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Star Trek: The Prisoner of Vega
Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew confront villains from the Klingon Empire who are holding the beautiful ruler of Vega prisoner.
44 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 21, 2020
The story was...so-so. Kind of light, but it’s not supposed to be anything other than what it is. But the pictures were great. The Klingons’ uniforms consisting basically of a tunic and speedos is so “Star Trek”! The expressions on the characters’ faces were perfection. This was a quick and fun read.
June 24, 2023
Nice illustrations and I like the stargazing tip on the last page.
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February 29, 2020The Enterprise is headed to Vega III to sign a trade treaty, to get Korium. The way the book phrases it sounds a bit ominous, though:
When they arrive, they are told they must leave or be destroyed. Kirk is friends with Queen Vanadala, though, and knows something must be wrong, so Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to investigate.
On the planet, they find that Klingons have taken over Vega III and imprisoned Queen Vanadala in order to take the valuable Korium for themselves. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy knock out three Klingon guards and steal their clothing in order to observe undetected (knowing, as we all do, that Augment Klingons are indistinguishable from humans).
They meet the Klingon leader, and Spock recognizes him:
Our heroes are captured and imprisoned with Queen Vanadala, then all four are taken out to be executed. However, Kirk comes up with a cunning plan: stall for a few minutes until the time they have arranged for Scotty to beam them all back up, so they will be saved.
He does and they are.
Like The Truth Machine, it's not much of a story, but it's a picture book, so... good enough.
Vega III had a large supply of Korium, a rare metal used to build new starships. The United Federation of Planets needed Korium. The Vegans were going to give it to the Federation.
When they arrive, they are told they must leave or be destroyed. Kirk is friends with Queen Vanadala, though, and knows something must be wrong, so Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to investigate.
On the planet, they find that Klingons have taken over Vega III and imprisoned Queen Vanadala in order to take the valuable Korium for themselves. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy knock out three Klingon guards and steal their clothing in order to observe undetected (knowing, as we all do, that Augment Klingons are indistinguishable from humans).
They meet the Klingon leader, and Spock recognizes him:
"It is Commander Kalor!" whispered Spock. "The meanest Klingon of them all. I have met him before."
Our heroes are captured and imprisoned with Queen Vanadala, then all four are taken out to be executed. However, Kirk comes up with a cunning plan: stall for a few minutes until the time they have arranged for Scotty to beam them all back up, so they will be saved.
He does and they are.
Like The Truth Machine, it's not much of a story, but it's a picture book, so... good enough.
December 29, 2013
This was cheesy and hilarious. (OMG, Klingons in hot pants!) Quick and fun read!
April 13, 2025
This was honestly pretty dreadful. A lot of it makes no sense whatsoever - the Klingons attack a colony and force the inhabitants to mine for them, and Kirk and company capture the leader and take him back to a star base for trial, while leaving the rest of the Klingons there, because clearly job done. There's a myriad of stupid things here, and it would be a one star read for me if one of those stupid things didn't start me cackling every time I saw it. The Klingons - who look exactly like humans, to the point that the Klingon leader doesn't recognise Spock as not-Klingon until he sees Spock's ears - are all in bathing suits. Oh, they're supposed to be uniforms, but they're cut so high it might as well be sci-fi Miss Universe at the mining colony.
Every time I looked at them I pictured Worf in a similar costume, and the amusement value of that alone was worth an extra star.
Every time I looked at them I pictured Worf in a similar costume, and the amusement value of that alone was worth an extra star.
December 3, 2024
Star Trek: The Prisoner of Vega by Robert Swanson is a good introduction to the Star Trek universe for younger readers, making it suitable for elementary-age children and up. The book features both familiar and unfamiliar characters, as Captain Kirk and his crew face off against villains from the Klingon Empire. The story is accompanied by nice illustrations that enhance the reading experience and help bring the Star Trek world to life. While it’s an enjoyable read, it doesn’t quite reach the depth or excitement of some other Star Trek adventures. A solid 3-star book, it’s a decent pick for young fans starting their journey into the final frontier.
January 26, 2023
This is a somewhat more sanitized G-rated star Trek episode but it's great how they simplified the plot for younger audiences and emulated the actors likenesses from the tv show in the illustrations!
February 24, 2025
All the classic elements of a star trek story. Has a nice bit of astronomy at the end from Mr Spock.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews