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Star Trek: The Original Series #18
My Enemy, My Ally
Ael t' Rlailiiu is a noble and dangerous Romulan Commander. But when the Romulans kidnap Vulcans to genetically harness their mind power, Ael decides on treason. Captain Kirk, her old enemy, joins her in a secret pact to destroy the research laboratory and free the captive Vulcans. When the Romulans discover their plan, the Neutral Zone seethes with schemes and counter-schemes, sabotage and war.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1984
About the author
Diane Duane
201 books2,356 followersDiane Duane has been a writer of science fiction, fantasy, TV and film for more than forty years.
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
Besides the 1980's creation of the Young Wizards fantasy series for which she's best known, the "Middle Kingdoms" epic fantasy series, and numerous stand-alone fantasy or science fiction novels, her career has included extensive work in the Star Trek TM universe, and many scripts for live-action and animated TV series on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as work in comics and computer games. She has spent a fair amount of time on the New York Times Bestseller List, and has picked up various awards and award nominations here and there.
She lives in County Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband of more than thirty years, the screenwriter and novelist Peter Morwood.
Her favorite color is blue, her favorite food is a weird kind of Swiss scrambled-potato dish called maluns, she was born in a Year of the Dragon, and her sign is "Runway 24 Left, Hold For Clearance."
(From her official website)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
January 6, 2023
My Enemy, My Ally is Star Trek: The Original Series novel #18 with characters from the original TV show. Also, numbered #1 in Diane Duane's Rihannsu stories which depict Romulan culture in a way that is outside of the accepted Star Trek canon (meaning Gene Roddenberry was unhappy about it and tried to get them eliminated from the Pocket Books series). When a Romulan Commander discovers that leaders of the Romulan Empire have approved a plan to kidnap Vulcans and harness their mental abilities, she is horrified at her government and decides to perform an act of treason. When she contacts Captain Kirk, her old enemy, he is suspicious of her motivations, but recognizes the major threat that the plot implies. As they work together, the Neutral Zone becomes a more provocative and dangerous place, as schemes are hatched, and counter-schemes exacerbate the threat. Diane Duane does an excellent job at making the Romulans not just more interesting, but more profound. This is a really good Star Trek novel, but then again Diane Duane is a professional with immense talent. Of course it's a superb read.
April 5, 2022
Duane clearly had a blast writing this one. She was't afraid to get creative, and also to inject some levity in the character interactions, with lots of witty exchanges, particularly between Spock, Kirk and Bones. I like how she ties every one of the senior Enterprise officers into the story more than just superficially, as well as a wonderfully diverse host of non-humanoid alien crew folk, some quite bizarre including a Horta and others I'm pretty sure she dreamed up herself. It may not conform rigidly to cannon, but who cares. She knows her Trek and she knows where and how to embellish it with some flavor while still leaving it feeling authentic, something I think many other Trek authors struggle to do.
November 7, 2019
This was mildly entertaining --- meh...ok, but not great. I do enjoy "Star Trek", especially the original TV show, but this just seemed to drag. It took about getting halfway through it before it became interesting to me.
The basic plot is that a rogue Romulan commander, Ael, discovers that the Romulan Star Empire is kidknapping Vulcans in an effort to harness and weaponize their mind melding/ mind reading capabilities. Disillusioned and disgusted by such a dishonorable act, she and her crew defect to the Federation and persuade Kirk and his task force to cross the Neutral Zone and destroy the Romulans' lab and rescue the captive Vulcans.
You would think something like that would be a real page turner, and you'd be wrong. There's a couple things that I think could have made this book. For one thing, there's no central bad guy villain --- the Romulans seems to be a faceless entity -- and this takes the edge off the plot.
For another, I think it misses the opportunity to really introduce us to the mysterious society of the Romulans and contrast it with that of the Vulcans. Both originally were once one people, yet millenia before the Vulcans, yet split apart in what was known as "the Sundering". The Vulcan's chose to follow the peaceful, logical teachings of Surak --- and one of Surak's students, S'Task, became heretical, and led a faction arguing that ways of passion, conquest, and duty with honor were the best way of survival for the species. Expelled from Vulcan, these mavericks would become the founders of what would become the Romulan Star Empire. Given the common ancestry, language, and biology between the two peoples, yet their radically different philosophies, histories, and culture, it would have been fascinating seeing the two peoples, poles apart on logic and emotion, interact and judge how each one sees the other; but this book misses the opportunity to do that.
Another annoying thing about this book is that, apparently, in Romulan society --- at least in this book --- girls rule, boys drool. Romulan females seem to be the dominant, clever, innovative ones, while the males seem to be slow on the uptake, passive, or easily fooled. I don't know why this was done this way --- maybe, it was part of an effort back when this book was written in hopes of broadening the Star Trek fan base beyond its likely overwhelmingly male demographic. At any rate, it just seemed contrived.
I think this book may appeal to hardcore Trekkies, but it's not great in my opinion.
The basic plot is that a rogue Romulan commander, Ael, discovers that the Romulan Star Empire is kidknapping Vulcans in an effort to harness and weaponize their mind melding/ mind reading capabilities. Disillusioned and disgusted by such a dishonorable act, she and her crew defect to the Federation and persuade Kirk and his task force to cross the Neutral Zone and destroy the Romulans' lab and rescue the captive Vulcans.
You would think something like that would be a real page turner, and you'd be wrong. There's a couple things that I think could have made this book. For one thing, there's no central bad guy villain --- the Romulans seems to be a faceless entity -- and this takes the edge off the plot.
For another, I think it misses the opportunity to really introduce us to the mysterious society of the Romulans and contrast it with that of the Vulcans. Both originally were once one people, yet millenia before the Vulcans, yet split apart in what was known as "the Sundering". The Vulcan's chose to follow the peaceful, logical teachings of Surak --- and one of Surak's students, S'Task, became heretical, and led a faction arguing that ways of passion, conquest, and duty with honor were the best way of survival for the species. Expelled from Vulcan, these mavericks would become the founders of what would become the Romulan Star Empire. Given the common ancestry, language, and biology between the two peoples, yet their radically different philosophies, histories, and culture, it would have been fascinating seeing the two peoples, poles apart on logic and emotion, interact and judge how each one sees the other; but this book misses the opportunity to do that.
Another annoying thing about this book is that, apparently, in Romulan society --- at least in this book --- girls rule, boys drool. Romulan females seem to be the dominant, clever, innovative ones, while the males seem to be slow on the uptake, passive, or easily fooled. I don't know why this was done this way --- maybe, it was part of an effort back when this book was written in hopes of broadening the Star Trek fan base beyond its likely overwhelmingly male demographic. At any rate, it just seemed contrived.
I think this book may appeal to hardcore Trekkies, but it's not great in my opinion.
