, kindly woman who admires him and shares similar interests - of course he clings to her. Of course he wants to be in her company. Of course he's going to start fantasizing about bonding with her. He wants someone to truly want him, so of course he's going to jump into a whirlwind romance without ever looking back. This book focuses on Spock's desire to be loved, understood, cared about - the whirlwind nature of his relationship with T'Pris reflects that.
I am extremely grateful for this book, and I enjoyed it immensely. Certainly one of my favorite Trek novels, certainly rose to meet my expectations.
Do yourself a favor and READ.
Now, the Trek fandom as a whole generally agrees that each space-faring Starfleet officer - assuming they're on active duty long enough - faces a turning point where they're forced to acknowledge the sheer danger of their career for the first time. They might have seen or known it before, but it never really sunk in.
This is Spock's.
I should have expected that. I should have known it as soon as I plucked this book from the shelf, noted the tagline, and noted the author. But all the while I was reading it, it never struck me that I was about to watch Spock go from resenting his loneliness to deciding that being alone is the best way to protect himself and those around him. And dammit, it hurts.
My heart literally broke in the last pages, when Pike and Number One both note how much colder, quieter, impassive he's become. They both seem to accept that there's nothing they can do about it, which hurts even more somehow, because a part of me really believes that if someone had pushed through and forced him to accept their help in time, he would have been saved years of pain and loneliness. I don't blame them: Spock's a new member of the crew, and they probably don't know him well-enough to understand the signs. But as a reader, stars, it hurts.
I also appreciate the way Spock and T'Pris's relationship was handled. It started quickly, which usually would drive me to aggravation, but there's a good reason why it started so quickly. Spock has just recently been forced to face both his father and T'Pring in terms of their expectations for him. He feels trapped by his inability to control parts of his own future, and he feels especially trapped by the fact that he is being denied the ability to chose a bondmate out of love. T'Pring honors the bond and wishes to go through with their marriage for status reasons, and Spock is aware of this. He admires that she's willing to go through with it, but acknowledges that he would prefer to be with someone who genuinely cares about him.
So when he meets T'Pris - an intelligent, kindly woman who admires him and shares similar interests - of course he clings to her. Of course he wants to be in her company. Of course he's going to start fantasizing about bonding with her. He wants someone to truly want him, so of course he's going to jump into a whirlwind romance without ever looking back. This book focuses on Spock's desire to be loved, understood, cared about - the whirlwind nature of his relationship with T'Pris reflects that.
I am extremely grateful for this book, and I enjoyed it immensely. Certainly one of my favorite Trek novels, certainly rose to meet my expectations.
Do yourself a favor and READ.
August 18, 2016
In my Star Trek reading hayday I had over 100 ST paperbacks crowding my shelf. I read everything I could lay my hands on. I started losing interest somewhere in the mid to late 90s, so there is a good chance I've read this before. Not sure.
The first 100 pages are mostly set-up, getting all the main characters introduced and in place. The style feels pretty dated. Women are first defined through their looks and they are all beautiful, obviously. Which is a little annoying, especially when written by a female author, but probably a sign of the times.
The story is told in the third person, first by Spock, but switches to various other POVs as well. There isn't a lot of internal monologue or emotional depth. The story flowed fairly well and there was enough suspense to keep me interested. However, I had several issues with it.
The romance is very predictable, with the usual clichee of potential lovers not talking to each other.
The storyline with Chris Pike on the planet, the nomads, townspeople and mutants did not interest me at all. It lacked suspense or any kind of tension.
Then there is the story surrounding Vulcan's Glory, which I found slightly more interesting up to the point of finding it. The murder mystery was very schematic, again no suspense. The explanation of the biological points at the end made no sense. And the culprit and Spock giving long monologues at the end with all the salient points, Poirot style, never made for exciting reading for me.
Both plotlines are not connected at all. It feels a little like reading two seperate short stories, that are loosely held together by a common setting.
Add to that the slightly antiquated feel of the writing style and the simplistic ideas represented here, plus a little vague sexism... This novel did not age well.
The first 100 pages are mostly set-up, getting all the main characters introduced and in place. The style feels pretty dated. Women are first defined through their looks and they are all beautiful, obviously. Which is a little annoying, especially when written by a female author, but probably a sign of the times.
The story is told in the third person, first by Spock, but switches to various other POVs as well. There isn't a lot of internal monologue or emotional depth. The story flowed fairly well and there was enough suspense to keep me interested. However, I had several issues with it.
The romance is very predictable, with the usual clichee of potential lovers not talking to each other.
The storyline with Chris Pike on the planet, the nomads, townspeople and mutants did not interest me at all. It lacked suspense or any kind of tension.
Then there is the story surrounding Vulcan's Glory, which I found slightly more interesting up to the point of finding it. The murder mystery was very schematic, again no suspense. The explanation of the biological points at the end made no sense. And the culprit and Spock giving long monologues at the end with all the salient points, Poirot style, never made for exciting reading for me.
Both plotlines are not connected at all. It feels a little like reading two seperate short stories, that are loosely held together by a common setting.
Add to that the slightly antiquated feel of the writing style and the simplistic ideas represented here, plus a little vague sexism... This novel did not age well.
January 8, 2023
I almost always enjoy Star Trek and did enjoy this. I also like many of the episodes of the original series that D. C. Fontana wrote, so I was expecting to like this novel. It was pretty good but it only featured Spock and Scotty of the original series. Pike was the captain in this one, and Number 1 was in it, who was played by Majel Barrett in the Star Trek pilot. That may have made it somewhat less enjoyable to me, but overall I thought the story was a bit too diffuse. There were two major plot lines that didn't really interweave, and several subplots that were interesting in their own right but didn't interweave terribly well either. Not my favorite Star Trek novel by a good ways, but it was still interesting.
December 7, 2019
3.0⭐
Read this a very long time ago. I recall I liked the Vulcan elements to the plot but some of the others (murder mystery) I thought got in the way. I do recall that it had a genuine Star Trek feel to it, not like some of the other novels set in the Trek universe.
But of course this was written by the late, great D C Fontana who penned some of the best original episodes. Good for fans, for general science fiction readers, just so-so.
Read this a very long time ago. I recall I liked the Vulcan elements to the plot but some of the others (murder mystery) I thought got in the way. I do recall that it had a genuine Star Trek feel to it, not like some of the other novels set in the Trek universe.
But of course this was written by the late, great D C Fontana who penned some of the best original episodes. Good for fans, for general science fiction readers, just so-so.
October 23, 2020
The story of Mr. Spock's first voyage aboard the Enterprise by the woman who invented much of Spock's backstory. It feels very much like an episode of Star Trek from the Captain Pike era would feel and expands on ideas D.C. Fontana introduced in her television episodes. In the novel, the Enterprise finds a long lost Vulcan artifact on its way to follow up on a contact made by Captain Pike some years earlier. While Pike is on his mission, someone aboard the ship steals the artifact and murders one of the crew.
I read this soon after watching the "Short Treks" episode called Q&A, which also imagines Spock's first day aboard the Enterprise and it was fun to see how similar in tone both of these were. There are some differences in detail, but I could easily imagine the scene from Short Treks where Spock and Number One get trapped in the turbolift happening during the early parts of this novel.
I read this soon after watching the "Short Treks" episode called Q&A, which also imagines Spock's first day aboard the Enterprise and it was fun to see how similar in tone both of these were. There are some differences in detail, but I could easily imagine the scene from Short Treks where Spock and Number One get trapped in the turbolift happening during the early parts of this novel.
October 15, 2022
The night after the first episode of Star Trek aired the woman who opened the production office and started answering the phone was a secretary named Dorothy Fontana, She had worked with Gene Roddenberry in this role typing up memos, answering calls getting coffee on the previous show The Lieutenant. In her mid-20s the young woman would go home and in her off hours would pull the typewriter and bang-out story treatments and scripts. By the time Star Trek aired D.C. Fontana had solid scripts for half a dozen shows around town. Gene Roddenberry had shown her enough respect to show her the Star Trek series bible in 1964 and hired her to work on both pilots.
The first and most important woman in the world of Star Trek was given the chance to choose a story out of the bible to write a script. In the second aired episode, Charlie X had her special touch giving ST’s first god-like being depth to the story treatments that date back to the spaceship Yorktown under Captain Robert April didn’t have.
She got that job the same way she got the others, she walked up to producers and said “Let me tell you a story.” She was a great storyteller and always found emotional hooks for exciting stories.
I re-read this novel for a longer piece I am working on about Dorothy Fontana. So I will save some of my thoughts for that article but we have to talk about this book. I dropped a line to Dave Stern who was the editor at Pocketbooks at the time and he told me he considered this a career highlight but he didn’t have many memories of the process.
It is obvious why you would ask this writer to do a novel about Spock’s first mission on board the Enterprise. While later novels like Vulcan’s Forge by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz or Spock’s World by Diane Duane might come off as more elaborate Science Fiction takes built off deeper canon I think this novel is special.
At the time it was written ST book editors probably believed it was safe to tell a Captain Pike story and not step on canon because there is no way we would ever get a show about the early days of the enterprise. With the introduction of Strange New Worlds, this novel now has a different place. Now we have to read looking for the ways it can or cannot line up with the new TV canon.
I love Strange New Worlds, I don’t want to second guess the producers and for the most part, they did respect this novel making some things canon, like the Number One’s species, and her name from another later novel. That said there are a few times the two have trouble co-existing. I don’t know if I was running that writing room, this book would have been required reading.
Dorothy Fontana is not just the mother of Star Trek but she did more to form Spock than Amanda Greyson (who DF named). In two of the most important episodes of Vulcan lore, Fontana created Spock’s parents, his pets, and his childhood, and named the Vulcan Forge. In a re-write of the episode This Side of Paradise, she wrote out Sulu she explores Spock’s interior hidden feelings in a way no one else on the show thought possible. Her relationship with Nimoy went back to an episode of The Tall Man that Fontana wrote called “a Bounty of Billy” and she knew he could handle it.
That script got her the gig as story editor of Star Trek, and in a sense the job running the Animated series, and this novel. Just like that episode Vulcan’ Glory is an adventure story with A, B and C plots that all tie into the theme of Spock’s conflicted emotions. The C storyline of Scotty joining the crew and making the ultimate engine room hooch is hilarious and probably the one that doesn’t line up with SNW as Scotty has still yet to join the crew on the enterprise. (maybe he was assigned elsewhere and it is Kirk who brings him back)
There is a lot going on in Vulcan’s Glory that might be pushed deeper into the alphabet with storylines but let me recap it a bit without giving deep spoilers. Spock is about to report to duty on the Enterprise when he called back to Vulcan for a meeting with his mother, who speaks for Sarek who refuses to speak with him. Spock is neglects his estate ie his arranged marriage to T’Pring. This is the first major difference although it could be explained to match SNW.
Before he leaves for the enterprise Spock meets with T’Pring. SNW viewers know in that show they have a steamy relationship and are trying to make the marriage work. In this novel, there meeting is cold and loveless. Fontana draws a direct line between this meeting and the events of Amok Time., this is many years before the events of SNW, so it is possible that those kooky Vulcan kids could give it another go before T’Pring decides I was right the first to write off Spock. Because that is what she does in the novel. Pay me the estate I am due and go run off to Starfleet.
*HUGE STRANGE NEW WORLDS SPOILER IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH*
The first time the novel just can’t co-exist with SNW is Number One who DCF never gave a name something later Trek novels decided couldn’t work. The name is not the problem. “On her planet, ILyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born.” DCF worked on The Cage so I have no doubt this was the back story on the Cage and the reasons she is Number one as much as being the first officer. Which is problematic with the canon established later by the Khan storyline. In a very smart move, SNW respected this backstory while respecting the canon and making it a secret of Number One’s past, as genetic engineering is illegal in the post-Eugenics war Federation. The cliffhanger at the end of SNW season one is built on this reveal. SNW modified this and I think it was the right decision.
Spock makes it to the Enterprise and their first mission track down the crashed Vulcan ship that disappeared hundreds of years ago with A rare Vulcan gem on it, it is the title Maguffin. The first mystery finding the ship, the artifact, and then once they have it there is a murder on board, and the only suspect is a Vulcan.
One thing DCF does in this novel that made me uncomfortable was the number of Vulcans in Starfleet and 11 on the enterprise! I was always under the impression Spock was the first Vulcan in Starfleet, T’paul doesn’t count because she wasn’t Starfleet technically. I realized that the show had a hard time portraying the hundreds of people on the enterprise as written and with hundreds 11 Vulcans we rarely see is possible.
One of those 11 Vulcans is T’Pris. That is your steamy Spock love story. T’Pris is a widowed Vulcan that Spock quickly falls in love. DCF writes Spock and romance very as always.
“If there are so few of us, then we must view each one as precious. Is that not so Mr. Spock?”
Spock paused, thinking it over, mulling the consequences of what he would reply. Finally, he nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant. I would say so.”
Later once their romance flourishes we see similar sexuality that Spock has in SNW, I know some fans were comfortable with but DCF was not shy about it.
“Spock held up his right hand, fingers spread, and T’Pris matched it with her left. The tactile contact sent a flow of warmth through him. Their eyes locked, and the look went deeper, mentally chaining them together. He sent the first gentle probe along the bond, reaching out to her.
T’Pris opened herself to him, welcoming him, the merging of their feelings racing after the intimate mind touch.”
You get the idea. It is pretty hot steamy Vulcan stuff. DCF as thought a lot about this, as many nerdy fans has. She has actual angry memos about her script for Enterprise Incident while she tells other producers just how the Vulcans get it on two decades earlier. I think in 1989 she loosened up about it, maybe not as much as SNW folks did, but bottom line DCF knew what everyone else does Spock is the real heartthrob of Star Trek.
Random details I liked. How she wrote the transporter effect feelings, the size of the crew, and the general operation of the ship. DCF was thinking about how the shifts would work. She was clearly thinking this through and I liked that. Spock is crucial to the solution of the mystery onboard the ship and also has to help Help with a mystery on the away mission. The Scotty storyline is very funny. You might guess where the Spock romance goes and the feelings are spot on as DCF portrays them.
Vulcan’s Glory is a top-notch ST tie-in for me. Modern Tie-in novels have the benefit of building off decades of canon building and fans who have thought about ST for decades. This novel can tell us what Dorothy Fontana the woman who sat in a room in 1964 with Gene Roddenberry talking about Star Trek thinks about how Spock came on the enterprise. That means more to me than a Short Treks played for laughs.
Dorothy Fontana is and will always be one of the most important voices in Star Trek and this novel should be respected as such. I feel that way 200%.
