TOS: Foul Deeds Will Rise by Greg Cox Review Thread (Spoilers!)
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And because today is pub day, here's a joint interview with Dave Mack and I on our most recent Trek projects:
http://paulsemel.com/exclusive-inte...-trek-section-31-disavowed-author-david-mack/
http://paulsemel.com/exclusive-inte...-trek-section-31-disavowed-author-david-mack/
The good news is that mine has shipped. Expect to start it by the weekend.
Mine has appeared. I expect to start on Sunday.
I'm going to get this one soon because I have liked Greg Cox's books in the past, but at Amazon it has only one review and it is 1-star! I came here to see the poll and it is currently 2 above average and 2 outstanding.
If any of you who read it would go write a review on Amazon, I think it would be good to have a few more reviews up there for people to make up their minds. It seems people are much more likely to review something if they didn't like it. We have to support our Star Trek Author's who bring us these great stories.
To be clear I am not asking anyone to lie or exaggerate and I won't review it until I have read it. I should go write some for the books I have read, but this looks urgent with only 1 1-star review.
If any of you who read it would go write a review on Amazon, I think it would be good to have a few more reviews up there for people to make up their minds. It seems people are much more likely to review something if they didn't like it. We have to support our Star Trek Author's who bring us these great stories.
To be clear I am not asking anyone to lie or exaggerate and I won't review it until I have read it. I should go write some for the books I have read, but this looks urgent with only 1 1-star review.
Just 50 pages in. So far no problems.
It was a slow start, but then the action picked up like an avalanche: faster and faster 
I liked that the Andorian wasn't another "zh/sh". Gives a multicultural/multilingual feeling to the whole planet.
I liked that the Andorian wasn't another "zh/sh". Gives a multicultural/multilingual feeling to the whole planet.
I established in A Choice of Futures that the standard novelverse naming convention is an "Imperial" naming system that Andorians are expected to conform to, but some of them insist on going by their original names in their native languages rather than assimilating linguistically. I never liked the tendency of the novelverse to force all Andorian names to fit the same convention, as if the entire species had only one language and culture.
Thank, Christopher, for the explanation. I didn't get to "Rise of the Federation" series yet, so didn't know that. That's a very good explanation of why it's so common in the books, and also why in the show and some books it is not present.
And I can see we agree on the one language and culture thing
And I can see we agree on the one language and culture thing
Not quite halfway through, and from the very first sneeze, I've been guessing that Chekov's allergy is a "Chekhov's Gun."
I only just started this last night, already getting sucked in. One quick nitpick/question. At this point, wasn't Scotty's rank Captain? I noticed you gave his rank as Commander. I recall Scotty was "captain of engineering" in Star Trek III. I could be wrong. Otherwise, story is starting off great. Thank you oh so much for setting this story in the Star Trek V/VI timeline of events. It's amazing, after all the 5YM books, how fresh that point in time makes this book feel.
Also, towards the end of the book, Uhura is a Lieutenant all of a sudden. It's probably just a few minor oversights
. Greg is used to writing 5YM stories.
Also, towards the end of the book, Uhura is a Lieutenant all of a sudden. It's probably just a few minor oversights
I noticed another goof. The observation room with sailing wheel is depicted in the book as being in the back of the saucer when its clearly in the front in trek V. I suppose there could be a room on both ends of the saucer. God im a nerd noticing stuff like this
So far, I would say that this doesn't come up to the standard I usually expect from Mr. Cox, but then again, his Gary Seven novels and his Khan novels set the bar awfully high. It's kind of like the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco: the very worst prime rib dinner you'd ever be served there will probably still be better than a really good one almost anywhere else.
I will also say that it needed to be proofread by a good copy editor. Among other things, the plural of "craft" (as in vessel) is not "crafts" but "craft" (and I'm genuinely surprised that nobody else noticed!)
I will also say that it needed to be proofread by a good copy editor. Among other things, the plural of "craft" (as in vessel) is not "crafts" but "craft" (and I'm genuinely surprised that nobody else noticed!)
