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Star Trek: The Original Series
Vulcan's Heart
Ambassador Spock secretly journeys to the planet Romulus at the request of a Romulan commander to help her prevent a catastrophe that could ignite the entire quadrant and becomes enmeshed in the treacherous intrigues of the Romulan empire, while Commander Saavik and Captain Jean-Luc Picard set out to rescue him. Reprint.
378 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Josepha Sherman
203 books65 followersJosepha Sherman was an American author, folklorist, and anthologist. In 1990 she won the Compton Crook Award for the novel The Shining Falcon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 15, 2021
"Vulcan's Heart" was a fairly good story. I enjoyed it because it gave me a look inside the workings of the Romulan Empire.
The story starts when a young Lieutenant, Jean-Luc Picard, is invited by his Captain to attend a diplomatic mating ritual on Vulcan. Ambassador Spock is getting together with Commander Saavik. Then it jumps ahead to a time when Picard is Captain of the Stargazer. Picard serves as a mark of the time period as he isn't really very involved in this story.
Spock and Saavik must undertake a dangerous covert mission to the Romulan homeworld. The Romulans have a new Praetor and he seeks hostile actions against the "enemies of the Empire". The Praetor seeks war with the Klingons and plans to attack a civilian Klingon base. Spock and Saavik, both posing as Romulans must chart a path through these treacherous waters.
While the story was interesting, I most enjoyed the look inside the Romulan world. It was not what I thought. I didn't realize that they had an Emperor, though his power seems curtailed by the Praetor's influence with the military. The Romulans are far more honor-bound (almost Klingon-like) than I had assumed. Their customs and rituals were rather enlightening.
The parts with both Spock and Saavik having to deal with a common Vulcan issue- their mating causes biological changes which can be detrimental to Vulcans if left unchecked. It was interesting, though the problems caused by this change cause a form of psychosis and that makes it hard for the normally unflappable Vulcans to function properly.
The Enterprise (NCC-1701 C) does show up in this story, though it is not a main part. Just one thing..the authors keep referring to it as the U.S.S. Enterprise. Well, that makes no sense as U.S.S. means United States Ship a designator for US Navy vessels. Starfleet is not US Navy, it's Starfleet. Shouldn't it be U.F.S.? United Federation Starship? Ah forget it..one thing Star Trek is NOT good at is the military stuff. It really is not the forte of this series. In fact, Star Trek tends to have a rather infantile and sophomoric concept about love, relationships and combat.
Still an interesting look inside the Romulan Star Empire. It was not at all what I thought it would be like and is something I'll have to look into more.
The story starts when a young Lieutenant, Jean-Luc Picard, is invited by his Captain to attend a diplomatic mating ritual on Vulcan. Ambassador Spock is getting together with Commander Saavik. Then it jumps ahead to a time when Picard is Captain of the Stargazer. Picard serves as a mark of the time period as he isn't really very involved in this story.
Spock and Saavik must undertake a dangerous covert mission to the Romulan homeworld. The Romulans have a new Praetor and he seeks hostile actions against the "enemies of the Empire". The Praetor seeks war with the Klingons and plans to attack a civilian Klingon base. Spock and Saavik, both posing as Romulans must chart a path through these treacherous waters.
While the story was interesting, I most enjoyed the look inside the Romulan world. It was not what I thought. I didn't realize that they had an Emperor, though his power seems curtailed by the Praetor's influence with the military. The Romulans are far more honor-bound (almost Klingon-like) than I had assumed. Their customs and rituals were rather enlightening.
The parts with both Spock and Saavik having to deal with a common Vulcan issue- their mating causes biological changes which can be detrimental to Vulcans if left unchecked. It was interesting, though the problems caused by this change cause a form of psychosis and that makes it hard for the normally unflappable Vulcans to function properly.
The Enterprise (NCC-1701 C) does show up in this story, though it is not a main part. Just one thing..the authors keep referring to it as the U.S.S. Enterprise. Well, that makes no sense as U.S.S. means United States Ship a designator for US Navy vessels. Starfleet is not US Navy, it's Starfleet. Shouldn't it be U.F.S.? United Federation Starship? Ah forget it..one thing Star Trek is NOT good at is the military stuff. It really is not the forte of this series. In fact, Star Trek tends to have a rather infantile and sophomoric concept about love, relationships and combat.
