The Star Trek Bookshelf: May 2007

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Book Hunting #7

Bought 3 Star Trek books from Booksale today:

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 2) Entropy Effect
(Star Trek: The Next Generation) Metamorphosis: The First Giant Novel
(Star Trek: The Original Series) Star Trek - The Motion Picture (Printed in the U.K., ISBN# 0-7088-1725-4)

Total Price: PhP150.00

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation, No. 45) Intellivore

Title: Intellivore
Date Published: 1997
Author/s: Diane Duane
Main Plot:
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The Enterprise leads a small fleet of Starfleet vessels to investigate the disappearance of starships in an almost starless region of the galaxy. One of the ships had already been in the area conducting archaeological research on civilizations that disappeared eons ago. Legends and the little proof they gather are all they have to repel the greatest threat to the galaxy ever imagined.

My Short Review:
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An exhilarating story of how greed can take over the simple need to survive. An enemy so primal and yet so intelligent, it can anticipate your next move and be there with an open mouth just waiting for you to fall in. The parallels that Diane Duane invokes are all too real in today's world.

My Overall Rating:
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Book Hunting #6

Did a fly-by on Booksale last week and found these two (nice clean covers too):

Total Cost: P155.00

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Booklist: The Original Series (Books by William Shatner with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens)

The Ashes of Eden
The Return
Avenger
Star Trek: Odyssey (contains The Ashes of Eden, The Return, and Avenger)
Spectre
Dark Victory
Preserver
Captain's Peril
Captain's Blood

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation) Dark Mirror

Title: "Dark Mirror"
Date Published: 1994
Author/s: Diane Duane
Main Plot:
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The Enterprise-D gets pulled into an alternate universe where a barbaric Empire exists instead of the peace loving Federation. A ship, one which is almost an exact copy of their own, is the first thing they encounter. The crew discovers the differences between the lives they know and the lives they could have had as they interact with their counterparts in this realm, and their battle to survive depends on their ability to outwit themselves.

My Short Review:
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At last! A mirror universe story of "The Next Generation" crew. I've always imagined how the alternate Picard would have been like. Diane Duane did a great job on this one.

Choices, the ones we make because it's easier than the alternative, could profoundly affect our future as a race. The way we go about our daily lives, the way we deal with other people, even the things we teach our children. What books to read, what shows to watch, even who we vote for during the elections. These freedoms, and all our other freedoms, are a responsibility that should be taken seriously. It's scary knowing that a lot of us make these mistakes because we couldn't care less, or even see them affecting the way we think and, ultimately, our future.

My Overall Rating:
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Book Hunting #5

Got to clear some space on my cluttered shelves today, so I unpacked a box which has been in my storage cabinet for 2 years. Lo and behold, I found 6 Star Trek titles among the books in it:

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 34) Dreams Of The Raven (Double on my shelf)
(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 46) The Cry of the Onlies
(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 56) Legacy
(Star Trek) The Eugenics Wars Vol I: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh (Hard Cover, Paperback Double on my shelf)
(Star Trek: The Original Series) Star Trek 2 :The Wrath of Khan : Photostory
(Star Trek: Voyager) Mosaic

I think I have a few more in those boxes, but they can wait until I find more space for them.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Book Hunting #4

The book I'm about to review was so good that I almost forgot to post this. I hit Booksale on May 8, 2007 and got these 5 nice titles:

Total Price: PhP280.00

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

(Star Trek: The Next Generation, No. 23) War Drums

Title: "War Drums"
Date Published: 1992
Author/s: John Vornholt
Main Plot:
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Selva, a young Federation Colony world, becomes a battlefield when the settlers meet Klingon refugees that have been there long before they landed. The refugees, having landed on the planet as children, have had to rely on their instincts for most of their lives making them as primal as can be imagined. Without the support of the Enterprise, which has been called on another urgent mission, Worf leads a small away team to prevent a bloodbath before the planet reveals its past, and a deadly secret that could mean the end for all.

My Short Review:
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I'm reminded of how small we are against the grander scheme of the universe and yet warned that, more often than not, our actions have more repercussions than we intend them to. A classic Star Trek lesson. John Vornholt gives us that same old lesson in a unique action packed package.

Bigotry, Hatred, Prejudice, Revenge, Fear. We deal with these words daily, and yet never seem to outgrow them. It is the urge to reject what we do not understand, and therefore only hold fast to that which we do, that limits our capabilities. It will only be when we learn to work together and see what is beyond ourselves that we will overcome our own deficiencies. Perhaps one day, with books written as skillfully like this, we will listen to the lessons of our past.

My Overall Rating:
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Saturday, May 5, 2007

Book Hunting #3

This is becoming a habit. Good or bad, I don't know. Anyway, I took my family to Fully Booked today to show them the titles available on sale, knowing I cleared one table of titles I didn't have yet. After a few minutes in the store, I'm told there was another table in the back with more Star Trek titles. These 9 I found in that pile and bought them, again at a ridiculous bargain:

Total Price: PhP900.00

That's 41 new titles in my library in the span of 3 days. Whew! I think I'll stay away from the bookstores for a while to give them a chance to replenish their stocks. Unless there's a sale, of course.

Friday, May 4, 2007

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 09) Triangle

Title: "Triangle"
Date Published: 1983
Author/s: Sondra Marshak
Main Plot:
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A new power is growing in the galaxy. A power so irresistible that few can stand up against it. Captain Kirk and Spock are joined by Free Agent Sola Thane in the ultimate battle between the seductive forces of the Totality and Oneness. Individuality and freedom are caught in between as the titans struggle for control of the Enterprise and her crew, and the fate of the galaxy.

My Short Review:
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This book reminds me so much of the horrors of Borg assimilation, only it is increased tenfold here. Not that any of us have experienced it, but I'd rather be assimilated into the Borg Collective than be consumed by this new threat. Totalitarianism has always been resisted in our history, but this time, it is so subtle, we won't even feel it. Fighting back doesn't come to mind and that's scary. You realize the scale of things very slowly until you're just past the middle of the book, and then it hits you. Wow! I pray this threat will never come to pass.

Captain Kirk and Spock's friendship is put to a test, like I've never seen, as an irresistible woman gets in the mix complicating things further. This has to be the deepest test of any friendship. Sondra Marshak describes the strain on each of their minds so vividly that I can't help but wince in imaginary pain myself.

My Overall Rating:
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Thursday, May 3, 2007

Booklist: The Original Series (Novelizations)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture • Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan • Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock • Vonda N. McIntyre
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home • Vonda N. McIntyre
Duty, Honor, Redemption • Vonda N. McIntyre (contains The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier • J.M. Dillard
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country • J.M. Dillard
Star Trek Generations • J.M. Dillard
Starfleet Academy • Diane Carey

Book Hunting #2

I had a meeting at Fully Booked yesterday. After the meeting, I discovered that they had a sale going on. They had a table of books in the middle of the store at ridiculously low prices. All the Star Trek books on sale were arranged in a row, and most of titles were those that I did not have yet. When the people I just had a meeting with saw the look on my face, one said "Get him a shopping basket. No, make that two", another said "Call an ambulance", and yet another said "Breath, Pao, breath." So I ended up with 31 new books and will be going back for more tomorrow. The titles I got are:

I also got a book at Booksale prior to my fateful visit to Fully Booked:

(Star Trek: The Original Series, No. 37) Bloodthirst

All in all, I think that was a book hunt I will have a hard time surpassing in terms of volume.

Total Price: P1,885.00