F/SF

Well, they can't all be "My Enemy, My Ally," I guess. The best thing I can say about it is that with the pirate Black Fire, it embraces the Horatio Hornblower/Royal Navy aspects of Trek more than most later books would.

La Enterprise ha sufrido un sabotaje, de cuya investigación se encarga el doctor Spock. A partir de ella, Spock se alía con los irreconciliables enemigos de la Federación, lo Klingon, para oponerse a los aún más feroces tomariianos. Por ello, Spock es declarado traidor y condenado a prisión. Y Kirk, mientras la seguridad del universo se encuentra en peligro, tiene que enfrentarse a la injusta situación de su mejor amigo...

During a shift in which the crew is training a group of cadets an explosion suddenly tears through the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Though weakened and suffering from a shard of shrapnel lodged next to his spine, Spock refuses medical treatment as he launches an investigation into the cause of the blast. Enlisting Commander Scott's help, Spock traces a missing yeoman to a barren planet, where the two men encounter small parties of Romulans and Klingons before the three groups are captured by an previously unknown aggressive species. In the months that follow Spock undergoes arrest, imprisonment, and a succession of exploits that will end on the bridge of a Romulan warship as it prepares to destroy the Enterprise and his former crewmates.

Sonni Cooper's book starts off with a bang and never lets up, as she races her readers through a series of twists and turns, burning through plot enough for three novels in the hands of other authors. The pacing is so rapid that it is easy to overlook the problems with Cooper's story and the lack of development of the secondary characters, many of whom are distinguished more by their names and physical descriptions than by anything distinctive that they bring to the narrative. In the end this is very much Spock's novel, and fans of his character likely will enjoy the many adventures on which the author sends him. ( )

Honestly, even though I've only read a handful of Star Trek novels, this must be one of the best. It is a very early entry (#8 in the Timescape/Pocket book original series) and the author clearly gave us a treat. The characters in here rang very true and did so even in unconventional settings. Fans of Spock must love this book! Theodore Sturgeon, the great science fiction author who gave us the classic episode "Amok Time" writes a long and engaging introduction to the book and author. It is really too bad we didn't have more from Sonni Cooper.

The story set its hook from the first page and I'm not going to spoil the plot, except to say that Spock and Scotty "borrow" a starship and take it to the far side of the galaxy. Sound like an adventure? This story is full of twists and surprises. For those who like Star Trek novels or enjoyed the original series I'd say this was a must read. This would have made a great two-part episode of the original series. This also serves as a way to explain why the Enterprise of the original series looks a bit different in the first film. ( )