Still an interesting look inside the Romulan Star Empire. It was not at all what I thought it would be like and is something I'll have to look into more.
April 26, 2013
Plot: B
Writing: D+
Vocabulary: C
Level: Intermediate
Rating: PG13 (sexual tension, prisoners of war, hand-to-hand combat, poisoning, military attack on helpless planet, brief descriptions of deaths)
Worldview: Pantheistic; Honor is the most important thing in life and death.
This sequel to "Vulcan's Forge" takes us into the future when Spock is a Federation ambassador, Jean-Luc Picard is caption of the USS Stargazer, Rachel Garrett is Captain of the USS Enterprise 1701-C, the Federation and the Klingon Empire are at an uneasy peace, and the Romulans are still an unknown quotient. Spock dreams of thawing relations between the cousins of Vulcan and the Romulan Star Empire, though everyone tells him it is illogical to even broach the subject. When an old enemy contacts him with a warning of peace to be disrupted for everyone in the quadrant, Spock takes matters into his own hands and risks a secret trip to Romulus. The premise of this story - and the many fanfav details tied in - push this book into a higher rating.
However, the significant and ridiculous lacks in plot cohesion, species characteristics, and internal dialogue push this book to the lowest rating possible. Intriguing premise but a total waste of time to read. Specific problems include losing track of how many ships were destroyed in a battle; every character being irrisistibly attracted sexually to every character of opposite gender, regardless of personal history or ethos; one of Spock's longest-running friends thinking Spock is an imbecile and sending in Spock's most prized person (and greatest liability) to rescue him; failing to return characters who were implicated as game-changers in the beginning of the story; and on, and on....
Writing: D+
Vocabulary: C
Level: Intermediate
Rating: PG13 (sexual tension, prisoners of war, hand-to-hand combat, poisoning, military attack on helpless planet, brief descriptions of deaths)
Worldview: Pantheistic; Honor is the most important thing in life and death.
This sequel to "Vulcan's Forge" takes us into the future when Spock is a Federation ambassador, Jean-Luc Picard is caption of the USS Stargazer, Rachel Garrett is Captain of the USS Enterprise 1701-C, the Federation and the Klingon Empire are at an uneasy peace, and the Romulans are still an unknown quotient. Spock dreams of thawing relations between the cousins of Vulcan and the Romulan Star Empire, though everyone tells him it is illogical to even broach the subject. When an old enemy contacts him with a warning of peace to be disrupted for everyone in the quadrant, Spock takes matters into his own hands and risks a secret trip to Romulus. The premise of this story - and the many fanfav details tied in - push this book into a higher rating.
However, the significant and ridiculous lacks in plot cohesion, species characteristics, and internal dialogue push this book to the lowest rating possible. Intriguing premise but a total waste of time to read. Specific problems include losing track of how many ships were destroyed in a battle; every character being irrisistibly attracted sexually to every character of opposite gender, regardless of personal history or ethos; one of Spock's longest-running friends thinking Spock is an imbecile and sending in Spock's most prized person (and greatest liability) to rescue him; failing to return characters who were implicated as game-changers in the beginning of the story; and on, and on....
November 4, 2012
Surprisingly good. If you had told me that I would give four stars to a novel about Spock battling the effects of pon farr, I would not have believed you. I would have said, "I've seen that plot done dozens of times, and they've all been badly done wish-fulfillment by female Trek fans." But this story actually works; it manages to retain the essence of the character even while showing him struggling with emotions of unaccustomed strength. Further, it does a fine job of tying in to the Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise", showing the battle of the Enterprise C against the Romulan attackers of the Klingon civilian outpost Narendra III.
All in all, the plot is tight and plausible, the characterizations consistent both internally and with what we've seen in other Star Trek venues, both page and screen, and the story is one well worth telling. The writing is competent, although it would help if the publisher did a bit better job of proofreading/copyediting. Well worth reading for anyone familiar with the series; I can't speak for those who aren't.
All in all, the plot is tight and plausible, the characterizations consistent both internally and with what we've seen in other Star Trek venues, both page and screen, and the story is one well worth telling. The writing is competent, although it would help if the publisher did a bit better job of proofreading/copyediting. Well worth reading for anyone familiar with the series; I can't speak for those who aren't.
October 18, 2022
VULCAN"S HEART is a novel about how Spock infiltrated Romulan society on behalf of the Romulan captain he briefly met in "The Enterprise Incident." This happens post the movie era and mostly exists to tie in a bunch of TNG's Romulan plotlines like Spock's Unification movement, the attack on Klingon colonies in "Yesterday's Enterprise", the enslavement of Tasha Yar's alternate universe doppleganger, and other incidents.
We also have Saavik and Spock marrying one another so that Captain Picard can attend the wedding to meet with Saarek. The continuity porn isn't the primary appeal, though, and there's a pretty good revolutionary subplot as Spock moves to overthrow a crooked Romulan Praetor. It's not my favorite Star Trek novel despite how much I like Saavik/Spock due to how out of character they are for the majority of the novel due to both suffering Pon'Farr and being, well, violent and horny or dying much of the books.
Still, I had a lot of fun with it.
We also have Saavik and Spock marrying one another so that Captain Picard can attend the wedding to meet with Saarek. The continuity porn isn't the primary appeal, though, and there's a pretty good revolutionary subplot as Spock moves to overthrow a crooked Romulan Praetor. It's not my favorite Star Trek novel despite how much I like Saavik/Spock due to how out of character they are for the majority of the novel due to both suffering Pon'Farr and being, well, violent and horny or dying much of the books.
Still, I had a lot of fun with it.
December 9, 2015
I've long been intrigued by something Captain Picard said in an episode of The Next Generation. On the way to meet Sarek, Picard mentions that he has met the Vulcan Ambassador before "at his son's wedding". Well, this book shows you that occasion and quite a lot else! It's hard to describe without too many spoilers but you get to see quite a few loose ends tied up - for example what happened to the unnamed Romulan commander who seemed to fall in love with Spock in the original series (no she didn't become his wife); the battle between Romulans and Klingons which caused the loss of the Enterprise C and Captain Garrett, and explains why Tasha Yar's daughter happened to be a Romulan. A lot of the action takes place on Romulus and gets quite exciting near the end when Spock aids in the overthrow of the corrupt Praetor. This book also lays the foundation for the Next Generation episodes in which Spock goes undercover to Romulus to try and advance the movement for reunification, you get to learn quite a lot about the ways in which Vulcans and Romulans are alike and about their differences. A good read for Star Trek fans who like to know more background detail than you get in the tv series.
May 7, 2010
One of my favorite's of my guilty pleasure of reading Star Trek books. Ambassador Spock and his former protégé, Commander Saavik are finally bonded in marriage. Later on Spock goes undercover to Romulus because a woman he had earlier betrayed, Charvanek, claims that Romulus' praetor, is planning an attack on a Klingon base of women and children. Admiral Nyota Uhura (now head of Starfleet Intelligence, and one of the most formidable officers in Starfeet) "asks" Saavik to go to Romulus and retrieve Spock. While on Romulus, Spock meets old friends and new enemies. Somewhat over the top with pon farr mating (Vulcans in heat; Romulans in heat,etc...) but a good story of love and politics.
December 5, 2018
Excellent story. Good read. =)
August 30, 2020
This may be the heaviest, most Byzantine attempt at fanwank in "Star Trek" literary history. It's an effort to plug in so many holes during the lost ears between TOS and TNG that it nearly collapses under its own weight (events include the attack on Narendra III, the death of the Enterprise-C, the fate of the alternate Tasha Yar, the marriage of Spock and Saavik, a very young Jean-Luc Picard's entanglement in these events...to say nothing a sequel to the TOS episode "The Enterprise Incident"). Between all these events and the density of Romulan politics, there shouldn't be any room for an actual story, but thankfully there is...and it contains a great deal of the richness and cultural complexity that makes it a worth sequel to the earlier Romulan & Vulcan novels of Diane Duane. A nearly biblical entry into the Trek canon, and a very satisfying one as well.
