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Star Trek: The Original Series #77
Twilight's End
Unlike most planets, Rimillia does not spin upon its axis so its day and night sides are subject to perpetual extremes of hot and cold. Habitation has only been possible on a thin band of the planet's surface...until now. Using gigantic impulse engines of unimaginable power, the alien Dumada intend to start Rimillia rotating, rendering the entire world fit for colonization. Yet some fear the enormous stresses involved may tear the planet apart. Assigned to assist the Dumada, Captain Kirk must rescue a kidnapped scientist vital to the rotation project. But, once the giant engines are activated, can even Scotty save Rimillia -- and the U.S.S. Enterprise™ -- from total destruction.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
29 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Oltion
220 books24 followersJerry Oltion (pronounced OL-tee-un) has been a gardener, stone mason, carpenter, oilfield worker, forester, land surveyor, rock 'n' roll deejay, printer, proofreader, editor, publisher, computer consultant, movie extra, corporate secretary, magazine columnist, and garbage truck driver. For the last 37 years he has also been a writer, with 15 novels and over 150 stories published so far.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 7, 2016
5/5 Stars
In this Star Trek book, the crew finds themselves at the planet Rimillia. The people who occupy this planet are forced to live on a small, thin portion of the planet – the only part that is habitable. Since the planet doesn’t revolve on it’s axis (spin), there are only two other extreme temperatures: deadly hot and deadly cold. Kirk and the crew quickly learn that their help is wanted by some, but repelled by most. Once Kirk is taken captive by a rebel alliance, will Scotty be able to work out the kinks in the rotation plan to start Rimillia spinning. All the while, will Spock find Kirk in time and be able to protect against an attack? Pick up this thrilling adventure to find out.
First, I’m going to say right away that this was my first time reading a Star Trek book. I’ve always been an original series fan, but nowhere as committed as some crazed fans. I noticed that many people on Goodreads weren’t happy with this book, but I, personally, think it was because of the political undertones and not the story itself.
I don’t see why, though, as I thought this book did a marvelous job of capturing the politics, tension, plot lines, and character personalities of the Star Trek Original Series.
This story was ridden with tension from beginning to end. Granted, I didn’t read this in just a few sittings, but instead brought this book to the gym with me for my cardio workouts. This means it took me quite a while to actually finish this book, but I found myself eager to pick it up nearly daily. It kept me wanting to go the gym – that’s for sure! The story read very much like watching an episode. There was plenty of action that was complimented by calmer parts of dialogue and discussion.
Along with capturing the tension of an episode perfectly, Oltion also captures the characters personalities wonderfully. The characters that any Star Trek fan knows and loves come to life vividly in this novel. I found myself nodding along and smiling at each notable characteristic that cropped up.
On top of the story and characters, the writing itself is marvelous. This story is easy to read, yet not so simple that it’s boring. Oltion strikes the perfect balance between readability and science fiction. His writing is also humorous and fun. I found myself laughing out loud (even though I was at the gym) on more than one occasion. Oltion’s story was interesting, fun, and altogether enjoyable.
I gave it some thought, and, honestly, I recommend this book to science fiction fans. I don’t believe that you have to have a knowledge of the Star Trek universe before picking this book up. However, being a Trekkie definitely makes the story more fun.
Review originally published on my Wordpress blog Dreaming Through Literature.
In this Star Trek book, the crew finds themselves at the planet Rimillia. The people who occupy this planet are forced to live on a small, thin portion of the planet – the only part that is habitable. Since the planet doesn’t revolve on it’s axis (spin), there are only two other extreme temperatures: deadly hot and deadly cold. Kirk and the crew quickly learn that their help is wanted by some, but repelled by most. Once Kirk is taken captive by a rebel alliance, will Scotty be able to work out the kinks in the rotation plan to start Rimillia spinning. All the while, will Spock find Kirk in time and be able to protect against an attack? Pick up this thrilling adventure to find out.
First, I’m going to say right away that this was my first time reading a Star Trek book. I’ve always been an original series fan, but nowhere as committed as some crazed fans. I noticed that many people on Goodreads weren’t happy with this book, but I, personally, think it was because of the political undertones and not the story itself.
