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Star Trek: The Original Series
Final Frontier
Commander George Samuel Kirk was aboard the Enterprise under the command of Captain Robert April before his famous son was born. Starfleet has just been founded and the Enterprise has just been built, and is sent on its first mission. The mission takes the Enterprise into the heart of hostile Romulan territory, where cosmopolitical machinations and advanced weapons technology will decide the fate of a hundred innocent worlds.
1 Audio Cassette, runtime 1 hr 30 mins, Abridged. Leonard Nimoy and James Doohan, narrators
1 Audio Cassette, runtime 1 hr 30 mins, Abridged. Leonard Nimoy and James Doohan, narrators
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Diane Carey
76 books111 followersDiane Carey also wrote the Distress Call 911 young adult series under the name D.L. Carey.
Diane Carey is primarily a science fiction author best known for her work in the Star Trek franchise. She has been the lead-off writer for two Star Trek spin-off book series: Star Trek The Next Generation with Star Trek: Ghost Ship, and the novelization of the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot, Broken Bow.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Carey
Diane Carey is primarily a science fiction author best known for her work in the Star Trek franchise. She has been the lead-off writer for two Star Trek spin-off book series: Star Trek The Next Generation with Star Trek: Ghost Ship, and the novelization of the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot, Broken Bow.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Carey
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 19, 2023
I am fan girling this so hard !! I could be in this world all day long 😩
December 24, 2022
Not quite as epic as I'd hoped.
EDIT: I liked it better this time around.
EDIT: I liked it better this time around.
July 23, 2022
3.75 stars. I liked this one better than I thought I would considering the fact that this is not an adventure had by our usual crew. In fact, Kirk, Spock, and the gang barely appear in this book, and arguably didn't need to appear at all. But it is definitely a Star Trek adventure.
The book has its issues, including but not limited to odd references to financial issues that should no longer exist in this future, leaning far too heavily on just the U.S. as a precursor to the Federation, a truly cringe-worthy decision to quote Ayn Rand at the end of the book, and an editor who appears to have dozed off around 3/4 of the way through the job, leaving scads of typos and misstatements scattered amongst the last quarter of the pages.
But despite all that, this novel is worth a read. It contains perhaps my favourite depiction of the Romulans in the novels thus far (reading in publication date order). I became quite fond of both t'Cael and Idrys as the story unfolded. I also enjoyed the characterization of the starship captain who gets the spotlight in this one. The adventure itself was well put together and I even somewhat enjoyed the space battle scenes - the reading of which normally makes my eyelids heavy.
All in all, it's a pretty solid story, and I'd recommend it to Star Trek fans who were willing to read about a different crew.
The book has its issues, including but not limited to odd references to financial issues that should no longer exist in this future, leaning far too heavily on just the U.S. as a precursor to the Federation, a truly cringe-worthy decision to quote Ayn Rand at the end of the book, and an editor who appears to have dozed off around 3/4 of the way through the job, leaving scads of typos and misstatements scattered amongst the last quarter of the pages.
But despite all that, this novel is worth a read. It contains perhaps my favourite depiction of the Romulans in the novels thus far (reading in publication date order). I became quite fond of both t'Cael and Idrys as the story unfolded. I also enjoyed the characterization of the starship captain who gets the spotlight in this one. The adventure itself was well put together and I even somewhat enjoyed the space battle scenes - the reading of which normally makes my eyelids heavy.
All in all, it's a pretty solid story, and I'd recommend it to Star Trek fans who were willing to read about a different crew.
April 18, 2013
This book contains the backstory of the first, secret voyage of the Enterprise. Captain Robert April and his executive officer, GEORGE Samuel Kirk, are sent into Romulan space for a secret mission.
I am not going to give spoilers but this is good Star Trek. Jim Kirk's father is an interesting character and his relationship with Captain April is well developed---inclduing thier conflicts.
Starfleet has just been formed so this book is set before the opening of the original series. It is a nice trip into Star Trek's past--showing where some of Starfleet's early history and telling a good story.
Recommended for any fan of the original Star Trek series;also of interest to most science fiction readers.
Read before I joined Gr so no dates avialable.
I am not going to give spoilers but this is good Star Trek. Jim Kirk's father is an interesting character and his relationship with Captain April is well developed---inclduing thier conflicts.
Starfleet has just been formed so this book is set before the opening of the original series. It is a nice trip into Star Trek's past--showing where some of Starfleet's early history and telling a good story.
Recommended for any fan of the original Star Trek series;also of interest to most science fiction readers.
Read before I joined Gr so no dates avialable.
December 19, 2011
It's been 20 years since I've first read this, and I probably love it even more now than I did then... I'm definitely picking up on things that I didn't when I was in high school. Besides the action-packed space battles, piano-wire tension, and superbly-written look at the Enterprise's maiden (and secret) first voyage, there's layers here that intrigue and delight me... the duel of wills and philosophy between Robert April and George Kirk is fascinating.
Though there's some contradictions between this novel and now-established canon, that doesn't take away from this being a fantastic story, regardless of small detail differences... the heart of this story is just as valid now as it was in 1988, and it's a damned good book.