March 13, 2020
One of the best Star Trek books I have read!
May 18, 2015
There were a bevy of goodies in this book I was not expecting. I read this partly out of loyalty to the duology of sorts that comprises Vulcan's Forge, which I had read, and this book, Vulcan's Heart, but also to try to catch up on my collection of hardcover Trek novels which I've amassed over the years. It wasn't because I had heard particularly good things about these novels, but I definitely could have. How about the ill-fated Enterprise C with Captain Rachel Garrett & a time-displaced Tashsa Yar? Check! How about Picard and the Stargazer? Check! How about characters and plots from original series episode "The Enterprise Incident" (including Romulan Commander Charvanek)? Check! Finally seeing the effects of pon far on some Vulcans? Check! Planting the seeds for Spock's Unification efforts on Romulus? Check! I'd throw this book into the series of hardcovers about Vulcans and Spock, including Spock's World, Sarek. Next thing I need to decide is whether I like this style of writing enough to invest in the collection and reading of the Vulcan's Soul trilogy....
May 12, 2018
Decades ago, Commander Spock had an encounter with a Romulan woman, Commander Charvanek, while serving on the Enterprise. Now Ambassador Spock, he becomes betrothed to Commander Saavik, with Lieutenant Jean-Luc Picard in attendance.
Years after said betrothal, Spock receives a top secret communication from Charvanek, desperately seeking his assistance in preventing a major catastrophe at the highest level of Romulan society. Frustrated by the Science Academy's constant refusal to allow him to study the potential for reunification with their Romulan cousins, Spock answers her call and clandestinely travels to Romulus.
Both Commander Saavik and Captain Picard of the Stargazer cross the Neutral Zone in search of him and find themselves involved in a critical event in Star Trek history. Between Romulan political treachery and the onset of the blood fire, the clock for Spock's mission is ticking.
I loved this book, continued from the events of Vulcan's Forge. It fills in yet another gap in Star Trek history, and shows us how Spock became convinced that reunification was possible.
Years after said betrothal, Spock receives a top secret communication from Charvanek, desperately seeking his assistance in preventing a major catastrophe at the highest level of Romulan society. Frustrated by the Science Academy's constant refusal to allow him to study the potential for reunification with their Romulan cousins, Spock answers her call and clandestinely travels to Romulus.
Both Commander Saavik and Captain Picard of the Stargazer cross the Neutral Zone in search of him and find themselves involved in a critical event in Star Trek history. Between Romulan political treachery and the onset of the blood fire, the clock for Spock's mission is ticking.
I loved this book, continued from the events of Vulcan's Forge. It fills in yet another gap in Star Trek history, and shows us how Spock became convinced that reunification was possible.
May 6, 2022
This story takes us into the heart of the Romulan Empire and Spock's interactions with the people there. While the basic premise is decent, and we know that Spock does a number of missions to the Romulan Empire as a secret embassador, the authors are not good with fleshing out a lot of the strands they bring in, and leave a number dangling out in space. The plot is just a little too thin to carry the whole book, which is too bad, since this is an area of Star Trek plot worth exploring in greater depth.
Tim Russ is great as Tuvok on ST: Voyager. Unfortunately, he's not so great at voices. Everyone (especially the Vulcans and Romulans) sounds like, well, Tuvok. LOL
Tim Russ is great as Tuvok on ST: Voyager. Unfortunately, he's not so great at voices. Everyone (especially the Vulcans and Romulans) sounds like, well, Tuvok. LOL
March 2, 2012
Vulcan's Forge was a widely celebrated Star Trek novel, so, of course, there ended up being a sequel. However, Vulcan's Heart is not just some cut-rate cash-in attempt; it is actually a wonderful novel about one of Gene Roddenberry's best-loved creations. The only complaint I have, aside from the usual language issue, is that similarly-named characters (Saavik, Sarek, and Shiarkek) led to some slight confusion. Aside from those problems, Vulcan's Heart is a winner.
