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Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars #2
The Eugenics Wars, Vol. 2: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh
KHAN'S LAST STAND!Jacqueline Bundy
"The Trekker Newsletter"
Lightning can indeed strike twice in the same place, as THE EUGENICS WARS: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume Two proves to be every bit as exciting, entertaining, and humorous as the first volume of this saga. The second portion of this engrossing story takes the reader from the beginnings of Khan's consolidation of his power, through the events that lead to his flight from Earth on the DY-100-class sleeper ship "S.S. Botany Bay." From beginning to end, this novel is eminently satisfying....
Kilian Melloy
"wigglefish.com"
An ingenious blend of actual history and Trek mythology...Volume Two is an audacious, fast-moving conclusion to the "Eugenics Wars" duology, one-upping the considerable dramatic intensity and inventive accomplishment of the first volume, and bringing the story to a remarkably smooth, coherent conclusion....Cox's electric, fun-loving style of storytelling is the perfect medium to take the reader into the twenty-first century and beyond.
Michelle Erica Green
"Trek Nation"
Just as much fun as its predecessor, weaving Trek history in and out of recent headlines, mostly through the point of view of one of history's more entertaining secret agents, Teri Garr look-alike Roberta Lincoln....Cox's obvious affection for Trek comes through as strongly as his knowledge.
"The Trekker Newsletter"
Lightning can indeed strike twice in the same place, as THE EUGENICS WARS: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume Two proves to be every bit as exciting, entertaining, and humorous as the first volume of this saga. The second portion of this engrossing story takes the reader from the beginnings of Khan's consolidation of his power, through the events that lead to his flight from Earth on the DY-100-class sleeper ship "S.S. Botany Bay." From beginning to end, this novel is eminently satisfying....
Kilian Melloy
"wigglefish.com"
An ingenious blend of actual history and Trek mythology...Volume Two is an audacious, fast-moving conclusion to the "Eugenics Wars" duology, one-upping the considerable dramatic intensity and inventive accomplishment of the first volume, and bringing the story to a remarkably smooth, coherent conclusion....Cox's electric, fun-loving style of storytelling is the perfect medium to take the reader into the twenty-first century and beyond.
Michelle Erica Green
"Trek Nation"
Just as much fun as its predecessor, weaving Trek history in and out of recent headlines, mostly through the point of view of one of history's more entertaining secret agents, Teri Garr look-alike Roberta Lincoln....Cox's obvious affection for Trek comes through as strongly as his knowledge.
435 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 24, 2021
A continuation and conclusion of the story lines begun in volume 1. There are few surprises, both regarding the eugenics wars, as well as Khan's development into a full on megalomaniacal villain right out of a James Bond novel. Frankly it was more interesting to see the ultimate fate of Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln then of Khan and his followers, because, really, who doesn't already know that :)
November 3, 2015
So let's get this straight (spoilers ho!):
The eugenics wars were really nothing but some behind the scenes meddling, a few skirmishes, and a biological weapons scare that was quickly thwarted. None of their actions had a deep or reverberating effect on humanity. Khan was more bark than bite for the most part, and until the end he didn't even really DO anything except rule a province of India (and not well, despite his reputation as an iron fisted dictator he seemed to have some major problems with even managing a province). Rather than take care (read: FUCKING KiLL) of Khan, Gary Seven decides to steal a prototype spaceship from the US government and just give it to Khan, and when the lunacy of this plan is pointed out he says "well he won't be earths problem." Gary Seven spends most of the book either fucking up or deposing communists.
Like all of this is the basis for deeply ingrained laws and taboos against genetic engineering that exist for 400+ years? Give me a fucking break. This is like "footnotes in history" shit. It was always implied that the eugenics wars were a massive affair that everyone knew about, not some covert shit that was stopped by a *single bombing run* and some spetsnaz commandos. It's never even made clear publicly that Khan and the other Chrysalis kids are even gene engineered! This is so weak and absurd lol. At the end when Gary Seven is like "IT WAS AWFUL" and Kirk is like "YES IT WAS WE WILL DENY SYCORAX ENTRY INTO THE FEDERATION" it just becomes even more absurd. Between the absolutely minimal nature of what the eugenics wars actually WERE, Cox's fucking horrific politics, and the nonstop flow of absolutely pointless references (THE CHAPTER HEADING TELLS US THE YEAR YOU DONT NEED TO TALK ABOUT WINDOWS 95 WE ARE AWARE THAT IT IS 1995!!!) I'm wishing I could rate this zero stars. what a waste of time.
The eugenics wars were really nothing but some behind the scenes meddling, a few skirmishes, and a biological weapons scare that was quickly thwarted. None of their actions had a deep or reverberating effect on humanity. Khan was more bark than bite for the most part, and until the end he didn't even really DO anything except rule a province of India (and not well, despite his reputation as an iron fisted dictator he seemed to have some major problems with even managing a province). Rather than take care (read: FUCKING KiLL) of Khan, Gary Seven decides to steal a prototype spaceship from the US government and just give it to Khan, and when the lunacy of this plan is pointed out he says "well he won't be earths problem." Gary Seven spends most of the book either fucking up or deposing communists.