Though there's some contradictions between this novel and now-established canon, that doesn't take away from this being a fantastic story, regardless of small detail differences... the heart of this story is just as valid now as it was in 1988, and it's a damned good book.
January 15, 2023
“‘How can we justify reaching out into the galaxy if we shut off anyone looking in?’ April’s voice was softly insistent. ‘This ship is for exploration, George. That’s what I want her to be seen as.’
…’ Yes, but you can’t tell defensive weapons from offensive just by looking. Her philosophy must be established first! Any bravado will cheapen her and put our credibility at risk.’
‘You’re too much of a poet, Robert.’
‘That’s why I brought you along, George.’”
…’ Yes, but you can’t tell defensive weapons from offensive just by looking. Her philosophy must be established first! Any bravado will cheapen her and put our credibility at risk.’
‘You’re too much of a poet, Robert.’
‘That’s why I brought you along, George.’”
July 30, 2021
When it comes to Star Trek novels, among the ones that I find the most interesting are those that are set prior to the “five-year mission” chronicled in the original series. What makes them so interesting is the authors’ efforts to fill in the backstories only hinted at in the show, often by little more than a throwaway line of dialogue or a onetime appearance in an episode. These novels aren’t canon, but when they’re done right they can provide enjoyable speculations that help to flesh out familiar characters or otherwise unexplored aspects of the Star Trek universe. When they’re done poorly, though, they can be a source of eye-rolling frustration.
Diane Carey’s novel falls squarely into the latter category. In it, James Kirk finds himself questioning his life’s choices after sacrificing Edith Keeler during his trip through the Guardian of Forever in order to secure a Nazi-free future. Back on Earth, he goes through some of the letters his father George wrote while serving in Starfleet. This framing device is used to tell the story of the first-ever adventure of the starship Enterprise, when sabotage sends the uncommissioned (and as-yet-unnamed) vessel hurtling into Romulan space. As the crew works frantically to undo the damage, the ship becomes the target of an ambitious young Romulan officer, who seeks to supplant the noble commander patrolling the region for their empire. As premises go it’s not a bad one, even if elements of it were later contradicted by episodes of the other shows in the franchise.
The problem is with Carey’s depiction of some of her novel’s main characters. As a prequel that is developed mainly from an episode of the animated series, she has virtually a blank canvas on which to draw. Yet her crew is clueless in that annoying “I-need-smart-people-to-be-dumb-in-order-to-advance-my-plot” sort of way. This is particularly true for the ship’s captain, Robert April, who despite supposedly being one of Starfleet’s finest officers is portrayed as a patronizing fool who is almost blindly committed to his values. He is less a believable character than a two-dimensional foil for the novel’s real hero, George Samuel Kirk, whose hawkish choices invariably prove to be the correct ones. While Carey's limited characterization is mitigated somewhat by her portrayal of the Romulans, even here she leans into franchise cliches rather than providing something fresh and different for her readers.
Such ham-handed characterization in service to a militaristic morality play represents an opportunity wasted. Instead of exploring the virgin territory that such a setting provided Carey prefers instead to hammer home her view that a big stick is best used before speaking softly. It’s very much out of character for the values on which the series rests, which when combined with some lazy plotting makes for a novel that most fans of the franchise are best advised to give a pass in favor of ones that are truer to their source material.
Diane Carey’s novel falls squarely into the latter category. In it, James Kirk finds himself questioning his life’s choices after sacrificing Edith Keeler during his trip through the Guardian of Forever in order to secure a Nazi-free future. Back on Earth, he goes through some of the letters his father George wrote while serving in Starfleet. This framing device is used to tell the story of the first-ever adventure of the starship Enterprise, when sabotage sends the uncommissioned (and as-yet-unnamed) vessel hurtling into Romulan space. As the crew works frantically to undo the damage, the ship becomes the target of an ambitious young Romulan officer, who seeks to supplant the noble commander patrolling the region for their empire. As premises go it’s not a bad one, even if elements of it were later contradicted by episodes of the other shows in the franchise.
The problem is with Carey’s depiction of some of her novel’s main characters. As a prequel that is developed mainly from an episode of the animated series, she has virtually a blank canvas on which to draw. Yet her crew is clueless in that annoying “I-need-smart-people-to-be-dumb-in-order-to-advance-my-plot” sort of way. This is particularly true for the ship’s captain, Robert April, who despite supposedly being one of Starfleet’s finest officers is portrayed as a patronizing fool who is almost blindly committed to his values. He is less a believable character than a two-dimensional foil for the novel’s real hero, George Samuel Kirk, whose hawkish choices invariably prove to be the correct ones. While Carey's limited characterization is mitigated somewhat by her portrayal of the Romulans, even here she leans into franchise cliches rather than providing something fresh and different for her readers.
