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Star Trek: The Original Series
The Case of the Colonist's Corpse: A Sam Cogley Mystery
When Captain Kirk faced court-martial, he chose the best lawyer in the Federation -- Samuel T. Cogley, a cranky old man who prefers books to padds and people to computers. Now, once again, it's SAM COGLEY FOR THE DEFENSE!
The planet Aneher II sits in the middle of the Neutral Zone, and neither the Klingon™ Empire nor the Federation can claim it. Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, any such contested colony world will go to the party -- Federation or Klingon -- which shows it can best develop the planet.
At first the two colonies live in peace, but it's a fragile peace, one shattered when Administrator Daniel Latham, the head of the Federation colony, is found murdered, and Commander Mak'Tor, the head of the Klingon colony, is found crouched over Latham's body, discharged phaser still hot in his hand.
When Lieutenant Areel Shaw of Starfleet is assigned to prosecute Mak'Tor, Sam Cogley volunteers to defend the accused Klingon. But when Cogley's own investigation provides the prosecution with its key piece of evidence and his courtroom tactics unexpectedly backfire, can even the galaxy's most brilliant defense attorney win the day in...
The Case of the Colonist's Corpse
The planet Aneher II sits in the middle of the Neutral Zone, and neither the Klingon™ Empire nor the Federation can claim it. Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, any such contested colony world will go to the party -- Federation or Klingon -- which shows it can best develop the planet.
At first the two colonies live in peace, but it's a fragile peace, one shattered when Administrator Daniel Latham, the head of the Federation colony, is found murdered, and Commander Mak'Tor, the head of the Klingon colony, is found crouched over Latham's body, discharged phaser still hot in his hand.
When Lieutenant Areel Shaw of Starfleet is assigned to prosecute Mak'Tor, Sam Cogley volunteers to defend the accused Klingon. But when Cogley's own investigation provides the prosecution with its key piece of evidence and his courtroom tactics unexpectedly backfire, can even the galaxy's most brilliant defense attorney win the day in...
The Case of the Colonist's Corpse
273 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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199 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 19, 2021
Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, the Klingons and the Federation are allowed to develop colonies on the same world until the Organians will decide which of the two powers has done the most and deserves control of the whole planet. Aneher II is such a colony and, when the Klingon leader is found kneeling by the dead body of his human counterpart, it looks like a clear case of murder. Only the best criminal defence lawyer, Samuel Cogley, can hope to clear his client.
The plot is intricate and definitely relies on 'Star Trek' tropes to solve the mystery, but where it fails (sadly) as a 'Perry Mason' pastiche is that it doesn't quite ring true to the source novels. To be fair, it ticks a lot of the boxes, but the clues to the identity of the true murderer are not planted in the novel and when they are revealed, it feels a bit like a sleight of hand has been pulled by the authors.
The plot is intricate and definitely relies on 'Star Trek' tropes to solve the mystery, but where it fails (sadly) as a 'Perry Mason' pastiche is that it doesn't quite ring true to the source novels. To be fair, it ticks a lot of the boxes, but the clues to the identity of the true murderer are not planted in the novel and when they are revealed, it feels a bit like a sleight of hand has been pulled by the authors.
April 12, 2025
The actual set-up of the murder at the heart of this Perry-Mason-in-Space is rather "meh"...but it's all just an excuse to give the reader the grand experience of Samuel T Cogley, attorney-at-law. He gets a showcase here that blows away his appearance in the TOS episode "Court Martial" and it's a joy watching his investigation and take-down of evil doers in a galaxy reaching for peace between blood enemies. Lots to enjoy in this one-off adventure.
March 9, 2017
Een combinatie van mijn 2 favoriete genres: hard-boiled detective en sci-fi. Een beetje onnatuurlijk maar in het kader van de holosuites ondertussen toch volledig ingeburgerd. Een rechtbankdrama waarbij de advokaat van de verdediging om het nippertje met de juiste toedracht aankomt. De auteur heeft het bedoeld als een tribute aan Perry Mason en dat is het ook duidelijk geworden.