December 21, 2014
This book is one of my favorite rereads: I can't believe I've never reviewed it. Duane's Trek novels come from a parallel universe where Trek, and its classic characters, are better than they actually were - in a way, truer to canon than canon, pure Roddenberry.
There's a profound joy to her work: aliens are wonderful, exploration is amazing, everyone has the potential to become their best self.
My Enemy, My Ally came from an era of Trek novels when really good writers could be tasked with expanding the universe established in the original series: it's of a piece with John M. Ford's The Final Reflection - a road not taken in fleshing out the Klingons. Duane here gives us a rich Romulan culture which fits much better with what we saw in TOS than the canon of TNG and later ever did: a people reserved but intensely passionate, a culture in decay, slipping from military honor to bureaucratic expediency.
It's also an exploration of a slightly more whimsical, slightly more intellectual Kirk, by contrasting him with a Romulan woman who's perfect foil: his equal, and with no sexual tension between them. One of the strengths of the book is how the reader (well, me) could fall madly in love with the Romulan Commander while still believing that she irritated and disturbed the living hell out of Kirk.
There's humor, horror, space combat, ground combat, psychology, culture, superb characterization, and a turning the cardboard-and-blinking-lights TOS into a real, fleshed universe. I love this book.
There's a profound joy to her work: aliens are wonderful, exploration is amazing, everyone has the potential to become their best self.
My Enemy, My Ally came from an era of Trek novels when really good writers could be tasked with expanding the universe established in the original series: it's of a piece with John M. Ford's The Final Reflection - a road not taken in fleshing out the Klingons. Duane here gives us a rich Romulan culture which fits much better with what we saw in TOS than the canon of TNG and later ever did: a people reserved but intensely passionate, a culture in decay, slipping from military honor to bureaucratic expediency.
It's also an exploration of a slightly more whimsical, slightly more intellectual Kirk, by contrasting him with a Romulan woman who's perfect foil: his equal, and with no sexual tension between them. One of the strengths of the book is how the reader (well, me) could fall madly in love with the Romulan Commander while still believing that she irritated and disturbed the living hell out of Kirk.
There's humor, horror, space combat, ground combat, psychology, culture, superb characterization, and a turning the cardboard-and-blinking-lights TOS into a real, fleshed universe. I love this book.
May 26, 2011
Dad was right, it was really fun. Diane Duane just gets it, she gets everything about what made Star Trek great. It was exciting, touching, and laugh-out-loud funny at all of the right times. The old characters were spot-on without feeling retread and the new characters were very interesting. I went into this reading (I'm pretty sure I read it at least 20 years ago, but I can't remember, I may be remembering Ensign Rock from other books) as a favor to Dad, but he was right and I was wrong, and now it will be recorded for posterity. And now, thanks to Goodreads and the new series feature, we've both discovered that Duane wrote additional books in the Rihannsu saga, so we're both looking forward to that.
February 15, 2019
A reread. I'd been meaning to pick it up for a while for one and reading a history of science fiction essay for Patreon that was really negative about tie-in novels was the impetus I needed. If you like Star Trek, this is a good Star Trek novel, and if you like Diane Duane's work, this is also a good Diane Duane novel, featuring many of the themes in her work including her central one of all different sorts of people (the Federation here is far, far less human-centric than on television, with a variety of non-humanoid aliens that would make a special effects budget weep) finding their common humanity and fighting evil, in this case a Romulan Commander compelled by her conscience to seek out her enemies in the Federation to stop a terrible plot by the worst of her own people to gain Vulcan-like psychic powers and weaponize them for warfare, conquering worlds by overwhelming force rather than honorable combat.
Duane fleshes out the Romulans from cardboard faux Romans into a more fully realized and internally consistent alien culture that we see from the inside with Romulan Commander Ael's POV, one that does draw on Roman history but isn't strictly bound to it, and gives them their own conlang (though a less fully-fleshed-out one than Klingon) and naming conventions as well. Ael is positioned not as a love interest for Kirk but as a peer, foil, equal, and eventually something of a friend to him, and there are numerous other Romulan, human, and alien female characters in major and minor roles as well.
There are numerous touches that make this feel like a more modern space opera than its date of publication would indicate, or perhaps some things that were set aside by the genre and only recently picked back up: the Enterprise crew gets time off and hobbies (one of Duane's original minor characters is restoring episodes of Tom Baker era Doctor Who to modern video formats for the crew's enjoyment), there is a plot-relevant board game, Kirk is concerned about the crew's mental health and anxiety levels, food replicators are programmed with awareness of dietary restrictions (we see this for aliens but there's nothing to indicate it's not true for humans as well), Duane explicitly notes that not all aliens would fall into a neat human gender binary and mixed human and alien crews are repeatedly addressed as "Ladies, Gentlemen, and Others" (though there's no explicit inclusion of nonbinary humans). Do note that there are a couple of passing fatphobic comments and a couple of bad/dated descriptions of Asian minor characters (one is introduced as "an Oriental woman" and another described as having slanted eyes, both near the beginning of the book), however, it's a shame these don't seem to have been revised in the newer edition either.
Recommended if you like space opera, only a very vague knowledge of Star Trek is required- if you have a vague idea of who the main crew are you should be fine, there are references to some episodes but enough context is given that you don't need to have watched them.
I keep thinking I should read the rest of this series, and intended to pick them up after finishing this reread, but having done so I'm not sure I will because the ending of this one seems so perfect.
Duane fleshes out the Romulans from cardboard faux Romans into a more fully realized and internally consistent alien culture that we see from the inside with Romulan Commander Ael's POV, one that does draw on Roman history but isn't strictly bound to it, and gives them their own conlang (though a less fully-fleshed-out one than Klingon) and naming conventions as well. Ael is positioned not as a love interest for Kirk but as a peer, foil, equal, and eventually something of a friend to him, and there are numerous other Romulan, human, and alien female characters in major and minor roles as well.
There are numerous touches that make this feel like a more modern space opera than its date of publication would indicate, or perhaps some things that were set aside by the genre and only recently picked back up: the Enterprise crew gets time off and hobbies (one of Duane's original minor characters is restoring episodes of Tom Baker era Doctor Who to modern video formats for the crew's enjoyment), there is a plot-relevant board game, Kirk is concerned about the crew's mental health and anxiety levels, food replicators are programmed with awareness of dietary restrictions (we see this for aliens but there's nothing to indicate it's not true for humans as well), Duane explicitly notes that not all aliens would fall into a neat human gender binary and mixed human and alien crews are repeatedly addressed as "Ladies, Gentlemen, and Others" (though there's no explicit inclusion of nonbinary humans). Do note that there are a couple of passing fatphobic comments and a couple of bad/dated descriptions of Asian minor characters (one is introduced as "an Oriental woman" and another described as having slanted eyes, both near the beginning of the book), however, it's a shame these don't seem to have been revised in the newer edition either.