I don’t see why, though, as I thought this book did a marvelous job of capturing the politics, tension, plot lines, and character personalities of the Star Trek Original Series.
This story was ridden with tension from beginning to end. Granted, I didn’t read this in just a few sittings, but instead brought this book to the gym with me for my cardio workouts. This means it took me quite a while to actually finish this book, but I found myself eager to pick it up nearly daily. It kept me wanting to go the gym – that’s for sure! The story read very much like watching an episode. There was plenty of action that was complimented by calmer parts of dialogue and discussion.
Along with capturing the tension of an episode perfectly, Oltion also captures the characters personalities wonderfully. The characters that any Star Trek fan knows and loves come to life vividly in this novel. I found myself nodding along and smiling at each notable characteristic that cropped up.
On top of the story and characters, the writing itself is marvelous. This story is easy to read, yet not so simple that it’s boring. Oltion strikes the perfect balance between readability and science fiction. His writing is also humorous and fun. I found myself laughing out loud (even though I was at the gym) on more than one occasion. Oltion’s story was interesting, fun, and altogether enjoyable.
I gave it some thought, and, honestly, I recommend this book to science fiction fans. I don’t believe that you have to have a knowledge of the Star Trek universe before picking this book up. However, being a Trekkie definitely makes the story more fun.
Review originally published on my Wordpress blog Dreaming Through Literature.
May 26, 2018
This one didn't do much for me.
December 4, 2010
I enjoyed this book. Reading other reviews, it seems like most people found it to be a weaker addition to the Star Trek novel collection.
But perhaps I'm not the usual Star Trek reader. I fondly remember the original series, but I'm certainly not a Trek fan to any significant degree. I do, however, enjoy the characters, and I do read the Star Trek books by authors whose original SF writings I enjoy.
And I really enjoy Jerry Oltion. He's a great (and sadly underappreciated) SF author! He takes bizarre premises and gives them the most rigorous hard-science grounding possible, all while captivating the reader with an enjoyable and entertaining story-line involving realistic and likeable characters.
And this book is no exception. I really think Oltion outdid many of the other writers in terms of scientific rigor. He really gave great details on a planet tidally locked with its sun, and what effects that would have on the planet. And the addition of the binary was needed (as explained) to give the planet even a dismal chance of supporting life. So yes, I think Oltion did a great job in taking care to make the science realistic.
But it is Star Trek, isn't it? So we have subspace interactions from the impulse engines. (What is the fabric of subspace, anyways?) Not Oltion's fault that Star Trek has its own admittedly flimsy proprietary blend of scientific canon. Another reviewer here criticized Oltion's "trek-nology" but I applaud Oltion for trying to put some real science in, even though he had to blend it with "trek-tastic" science here and there.
As I've said, I really think Oltion does a great job with people. The characterizations of the main Trek crew in this novel is completely perfect. I enjoyed Spock in this novel most of all, but Oltion really gets everybody just right. And that includes the denizens of the planet itself - take time to consider how Oltion makes certain that there's internal consistency in the choices they make in terms of planetary ecology. Really, this was a fine work.
My only complaint might be that this could have been an epic hard-science novel (think Greg Bear in Moving Mars) if Oltion had not bothered to fit it into the Star Trek universe. This was good enough (and would have been better) had he kept the idea for his own, and created a stand-alone hard SF novel that follows the same storyline.
Very good and quick read. Give it a try, and then go look for Oltion's other work (start with Anywhere But Here). You will not be disappointed.
But perhaps I'm not the usual Star Trek reader. I fondly remember the original series, but I'm certainly not a Trek fan to any significant degree. I do, however, enjoy the characters, and I do read the Star Trek books by authors whose original SF writings I enjoy.
And I really enjoy Jerry Oltion. He's a great (and sadly underappreciated) SF author! He takes bizarre premises and gives them the most rigorous hard-science grounding possible, all while captivating the reader with an enjoyable and entertaining story-line involving realistic and likeable characters.
And this book is no exception. I really think Oltion outdid many of the other writers in terms of scientific rigor. He really gave great details on a planet tidally locked with its sun, and what effects that would have on the planet. And the addition of the binary was needed (as explained) to give the planet even a dismal chance of supporting life. So yes, I think Oltion did a great job in taking care to make the science realistic.
