Kobayashi Maru

[Rush Limborg]

(lets out deep breath) Sorry... as many posters probably know by now... I've got a wicked temper. I usually keep it under control, but...sometimes I overreact....

For the record, I'm still gonna buy the book. Hey Andy, keep up the good work!

 

[FatherRob]

I don't think I failed to grasp it... the reader knows what's going on and the real reason that he isn't there (which I didn't want to spoil in the review),

Wait... let...me...get...this...straight.... You're remarks about the bathroom thing being corny was doubtless one of the most scathing, seering parts of the review.

You mean... to tell us... that you wrote that part... because you didn't want to SPOIL anything?!?!?!?

You'll just have to read the book and judge for yourself... but the 'cover' for his absence was just so laughable... in my opinion.

As for not spoiling, well, it's not a major spoiler, at least not in my opinion, and it's certainly not the final word on the situation.

Also, concerning the business of not reading the book and all, my intention is to write a review of the book, not to make buying decisions for the public. I realize my review may have some sway, and, if folks share a similar mindset with me concerning things, they'll probably have similar tastes. Heck, in my review of "Last Full Measure" I went so far as to point out that the novel was great, but proved once and for all that Enterprise wasn't genuine Star Trek.

I have no issue sharing frank opinions about my views on books, mainly because I want to see continued excellent storytelling in the Trek novels... if sharing my opinion helps, then so be it. If not, well, so be that too.

Every review, after posted, leaves you thinking about the things you might have been able to add, things perhaps you could have said, or things that you wish you wouldn't have. I really did enjoy the Trip storyline, and would have been pleased reading an entire novel on that alone. I just didn't care for the non-Trip portions of the book, and those in and of themselves really muddied the reading experience... again... in my opinion.

Please, however, buy the book yourself and read it... you may or may not share my view, but hey, if we all agreed on our views, what would we have to discuss here?

Rob+

 

[ronny]

(lets out deep breath) Sorry... as many posters probably know by now... I've got a wicked temper. I usually keep it under control, but...sometimes I overreact....

For the record, I'm still gonna buy the book. Hey Andy, keep up the good work!

what's there to lose your temper over? someone had issues with a book you haven't read.

 

[DimesDan]

That was a pretty damning review, unfortunatly, I wasn't too keen on Last Full Measure so I won't be buying any of the Enterprise novels and I very rarely base what not I will buy/watch/do on the word of another person as we're all different and we all like different things.

 

[Zane Gray]

Amazon just updated the status this afternoon to "in stock". Earlier it was to be in stock on 06Sep08.

Barnes and Noble online has it in stock but there's a 2 to 3 day delay in the shipping.


Note: So far on Chapter 3.

Hey Steel, can you give us your thoughts? I'd like to know what others who have actually read the book think of it.

 

[Man of Steel]

Amazon just updated the status this afternoon to "in stock". Earlier it was to be in stock on 06Sep08.

Barnes and Noble online has it in stock but there's a 2 to 3 day delay in the shipping.


Note: So far on Chapter 3.

Hey Steel, can you give us your thoughts? I'd like to know what others who have actually read the book think of it.

So far so good Zane but honestly I haven't ben able to read further because I have been busy helping my sister and her husband move, had a disastrous weekend and been getting home late this week. I'll keep you posted though. And Zane I'm not sure if anyone on here has it as of yet.

 

[ronny]

I picked it up today but my normal reading times are all messed up. Getting married in October so I'm busy with a lot of stuff.

 

[Man of Steel]

Getting married in October so I'm busy with a lot of stuff.

Congratulations.

 

[tenmei]

Eventually gave in and ordered this along with 4400: The Vesuvius Prophecy.

 

[Amaris]

Hmmm... methinks Simon & Schuster Security will be paying a "friendly" visit to Man of Steel's house sometime soon....

And they take away his minty shelf copy of "Kobayashi Maru" by Julia Ecklar.

I saw the thread title and thought that was the book in question.
Actually, that one's next on my reading list.


J.

 

[Saul]

Is there anyone here who hasn't got a life who has read this yet?

 

[Idoliside]

I just got it through this morning. Yay for the Book Depositry!

 

[Julio Angel Ortiz]

After reading through this thread, I've decided to give the Enterprise relaunch a try. Picked up The Good That Men Do and Kobayshi Maru yesterday (the latter having just arrived that day!) and am looking forward to them.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm reading it right now. I'm about halfway through, and I love it. It's doing an awesome job of setting up the trilogy that's to come.

Spoiler: KM

I was not surprised to see that the ECS Horizon - the Mayweather family's cargo ship - is the same one as from TOS' "A Piece Of The Action". I *was* kinda surprised to find out that it was the Romulans who were responsible for its destruction. Poor Travis, though...I am not looking forward to seeing his reaction to finding out.

