Kobayashi Maru

[Saul]

I read it just before "The Romulan Wars" it leads in pretty nicely.

But

Spoiler: spoiler

At the end of Kobayashi Maru trip's escape pod was about to be hit by a mine but when it picks up in Romulan War he is about to be hit by a comet.

Continuity error?

 

[T'Ressa Dax]

Mine hidden on the comet? Or he missed the mine but a comet was the next thing in his path?

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Mine hidden on the comet? Or he missed the mine but a comet was the next thing in his path?

Damn, that would suck.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Which is why he yelled out, "Hands off, this comet is mine!"

 

[Janos]

I think Kobayashi Maru suffered from the fact that the entire book was building up to a downer, and the reader knew it. I mean how can the event that Starfleet would come to use as the classic "no-win scenario" have a happy ending? Even with the declaration or war, the book felt like it lacked resolution. Like a holding pattern, just meant to fill space until the war started.

So, quick Q(s), as I haven't read this book. Is this the "no win" scenario that the future Starfleet Academy simulation is based on? Is there a ship called Kobayashi Maru in this Enterprise novel? How does this ENT novel "fit" with the TOS novel of the same name + "the" in the title.

 

[David cgc]

Is this the "no win" scenario that the future Starfleet Academy simulation is based on?

Yes.

Is there a ship called Kobayashi Maru in this Enterprise novel?

Yes.

How does this ENT novel "fit" with the TOS novel of the same name + "the" in the title.

Completely unrelated. The ENT book is about the historical Kobayashi Maru and the circumstances under which it was lost, and the TOS book is about how several of Kirk's crew dealt with the simulator mission when they were at the Academy.

 

[F. King Daniel]

IIRC, the two Kobayashi Maru novels disagree on what a "gravitic mine" is. In the ENT novel, they're space mines similar to those in "Minefield", whereas in the post-TMP novel they're natually occurring space anomalies.

The post-TMP novel also says that there never was a "real" Kobayashi Maru ship or incident.

 

[Christopher]

IIRC, the two Kobayashi Maru novels disagree on what a "gravitic mine" is. In the ENT novel, they're space mines similar to those in "Minefield", whereas in the post-TMP novel they're natually occurring space anomalies.

Maybe the anomalies are named by analogy with the weapons.

Then again, I don't think the Ecklar novel unambiguously says a gravitic mine is naturally occurring. True, the shuttle hits it while in a system full of gravitational anomalies, but I've always interpreted it as a literal munition-type mine that happened to be in that system for some reason, perhaps a relic of some past war.

 

[Janos]

Since the words "Kobayashi Maru" or pretty-much inside-baseball terms for ST fans, what is the benefit of calling an ENT era book KM when many long-time fans may read it expecting something totally different? This isn't a comment on the quality of story, but on what from a marketing thing may be percieved as a bait and switch. Now, the title may help with sales of this ENT book, but is it satisfying for long-time fans that understand the TOS established history around the words KM?

 

[Christopher]

Now, the title may help with sales of this ENT book, but is it satisfying for long-time fans that understand the TOS established history around the words KM?

I don't see why not, since it explains what the original "no-win scenario" was. It's basically an origin story for the event depicted in the famous Academy simulation. I'm sure a lot of fans have wondered if there was ever a real Kobayashi Maru (well, real within the fictional universe), whether the simulation was based on actual events, etc.

 

[Janos]

Now, the title may help with sales of this ENT book, but is it satisfying for long-time fans that understand the TOS established history around the words KM?

I don't see why not, since it explains what the original "no-win scenario" was. It's basically an origin story for the event depicted in the famous Academy simulation. I'm sure a lot of fans have wondered if there was ever a real Kobayashi Maru (well, real within the fictional universe), whether the simulation was based on actual events, etc.

Thanks Christopher. I clearly misunderstood David cgc who talked about ENT's historical KM and TOS' simulator KM. Thanks for clarifying.