The first and most important woman in the world of Star Trek was given the chance to choose a story out of the bible to write a script. In the second aired episode, Charlie X had her special touch giving ST’s first god-like being depth to the story treatments that date back to the spaceship Yorktown under Captain Robert April didn’t have.
She got that job the same way she got the others, she walked up to producers and said “Let me tell you a story.” She was a great storyteller and always found emotional hooks for exciting stories.
I re-read this novel for a longer piece I am working on about Dorothy Fontana. So I will save some of my thoughts for that article but we have to talk about this book. I dropped a line to Dave Stern who was the editor at Pocketbooks at the time and he told me he considered this a career highlight but he didn’t have many memories of the process.
It is obvious why you would ask this writer to do a novel about Spock’s first mission on board the Enterprise. While later novels like Vulcan’s Forge by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz or Spock’s World by Diane Duane might come off as more elaborate Science Fiction takes built off deeper canon I think this novel is special.
At the time it was written ST book editors probably believed it was safe to tell a Captain Pike story and not step on canon because there is no way we would ever get a show about the early days of the enterprise. With the introduction of Strange New Worlds, this novel now has a different place. Now we have to read looking for the ways it can or cannot line up with the new TV canon.
I love Strange New Worlds, I don’t want to second guess the producers and for the most part, they did respect this novel making some things canon, like the Number One’s species, and her name from another later novel. That said there are a few times the two have trouble co-existing. I don’t know if I was running that writing room, this book would have been required reading.
Dorothy Fontana is not just the mother of Star Trek but she did more to form Spock than Amanda Greyson (who DF named). In two of the most important episodes of Vulcan lore, Fontana created Spock’s parents, his pets, and his childhood, and named the Vulcan Forge. In a re-write of the episode This Side of Paradise, she wrote out Sulu she explores Spock’s interior hidden feelings in a way no one else on the show thought possible. Her relationship with Nimoy went back to an episode of The Tall Man that Fontana wrote called “a Bounty of Billy” and she knew he could handle it.
That script got her the gig as story editor of Star Trek, and in a sense the job running the Animated series, and this novel. Just like that episode Vulcan’ Glory is an adventure story with A, B and C plots that all tie into the theme of Spock’s conflicted emotions. The C storyline of Scotty joining the crew and making the ultimate engine room hooch is hilarious and probably the one that doesn’t line up with SNW as Scotty has still yet to join the crew on the enterprise. (maybe he was assigned elsewhere and it is Kirk who brings him back)
There is a lot going on in Vulcan’s Glory that might be pushed deeper into the alphabet with storylines but let me recap it a bit without giving deep spoilers. Spock is about to report to duty on the Enterprise when he called back to Vulcan for a meeting with his mother, who speaks for Sarek who refuses to speak with him. Spock is neglects his estate ie his arranged marriage to T’Pring. This is the first major difference although it could be explained to match SNW.
Before he leaves for the enterprise Spock meets with T’Pring. SNW viewers know in that show they have a steamy relationship and are trying to make the marriage work. In this novel, there meeting is cold and loveless. Fontana draws a direct line between this meeting and the events of Amok Time., this is many years before the events of SNW, so it is possible that those kooky Vulcan kids could give it another go before T’Pring decides I was right the first to write off Spock. Because that is what she does in the novel. Pay me the estate I am due and go run off to Starfleet.
*HUGE STRANGE NEW WORLDS SPOILER IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH*
The first time the novel just can’t co-exist with SNW is Number One who DCF never gave a name something later Trek novels decided couldn’t work. The name is not the problem. “On her planet, ILyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born.” DCF worked on The Cage so I have no doubt this was the back story on the Cage and the reasons she is Number one as much as being the first officer. Which is problematic with the canon established later by the Khan storyline. In a very smart move, SNW respected this backstory while respecting the canon and making it a secret of Number One’s past, as genetic engineering is illegal in the post-Eugenics war Federation. The cliffhanger at the end of SNW season one is built on this reveal. SNW modified this and I think it was the right decision.
Spock makes it to the Enterprise and their first mission track down the crashed Vulcan ship that disappeared hundreds of years ago with A rare Vulcan gem on it, it is the title Maguffin. The first mystery finding the ship, the artifact, and then once they have it there is a murder on board, and the only suspect is a Vulcan.
One thing DCF does in this novel that made me uncomfortable was the number of Vulcans in Starfleet and 11 on the enterprise! I was always under the impression Spock was the first Vulcan in Starfleet, T’paul doesn’t count because she wasn’t Starfleet technically. I realized that the show had a hard time portraying the hundreds of people on the enterprise as written and with hundreds 11 Vulcans we rarely see is possible.
One of those 11 Vulcans is T’Pris. That is your steamy Spock love story. T’Pris is a widowed Vulcan that Spock quickly falls in love. DCF writes Spock and romance very as always.
“If there are so few of us, then we must view each one as precious. Is that not so Mr. Spock?”
Spock paused, thinking it over, mulling the consequences of what he would reply. Finally, he nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant. I would say so.”
Later once their romance flourishes we see similar sexuality that Spock has in SNW, I know some fans were comfortable with but DCF was not shy about it.
“Spock held up his right hand, fingers spread, and T’Pris matched it with her left. The tactile contact sent a flow of warmth through him. Their eyes locked, and the look went deeper, mentally chaining them together. He sent the first gentle probe along the bond, reaching out to her.
T’Pris opened herself to him, welcoming him, the merging of their feelings racing after the intimate mind touch.”
You get the idea. It is pretty hot steamy Vulcan stuff. DCF as thought a lot about this, as many nerdy fans has. She has actual angry memos about her script for Enterprise Incident while she tells other producers just how the Vulcans get it on two decades earlier. I think in 1989 she loosened up about it, maybe not as much as SNW folks did, but bottom line DCF knew what everyone else does Spock is the real heartthrob of Star Trek.
Random details I liked. How she wrote the transporter effect feelings, the size of the crew, and the general operation of the ship. DCF was thinking about how the shifts would work. She was clearly thinking this through and I liked that. Spock is crucial to the solution of the mystery onboard the ship and also has to help Help with a mystery on the away mission. The Scotty storyline is very funny. You might guess where the Spock romance goes and the feelings are spot on as DCF portrays them.
Vulcan’s Glory is a top-notch ST tie-in for me. Modern Tie-in novels have the benefit of building off decades of canon building and fans who have thought about ST for decades. This novel can tell us what Dorothy Fontana the woman who sat in a room in 1964 with Gene Roddenberry talking about Star Trek thinks about how Spock came on the enterprise. That means more to me than a Short Treks played for laughs.
Dorothy Fontana is and will always be one of the most important voices in Star Trek and this novel should be respected as such. I feel that way 200%.
December 26, 2019
Dorothy Catherine Fontana died on December 2, 2019. Her primary claim to fame was her work and association with STAR TREK, especially the original series. "Vulcan's Glory" was not only one of two books she wrote (an adaptation of the TV-movie, "The Questor Tapes" was the other), it was her only STAR TREK novel.
Fontana was famous among Trekkies for stories that focused on Vulcans and U.S S. Enterprise science officer Mr. Spock. In particular, the episodes "This Side of Paradise", "Journey to Babel" and the animated episode, "Yesteryear" (the only Animated TREK ep that is at least semi-canon). So it's not surprising that D.C.'s only STAR TREK novel focuses on Spock and Vulcans, giving us new details about each that should have some canonical status.
