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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (2010 series) #1
The Delta Anomaly
The year is 2250, and it has been six months since James Kirk joined Starfleet Academy. A rebellious young man, Kirk is used to doing things his way--and whenever he feels like it. However, the Academy is changing him little by little, showing him how to transform his headstrong attitude and ambition into qualities that make him a leader. Kirk's behavior often brings him to clash with another Starfleet Academy member, a half-Vulcan, half-human named Spock. This book series will delve into the lives and relationships of Kirk and the other recruits at the Academy, their training, their missions, and their romances. In The Delta Anomaly, a shocking San Francisco crime shakes up Starfleet Academy, entangling Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Spock…. and turns out to have chilling intergalactic implications.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
June 3, 2011
This series is like reading a YA Star Trek soap opera. The first book in the series, The Edge, got me used to jumping back and forth between characters and I felt better about in this second installment. Though the author is different (and better), the tone felt similarly campy and fun. Kirk is still obviously a ladies’ man, and I still wish I was reading Spock/Uhura erotica. Wait, what? Did I just say that? Anyway, these books are a breeze to get through and full of action. For those unfamiliar with this set of Star Trek books, they are set in the alternate timeline of the most recent Star Trek movie and take place with most of our favorite characters while they are still at Starfleet. This one follows McCoy, Kirk, and Uhura as they help their superiors and the San Francisco PD solve the mystery of The Doctor, a killer who somehow manages to remove internal organs from his victims with no incisions. (I can’t wait for the future!) I’m a little iffy on whether Starfleet would actually have these cadets helping out to such an extent…as in, doing almost the entire investigation and crime-solving. That makes perfect sense…not.
I suppose this series is just “Life at Starfleet Academy” and that’s why we are reading about Kirk’s attempts to hit on girls and his progress through school exams, but those plot points just did not add too much to the primary storyline. The scientific explanation of The Doctor was rather interesting, though my eyes tend to glaze over anytime any word starts with “nano.” Whatever science dudes, I’ll take your word for it. And WTF was up with the ending? Talk about a tease. This isn’t even a review, it is just my random thoughts choppily strewn into paragraphs that have no common thread.
This series is an absolute guilty pleasure of mine. I honestly doubt whether any of my GR friends would enjoy it as much as I do but it definitely has a market. I’ll continue reading them in my quest to find space school stories, especially because it is so easy to pick familiar characters back up. And, of course, I want to see Spock and Uhura develop their relationship to the point it was at in the most recent movie. That’s logical, right?
I suppose this series is just “Life at Starfleet Academy” and that’s why we are reading about Kirk’s attempts to hit on girls and his progress through school exams, but those plot points just did not add too much to the primary storyline. The scientific explanation of The Doctor was rather interesting, though my eyes tend to glaze over anytime any word starts with “nano.” Whatever science dudes, I’ll take your word for it. And WTF was up with the ending? Talk about a tease. This isn’t even a review, it is just my random thoughts choppily strewn into paragraphs that have no common thread.
This series is an absolute guilty pleasure of mine. I honestly doubt whether any of my GR friends would enjoy it as much as I do but it definitely has a market. I’ll continue reading them in my quest to find space school stories, especially because it is so easy to pick familiar characters back up. And, of course, I want to see Spock and Uhura develop their relationship to the point it was at in the most recent movie. That’s logical, right?
October 20, 2017
This was a pretty short book, but it was a fun trip through the cadet lives of the Abramsverse characters at the academy.
September 7, 2019
When this book wasn’t reminding us what a Lady Loving Straight Guy Just Being Dude™ Jim is, it was a pretty fun and breezy read. I really enjoyed the snippets of life at the Academy, the exams, rivalries and I appreciated Jim facing an opposing view on Starfleet that actually influenced and helped him in the end. Also, Uhura crumbs!
The plot was quite entertaining, but like, how did no one mention Jack the Ripper at least once, even just to be reminded it’s not particularly accurate.
Would probably recommend any mediocre multi-chapter academy era fic over this, which would give you more for less, but if that’s not up your alley, reading this won’t hurt. (Might adjust my rating once I get through the whole series.)
The plot was quite entertaining, but like, how did no one mention Jack the Ripper at least once, even just to be reminded it’s not particularly accurate.
Would probably recommend any mediocre multi-chapter academy era fic over this, which would give you more for less, but if that’s not up your alley, reading this won’t hurt. (Might adjust my rating once I get through the whole series.)
February 3, 2011
Boy, where to start?
Well, the book was ok. Not the worst thing I've read. I was curious enough to finish it although I felt it had some serious problems with world building as well as maintaining the already existing world.
I had a hard time understanding why first year cadets were involved in the investigation of serial murders. I could understand if they went off on their own and helped without consent of the official investigators, but the idea that authorities in the future would have no clue how to investigate alien crimes is kind of sad. The characters did not come off as well as they did in The Edge. Not to mention the setting was so lax comparatively it was hard to imagine they were students of anything, let alone one of the most competitive schools in the Federation. I couldn't help but wonder where all the adults were while the kids were running amok.
I also had a very hard time with things like telephones, 911, laser printers, paper magazines, paper reports, and laptops. It felt like this story was written in a AU and the author failed to adapt to the setting in the original world.
I would guess that the author is either new to writing for mainstream publishing or had difficulty writing within the bounds of an already established universe. But I don't want to be too harsh since this is a fan fiction ya novel. After all, the idea is to be kind of cracktastic.
The author did do a few things well. Some of the scientific findings were interesting and the idea of learning to discover a new setting from a different point of view are both ideas which are strong themes in the Star Trek world.
All in all, if you like the universe, it's entertaining, but I don't see any crossover readers from this one.