About the only quibble I have so far with this book is, probably, something I should not be surprised to see: the absolutely massive quantity of name-dropping.

Spoiler: KM again

As I said, I'm only 1/2 through, but by the time I finish this, there will probably not be anyone at Pocket Books or in this forum who hasn't had a bloody character named after them.

 

[ialfan]

The trilogy is no more just a trade paperback due next year.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The trilogy is no more just a trade paperback due next year.

Come again?

They're doing the entire thing -

Spoiler: KM

the whole Romulan War

- in ONE BOOK?!?

No way. You gotta be kidding me. How the hell are they going to do justice to it?

I mean, why do they allow nine bloody novels to cover the period in between the 9th and 10th films, yet *this* only gets ONE?!?

 

[ialfan]

The trilogy is no more just a trade paperback due next year.

Come again?

They're doing the entire thing -

Spoiler: KM

the whole Romulan War

- in ONE BOOK?!?

No way. You gotta be kidding me. How the hell are they going to do justice to it?

I mean, why do they allow nine bloody novels to cover the period in between the 9th and 10th films, yet *this* only gets ONE?!?

No...it's coming out in October 2009. The good thing is a trade paperback is probably equal to two regular paperbacks in length.

http://trekmovie.com/2008/07/11/pocket-outlines-book-plans-for-2009-2010/

 

[KingstonTrekker]

I picked up this book on Friday and read it this weekend. Although I didn't feel it was as strong as The Good That Men Do, I did enjoy Kobayashi Maru and would recommend it to others.

I disagree with the review at TrekMovie. I respect the reviewer's right to his "frank opinions," but I found the review to be negative in the extreme (and well below Trekmovie's usual standards for balanced reporting and reviews.)

Spoliers Ahead....


















I viewed Kobayashi Maru as a "bridge book" between The Good That Men Do and the upcoming 2009 Romulan War trade paperback. Keeping this in mind, I think that Kobayashi Maru does a good job of setting up this conflict.

I agree that the Starfleet brass and the Coalition politicians are a bit...dense...in this book. I also thought that Captain Hernandez should have put the pieces of the puzzle together more quickly during the battle at Alpha Centauri. However, I found that overall she commanded the Columbia competently throughout the book. I also enjoyed her interactions with her crew.

I liked Archer in this book. He is the one who is constantly trying to talk some sense to the Starfleet brass. He made a tough command decision when deciding to retreat from the Kobayashi Maru situation. I agree with his decision; he had to keep Enterprise out of the hands of the Romulans. (It was also great to see that some of his crew disagreed with his decision and now doubt their captain. Maybe we will see some real conflict within this crew in the next book?) I found that this version of the "no-win scenario" was in no way a let-down.

Re: Archer's actions surrounding the disappearance of T'Pol and Reed...simply put, he trusted his officers. They deceived him (albeit for a good cause.) Archer is not the first commander to be duped by trusted members of his crew.

Re: Reed's absence from the bridge. Reed had called in sick. Archer had no need to go charging down to Reed's quarters; there are at least three shifts on Enterprise and at lease two other qualified tactical officers. Reed is not the only person on the ship who can crew the tactical station.

I really enjoyed Trip's plotline. It was very engaging, with plenty of twists and turns.

As war with Romulus looms, I am left wondering if we have seen the last of the Columbia? Perhaps this ship, and her crew, have now departed this era to meet their "Destiny" in this fall's upcoming trilogy by David Mack?

Overall, Kobayashi Maru is a good addition to the Star Trek:Enterprise saga. The events depicted in this book would have made for excellent television viewing if they had been part of a fifth season for the cancelled series.

Thank you, Michael Martin and Andy Mangels, for creating another entertaining installment in the Star Trek: Enterprise relaunch.


P.S. At the risk of igniting yet another excruciating "Gays in Star Trek" debate on here....as a gay man in a same-sex marriage, I would also like to thank you for depicting what I think is the first gay Klingon relationship in Star Trek.

 

[Christopher]

The trilogy is no more just a trade paperback due next year.

Come again?

They're doing the entire thing -

Spoiler: KM

the whole Romulan War

- in ONE BOOK?!?

Not necessarily. Only one book has been announced to date, but we don't know that it represents the entire story. It could just be the first volume. When Margaret announced the trade paperback at Shore Leave, she was deliberately ambiguous about that, IIRC.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I just don't see how something as epic as the Earth-Romulan War could be condensed into just one novel.

And as I said, why does the gap between Insurrection and Nemesis get *nine* novels (A Time To...) yet this only apparently gets one?

(I'm guessing that there will only be one, as the title doesn't have a "Part 1" in it, or anything like that)