Like all of this is the basis for deeply ingrained laws and taboos against genetic engineering that exist for 400+ years? Give me a fucking break. This is like "footnotes in history" shit. It was always implied that the eugenics wars were a massive affair that everyone knew about, not some covert shit that was stopped by a *single bombing run* and some spetsnaz commandos. It's never even made clear publicly that Khan and the other Chrysalis kids are even gene engineered! This is so weak and absurd lol. At the end when Gary Seven is like "IT WAS AWFUL" and Kirk is like "YES IT WAS WE WILL DENY SYCORAX ENTRY INTO THE FEDERATION" it just becomes even more absurd. Between the absolutely minimal nature of what the eugenics wars actually WERE, Cox's fucking horrific politics, and the nonstop flow of absolutely pointless references (THE CHAPTER HEADING TELLS US THE YEAR YOU DONT NEED TO TALK ABOUT WINDOWS 95 WE ARE AWARE THAT IT IS 1995!!!) I'm wishing I could rate this zero stars. what a waste of time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2009
Great book! As stated, Star Trek is a "guilty pleasure." Upon reading this series, I can understand the series episode "Space Seed" so much clearer. But, then again, most "trekkers" knew that there was more to Kahn than there appeared.
August 13, 2019
Book Two of the Eugenic Wars was an improvement upon the first book. The events speed up since Khan is now an adult. The first book showed us Project Chrysalis and the children that were produced. Khan was still a young child and learning.
In this book Khan is an adult and has begun to compete with the other children of the project. The children of the project are now in various parts of the world doing different things. Examples include an African dictator, a self-appointed Messiah, a leader of a militia movement, etc. Khan has established himself in India. Khan seeks to bring his people together, but their egos do not let them cooperate. Without getting too spoilery, the resulting conflict between the super-children is what will eventually be called "The Eugenics Wars".
Again the typical Star Trek characters from the Enterprise don't have much of a role here (these events are hundreds of years in the past) and that is good because it is different. The main "heroes" are Gary Seven and his intrepid gal-pal Roberta Lincoln who try to stop the superhumans. Seven is also instrumental in convincing Khan to choose a new path. This is the path that will lead to the movie Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan.
An excellent "history" of the Star Trek timeline and this two volume, this was book two, series about Khan will have a treasured place on my shelf. Any Star Trek fan will appreciate this, ut even those non-Trekkies may appreciate this series since it really is about Khan and his kind and not the typical Star Trek crew.
In this book Khan is an adult and has begun to compete with the other children of the project. The children of the project are now in various parts of the world doing different things. Examples include an African dictator, a self-appointed Messiah, a leader of a militia movement, etc. Khan has established himself in India. Khan seeks to bring his people together, but their egos do not let them cooperate. Without getting too spoilery, the resulting conflict between the super-children is what will eventually be called "The Eugenics Wars".
Again the typical Star Trek characters from the Enterprise don't have much of a role here (these events are hundreds of years in the past) and that is good because it is different. The main "heroes" are Gary Seven and his intrepid gal-pal Roberta Lincoln who try to stop the superhumans. Seven is also instrumental in convincing Khan to choose a new path. This is the path that will lead to the movie Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan.
An excellent "history" of the Star Trek timeline and this two volume, this was book two, series about Khan will have a treasured place on my shelf. Any Star Trek fan will appreciate this, ut even those non-Trekkies may appreciate this series since it really is about Khan and his kind and not the typical Star Trek crew.
October 5, 2020
I enjoyed this second book on the Rise and Fall of Kahn Noonien Kingh. It starts out with Kirk and Bones on an away mission investigating some gene enhancement/modification going on at an outpost, and they find the Klingons there too so of course they're in a battle.
Then it goes back to when Kahn was getting into power in the world prior to the planned World War III where the advanced eugenics race was going to go to power, but there was too much squabbling between the war lords to get it done right. Power corrupts people!!
Then it goes back to when Kahn was getting into power in the world prior to the planned World War III where the advanced eugenics race was going to go to power, but there was too much squabbling between the war lords to get it done right. Power corrupts people!!
December 18, 2022
I did a very unusual thing. I started a trilogy with book 2, continued with book 3, and skipped book 1 entirely.
I don't feel like I missed anything, as key events from the first book are unobtrusively referred to in later volumes.
That said, this was an excellent series that succeeded in making Khan a sympathetic, complex, tragic character. A very enjoyable read about Star Trek's most iconic, enduring villain.
I don't feel like I missed anything, as key events from the first book are unobtrusively referred to in later volumes.
That said, this was an excellent series that succeeded in making Khan a sympathetic, complex, tragic character. A very enjoyable read about Star Trek's most iconic, enduring villain.
November 6, 2012
A good telling of Khan's life and how he came to be exiled.
March 13, 2017
Star Trek: The Eugenics War
The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh
Author: Greg Cox
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published In: New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Singapore
Date: 2002
Pgs: 338
_________________________________________________
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
20 years ago, Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln, undercover operatives for an unknown alien civilization, failed to prevent the Chrysalis Project. A genereation of genetically engineered advanced humans were loosed upon the world. They’ve spent those 20 years tracking the children of Chrysalis. Those children, now adults, are showing the world their abilities and their ambitions in all fields and endeavors. They know that they are superior and they are going to lead the world over the bodies of the inferiors, if necessary. The Children of Chrysalis vs the normal humans vs each other with the Earth and the leadership of humanity as the prize. The future is theirs...unless Seven and Lincoln can do something about it.
The secret history of Khan on Earth continues...before Kirk...before Botany Bay...a world in flames. _________________________________________________
Genre:
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Science Fiction
TV, Movie, Video Game Adaptations
Star Trek
Hard Science Fiction
Why this book:
Khhhhhhaaaaannnnnnn!!!
Plus Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln.
_________________________________________________
The Feel:
Strike One: Roberta referring to herself as a “alien sponsored secret agent babe.” The Meh is strong at that point. A few of those screeching moments like that cropped up through the book.