Well, the book was ok. Not the worst thing I've read. I was curious enough to finish it although I felt it had some serious problems with world building as well as maintaining the already existing world.
I had a hard time understanding why first year cadets were involved in the investigation of serial murders. I could understand if they went off on their own and helped without consent of the official investigators, but the idea that authorities in the future would have no clue how to investigate alien crimes is kind of sad. The characters did not come off as well as they did in The Edge. Not to mention the setting was so lax comparatively it was hard to imagine they were students of anything, let alone one of the most competitive schools in the Federation. I couldn't help but wonder where all the adults were while the kids were running amok.
I also had a very hard time with things like telephones, 911, laser printers, paper magazines, paper reports, and laptops. It felt like this story was written in a AU and the author failed to adapt to the setting in the original world.
I would guess that the author is either new to writing for mainstream publishing or had difficulty writing within the bounds of an already established universe. But I don't want to be too harsh since this is a fan fiction ya novel. After all, the idea is to be kind of cracktastic.
The author did do a few things well. Some of the scientific findings were interesting and the idea of learning to discover a new setting from a different point of view are both ideas which are strong themes in the Star Trek world.
All in all, if you like the universe, it's entertaining, but I don't see any crossover readers from this one.
January 11, 2011
How can I say not that great. The characters were cookie cutter versions of themselves. I guess that is to be excepted when reading a teen novel about a favored franchisee. The story was a little interesting, but the story itself is a big let down. The best parts are seeing Kirk grow in his dumb down version to be the captain he is in the movies and tv shows. The villain in the book bad. Not bad like he's an evil person, but bad as in they used a really lame villain. I won't ruin who the villain is but I feel they over exposed this villain in the different TV series and doesn't make sense to have in this book. The villain really ruined the whole story. If the villain was who were are to believe they are then it changes everything we know about this villain. They did not act like one bit like how they act normally. They were more like a little kitten playing with a ball string than the big bad alien race we know them as. I say this book lacked a lot. The only good thing in the whole book was seeing Kirk take field test and try and pass them. Nothing to do with the main plot of the book.
One more thing, to understand who the villain was you have had to watch the TV series or at least one movie that was not part of the original Star Trek crew. I hate when they do that.
One more thing, to understand who the villain was you have had to watch the TV series or at least one movie that was not part of the original Star Trek crew. I hate when they do that.
May 29, 2016
There is some incredibly bad characterisation in here (Spock and a Starfleet science professor don't know what "metabolic acidosis" means, really?) but the plot was actually pretty entertaining. Still, I've definitely read fanfic that was better than this, so maybe I'll stick to that for my Academy shenanigan needs.
August 3, 2017
Much of THE DELTA ANOMALY feels like a more masculine version of THE CARRIE DIARIES, only set in outer space. Because that's what STAR TREK fans want, right? More YA-style romance? More scenes of Kirk acting like a total horn dog? More scenes exploring Uhura's romantic infatuation with Spock?
February 15, 2020
A quick read with some nice Starfleet training sequences and fun action but the prose didn't really grab me and I still have trouble with the general feel of the Kelvin timeline. It often feels as if it's trying too hard to be... hip.
March 22, 2013
Not recommend for anyone over the age of 15. Very, very YA.
October 2, 2013
idk if goodreads will ~delete this review~, but it feels like this author never even watched tos. cool fake science? yes. accurate characterization? nooo.
October 31, 2015
War sehr interessant, mehr Einblicke in die Zeit ihrer Ausbildung zu kriegen.
May 14, 2020
I tried my best to go into this with an open mind. Unfortunately, every time I got a few pages into reading, my brain exploded because this was a mess. I understand that this was written for teens in mind, but that does not mean that the writing has to be so simplified it feels as if it's written like a board book. A reader deserves better than to feel as if they are being condescended to.
In addition to writing that made me feel like I was reading bad fic, the characterization is puzzling to say the least. Each of these characters feel one note, as they have been boiled down to the point of being flanderized. Kirk only cares about womanizing and being in command one day. Every time Jim flirted with a female character, my eyes rolled in the back of my head. We do get to see shades of the genius level intellect with the Academy missions, but it's mostly shoved aside so he can act like a meathead.
Bones is aggressively grumpy. There is a line in here about Mississippi home brew that made me lose my mind. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. The fact that the Kelvin timeline is an alternate reality due to the actions of Nero and the Narada probably makes any irrationally angry argument I want to make invalid.
Gaila only cares about one thing. Uhura is a giant linguistics nerd with a not so subtle crush on Spock. Thankfully, the book doesn't focus much on Spock so he's mostly sort of there to suggest his in film romance with Uhura. I didn't really need these hints. They sort of squicked me out because it played a bit too heavy into the power imbalance between the two.
I am a big sucker for media tie-ins. I love the chance to hear more stories about my favorite characters. Unfortunately, the plot for this book is slow going. The real meat of the story doesn't seem to pick up until halfway. I wish there had been more focus on the plot and less on whatever the heck was actually put in. That being said, I hate myself and will continue this series.
In addition to writing that made me feel like I was reading bad fic, the characterization is puzzling to say the least. Each of these characters feel one note, as they have been boiled down to the point of being flanderized. Kirk only cares about womanizing and being in command one day. Every time Jim flirted with a female character, my eyes rolled in the back of my head. We do get to see shades of the genius level intellect with the Academy missions, but it's mostly shoved aside so he can act like a meathead.
Bones is aggressively grumpy. There is a line in here about Mississippi home brew that made me lose my mind. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. The fact that the Kelvin timeline is an alternate reality due to the actions of Nero and the Narada probably makes any irrationally angry argument I want to make invalid.