Recommended if you like space opera, only a very vague knowledge of Star Trek is required- if you have a vague idea of who the main crew are you should be fine, there are references to some episodes but enough context is given that you don't need to have watched them.
I keep thinking I should read the rest of this series, and intended to pick them up after finishing this reread, but having done so I'm not sure I will because the ending of this one seems so perfect.
September 9, 2016
Some of the other Star Trek books have been mediocre at best, but Diane Duane usually does an excellent job in her writings...and this book is no exception. The story really drew me in, and I almost felt like I was watching the show instead of reading a book.
July 16, 2023
Star Trek: My Enemy, My Ally is the 18th "numbered" Star Trek novel from Simon and Schuster's Pocket Books. It was written by Diane Duane and was released in July 1984.
This book explores classic Star Trek themes and really blends clever writing with nostalgic feelings. Sometimes, the old Pocket Book Star Trek books don't age well, and sometimes they age really well. This is definitely one that fits into the latter category.
This book is mainly centered around the character of Ael t'Rlailiu (I will only write "Ael" in the rest of the review), who is a Romulan commander of the Bloodwing. She learns that Romulan scientists are capturing Vulcans and performing horrific experiments on them to try to gain an edge in the Cold War between the Romulans, Klingons, and the Federation. Ael is horrified to learn about this and decides to do the only honorable thing...commit treason.
Ael contacts Kirk, whose ship happens to be near the Neutral Zone, and convinces him to help her blow up the facility and save the Vulcans. But in order to do it, she needs to steal his ship!
The themes about working with a potential ally who also might be an enemy were really strong here. I also liked the themes about racism and experimentation. Diane Duane isn't afraid to show horrifying things in this book.
There is also a ton of levity, particularly around the games of the enterprise and a certain new Ensign Nahrt. Duane balances the humor with the darkness quite well.
The book really reads like a thriller book, much more in line with The Wrath of Kahn than some of the other early Pocket Books novels that I've read. I'm certain that movie had an effect on Duane's writing.
If there is one weaker area of the book, it doesn't do characterizations of the other Enterprise characters well, like Scotty, Checkov, and Uhura. Spock also gets very little attention in the book, which is surprising for the era that this came out. But this really is a book about Kirk and Ael, so it makes sense that they get the lionshare of the page time.
The villains in the book were also somewhat underdeveloped and underused, which is probably why this book is prevented from reaching the upper echelons of Star Trek novels.
Nonetheless, this is an entertaining book that I highly enjoyed. It aged very well, and tells a classic story while also working for modern Trek audiences. Overall, I am very pleased with the book. 7.5 out of 10.
This book explores classic Star Trek themes and really blends clever writing with nostalgic feelings. Sometimes, the old Pocket Book Star Trek books don't age well, and sometimes they age really well. This is definitely one that fits into the latter category.
This book is mainly centered around the character of Ael t'Rlailiu (I will only write "Ael" in the rest of the review), who is a Romulan commander of the Bloodwing. She learns that Romulan scientists are capturing Vulcans and performing horrific experiments on them to try to gain an edge in the Cold War between the Romulans, Klingons, and the Federation. Ael is horrified to learn about this and decides to do the only honorable thing...commit treason.
Ael contacts Kirk, whose ship happens to be near the Neutral Zone, and convinces him to help her blow up the facility and save the Vulcans. But in order to do it, she needs to steal his ship!
The themes about working with a potential ally who also might be an enemy were really strong here. I also liked the themes about racism and experimentation. Diane Duane isn't afraid to show horrifying things in this book.
There is also a ton of levity, particularly around the games of the enterprise and a certain new Ensign Nahrt. Duane balances the humor with the darkness quite well.
The book really reads like a thriller book, much more in line with The Wrath of Kahn than some of the other early Pocket Books novels that I've read. I'm certain that movie had an effect on Duane's writing.
If there is one weaker area of the book, it doesn't do characterizations of the other Enterprise characters well, like Scotty, Checkov, and Uhura. Spock also gets very little attention in the book, which is surprising for the era that this came out. But this really is a book about Kirk and Ael, so it makes sense that they get the lionshare of the page time.
The villains in the book were also somewhat underdeveloped and underused, which is probably why this book is prevented from reaching the upper echelons of Star Trek novels.
Nonetheless, this is an entertaining book that I highly enjoyed. It aged very well, and tells a classic story while also working for modern Trek audiences. Overall, I am very pleased with the book. 7.5 out of 10.
April 18, 2021
3.75 stars. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first Star Trek novel by Diane Duane, but it was still quite good.
Some of the chapters in the beginning really drug on, specifically those that took place on the Romulan ship. There was too much emphasis given to Romulan language and Romulan names, lore-stuffing all squished up too close together, making passages difficult to get through without one's eyes glazing over.
But this is a rich story written with great detail, with some new species introduced and described so clearly I could easily see them in my mind's eye.
Our beloved crew is in character and everyone gets something important to do. The most important of the new characters are multi-dimensional, most especially the Romulan Commander Ael.
The best parts of the story are in the middle, once the Federation crew and the Romulan crew are interacting and we can see the differences and similarities among them as they are discovering them, and watch them delight in it.
My personal favourite elements of the book are some of the non-Romulan background characters, such as a Horta ensign and a Sulamid maintenance officer!
As is the norm in these novels that were written between the time of TOS and the time of TNG, there are a lot of facts and universe-building that no longer fits in with the canon. The warp speed conversations especially stand out. But that's certainly not the fault of the book.
It was a fascinating story and I might read it again sometime. Especially since it is apparently the first in a series, but by the time I get to the second in the series (I'm reading all Star Trek novels in order of publication), I might need a refresher.
Some of the chapters in the beginning really drug on, specifically those that took place on the Romulan ship. There was too much emphasis given to Romulan language and Romulan names, lore-stuffing all squished up too close together, making passages difficult to get through without one's eyes glazing over.
But this is a rich story written with great detail, with some new species introduced and described so clearly I could easily see them in my mind's eye.
Our beloved crew is in character and everyone gets something important to do. The most important of the new characters are multi-dimensional, most especially the Romulan Commander Ael.
The best parts of the story are in the middle, once the Federation crew and the Romulan crew are interacting and we can see the differences and similarities among them as they are discovering them, and watch them delight in it.
My personal favourite elements of the book are some of the non-Romulan background characters, such as a Horta ensign and a Sulamid maintenance officer!
As is the norm in these novels that were written between the time of TOS and the time of TNG, there are a lot of facts and universe-building that no longer fits in with the canon. The warp speed conversations especially stand out. But that's certainly not the fault of the book.
It was a fascinating story and I might read it again sometime. Especially since it is apparently the first in a series, but by the time I get to the second in the series (I'm reading all Star Trek novels in order of publication), I might need a refresher.
December 23, 2014
Diane Duane has crafted a good basic story about a Romulan commander joining forces with the Enterprise crew to foil a despicable new weapon that she feels will be a permanent blight on the honor of the Romulan people. It has some nice suspenseful moments and builds to a satisfying climax.