Such ham-handed characterization in service to a militaristic morality play represents an opportunity wasted. Instead of exploring the virgin territory that such a setting provided Carey prefers instead to hammer home her view that a big stick is best used before speaking softly. It’s very much out of character for the values on which the series rests, which when combined with some lazy plotting makes for a novel that most fans of the franchise are best advised to give a pass in favor of ones that are truer to their source material.
September 15, 2012
"Final Frontier" by Diane Carey focuses on James T. Kirk's father, George Kirk and his early involvement with the Enterprise under the command of Captain Robert April. April, is an explorer and diplomat but he realises there are times when he will need someone with the mind of a warrior who will fight when needed and so he asks George Kirk to be his XO even if he does it via a rather unusual method.
The Enterprise itself is the first of the Constitution class of starships and is being rushed into service prior to complete testing as it is the only ship capable of reaching a stranded transport ship in time to save the passengers. Of course, the rescue mission doesn't go as plan and soon the Enterprise and her crew find themselves stranded in enemy territory.
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is by far my favourite Star Trek novel so far. It is an enjoyable and engaging story that was easy to read and had me hooked right from the beginning even if some of the plot points seemed a little bit contrived. I felt that it really captured the feeling of the original series in that this was a fun space adventure with no real moral ambiguity, basically the good guys always tried to do the right thing and the bad guys were easy to hate.
The feeling of fun in the story is also captured in the interaction between the various characters. There was some thoroughly enjoyable banter between these quite distinct personalities in which Carey utilised irony and the odd references to canon incredibly well. The only negative I can think of in regards to the characters is maybe in relation to the villains in the story who came across as being very simplistic in their development but there was enough there to make sure I was more than happy to see them fail.
An issue I did have was actually in regards to the framing story which follows Kirk, Spock and McCoy discussing some of the events that occurred in the TV episode "The Guardian of Forever". I think it got in the way of the main story; I basically got a little frustrated as I had to keep taking a break from the enjoyable adventure going on in the past to read a rather slow debate on what had happened in "The Guardian of Forever". In addition, if you haven't seen this episode before or can't remember much about it then this entire section will mean very little to you anyway.
Overall, this is an incredibly enjoyable journey into a time period of Star Trek that has rarely been explored. The story is fun and entertaining; the characters are interesting enough to keep you cheering them on and the various references to canon should keep many Star Trek fans happy. I highly recommend this book to any avid fan of Star Trek will love this story but will highlight the lack of familiar character that may be off putting to the more casual fan.
The Enterprise itself is the first of the Constitution class of starships and is being rushed into service prior to complete testing as it is the only ship capable of reaching a stranded transport ship in time to save the passengers. Of course, the rescue mission doesn't go as plan and soon the Enterprise and her crew find themselves stranded in enemy territory.
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is by far my favourite Star Trek novel so far. It is an enjoyable and engaging story that was easy to read and had me hooked right from the beginning even if some of the plot points seemed a little bit contrived. I felt that it really captured the feeling of the original series in that this was a fun space adventure with no real moral ambiguity, basically the good guys always tried to do the right thing and the bad guys were easy to hate.
The feeling of fun in the story is also captured in the interaction between the various characters. There was some thoroughly enjoyable banter between these quite distinct personalities in which Carey utilised irony and the odd references to canon incredibly well. The only negative I can think of in regards to the characters is maybe in relation to the villains in the story who came across as being very simplistic in their development but there was enough there to make sure I was more than happy to see them fail.
An issue I did have was actually in regards to the framing story which follows Kirk, Spock and McCoy discussing some of the events that occurred in the TV episode "The Guardian of Forever". I think it got in the way of the main story; I basically got a little frustrated as I had to keep taking a break from the enjoyable adventure going on in the past to read a rather slow debate on what had happened in "The Guardian of Forever". In addition, if you haven't seen this episode before or can't remember much about it then this entire section will mean very little to you anyway.
Overall, this is an incredibly enjoyable journey into a time period of Star Trek that has rarely been explored. The story is fun and entertaining; the characters are interesting enough to keep you cheering them on and the various references to canon should keep many Star Trek fans happy. I highly recommend this book to any avid fan of Star Trek will love this story but will highlight the lack of familiar character that may be off putting to the more casual fan.
September 5, 2017
This is two stories one involves Jim Kirk just after the incident with The Guardian of Forever and Edith Keeler and the other is about George Kirk and his first mission as first officer of an unfinished Enterprise. Jim is in mourning over the death of Edith and is considering a drastic change in career. while making his decision he reads the letters that his father sent up to the point he leaves for a secret mission to save a colony transport that is stranded in an ion storm.
George Kirk isn't very happy with his life. At the beginning of the story he in charge of security at a starbase. His marriage is not a happy one and he is trying to keep things going for his children. He sends his sons letters so they have something to save for the future. He is kidnapped and transport to a space dock where the Enterprise is being assembled. Enterprise isn't finished and hasn't yet been named. The mission is to save the colonists with the new ship. Enterprise can reach the disabled ship in minutes instead of days or weeks. It wouldn't be a Star Trek story without something going wrong. The wrong is sabotage and a trip into Romulan territory.