January 6, 2011
If ever there were Star Trek novels that lead credence to the argument that the books should be considered canon because they can explore corners of the Star Trek universe that can't be done on TV or film, this is one of them. "A Sam Cogley Mystery" is the subtitle of this work as it features that one-episode character who defended Captain Kirk when he was tried for murder. The writers make no bones about this book being a tribute to the Perry Mason novels of Earl Stanley Gardner. The pages even have those red edges like mystery paperbacks of old. It is fortunate that the books was written when it was, after so much has been added to the Star Trek timeline. The writers freely have characters recalling events that happened on Enterprise or speculate upon the advances to come that we have seen on the other series. Besides being a fun Star Trek novel, the book really is a great murder mystery, with enough suspects and riddles to keep you guessing and second guessing right up until the killer is finally revealed. This was meant to be the first in a series of Sam Cogley mystery novels. Sadly, as of this writing, there haven't been any new Sam Cogley books. We can only hope that this changes.
May 26, 2012
Samuel T. Cogley defends a Klingon accused of killing the Federation administrator of a mining colony. Lt. Areel Shaw is the prosecutor, eager for a rematch with Cogley. Both originally appeared in TOS episode “Court Martial”. This is a well-paced and entertaining courtroom mystery, as well as a tribute to Earl Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason, down to the book’s design and red-dyed edges. Sam Cogley is familiar enough after more than 35 years of reruns that I can easily see him in a series of mystery novels. The authors also effectively use TOS and Enterprise tube history to paint the background.
I got the impression that authors Bob Ingersoll and Tony Isabella, both veterans of Star Trek comics and novels, have something more in mind for Lt. Areel Shaw in a future story.
Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
I got the impression that authors Bob Ingersoll and Tony Isabella, both veterans of Star Trek comics and novels, have something more in mind for Lt. Areel Shaw in a future story.
Published in paperback by Pocket Books.
November 26, 2020
A planet in the Neutral Zone has its human leader found murdered by three men. The Klingon leader of that planet is found over the man's corpse. A trial is called and representing the accused Klingon is Sam Cogley from the classic Trek "Court Martial." He and his two associates are taken to Aneher II by the crew of the Enterprise, along with the judge in the case and the prosecutor, Areel Shaw, who feels she has something to prove in defeating Cogley.
I love Cogley and getting to see him in action once again was a joy. I love how he's considered crazy by everyone, but there is a method to his madness. His colleagues are also enjoyable, though I wish the taller one wasn't associated with a specific Starfleet division, since that aspect of that organization has been thoroughly overused in the novels, though--thankfully--it only serves as a character trait to be used in future appearances.
The original characters are engaging, all fitting in the classic mystery mode of all having a reason to kill the deceased. The trial sessions were top notch, with everyone on the stand really getting a good once over from Sam. I especially liked Klingons on the stand and in the court room.
The only nit I have is who the murderer is revealed to be. It was apparent who was the killer, though the catching of the criminal is entertainingly dramatic.
There were also some nice nods to current and future Trek series, with not only the crew of Kirk's Enterprise involved, but mention of Captain Archer and some technology that would be essential in the Next Generation and beyond.
This was a very satisfying read with the characters being fantastic. I wish Mr. Cogley had other cases that were shared with readers.
I love Cogley and getting to see him in action once again was a joy. I love how he's considered crazy by everyone, but there is a method to his madness. His colleagues are also enjoyable, though I wish the taller one wasn't associated with a specific Starfleet division, since that aspect of that organization has been thoroughly overused in the novels, though--thankfully--it only serves as a character trait to be used in future appearances.
The original characters are engaging, all fitting in the classic mystery mode of all having a reason to kill the deceased. The trial sessions were top notch, with everyone on the stand really getting a good once over from Sam. I especially liked Klingons on the stand and in the court room.
The only nit I have is who the murderer is revealed to be. It was apparent who was the killer, though the catching of the criminal is entertainingly dramatic.
There were also some nice nods to current and future Trek series, with not only the crew of Kirk's Enterprise involved, but mention of Captain Archer and some technology that would be essential in the Next Generation and beyond.
This was a very satisfying read with the characters being fantastic. I wish Mr. Cogley had other cases that were shared with readers.
February 15, 2021
It took quite a time for me to read this, I have a number of books on the go at any one time and I kept pausing with this one. I know when a book is really tedious, as I take a while, whereas if it's enjoyable, I whip through it quickly. The authors didn't get Cogley 'right', I couldn't 'feel' the actor, who played the part so well in the TV episode Court Martial. The narrative was a little hard to follow at times, especially when it came to the court case, which only formed a small part towards the end. A good idea but poorly realised.
September 15, 2024
The premise here is that Sam Cogley (Kirk's attorney in "Court Martial") has many other colorful cases, such as this one involving a colonist apparently murdered by the head of a rival Klingon colony. The model is Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason.