July 29, 2015
This book isn't bad but it suffers from way too many ideas. And the pivotal relationships were built up in another story or completely off screen. These two issues combined to make the book seem over-stuffed and empty, rushed and languishing, at the exact same time. It was a quick, easy read featuring characters and relationships I love and I'm glad I read it and it's not bad... but also not especially good.
Also the pon farr dramatics of the text reminded me of the annoying parts of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bit exhausting.
Also the pon farr dramatics of the text reminded me of the annoying parts of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bit exhausting.
April 28, 2015
This Star Trek book was very different than the other ones I have read. This one was about a love story between Saavik and Spock and how they are also trying to unify the Romulans and the Vulcans. This book as you from the beginning and keeps you on your toes on what is going to happen next. Are they going to make it? Who is going to die next? Will they succeed? By far a good read and hope many more get to enjoy it also.
August 3, 2019
Still love Star Trek and will read most anything on, around or about it. This story line lead to more understanding about simian pasts of Vulcan and Roman cultures but romance line concerning Spock left me going--hmmmm!
May 8, 2020
After the tonal whiplash that was Vulcan's Forge, I didn't expect much of this one. However, I had heard lots of great things about the writing team of Sherman and Schwartz. So I gave them a second change. I mean, Vulcan's Forge was all bad. It got the relationship between McCoy and Spock right... which a lot of Trek writers even in canon don't get. This book is a vast improvements. Everyone seems in character.
Really, the only problem is one a lot of Star Trek books is that the fun of them is that in theory you can do things in a Star Trek novel that you can't do on screen because of effect reasons. But instead of going where no man has gone before. Instead of doing that.. it's just Romulus again. It's not that the ties between the Vulcans and the Romulans isn't interesting. It is just one the various TV shows, comics, novels, etc. have explored many times before.
The story is servicable. It hits lots of the right beats. Like many Trek books of the period it tried to tie lots of episodes from several series (in this case mostly The Original Series and The Next Generation together into a cohesive whole. But it is done much more organically that a lot of those other books.
But then you have the elephant in the room. The relationship with Spock and Saavik. Which is... well wrtiten but there are a lot of reasons why it just wouldn't/shouldn't work. The first being about the 50 year age difference between them. (Which seems more of 25 year age difference in human years.) But depending on which origin of Saavik story you go with she is- a least on a legal level- either Spock's foster sister or foster daughter. Which makes it problematic. One could make the argument that it's not technically incest, but on an emotional level it is. Of course, they could just as easily claim that the relationship is already canon as of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Of course, Star Trek III was Spock's body getting it on with Saavik... without Spock's Katra. It was Spock without the essence of what makes Spock. Which means Spock was able to consent. So equally problematiic.... yet a lot of fans ship them anyway.
Really, the only problem is one a lot of Star Trek books is that the fun of them is that in theory you can do things in a Star Trek novel that you can't do on screen because of effect reasons. But instead of going where no man has gone before. Instead of doing that.. it's just Romulus again. It's not that the ties between the Vulcans and the Romulans isn't interesting. It is just one the various TV shows, comics, novels, etc. have explored many times before.
The story is servicable. It hits lots of the right beats. Like many Trek books of the period it tried to tie lots of episodes from several series (in this case mostly The Original Series and The Next Generation together into a cohesive whole. But it is done much more organically that a lot of those other books.
But then you have the elephant in the room. The relationship with Spock and Saavik. Which is... well wrtiten but there are a lot of reasons why it just wouldn't/shouldn't work. The first being about the 50 year age difference between them. (Which seems more of 25 year age difference in human years.) But depending on which origin of Saavik story you go with she is- a least on a legal level- either Spock's foster sister or foster daughter. Which makes it problematic. One could make the argument that it's not technically incest, but on an emotional level it is. Of course, they could just as easily claim that the relationship is already canon as of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Of course, Star Trek III was Spock's body getting it on with Saavik... without Spock's Katra. It was Spock without the essence of what makes Spock. Which means Spock was able to consent. So equally problematiic.... yet a lot of fans ship them anyway.
