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shortcub's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
danilanglie's review
2.0
The quality of this book would only earn it one star, honestly. But my nostalgia for all things Star Trek makes me happy to have an additional glimpse into this universe, so... sue me. I kind of had fun reading this, even though it was not a good book.
The biggest problem with it is that it's way too exposition-heavy. It goes into details about pretty much every significant canonical thing that happens in Jim Kirk's life, but the exploration into the inner life of the character is done all with telling, not with showing. We hear that Jim feels sad, or angry, or bored, but it's written in this poor writing style that doesn't get across any particular depth of character.
This book also takes zero risks in terms of how these characters and events are portrayed. This could have been an opportunity to explore a deeper relationship between Jim and some of the other crewmates, like Uhura or Scotty. Sure, we saw glimpses of how Scotty and Jim met, which was nice... but nothing in the book complicates, deepens, or adds in any way to the relationships we already see on screen. As such, there's not really anything new to discover.
The writing style, as I alluded to before, is the basest kind of airport novel drivel. It's bad fan fiction. It reads like it was written by a middle schooler. I'm sorry to be so harsh, but there you have it. If the writing style were better, this book would have earned an additional star from me. Style goes a long way.
On the flip side of all those complaints, there were some bright spots. As somebody who ships Kirk and Spock, I was delighted to discover that even in this SUPER heterosexual telling of Kirk, where the idea of a romance between Kirk and Spock is never so much as hinted at, the true nature of their obvious love still wormed its way into the narrative. Kirk's behaviors all point towards it, even if the author of this text refuses to say it outright. It tickles me that the literal canon events of Star Trek make it really difficult not to read homosexual subtext into their relationship. And Kirk and Gary? Damn. Definitely something going on with those two as well.
Also, while in the show and movies the fact that Jim has a son is not revealed until we meet him in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, here we see that Jim knew all along about his son, and we see how each decision in his career and personal life drew him farther away from this idea of fatherhood he once entertained quite seriously. This was probably the only real element of character development that the book adds to what we see in the show. I did appreciate that, even if the writing didn't make for much of an emotional connection to the circumstances.
In all, this book didn't offer any big surprises. It did, however, immerse me in a world I really like being in, and it made me want to go back and watch some original series stuff. It's been a few years.
The biggest problem with it is that it's way too exposition-heavy. It goes into details about pretty much every significant canonical thing that happens in Jim Kirk's life, but the exploration into the inner life of the character is done all with telling, not with showing. We hear that Jim feels sad, or angry, or bored, but it's written in this poor writing style that doesn't get across any particular depth of character.
This book also takes zero risks in terms of how these characters and events are portrayed. This could have been an opportunity to explore a deeper relationship between Jim and some of the other crewmates, like Uhura or Scotty. Sure, we saw glimpses of how Scotty and Jim met, which was nice... but nothing in the book complicates, deepens, or adds in any way to the relationships we already see on screen. As such, there's not really anything new to discover.
The writing style, as I alluded to before, is the basest kind of airport novel drivel. It's bad fan fiction. It reads like it was written by a middle schooler. I'm sorry to be so harsh, but there you have it. If the writing style were better, this book would have earned an additional star from me. Style goes a long way.
On the flip side of all those complaints, there were some bright spots. As somebody who ships Kirk and Spock, I was delighted to discover that even in this SUPER heterosexual telling of Kirk, where the idea of a romance between Kirk and Spock is never so much as hinted at, the true nature of their obvious love still wormed its way into the narrative. Kirk's behaviors all point towards it, even if the author of this text refuses to say it outright. It tickles me that the literal canon events of Star Trek make it really difficult not to read homosexual subtext into their relationship. And Kirk and Gary? Damn. Definitely something going on with those two as well.
Also, while in the show and movies the fact that Jim has a son is not revealed until we meet him in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, here we see that Jim knew all along about his son, and we see how each decision in his career and personal life drew him farther away from this idea of fatherhood he once entertained quite seriously. This was probably the only real element of character development that the book adds to what we see in the show. I did appreciate that, even if the writing didn't make for much of an emotional connection to the circumstances.