I'd heard good things about how fun this was; I didn't find it fun at all. Gardner always kept things moving fast with plenty of melodrama; here we take forever getting to know the victim and the suspects before the murder and none of it's interesting. By the time the murder took place, I'd checked out.
I'd heard good things about how fun this was; I didn't find it fun at all. Gardner always kept things moving fast with plenty of melodrama; here we take forever getting to know the victim and the suspects before the murder and none of it's interesting. By the time the murder took place, I'd checked out.
July 21, 2023
I'm a sucker for courtroom drama. So the opening chapters hooked me right away. Then, it got boring for a bit to the point that I wasn't sure I was going to make it. But the final third was great! The final chapter seemed to drag on unnecessarily but explained a few seeming plot holes, so I can't be too upset.
July 22, 2020
A briskly moving murder mystery set in an obscure corner of the Star Trek universe. I really enjoyed it - there was just enough for it to be familiar terrain, but I also appreciated the look into an off-the-beaten path colony and the characters who populated it. Well written, wish the authors had the opportunity to pen some other Samuel Cogley mysteries.
November 9, 2023
I mainly picked up this book because of the authors. In particular, I liked their other work on Captain America: Liberty's Torch, and Bob Ingersoll's column "The Law Is A Ass" (where he applies real life law to comic book stories).
The story re-uses a character from the TOS episode where Kirk gets court-martialled. I vaguely remember it, either from watching the episode or reading the novelisation, but my memory is pretty hazy. Still, this book does a decent job of introducing all the characters (along with a recap of that episode), so you could start here without any prior knowledge.
Apparently it's a deliberate tribute to Perry Mason, and that's where I'm on shakier ground. I've never read any of those books, and I'm not sure whether I've ever watched any of the TV episodes; I might have seen one episode, but that's all. I don't know how closely this book follows that pattern, but it didn't get off to a great start.
Basically, the book starts in the middle of a courtroom scene, then there's a dramatic revelation. The next chapter shows the client arriving at the lawyer's office, and I initially assumed that this was a flashback. However, it turned out that he was there to explain what happened "off screen". This was pretty much expository dialogue, since he told the lawyer that the police had confirmed his theory, i.e. the client was telling the lawyer what they both already knew, solely for the benefit of the reader. Show, don't tell!
After that, the book improved. They set up a murder, with several possible culprits who each had the means, motive, and opportunity. It's been several years since I last read this book, so I'd forgotten who actually did it, and the story kept me guessing up until the end.
I would still question whether it's necessary for the defence lawyer to prove who actually committed a crime, rather than simply establishing reasonable doubt that his client was innocent. However, as a reader I want the mystery to be solved, and I don't mind too much whether it's a lawyer or a detective who actually gets the job done.
Looking at the Star Trek chronology, this story takes place before (and during) "The Trouble with Tribbles", i.e. the Enterprise drops the lawyers off on their way to space station K-7, then comes back after they've finished dealing with the tribbles. However, while it's set during the original series, they've used elements that were introduced later on, particularly the Klingon courtroom (as seen in "Star Trek VI") and some of Jonathan Archer's exploits (as seen in in "Enterprise").
I'm curious about the claim that "Klingons don't have fingerprints" (p91), and a quick Google search doesn't turn up any supporting evidence; I'm sure there is a canon source, so please leave me a comment if you know what it was. This story also relies on the idea that people use money within the Federation, which doesn't quite fit in with some other stories. However, the economics of the Federation could be an entire book in its own right (making sense of the conflicting statements in different films/episodes), so I'll give the authors the benefit of the doubt on that one.
There are a few odd formatting glitches in the ebook, but sadly that seems to be par for the course nowadays. In particular, there are page breaks between paragraphs, and a pun that doesn't quite make sense: "what do Iino know about actin'?" (Assuming that "Iino" is pronounced "I know", that phrase becomes "what do I know know about acting?")
There aren't really any loose ends here, but the authors did lay some groundwork for a future story. Since it's been so long without a follow-up, that's probably not going to happen, but I'd happily buy a sequel if they wrote one.
The story re-uses a character from the TOS episode where Kirk gets court-martialled. I vaguely remember it, either from watching the episode or reading the novelisation, but my memory is pretty hazy. Still, this book does a decent job of introducing all the characters (along with a recap of that episode), so you could start here without any prior knowledge.