Set early in Mr. Spock's career (just as he joins the crew of the Enterprise), the story involves a murder mystery, romance, a planetside adventure for Captain Pike and a still in Engineering made by Scotty, who also had just become an Enterprise crewmember. The mystery was fairly decent, nicely resolved, but really should have been solved much earlier. I mean, all that needed to be done is for security or Dr. Boyce to run some DNA tests on the corpses and, well, in a gene pool of around 400, the murderer really should have been caught in a matter of hours. Of course, at the time Fontana wrote the books, DNA testing wasn't all that routine in criminal investigations.
The subplot of Scotty and the Engineering hootch feels unresolved. Yeah, the still is found. No, Scotty wasn't busted for having it. But the resolution felt weak nonetheless. There doesn't seem to be any reason why future Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott should have been involved. He didn't even need to be present in the story at all, I felt. Any other previously unknown character would have worked in his place just as well.
One minor annoyance I had with the book was setting it in the time of Christopher Pike's command of the starship Enterprise emphasizes how similar the roles of Captain Pike, First Officer Number One and Dr. Boyce were to those of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. Throughout most of the story, you could have traded one set of character for the other without changing the dialogue or action much. I wish Pike, Number One and Boyce's interactions had been a little more distinctive.
Still, all in all, this was a pleasant read. It's always good to step into the TREK universe and enjoy an adventure of the crew of the Enterprise.
RIP, D.C. Fontana and thank you for everything.
Fontana was famous among Trekkies for stories that focused on Vulcans and U.S S. Enterprise science officer Mr. Spock. In particular, the episodes "This Side of Paradise", "Journey to Babel" and the animated episode, "Yesteryear" (the only Animated TREK ep that is at least semi-canon). So it's not surprising that D.C.'s only STAR TREK novel focuses on Spock and Vulcans, giving us new details about each that should have some canonical status.
Set early in Mr. Spock's career (just as he joins the crew of the Enterprise), the story involves a murder mystery, romance, a planetside adventure for Captain Pike and a still in Engineering made by Scotty, who also had just become an Enterprise crewmember. The mystery was fairly decent, nicely resolved, but really should have been solved much earlier. I mean, all that needed to be done is for security or Dr. Boyce to run some DNA tests on the corpses and, well, in a gene pool of around 400, the murderer really should have been caught in a matter of hours. Of course, at the time Fontana wrote the books, DNA testing wasn't all that routine in criminal investigations.
The subplot of Scotty and the Engineering hootch feels unresolved. Yeah, the still is found. No, Scotty wasn't busted for having it. But the resolution felt weak nonetheless. There doesn't seem to be any reason why future Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott should have been involved. He didn't even need to be present in the story at all, I felt. Any other previously unknown character would have worked in his place just as well.
One minor annoyance I had with the book was setting it in the time of Christopher Pike's command of the starship Enterprise emphasizes how similar the roles of Captain Pike, First Officer Number One and Dr. Boyce were to those of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. Throughout most of the story, you could have traded one set of character for the other without changing the dialogue or action much. I wish Pike, Number One and Boyce's interactions had been a little more distinctive.
Still, all in all, this was a pleasant read. It's always good to step into the TREK universe and enjoy an adventure of the crew of the Enterprise.
RIP, D.C. Fontana and thank you for everything.
April 4, 2019
A promotion to lieutenant has given Spock the position of Science Officer and Second Officer aboard the 'U.S.S. Enterprise'. On his first mission under Captain Pike, Spock locates and recovers the fabled Vulcan's Glory - an emerald of historical renown.
When the Glory is stolen and a crewman murdered, the hunt begins to find the thief and recover the stone once again.
Fontana's novel reads like an episode of 'Star Trek' that never was, providing a glimpse of how the episodic series could have run with Pike in command.
When the Glory is stolen and a crewman murdered, the hunt begins to find the thief and recover the stone once again.
Fontana's novel reads like an episode of 'Star Trek' that never was, providing a glimpse of how the episodic series could have run with Pike in command.
July 11, 2023
Written by D.C. Fontana, writer and story editor for Star Trek TOS, this novel is about Spock’s first mission on board the Enterprise with Captain Pike, Number One, and Dr. Boyce. We also meet Scotty as a newly transferred junior engineer.
After a couple of early chapters set on Vulcan, Spock joins the Enterprise. The crew is tasked with searching for a priceless historical emerald from Vulcan that was lost in a shipwreck. Next, Captain Pike beams down to planet Areta for a mission. The planet is a pre-warp planet recovering from nuclear war. While Pike is on the planet the crew have to deal with a mystery involving the emerald.
Pike’s mission felt very much like a standard old school science fiction adventure. I found the chapters set on Vulcan more interesting as they dealt with Spock’s family obligations versus his duty to Starfleet. Those chapters and the events on the Enterprise were the most engaging, especially Spock’s relationship with the Vulcan T’Pris who is also serving on board the Enterprise.
I didn’t find the book as strong as the Star Trek episodes written by D.C Fontana and some parts felt a little like fan fiction, but it was still an enjoyable read.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
After a couple of early chapters set on Vulcan, Spock joins the Enterprise. The crew is tasked with searching for a priceless historical emerald from Vulcan that was lost in a shipwreck. Next, Captain Pike beams down to planet Areta for a mission. The planet is a pre-warp planet recovering from nuclear war. While Pike is on the planet the crew have to deal with a mystery involving the emerald.
Pike’s mission felt very much like a standard old school science fiction adventure. I found the chapters set on Vulcan more interesting as they dealt with Spock’s family obligations versus his duty to Starfleet. Those chapters and the events on the Enterprise were the most engaging, especially Spock’s relationship with the Vulcan T’Pris who is also serving on board the Enterprise.
I didn’t find the book as strong as the Star Trek episodes written by D.C Fontana and some parts felt a little like fan fiction, but it was still an enjoyable read.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
May 10, 2019
I always enjoy reading the rare Star Trek novels written by writers from the original series, as well as ones set during Pike's tenure as captain of the Enterprise. In this respect D.C. Fontana's book is a double treat, as she lends her considerable experience as a writer and script editor for the show to tell the story of Spock's first mission aboard the starship. Her characterization is assured, as she adds to the existing base of characters from the original pilot several new creations that provide greater depth to her tale. This crew soon finds itself involved in a series of events — some related, others not — that range from the important to the amusingly mundane, all of which combine to provide the rare sense of the complex interactions taking place in a vessel as large as the Enterprise. It's a testament to Fontana's skills as an author that she makes it all work as well as it does, and when I finished the book I did so with considerable regret that she never returned to the precursor she created for further adventures, for she demonstrated the fresh storytelling possibilities that exist with an Enterprise that contains within it a unique mix of the familiar and the new.
February 15, 2021
D.C. Fontana remains one of the best writers to ever bring Star Trek to life. It's always odd to read about Spock with emotions, but Fontana also knows that Trek canon has Spock smiling more often than we remember - especially in "The Cage." To that end, this book tells the story of Spock's first mission as a member of the Enterprise crew under the command of Captain Christopher Pike. You also enjoy deep dives into the lives of Pike and Number One, as well as a fun introduction to a young Montgomery Scott.
December 31, 2019
Good story - Spock's first mission aboard the Enterprise with Captain Pike and Number One featured prominently. Read it in memory of author Dorothy Fontana who died earlier this year. My last book read in 2019.
December 18, 2023
I'd like to give credit to all the Trek novelists of yesteryear for managing to write Captain Pike so Anson Mount just walks into the role while you're reading, decades before Strange New Worlds existed.