However, it is also terribly padded. There are pages and pages of exposition that do little to advance the story and belabor the character points that are being made. Characters converse for pages about matters that turn out to have little to do with later events. Worst of all, Duane goes to great lengths to show us how the Enterprise crew is one big happy family. They are always giving each other amused looks, gazing at each other with appreciation, and trading gentle, affectionate comments about each other. Such a constant barrage of warm fuzzies grows tiresome rather quickly. Fortunately, this aspect of the book grew less egregious toward the end of the novel.
However, it is also terribly padded. There are pages and pages of exposition that do little to advance the story and belabor the character points that are being made. Characters converse for pages about matters that turn out to have little to do with later events. Worst of all, Duane goes to great lengths to show us how the Enterprise crew is one big happy family. They are always giving each other amused looks, gazing at each other with appreciation, and trading gentle, affectionate comments about each other. Such a constant barrage of warm fuzzies grows tiresome rather quickly. Fortunately, this aspect of the book grew less egregious toward the end of the novel.
August 5, 2019
The professional fan fiction of Star Trek novels are useful for finding new authors, and the biggest find I've ever had from them is Diane Duane, who had written many very good books outside that universe. This is where I first discovered her, and it is also one of the best Star Trek novels I've read. Thirty years after I last read it, several scenes still stand out in my memory.
There are, perhaps, a few too many MacGuffins floating around. There's artificial ion storms, 4D chess (with a mini-transporter to 'time' pieces in and out), and the big problem of the book, a Romulan project to enhance psionic potential. But all of them relate to the plot fairly strongly.
Part of the main point of the book is to take a closer look at the Romulans. About half the book is from the viewpoint of Ael t'Rlailiiu, a Romulan starship commander who feels that the Empire's latest project will only lead to ruin, and so makes common cause with one of her gravest enemies. An interesting touch is that Romulan dialog is given untranslated, with only a character's reactions and internal thoughts providing a sense of what is being said. Thankfully, it isn't done much as it would get wearying, but it is an interesting device for what we do get.
There's plenty of action, and it's all well done, but there's plenty of build-up and planning before that. Duane introduces a number of new characters here, including Ensign Nahraht (the only Horta in Star Fleet), which have been fan favorites since. The characters are smart, and generally act like it (there's an amount of 'but of course I planned for this' that borders on the excessive), and of course there's the wonder of early Star Trek unburdened by special effects budgets. Recommended for all TOS fans, and action-adventure fans.
There are, perhaps, a few too many MacGuffins floating around. There's artificial ion storms, 4D chess (with a mini-transporter to 'time' pieces in and out), and the big problem of the book, a Romulan project to enhance psionic potential. But all of them relate to the plot fairly strongly.
Part of the main point of the book is to take a closer look at the Romulans. About half the book is from the viewpoint of Ael t'Rlailiiu, a Romulan starship commander who feels that the Empire's latest project will only lead to ruin, and so makes common cause with one of her gravest enemies. An interesting touch is that Romulan dialog is given untranslated, with only a character's reactions and internal thoughts providing a sense of what is being said. Thankfully, it isn't done much as it would get wearying, but it is an interesting device for what we do get.
There's plenty of action, and it's all well done, but there's plenty of build-up and planning before that. Duane introduces a number of new characters here, including Ensign Nahraht (the only Horta in Star Fleet), which have been fan favorites since. The characters are smart, and generally act like it (there's an amount of 'but of course I planned for this' that borders on the excessive), and of course there's the wonder of early Star Trek unburdened by special effects budgets. Recommended for all TOS fans, and action-adventure fans.
December 2, 2020
This is my second Star Trek novel, and I'm happy to say that unlike Spock Must Die!, I actually liked this story. The Romulans are probably the most interesting ST race after the Vulcans for me, so it was nice to get some insight into their language and culture (especially insight untainted by TNG's crappy interpretation of the race). I also enjoyed that Diane Duane included some very alien aliens among the Enterprise's crew.
On a somewhat more disappointing note, the story was kind of convoluted and hard to follow. Maybe it's just that I read the novel intermittently while riding on the bus, but it felt like someone took a rough draft of a novel — a rough draft with good characterization and a decent plot, mind you — and published it without bothering to edit out the extraneous details or improve the pace.
Coming to a conclusion, I'll say that it was a nice read, but I don't know if I really want to hang onto my copy. I suppose I will — at least until I get a chance to read more of Ms. Duane's Rihannsu novels and see if it's worth hanging onto for the "full story".
On a somewhat more disappointing note, the story was kind of convoluted and hard to follow. Maybe it's just that I read the novel intermittently while riding on the bus, but it felt like someone took a rough draft of a novel — a rough draft with good characterization and a decent plot, mind you — and published it without bothering to edit out the extraneous details or improve the pace.
Coming to a conclusion, I'll say that it was a nice read, but I don't know if I really want to hang onto my copy. I suppose I will — at least until I get a chance to read more of Ms. Duane's Rihannsu novels and see if it's worth hanging onto for the "full story".
November 12, 2012
Not the best in the Star Trek books.
June 21, 2017
I picked MY ENEMY, MY ALLY up for fun, and while it was a pleasant enough read, I wasn't enthralled.
There were good points. Duane lets her imagination run wild with aliens. Many diverse species, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities, colors, and body types roam the pages freely and happily. Duane's deft handling of science and the mechanics of the Star Trek universe made for a solid, high stakes adventure. Ael was a fascinating, fresh character, and her and Kirk's relationship was well-wrought (especially the ending!!).
What majorly dropped my review star count was the plot's pacing. The first 200 pages seem to exist only to set up for the last 100 pages, and while Duane's plethora of details build up the characters and world nicely, they can't hold my attention. Put simply and horribly, I was bored and that's partially why it took me so long to finish the book.
Once I got to page 201 though, the plot speeds up to break-neck speed. I was so on board for the ride that I nearly cheered. Everything came together in a tight little bow, and I finished quick.
To sum up, read MY ENEMY , MY ALLY if you have the patience for a very, VERY slow beginning and like exploring coolio author creations. Otherwise, it's a bit of a slog.
There were good points. Duane lets her imagination run wild with aliens. Many diverse species, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities, colors, and body types roam the pages freely and happily. Duane's deft handling of science and the mechanics of the Star Trek universe made for a solid, high stakes adventure. Ael was a fascinating, fresh character, and her and Kirk's relationship was well-wrought (especially the ending!!).
What majorly dropped my review star count was the plot's pacing. The first 200 pages seem to exist only to set up for the last 100 pages, and while Duane's plethora of details build up the characters and world nicely, they can't hold my attention. Put simply and horribly, I was bored and that's partially why it took me so long to finish the book.