Apparently it's a deliberate tribute to Perry Mason, and that's where I'm on shakier ground. I've never read any of those books, and I'm not sure whether I've ever watched any of the TV episodes; I might have seen one episode, but that's all. I don't know how closely this book follows that pattern, but it didn't get off to a great start.
Basically, the book starts in the middle of a courtroom scene, then there's a dramatic revelation. The next chapter shows the client arriving at the lawyer's office, and I initially assumed that this was a flashback. However, it turned out that he was there to explain what happened "off screen". This was pretty much expository dialogue, since he told the lawyer that the police had confirmed his theory, i.e. the client was telling the lawyer what they both already knew, solely for the benefit of the reader. Show, don't tell!
After that, the book improved. They set up a murder, with several possible culprits who each had the means, motive, and opportunity. It's been several years since I last read this book, so I'd forgotten who actually did it, and the story kept me guessing up until the end.
I would still question whether it's necessary for the defence lawyer to prove who actually committed a crime, rather than simply establishing reasonable doubt that his client was innocent. However, as a reader I want the mystery to be solved, and I don't mind too much whether it's a lawyer or a detective who actually gets the job done.
Looking at the Star Trek chronology, this story takes place before (and during) "The Trouble with Tribbles", i.e. the Enterprise drops the lawyers off on their way to space station K-7, then comes back after they've finished dealing with the tribbles. However, while it's set during the original series, they've used elements that were introduced later on, particularly the Klingon courtroom (as seen in "Star Trek VI") and some of Jonathan Archer's exploits (as seen in in "Enterprise").
I'm curious about the claim that "Klingons don't have fingerprints" (p91), and a quick Google search doesn't turn up any supporting evidence; I'm sure there is a canon source, so please leave me a comment if you know what it was. This story also relies on the idea that people use money within the Federation, which doesn't quite fit in with some other stories. However, the economics of the Federation could be an entire book in its own right (making sense of the conflicting statements in different films/episodes), so I'll give the authors the benefit of the doubt on that one.
There are a few odd formatting glitches in the ebook, but sadly that seems to be par for the course nowadays. In particular, there are page breaks between paragraphs, and a pun that doesn't quite make sense: "what do Iino know about actin'?" (Assuming that "Iino" is pronounced "I know", that phrase becomes "what do I know know about acting?")
There aren't really any loose ends here, but the authors did lay some groundwork for a future story. Since it's been so long without a follow-up, that's probably not going to happen, but I'd happily buy a sequel if they wrote one.
May 19, 2016
"The Case of the Colonist's Corpse" by Bob Ingersoll and Tony Isabella is an interesting departure from standard Star Trek literature. There is only a brief cameo from the Enterprise and its crew with the majority of the novel being devoted to telling a mystery/courtroom drama story set on a colony world with a story centres around Sam Cogley, the lawer who defended Captain Kirk in the TV episode “Court Martial”.
The events of the novel take place on Aneher II, a planet whose ownership is being contested by both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty whichever government is deemed to have best developed their portion of the planet will be awarded the planet and both groups are therefore trying to prove their abilities. The uneasy peace between the two groups is shattered however by the murder of the Federation Administrator, Daniel Latham, seemingly killed by the Klingon Commander Mak'Tor. In order to provide a fair trial, Sam Cogley volunteers to defend Mak’Tor and must face off against his previous foe in the courtroom, prosecutor Areel Shaw.
The plot follows a classic mystery template with the reader knowing who is dead and who is going to be accused right from the earliest moments. They also know that the accused is obviously innocent and the fun lies in trying to pick the real culprit out a list of suspects who all have clear reasons for wanting to kill the victim. If you have ever read Perry Mason mystery novel then you will have a good idea what type of novel this is as it is very similar in style.
In regards to the writing itself, on the whole it felt quite simplistic but I don’t think that this distracted from the simple fun of seeing the Trek Universe explored in such an original and enjoyable way. However, this decision to concentrate on a small and little explored element of the Trek Universe instead of just re-hashing the standard Trek formula does result in one issue which may disappoint some readers. Basically, there is very little time put aside for the traditional characters of The Original Series. Personally, I didn’t mind this but I know there are some readers of Trek lit who mainly read these novels because of the Enterprise and its crew.
Overall, this was an enjoyable novel which provides readers with a Trek novel that doesn’t follow the traditional template. The fusion of Star Trek and Courtroom drama is an interesting one that had me entertained although I suspect the Science-Fiction elements may put off regular readers of the Mystery genre. In addition, any Star Trek fan who regular reads Trek books due to the Enterprise crew will also probably have some issues.