In all, this book didn't offer any big surprises. It did, however, immerse me in a world I really like being in, and it made me want to go back and watch some original series stuff. It's been a few years.
cbaver81's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
millikat's review
5.0
I was not expecting this to become the best book I've read this year, but it was marvelous. It's a highly enjoyable and well-paced book told in short anecdotes, some of which are new or recognizable from TOS media. However, at the heart of it all is always an emotional rationale or explanation that is often not explicit from watching TOS media but "connects the dots" beautifully. Plus, it has all the humorous moments, hijinks, and action of TOS. I am a new TOS fan who has not yet seen all the episodes, so this is enjoyable with background episodic context and even without!
coriabc3d's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
taaya's review against another edition
2.0
This was rather disappointing. First of all the writing style was somewhat slow to read. It's not bad in any way, but something in the style prevented me to reach my usual reading speed.
But the content buggs me more. I mean, Kirk is a character I just can't really like anyway. Too self-absorbed, boy-ish, sexist, adventurous, impatient in firing too soon and rushing in to break the prime directive again and again before trying other approaches. That's the Kirk portrayed in the show.
The Kirk in this book is even worse. Sabotaging love all around him, just because he screwed up his love life, hating on Klingons long before the trauma of losing his son, and basically brooding (or scheming) whenever he doesn't get his way. And all the while he's doubting himself - but changing his ways or at least getting a therapist? Nah, he's too much absorbed by his toxic masculinity to even think about that.
And everything comes back to Edith Keeler in this one. Why? He had a thing with her, sure, but not long enough to be love. (Neuroscience has found out it takes 6-8 months to become love.) In the show Kirk was even more heartbroken after Reyna died, until Spock took those memories - and he had only known Reyna for a day.
There are other annoying things:
- Kirk had a kid with the sex slave in Bread and Circusses
- Saavik is pregnant (either David or Spock is the father, in some other novels it is Spock)
- Star Trek V was just a movie created on a world they visited to tell about how the inhabitants of the world picture space travel
But what bugs me most is that it's ignoring canon in some things. And it's also ignoring both T'hy'la and the interview in which Roddenberry said Kirk and Spock love each other. I mean, 21st century and still authors are too scared to write what the CREATOR said is true?! Why?!
The only thing I liked about this book is that it's detached from religion. There are some hints to it, but Kirk is not religious and at least here it follows the show where religion is almost non-existent. After having read too many books where all characters are suddenly religious, this was actually a positive surprise. But the only one.
But the content buggs me more. I mean, Kirk is a character I just can't really like anyway. Too self-absorbed, boy-ish, sexist, adventurous, impatient in firing too soon and rushing in to break the prime directive again and again before trying other approaches. That's the Kirk portrayed in the show.
The Kirk in this book is even worse. Sabotaging love all around him, just because he screwed up his love life, hating on Klingons long before the trauma of losing his son, and basically brooding (or scheming) whenever he doesn't get his way. And all the while he's doubting himself - but changing his ways or at least getting a therapist? Nah, he's too much absorbed by his toxic masculinity to even think about that.
And everything comes back to Edith Keeler in this one. Why? He had a thing with her, sure, but not long enough to be love. (Neuroscience has found out it takes 6-8 months to become love.) In the show Kirk was even more heartbroken after Reyna died, until Spock took those memories - and he had only known Reyna for a day.
There are other annoying things:
- Kirk had a kid with the sex slave in Bread and Circusses
- Saavik is pregnant (either David or Spock is the father, in some other novels it is Spock)
- Star Trek V was just a movie created on a world they visited to tell about how the inhabitants of the world picture space travel
But what bugs me most is that it's ignoring canon in some things. And it's also ignoring both T'hy'la and the interview in which Roddenberry said Kirk and Spock love each other. I mean, 21st century and still authors are too scared to write what the CREATOR said is true?! Why?!
The only thing I liked about this book is that it's detached from religion. There are some hints to it, but Kirk is not religious and at least here it follows the show where religion is almost non-existent. After having read too many books where all characters are suddenly religious, this was actually a positive surprise. But the only one.
etkahler's review against another edition
5.0
2016 Reading Challenge #35 - an autobiography (I do not even care it's a fictional autobiography!)
This was such a fun read!!! I rationed out reading it or else I would have finished it in less than a day. Wonderfully written and a very nice insight into Kirk's head.
This was such a fun read!!! I rationed out reading it or else I would have finished it in less than a day. Wonderfully written and a very nice insight into Kirk's head.
tamikan's review against another edition
4.0
And now I want to rewatch all of TOS and the original cast movies...
pglt1177's review against another edition
4.0
I got the sample and flew thru that. So, I spent the 99 cents and bought it. well worth the money.
lindzee's review
2.0
If you have watched the series and the movies, there is no additional information really, except for his early life.