We get a good taste of the Romulans and how their military is sent up at this point. They are planning on invading the Federation and stopping the ships that are being assembled so they can invade. The Romulans are a warrior race that only allows advancement through victory over one's opponents. They have also evolved enough to be different when scanned with a medical tricorder.
I enjoyed this book, especially the letters that George Kirk wrote to his boys. It is always nice to see the original crew get together and start on new adventures, of course that doesn't happen until the end of the story. There isn't a lot of action until the last third or so of the book so it is more about the characters and the ideals that they hope to impart those that will take over the Enterprise. There is lots of moralizing and it never gets to be lecturing. It is a good book and worth a read for those that love the original series.
George Kirk isn't very happy with his life. At the beginning of the story he in charge of security at a starbase. His marriage is not a happy one and he is trying to keep things going for his children. He sends his sons letters so they have something to save for the future. He is kidnapped and transport to a space dock where the Enterprise is being assembled. Enterprise isn't finished and hasn't yet been named. The mission is to save the colonists with the new ship. Enterprise can reach the disabled ship in minutes instead of days or weeks. It wouldn't be a Star Trek story without something going wrong. The wrong is sabotage and a trip into Romulan territory.
We get a good taste of the Romulans and how their military is sent up at this point. They are planning on invading the Federation and stopping the ships that are being assembled so they can invade. The Romulans are a warrior race that only allows advancement through victory over one's opponents. They have also evolved enough to be different when scanned with a medical tricorder.
I enjoyed this book, especially the letters that George Kirk wrote to his boys. It is always nice to see the original crew get together and start on new adventures, of course that doesn't happen until the end of the story. There isn't a lot of action until the last third or so of the book so it is more about the characters and the ideals that they hope to impart those that will take over the Enterprise. There is lots of moralizing and it never gets to be lecturing. It is a good book and worth a read for those that love the original series.
March 29, 2020
I've saved 9 Star Trek novels (mostly TOS) acquired over the years, the ones I had given a high personal rating to, long before Goodreads. I've read them several times each. This is one of them, and I was delighted to wade in now, after a long period, and find it was as good as I remembered. The story is framed by James T. Kirk and crew in the aftermath of "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Edith Keeler) and is rock-solid in terms of the original-crew characters, even though their parts are brief. But the core story is about his father, George Kirk; the newborn, yet-unnamed Enterprise; an unplanned encounter with the Romulans; another extraordinary captain; and a rescue mission. Can you tell I liked this? Seriously, find yourself a copy!
March 4, 2019
Following the loss of Edith Keeler, a distraught James Kirk retreats to his family farm in Iowa. Contemplating retirement from the service, Kirk re-reads letters from his father in an attempt to find out what drove George Samuel Kirk and his career.
Carey writes of the secret maiden voyage of a starship under the command of Robert April and his erstwhile first officer, Georke Kirk.
A starship christened by one Kirk will be commanded by his son.
An excellent novel, which encapsulates the Starfleet ideal.
Carey writes of the secret maiden voyage of a starship under the command of Robert April and his erstwhile first officer, Georke Kirk.
A starship christened by one Kirk will be commanded by his son.
An excellent novel, which encapsulates the Starfleet ideal.
December 5, 2016
Of all the Trek fiction - this is the one that should have been adapted (faithfully) into a movie. The best part would have been that it would have been a standalone, none of the TOS characters required. It also would have pre-dated the TV series Enterprise, and likely influenced that premise greatly (not that is was terrible).
February 2, 2021
This is a fantastic creation. The characters are solid, both the familiars and the newly introduced. The plot is very clever, very engaging and quite grand in scale.
If there was one thing I'd pick on it'd be how far the "helper" ends up going with their change of heart. But otherwise I absolutely marvelled at this story.
If there was one thing I'd pick on it'd be how far the "helper" ends up going with their change of heart. But otherwise I absolutely marvelled at this story.
April 19, 2008
One of the earliest Trek books I read, and one of the first to focus on people other than Kirk and company.
A nice look back to when the Federation was in it's early stages. This is what the Enterprise TV show should have been.
A nice look back to when the Federation was in it's early stages. This is what the Enterprise TV show should have been.
July 25, 2021
Hackneyed diplomacy, underhanded trickery, espionage, action, equipment malfunctions, anti racist undertones, Jimmy Kirk lamenting his age, its really everything you want out of Trek. 10/10 an absolute home run of a licensed pulp scifi novel.
October 10, 2021
A good book
This book gives a look into our captain Kirk's dad.We get to meet the romulans for the 1st time.An exciting twist to the story.The 1st look and use of the starship enterprise.
This book gives a look into our captain Kirk's dad.We get to meet the romulans for the 1st time.An exciting twist to the story.The 1st look and use of the starship enterprise.
January 21, 2022
This one was a cracker! Mainly focussed on Kirk’s father, centring around the first of the Constitution class ships’ missions. Tied in really nicely with some immediate post City On The Edge Of Forever reaction from Kirk in the more recognisable timeframe. Very nicely done.
July 6, 2010
A great read about the early history of the Star Trek. While the storyline is now out of date due to the Enterprise TV show, the book is still a great read!