But it is Star Trek, isn't it? So we have subspace interactions from the impulse engines. (What is the fabric of subspace, anyways?) Not Oltion's fault that Star Trek has its own admittedly flimsy proprietary blend of scientific canon. Another reviewer here criticized Oltion's "trek-nology" but I applaud Oltion for trying to put some real science in, even though he had to blend it with "trek-tastic" science here and there.
As I've said, I really think Oltion does a great job with people. The characterizations of the main Trek crew in this novel is completely perfect. I enjoyed Spock in this novel most of all, but Oltion really gets everybody just right. And that includes the denizens of the planet itself - take time to consider how Oltion makes certain that there's internal consistency in the choices they make in terms of planetary ecology. Really, this was a fine work.
My only complaint might be that this could have been an epic hard-science novel (think Greg Bear in Moving Mars) if Oltion had not bothered to fit it into the Star Trek universe. This was good enough (and would have been better) had he kept the idea for his own, and created a stand-alone hard SF novel that follows the same storyline.
Very good and quick read. Give it a try, and then go look for Oltion's other work (start with Anywhere But Here). You will not be disappointed.
November 13, 2020
Rimillia has a unique problem. The planet is tidally locked in a binary star system. Kirk and his crew are dispatched to assist in a science project which aims to spin the planet up and maximise the land surface for everyone.
Oltion blends an intriguing scientific concept well with the 'Star Trek' template and the novel feels like it could easily be adapted for television.
Oltion blends an intriguing scientific concept well with the 'Star Trek' template and the novel feels like it could easily be adapted for television.
December 12, 2015
Twilight's End takes place on a world where the planet does not spin. This means that most of the planet is inhabitable: either being in fulltime darkness and quite frozen, or in the sun all the time and burring hot. The inhabitants of the Rimillia live in the small band of twilight between the two extreme regions. The issue is that they would like to expand further around the planet, but cannot because of the extreme temperatures on the light and dark sides. So, they have come up with an ingenious way of to start the planet spinning on its axis by building thirty thousand impulse engines all over the planet. But the head scientist has disappeared and terrorists are threatening to destroy the engines. Is there any way that Captain Kirks ands the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise can help?
I have read other books in which planets don't spin and people have build their cities around the edge of the light zone. But unlike those other books, this one focuses on what it would take to spin the planet and make the entire world habitable. With a warming by day and a cooling by night, the entire planet of Rimillia would eventually be able to be settled by the people that live on the planet. Of course, there are always those that hate and fear change and will do anything to prevent it. In this story, these people are the terrorists that try to stop the spinning the planet.
I quite enjoyed this story by Jerry Oltion. I liked the fact that things don't go as planned with the engines and they had to call upon the Federation for help. What person could possible have the engineering skills to help them get 30,000 impulse engines all working as one? Why, Scotty, of course. After all, isn't he the miracle man that always keeps the Enterprise chugging along though space no matter what condition she may be in (I know that the Enterprise doesn't chug . . . I just thought it was funny to imagine.) I liked how the author was spot on with the crew of our favorite Federation starship and enjoyed the tense feeling throughout the story.
Will Scotty be able to help the Rimillians get their planet spinning? Will the terrorist be able to stop the process? Will Spock and Hughes dies on the dark side of the planet? Has the Enterprise been destroyed? Well, I'm certainly not going to tell you the answer to any of these questions here. The only way to know what is truly going on is to read this book yourself.
Overall, Twilight's End is another great story in the world of Star Trek. Personally, it is my favorite science fiction universe to read about as I have been a Trekkie since I was about 12-years-old, which was a long, long time ago. I highly enjoyed this story and found it a fun read. So, if you are a James T. Kirk and company fan, pick up a copy of this book today and prepare to be entertained.
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
I have read other books in which planets don't spin and people have build their cities around the edge of the light zone. But unlike those other books, this one focuses on what it would take to spin the planet and make the entire world habitable. With a warming by day and a cooling by night, the entire planet of Rimillia would eventually be able to be settled by the people that live on the planet. Of course, there are always those that hate and fear change and will do anything to prevent it. In this story, these people are the terrorists that try to stop the spinning the planet.