Once I got to page 201 though, the plot speeds up to break-neck speed. I was so on board for the ride that I nearly cheered. Everything came together in a tight little bow, and I finished quick.
To sum up, read MY ENEMY , MY ALLY if you have the patience for a very, VERY slow beginning and like exploring coolio author creations. Otherwise, it's a bit of a slog.
February 12, 2023
Although I love Star Trek, this book really dragged on. I almost did not finish.
June 9, 2023
Good sci-fi action adventure that fleshes out the romulans. The main premise of the story is that a bold Romulan commander betrays the empire to enlist Kirk and co’s aid in foiling a Romulan scheme that will spell doom for all.
The main draw of this book is that we get more insight into who the Romulans are. Much of the novel is from the perspective of the Romulan commander and we see many facets of their way of life. Unfortunately none of the facets seen in this book are seen in any of the tv shows but still interesting to see what could have been.
The Romulan protagonist is pretty engaging as she really believes in her Empire but knows that it is in decay. She is easy to sympathize with and we get some good looks into her thoughts and how she is reacting to things. On the other hand I felt that the original series cast was missing some of this introspection and depth.
This book really focuses on the humorous side of the enterprise crew and Duane really captured the sense of humor of the Original Series. As mentioned though I was missing their more serious sides. I would have loved to have got some gripping dialogue between Kirk and the Romulan or at least see some more serious discussion between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Along this line of thought, the ending is really action packed but felt a little out of place for Star Trek. As it is this book feels more like the Star Trek movies than the show with a greater emphasis on humor and action than on dialogue and character.
Reading this book it is clear that Duane is a cut above other Star Trek writers. Her Plotting is solid, she has consistent sub plots that reoccur, and makes this book feel really complete as nothing is introduced for no reason. Without the Star Trek license this would still be a solid Sci Fi adventure.
Overall this is a great Sci-Fi adventure with plenty of humor and some food for thought stemming from the Romulan characters. The only real downside is that the Enterprise crew aren’t as compelling as they could be. Regardless, any fan of the Original series should check this book out.
The main draw of this book is that we get more insight into who the Romulans are. Much of the novel is from the perspective of the Romulan commander and we see many facets of their way of life. Unfortunately none of the facets seen in this book are seen in any of the tv shows but still interesting to see what could have been.
The Romulan protagonist is pretty engaging as she really believes in her Empire but knows that it is in decay. She is easy to sympathize with and we get some good looks into her thoughts and how she is reacting to things. On the other hand I felt that the original series cast was missing some of this introspection and depth.
This book really focuses on the humorous side of the enterprise crew and Duane really captured the sense of humor of the Original Series. As mentioned though I was missing their more serious sides. I would have loved to have got some gripping dialogue between Kirk and the Romulan or at least see some more serious discussion between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Along this line of thought, the ending is really action packed but felt a little out of place for Star Trek. As it is this book feels more like the Star Trek movies than the show with a greater emphasis on humor and action than on dialogue and character.
Reading this book it is clear that Duane is a cut above other Star Trek writers. Her Plotting is solid, she has consistent sub plots that reoccur, and makes this book feel really complete as nothing is introduced for no reason. Without the Star Trek license this would still be a solid Sci Fi adventure.
Overall this is a great Sci-Fi adventure with plenty of humor and some food for thought stemming from the Romulan characters. The only real downside is that the Enterprise crew aren’t as compelling as they could be. Regardless, any fan of the Original series should check this book out.
January 8, 2022
The first of a series of novels which will have wide-ranging effects on the Star Trek universe, it is also clearly head and shoulders above most of the Trek novels of the time. With compelling characters and a story, it's no surprise that it's the first Trek novel to give rise to its own novel cycle.
The story follows the Enterprise's contact with Ael, a Romulan commander with a conscience who cannot abide what her empire is doing and searches out Kirk and co. to help her undo immoral scientific experimentation on live Vulcans that is going on in the empire.
Romulans have always been good sources for independent, tough, woman characters and Ael is no exception, bright, with a sense of humor and a strong moral core, she is the first truly great character to come out of Trek literature rather than the series or the movies. Kind of an essential novel, particularly if you like Romulans.
The story follows the Enterprise's contact with Ael, a Romulan commander with a conscience who cannot abide what her empire is doing and searches out Kirk and co. to help her undo immoral scientific experimentation on live Vulcans that is going on in the empire.
Romulans have always been good sources for independent, tough, woman characters and Ael is no exception, bright, with a sense of humor and a strong moral core, she is the first truly great character to come out of Trek literature rather than the series or the movies. Kind of an essential novel, particularly if you like Romulans.
September 26, 2020
everything I want in a Star Trek book-- interesting character dynamics, expanded world-building and lore, engaging plot that plays with the existing universe/canon
April 27, 2022
3.5 stars
June 9, 2016
Back in the day, before there were sequel series to the classic TV show, before the reboot, there were the Pocket Books Star Trek novels. They built on the original stories, taking advantage of the novel format to create worlds and aliens and special effects impossible for TV or movies. This was where my fandom was--all these books.
So one of the things I resented about Star Trek: The Next Generation is that the show's creators completely failed to make use of Diane Duane's wonderful extrapolations about the Romulan people. The Rihannsu, as she called them, had a detailed culture and society and their relation to their distant cousins, the Vulcans, made the Vulcans more interesting as well. My Enemy, My Ally is the first of Duane's Rihannsu novels, and tells the story of Ael t'Rllaillieu, disgraced commander in the Romulan fleet, who joins forces with the crew of the Enterprise to stop her own people doing something dishonorable, horrifying, and evil.
I always liked the Star Trek novels with main characters other than the Enterprise crew, probably because those books revealed more about those familiar characters by showing them at a remove. Half this book is narrated by Ael, the other half by Jim Kirk, and there's a real beauty in how the two of them learn to trust each other--a trust made more difficult by Ael's personal anger toward Kirk for his role in the downfall of her sister's-daughter (in the TV episode "The Enterprise Incident"). Duane populates the book with dozens of supporting characters, all of whom have personality and strong character. My favorite is Harb Tanzer, chief of recreation, which is sensibly tied to the medical department; he's sort of an elder statesman/kindly old uncle who turns out to be remarkably good in a crisis. But there are Enterprise crew, and Vulcans, and Romulans, and the interactions between all of them are wonderful.
One of the things I like about Duane's writing in general is her constant sense that there is meaning beyond what is obvious on the surface. I hesitate to say she has strong themes in her fiction, because that implies a conscious, deliberate construction, and questions of love and honor and duty and friendship simply arise naturally from it. Yes, even in a Star Trek novel. Ael's character is defined by the fact that she chooses to betray her people in order to uphold a sense of honor her people have largely left behind. What she discovers is that other races, while different, in many cases share the same values, even if they have other ways of pursuing those values. And yet in the end we're reminded that Rihannsu do have a different sense of honor than humans, as Ael is forced to practice that honor at the expense of something that matters very much to her.
