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vortimer's review against another edition
1.0
Well it's better than her other trek novel, the shockingly awful "Vulcan!" It actually starts ok, apart from making the common mistake of these pretty amateur early Trek novels and emphasizing the redshirt nature of everyone not an established character, though it breaks this rule at the end. Then the impossibly gorgeous and gifted in every way (genetically engineered and raised as a security agent, just mull that one over) Colonel Elizabeth Schaeffer turns up, part of a disturbing, incredibly resourced Federation security force that operates outside the law - like the version of Section 31 seen in Discovery. However, she is as emotionally stable as a drunk 13 year old, as is everyone else, for that matter, much given to deep conversations about their feelings and psychology with people literally just met.
This version of the Federation is Love Island with Fascist Security Police.
This version of the Federation is Love Island with Fascist Security Police.
meggytheweggy's review against another edition
Terrible book with OOC depictions of characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
2.0
Just for the record...my edition is ISBN: 0553246372; published by Bantam in 1984. However, whoever entered that edition into GoodReads screwed up the entry.
djwudi's review
2.0
Would have been three stars, but it started slipping with a bit too much focus on Kirk-as-Lothario, and then lost me when Spock admitted to raping another crew member...and then it was written off as "not really" rape because he was being influenced and she enjoyed it, even though she was asleep and he used his telepathy to keep her that way and remove her memory afterwards). With some judicious editing, it could be a solid three star, but as it is, being written thirty-five years ago and before there was much actual oversight over the books really shows.
joelshults's review against another edition
3.0
More strange aliens in one place than I've ever seen! And MURDER!!
reeshadovahsil's review against another edition
1.0
A truly terrible book. Not quite as bad as Vulcan! (same author) but only barely. I'd give it 1.5 stars if I had the option.
The main character is clearly the author's avatar-of-perfection (i.e. Mary Sue); the whiny husband is an uncharitable avatar of the author's ex (same number of years in the marriage and everything!); Dr. M'Benga is a mass murderer; Dr. McCoy is a rude letch; Spock is a rapist - oh, but it's okay. Because it's POSSIBLE that MAYBE the unconscious woman LIKED IT. (???!?!?!?!?!)
The only main cast member that could be said to be in character was Kirk, throwing himself at anything vaguely feminine that walks by as usual. ...Of course, then he cried about it, so never mind.
Like Vulcan!, this story is packed with internalized misogyny so glaring and obvious that it makes one sick to read it.
The only reason I rate this one higher than Vulcan! is that some of the ambassadors are silly and fun and enjoyable to read about. They're all equally ridiculous, but that happens in Star Trek sometimes and can be a good time. But neither they nor the recycled plot of Journey to Babel are anywhere near enough to save the book.
I'm reading every Star Trek novel in the order it came out and I'm just crossing my fingers that this is the last one this person wrote. Bleh!
The main character is clearly the author's avatar-of-perfection (i.e. Mary Sue); the whiny husband is an uncharitable avatar of the author's ex (same number of years in the marriage and everything!); Dr. M'Benga is a mass murderer; Dr. McCoy is a rude letch; Spock is a rapist - oh, but it's okay. Because it's POSSIBLE that MAYBE the unconscious woman LIKED IT. (???!?!?!?!?!)
The only main cast member that could be said to be in character was Kirk, throwing himself at anything vaguely feminine that walks by as usual. ...Of course, then he cried about it, so never mind.
Like Vulcan!, this story is packed with internalized misogyny so glaring and obvious that it makes one sick to read it.
The only reason I rate this one higher than Vulcan! is that some of the ambassadors are silly and fun and enjoyable to read about. They're all equally ridiculous, but that happens in Star Trek sometimes and can be a good time. But neither they nor the recycled plot of Journey to Babel are anywhere near enough to save the book.
I'm reading every Star Trek novel in the order it came out and I'm just crossing my fingers that this is the last one this person wrote. Bleh!