I quite enjoyed this story by Jerry Oltion. I liked the fact that things don't go as planned with the engines and they had to call upon the Federation for help. What person could possible have the engineering skills to help them get 30,000 impulse engines all working as one? Why, Scotty, of course. After all, isn't he the miracle man that always keeps the Enterprise chugging along though space no matter what condition she may be in (I know that the Enterprise doesn't chug . . . I just thought it was funny to imagine.) I liked how the author was spot on with the crew of our favorite Federation starship and enjoyed the tense feeling throughout the story.
Will Scotty be able to help the Rimillians get their planet spinning? Will the terrorist be able to stop the process? Will Spock and Hughes dies on the dark side of the planet? Has the Enterprise been destroyed? Well, I'm certainly not going to tell you the answer to any of these questions here. The only way to know what is truly going on is to read this book yourself.
Overall, Twilight's End is another great story in the world of Star Trek. Personally, it is my favorite science fiction universe to read about as I have been a Trekkie since I was about 12-years-old, which was a long, long time ago. I highly enjoyed this story and found it a fun read. So, if you are a James T. Kirk and company fan, pick up a copy of this book today and prepare to be entertained.
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
May 27, 2012
An energetic and fun book with some great political undertones and keen characterization.
January 21, 2015
Oh, I've loved this book, really in spirit of TOS. Almost 5 stars.
January 22, 2016
It is a novel set in the Star Trek Universe. Back in the day, they were terrific. If you are a fan of the series, you will enjoy the books.
June 11, 2018
Enjoyable read no deep messages the usual story where the crew have to help out a planet
April 14, 2024
I missed purchasing this book when it originally came out, so I snapped up a copy to read on Kindle when I saw it. I could have passed on this and not missed anything.
A very average outing for a Trek book. The Enterprise is called to assist a world that's not part of the Federation. They are a colony on a hostile world where they can only live in one narrow circular strip due to how the planet rotates. They had built giant engines embedded into the planet so they could change it's spin to make it more habitable, but several have been sabotaged to halt their attempt. The scientist in charge of the engines has been kidnapped. The Enterprise crew has to find the scientist, stop the terrorists from creating more mischief, and help rebuild the world engines with technology the world has--so as not to violate the prime directive.
This was a by the numbers tale with nothing surprising happening, save Sulu helping out Dr. McCoy analyze some of the plants of the planet. The was a fun throwback to Sulu in his first appearances in the series.
Without any surprises this book really went slowly for me and the payoff was nonexistent. They are parts to enjoy, but they are few and far between. This is only for hard core fans.
A very average outing for a Trek book. The Enterprise is called to assist a world that's not part of the Federation. They are a colony on a hostile world where they can only live in one narrow circular strip due to how the planet rotates. They had built giant engines embedded into the planet so they could change it's spin to make it more habitable, but several have been sabotaged to halt their attempt. The scientist in charge of the engines has been kidnapped. The Enterprise crew has to find the scientist, stop the terrorists from creating more mischief, and help rebuild the world engines with technology the world has--so as not to violate the prime directive.
This was a by the numbers tale with nothing surprising happening, save Sulu helping out Dr. McCoy analyze some of the plants of the planet. The was a fun throwback to Sulu in his first appearances in the series.
Without any surprises this book really went slowly for me and the payoff was nonexistent. They are parts to enjoy, but they are few and far between. This is only for hard core fans.
June 10, 2022
No kidding: one of the best ST:TOS novels I've ever read. Lots of science to enjoy, the characters are spot on (McCoy is a bit harsh but that's okay) and plenty for the background characters as well. I especially appreciate that Scott is a fine engineer who handles complex problems with courage and skill. A few nitpicks: it's HIGHLY unlikely that McCoy is third in command. Doctors aren't line officers and this is an odd mistake to make. Also, the deck is referred to as the floor and the bulkheads as walls. There are also exciting battle scenes and the book does a great job showing Kirk's resourcefulness and high energy.
There is a brief scene of Chapel gooing over an injured Spock. As all these scenes are, it's irritating. In real life (I know...it's SF) her stubbornness and intrusive behavior would have to be addressed and stopped. But it's true to her character as written in the TV show.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it.