May 23, 2019
Vulcan's Glory was a fun look at the "Pike years" of the Enterprise, especially now that we have Anson Mount's interpretation of the character on Discovery. A fascinating adventure set during Spock's first mission aboard the Enterprise, this novel establishes much about the character going forward. Spock is quite different in later Star Trek, and we see the beginning of that path for him. Definitely very enjoyable, this is a novel that I could see myself revisiting in the future. It does make me wish that Dorothy Fontana had written more Star Trek novels as well.
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/05/vulca...
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/05/vulca...
June 20, 2024
D.C Fontana was known for writing episodes of Star Trek TOS. She contributed to Spock's character, background story, and vulcan lore. She wrote some of the best Trek episodes. Unfortunately, her talents as a screen writer did not translate to her novel. Vulcan's Glory is about Spock's first mission aboard the Enterprise. Here are the stories' weak points.
First, Spock did not act in a manner that his character normally would. I don't believe his character would have slept with T'Pris when he's betrothed to T'Pring. Dorothy tried to justify it by making betrothal as a time when a vulcan is not officially married, so they can tom cat around. She stated Spock had to be more "vulcan than vulcan," so if that's the case, he would have suppressed his feelings immediately and not act on such a dangerous human emotion. Then, at the end, he's sobbing and plotting revenge after T'Pris death. I call BS. Pike claims her death changed him, but her novel doesn't indicate any change at all.
Second, the planet aliens are clichéd and boring. After a nuclear war, the aliens are divided into three factions: towns people, nomads, and mutants. Pikes' mission is to get the inhabitants in a trade deal. Instead, we get a forbidden love story that unites everyone because two horny teens ran away from different sides. Oh, how original.
Third, the murder mystery is dull. I had zero interest. Fourth, the dialogue is dated and really bad. Dorothy had lines like mistress of my heart and long lines of Pike moaning about his ex-girlfriend.
Finally, it's Scottys' first rodeo, too. The author was obsessed with a side story about illegal hooch. It did nothing for the story. And it's dumb.
Overall, it was an incoherent mess.The novel is filled with clichés, dopey dialogue, and stories no trekkie cares about. Avoid this book like the plague.
Note: SNW 100% ripped this novel off.
First, Spock did not act in a manner that his character normally would. I don't believe his character would have slept with T'Pris when he's betrothed to T'Pring. Dorothy tried to justify it by making betrothal as a time when a vulcan is not officially married, so they can tom cat around. She stated Spock had to be more "vulcan than vulcan," so if that's the case, he would have suppressed his feelings immediately and not act on such a dangerous human emotion. Then, at the end, he's sobbing and plotting revenge after T'Pris death. I call BS. Pike claims her death changed him, but her novel doesn't indicate any change at all.
Second, the planet aliens are clichéd and boring. After a nuclear war, the aliens are divided into three factions: towns people, nomads, and mutants. Pikes' mission is to get the inhabitants in a trade deal. Instead, we get a forbidden love story that unites everyone because two horny teens ran away from different sides. Oh, how original.
Third, the murder mystery is dull. I had zero interest. Fourth, the dialogue is dated and really bad. Dorothy had lines like mistress of my heart and long lines of Pike moaning about his ex-girlfriend.
Finally, it's Scottys' first rodeo, too. The author was obsessed with a side story about illegal hooch. It did nothing for the story. And it's dumb.
Overall, it was an incoherent mess.The novel is filled with clichés, dopey dialogue, and stories no trekkie cares about. Avoid this book like the plague.
Note: SNW 100% ripped this novel off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2008
So, not too long ago I watched "The Enterprise Incident", one of my favorite Original Series episodes. While looking into the costuming for the episode (I want to make the Commander's dress), I read a little about the making of the episode, including the creative differences between how Mr. Roddenberry wanted to handle the romantic bits and how Mr. Nimoy and Ms. Fontana thought they should be done. Thankfully, the latter's vision was aired, and made for a very compelling (read: hawt, at least to this nerd girl's heart) scene.
That same reading mentioned this book, saying that it explored how Ms. Fontana envisioned Vulcan romance to play out. So, of course, I had to read it.
Think Star Trek romance novel, without the cheese factor usually involved in the romance genre. The story was good, the writing excellent, and the Vulcan smut alone was worth the price of admission. Mind you, there wasn't anything terribly explicit; all nudity was implication and allusion. But Vulcans are touch telepaths; the imtimate yet not at all explicit possibilities are delightfully vast.
Since I've marked this as containing spoilers, I won't just hint at the bit I didn't like. I saw T'Pris's murder coming from so far away it was amazing. My dog saw that coming, and she can't read. It was terribly, terribly trite. I fussed about it, but kept reading. Ms. Fontana did manage to make that death work as part of Spock's development as a character. It was a good bridge between Spock of "The Cage" and Spock of the rest of the series.
All in all, a very good read :)
That same reading mentioned this book, saying that it explored how Ms. Fontana envisioned Vulcan romance to play out. So, of course, I had to read it.
Think Star Trek romance novel, without the cheese factor usually involved in the romance genre. The story was good, the writing excellent, and the Vulcan smut alone was worth the price of admission. Mind you, there wasn't anything terribly explicit; all nudity was implication and allusion. But Vulcans are touch telepaths; the imtimate yet not at all explicit possibilities are delightfully vast.
Since I've marked this as containing spoilers, I won't just hint at the bit I didn't like. I saw T'Pris's murder coming from so far away it was amazing. My dog saw that coming, and she can't read. It was terribly, terribly trite. I fussed about it, but kept reading. Ms. Fontana did manage to make that death work as part of Spock's development as a character. It was a good bridge between Spock of "The Cage" and Spock of the rest of the series.
All in all, a very good read :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2020
Vulcan's Glory is a prequel sort of novel that takes place on Pike's Enterprise. There's a lot of enjoyable action but also so many plot threads happening the result seems kind of unevenly paced. I found the first half of the book with all the set up to be kind of slow and then everything happened in the last twentyish pages or so.
I liked the worldbuilding bits where Spock was on Vulcan in the beginning and then when Number One and the Chief Engineer were playing some antigravity ball game. The interactions between the senior officers was nice. Pike and Number One's UST was understated and it was nice to see Number One being mature about things and not letting her feelings get in the way. Very relatable to be like "I like this person so now they must never know."
I liked Scotty's still adventure to a point but I felt like it made the story drag a little. In a short book with two away party missions AND a murder mystery it felt a little shoehorned in to have a comedic little misadventure as well. I feel like if this plotline had been given its own room to shine it could have been an interesting study into the engineering department and Scotty's feelings of responsibility to the ship and embracing the higher standards his new boss wants him to embrace.
Another thing I felt wasn't really developed was Spock and T'Pris's relationship. (Was that her name even? Now I can't even remember.) This wasn't the worse romance in a Star Trek novel I've ever read but not good either. I find it hard to believe they fell so deeply in love in like less than a week that Spock was forever changed and openly emoting everywhere without really trying to hide it. This woman's only personality trait is she was nice to Spock unlike T'Pring who hides her lover off in the trees and plots to steal Spock's money.
The last thing I didn't like too much was there was too much exposition towards the end. We didn't really get a chance to see the emerald mystery be solved or get any of the clues to try to solve the mystery on our own. We just got the hint that somebody was a secret Vulcan with no foreshadowing and a villanous monologue to reveal all the motivations. I fund it hard to believe Vulcans would cast out a woman who had been raped. They prize logic. They would know it's not her fault. I needed more justification for this beyond a shock value reveal.
