Thursday, October 18, 2001
Vulcan's Heart
Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz
I tried reviewing another Star Trek novel over at the old Unearthed Ruminations message board. The only response I got was a person saying that he didn't read books that were TV tie-ins as they consistently lacked depth and characterization. Well, he was right and I felt a bit ashamed reading this one even though Amazing Stories called it a "first rate SF novel." But there's something about exploring a fictional world that keeps attracting me. Take this book. (Please.) I would dare to disagree with Amazing and call this tale mediocre. Things get predictable and you know darn well that neither Spock, the Federation nor the Romulan Empire will suffer doom. Yet I did get pleasure from this book in a lot of little touches and details -- the description of a Romulan spaceport, the brief scene featuring a character who had a far briefer role in the series, the dramatization of Vulcan politics. I don't know if I would have appreciated it if this was my first exposure to Star Trek. But since I am familiar with the series, I can gloss over details I already know and focus on those smaller touches. Anyway, like I said, the book isn't all that great. Definitely waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
I tried reviewing another Star Trek novel over at the old Unearthed Ruminations message board. The only response I got was a person saying that he didn't read books that were TV tie-ins as they consistently lacked depth and characterization. Well, he was right and I felt a bit ashamed reading this one even though Amazing Stories called it a "first rate SF novel." But there's something about exploring a fictional world that keeps attracting me. Take this book. (Please.) I would dare to disagree with Amazing and call this tale mediocre. Things get predictable and you know darn well that neither Spock, the Federation nor the Romulan Empire will suffer doom. Yet I did get pleasure from this book in a lot of little touches and details -- the description of a Romulan spaceport, the brief scene featuring a character who had a far briefer role in the series, the dramatization of Vulcan politics. I don't know if I would have appreciated it if this was my first exposure to Star Trek. But since I am familiar with the series, I can gloss over details I already know and focus on those smaller touches. Anyway, like I said, the book isn't all that great. Definitely waiting room material.
LibraryThing link
Labels: StarTrek, WaitingRoomMaterial
// posted by John @ 11:31 AM 
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