There is a brief scene of Chapel gooing over an injured Spock. As all these scenes are, it's irritating. In real life (I know...it's SF) her stubbornness and intrusive behavior would have to be addressed and stopped. But it's true to her character as written in the TV show.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it.
March 16, 2021
The Enterprise crew solving BIG science problems that have cataclysmic sociopolitical and existential implications - my kind of Star Trek right here. It was rather cumbersome in its build up, not as exciting as you would expect, but once the climax of the book hit it was firing on all cylinders - literally. It was like experiencing an episode of the show, thrilling high stakes and Kirk pushing his crew - and the Enterprise - beyond their limits and them being able to meet those expectations and exceed them! Spock, Scotty, Sulu, and McCoy all shine as they solve impossible scientific problems with a little bit of logic, but all by the seat of their pants! I loved every moment! 🥰🖖 #WeAreStarfleet
June 15, 2024
A great premise, great characterizations and a bit of humour mixed this one a winner in my book.
I think my only complaint was that the undersupplied and ship needing new parts didn't play a little more into the plot but not saying it was ignored, I was just hoping for a bit more in that regard.
I think the basic message of the book is being good stewards of the planet you are on because if you have to leave and find a new one...you might break that too.
As mentioned above I did enjoy the humour and it was well placed but not to the point where you would consider the book a comedy but enough levity that it doesn't take itself too seriously. These books are for entertainment after all. Overall I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I think my only complaint was that the undersupplied and ship needing new parts didn't play a little more into the plot but not saying it was ignored, I was just hoping for a bit more in that regard.
I think the basic message of the book is being good stewards of the planet you are on because if you have to leave and find a new one...you might break that too.
As mentioned above I did enjoy the humour and it was well placed but not to the point where you would consider the book a comedy but enough levity that it doesn't take itself too seriously. These books are for entertainment after all. Overall I enjoyed it from start to finish.
July 16, 2024
This was the second TOS book that I have read (the first being Ishmael by Barbara Hambly). I have found both to be pretty true to the original TOS characters and enjoyable reads akin to watching TOS episodes that one always missed before. The big difference between these two books is that Twilight's End gives 'screen time' to most of the major characters like McCoy, Scotty and Sulu whereas Ishmael is almost exclusively focused on Spock. I have read other books by Barbara Hambly and always enjoyed them but I think Twilight's End gives one a more general TOS 'buzz'. I do recommend both highly though.
July 12, 2023
This is a pretty good story for a Star Trek book. There is a great deal of technical jargon all the way throughout. Oscillation, waves etc. I’m not sure exactly how it was controlled at the end. Scotty has a lot of story trying to get 30,000 engines online. Sulu and McCoy work hard at cloning and gene changing during all the engines and rotation things going on too. Plus they are fighting the rival factions sabotaging their work on the planet. What a mess! Everyone works together. The way Kirk gets free of his captors is pretty funny! Enjoy it
May 5, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was fun to think about the mythologies, legends, and cultures that would form on a world as a result of the events in this book. It was a fun "episode" and had a decent mixture of a lot of the main character's perspectives.
October 19, 2024
Planet Rimillia, one that does not rotate, and now resources have diminished beyond replacement. The aim of the ruling government is to kick-start the rotation and the Enterprise is sent to rescue the scientist in charge who has been kidnapped.
An entertaining re-read
An entertaining re-read
December 18, 2024
A lot of fun. A wonderfully bonkers SF idea played out using the Trek characters works so much better than you might suspect. Probably because the focus is more on the problem than the characters while still being proper Trek. A hoot.
April 18, 2020
Nailed it.
June 10, 2020
Filled with Star Trek cliches.
February 6, 2021
A good relaxing read. Interesting concept for a story. Well worth reading.
September 12, 2025
Fairly good original series novel.
November 28, 2014
Somewhere in space lies a planet that's not spinning, and that just shouldn't be so. Tidally locked, it poses a great inconvenience to the colonists who occupy the permanent perimeter between frozen wastelands and scorched deserts. Their swelling population of 2 billion has destroyed what fragile biosphere there was, and rather than deciding to stop with the whole being-fruitful-and-multiplying business, they have decided instead to litter the planet with great big engines and then turn them on. The planet doesn't want to spin? Too bad, because they're going to MAKE it spin, and Captain Kirk is going to help.