March 2, 2021
“Vulcan’s Heart” by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz, is the first of a total of five books (the others being “Vulcan’s Forge” and the “Vulcan’s Soul” Trilogy) this duo of writers dedicated to Vulcan history and general and Spock’s role in particular.
Spock is already a member of the Diplomats core of the UFP (United Federation of Planets) an about to celebrate his betrothal to Saavik, with both Sarek and Jean-Luc Picard (at the time – 2239 – just a young officer in the fleet) attendance. However, a secret message brings the celebration to an abrupt end, and Spock into a hidden mission into the core of the Romulan Empire, pursuing his efforts for Unification. The mission soon evolves into a spy-game, a cat and mouse race that treats Spock’s life in more than one sense. While in Romulus, Spock almost succumbs to pon farr risking not only his life, but also that of his new betrothed wife-to-be. While Spock stretches the boundaries of his control to the breaking point in the pursuit of his mission. Meanwhile Commander Saavik, and Picard (still at board of the Stargazer) has their own role to play.
“Vulcan’s Heart” is very well-crafted story, that manages not only to delve in the two primordial concerns that define Spock’s core interests: (Vulcan/Romulan Unification & his years long relationship with Saavik, from protegee to partner to wife), but also achieves that almost unthinkable, to explain numerous plot-holes, along the three decades long (at the time of writing) Star Trek history. And, which is even more difficult, it manages to explain all those plot-holes in a full intelligent, comprehensive, and credible way.
A must-read book, for all those looking to dot some i’s and cross some t’s, and to gain (together with the aforementioned additional four books written by Sherman and Shwartz) some insight into Vulcan history and its peculiarities as they were conceived to be, long before some Mary Sue’s decided to embark in some egocentric trip through space and time and forge a new version accordingly with their taste.
Spock is already a member of the Diplomats core of the UFP (United Federation of Planets) an about to celebrate his betrothal to Saavik, with both Sarek and Jean-Luc Picard (at the time – 2239 – just a young officer in the fleet) attendance. However, a secret message brings the celebration to an abrupt end, and Spock into a hidden mission into the core of the Romulan Empire, pursuing his efforts for Unification. The mission soon evolves into a spy-game, a cat and mouse race that treats Spock’s life in more than one sense. While in Romulus, Spock almost succumbs to pon farr risking not only his life, but also that of his new betrothed wife-to-be. While Spock stretches the boundaries of his control to the breaking point in the pursuit of his mission. Meanwhile Commander Saavik, and Picard (still at board of the Stargazer) has their own role to play.
“Vulcan’s Heart” is very well-crafted story, that manages not only to delve in the two primordial concerns that define Spock’s core interests: (Vulcan/Romulan Unification & his years long relationship with Saavik, from protegee to partner to wife), but also achieves that almost unthinkable, to explain numerous plot-holes, along the three decades long (at the time of writing) Star Trek history. And, which is even more difficult, it manages to explain all those plot-holes in a full intelligent, comprehensive, and credible way.
A must-read book, for all those looking to dot some i’s and cross some t’s, and to gain (together with the aforementioned additional four books written by Sherman and Shwartz) some insight into Vulcan history and its peculiarities as they were conceived to be, long before some Mary Sue’s decided to embark in some egocentric trip through space and time and forge a new version accordingly with their taste.
November 8, 2021
I love, love this book. I had always hoped that Spock would find someone to care about and I was thrilled to find it was Saavik that was the lucky woman.
The story revolves around the Roman Empire and a old flame/friend of Spock's. Spock goes to help this friend save her people and her emperor. Starfleet isn't really thrilled when they find out that Spock has crossed the neutral zone so they send Saavik after him and add a mission to that trip.
The Romulans are up to something that could start another war and both sides want it stopped. There is all kind of action. Sneaking around in tunnels and broadcasting information to get the ordinary citizen up in arms.