August 4, 2011
Best action of any of any Star Trek novel.
March 29, 2015
A nice piece of Star Trek history.
October 22, 2018
Final Frontier is one of the best Classic Trek Novels our there.
February 1, 2024
I’m pretty sure I read this book before but I remember liking it a lot.
It’s the story of George Kirk, Jim Kirk’s father and what he did for work while raising his child.
I like that it’s the story of him being an absent father by virtue of being a security chief on a starbase. I always like when Trek stories detail the lass glamorous lives of Starfleet personnel.
Yes, now that I’m reading it I remember this is also the picture of Robert April - the first Captain of the Enterprise - I remember. A very ‘uncle Dudley’ type. I believe this was depicted at one point, maybe the Animated Series, but I also know they have had several other depictions and stories that don’t quite match this one. That’s too bad I think.
I always thought of early Starfleet as a little more hybrid scientific and military than most depictions.
“This is Captain Robert April. Request security access, Starfleet Command authorization, graphic tape one.”
“And the really tragic part is that we can communicate with them quite nicely, with communications at warp twenty.”
Chapter 3 also reminded me that this book has a very interesting take on the Romulans as well.
“I heard transporting takes too long to be practical. What changed?”
“Do you know anything about duotronics?”
“There’s no one on board who hasn’t been rated and cleared of at least a level-eight security clearance.”
“Certainly it was prideful to wear one’s own medals of victory, but it was much more pleasing when the enemy was forced to wear the medals of his defeat.”
This is a fun romp through the Enterprise’s first ‘shake-down’ cruise.
And here’s a fun fact I was not aware of. The starships impulse drive is actually “I.M. PULSE DRIVE” which stands for “internally metered pulse drive.” A detailed explanation follows which is just as good as any and the only one I’ve ever heard to explain impulse drive.
This has a great ‘Balance of Terror’ feeling throughout.
“None of our indices carry record of that configuration, nor of any configuration even remotely like that shape. The disk and engine pods are distinctive, yet they seem to have evolved from nothing.”
Now this book has a date of 1988. So this makes me wonder, when were the first mentions of the Daedalus class? This was an early design for the Enterprise that eventually became the ships that came before the Constitution class. But when was that established? Because if the Daedalus’ fought in the earlier Romulan War then I think that was similar enough in design to suggest the Enterprise. Then again, maybe these events were before the Romulan war? Nope. It definitely says this is long after.
“For human, the emotion that is fed is the one that grows.”
There’s an amazing conversation between McCoy and Kirk, looking back in time and on their mistakes.
“A few leaders using drum-beating and patriotic rhetoric to convince the masses of things no sensible person would otherwise approve of. Such people can make naked evils seem like duty. And people will do that duty unconditionally..”
I’m really loving this book. It’s everything Star Trek should be.
“Of course, that was the grim truth. They were setting precedents with this incomplete, under-stocked, experimental, untested supership, and there were no answers yet. “
Wow! I love it when a book makes me tense!
Terrific story of the first shakedown cruise of the Enterprise and last mission of Robert April and a better story of George Kirk that anything else I’ve seen or read.
Only 4 stars because it left it slightly vague what happens to one of the characters, but otherwise one of my favorite Star Trek books.
It’s the story of George Kirk, Jim Kirk’s father and what he did for work while raising his child.
I like that it’s the story of him being an absent father by virtue of being a security chief on a starbase. I always like when Trek stories detail the lass glamorous lives of Starfleet personnel.
Yes, now that I’m reading it I remember this is also the picture of Robert April - the first Captain of the Enterprise - I remember. A very ‘uncle Dudley’ type. I believe this was depicted at one point, maybe the Animated Series, but I also know they have had several other depictions and stories that don’t quite match this one. That’s too bad I think.
I always thought of early Starfleet as a little more hybrid scientific and military than most depictions.
“This is Captain Robert April. Request security access, Starfleet Command authorization, graphic tape one.”
“And the really tragic part is that we can communicate with them quite nicely, with communications at warp twenty.”
Chapter 3 also reminded me that this book has a very interesting take on the Romulans as well.
“I heard transporting takes too long to be practical. What changed?”
“Do you know anything about duotronics?”
“There’s no one on board who hasn’t been rated and cleared of at least a level-eight security clearance.”
“Certainly it was prideful to wear one’s own medals of victory, but it was much more pleasing when the enemy was forced to wear the medals of his defeat.”
This is a fun romp through the Enterprise’s first ‘shake-down’ cruise.
And here’s a fun fact I was not aware of. The starships impulse drive is actually “I.M. PULSE DRIVE” which stands for “internally metered pulse drive.” A detailed explanation follows which is just as good as any and the only one I’ve ever heard to explain impulse drive.
This has a great ‘Balance of Terror’ feeling throughout.
“None of our indices carry record of that configuration, nor of any configuration even remotely like that shape. The disk and engine pods are distinctive, yet they seem to have evolved from nothing.”