Gaila only cares about one thing. Uhura is a giant linguistics nerd with a not so subtle crush on Spock. Thankfully, the book doesn't focus much on Spock so he's mostly sort of there to suggest his in film romance with Uhura. I didn't really need these hints. They sort of squicked me out because it played a bit too heavy into the power imbalance between the two.
I am a big sucker for media tie-ins. I love the chance to hear more stories about my favorite characters. Unfortunately, the plot for this book is slow going. The real meat of the story doesn't seem to pick up until halfway. I wish there had been more focus on the plot and less on whatever the heck was actually put in. That being said, I hate myself and will continue this series.
August 27, 2020
The Delta Anomaly was in turns hilariously entertaining and incredibly frustrating. The academy campus life shenanigans were absolute gold and it was so fun to see that side of things (the bit with the chicken slayed me), but at the same time, the lengths the author went to in order to avoid Spock and Jim meeting, or even hearing each others' name, were just... I dunno. They weren't really disappointing or frustrating strictly speaking but they were just kind of unnecessary and hard to believe. I understand that in order to keep with the canon of the movies they couldn't have met but it just seemed unrealistic that they wouldn't have even heard of each other given the fact that Spock literally proctors a test for Jim in this and talks to Uhura about a murder mystery that she's solving with Jim. It would've come up.
It was a quick read and overall it was pretty smooth and cohesive but it also seemed a bit rushed in places (which is to be expected as it's a fairly short book). I almost wanted it to be longer so there could have been more of a buildup, but also that would have meant there would have been more of the terrible subplot with the barista and I wasn't about that. I liked the barista. I did not like the completely unnecessary and instant romance between her and Kirk. It was just really obviously written by a dude.
It was a quick read and overall it was pretty smooth and cohesive but it also seemed a bit rushed in places (which is to be expected as it's a fairly short book). I almost wanted it to be longer so there could have been more of a buildup, but also that would have meant there would have been more of the terrible subplot with the barista and I wasn't about that. I liked the barista. I did not like the completely unnecessary and instant romance between her and Kirk. It was just really obviously written by a dude.
May 27, 2021
Miljön för detta deckarmysterium är stjärnflotteakademin och närliggande områden i San Fransisco. Med tiden inträder visserligen saker som blir mer rymdiga och en för alla trekkers ökänd fiende ger sig tillkänna. Det är en spännande och välskriven berättelse och det märks att den är skriven för ungdomar i tonårsåldern.
Språket är bra för åldern 12 år och uppåt och viktiga ord eller företeelser förklaras tydligt och bra vilket är bra för den nykomna Star Trek-läsaren. Boken är en bra introduktion till ungdomar om Star Trek och är en bra start på denna bokserie.
Språket är bra för åldern 12 år och uppåt och viktiga ord eller företeelser förklaras tydligt och bra vilket är bra för den nykomna Star Trek-läsaren. Boken är en bra introduktion till ungdomar om Star Trek och är en bra start på denna bokserie.
June 18, 2022
There were some parts of this book I really liked. I like the stuff with Spock and Uhura, because I'm an absolute sucker for them. Even then, I've read much more dynamic fanfiction about their time at the Academy. The rest... Meh. It has the same problem as the Edge, where everything is so confusing and no one knows what's going on, until all of the sudden we're a couple of pages from the end, so we better come up with a solution. Except this one didn't even have a lot of a solution, because it's obvious they were alluding to the Borg and didn't want to "go there", so couldn't get too deeply into it. Keeping Kirk and McCoy from meeting Spock is also an issue in this one which kind of becomes a bit distracting when everyone is working on the same mystery.
The Kelvinverse Borg were much better handled in the Boldly Go comic series.
The Kelvinverse Borg were much better handled in the Boldly Go comic series.
March 20, 2017
This book is the first in the Kelvin timeline of Starfleet Academy books but it is the second story in the series with the Edge being the first. A black fog hangs over San Francisco and in that fog is small machines that want to learn the inner workings of all of the species of Earth. These small machines have been causing trouble for the SFPD and one night Jim Kirk faces them but at the end of the conflict a Borg cube appears and heads back to the Delta Quadrant of the galaxy. Yes one hundred years before the Enterprise-D encounters the Borg in system J-25 in Q-Who the Kelvin timeline Kirk and McCoy battle Starfleet's greatest villain before Kirk even takes command of this timelines Enterprise 1701.
September 29, 2024
The story itself was a little disappointing (in my opinion), but the writing on this one was well done. I enjoyed reading the book, even if I wasn't exactly blown away by the revelation of everything.
April 2, 2020
A murder mystery with the backdrop of Kirk's cadet years. Interesting loose ties/inspiration to real history, TOS episode 'Wolf in the Fold', and even TNG/ENT episodes.
June 22, 2020
Trek may not care about canon, but to me, these are the full story. But I digress. This is a great and bold tale of young Kirk's life at the Academy, where he gets stuck in a compelling mystery.
August 26, 2020
Okay so I enjoyed this way too much 😄 This was like fanfiction in a book and I’m so here for it. The only remaining question is now - why the hell doesn’t this exist for Harry Potter?!
July 6, 2022
Good book
Very interesting read and story progression was steady with humour, suspense, adventure, and romance mixed into storyline spectacularly. Would read again
Very interesting read and story progression was steady with humour, suspense, adventure, and romance mixed into storyline spectacularly. Would read again
July 29, 2022
Honestly, it wasn't good. The writing style is pretty bad. The plot was meh. Let's see how the other books are working out in this series.