Despite the negatives this was a fun romp despite taking place in a McCoyless era and thus receiving a 0 on the most important scale of how much I liked the good doctor in a Star Trek novel. (Tried to tempt me with friendly CMO Boyce though so kudos for that.) I think it just suffered from too much going on. I would have liked to see Pike's solo midlife crisis mission trying to negotiate trade and save the young lovers who didn't need to be saved split into its own book, perhaps with young Scotty's new in engineering adventures as the B-side adventure subplot to provide contrast and some lightheartedness to Pike coming out of his lonely angst. I feel like more attention should have been placed on the mission to recover the Vulcan's Glory emerald. Then the author could have explored tensions between Vulcan clans, tensions between logic and honor and emotion, tensions between Vulcans and non-Vulcans, the inherent tension Spock feels being half human but from a high ranking house! It didn't really feel like the emerald was a mysterious artefact at all, just some knickknack they picked up without much trouble and then stowed away that only the pushy geologist showed any interest in it.
Maybe this all would have worked together better visually as an episode, but as a book it was too short and mixed up to develop any of the interesting ideas it presented enough. I realize this is a Star Trek novel and not High Literature, but hey, that doesn't mean something can't be taken from good to great.
I liked the worldbuilding bits where Spock was on Vulcan in the beginning and then when Number One and the Chief Engineer were playing some antigravity ball game. The interactions between the senior officers was nice. Pike and Number One's UST was understated and it was nice to see Number One being mature about things and not letting her feelings get in the way. Very relatable to be like "I like this person so now they must never know."
I liked Scotty's still adventure to a point but I felt like it made the story drag a little. In a short book with two away party missions AND a murder mystery it felt a little shoehorned in to have a comedic little misadventure as well. I feel like if this plotline had been given its own room to shine it could have been an interesting study into the engineering department and Scotty's feelings of responsibility to the ship and embracing the higher standards his new boss wants him to embrace.
Another thing I felt wasn't really developed was Spock and T'Pris's relationship. (Was that her name even? Now I can't even remember.) This wasn't the worse romance in a Star Trek novel I've ever read but not good either. I find it hard to believe they fell so deeply in love in like less than a week that Spock was forever changed and openly emoting everywhere without really trying to hide it. This woman's only personality trait is she was nice to Spock unlike T'Pring who hides her lover off in the trees and plots to steal Spock's money.
The last thing I didn't like too much was there was too much exposition towards the end. We didn't really get a chance to see the emerald mystery be solved or get any of the clues to try to solve the mystery on our own. We just got the hint that somebody was a secret Vulcan with no foreshadowing and a villanous monologue to reveal all the motivations. I fund it hard to believe Vulcans would cast out a woman who had been raped. They prize logic. They would know it's not her fault. I needed more justification for this beyond a shock value reveal.
Despite the negatives this was a fun romp despite taking place in a McCoyless era and thus receiving a 0 on the most important scale of how much I liked the good doctor in a Star Trek novel. (Tried to tempt me with friendly CMO Boyce though so kudos for that.) I think it just suffered from too much going on. I would have liked to see Pike's solo midlife crisis mission trying to negotiate trade and save the young lovers who didn't need to be saved split into its own book, perhaps with young Scotty's new in engineering adventures as the B-side adventure subplot to provide contrast and some lightheartedness to Pike coming out of his lonely angst. I feel like more attention should have been placed on the mission to recover the Vulcan's Glory emerald. Then the author could have explored tensions between Vulcan clans, tensions between logic and honor and emotion, tensions between Vulcans and non-Vulcans, the inherent tension Spock feels being half human but from a high ranking house! It didn't really feel like the emerald was a mysterious artefact at all, just some knickknack they picked up without much trouble and then stowed away that only the pushy geologist showed any interest in it.
Maybe this all would have worked together better visually as an episode, but as a book it was too short and mixed up to develop any of the interesting ideas it presented enough. I realize this is a Star Trek novel and not High Literature, but hey, that doesn't mean something can't be taken from good to great.
September 30, 2023
Lieutenant Spock reports for duty on the USS Enterprise for the first time. During a fairly standard mission to check on trade agreements on the planet Areta, Pike's Enterprise is diverted to investigate reports of a long-lost Vulcan ship carrying a priceless artifact - a giant emerald called the "Vulcan's Glory." But the eventual recovery of the gem is only the beginning as it leads to treachery, murder, and more. Spock's first cruise on this ship may end up being his very last!
D.C. Fontana is one of the writers of the original Star Trek TV series - and the only woman on that staff, so naturally I was very curious to dig into this one. While it was written a few decades later (1989), it still holds a lot of the charm of that series, but really feels like it fits with the new Strange New Worlds series (a compliment to that show and it's writers). In most senses this is a pretty straight-forward novel with two storylines, but the real hidden gem (yes, pun intended) is Fontana's insights and interpretations of the Vulcan culture and history.
Fontana goes some places we've only seen glimpses of previously. She includes Spock's betrothed, T'Pring, in this story in a sort of prequel to the classic TV episode. T'Pring does not fare well here. she's portrayed as a schemer, and someone who's willing to take advantage of Spock's loyalty to Starfleet and his decision to abide by the arranged marriage. But beyond that, Fontana takes us deeper into other Vulcan marriages and relationships and showing that Pon-Farr isn't the only time Vulcan's can be intimate. She also delves deeper into the culture's views on responsibility, class, and more on Spock's multi-racial background. In fact, there are some references in this book that seem to dovetail very well with some of the Vulcan-Human ideas set up in Star Trek: Enterprise over a decade after this book.
As for the story itself, well, the main plot of the Vulcan's Glory becomes a sort of cozy mystery type thing that has something of standard feel to it. No way the reader could have figured it out, so you just have to follow along. The second story of Pike and the recovering post-apocalyptic world of Areta turns into a variation on Romeo & Juliet - with a less tragic ending. While both plotlines were enjoyable, neither were anything to blow anyone's socks off - entertaining, but not challenging.
Star Trek fans of all ages can enjoy this book - Classic fans for the feel and the insights of an original series writer, and newer fans for the background and characters from the modern perspective. Overall, a fun read for a slow weekend.
D.C. Fontana is one of the writers of the original Star Trek TV series - and the only woman on that staff, so naturally I was very curious to dig into this one. While it was written a few decades later (1989), it still holds a lot of the charm of that series, but really feels like it fits with the new Strange New Worlds series (a compliment to that show and it's writers). In most senses this is a pretty straight-forward novel with two storylines, but the real hidden gem (yes, pun intended) is Fontana's insights and interpretations of the Vulcan culture and history.
Fontana goes some places we've only seen glimpses of previously. She includes Spock's betrothed, T'Pring, in this story in a sort of prequel to the classic TV episode. T'Pring does not fare well here. she's portrayed as a schemer, and someone who's willing to take advantage of Spock's loyalty to Starfleet and his decision to abide by the arranged marriage. But beyond that, Fontana takes us deeper into other Vulcan marriages and relationships and showing that Pon-Farr isn't the only time Vulcan's can be intimate. She also delves deeper into the culture's views on responsibility, class, and more on Spock's multi-racial background. In fact, there are some references in this book that seem to dovetail very well with some of the Vulcan-Human ideas set up in Star Trek: Enterprise over a decade after this book.