Word Choice / Usage:
The mirroring where Khan is attacked by Hunyadi with his earthquake/reservoir bomb. When Khan sees the damage wrought on the villages and all the devastation and loss of life, he ponders on Hunyadi’s attempt and failure to kill him and the weight of it falling on all those around him, ostensibly under his protection. This put me in mind of in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, when Kirk on the communicator said to Khan, “...old friend! You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target!”
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
It doesn’t make sense in this book that Roberta won’t use lethal force. I mean she’s fighting Khan and he doesn’t have any compunction against killing those who are opposed to him and neither do his soldiers and assassins. I seem to remember her and Seven being much more willing to use the deadly force option in Part One of this book. Seems OOC for someone caught in a war with a genetically advanced super being and his equally as adavnced minions to not fight fire with fire, as it were.
And then, she makes her daring escape with Khan’s assassins still in the building and uses the servo to detonate the building causing an implosion. She was worried about not using lethal force on them inside the building and then explodes the building with them inside of it, out of character.
Gary Seven is a ghost, barely there in the early parts of this book, with the excuse that in this timeframe, age is starting to catch up with him. In fairness, 30 years have passed in storytime since the last book. But Gary is the product of selective breeding, slowed aging, etc, etc. In his own way, he too is a modified superhuman.
Seven and his alien employers being aware of Landru doesn’t jibe. If they are so concerned with the continued prosperity of humanoids, why wouldn’t they be concerned with an society dominated by a computer like Landru? Doesn’t wash.
Trapped in militia bunker where the leader has herded his followers for a Kool Aid party or asphyxia, Roberta manages to contact Seven for a last minute rescue and the first thing she does is ask how things are going with him and the mission to stop a sarin attack. She’s in a bunker with a bunch of militiamen who have been sent there to die as a message to the Great Beast and, when she makes contact with possible rescue, her first words aren’t get me the hell out of here.
Would Khan accept the same offer from Kirk that he received from Gary Seven? I doubt it. He would rather burn than effectively send himself and his followers into exile twice. A bit too on the nose, even down to the dialogue, between the two offers.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Not sure if the Suez Canal is deep enough for a submarine capable of carrying a Tomahawk missile to slip through without someone noticing it was there.
Relating every historical happening to Khan in some way is a bit overblown. Some would be alright, but not every one.
This novel, unlike Part One, is done more in the mold of a long Star Trek episode. It suffers from the A-story, B-story, C-story format, interrelated though they may be. The 3rd quarter of the book is more The Rise and Fall of Hawkeye Morrisson than Khan Noonien Singh.
This hit the too many easter eggs level a while back. But the Chateau Picard wine was a tipping point for me.
_________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
The framing elements of Kirk’s visit to Sycorax don’t really work. And provided a heavy anticlimax on the nadir of the story. This one doesn’t stand up to the first. The first is a much better book.
Author Assessment:
Trying to shoehorn every Star Trek cookie possible into the story doesn’t do the story a service.
Editorial Assessment:
Seems that an editor could have, should have paid more attention to this.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
not as good as I was lead to believe
Disposition of Book:
Half Price Books stack
Would recommend to:
no one
_________________________________________________
The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh
Author: Greg Cox
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published In: New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Singapore
Date: 2002
Pgs: 338
_________________________________________________
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
20 years ago, Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln, undercover operatives for an unknown alien civilization, failed to prevent the Chrysalis Project. A genereation of genetically engineered advanced humans were loosed upon the world. They’ve spent those 20 years tracking the children of Chrysalis. Those children, now adults, are showing the world their abilities and their ambitions in all fields and endeavors. They know that they are superior and they are going to lead the world over the bodies of the inferiors, if necessary. The Children of Chrysalis vs the normal humans vs each other with the Earth and the leadership of humanity as the prize. The future is theirs...unless Seven and Lincoln can do something about it.
The secret history of Khan on Earth continues...before Kirk...before Botany Bay...a world in flames. _________________________________________________
Genre:
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Science Fiction
TV, Movie, Video Game Adaptations
Star Trek
Hard Science Fiction
Why this book:
Khhhhhhaaaaannnnnnn!!!
Plus Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln.
_________________________________________________
The Feel:
Strike One: Roberta referring to herself as a “alien sponsored secret agent babe.” The Meh is strong at that point. A few of those screeching moments like that cropped up through the book.
Word Choice / Usage:
The mirroring where Khan is attacked by Hunyadi with his earthquake/reservoir bomb. When Khan sees the damage wrought on the villages and all the devastation and loss of life, he ponders on Hunyadi’s attempt and failure to kill him and the weight of it falling on all those around him, ostensibly under his protection. This put me in mind of in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, when Kirk on the communicator said to Khan, “...old friend! You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target!”
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
It doesn’t make sense in this book that Roberta won’t use lethal force. I mean she’s fighting Khan and he doesn’t have any compunction against killing those who are opposed to him and neither do his soldiers and assassins. I seem to remember her and Seven being much more willing to use the deadly force option in Part One of this book. Seems OOC for someone caught in a war with a genetically advanced super being and his equally as adavnced minions to not fight fire with fire, as it were.
And then, she makes her daring escape with Khan’s assassins still in the building and uses the servo to detonate the building causing an implosion. She was worried about not using lethal force on them inside the building and then explodes the building with them inside of it, out of character.