January 13, 2023
the characterisation, especially of kirk, is TERRIBLE. but i’ll do anything for more academy era content
June 18, 2013
3.5 Stars. As I've become increasingly obsessed with all things Star Trek-related (thanks to the J.J. Abrams' films), it was only a matter of time before I explored some of the Trek fiction that's available. While I've become increasingly fond of the original series character incarnations, I couldn't resist a novel that utilized the re-boot characters that I love so well. The Delta Anomaly is the first entry in the Starfleet Academy series, which explores the lives of Kirk, McCoy, Spock, and Uhura before the events of the 2009 film that brought them together aboard the Enterprise. Before Spock and Uhura were a couple, before Kirk and Spock were on speaking terms, The Delta Anomaly explores the lives of these four key Trek players and their lives as cadets at the Academy that would make them the officers countless fans have known and loved for decades (in one incarnation or the other *wink*).
The novel opens with a murder high atop San Francisco's Transamerica Pyramid, shortly followed by an attack on Gaila, the green-skinned Orion cadet with whom Kirk has a brief fling in the 2009 film. Gaila is rescued by Kirk, but disturbing evidence discovered in subsequent medical examinations raises fears that the infamous "Doctor" has returned to prowl the streets of San Francisco once more. The Doctor is known for striking on fog-shrouded nights, and leaving no visible marks of violence on his victims -- but nonetheless stripping them of select internal organs. Tasked with stopping a killer as elusive as the vapor cloaking San Francisco's mist-shrouded streets, Kirk, McCoy, and Uhura -- with a little assistance from a newly-minted instructor called Spock -- must put aside their differences in order to take on a killer threatening Starfleet's finest, a mission that threatens to cost them one of their own.
It's been several years since I've read a category science fiction novel (I cut my teeth on the Star Wars Extended Universe series), and while The Delta Anomaly doesn't have the depth of my favorites from that fandom -- mostly due to the abbreviated YA-length -- it is a fast-paced, enjoyable glimpse into Kirk & company's early years. I really liked the conceit of transplanting a Jack the Ripper-esque killer into the world of Star Trek, and the subsequent investigation and revelation concerning the Doctor's origins and purpose are nicely suggestive of a episode in its tone and subject matter. Having the Doctor serve as a lethal, alien mirror of Starfleet's exploration mandate works well in forcing Kirk, McCoy, and Uhura to view that said mandate from their would-be subject's perspective.
This novel doesn't simply focus on the mystery of the Doctor -- it also provides some insight into the academic experience of Starfleet cadets. I loved the chance to see Kirk as someone other than a playboy, a hotshot braggart -- but he also manages to channel some of his soon-to-be legendary bravado into his studies. It's refreshing to see this newer incarnation of Kirk so driven to succeed at the Academy -- particularly in the test scenarios designed to measure his potential leadership ability (a dry run for the Kobayashi Maru test he faces in the 2009 film).
The Delta Anomaly is a fast-paced, enjoyable little slice of Star Trek-colored escapism sure to satisfy fans looking to spend an hour or two with the characters we've grown to love outside of the two Abrams films. The principle players are sketched in a manner reasonably faithful to their on-screen counterparts, and the balance of academia, mystery, and yes -- even a dash of romance (I LOVED seeing Kirk go all doe-eyed over Hannah the barista!) makes one wish that somehow we could get a television series (as well as more films) featuring these new Trek characters. I'll definitely be reading more in the series.
The novel opens with a murder high atop San Francisco's Transamerica Pyramid, shortly followed by an attack on Gaila, the green-skinned Orion cadet with whom Kirk has a brief fling in the 2009 film. Gaila is rescued by Kirk, but disturbing evidence discovered in subsequent medical examinations raises fears that the infamous "Doctor" has returned to prowl the streets of San Francisco once more. The Doctor is known for striking on fog-shrouded nights, and leaving no visible marks of violence on his victims -- but nonetheless stripping them of select internal organs. Tasked with stopping a killer as elusive as the vapor cloaking San Francisco's mist-shrouded streets, Kirk, McCoy, and Uhura -- with a little assistance from a newly-minted instructor called Spock -- must put aside their differences in order to take on a killer threatening Starfleet's finest, a mission that threatens to cost them one of their own.
It's been several years since I've read a category science fiction novel (I cut my teeth on the Star Wars Extended Universe series), and while The Delta Anomaly doesn't have the depth of my favorites from that fandom -- mostly due to the abbreviated YA-length -- it is a fast-paced, enjoyable glimpse into Kirk & company's early years. I really liked the conceit of transplanting a Jack the Ripper-esque killer into the world of Star Trek, and the subsequent investigation and revelation concerning the Doctor's origins and purpose are nicely suggestive of a episode in its tone and subject matter. Having the Doctor serve as a lethal, alien mirror of Starfleet's exploration mandate works well in forcing Kirk, McCoy, and Uhura to view that said mandate from their would-be subject's perspective.
This novel doesn't simply focus on the mystery of the Doctor -- it also provides some insight into the academic experience of Starfleet cadets. I loved the chance to see Kirk as someone other than a playboy, a hotshot braggart -- but he also manages to channel some of his soon-to-be legendary bravado into his studies. It's refreshing to see this newer incarnation of Kirk so driven to succeed at the Academy -- particularly in the test scenarios designed to measure his potential leadership ability (a dry run for the Kobayashi Maru test he faces in the 2009 film).
The Delta Anomaly is a fast-paced, enjoyable little slice of Star Trek-colored escapism sure to satisfy fans looking to spend an hour or two with the characters we've grown to love outside of the two Abrams films. The principle players are sketched in a manner reasonably faithful to their on-screen counterparts, and the balance of academia, mystery, and yes -- even a dash of romance (I LOVED seeing Kirk go all doe-eyed over Hannah the barista!) makes one wish that somehow we could get a television series (as well as more films) featuring these new Trek characters. I'll definitely be reading more in the series.