As for the story itself, well, the main plot of the Vulcan's Glory becomes a sort of cozy mystery type thing that has something of standard feel to it. No way the reader could have figured it out, so you just have to follow along. The second story of Pike and the recovering post-apocalyptic world of Areta turns into a variation on Romeo & Juliet - with a less tragic ending. While both plotlines were enjoyable, neither were anything to blow anyone's socks off - entertaining, but not challenging.
Star Trek fans of all ages can enjoy this book - Classic fans for the feel and the insights of an original series writer, and newer fans for the background and characters from the modern perspective. Overall, a fun read for a slow weekend.
December 2, 2023
Dorothy Fontana is responsible for some of my favorite Star Trek episodes, and played a crucial role in developing Spock into a character I love and relate to very much. So I was very excited to learn she had written a Star Trek novel about Spock’s time on Pike’s Enterprise. Unfortunately, this book just did not do it for me.
The novel starts out strong with an exploration of Spock’s relationship to his family and Vulcan tradition, and what made him choose to abandon it all for a career in Starfleet. I also really enjoyed Spock’s confrontation with T’Pring. Fontana does a great job building upon the cold and calculating person we met in the episode “Amok Time.” But from that point forward, Spock’s characterization weakens quite a bit as the three different plotlines overtake the character exploration and Fontana writes him into a relationship with a Vulcan woman that starts and ends at breakneck speed. I know this romance was meant to explore Spock’s relationship to his Vulcan heritage and how he dealt with grief when he was younger, but it felt very out of character for Spock to delve so deep into a relationship so quickly, and cruel to cast this smart and interesting female scientist aside to fuel the male character’s grief and desire for revenge. Classic example of the “disposable woman” trope. Hate to see it. Justice for T’Pris! 😔✊🏼
I think Fontana’s main problem, though, was having too many plotlines. There is an A, B, and C plot going on simultaneously and none of them feel especially strong. The C plot (involving Scotty brewing engine room hooch???) could have been left out altogether. I kept waiting for it to connect to the other plotlines, but it never quite made it. The B plot is a murder mystery that doesn’t give the reader any clues as to the culprit, so the conclusion feels very random and contrived. I just wasn’t invested in any of it.
The best thing about this book for me was that it seems like a lot of Captain Pike’s characterization in the Strange New Worlds TV show originated here. And Number One’s Illyrian heritage. Those facts alone make this book a valuable piece of Star Trek history, but if you’re looking for some good pre-Kirk Spock content, you’re better off searching AO3.
The novel starts out strong with an exploration of Spock’s relationship to his family and Vulcan tradition, and what made him choose to abandon it all for a career in Starfleet. I also really enjoyed Spock’s confrontation with T’Pring. Fontana does a great job building upon the cold and calculating person we met in the episode “Amok Time.” But from that point forward, Spock’s characterization weakens quite a bit as the three different plotlines overtake the character exploration and Fontana writes him into a relationship with a Vulcan woman that starts and ends at breakneck speed. I know this romance was meant to explore Spock’s relationship to his Vulcan heritage and how he dealt with grief when he was younger, but it felt very out of character for Spock to delve so deep into a relationship so quickly, and cruel to cast this smart and interesting female scientist aside to fuel the male character’s grief and desire for revenge. Classic example of the “disposable woman” trope. Hate to see it. Justice for T’Pris! 😔✊🏼
I think Fontana’s main problem, though, was having too many plotlines. There is an A, B, and C plot going on simultaneously and none of them feel especially strong. The C plot (involving Scotty brewing engine room hooch???) could have been left out altogether. I kept waiting for it to connect to the other plotlines, but it never quite made it. The B plot is a murder mystery that doesn’t give the reader any clues as to the culprit, so the conclusion feels very random and contrived. I just wasn’t invested in any of it.
The best thing about this book for me was that it seems like a lot of Captain Pike’s characterization in the Strange New Worlds TV show originated here. And Number One’s Illyrian heritage. Those facts alone make this book a valuable piece of Star Trek history, but if you’re looking for some good pre-Kirk Spock content, you’re better off searching AO3.
December 25, 2023
3.75 stars. The writing itself (as one would expect from this author) is quite good, with excellent pacing, an interesting plot, and some fun side stories. But there is also one side story that is a bit boring and totally unconnected to the rest of the book. There were also a few moments where my suspension of disbelief was stretched to the limit.
This story takes place before we ever knew Spock, so we can't say what is and is not out of character for him, just so long as everything can at least fit within his behaviour in the original pilot episode (wherein Spock was very different from the Spock we came to know in TOS), which it did. This story acts as a bridge between the Spock of The Cage and the Spock of TOS, which is a great conceit for a novel, but I couldn't quite buy into the details of it.
I also could have done without the repetitive internalized misogyny directed at T'Pring. It was especially odd, because her very unfortunate experience in being betrothed to Spock was all clearly laid out, easily engendering sympathy for and understanding of her situation, but then all that excellent development was undercut by repeatedly referring to her in vicious and negative ways - both via the author's prose and multiple characters' internal thoughts - without any reason. It felt like the author had a weird personal vendetta against the character.
All that said, I enjoyed getting to go on an adventure with Pike and Number One and some other familiar faces in their pre-TOS lives. This could have teetered on a 4 for me with a few minor tweaks. For the time of its writing, it's pretty impressive!
This story takes place before we ever knew Spock, so we can't say what is and is not out of character for him, just so long as everything can at least fit within his behaviour in the original pilot episode (wherein Spock was very different from the Spock we came to know in TOS), which it did. This story acts as a bridge between the Spock of The Cage and the Spock of TOS, which is a great conceit for a novel, but I couldn't quite buy into the details of it.
I also could have done without the repetitive internalized misogyny directed at T'Pring. It was especially odd, because her very unfortunate experience in being betrothed to Spock was all clearly laid out, easily engendering sympathy for and understanding of her situation, but then all that excellent development was undercut by repeatedly referring to her in vicious and negative ways - both via the author's prose and multiple characters' internal thoughts - without any reason. It felt like the author had a weird personal vendetta against the character.
All that said, I enjoyed getting to go on an adventure with Pike and Number One and some other familiar faces in their pre-TOS lives. This could have teetered on a 4 for me with a few minor tweaks. For the time of its writing, it's pretty impressive!
November 25, 2020
This was a reread by an old favorite author, who not only helped write the original series but follows the timeline and plot as laid out in that genre.
The story begins with the introduction of a young Spock (age 24) and a very young Scotty (age ?) to the Enterprise, serving under Captain Christopher Pike. We also see the people who were on the ship then, including many who are mentioned later but not really shown. We see Number One, who was never really named, serving with Pike and Spock, and we get to see some of the personality which led an older Spock to defy regulations and orders to help his friend and previous Captain (see "The Menagerie" on the original series shows).
The Vulcans have long searched for a missing artifact, and the Enterprise may have a bead on it, led along from various reports and suppositions over the many years 'Vulcan's Glory' has been missing. The Glory is a large emerald, thought to support the soul of Vulcan, and the search has been long.
During the journey to a planet the Enterprise previously visited, a side trip is needed, and once the ship reaches it's destination, the captain is out of touch. Unfortunately while he is gone, murder ensues, casting suspicion on several people, including the newly reporting science officer, Mr Spock.
Well written, with a more vulnerable younger Spock who is willing to let down his guard a little with fellow officers. We also are introduced to T'Pring (see TOS show "Amok Time").
A fan favorite, at least this fan!