This book was first published in 1984, and it has a few elements that remind you how old it is, specifically the use of tapes and cassettes with the computers (though most of the computers are suitably small). But some of it, particularly the concept of 4-D chess (which is itself part of a recurring theme) still works really well. And, again, the characters are what sell this story. Ensign Naraht, the young Horta ensign who's so very earnest. Ael's crew, who look up to her as a mother but respect her as a commander. Christine Chapel, a full doctor now with just enough screen time to remind you of the power these authors had to remedy some of the unthinking sexism of the '60s. Lieutenant Freeman, obsessed with old vids and Doctor Who. It's a huge cast of characters, and Duane is tremendously skilled to keep them all individuals.
I picked this up again after several years because I came across an omnibus edition of the Rihannsu novels and felt like revisiting my youth. It was wonderful to find that some things, at least, remain golden. Now I'll have to go on to The Romulan Way, my favorite, and hope that too is as good as I remember.
So one of the things I resented about Star Trek: The Next Generation is that the show's creators completely failed to make use of Diane Duane's wonderful extrapolations about the Romulan people. The Rihannsu, as she called them, had a detailed culture and society and their relation to their distant cousins, the Vulcans, made the Vulcans more interesting as well. My Enemy, My Ally is the first of Duane's Rihannsu novels, and tells the story of Ael t'Rllaillieu, disgraced commander in the Romulan fleet, who joins forces with the crew of the Enterprise to stop her own people doing something dishonorable, horrifying, and evil.
I always liked the Star Trek novels with main characters other than the Enterprise crew, probably because those books revealed more about those familiar characters by showing them at a remove. Half this book is narrated by Ael, the other half by Jim Kirk, and there's a real beauty in how the two of them learn to trust each other--a trust made more difficult by Ael's personal anger toward Kirk for his role in the downfall of her sister's-daughter (in the TV episode "The Enterprise Incident"). Duane populates the book with dozens of supporting characters, all of whom have personality and strong character. My favorite is Harb Tanzer, chief of recreation, which is sensibly tied to the medical department; he's sort of an elder statesman/kindly old uncle who turns out to be remarkably good in a crisis. But there are Enterprise crew, and Vulcans, and Romulans, and the interactions between all of them are wonderful.
One of the things I like about Duane's writing in general is her constant sense that there is meaning beyond what is obvious on the surface. I hesitate to say she has strong themes in her fiction, because that implies a conscious, deliberate construction, and questions of love and honor and duty and friendship simply arise naturally from it. Yes, even in a Star Trek novel. Ael's character is defined by the fact that she chooses to betray her people in order to uphold a sense of honor her people have largely left behind. What she discovers is that other races, while different, in many cases share the same values, even if they have other ways of pursuing those values. And yet in the end we're reminded that Rihannsu do have a different sense of honor than humans, as Ael is forced to practice that honor at the expense of something that matters very much to her.
This book was first published in 1984, and it has a few elements that remind you how old it is, specifically the use of tapes and cassettes with the computers (though most of the computers are suitably small). But some of it, particularly the concept of 4-D chess (which is itself part of a recurring theme) still works really well. And, again, the characters are what sell this story. Ensign Naraht, the young Horta ensign who's so very earnest. Ael's crew, who look up to her as a mother but respect her as a commander. Christine Chapel, a full doctor now with just enough screen time to remind you of the power these authors had to remedy some of the unthinking sexism of the '60s. Lieutenant Freeman, obsessed with old vids and Doctor Who. It's a huge cast of characters, and Duane is tremendously skilled to keep them all individuals.
I picked this up again after several years because I came across an omnibus edition of the Rihannsu novels and felt like revisiting my youth. It was wonderful to find that some things, at least, remain golden. Now I'll have to go on to The Romulan Way, my favorite, and hope that too is as good as I remember.
July 18, 2023
My Enemy, My Ally remains one of the best classic Star Trek novels ever written, even thirty years after its original publication date. I want to give this one to everyone I've ever known who's been disappointed by a Trek book and say, "Read this. It will change your mind about Trek."
I will admit right up front that I have a rather large bias toward Diane Duane, who has written a considerable portion of my favorite books (her YA fantasy series, Young Wizards, is also very much worth your time to check out -- but let's not digress). She has a distinctive, lyrical, descriptive prose style that makes each scene jump off the page, and a gift for choosing exactly the right words to evoke specific images for the reader. Specifically in terms of Star Trek: she writes aliens very well. The television shows tend to stick to humanoid races out of the necessity of using human actors, but since literature has no such restrictions, Duane's aliens are as strange, interesting and unusual as one could imagine. My favorite of her original alien races are the Hamalki, who are essentially glass spiders who communicate by singing.
Enemy/Ally in particular is the beginning of what would eventually become a pentalogy (or tetralogy, if you prefer, since the third and fourth books were intended to be a single volume but were split in two by the publisher). The novel centers around a high-ranking Romulan officer, Ael t'Rllaillieu, who is an old off-and-on enemy of Captain Kirk's -- and, if you're familiar with the show, the aunt of the female Romulan commander from "The Enterprise Incident," which further puts her at odds with Kirk and company. Ael has learned of experiments taking place on a remote space station, sponsored by the Romulan government, which involve forcibly taking genetic material from kidnapped Vulcan test subjects in order to attempt to create a method for Romulans to be able to use the Vulcan telepathic disciplines. While loyal to her people, Ael is also a highly honorable woman with a strong sense of morals and ethics, and the knowledge of what her government is becoming -- seeing the growing corruption in the Senate, and knowing to what use the mind disciplines would be put if the experiments are successful -- serves as the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Unable to gain any help from her allies in the government, and more or less exiled to a tour of duty in the Neutral Zone where the Romulan government hopes she will get herself killed, Ael has no choice but to betray her people and turn to her old enemies for help.
I could write a million pages about Ael: she's mature, experienced, competent, able to match wits with Kirk and Spock, and strongly present in the story without upstaging or overshadowing the canon characters. Her relationship with the crew of her ship, Bloodwing, parallels in a rather lovely manner the familial relationship that the crew of the Enterprise have with one another. On the other end of the spectrum, she isn't immune to making mistakes, misjudging others, or failing to see things coming -- in a couple of cases, quite tragically so. In short, she's a well-rounded, dynamic character, and a strong female protagonist in a series (and, let's face it, genre) that sometimes ends up short on such characters. When I first read these books when I was young, I took to Ael immediately; she was one of my first real literary role models, and I'm very, very grateful to Diane Duane for bringing her to life.