Twilight's End is a classic Trek adventure in which the Enterprise attempts to come to the aide of a world president/damsel in distress. Smooching with Kirk before he's even gotten his bearings, her plan for spinning the planet is scoffed at by a full panel of naysayers. While there exist sensible opposition (attempting to force a planet to spin is rather drastic) and somewhat more suspect opposition (Denialists who contend the poisoning of the atmosphere is perfectly natural and will correct itself eventually), there are others who are on the crazy violent side, those who believe this is Fate, that mother nature has decided that any race that could break two planets is just begging for extinction. (The colonists fled to this planet after stripping their last planet of all resources, then accidentally rendering it inhabitable when they hijacked an asteroid and directed it their way to mine it.) The crazy violent ones in due course kidnap a scientist, attempt to blow the Enterprise up, and give all the characters something to do while they are waiting for the planets to align the correct way. The sensible opposition, with McCoy on their side, believe that bioengineering is eminently more practical and less likely to blow the planet up: simply pore through the major plant species' genomes, find genes that would make the plant hardier, turn them on, and hey presto! An elegant solution to the problem. The plants will correct the toxicity by dumping oxygen into the atmosphere. Can McCoy find a suitable breed of tree before the engines start up? It would be nice if he could do it before, because between the crazy-violents and class warfare, this place won't stay peaceable for long.
Written in 1996, the book's tone seems vaguely reminiscent of the then nascent arguments about global warming, though the baddies are less global warming deniers and more ecological nuts, the kind who believe that human beinsgs are a cancer on the body of Earth who need to be eradicated. The leading opponent of the spinning planet is personable enough, and even causes some friction on the Enterprise when Kirk realizes his chief medical officer agrees more with the opposition than the people the Enterprise is helping. It's a fun novel, sometimes on the silly side; the author is obviously partial to beer, since characters throughout the story comment on their favorite kinds, and Kirk at one point comes up with an escape plan that involves brewing beer and getting some hostiles good and drunk. In the end, of course, technology saves the day; this is Star Trek, after all, where technology can do anything. The dialogue produces a few good moments between the core characters, and all told it's a fun bit of light reading.
Twilight's End is a classic Trek adventure in which the Enterprise attempts to come to the aide of a world president/damsel in distress. Smooching with Kirk before he's even gotten his bearings, her plan for spinning the planet is scoffed at by a full panel of naysayers. While there exist sensible opposition (attempting to force a planet to spin is rather drastic) and somewhat more suspect opposition (Denialists who contend the poisoning of the atmosphere is perfectly natural and will correct itself eventually), there are others who are on the crazy violent side, those who believe this is Fate, that mother nature has decided that any race that could break two planets is just begging for extinction. (The colonists fled to this planet after stripping their last planet of all resources, then accidentally rendering it inhabitable when they hijacked an asteroid and directed it their way to mine it.) The crazy violent ones in due course kidnap a scientist, attempt to blow the Enterprise up, and give all the characters something to do while they are waiting for the planets to align the correct way. The sensible opposition, with McCoy on their side, believe that bioengineering is eminently more practical and less likely to blow the planet up: simply pore through the major plant species' genomes, find genes that would make the plant hardier, turn them on, and hey presto! An elegant solution to the problem. The plants will correct the toxicity by dumping oxygen into the atmosphere. Can McCoy find a suitable breed of tree before the engines start up? It would be nice if he could do it before, because between the crazy-violents and class warfare, this place won't stay peaceable for long.
Written in 1996, the book's tone seems vaguely reminiscent of the then nascent arguments about global warming, though the baddies are less global warming deniers and more ecological nuts, the kind who believe that human beinsgs are a cancer on the body of Earth who need to be eradicated. The leading opponent of the spinning planet is personable enough, and even causes some friction on the Enterprise when Kirk realizes his chief medical officer agrees more with the opposition than the people the Enterprise is helping. It's a fun novel, sometimes on the silly side; the author is obviously partial to beer, since characters throughout the story comment on their favorite kinds, and Kirk at one point comes up with an escape plan that involves brewing beer and getting some hostiles good and drunk. In the end, of course, technology saves the day; this is Star Trek, after all, where technology can do anything. The dialogue produces a few good moments between the core characters, and all told it's a fun bit of light reading.
