Spoilers TOS: Devil's Bargain by Tony Daniel Review Thread

[Christopher]

I read my first Trek novel about 37 years ago, I'd say. And my 40th anniversary as a Trek fan will be this coming January.

For a long time, "Trekkie" was seen as a derogatory label applied to Trek fans by those who looked down on them -- akin to "hippie" or "groupie," or maybe even "junkie." "Trekker" was coined as a more respectable alternative, by analogy with "trucker," I think. (Or perhaps simply from the Dutch word trekker, one who goes on a long journey.) These days the stigma attached to "Trekkie" seems to have been forgotten and the terms are used pretty much interchangeably.

 

[JWolf]

I read my first Star Trek novel when I was 13. It was Spock Must Die. At around the same time I read all of the Blish novelizations. So that would be 36 years ago.

 

[DorkBoy [TM]]

Yep, I am actually one of the younger people around here.

My first one was Price of the Phoenix, when I was in 4th grade. 30 years ago, yikes. Believe it or not I wasn't really that into Star Trek, it was just one of my dad's books that looked interesting. (He had a lot of sci-fi but that was his only Star Trek book.)

A few years later I really started getting into Star Trek (on TV). One day I discovered that there was a whole section of Trek novels at the bookstore, and picked up Deep Domain to read on a trip. I read it in less than a day, and after that I was completely hooked. Somehow up until that point I thought there were only a few Star Trek novels, all Bantam, and I didn't even know Pocket existed!

 

[T'Bonz]

What a terrible book with which to start your Trek reading!

 

[DorkBoy [TM]]

I've always thought the Phoenix novels were some of the better Bantam books, which isn't saying a whole lot. Maybe I'm weird but I enjoyed them.

The pocket books were all consistently better though.

 

[Ronald Held]

fwiw I was reading the Blish adaptations when they came out.

 

[Ktrek]

Mr.Pjax - I have been reading Star Trek books for over 20 years and I would strongly disagree that this book reads like a JJ Verse novel. I am not a fan of the book at all as stated earlier in this thread. I think it reads like a bad TOS episode (very bad). It actually might have been better had it been set in the JJ Verse era in my opinion. At least then I could have been more forgiving with it.

Kevin

 

[tomswift2002]

This book was still on the Bestsellers wall yesterday at my local Coles.

 

[Therin of Andor]

My first one was Price of the Phoenix, when I was in 4th grade.

I read "Fate of the Phoenix" first, because "Price" was much harder to find, especially in the Bantam edition. (My local shops seemed to have imported mainly the Corgi UK editions of "Price" - and "Planet of Judgement". It was a time of Aussie government regulations giving UK publishers preference over US distribution.)

I'm guessing Therin has been reading them close to 40 years by now as well.

Started with ST:TMP novelization in December 1979, but later realised I'd read "Mission to Horatius" as a kid.

 

[RonG]

Just finished the novel - a nice little adventure with good characterization and of course, the highlight (IMO) was the use of Hortas.

Voted Above Average

 

[Kilana2]

Just began it. Reading about Kirk feasting all that tasty things makes me hungry, though.

 

[Kilana2]

Much to my questionable pleasure Khan is mentioned often - maybe too often.
Odd conversation between Merling and Sulu.
Kirk in love - don't know what to think of it.
Story reminds me of Deep Impact - with the Horta as heroes.

 

[Kilana2]

Just finished the novel - a nice little adventure with good characterization and of course, the highlight (IMO) was the use of Hortas.

Voted Above Average

Me too. A mixture of Horta story and `Deep Impact´ with more focus on the story than on the disaster. Well done.

 

[thribs]

50 pages in and Kirk has already had sex... twice.
Probably the most accurate I’ve seen the Kirk character written.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Vesbians"...with just one typo it becomes a whole different novel...

 

[thribs]

"Vesbians"...with just one typo it becomes a whole different novel...

Ha! That would have made Kirk’s wooing of Hannah slightly harder. Not impossible, just harder.