Gary Seven is a ghost, barely there in the early parts of this book, with the excuse that in this timeframe, age is starting to catch up with him. In fairness, 30 years have passed in storytime since the last book. But Gary is the product of selective breeding, slowed aging, etc, etc. In his own way, he too is a modified superhuman.
Seven and his alien employers being aware of Landru doesn’t jibe. If they are so concerned with the continued prosperity of humanoids, why wouldn’t they be concerned with an society dominated by a computer like Landru? Doesn’t wash.
Trapped in militia bunker where the leader has herded his followers for a Kool Aid party or asphyxia, Roberta manages to contact Seven for a last minute rescue and the first thing she does is ask how things are going with him and the mission to stop a sarin attack. She’s in a bunker with a bunch of militiamen who have been sent there to die as a message to the Great Beast and, when she makes contact with possible rescue, her first words aren’t get me the hell out of here.
Would Khan accept the same offer from Kirk that he received from Gary Seven? I doubt it. He would rather burn than effectively send himself and his followers into exile twice. A bit too on the nose, even down to the dialogue, between the two offers.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Not sure if the Suez Canal is deep enough for a submarine capable of carrying a Tomahawk missile to slip through without someone noticing it was there.
Relating every historical happening to Khan in some way is a bit overblown. Some would be alright, but not every one.
This novel, unlike Part One, is done more in the mold of a long Star Trek episode. It suffers from the A-story, B-story, C-story format, interrelated though they may be. The 3rd quarter of the book is more The Rise and Fall of Hawkeye Morrisson than Khan Noonien Singh.
This hit the too many easter eggs level a while back. But the Chateau Picard wine was a tipping point for me.
_________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
The framing elements of Kirk’s visit to Sycorax don’t really work. And provided a heavy anticlimax on the nadir of the story. This one doesn’t stand up to the first. The first is a much better book.
Author Assessment:
Trying to shoehorn every Star Trek cookie possible into the story doesn’t do the story a service.
Editorial Assessment:
Seems that an editor could have, should have paid more attention to this.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
not as good as I was lead to believe
Disposition of Book:
Half Price Books stack
Would recommend to:
no one
_________________________________________________
October 5, 2020
not bad alltogether - but sometimes u just want to slap khan hard on his genetic butt to say : chill man
he will not though - but interesting read especially with all the gary seven stuff going on
he will not though - but interesting read especially with all the gary seven stuff going on
November 6, 2014
The big thing that works for this book is Khan himself and the relationship between Khan and Seven. Cox does an admirable job in translating the Montobon version of Khan into book form and then working that back into a younger version of the man for the early parts of the book. The growth of the relationship between Khan and Seven and their estrangement was also really well done. You can feel the tension between the two men and the pull of their past friendship. Overall the entire cast of characters, down to some of the secondary and tertiary characters, really works. They are generally believable, in a sci-fi sort of way, and fit their roles nicely
My one big gripe about this book is that it’s kind of all over the place. I get that Cox is trying to move through a pretty large chunk of history and touch all the big milestones while getting Khan to the point of getting on board the Botany Bay, and he does manage to do that. But the execution really lacks focus. Coupled with the several times there are big jumps in time this lack of focus sometimes pulls the reader out of the story. That isn’t to say that the book is unreadable, just that the first installment in The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh was good enough and had enough cohesion that it is more notable in its absence in the second book.
The other issue is inevitable. Because the basic outline of Khan’s history was laid down in the 60s during the original run of the TV show, there are times when this book clashes badly with our actual history. While it is pretty distraction there is really no good way to get around that without doing some sort of massive retcon. I don’t hold this against Cox because he was in a no-win type of situation but it still detracted a bit from my enjoyment of it.
http://homeofreading.com/the-eugenics-war-vol-2-the-rise-and-fall-of-khan-noonien-singh/
My one big gripe about this book is that it’s kind of all over the place. I get that Cox is trying to move through a pretty large chunk of history and touch all the big milestones while getting Khan to the point of getting on board the Botany Bay, and he does manage to do that. But the execution really lacks focus. Coupled with the several times there are big jumps in time this lack of focus sometimes pulls the reader out of the story. That isn’t to say that the book is unreadable, just that the first installment in The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh was good enough and had enough cohesion that it is more notable in its absence in the second book.
The other issue is inevitable. Because the basic outline of Khan’s history was laid down in the 60s during the original run of the TV show, there are times when this book clashes badly with our actual history. While it is pretty distraction there is really no good way to get around that without doing some sort of massive retcon. I don’t hold this against Cox because he was in a no-win type of situation but it still detracted a bit from my enjoyment of it.
http://homeofreading.com/the-eugenics-war-vol-2-the-rise-and-fall-of-khan-noonien-singh/
July 4, 2018
This novel is interesting but poorly written. Also loaded with [seven-letter vulgar word starting with f, that denotes a pompous fan showing off his/her knowledge of series continuity] and sprinkled with the author's political beliefs. Not recommended.
______________________________________________
Second Review - 6/3/2018
When I first read and reviewed Greg Cox's Khan novels years ago, I was not familiar with either the concept of virtue signaling nor the takeover of science fiction writing and publishing by social justice warriors. Now that I have learned about both, what I saw in these books makes more sense--I have the context. Cox is the most blatant virtue signaler I've ever seen in any novel; he could have invented the practice. His characters constantly make irrelevant remarks (thought or spoken) about how they endorse certain sociopolitical positions. It figures that much of Cox's work (though not the Star Dreck novels, of course) is for Tor Publishing, which is apparently the epicenter of the politicization in science fiction.