The story does drag a little in a few spots but it it is worth staying to the end. I have read all the books these two author have written about Spock, the Vulcans and the Romulans. I was very sorry to find out that Josepha Sherman had past away in 2016. I had hoped they would write some more books.
The story revolves around the Roman Empire and a old flame/friend of Spock's. Spock goes to help this friend save her people and her emperor. Starfleet isn't really thrilled when they find out that Spock has crossed the neutral zone so they send Saavik after him and add a mission to that trip.
The Romulans are up to something that could start another war and both sides want it stopped. There is all kind of action. Sneaking around in tunnels and broadcasting information to get the ordinary citizen up in arms.
The story does drag a little in a few spots but it it is worth staying to the end. I have read all the books these two author have written about Spock, the Vulcans and the Romulans. I was very sorry to find out that Josepha Sherman had past away in 2016. I had hoped they would write some more books.
July 15, 2020
I'm giving this a 3 stars mainly because we can't give out halves here (it's more of a 2 1/2 to be fair). It was fun catching up with Spock and Saavik during this largely unexplored era of the Star Trek and I enjoyed the brief cameos from characters such as Dr. McCoy, Uhura, and a young Jean-luc Picard. I LOVED everything with the Enterprise-C & the way it tied in so nicely with the iconic TNG episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise," however I found nearly all of the Romulan politics to be - frankly - kind of boring. I really struggled to care about most of the new characters that were introduced. Unfortunately, all the Romulan stuff takes up the majority of pages in this book. One major takeaway here, however, is that this just might be one of the horniest Star Trek books out there, and that's gotta mean something!
July 8, 2023
Not my favorite Star Trek book. First of all why does Spock feel he’s the one to go and fix the problems on Romulus. There’s a lot of espionage there. I guess because he feels the two lineages are closer and this reunification. The story of Saavik and Spock getting married is ludicrous. Ok in the Pandora book I read about Saavik rough upbringing on Hellworld. Spock took her in at she 12 and basically raised her as a daughter or protege. It’s fifteen years or so later. Now he marries her? That just hits wrong on all facets. The pon Farr of them both is all over the book and almost causes their demise. She goes to Romulus to get Spock out? Really !? It’s like he’s marrying his daughter ! Ugh. Not sure I’ll read the other two in this series. Though I know I read the second book first
October 7, 2023
If you're like me and wish that Star Trek had done more with the potential relationship between Spock and Saavik, this book will grant your wish. I couldn't quite give it five stars because the writing is rather shallow in many spots, primarily in description and dialogue. The battle scenes are well-written, though, especially the attack on Narenda III, which delightfully ties in a thread from TNG.
September 27, 2019
I have read and re read this book since my Freshman year of High school and I have loved every single time. For most people it's just another Star Trek book but for someone who loves Mr. Spock it is THE Star Trek book.
December 15, 2022
Was expecting a lot more from this book. Heck, Spock and Saveck. But is was more of a connect the dots with events and Star Trek characters .
But it does make me wonder what happens to them latter as we know Spock winds up on Romulus. Where does Saveck wind up?
Research time
But it does make me wonder what happens to them latter as we know Spock winds up on Romulus. Where does Saveck wind up?
Research time
January 20, 2023
I wanted to read this because I love Spock and Saavik. I wasn't disappointed, really, at all. There were a few times where the story seemed to drag a little, and I got a little bogged down in some of the Romulan politics, but on the whole I enjoyed this story.
September 16, 2023
Ostensibly the main plot is about Romulan political intrigue, but at the root of it I think the author wanted to write a love story. And it does make a lot of sense to me for Spock to marry someone who can understand his dual heritage rather than someone who’s fully Vulcan or Human.
December 11, 2018
Great story with Spock's marriage and past girlfriend issues on Romulus tying in to the TV series. This was a Good Read.
March 28, 2019
An all right story.
July 5, 2019
Wow! This was really good! Didn't know what to expect as I've never read a Star Trek book, but now I'm hooked and will read more. Great characters, drama, action, humor and story line!
March 14, 2020
Oh, it hurts to put this book aside. Such a wonderful story. Powerful words and beautiful relationships.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews