This was the final numbered novel published in 2002 that I just completed. I had never read it before, though I've had it for a while. It takes place a few months after TFF on the Enterprise-A so I was excited to read it, since so few books take place during that period. There is a prologue that takes place in 2279, a few years before TWOK. Basically Klingons ambush a Starfleet vessel, the Gagarin, and take some of it's crew prisoner. We see some familiar characters, including Lt. Garrovick from "Obsession", Koloth and Korax, both from "The Trouble with Tribbles" and Gorkon, obviously from TUC. Koloth is sent on a covert mission by Gorkon, a member of the High Council at the time, to elicit the help of Captain Kirk in rescuing the prisoners. Klingon society is in the early stages of adopting an honor code based on Kahless and the taking of prisoners is considered dishonorable. Koloth subscribes to this new philosophy, as do several other Klingons, but not all do, including Korax. In some ways it's your basic prison rescue story. However it's much more than that.
Ward tries to provide a transition between the Klingons as seen in the original series, who were much more belligerent and without a strict sense of honor (though seeds of it could be found in characters like Kor and Kang), and those we seen in TNG. It's the very beginning of the adoption of that sense of honor. There are growing pains of course. Also Ward brings up the Klingon's different appearances, including Koroth's change in physical appearance. Ward doesn't ignore the change, but he very creatively discusses it while at the same time leaving the reason ambiguous, in effect protecting his story from being overwritten by canon. Kirk even tries to get the reason out of Koloth, speculating on the causes (including bringing up the possibility of their being different species of Klingons--though that would not answer Koloth's change of appearance--and Koloth gives the same answer Worf did in DS9--that they don't discuss it). It was written before the Enterprise episodes that finally give the reasoning behind the change, and Ward's story still fits existing canon. I thought that was deftly handled.
Early in the story I thought Kirk's reaction to having to team up with Koloth was out of character for the time period. Kirk didn't seem as angry toward Klingons as he would be years later in TUC. But two things that the book did bring up. His experiences with General Korrd from TFF opens Kirk to the possibility of not all Klingons being alike. The 2nd is how the book ends. I won't spill the beans here, but the ending hardens Kirk's feelings towards Klingons that would continue until TUC.
So overall I thought it was an entertaining book, just shy of excellent. As a continuity junky I loved Ward's tying together the various changes of Klingons and Klingon society between the original series and TNG. I also liked how he ingeniously handled the changes in the appearance of the Klingons and in such a way to almost protect his work from later canon. And he also provides an additional explanation for why Kirk almost despised Klingons in TUC, that it was more than just his son's death.
Ward tries to provide a transition between the Klingons as seen in the original series, who were much more belligerent and without a strict sense of honor (though seeds of it could be found in characters like Kor and Kang), and those we seen in TNG. It's the very beginning of the adoption of that sense of honor. There are growing pains of course. Also Ward brings up the Klingon's different appearances, including Koroth's change in physical appearance. Ward doesn't ignore the change, but he very creatively discusses it while at the same time leaving the reason ambiguous, in effect protecting his story from being overwritten by canon. Kirk even tries to get the reason out of Koloth, speculating on the causes (including bringing up the possibility of their being different species of Klingons--though that would not answer Koloth's change of appearance--and Koloth gives the same answer Worf did in DS9--that they don't discuss it). It was written before the Enterprise episodes that finally give the reasoning behind the change, and Ward's story still fits existing canon. I thought that was deftly handled.
Early in the story I thought Kirk's reaction to having to team up with Koloth was out of character for the time period. Kirk didn't seem as angry toward Klingons as he would be years later in TUC. But two things that the book did bring up. His experiences with General Korrd from TFF opens Kirk to the possibility of not all Klingons being alike. The 2nd is how the book ends. I won't spill the beans here, but the ending hardens Kirk's feelings towards Klingons that would continue until TUC.
So overall I thought it was an entertaining book, just shy of excellent. As a continuity junky I loved Ward's tying together the various changes of Klingons and Klingon society between the original series and TNG. I also liked how he ingeniously handled the changes in the appearance of the Klingons and in such a way to almost protect his work from later canon. And he also provides an additional explanation for why Kirk almost despised Klingons in TUC, that it was more than just his son's death.