I will admit right up front that I have a rather large bias toward Diane Duane, who has written a considerable portion of my favorite books (her YA fantasy series, Young Wizards, is also very much worth your time to check out -- but let's not digress). She has a distinctive, lyrical, descriptive prose style that makes each scene jump off the page, and a gift for choosing exactly the right words to evoke specific images for the reader. Specifically in terms of Star Trek: she writes aliens very well. The television shows tend to stick to humanoid races out of the necessity of using human actors, but since literature has no such restrictions, Duane's aliens are as strange, interesting and unusual as one could imagine. My favorite of her original alien races are the Hamalki, who are essentially glass spiders who communicate by singing.
Enemy/Ally in particular is the beginning of what would eventually become a pentalogy (or tetralogy, if you prefer, since the third and fourth books were intended to be a single volume but were split in two by the publisher). The novel centers around a high-ranking Romulan officer, Ael t'Rllaillieu, who is an old off-and-on enemy of Captain Kirk's -- and, if you're familiar with the show, the aunt of the female Romulan commander from "The Enterprise Incident," which further puts her at odds with Kirk and company. Ael has learned of experiments taking place on a remote space station, sponsored by the Romulan government, which involve forcibly taking genetic material from kidnapped Vulcan test subjects in order to attempt to create a method for Romulans to be able to use the Vulcan telepathic disciplines. While loyal to her people, Ael is also a highly honorable woman with a strong sense of morals and ethics, and the knowledge of what her government is becoming -- seeing the growing corruption in the Senate, and knowing to what use the mind disciplines would be put if the experiments are successful -- serves as the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Unable to gain any help from her allies in the government, and more or less exiled to a tour of duty in the Neutral Zone where the Romulan government hopes she will get herself killed, Ael has no choice but to betray her people and turn to her old enemies for help.
I could write a million pages about Ael: she's mature, experienced, competent, able to match wits with Kirk and Spock, and strongly present in the story without upstaging or overshadowing the canon characters. Her relationship with the crew of her ship, Bloodwing, parallels in a rather lovely manner the familial relationship that the crew of the Enterprise have with one another. On the other end of the spectrum, she isn't immune to making mistakes, misjudging others, or failing to see things coming -- in a couple of cases, quite tragically so. In short, she's a well-rounded, dynamic character, and a strong female protagonist in a series (and, let's face it, genre) that sometimes ends up short on such characters. When I first read these books when I was young, I took to Ael immediately; she was one of my first real literary role models, and I'm very, very grateful to Diane Duane for bringing her to life.
August 20, 2021
This is officially my favorite TOS novel. Duane does a remarkable job in fleshing out the Romulans by depicting them as an honor-based warrior race whose culture is in decline as they gradually lose their old way of life. Ael is an intriguing character as a ruthless, wily, but honorable military leader who has to make a tough choice between betraying her own people and preserving any vestige of honor left in the Empire. Ael serves as an equal and a foil to Kirk, who is both impressed and disconcerted by the integrity and wits of his enemy-now-ally. Both sides of the war - Romulan and Federation alike - get to know one another and find that they have more in common than they thought. A departure from Duane's other novels such as "Spock's World" and "Doctor's Order," whose plots are negligible and/or poorly conceived, this story strikes an equilibrium between world-building expositions and plot-driven momentum and thus is better because of it.
Does the book have a slow opening? Yes. Do events unfold a little too conveniently? Absolutely, with the attack on the Intrepid as a prime example. However these are but minor errors that I am willing to overlook in favor of immersing myself in a rich, engaging, and thought-provoking story that encapsulates the creative genius of Diane Duane.
Does the book have a slow opening? Yes. Do events unfold a little too conveniently? Absolutely, with the attack on the Intrepid as a prime example. However these are but minor errors that I am willing to overlook in favor of immersing myself in a rich, engaging, and thought-provoking story that encapsulates the creative genius of Diane Duane.
January 17, 2016
As a novel, it's okay. It's a standard adventure story within the Star Trek setting. It was nice to learn more about Romulans, but it felt like they were space natives with high-tech weapons. The assault portions are illogical and poorly written, and the final chapters are thrown together to resolve the plot. They were far too convenient and filled with technical improvisations that would take far longer to complete if it weren't needed in five minutes to resolve end the book. And then, of course, you have Kirk falling for another alien woman. Ugh.
January 9, 2012
I found My Enemy, My Ally to be a great piece of writing and a lot of fun to read. The main characters are spot-on, and the new additions to the Enterprise crew as well as other new characters are introduced well and prove to be quite memorable. It is no wonder that this book spawned four sequels, the last of which was published in 2006.
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2011/06/m...
Full review: http://treklit.blogspot.com/2011/06/m...
June 14, 2020
Ael is a rather cool heroine and antagonist, much more interesting than two dimensional Khan. The Romulan full name bit is also cool. Nice book! I am hopeful this was left open in a way that we can somehow miraculously continue to see this character. Smart. Got to wonder if Kirk would do the same against Section 31??
February 5, 2019
Well, it is Diane Duane, so there is not much to say. Very good in the first three quarters, lets up a bit in the end with the mass fighting scenes I think. But it treats the Romulans really well an introduces one of the iconic characters, Ael. Back in the day of the Trekkie*s 90ies we had a woman cosplaying her in our little fan club.
August 17, 2016
Diane Duane does SUCH great Star Trek. Her OCs are delightful and her investment in characters having complex backstories and personalities really shines here.
February 5, 2021
Diane Duane is amazing. This is a spectacularly unique scenario that gives an intimate look into Rihannsu culture. A very enjoyable read.
October 10, 2017
This is not a perfect book, but it is very good, and what's more it's fascinating. Yeah, it's got stuff that doesn't make sense, it's got buildup that turns out to not be foreshadowing, it's got starships moving at Warp 14, it's got conversations in untranslated Romulan for no particular reason. Not to mention a few exchanges of banter that might as well have been in Romulan for all the sense they made to me, 33 years after publication. But those are all pretty minor flaws, because the level of detail actually manages to add sense when it wasn't there before. There's much discussion of intradermal universal translators, for instance, which explains how people can go swanning around space talking to each other (although here it doesn't correct for mouth movements like it does on TV!)
I love the Starfleet we've seen on TOS, but I also love this more detailed, more realistic Starfleet. The book borders on actively pedantic, especially in the first half, but in a way that makes the Enterprise feel like a real ship in a real quasi-military. Oddly (for me) the characters are the same, recognizably themselves but just a bit more realistic, a bit more touched by the demands of daily life. But this is also a strangerEnterprise and a ship built for the elephant-scaled Denebians. And a replacement for the first Intrepid, again crewed entirely by Vulcans -- a detail generally forgotten and unaccounted for in novels and fanworks. While most of Duane's worlbuilding attention is focused on the Romulans here, I also appreciated her interpretation of the Vulcans as a people who would generate formidable telepathic bonds with each other when working in groups.