______________________________________________
Second Review - 6/3/2018
When I first read and reviewed Greg Cox's Khan novels years ago, I was not familiar with either the concept of virtue signaling nor the takeover of science fiction writing and publishing by social justice warriors. Now that I have learned about both, what I saw in these books makes more sense--I have the context. Cox is the most blatant virtue signaler I've ever seen in any novel; he could have invented the practice. His characters constantly make irrelevant remarks (thought or spoken) about how they endorse certain sociopolitical positions. It figures that much of Cox's work (though not the Star Dreck novels, of course) is for Tor Publishing, which is apparently the epicenter of the politicization in science fiction.
September 24, 2008
Continuing the saga of Khan Noonien Singh, Greg Cox again shows his historical knowledge by intertwining that with fan favorite characters from the Star Trek universe.
May 24, 2018
WARNING- possible spoilers ahead.
I have even more mixed feelings for this book than I did for the first one (which was a pretty decent novel). I started this volume expecting a grand, conclusive showdown between Khan and/or Gary Seven and/or the major powers of the world. You know, the terrible, ravaging Eugenics Wars in Star Trek canon which were supposed to have threatened to put humanity into another dark age.
But I was left disappointed on several levels. My first issue: Cox is pretty well determined to make the Eugenics Wars fit into the mold of real history, allowing little to no alteration of the historical record we all know today, with some exceptions. This is all well and good, but it flatly contradicts the fact that Khan was supposed to be "a prince with power over millions," and to be in control of over a quarter of Earth. Yes I know, these are just the puritan gripes of a Trek canon purist. But the real facts of history simply do not serve as a good enough platform to tell the fictional story of the Eugenics Wars. The rest of the Supermen, who are supposed to have seized control in something like 40 countries, are nothing more than bumbling idiots running backwoods cults.
Needless to say, this strict use of real history doesn't allow for the exciting story I was hoping for. We see Khan's "empire" grow somewhat, but we see that most people in the world, except for the world government higher-ups and Khan's own subjects, are pretty much indifferent to him. Khan also mismanages what he does rule over, which is clearly not being a prince with power over millions. I was waiting the whole time to see Khan's empire grow and challenge the major world powers, but he became a disappointingly weak threat to anybody. He does have an ace-in-the-hole that I won't reveal here, but I found it a rather contrived plot point (that actually originated in the first novel).
Those are my main gripes. The lackluster climax and ending, the obvious feminist and anti-gun plot points, the lack of character development are what really killed this novel for me. In the previous novel, Cox did a good job with the characters, especially Gary Seven, but a lot of that was lost in this novel. I wanted very much to like it, but I feel like a good story about the Eugenics Wars is not going to happen until someone decides to disregard history and place the story in an alternate universe, and not worry about real-life history so much. It doesn't have to be Clancy-esque; it would just be nice to see one that reflects the Eugenics Wars we hear about in "Space Seed" and the ENT episodes which deal with the conflict.
Not a total crash and burn, but far from a resounding success.
I have even more mixed feelings for this book than I did for the first one (which was a pretty decent novel). I started this volume expecting a grand, conclusive showdown between Khan and/or Gary Seven and/or the major powers of the world. You know, the terrible, ravaging Eugenics Wars in Star Trek canon which were supposed to have threatened to put humanity into another dark age.
But I was left disappointed on several levels. My first issue: Cox is pretty well determined to make the Eugenics Wars fit into the mold of real history, allowing little to no alteration of the historical record we all know today, with some exceptions. This is all well and good, but it flatly contradicts the fact that Khan was supposed to be "a prince with power over millions," and to be in control of over a quarter of Earth. Yes I know, these are just the puritan gripes of a Trek canon purist. But the real facts of history simply do not serve as a good enough platform to tell the fictional story of the Eugenics Wars. The rest of the Supermen, who are supposed to have seized control in something like 40 countries, are nothing more than bumbling idiots running backwoods cults.
Needless to say, this strict use of real history doesn't allow for the exciting story I was hoping for. We see Khan's "empire" grow somewhat, but we see that most people in the world, except for the world government higher-ups and Khan's own subjects, are pretty much indifferent to him. Khan also mismanages what he does rule over, which is clearly not being a prince with power over millions. I was waiting the whole time to see Khan's empire grow and challenge the major world powers, but he became a disappointingly weak threat to anybody. He does have an ace-in-the-hole that I won't reveal here, but I found it a rather contrived plot point (that actually originated in the first novel).
Those are my main gripes. The lackluster climax and ending, the obvious feminist and anti-gun plot points, the lack of character development are what really killed this novel for me. In the previous novel, Cox did a good job with the characters, especially Gary Seven, but a lot of that was lost in this novel. I wanted very much to like it, but I feel like a good story about the Eugenics Wars is not going to happen until someone decides to disregard history and place the story in an alternate universe, and not worry about real-life history so much. It doesn't have to be Clancy-esque; it would just be nice to see one that reflects the Eugenics Wars we hear about in "Space Seed" and the ENT episodes which deal with the conflict.
Not a total crash and burn, but far from a resounding success.
August 27, 2023
It starts off with Kirk fixing the catastrophe of the planet of the Genetically Superior that was almost destroyed by the Klingons in the last book.
There is a bit of a cheat here by putting a transporter in a shuttlecraft, but I’m sure he’s heard about it by now!
The story continues with Khan trying to find and unite the scattered children of the project that birthed Khan into a army meant to take over the world, with (of course) Khan at the exalted leader. Strangely enough the others aren’t as eager for this.
He is intermittently interfered with by Gary Seven and Roberta.
