Finally done. I do not rate this highly, not certain why. Not because of the Vanguard tie-in. Maybe the ground carnage, which took up a large part of the story?
Spoilers TOS: Harm's Way by David Mack Review Thread
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Vanguard has been over for several years, so there won't be a next Vanguard novel.
Finally got to my copy and got it read. An excellent tale. Mack managed to tell a TOS Kirk & crew story while seamlessly mixing in a good amount of Vanguard lore and people...and it worked wonderfully. I am a huge fan of the Vanguard books, so of course loved seeing some of the old gang in action again.
However, I especially enjoyed Mr. Mack taking us inside of Kirk and Spock's heads as they both; from different points, were dealing with after effects of the 'recent' Dooms-Day Machine episode as well as the episode Amok Time...I found it fascinating and insightful to revisit those events, after the fact in that way.
All in all this was a great TOS book and one that can fit pretty easily into the Vanguard line-up as well. I voted 'Above Average.'
However, I especially enjoyed Mr. Mack taking us inside of Kirk and Spock's heads as they both; from different points, were dealing with after effects of the 'recent' Dooms-Day Machine episode as well as the episode Amok Time...I found it fascinating and insightful to revisit those events, after the fact in that way.
All in all this was a great TOS book and one that can fit pretty easily into the Vanguard line-up as well. I voted 'Above Average.'
I just stareted reading it I liked seeing Admiral Nougora chewing out Admiral Fitzgerald saying he was no longer be in control of the Enterprise mission in the Taurus sector it was a great scene and I like seeing the Enterprise crew working with the Sagitarious crew members worrying about the Klingon ship heading towards Kaltossi 3. And I like seeing the aftermath for Kirk and Spock about the doomsday machine and Amok time is well written.This book is really good so far.
I voted Outstanding I really liked this book alot showing the Starfleet Crew members working with the Klingons to stop the Shedai threat the Godhead villian was scary.It was well written and exciting. I liked seeing Kirk dealing with the aftermath of the doomsday machine and Spock dealinf with the events of Amok time too.
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and the Klingons...
Thanks for all the feedback. Also, was this the novel that brought in Kesh as Chancellor? As I've lost track of that detail since I last saw the book in question.
Obviously, made a lot of sense, though making Kesh a fairly long lasting Chancellor (plus, I kind of liked the idea of sneaking Lorak in there somewhere, as a homage to Klingon Academy. Possibly even have him abdicate, as one of the very few Klingon Chancellors to ever get the chance to - still, that's headcanon material, really)
Open ends can also be nice at times. Still, one of the good things about the novelverse is the closing up of many threads, and the weaving of them.
Finally just finished this book. I haven't been reading as much as I used to. Part of that is just life stuff. I haven't had much time to read. And probably part of it is I don't feel as compelled to read as fast as I used to since we're only getting a few Star Trek books a year. When they were coming out every month I felt like I had to keep up. Now with so few books it doesn't seem as urgent.
Part of it though was that this book didn't seem to hold my interest. That's rare for a David Mack book. Usually I love his books. But this time I was just sort of blah. That surprised me because I loved the Vanguard novels, and the Seeker novels that followed. It just seemed for long periods of time we were slogging through a very wet jungle, and even the scenes around the planet until they planted the mines seemed to drag for me. I did rate it average, which for me for a Mack book, is a rare thing. It did pick up a bit towards the end, though even then, it seemed to take forever to finally kill the Shedai Godhead. It's not like there wasn't lots of action. But it just felt repetitious to me. Maybe because it was more like a siege, and sometimes sieges can get bogged down.
There were some good points though. I think Mack did a good job capturing the Klingons of this era. Hostile and belligerent, but bringing in some of the honor that we learned later is important to Klingons. I was a little surprised at how closely Mara worked with Spock, Sulu and Chekov, but seemingly didn't remember them in "Day of the Dove." But reading some earlier comments I was reminded that in the episode the entity messed with the crews' memories so that could easily explained. And it was interesting to read about the effect "The Doomsday Machine", and to a lesser effect "Amok Time" had on Kirk and Spock. I also liked seeing Spock take lead on a landing party for a change. It almost always seemed Kirk took lead on landing parties, but it was nice to see circumstances laid out that made it necessary to have Spock lead it. And we also saw Kang contemplating an alliance with the Romulan Empire. So a couple nice tie ins to the continuity of the TV series.