Of course, this book is most well-known for its contribution to Romulan lore and that's good too. It can still seem a little one-note, all honor all the time, but Duane does a great job of rounding that out, creating the idea of mnhei'sahe -- an untranslatable word that sort of means "honor" or "loyalty," but which may call for wildly different behavior depending on the context. It's not a code of conduct but almost a code of intensity, of commitment. As aliens, the Romulans still seem pretty much like humans, but Duane gives them enough strangeness that you don't always feel like you understand, and she doesn't always explain. There were some excellent exchanges between Romulan and Federation characters, mostly Ael and Kirk, in which both parties know there's been a slight misunderstanding, but move on because they know the disrespect was unintentional and they don't have time to iron out exactly where they went wrong.
(Ael is Duane's creation, but an excellent one, as are the other original characters in this book. She's a Romulan commander with grey in her hair who has developed a longstanding familiarity with Kirk over their many exploits, kind of fusing the two other Romulan commanders we've seen onscreen. I initially assumed she was the female commander, the fact that it was unclear is my biggest complaint about the book, but I came back around to loving her after my confusion. She's tough, cunning, a formidable opponent, sometimes inconsistent in an entirely realistic way, calls Kirk out for English's male-centered vocabulary, and still has a sense of humor and wryness despite her age and position. She has a son, and "where he came from" is never an issue in any way. In comparison to other Romulan characters and versions of the female Romulan commander, I love that she's not a princess or a secret praetor or young and ambitious -- she's terrifying and well-known, but still almost a nobody, just a commander and one not everybody likes.
All that to say, yes it was kind of pedantic, but I enjoyed the detail, and the action definitely picks up in the last third. A pitched battle for the ship's corridors, daring planetary raids, telepathic assaults, mutinies, multi-ship space battles... and it's genuinely exciting, especially as the culmination of all that character-building. Great stuff, recommended.
I love the Starfleet we've seen on TOS, but I also love this more detailed, more realistic Starfleet. The book borders on actively pedantic, especially in the first half, but in a way that makes the Enterprise feel like a real ship in a real quasi-military. Oddly (for me) the characters are the same, recognizably themselves but just a bit more realistic, a bit more touched by the demands of daily life. But this is also a strangerEnterprise and a ship built for the elephant-scaled Denebians. And a replacement for the first Intrepid, again crewed entirely by Vulcans -- a detail generally forgotten and unaccounted for in novels and fanworks. While most of Duane's worlbuilding attention is focused on the Romulans here, I also appreciated her interpretation of the Vulcans as a people who would generate formidable telepathic bonds with each other when working in groups.
Of course, this book is most well-known for its contribution to Romulan lore and that's good too. It can still seem a little one-note, all honor all the time, but Duane does a great job of rounding that out, creating the idea of mnhei'sahe -- an untranslatable word that sort of means "honor" or "loyalty," but which may call for wildly different behavior depending on the context. It's not a code of conduct but almost a code of intensity, of commitment. As aliens, the Romulans still seem pretty much like humans, but Duane gives them enough strangeness that you don't always feel like you understand, and she doesn't always explain. There were some excellent exchanges between Romulan and Federation characters, mostly Ael and Kirk, in which both parties know there's been a slight misunderstanding, but move on because they know the disrespect was unintentional and they don't have time to iron out exactly where they went wrong.
(Ael is Duane's creation, but an excellent one, as are the other original characters in this book. She's a Romulan commander with grey in her hair who has developed a longstanding familiarity with Kirk over their many exploits, kind of fusing the two other Romulan commanders we've seen onscreen. I initially assumed she was the female commander, the fact that it was unclear is my biggest complaint about the book, but I came back around to loving her after my confusion. She's tough, cunning, a formidable opponent, sometimes inconsistent in an entirely realistic way, calls Kirk out for English's male-centered vocabulary, and still has a sense of humor and wryness despite her age and position. She has a son, and "where he came from" is never an issue in any way. In comparison to other Romulan characters and versions of the female Romulan commander, I love that she's not a princess or a secret praetor or young and ambitious -- she's terrifying and well-known, but still almost a nobody, just a commander and one not everybody likes.
All that to say, yes it was kind of pedantic, but I enjoyed the detail, and the action definitely picks up in the last third. A pitched battle for the ship's corridors, daring planetary raids, telepathic assaults, mutinies, multi-ship space battles... and it's genuinely exciting, especially as the culmination of all that character-building. Great stuff, recommended.
October 14, 2022
I like Diane Duane as a Star Trek writer. Probably enjoyed her first book, The Wounded Sky more, but I’m a fan. My Enemy My Ally is a story that sees a proud Romulan Captain join with Kirk against her own corrupt government in some treachery and mayhem (as Scotty puts it) because she believes doing so best serves the overall empire she’s sworn to protect against a particular menace.
It made me think of the military oath I took years ago in becoming an army officer, to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. PERIOD. When he came to power, Adolf Hitler, insisted that the military swear allegiance to him personally, rather than to Germany. We all know what a catastrophe that turned out to be. Still, the vast majority in Germany's military at that time took the oath with very few able to withstand the enormous pressures of noncompliance.
In the Terence Malik film A Hidden Life, this sort of conflict is depicted when Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter can’t bring himself to swearing allegiance to Hitler. I'm still impacted by the depiction of suffering he and his family experienced from that decision.
The Ancient Romans did the same sort of short sighted thing. Loyalty to their generals and not the Roman people saw legion fighting against legion half the time. The ability to discern who or what the real enemy is, and to sometimes have to place country over any current or charismatic leadership would take an incredible amount of courage, and I appreciated seeing that aspect play out in Ms. Duane’s story. I wondered whether I’d have the courage and fortitude to do the same in similar circumstances. I hope so.
“Gentlemen,” Ael said, “I will be open with you. I am a warrior, and I find peace very dull. But honor I cherish; and I see, with the completion and release of this technique, the rise of a new Romulan Empire that will have lost the last vestiges of the glory and honor of the old one. I have sworn oaths to that Empire, to serve it loyally. To stand by and do nothing about the destruction of the ancient and noble tradition on which that Empire is based, is to put the knife into it oneself. I will not.”
It made me think of the military oath I took years ago in becoming an army officer, to defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. PERIOD. When he came to power, Adolf Hitler, insisted that the military swear allegiance to him personally, rather than to Germany. We all know what a catastrophe that turned out to be. Still, the vast majority in Germany's military at that time took the oath with very few able to withstand the enormous pressures of noncompliance.
In the Terence Malik film A Hidden Life, this sort of conflict is depicted when Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter can’t bring himself to swearing allegiance to Hitler. I'm still impacted by the depiction of suffering he and his family experienced from that decision.
The Ancient Romans did the same sort of short sighted thing. Loyalty to their generals and not the Roman people saw legion fighting against legion half the time. The ability to discern who or what the real enemy is, and to sometimes have to place country over any current or charismatic leadership would take an incredible amount of courage, and I appreciated seeing that aspect play out in Ms. Duane’s story. I wondered whether I’d have the courage and fortitude to do the same in similar circumstances. I hope so.
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