May 27, 2011
The Star Trek franchise had a major reboot thanks to the most recent film, which carried the name of the series as its title, by J.J. Abrams. Jumping back in time as well as an alternate timeline, the famous characters that set the stage with the original series are introduced to viewers during their early years of training at Starfleet Academy.
Books have always played a major role with many Star Trek fans, and it seems like that will be continuing as their is now a series being published for teens (young adults) that really focuses on the characters in events that occurred prior to the film. This is the first book in the series.
While it is an alternate timeline, much is the same for the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Cadet James Kirk has easy connections with the ladies and a true talent for leadership. Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a curmudgeon (though, young for the time being) with a major talent in medicine. Spock is reserved, yet knowledgeable as a recent graduate of the Academy.
While Kirk is focusing on a series of team-based roleplaying exams to show that he is the best in this crop of cadets, a series of murders seems to be hitting San Francisco in the area around the academy. The victims seem to be missing organs, but their bodies show no signs of being cut to provide access to remove the organs. This would seem to parallel a series of murders that took place decades earlier and assigned to the "Doctor," and unidentified serial murder who was never caught.
Jim and Bones, as well as a few of their friends, are able to intervene when Uhura's Orion friend is attacked. They are able to stop the girl from being killed. This also provides them with some clues that will allow the cadet team to sort out what might be going on. Bones finds a mysterious, ashy substance that is really more than it seems to be. And some recordings that were captured by 911 calls captured some spoken words from the assailant that Uhura's talents in xenolingquistics might provide even more information.
It doesn't take long for McCoy and a team of Federation scientists to sort out that the ashy substance is not the result of smoke or fire, but are actually tiny nanobots that are able to slide through the cells in the body on the orders of the mysterious Doctor. The question is why the killer wants to do that and who he really is.
Barba has done a nice job of capturing the feel of the original characters, and the book is filled with sequences of action and interesting looks into the minds of familiar characters. In some ways, this helps explain a romantic relationship first explored in the recent film. The mystery also provides a surprising sneak peak into a major enemy that was originally introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation and further explored in Star Trek: Voyager. That element is presented by masterfully not made clear until the concluding pages of the book.
At times, the writing is overly simplistic, even when taking into account the fact that the book is written for a younger audience. In fact, the reading level is probably closer to the upper-elementary or middle school reading level rather than for older teens. This also explains why a group of cadets seem to play such an important role in the mystery when they are surrounded by experts from all fields with ties to Starfleet and the San Francisco Police Department. With that said, it is easy to let go of things like that and just sit back and enjoy the tale.
This is a pretty good premier title to the series. While it could have been better, it definitely has me looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Books have always played a major role with many Star Trek fans, and it seems like that will be continuing as their is now a series being published for teens (young adults) that really focuses on the characters in events that occurred prior to the film. This is the first book in the series.
While it is an alternate timeline, much is the same for the original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Cadet James Kirk has easy connections with the ladies and a true talent for leadership. Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a curmudgeon (though, young for the time being) with a major talent in medicine. Spock is reserved, yet knowledgeable as a recent graduate of the Academy.
While Kirk is focusing on a series of team-based roleplaying exams to show that he is the best in this crop of cadets, a series of murders seems to be hitting San Francisco in the area around the academy. The victims seem to be missing organs, but their bodies show no signs of being cut to provide access to remove the organs. This would seem to parallel a series of murders that took place decades earlier and assigned to the "Doctor," and unidentified serial murder who was never caught.
Jim and Bones, as well as a few of their friends, are able to intervene when Uhura's Orion friend is attacked. They are able to stop the girl from being killed. This also provides them with some clues that will allow the cadet team to sort out what might be going on. Bones finds a mysterious, ashy substance that is really more than it seems to be. And some recordings that were captured by 911 calls captured some spoken words from the assailant that Uhura's talents in xenolingquistics might provide even more information.
It doesn't take long for McCoy and a team of Federation scientists to sort out that the ashy substance is not the result of smoke or fire, but are actually tiny nanobots that are able to slide through the cells in the body on the orders of the mysterious Doctor. The question is why the killer wants to do that and who he really is.
Barba has done a nice job of capturing the feel of the original characters, and the book is filled with sequences of action and interesting looks into the minds of familiar characters. In some ways, this helps explain a romantic relationship first explored in the recent film. The mystery also provides a surprising sneak peak into a major enemy that was originally introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation and further explored in Star Trek: Voyager. That element is presented by masterfully not made clear until the concluding pages of the book.
At times, the writing is overly simplistic, even when taking into account the fact that the book is written for a younger audience. In fact, the reading level is probably closer to the upper-elementary or middle school reading level rather than for older teens. This also explains why a group of cadets seem to play such an important role in the mystery when they are surrounded by experts from all fields with ties to Starfleet and the San Francisco Police Department. With that said, it is easy to let go of things like that and just sit back and enjoy the tale.
This is a pretty good premier title to the series. While it could have been better, it definitely has me looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 3, 2016
3,5 stars.
I really want to give this a four. It has good humour, good pacing, decent writing, good characterisation, and an economy of movement in the prose that I'd hope I can mimic someday if I'm writing a fast-paced novel, plus it's compulsively readable (either that, or I'm just that deep in this hell and I need a life), but you lost me at the technobabble. I think there is a simpler way to explain nanites and shit without resorting to too much technobabbles. I would say is this really YA except that from the "easy" way the prose flows, the constant exposition (for example, the Starfleet Academy motto) which thankfully didn't fall into outright lampshading (aka the Tell Never Show fault) and the overall light-hearted tone that this is. Excepting for the technobabble, the set is definitely YA, and thankfully decent YA, not the annoying ones I sometimes accidentally wander into. All those...stuff bothered me because it really interfered with my enjoyment and my processing the plot / MacGuffin, but thankfully I can just glaze over most of it. There is no Star Trek without Prententious Technobabble (tm), but there's good technobabble and technobabble that alienates the reader. In short: I'm a fiction reader, not a scientist, dammit.
It's also a bit clunky at first. Not a smooth beginning. I think the prologue with Jackie could have gone much quicker. I'm getting some serious ridiculous vibes from this at first, like the writer is still getting into it and not sure what he's writing. Thankfully he settles down and it gets entertaining.
I also thought that we're getting a murder mystery angle, which makes me skeptical since there's only 244 pages of this novel (300 something for the epub version in my iBooks), and I initially assumed that a sloppy solve is the reason for most people's dissatisfaction with this novel. But this isn't really murder mystery--despite the fact that murders really happened and the narrative's goals is to find out whodunnit--not really, it's more like slice of life with bits of murder mystery in it. Or, specifically, Leonard McCoy and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Absolutely Terrifying Day: A Prologue. Thankfully, I'm a sucker for college AUs, so I just really enjoyed reading bits and pieces of Kirk, Uhura, and Bones' life in the Academy, and all the Extras (tm) it entails. Kirk's romance with Hannah is believable, and I love Hannah (although I kept expecting her to be the perp or to be related to the perp in some ways, but this is not that kind of novel), although I think it's just a way to justify Kirk's womanizing ways in pre-Enterprise days (well, in Enterprise days also).
What else? Oh, the humour is just brilliant. It works out well with the overall tone of the novel and the author's timing for it is impeccable. I think it actually made me gave this an extra half star instead of the three as I planned it. I mean, check this out:
“Jim, let’s go over the plan,” said McCoy.
“What plan?”
“The one we hastily devised with no real thought given to any contingencies,” replied McCoy.
“I know that plan,” said Kirk. “I use it a lot.”
I think Barba also has good insights into the characters, and it really made things much smoother. He doesn't dump tons of backstories at us like most authors usually did (especially considering characters with a huge, established canon), but what he did throw was really insightful and I enjoyed his characterisation.
Overall, this is a wonderful glimpse into the Academy life of Kirk, Bones, and Uhura. Not a stellar start, but a good start. I hope the second book doesn't disappoint.
I really want to give this a four. It has good humour, good pacing, decent writing, good characterisation, and an economy of movement in the prose that I'd hope I can mimic someday if I'm writing a fast-paced novel, plus it's compulsively readable (either that, or I'm just that deep in this hell and I need a life), but you lost me at the technobabble. I think there is a simpler way to explain nanites and shit without resorting to too much technobabbles. I would say is this really YA except that from the "easy" way the prose flows, the constant exposition (for example, the Starfleet Academy motto) which thankfully didn't fall into outright lampshading (aka the Tell Never Show fault) and the overall light-hearted tone that this is. Excepting for the technobabble, the set is definitely YA, and thankfully decent YA, not the annoying ones I sometimes accidentally wander into. All those...stuff bothered me because it really interfered with my enjoyment and my processing the plot / MacGuffin, but thankfully I can just glaze over most of it. There is no Star Trek without Prententious Technobabble (tm), but there's good technobabble and technobabble that alienates the reader. In short: I'm a fiction reader, not a scientist, dammit.
It's also a bit clunky at first. Not a smooth beginning. I think the prologue with Jackie could have gone much quicker. I'm getting some serious ridiculous vibes from this at first, like the writer is still getting into it and not sure what he's writing. Thankfully he settles down and it gets entertaining.
I also thought that we're getting a murder mystery angle, which makes me skeptical since there's only 244 pages of this novel (300 something for the epub version in my iBooks), and I initially assumed that a sloppy solve is the reason for most people's dissatisfaction with this novel. But this isn't really murder mystery--despite the fact that murders really happened and the narrative's goals is to find out whodunnit--not really, it's more like slice of life with bits of murder mystery in it. Or, specifically, Leonard McCoy and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Absolutely Terrifying Day: A Prologue. Thankfully, I'm a sucker for college AUs, so I just really enjoyed reading bits and pieces of Kirk, Uhura, and Bones' life in the Academy, and all the Extras (tm) it entails. Kirk's romance with Hannah is believable, and I love Hannah (although I kept expecting her to be the perp or to be related to the perp in some ways, but this is not that kind of novel), although I think it's just a way to justify Kirk's womanizing ways in pre-Enterprise days (well, in Enterprise days also).
What else? Oh, the humour is just brilliant. It works out well with the overall tone of the novel and the author's timing for it is impeccable. I think it actually made me gave this an extra half star instead of the three as I planned it. I mean, check this out:
“Jim, let’s go over the plan,” said McCoy.
“What plan?”
“The one we hastily devised with no real thought given to any contingencies,” replied McCoy.
“I know that plan,” said Kirk. “I use it a lot.”
I think Barba also has good insights into the characters, and it really made things much smoother. He doesn't dump tons of backstories at us like most authors usually did (especially considering characters with a huge, established canon), but what he did throw was really insightful and I enjoyed his characterisation.
Overall, this is a wonderful glimpse into the Academy life of Kirk, Bones, and Uhura. Not a stellar start, but a good start. I hope the second book doesn't disappoint.
February 27, 2013
“The Delta Anomaly” by Rick Barba was the first novel released in the Starfleet Academy series of novels which are set in the JJ Abrams’ alternative version of Star Trek. However, it actually takes place after the events that occurred in the 2nd novel to be released which was entitled “The Edge” and therefore I read that book first.