But overall a rare miss for me for a David Mack book. In fact, I can't remember ever reading a Star Trek book by him that I didn't at least rate "above average."
Part of it though was that this book didn't seem to hold my interest. That's rare for a David Mack book. Usually I love his books. But this time I was just sort of blah. That surprised me because I loved the Vanguard novels, and the Seeker novels that followed. It just seemed for long periods of time we were slogging through a very wet jungle, and even the scenes around the planet until they planted the mines seemed to drag for me. I did rate it average, which for me for a Mack book, is a rare thing. It did pick up a bit towards the end, though even then, it seemed to take forever to finally kill the Shedai Godhead. It's not like there wasn't lots of action. But it just felt repetitious to me. Maybe because it was more like a siege, and sometimes sieges can get bogged down.
There were some good points though. I think Mack did a good job capturing the Klingons of this era. Hostile and belligerent, but bringing in some of the honor that we learned later is important to Klingons. I was a little surprised at how closely Mara worked with Spock, Sulu and Chekov, but seemingly didn't remember them in "Day of the Dove." But reading some earlier comments I was reminded that in the episode the entity messed with the crews' memories so that could easily explained. And it was interesting to read about the effect "The Doomsday Machine", and to a lesser effect "Amok Time" had on Kirk and Spock. I also liked seeing Spock take lead on a landing party for a change. It almost always seemed Kirk took lead on landing parties, but it was nice to see circumstances laid out that made it necessary to have Spock lead it. And we also saw Kang contemplating an alliance with the Romulan Empire. So a couple nice tie ins to the continuity of the TV series.
But overall a rare miss for me for a David Mack book. In fact, I can't remember ever reading a Star Trek book by him that I didn't at least rate "above average."
I'm only on page 115 so I realize that I may be jumping the gun a bit here, but is there any further elaboration on Kang's first meeting with Kirk, that was alluded to in Chapter 3? It sounds like an interesting backstory; was this part of an earlier novel that I may have missed? Or an idea newly conceived for this one?
Memory Beta is your friend! See ¶2 of the 23rd century section of the biography of Kang, son of K'naiah.
The reference to Kang and Kirk's earlier meeting is a tip of the hat to Star Trek TOS #87 — aka Enterprise, book three of the My Brother's Keeper trilogy by the great Michael Jan Friedman.
Thank you David! Years ago, I read the MBK trilogy, but the details are foggy. I may just have to revisit those three books.
Greatly enjoying this, I hope you plan to do a few more TOS novels down the road. Last question: any chance that Nogura's yeoman is based on the character of Radar from MASH? I couldn't help but making the comparison when I read that scene.
Greatly enjoying this, I hope you plan to do a few more TOS novels down the road. Last question: any chance that Nogura's yeoman is based on the character of Radar from MASH? I couldn't help but making the comparison when I read that scene.
The character of Ensign Toby Greenfield, yeoman to the Starbase 47 commanding officer, was established in the first Vanguard novel, Harbinger (2005). She was named for and modeled upon an extremely competent, charming, and take-no-guff young woman with whom I had the pleasure to work at NBC/SCI FI Channel in the early 2000s.
Just finished last night and I have to say it was an excellent read. I think the thing I enjoyed most was the interaction between the two landing parties and I'd love to see more of that in a future TOS novel, say one taking place post-Day of the Dove.
Basically, a fourth encounter between Kirk's crew and Kang's people, say in the fourth or fifth year of the 5YM.
In any event, great job!
Basically, a fourth encounter between Kirk's crew and Kang's people, say in the fourth or fifth year of the 5YM.
In any event, great job!
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