Now this book has a date of 1988. So this makes me wonder, when were the first mentions of the Daedalus class? This was an early design for the Enterprise that eventually became the ships that came before the Constitution class. But when was that established? Because if the Daedalus’ fought in the earlier Romulan War then I think that was similar enough in design to suggest the Enterprise. Then again, maybe these events were before the Romulan war? Nope. It definitely says this is long after.
“For human, the emotion that is fed is the one that grows.”
There’s an amazing conversation between McCoy and Kirk, looking back in time and on their mistakes.
“A few leaders using drum-beating and patriotic rhetoric to convince the masses of things no sensible person would otherwise approve of. Such people can make naked evils seem like duty. And people will do that duty unconditionally..”
I’m really loving this book. It’s everything Star Trek should be.
“Of course, that was the grim truth. They were setting precedents with this incomplete, under-stocked, experimental, untested supership, and there were no answers yet. “
Wow! I love it when a book makes me tense!
Terrific story of the first shakedown cruise of the Enterprise and last mission of Robert April and a better story of George Kirk that anything else I’ve seen or read.
Only 4 stars because it left it slightly vague what happens to one of the characters, but otherwise one of my favorite Star Trek books.
September 11, 2014
I enjoyed this book. I had read it once before, back when it first came out. It has a good flow to it; it is broken up into two parts - a 'current' storyline and a 'past history' story line. The 'current' storyline takes place after the television episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" where Kirk is still mourning over the death of Edith Keeler and contemplating resigning from Star Fleet. The 'past history' story tells of the first unofficial mission of the Enterprise - she is going to be used to save a colony vessel in an ion storm when she is thrown off course .
It is interesting, as James Kirk reads letters from his father, because the author then goes into the backstory behind the letters, letting us get to know a side of George Kirk that his sons never knew. I felt it was a good plot device, as James tried to discern meaning behind the precious papers sent to him by his father during his childhood. It is also interesting in that Kirk remembers how he felt as a child reading the letters and discovers nuances reading them as an adult that he missed seeing as a child. Granted, I did not see the nuances, either, but that is neither here nor there. I think the gist of it was that George was trying to put on a brave face to his sons and lying instead of being honest with them. By the end of the story, however, the tone of his letters and his attitude had changed [becoming more positive].
I liked how the author showed various sides, various attitudes, in the novel. The 'temporary' captain of this new vessel wished to have a fleet of exploratory vessels that doubled as ambassadorial ships as well. George Kirk, bamboozled into acting as the ship's Security Officer, was able to see the starship for what it was - a powerful weapon that could be used by the military potentially to end all wars and bend other races to the will and whim of the Federation. T'Cael [the 'enemy' commander], despite coming from a warrior race, refused to see every unknown experience as a potential threat. The ship's doctor only wished to work with animals, her emotions nearly overwhelming her when people were injured in the course of the mission. I felt the author did a nice job of explaining each person's position[s] and ideologies and then twisting their beliefs around as they had new experiences so that they were faced with making difficult choices that could have severe consequences.
The 'werewolf-bear' getting loose onboard ship was funny while it lasted.
Even though it has been will nigh twenty years since I read this book, I did enjoy reading it a second time around. I felt it has done a good job standing up to the test of time, as it were, and remains a well-told story.
It is interesting, as James Kirk reads letters from his father, because the author then goes into the backstory behind the letters, letting us get to know a side of George Kirk that his sons never knew. I felt it was a good plot device, as James tried to discern meaning behind the precious papers sent to him by his father during his childhood. It is also interesting in that Kirk remembers how he felt as a child reading the letters and discovers nuances reading them as an adult that he missed seeing as a child. Granted, I did not see the nuances, either, but that is neither here nor there. I think the gist of it was that George was trying to put on a brave face to his sons and lying instead of being honest with them. By the end of the story, however, the tone of his letters and his attitude had changed [becoming more positive].
I liked how the author showed various sides, various attitudes, in the novel. The 'temporary' captain of this new vessel wished to have a fleet of exploratory vessels that doubled as ambassadorial ships as well. George Kirk, bamboozled into acting as the ship's Security Officer, was able to see the starship for what it was - a powerful weapon that could be used by the military potentially to end all wars and bend other races to the will and whim of the Federation. T'Cael [the 'enemy' commander], despite coming from a warrior race, refused to see every unknown experience as a potential threat. The ship's doctor only wished to work with animals, her emotions nearly overwhelming her when people were injured in the course of the mission. I felt the author did a nice job of explaining each person's position[s] and ideologies and then twisting their beliefs around as they had new experiences so that they were faced with making difficult choices that could have severe consequences.
The 'werewolf-bear' getting loose onboard ship was funny while it lasted.
Even though it has been will nigh twenty years since I read this book, I did enjoy reading it a second time around. I felt it has done a good job standing up to the test of time, as it were, and remains a well-told story.
September 18, 2022
Actual rating probably 3.5, but I rounded up because the book's third act is really well-written; it's a big space battle with quite a few twists and turns as the Enterprise, on its very first shakedown cruise, finds itself at battle with Romulans.