The main plotline is based around the investigation of a rather strange serial killer who seems able to kill people without leaving a single mark on the bodies. Kirk, McCoy and Uhura get dragged into the investigation when one of Uhura’s friends is attacked and Kirk manages to step in an save her. Of course, before long the cadet’s themselves are at risk when the killer appears to make a move on them.
In addition, the book also delves into some of activities and tests that the cadets are undertaking as well as taking an interesting look at the growing relationship between Uhura and Spock. If you think this all sounds a little bit busy for such a short book, I can confirm that you would be right. Barba has crammed a lot into the book which results in a breakneck pace with actions and thrills aplenty. However, I did find that this attempt to include a lot in the book meant that at times both the details were lacking and it could feel a little bit rushed.
I am happy to say that the main characters did feel correct compared to how they have been portrayed recently on the screen. What I really liked though was seeing how beneath Kirk’s youthful and rebellious exterior lies a good man with the potential to be a great leader. This was visible in the other characters as well to an extent, but it was Kirk whose potential you could really see.
One thing I would like to note is that whilst this book is set after “The Edge” there isn’t any particular advantage in reading that book first as the stories are pretty much self-contained so don’t worry if you read this one first. However, there are a few inconsistencies I noticed when reading this book that may have occurred due to the books being written out of order. For example, in “The Delta Anomaly” there is a Doctor present at the Academy as an instructor who I believe would have been thrown out following certain events that occurred during “The Edge”. There are few other little niggles like this that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel but were noticeable.
Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable Star Trek novel that shoul appeal to any teens out there who enjoyed the JJ Abrams movie. It could be a little bit light on details and rushed at times, but the fast pace and thrill packed storyline should more than appeal to the books intended audience.
The main plotline is based around the investigation of a rather strange serial killer who seems able to kill people without leaving a single mark on the bodies. Kirk, McCoy and Uhura get dragged into the investigation when one of Uhura’s friends is attacked and Kirk manages to step in an save her. Of course, before long the cadet’s themselves are at risk when the killer appears to make a move on them.
In addition, the book also delves into some of activities and tests that the cadets are undertaking as well as taking an interesting look at the growing relationship between Uhura and Spock. If you think this all sounds a little bit busy for such a short book, I can confirm that you would be right. Barba has crammed a lot into the book which results in a breakneck pace with actions and thrills aplenty. However, I did find that this attempt to include a lot in the book meant that at times both the details were lacking and it could feel a little bit rushed.
I am happy to say that the main characters did feel correct compared to how they have been portrayed recently on the screen. What I really liked though was seeing how beneath Kirk’s youthful and rebellious exterior lies a good man with the potential to be a great leader. This was visible in the other characters as well to an extent, but it was Kirk whose potential you could really see.
One thing I would like to note is that whilst this book is set after “The Edge” there isn’t any particular advantage in reading that book first as the stories are pretty much self-contained so don’t worry if you read this one first. However, there are a few inconsistencies I noticed when reading this book that may have occurred due to the books being written out of order. For example, in “The Delta Anomaly” there is a Doctor present at the Academy as an instructor who I believe would have been thrown out following certain events that occurred during “The Edge”. There are few other little niggles like this that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the novel but were noticeable.
Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable Star Trek novel that shoul appeal to any teens out there who enjoyed the JJ Abrams movie. It could be a little bit light on details and rushed at times, but the fast pace and thrill packed storyline should more than appeal to the books intended audience.
April 10, 2016
Thanks to J.J. Abrams, there is a whole NEW universe of Star Trek with which one can explore. A place where Vulcan is no more (what?!? Please- the movie is almost 2 yrs old. If you aren’t aware of the events of the movie, then I am NOT going to give you a spoiler warning. Heck- what are you doing, reading my blog anyway?!?); a place where Kirk is a cocky young captain at like 25, instead of 30; a place where Spock and Uhura have a passionate (for a Vulcan) affair going on. And a place where mainstay Trek writers are given the opportunity to explore a place where No One Has Gone Before..
Or so I had hoped.
Instead, the Powers That Be decided to postpone (I hope) the launch of a new line of books set in this new timeline, and instead, give us a series of Teen oriented novels, exploring the early years of Spock and Kirk and Bones, when they were at Starfleet Academy together, of sorts. Yeah- in much the same way that they tried the same with a series of James Bond novels at the start of last decade. Yes, folks, they Harry Potter-ed the Star Trek universe.
So, what happens in this book? Well, what starts out as an attack on an female Orion Cadet (vbeg) turns out to be an ongoing mystery dating back decades, involving The Doctor. (And yes, I am thinking the same thing- What does a Time Lord need with a Orion Girl?!? Luckily, this is a different Doctor- and what they needed from the Orion is part of the plot line). Enlisting the aid of Kirk, Uhura, and Bones, Starfleet Academy and SFPD hope to solve the mystery- before another victim of The Doctor is found.
Now, on to my opinions- :sigh: seriously?!?! Look, I have read many of the Teen oriented Trek books from the past (the Starfleet Academy books from the early 90’s by Peter David and Michael Jan Friedman; the youth oriented books associated with The Search for Spock; even my copies of The Truth Machine & Prisoner of Vega). But this- well, I guess I was so hoping to read the other books first, that reading this one was more of a exercise of the eyeballs. Definitely a read for young, first time viewers of Star Trek who are in their late tweens and teens. And maybe for Trek obsessed fanboys (which is why I read it), but honestly, it is something you can finish off in about 90 minutes (about the time it took me). And as for the villain- can you BE any more obvious in the clues; why not just say ”{FOLLOWING COMMENTS ARE DELETED FOR SPOILER PURPOSES }!”
Anyway, I have one more book in the series to read, and then I will have to read something gritty and uberviolent, just to clear the mental palate – I think I have a David Mack Trek book around somewhere.
Or so I had hoped.
Instead, the Powers That Be decided to postpone (I hope) the launch of a new line of books set in this new timeline, and instead, give us a series of Teen oriented novels, exploring the early years of Spock and Kirk and Bones, when they were at Starfleet Academy together, of sorts. Yeah- in much the same way that they tried the same with a series of James Bond novels at the start of last decade. Yes, folks, they Harry Potter-ed the Star Trek universe.
So, what happens in this book? Well, what starts out as an attack on an female Orion Cadet (vbeg) turns out to be an ongoing mystery dating back decades, involving The Doctor. (And yes, I am thinking the same thing- What does a Time Lord need with a Orion Girl?!? Luckily, this is a different Doctor- and what they needed from the Orion is part of the plot line). Enlisting the aid of Kirk, Uhura, and Bones, Starfleet Academy and SFPD hope to solve the mystery- before another victim of The Doctor is found.
Now, on to my opinions- :sigh: seriously?!?! Look, I have read many of the Teen oriented Trek books from the past (the Starfleet Academy books from the early 90’s by Peter David and Michael Jan Friedman; the youth oriented books associated with The Search for Spock; even my copies of The Truth Machine & Prisoner of Vega). But this- well, I guess I was so hoping to read the other books first, that reading this one was more of a exercise of the eyeballs. Definitely a read for young, first time viewers of Star Trek who are in their late tweens and teens. And maybe for Trek obsessed fanboys (which is why I read it), but honestly, it is something you can finish off in about 90 minutes (about the time it took me). And as for the villain- can you BE any more obvious in the clues; why not just say ”{FOLLOWING COMMENTS ARE DELETED FOR SPOILER PURPOSES }!”
Anyway, I have one more book in the series to read, and then I will have to read something gritty and uberviolent, just to clear the mental palate – I think I have a David Mack Trek book around somewhere.
November 17, 2014
It's quite shocking for me to not know that this existed! When I first saw this book in my local W.H. Smith's, I gave myself a mental slap on the wrist for not finding this two years ago. I didn't have enough money when I first saw it, so I took to Amazon for a copy (ah, good ol' Amazon).
The plot of The Delta Anomaly unravels at quite a slow pace; the main events and villains are slowly revealed. I liked how Barba has written a Star Trek story that young adults and teenagers can relate to, compared to in the series when the characters are adults and face some rather "adult" situations. The story has a tendency to speed up and slow down a lot, but I liked this strategy as it kept me going to the big climax of the book, which occurs right near the end.
The book definitely feels like Star Trek to me, but a lot younger because obviously the characters are younger and say and do things that they would never do or say later on in life. For example, I highly doubt that Bones would give Kirk high fives and call him "man" in his thirties. That was a little out of character for him. I loved the minor "college" elements of this book - studying in coffee shops, playing pranks on other students, that sort of thing - it felt that something I would imagine going on with Starfleet Academy's more easygoing cadets.
Apart from a few out-of-character moments from Bones, I think that the characters were written very accurately. It didn't feel like I was reading a book with characters who happen to have the same names as Star Trek characters but are nothing like them, because they were written so well. However, I was disappointed in a lack of Spock, but I know why he isn't featured as much as the other characters (he's not a cadet in the Academy at this point, he's a Commander). That's just my inner fangirl getting in the way.
Although the book isn't set in space, I still liked the setting of San Francisco. I liked how futuristic the city is described to be, while it still retains its traditional beauty. I'm not familiar with San Francisco at all but I got a really good imagining of how the city would look like in the 23rd century.
Overall, this felt a bit like an episode to be. An enjoyable episode, but certainly not an amazing one. I quite enjoyed this book and its action (despite its lack of Spock), and I will definitely be continuing on with the series!
P.S. I'm really sorry for the poor quality of this review; I've been reading very little for the past week due to exams and I stopped right in the middle of this book.
The plot of The Delta Anomaly unravels at quite a slow pace; the main events and villains are slowly revealed. I liked how Barba has written a Star Trek story that young adults and teenagers can relate to, compared to in the series when the characters are adults and face some rather "adult" situations. The story has a tendency to speed up and slow down a lot, but I liked this strategy as it kept me going to the big climax of the book, which occurs right near the end.
The book definitely feels like Star Trek to me, but a lot younger because obviously the characters are younger and say and do things that they would never do or say later on in life. For example, I highly doubt that Bones would give Kirk high fives and call him "man" in his thirties. That was a little out of character for him. I loved the minor "college" elements of this book - studying in coffee shops, playing pranks on other students, that sort of thing - it felt that something I would imagine going on with Starfleet Academy's more easygoing cadets.
Apart from a few out-of-character moments from Bones, I think that the characters were written very accurately. It didn't feel like I was reading a book with characters who happen to have the same names as Star Trek characters but are nothing like them, because they were written so well. However, I was disappointed in a lack of Spock, but I know why he isn't featured as much as the other characters (he's not a cadet in the Academy at this point, he's a Commander). That's just my inner fangirl getting in the way.
Although the book isn't set in space, I still liked the setting of San Francisco. I liked how futuristic the city is described to be, while it still retains its traditional beauty. I'm not familiar with San Francisco at all but I got a really good imagining of how the city would look like in the 23rd century.
Overall, this felt a bit like an episode to be. An enjoyable episode, but certainly not an amazing one. I quite enjoyed this book and its action (despite its lack of Spock), and I will definitely be continuing on with the series!
P.S. I'm really sorry for the poor quality of this review; I've been reading very little for the past week due to exams and I stopped right in the middle of this book.
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