March 11, 2016
“Twilight's End” by Jerry Oltion is a Star Trek Original Series adventure in which the Enterprise comes to the aid of a tidally locked world whose inhabitants occupy a single thin strip of land. The ever increasing population has destroyed what fragile biosphere there was, and is now attempting to save their home by implementing an audacious plan to start the planet spinning by using a vast array of impulse engines spread across the planet.
I have to admit that I found the plot to be rather silly, the thought of using 30,000 engines to spin a planet just seemed a bit absurd to me. Oltion does at least try and put some scientific thought into what happens but in the end it feels like this is just another example for the magical technology of Star Trek being used to save the day even if the entire premise is nuts! Luckily, Oltion tries to use amusing commentaries and interactions between the main characters to lighten the overall tone of the novel so the silliness isn’t difficult to ignore.
One thing that Oltion has captured well, are the crew of the Enterprise. The characterisations are pretty much spot on and everyone seemed to act in a manner that I would have expected. In addition, the regular characters are supported by some interesting new characters from the planet itself. I can’t complain at all about that aspect of the novel.
My final note on the book is that there was an undertone to the plot which reminded me of the global warming arguments that were popular in the period that the novel was written. The discussions on ecological damage being done to the world and how we should react were of course the same discussions which were happening in the real world and to be honest still are.
Overall, this is an interesting enough Trek novel even if it does feel a little bit silly. Oltion’s writing is competent enough and it was interesting seeing him try to explain some of the science in a manner we don’t always get with Trek novels. If you are a fan of the more comic/silly Trek episodes then I suspect you may enjoy this one.
I have to admit that I found the plot to be rather silly, the thought of using 30,000 engines to spin a planet just seemed a bit absurd to me. Oltion does at least try and put some scientific thought into what happens but in the end it feels like this is just another example for the magical technology of Star Trek being used to save the day even if the entire premise is nuts! Luckily, Oltion tries to use amusing commentaries and interactions between the main characters to lighten the overall tone of the novel so the silliness isn’t difficult to ignore.
One thing that Oltion has captured well, are the crew of the Enterprise. The characterisations are pretty much spot on and everyone seemed to act in a manner that I would have expected. In addition, the regular characters are supported by some interesting new characters from the planet itself. I can’t complain at all about that aspect of the novel.
My final note on the book is that there was an undertone to the plot which reminded me of the global warming arguments that were popular in the period that the novel was written. The discussions on ecological damage being done to the world and how we should react were of course the same discussions which were happening in the real world and to be honest still are.
Overall, this is an interesting enough Trek novel even if it does feel a little bit silly. Oltion’s writing is competent enough and it was interesting seeing him try to explain some of the science in a manner we don’t always get with Trek novels. If you are a fan of the more comic/silly Trek episodes then I suspect you may enjoy this one.
August 22, 2010
The main idea of this book I had to roll my eyes at. Nice thought, but there are just too many things wrong with it. Using 30,000 impulse engines to rotate an inhabited planet tidally locked to it's sun is complete stupidity! At least the author does agree with some points - that the stress involved would cause major seismic activity which nearly caused the planet to break up, and of course the only thing that prevented it was the Enterprise coming through at the last hour (with great damage to itself of course...)
All in all, characterizations were pretty good, 4 out of 5 for that.
Treknical plausibility only rates a 2 out of 5 though.
All in all, characterizations were pretty good, 4 out of 5 for that.
Treknical plausibility only rates a 2 out of 5 though.
August 10, 2014
When the novel's crisis moment finally arrives, it becomes an action-packed, compelling read. Up until that point, however, it's merely a pleasant diversion...when it could be so much more. It's a novel where the author is too enamored with the science plot, and leaves the character drama on a rather mild simmer...which is rather astonishing, considering the massive planetary peril involved. There's also a very odd side-track into the world of beer which borders on the surreal. A case of something solid that waits too long to become compelling and absorbing.
August 16, 2016
This book is incredibly silly.
February 26, 2013
3.5 stars
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