As for the rest of the book, I found it really slow-going until that last act. The main story is about George Kirk, James T's father, who was apparently on the Enterprise in its very first mission out of spacedock. It's an engaging enough story, but it does kind of shrink the Trek universe for me to think that Captain Kirk's father served on the exact same ship 25 years or however long earlier, and I have to be one of those "But canon!" fans here...the Original Series stipulates that nobody from the Federation has had any contact with Romulans for decades when the episode "Balance of Terror" takes place, and in fact, no humans or Romulans have ever even SEEN one another. Then along comes this book which not only has human-Romulan contact but actual infiltration, a major space battle NEAR THE ROMULAN HOMEWORLD, and more. Once it's all done there's a sweeping-of-it-all-under-the-rug sort of thing that...well, I have a hell of a hard time buying it.
Also, the book's framing device has James T. Kirk going back to the family farm to read his father's old letters following the events of the episode "City on the Edge of Forever". Grieving Edith Keeler's death, JTK is kicking around leaving Starfleet...and this doesn't really resolve all that well, and the main effect here was to have me thinking that I'd like to see an actual story of JTK immediately in the days following that harrowing time-travel adventure.
I am mainly rating this book fairly high because that third act really IS written VERY well--once the battle starts, the book just propels along--despite my general misgivings about the story and pacing of the first two acts.
NOTE: On Kindle, the font that the letters use is REALLY hard to read so every time a letter comes along I had to stop and increase the font size quite a bit. I really wish books wouldn't do weird fonts for stuff like letters. Italics are fine.
As for the rest of the book, I found it really slow-going until that last act. The main story is about George Kirk, James T's father, who was apparently on the Enterprise in its very first mission out of spacedock. It's an engaging enough story, but it does kind of shrink the Trek universe for me to think that Captain Kirk's father served on the exact same ship 25 years or however long earlier, and I have to be one of those "But canon!" fans here...the Original Series stipulates that nobody from the Federation has had any contact with Romulans for decades when the episode "Balance of Terror" takes place, and in fact, no humans or Romulans have ever even SEEN one another. Then along comes this book which not only has human-Romulan contact but actual infiltration, a major space battle NEAR THE ROMULAN HOMEWORLD, and more. Once it's all done there's a sweeping-of-it-all-under-the-rug sort of thing that...well, I have a hell of a hard time buying it.
Also, the book's framing device has James T. Kirk going back to the family farm to read his father's old letters following the events of the episode "City on the Edge of Forever". Grieving Edith Keeler's death, JTK is kicking around leaving Starfleet...and this doesn't really resolve all that well, and the main effect here was to have me thinking that I'd like to see an actual story of JTK immediately in the days following that harrowing time-travel adventure.
I am mainly rating this book fairly high because that third act really IS written VERY well--once the battle starts, the book just propels along--despite my general misgivings about the story and pacing of the first two acts.
NOTE: On Kindle, the font that the letters use is REALLY hard to read so every time a letter comes along I had to stop and increase the font size quite a bit. I really wish books wouldn't do weird fonts for stuff like letters. Italics are fine.
November 21, 2023
Final Frontier by Diane Carey
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, inspiring, reflective, sad, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 ⭐
The Star Trek franchise of novels hasn't had the best control system for canonicity. It isn't as bad as the Star Wars: Extended Universe (in my opinion), but for all the same reasons...SO many books being written at the same time, with different bosses (overseers), that it just was impossible to keep track of everything.
With this story, it was written really early in the run (at least for Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books novels). Also, even worse...across the many different imprints, too.
I loved this framework of this story...using multiple timelines, and having them form one narrative by the end. The connection is George and James T. (his youngest son).
As we read this story, we recognized little inaccuracies, but NONE of them ruin the story...one bit. Also, they lessen the blow...by saying this/that thing was never logged into the records...so preserving future storylines, that had not happened yet in the franchise...and supporting previous episodes/novels that talked about things that were seen as "set in stone".
It was also a lot of fun to see Captain Robert April at the helm (not literally, but figuratively) of this brand new, un-named ship...doint the impossible things...against all odds.
I really did love this story. One thing that made this story even more "cool" for me...is that there was an important character that had my name...Graff. I was so touched by this...for it has NEVER happened before. Then, the type of character he was in the story...made it that much more cool. Yeah. Loved that special part.
Also, the love shown for these iconic characters, Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Checkov and Uhura was also impressive. On point at all times.
If you haven't tried this story, I highly recommend it.
#BucketListathon2023
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, inspiring, reflective, sad, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25 ⭐
The Star Trek franchise of novels hasn't had the best control system for canonicity. It isn't as bad as the Star Wars: Extended Universe (in my opinion), but for all the same reasons...SO many books being written at the same time, with different bosses (overseers), that it just was impossible to keep track of everything.
With this story, it was written really early in the run (at least for Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books novels). Also, even worse...across the many different imprints, too.
I loved this framework of this story...using multiple timelines, and having them form one narrative by the end. The connection is George and James T. (his youngest son).