The events of the novel take place on Aneher II, a planet whose ownership is being contested by both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty whichever government is deemed to have best developed their portion of the planet will be awarded the planet and both groups are therefore trying to prove their abilities. The uneasy peace between the two groups is shattered however by the murder of the Federation Administrator, Daniel Latham, seemingly killed by the Klingon Commander Mak'Tor. In order to provide a fair trial, Sam Cogley volunteers to defend Mak’Tor and must face off against his previous foe in the courtroom, prosecutor Areel Shaw.
The plot follows a classic mystery template with the reader knowing who is dead and who is going to be accused right from the earliest moments. They also know that the accused is obviously innocent and the fun lies in trying to pick the real culprit out a list of suspects who all have clear reasons for wanting to kill the victim. If you have ever read Perry Mason mystery novel then you will have a good idea what type of novel this is as it is very similar in style.
In regards to the writing itself, on the whole it felt quite simplistic but I don’t think that this distracted from the simple fun of seeing the Trek Universe explored in such an original and enjoyable way. However, this decision to concentrate on a small and little explored element of the Trek Universe instead of just re-hashing the standard Trek formula does result in one issue which may disappoint some readers. Basically, there is very little time put aside for the traditional characters of The Original Series. Personally, I didn’t mind this but I know there are some readers of Trek lit who mainly read these novels because of the Enterprise and its crew.
Overall, this was an enjoyable novel which provides readers with a Trek novel that doesn’t follow the traditional template. The fusion of Star Trek and Courtroom drama is an interesting one that had me entertained although I suspect the Science-Fiction elements may put off regular readers of the Mystery genre. In addition, any Star Trek fan who regular reads Trek books due to the Enterprise crew will also probably have some issues.
November 24, 2012
I decided to read one old fashioned mystery novel during the summer in remembrance of my childhood summers spent reading Agatha Christie. What was cool was that Simon & Schuster had published a Star Trek book that was written in the style of an old Perry Mason novel. Close enough to Christie, and with a Trek setting!
Tony Isabella and Bob Ingersoll have written an entertaining and clever murder mystery that oh so nicely relies on purposefully old fashioned language and style to give it extra seasoning. Sam Cogley is a good 23rd century version of Perry Mason with his theatrics and quick wit. And despite its pulpy appearance this is not just a silly conceptual experiment but a book with some real themes and depth.
What this novel is not is a plausible "Star Trek" novel. The colony and the Federation presented differs largely from that of the series' with its greedily materialistic characters going after personal property which shouldn't even be a realistic concept in this setting. Winning some extra points is the fact that the concept of frontier colonization was never that thoroughly examined on screen. This makes "The Case of the Colonist's Corpse" A Trek book with a reasonably fresh perspective as well as a fun little whodunit.
Tony Isabella and Bob Ingersoll have written an entertaining and clever murder mystery that oh so nicely relies on purposefully old fashioned language and style to give it extra seasoning. Sam Cogley is a good 23rd century version of Perry Mason with his theatrics and quick wit. And despite its pulpy appearance this is not just a silly conceptual experiment but a book with some real themes and depth.
What this novel is not is a plausible "Star Trek" novel. The colony and the Federation presented differs largely from that of the series' with its greedily materialistic characters going after personal property which shouldn't even be a realistic concept in this setting. Winning some extra points is the fact that the concept of frontier colonization was never that thoroughly examined on screen. This makes "The Case of the Colonist's Corpse" A Trek book with a reasonably fresh perspective as well as a fun little whodunit.
July 3, 2010
A decent enough courtroom drama, The Case of the Colonist's Corpse is a compelling murder mystery set in the Federation/Klingon neutral zone. While the ending is somewhat predictable, there are enough twists to keep the reader engaged and guessing as to what exactly occurred on that fateful night.
I have two complaints which keep me from giving the novel a higher rating. First, the authors give one character a certain trait that predictably ends up giving away his identity. This less-than-stellar method of character building - giving each character a single major "look at me!!" type of trait instead of multiple, more subtle traits to define them - mars otherwise interesting characters.
The second complaint I have is that the authors seem to be unable to control their prose. Settings, people, and actions are described down to the smallest detail for no reason other than for the sake of description. It ends up being repetitive and bogs down the story. At times the unending prose gives the impression that the authors needed to fill a certain number of pages. If this is the case, then they accomplished their task rather badly.
I have two complaints which keep me from giving the novel a higher rating. First, the authors give one character a certain trait that predictably ends up giving away his identity. This less-than-stellar method of character building - giving each character a single major "look at me!!" type of trait instead of multiple, more subtle traits to define them - mars otherwise interesting characters.
The second complaint I have is that the authors seem to be unable to control their prose. Settings, people, and actions are described down to the smallest detail for no reason other than for the sake of description. It ends up being repetitive and bogs down the story. At times the unending prose gives the impression that the authors needed to fill a certain number of pages. If this is the case, then they accomplished their task rather badly.
August 18, 2022
In my re-reading of the book, I'm tempted to take away a star from my original four-star rating. Let's call it 3.5 stars rounded up. It takes a while for the book to warm up, putting a great many clues and bits of information before it actually gets into the Perry Mason-like meat of the story. There are a few continuity errors, although not in terms of the mystery and trial aspects of the tale, so perhaps those are more nits to be picked rather than faults to the story itself.
The trial portion of the book is very much in line with its spiritual origins (the authors credit "Earl (sic) Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason, who gave us a template"). That is where the action is and, in terms of it being presented in a more rapid-fire style than anything else in the book, it's the best part of the whole adventure. If you can see your way through the first few hundred pages, you can enjoy the courtroom story and find the journey ultimately worthwhile.
The trial portion of the book is very much in line with its spiritual origins (the authors credit "Earl (sic) Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason, who gave us a template"). That is where the action is and, in terms of it being presented in a more rapid-fire style than anything else in the book, it's the best part of the whole adventure. If you can see your way through the first few hundred pages, you can enjoy the courtroom story and find the journey ultimately worthwhile.
November 20, 2013
Bob Ingersoll & Tony Isabella's "The Case of the Colonist's Corpse" is one of those rare Star Trek murder mystery novels that you almost wish had been revisited again. The book is set on Aneher II where their administrator Daniel Latham is murdered a fragile peace is shattered. To the rescue comes Samuel T. Cogley to defend the Klingon Mak'Tor who is accused of the crime. The book itself is actually a very well written murder mystery using the characters of the original series sparingly enough for them not to be a major factor. The plot is well written & the mystery has enough twists & turns to keep you guessing up until the very end. The only disappointment that I as a reader have about this January 2004 is that the writers of the original series fiction never bothered to revisit this defense attorney which might've worked out well for the future.
January 24, 2016
This is one of the first courtroom drama books I have ever read. If all books are like this one, I will have to read more. My first exposure to this type of story is in the Star Trek Universe made it all the more accessible to me.
Samuel Cogley, the man who defended Capt. Kirk in his Court Martial, is back, and this time defending a Klingon who had been accused of killing the head administrator in a mining colony.
I thought the beginning, while starting off strong, fell off a bit, but once it got back on track ,kept me entertained through the entire book.
I highly recommend this. In the intro, they state this book pays homage to the Perry Mason novels. I may have to read one of those next and see if I enjoy those as much as I did this.
Samuel Cogley, the man who defended Capt. Kirk in his Court Martial, is back, and this time defending a Klingon who had been accused of killing the head administrator in a mining colony.
I thought the beginning, while starting off strong, fell off a bit, but once it got back on track ,kept me entertained through the entire book.
I highly recommend this. In the intro, they state this book pays homage to the Perry Mason novels. I may have to read one of those next and see if I enjoy those as much as I did this.
June 29, 2013
A nice little mystery wrapped up in a Star Trek novel, this book really goes heavy into the minutia of the Trek Universe, using a lot of lesser-known characters, including Samuel Cogley, the irascible played by Elisha Cook on the original series episode "Court Martial". The mystery itself is laid out so the reader has a mess o' suspects to choose from, and it's just a matter of guessing who did it, and enjoying the ride!
October 8, 2011
An entertaining read ... like a combination of a John Grisham novel in the Star Trek universe. I enjoyed seeing characters from the original series episode "Court Martial" given their own room to grow and develop.
Recommended for Star Trek fans.
Recommended for Star Trek fans.
August 11, 2016
Although it does rehash some things from the TOS episodes the book could have very well been one itself. It's paced similarly but instead of using the same characters from the shows I wished they put Cogley up against someone new. A good read for any Trekkie.
April 14, 2013
A fun mix of Star Trek lore and courtroom drama. This feels like the start of a spin-off series though I am not aware of any sequels.
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