The story begins with the introduction of a young Spock (age 24) and a very young Scotty (age ?) to the Enterprise, serving under Captain Christopher Pike. We also see the people who were on the ship then, including many who are mentioned later but not really shown. We see Number One, who was never really named, serving with Pike and Spock, and we get to see some of the personality which led an older Spock to defy regulations and orders to help his friend and previous Captain (see "The Menagerie" on the original series shows).
The Vulcans have long searched for a missing artifact, and the Enterprise may have a bead on it, led along from various reports and suppositions over the many years 'Vulcan's Glory' has been missing. The Glory is a large emerald, thought to support the soul of Vulcan, and the search has been long.
During the journey to a planet the Enterprise previously visited, a side trip is needed, and once the ship reaches it's destination, the captain is out of touch. Unfortunately while he is gone, murder ensues, casting suspicion on several people, including the newly reporting science officer, Mr Spock.
Well written, with a more vulnerable younger Spock who is willing to let down his guard a little with fellow officers. We also are introduced to T'Pring (see TOS show "Amok Time").
A fan favorite, at least this fan!
January 28, 2024
TOS #44: Vulcan’s Glory by D.C Fontana
This is the only Star Trek novel ever written by D.C Fontana, the famed Star Trek sprict writer and formerly one of Gene Rodenberry’s chief creative people on TOS. I was interested in the novel because of that and how it also Pike and Number One and a young Scotty.
This novel was… ok. There was some things that didn’t make sense canonically such as Vulcans expressing emotions. Nowhere in canon, have I really seen Vulcans express emotion with their partners outside of Pon Farr. I thought that was the only place they would do it. Obviously, they would I love you and other things, but without emotion. Only in times of extreme stress or Pon Farr, I thought Vulcans expressed emotions.
Also, I know this book was written nearly 40 years before SNW, but I just had that in the back of my mind the whole time with how characters are expressed there such as Pike and Number One. I would say the deception of Pike and Number One was pretty consistent with SNW, minus the romantic subplot between them. There is where Number One was said to be an Illyrian first and it was fun was it officially made canon and a nice nod to Fontana. Also I loved how Scotty’s subplot mainly revolved around making booze while Spock has to deal with the death of his lover and finding himself among emotional beings. Spock can’t catch a break? The difference between the two was funny.
The writing style of the book was a little dry but nothing to lose my interest in the story.
Overall a 7/10
This is the only Star Trek novel ever written by D.C Fontana, the famed Star Trek sprict writer and formerly one of Gene Rodenberry’s chief creative people on TOS. I was interested in the novel because of that and how it also Pike and Number One and a young Scotty.
This novel was… ok. There was some things that didn’t make sense canonically such as Vulcans expressing emotions. Nowhere in canon, have I really seen Vulcans express emotion with their partners outside of Pon Farr. I thought that was the only place they would do it. Obviously, they would I love you and other things, but without emotion. Only in times of extreme stress or Pon Farr, I thought Vulcans expressed emotions.
Also, I know this book was written nearly 40 years before SNW, but I just had that in the back of my mind the whole time with how characters are expressed there such as Pike and Number One. I would say the deception of Pike and Number One was pretty consistent with SNW, minus the romantic subplot between them. There is where Number One was said to be an Illyrian first and it was fun was it officially made canon and a nice nod to Fontana. Also I loved how Scotty’s subplot mainly revolved around making booze while Spock has to deal with the death of his lover and finding himself among emotional beings. Spock can’t catch a break? The difference between the two was funny.
The writing style of the book was a little dry but nothing to lose my interest in the story.
Overall a 7/10
July 5, 2025
I'm rating this book based on what it is. When reading a Star Trek book, I know not to expect a great piece of literary fiction. I know I'm getting a quick, fun romp through the galaxy with some of my favorite characters. Based on those expectations, this book delivered.
I can't give it five stars, though, because I do feel it falls short in a couple of areas. I recognize it's written like a Star Trek episode, and is true to formula on that front, but at the same time, it is also a murder mystery and as such I feel it should have tried a little harder to conform to the expectations of the mystery genre. As in not waiting until halfway through the book before the murder occurs. Yes, there's a lot of backstory that the reader must know in order to understand why the murder was committed and why the other characters are impacted in the way they are, but those details could have been revealed throughout the course of the investigation, not all at the beginning before the murder itself takes place. To me, that would have made this book much more engaging and would have had me turning pages just to find out what the heck was going on.
Still, I'm only docking one star because Star Trek is not a mystery series, it's a sci-fi adventure series and is not expected to follow the conventions of a typical murder mystery. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if it had adhered to a few more tropes of the mystery genre.
I can't give it five stars, though, because I do feel it falls short in a couple of areas. I recognize it's written like a Star Trek episode, and is true to formula on that front, but at the same time, it is also a murder mystery and as such I feel it should have tried a little harder to conform to the expectations of the mystery genre. As in not waiting until halfway through the book before the murder occurs. Yes, there's a lot of backstory that the reader must know in order to understand why the murder was committed and why the other characters are impacted in the way they are, but those details could have been revealed throughout the course of the investigation, not all at the beginning before the murder itself takes place. To me, that would have made this book much more engaging and would have had me turning pages just to find out what the heck was going on.
Still, I'm only docking one star because Star Trek is not a mystery series, it's a sci-fi adventure series and is not expected to follow the conventions of a typical murder mystery. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if it had adhered to a few more tropes of the mystery genre.
August 31, 2017
This was an interesting and informative story. I have read very little about Spock when he was first assigned to the Enterprise with Christopher Pike in command. Spock has just been promoted to Lieutenant and third officer. While on leave Spock receives an order from his father to come home. This is during the eighteen years estrangement between Spock and his father. Sarek wants to remind Spock of his responsibilities to his family and his estate. (I really do think that Sarek is more to blame for this mess than Spock). We also get our first look at how Spock and T'Pring interact. I don't like T'Pring at all and it is obvious that Spock doesn't trust her as well. I was surprised that Spock had an affair before Kirk took over the Enterprise. I think that he cared very much for the Vulcan woman and I have to wonder how his life might have turned out if he had married this woman. I understand that in the 1960's networks never wanted to marry off popular characters fearing that it would dampen their appeal to the female viewers.
There is a murder mystery to be solved that has some interesting twists and turns. I wasn't sure who the murderer was until the end of the book. I am not the greatest at guessing these things so others may see it before I do. Finally Captain Pike is instructed to check on the development of a plant that suffer an nuclear holocaust. The last time Pike was on the planet he was able to get the townspeople and the nomads to start trading. This time a kidnapping threatens to end this cooperative agreement. There is a happy ending to this little excursion.
Overall I enjoyed this story very much. It was nice to see how the first crew of the Enterprise operated. This story also shows us Lieutenant (j.g.) Montgomery Scott on his first time aboard the Enterprise (this was a real treat). So there are some very nice firsts in this book and they add to the overall history of the ship.
There is a murder mystery to be solved that has some interesting twists and turns. I wasn't sure who the murderer was until the end of the book. I am not the greatest at guessing these things so others may see it before I do. Finally Captain Pike is instructed to check on the development of a plant that suffer an nuclear holocaust. The last time Pike was on the planet he was able to get the townspeople and the nomads to start trading. This time a kidnapping threatens to end this cooperative agreement. There is a happy ending to this little excursion.
Overall I enjoyed this story very much. It was nice to see how the first crew of the Enterprise operated. This story also shows us Lieutenant (j.g.) Montgomery Scott on his first time aboard the Enterprise (this was a real treat). So there are some very nice firsts in this book and they add to the overall history of the ship.
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