As we read this story, we recognized little inaccuracies, but NONE of them ruin the story...one bit. Also, they lessen the blow...by saying this/that thing was never logged into the records...so preserving future storylines, that had not happened yet in the franchise...and supporting previous episodes/novels that talked about things that were seen as "set in stone".
It was also a lot of fun to see Captain Robert April at the helm (not literally, but figuratively) of this brand new, un-named ship...doint the impossible things...against all odds.
I really did love this story. One thing that made this story even more "cool" for me...is that there was an important character that had my name...Graff. I was so touched by this...for it has NEVER happened before. Then, the type of character he was in the story...made it that much more cool. Yeah. Loved that special part.
Also, the love shown for these iconic characters, Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Checkov and Uhura was also impressive. On point at all times.
If you haven't tried this story, I highly recommend it.
#BucketListathon2023
May 18, 2018
3.5, rounding up to 4 stars. This bears a strong similarity to the earlier Web of the Romulans, but I enjoyed both of them so the repetition bothers me less than it might have. What does bother me is that both the Federation and Romulan sides of this conflict appear to adhere firmly to the Smurfette principle - and the single woman with any focus on each side is stuck with the stereotypical storylines of her gender. One's a glorified and nurturing love interest, the other gets fridged. Deeply irritating. Overwhelming that irritation, however, and the thing that drags this story up almost single-handedly from the average Trek outing, is the fair and well-explored clash in philosophy between Robert April and George Kirk. As always in this series, diversity of opinion tends to lead to illumination, and in particular I'd like to see more of the idealist April in the future.
January 17, 2020
This is a damn good book.
Our usual suspects (Kirk, et al) are mostly a framing device here, and they are handled well. The story really shines with its new and lesser-known canon characters. George Kirk (James' father) was a bit of a cipher--intentionally, I'm sure--but that did make it hard to connect with him. The big strengths are Captain April and the Romulan T'Cael. Loved them both.
The overall plot might have been just a *tad* predictable, but there were plenty of little surprises along the way to keep me on my toes. The space battles are clever, the banter is fun, and there's even a touch of romance--mostly involving everyone's crush on the as-yet-unchristened Enterprise--but also between a couple of humans as well.
I will definitely seek out Diane Carey's other books.
Our usual suspects (Kirk, et al) are mostly a framing device here, and they are handled well. The story really shines with its new and lesser-known canon characters. George Kirk (James' father) was a bit of a cipher--intentionally, I'm sure--but that did make it hard to connect with him. The big strengths are Captain April and the Romulan T'Cael. Loved them both.
The overall plot might have been just a *tad* predictable, but there were plenty of little surprises along the way to keep me on my toes. The space battles are clever, the banter is fun, and there's even a touch of romance--mostly involving everyone's crush on the as-yet-unchristened Enterprise--but also between a couple of humans as well.
I will definitely seek out Diane Carey's other books.
August 23, 2017
A rescue mission goes horribly wrong due to sabotage. With a captain that only sees the positive side of things this gives way to a lot of psychological implications and a lot of action. People grow beyond themselves and their capabilities through sheer necessity (or just anger or refusal to give up).
We get a lot of background on James T. Kirk's father and his dealing with him during his youth. Two timelines, 1 present with mostly a psychological conflict and 1 in the past with tons of action. They may both be necessary and are certainly usefull for the global understanding of Star Trek but i certainly prefer the action part.
The cover could be better and is in my opinion even misleading. Although it becomes irrelevant as soon you are inmersed in the story.
We get a lot of background on James T. Kirk's father and his dealing with him during his youth. Two timelines, 1 present with mostly a psychological conflict and 1 in the past with tons of action. They may both be necessary and are certainly usefull for the global understanding of Star Trek but i certainly prefer the action part.
The cover could be better and is in my opinion even misleading. Although it becomes irrelevant as soon you are inmersed in the story.
February 22, 2024
I always thought star trek was a pretty cool universe, but I had never really gotten into it. With my understanding, this is a prequel to the main show which I haven't watched yet. If you like star wars, then the theme of the book isn't too far off from that, but star trek feels a lot more realistic. The characters talk about the concepts of space travel and artificial gravity in depth to the point where you'd think it's real. This is a pretty good read even if you don't understand those concepts though, but it does have a start full of exposition.
July 9, 2024
The original series, and largely the next generation, were completely episodic, with a strong reset switch. In those days, it was the job of the Star Trek novel to fill in the gaps and allow our heroes to deal with the consequences of their adventures.
This is where Final Frontier comes in. We get to see the after math of "City at the Edge of Forever", Kirk's sorrow, McCoy's guilt, Spock's compassion, as the framing story. The main tale here is an unlikely adventure of Kirk's father and Captain April on the original unnamed Enterprise.
All in all, a nice read.
This is where Final Frontier comes in. We get to see the after math of "City at the Edge of Forever", Kirk's sorrow, McCoy's guilt, Spock's compassion, as the framing story. The main tale here is an unlikely adventure of Kirk's father and Captain April on the original unnamed Enterprise.
All in all, a nice read.
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