Interesting use of the "Alfacite Energy Phenomenon" (see fanfic SS "Ni Var," in Star Trek: The New Voyages, a sequel to The Enemy Within from over 38 years ago)
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I finished this last night. A lot to like in this novel.
I always enjoy Mr. Cox's 5 year mission novels but setting this story post-FF and pre-TUC really gave it a fresher/different flavor. I liked the FF references (and props -- thruster boots!), subtle foreshadowing of TUC, and that the descriptive passages never let us forget that this book is firmly entrenched in the movie era. My hope is that this isn't our only movie era novel from Mr. Cox, since he shows here a real knack for capturing the "feel" of that period so well.
The whole concept of the GRC is very interesting to me. A civilian, non-Starfleet agency offers a different perspective to humanitarian efforts than we're used to in Trek and I'd like to see this explored more in other novels. At one point in the book, it's suggested that GRC members may be linked in their desire for redemption and this bit of information made me even more intrigued with the group. (Bonus points for including a theatrical Horta
)
Sometimes, Treklit readers are so accustomed to spot-on characterization and note-perfect dialogue from our regular group of Trek authors that it goes without mentioning in these threads, but I'd like to take a moment and compliment Mr. Cox for this book in particular. He nailed every character wonderfully, especially the nutty Lenore's healthy dose of the Bard mixed into her melodramatic musings. Good ol' McCoy needling Kirk with, "Try the handle" after the latter unsuccessfully tried to walk through a door: I actually laughed out loud after reading that section.
I liked the new character of Banks. In my head, I cast Carrie Preston as Banks, using her southern accent from True Blood. She fit the character pretty well.
My only criticism of the novel would probably be the Spock/Scotty side-adventure. Whenever the story cut to them, nothing much was ever happening and it limited their involvement in the primary storyline. I did like the remote ice station sequence but I guess I would've just preferred their participation back on the ship.
All in all, a solid, entertaining read and proof that Mr. Cox should definitely return to the movie era for future novels.
I always enjoy Mr. Cox's 5 year mission novels but setting this story post-FF and pre-TUC really gave it a fresher/different flavor. I liked the FF references (and props -- thruster boots!), subtle foreshadowing of TUC, and that the descriptive passages never let us forget that this book is firmly entrenched in the movie era. My hope is that this isn't our only movie era novel from Mr. Cox, since he shows here a real knack for capturing the "feel" of that period so well.
The whole concept of the GRC is very interesting to me. A civilian, non-Starfleet agency offers a different perspective to humanitarian efforts than we're used to in Trek and I'd like to see this explored more in other novels. At one point in the book, it's suggested that GRC members may be linked in their desire for redemption and this bit of information made me even more intrigued with the group. (Bonus points for including a theatrical Horta
)Sometimes, Treklit readers are so accustomed to spot-on characterization and note-perfect dialogue from our regular group of Trek authors that it goes without mentioning in these threads, but I'd like to take a moment and compliment Mr. Cox for this book in particular. He nailed every character wonderfully, especially the nutty Lenore's healthy dose of the Bard mixed into her melodramatic musings. Good ol' McCoy needling Kirk with, "Try the handle" after the latter unsuccessfully tried to walk through a door: I actually laughed out loud after reading that section.
I liked the new character of Banks. In my head, I cast Carrie Preston as Banks, using her southern accent from True Blood. She fit the character pretty well.
My only criticism of the novel would probably be the Spock/Scotty side-adventure. Whenever the story cut to them, nothing much was ever happening and it limited their involvement in the primary storyline. I did like the remote ice station sequence but I guess I would've just preferred their participation back on the ship.
All in all, a solid, entertaining read and proof that Mr. Cox should definitely return to the movie era for future novels.
To be honest, I mostly wanted to get Spock off the Enterprise so Chekov would have a chance to shine for once. It seemed to me that Kirk would ordinarily put Spock in charge of unraveling the mystery if he was available, so Spock got shunted off to the B-plot to give Chekov a bigger role in the proceedings.
Glad you liked the book, though!
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