Hrmm. I just finished this book and I have a very different reaction now than I did the first time.
Bottom line is that I enjoyed it very much and highly recommend it as a read for any Star Trek and Khan fan. 5 stars.
It’s also very good in that it mixes real world history with the fiction of what Khan is doing to take over the world.
But something that didn’t bother me before and bothers me now is that I understood that the Eugenics War was part of World War III. A devastating war that wiped out generations of historical records and changed the world if fundamental ways. Ways that allowed Star Trek to exist as we saw it.
But this story presumes that the Eugenics War as a ‘secret war’ that is more or less interspersed with what ‘really’ happened in the 20th and 21st century.
That makes it clever and interesting… but not Star Trek.
If after all is said and done Khan had virtually no effect on the world - cause nobody but Gary Seven and Roberta knows he exists…. well okay, but it’s a world that I don’t see how it could possibly have become the Star Trek universe of the original series.
So while I like the book, I’m still looking out for the ‘definitive’ history of this period, cause I don’t think this could be it.
Still 5 stars, just not actual Star Trek history. Your mileage may vary.
There is a 3rd book in this series “To Reign in Hell” which I believe is the story of Khan on Ceta Alpha V. I don’t really remember if I’ve read it. I will read it, but not right now.
I’m sure it’s well written, but I’m just not ready to read it right now.
July 28, 2020
Writing is already difficult then add on working with characters created by someone else in a world where continuity is everything. And, for fun, let's add on a date ingrained in that continuity originally so far in the future no one thought it mattered at the time. This is what Greg Cox had to deal with when commissioned to write the Khan books. Oh yeah, let's also add something else, Space Seed, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Khan himself rival most other Star Trek TOS story lines and a character that rivalled Kirk. This is a formula most would have run from. Mr. Cox didn't.
There is nothing bad I can say about the writing and research put into the book. The handling of pre-existing characters was deftly handled. The original characters were very well formed. The merging of the Gary 7 and Khan story lines was logical and, again, well handled. The stumbling block was the era it had to be set in. Most of us lived through it or we can just go back and look to know there was no WWIII. Merging terrorist attacks that did happen as attacks of the Eugenics War was the best he could do. This lead to a tension filled sequence on opening day of the tunnel between England and France. There is also a very tension filled submarine battle. On the whole, without being able to have an all out war, we're stuck with a string of events that are more like family members arguing at a reunion. Not the Eugenics War Space Seed promised. In his defense, Mr. Cox would never be able to fulfill that promise.
This book and the writing of Greg Cox do the best they can in fulfilling the need of filling out the back story of how Khan and his crew became marooned in space. The building tension between Gary 7 and Roberta and Khan from the first book in the series and the inevitable launch of the genetically enhanced crew into space is compelling and fill the best parts of the book. On the whole the inability for Khan and the rest of his brothers and sisters to engage in an all out war with each other castrated the book before it could even start.
There is nothing bad I can say about the writing and research put into the book. The handling of pre-existing characters was deftly handled. The original characters were very well formed. The merging of the Gary 7 and Khan story lines was logical and, again, well handled. The stumbling block was the era it had to be set in. Most of us lived through it or we can just go back and look to know there was no WWIII. Merging terrorist attacks that did happen as attacks of the Eugenics War was the best he could do. This lead to a tension filled sequence on opening day of the tunnel between England and France. There is also a very tension filled submarine battle. On the whole, without being able to have an all out war, we're stuck with a string of events that are more like family members arguing at a reunion. Not the Eugenics War Space Seed promised. In his defense, Mr. Cox would never be able to fulfill that promise.
This book and the writing of Greg Cox do the best they can in fulfilling the need of filling out the back story of how Khan and his crew became marooned in space. The building tension between Gary 7 and Roberta and Khan from the first book in the series and the inevitable launch of the genetically enhanced crew into space is compelling and fill the best parts of the book. On the whole the inability for Khan and the rest of his brothers and sisters to engage in an all out war with each other castrated the book before it could even start.
November 1, 2023
I have hundreds of Trek novels, mostly TOS, that I bought new back in the day but I do have some gaps, which I fill by buying used copies here and there. So hence why I have read this in 2023. I read it immediately after the first volume and this one, I zoomed through, much faster than the first.
Like the first book, it melded the fictional character's story with real world events. It was very clever, how author Greg managed to keep Khan's story in line with TOS, that the 'wars' happened in the 1990s (pity that the makers of Kurtzman Trek Strange New Worlds ham-fistedly showed a young Khan a) in an alternate reality and b) in the 2000s instead, thereby rendering Space Seed's 1990s commentary obsolete. In fact, I think they ripped off Greg, to an extent, by also referring to Gary 7).
In this and the preceding book, I did have a hard time reconciling the Roberta Lincoln that Greg portrayed, with the kooky character as portrayed by Teri Garr in the TOS episode Assignment: Earth.
Greg very cleverly managed to factor in references and 'historical ' Trek characters from Star Trek IV, DS9 and Voyager, into an episodic but still cohesive tale. One thing that bothers me, if the Aegis - Gary's alien employers - enabled him to time travel (referenced but not done during this story, until the end), why didn't they find out how Khan would turn out before, instead of letting his rise happen? But then, there'd be no story but in another way, it was good they didn't, as it would have undone Wrath of Khan.
Greg also helpfully includes a section explaining the real historical events. I would also have liked a section on the 'Trek history' references to the disparate elements from DS9 and Voyager, though having rewatched them a few years ago, I wasn't confused.
I will be reading, for the first time, Greg's earlier Gary 7 book, Assignment: Eternity soon and then his other Trek hardback about Khan on Ceti Alpha, To Reign In Hell.
Greg knows his Trek, I'll say that!
Like the first book, it melded the fictional character's story with real world events. It was very clever, how author Greg managed to keep Khan's story in line with TOS, that the 'wars' happened in the 1990s (pity that the makers of Kurtzman Trek Strange New Worlds ham-fistedly showed a young Khan a) in an alternate reality and b) in the 2000s instead, thereby rendering Space Seed's 1990s commentary obsolete. In fact, I think they ripped off Greg, to an extent, by also referring to Gary 7).
In this and the preceding book, I did have a hard time reconciling the Roberta Lincoln that Greg portrayed, with the kooky character as portrayed by Teri Garr in the TOS episode Assignment: Earth.
Greg very cleverly managed to factor in references and 'historical ' Trek characters from Star Trek IV, DS9 and Voyager, into an episodic but still cohesive tale. One thing that bothers me, if the Aegis - Gary's alien employers - enabled him to time travel (referenced but not done during this story, until the end), why didn't they find out how Khan would turn out before, instead of letting his rise happen? But then, there'd be no story but in another way, it was good they didn't, as it would have undone Wrath of Khan.
Greg also helpfully includes a section explaining the real historical events. I would also have liked a section on the 'Trek history' references to the disparate elements from DS9 and Voyager, though having rewatched them a few years ago, I wasn't confused.
I will be reading, for the first time, Greg's earlier Gary 7 book, Assignment: Eternity soon and then his other Trek hardback about Khan on Ceti Alpha, To Reign In Hell.
Greg knows his Trek, I'll say that!
July 6, 2020
Now that the introductions and intrigue have set the stage, the story can pick up with all the thrills and action one might expect from a superhuman bent on world domination and two sci-fi spies trying to stop him (Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln are almost the American answer to the Third Doctor and Jo Grant). Similarly, now that Volume One asked the moral questions surrounding genetic tampering, Volume Two can provide the answers.
This second part of the story of Khan is more fast-paced, violent, and explosive as the titular tyrant's frame of mind becomes the same. The fact that Khan, even as a child, admired doomed figures like Alexander the Great and Caesar is not lost on the reader as he navigates the exact same self-destructive path they walked. Unlike those figures, though, Khan being built for us from his childhood up adds an element of sorrow; is any of this his fault? Nature vs. Nurture is the big question one reaches by the end of this tragedy.
Cox really demonstrates the art of writing the simultaneous stories, one being a modern thriller and the other being the cleverly-crafted conundrum of our heroes from 1960's television. Very different, very distinct styles that Cox switches between with ease.
A final big takeaway, which one begins to slowly feel was a real driving force for the author, was a hindsight view of how fraught the 1990s were sociopolitically. It feels like a decade mostly brushed aside when discussing eras of modern politics that shaped the future, but sending these characters through some of the more pivotal moments really highlights just what a tinder-box the world became behind the scenes once we found more technological ways to connect. Is the internet something that needs to be placed under the same scrutiny as genetic alteration? Is humanity ready for something with that kind of reach and power?
This second part of the story of Khan is more fast-paced, violent, and explosive as the titular tyrant's frame of mind becomes the same. The fact that Khan, even as a child, admired doomed figures like Alexander the Great and Caesar is not lost on the reader as he navigates the exact same self-destructive path they walked. Unlike those figures, though, Khan being built for us from his childhood up adds an element of sorrow; is any of this his fault? Nature vs. Nurture is the big question one reaches by the end of this tragedy.
Cox really demonstrates the art of writing the simultaneous stories, one being a modern thriller and the other being the cleverly-crafted conundrum of our heroes from 1960's television. Very different, very distinct styles that Cox switches between with ease.
A final big takeaway, which one begins to slowly feel was a real driving force for the author, was a hindsight view of how fraught the 1990s were sociopolitically. It feels like a decade mostly brushed aside when discussing eras of modern politics that shaped the future, but sending these characters through some of the more pivotal moments really highlights just what a tinder-box the world became behind the scenes once we found more technological ways to connect. Is the internet something that needs to be placed under the same scrutiny as genetic alteration? Is humanity ready for something with that kind of reach and power?
May 24, 2022
In the original Star Trek series episode , Space Seed, viewers were first introduced to the madman Khan Noonien Singh (portrayed then by Ricardo Montalban). Khan was a genetically engineered madman of the late 20th century Earth, sent off into space in a sleeper ship when Captain Kirk’s Enterprise happens across him.
Very little about Khan’s antics on Earth were known, just a general description that he wreaked havoc at a time when the Earth was in turmoil. Of course, that did not happen in the last ten years of the twentieth century…. or did it?
Where The Eugenics Wars Volume One dealt primarily with Khan’s origins from a super-secret project designed to breed super-humans and his youth into the 1980’s, The Eugenics Wars: Volume Two follows Khan throughout the nineties as he attempts to control the Earth and his descent from wanting to be a protector to destroyer.
Greg Cox weaves Khan’s story throughout events of the nineties that actually took place, using the other “Children of Chrysalis” (the genetic engineering project) as figures of insane dictators in the Baltic region responsible for ethnic cleansing, American militia-leaders paranoid of our government and capable of mass-murder, the leader of a religious cult which sounds suspiciously similar to the “Heaven’s Gate” cult, some amazonian superwomen, and an Idi Amin like African dictator.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
Very little about Khan’s antics on Earth were known, just a general description that he wreaked havoc at a time when the Earth was in turmoil. Of course, that did not happen in the last ten years of the twentieth century…. or did it?
Where The Eugenics Wars Volume One dealt primarily with Khan’s origins from a super-secret project designed to breed super-humans and his youth into the 1980’s, The Eugenics Wars: Volume Two follows Khan throughout the nineties as he attempts to control the Earth and his descent from wanting to be a protector to destroyer.
Greg Cox weaves Khan’s story throughout events of the nineties that actually took place, using the other “Children of Chrysalis” (the genetic engineering project) as figures of insane dictators in the Baltic region responsible for ethnic cleansing, American militia-leaders paranoid of our government and capable of mass-murder, the leader of a religious cult which sounds suspiciously similar to the “Heaven’s Gate” cult, some amazonian superwomen, and an Idi Amin like African dictator.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
December 12, 2016
I really enjoyed book one, it was a little to "on the nose" with the Easter eggs in the story but still very good. The Easter Eggs are back and even though they make sense it also is a little obvious, especially if you know Trek lore and it took me out a little bit. There are some that are very forced, such as the very last one in the book. Sarah Silverman's Voyager character? Really? Still an enjoyable story and well written, fun prose, paced wonderfully and you can tell Cox had a lot of fun with this series.
However. And this is a little SPOILER-y...
They turn Kahn into a glorified Bond villain which does make some sense because they have to to make it work with some degree of verisimilitude. I get that they have to retcon the "future history," as when they wrote Kahn's back story in "Space Seed" the late 1990s were 30 years away. Now however we are 50 years beyond the initial story and a warlord ruling over 1/4 of Earth doesn't work unless you make him that Bond villain. That unfortunately detracts from the general Bad Ass that is Kahn but not as much as making an Indian Sikh into a pasty British dude.
It lost a star from the whole Skeletor/Cobra Commander/Blofeld angle that they gave Kahn.
However. And this is a little SPOILER-y...
They turn Kahn into a glorified Bond villain which does make some sense because they have to to make it work with some degree of verisimilitude. I get that they have to retcon the "future history," as when they wrote Kahn's back story in "Space Seed" the late 1990s were 30 years away. Now however we are 50 years beyond the initial story and a warlord ruling over 1/4 of Earth doesn't work unless you make him that Bond villain. That unfortunately detracts from the general Bad Ass that is Kahn but not as much as making an Indian Sikh into a pasty British dude.
It lost a star from the whole Skeletor/Cobra Commander/Blofeld angle that they gave Kahn.
September 21, 2022
So, the framing story started in volume one continues in this volume. I found the ending of that really dissatisfying and broke my suspension of disbelief.
I give the book credit for trying to reconcile the Eugenics Wars with what happened in the 20th Century of our own history. But i feel that approach robs the Eugenics Wars of the deep popular horror that would have permitted a planet wide ban on genetic engineering.
Finally, the two books in this series had too much fan service for me -- and I'm a Trekker who loves inside references. But it felt like there were at least two references to either ST:TOS, ST:TNG or ST:DS9 every chapter. That got dull for me midway through this book. Your mileage may very.
There's a third book in this series dealing with Khan's exile, but I never planned on reading that as it was his time on Earth that interested me. And the the book did deliver on making his character, actions and attitude plausible. Though I find it hard to believe he's just 25 when he's put on the sleeper ship.
Not the best trek. Better than the comic with the paper maiche Earth.
I give the book credit for trying to reconcile the Eugenics Wars with what happened in the 20th Century of our own history. But i feel that approach robs the Eugenics Wars of the deep popular horror that would have permitted a planet wide ban on genetic engineering.
Finally, the two books in this series had too much fan service for me -- and I'm a Trekker who loves inside references. But it felt like there were at least two references to either ST:TOS, ST:TNG or ST:DS9 every chapter. That got dull for me midway through this book. Your mileage may very.
There's a third book in this series dealing with Khan's exile, but I never planned on reading that as it was his time on Earth that interested me. And the the book did deliver on making his character, actions and attitude plausible. Though I find it hard to believe he's just 25 when he's put on the sleeper ship.
Not the best trek. Better than the comic with the paper maiche Earth.
March 17, 2023
Pretty good book
I mostly enjoyed this book. The overall story was pretty good. There was a chapter where the female lead brought out her 1960s era bias that I really didn't like, to the point that I began to wonder if the author actually feels this way. If this kind of thinking appears in the last book of the series, I will not purchase anymore of this author's work.
He also needs to do a little more research on the weather in the locations he is writing about. In Southeast Arizona there is no such thing as a COLD morning in the middle of August, unless 63 degrees is cold to you. It might be cool, but by no means cold. Sixty-three is still shorts weather for me.
The historical references were very interesting. I had forgotten a few of the references, even though I was an adult at the time. Maybe, because we didn't have internet and social media back then, that some of these events went unnoticed.
Except as noted, it was still a petty good book.
I mostly enjoyed this book. The overall story was pretty good. There was a chapter where the female lead brought out her 1960s era bias that I really didn't like, to the point that I began to wonder if the author actually feels this way. If this kind of thinking appears in the last book of the series, I will not purchase anymore of this author's work.
He also needs to do a little more research on the weather in the locations he is writing about. In Southeast Arizona there is no such thing as a COLD morning in the middle of August, unless 63 degrees is cold to you. It might be cool, but by no means cold. Sixty-three is still shorts weather for me.
The historical references were very interesting. I had forgotten a few of the references, even though I was an adult at the time. Maybe, because we didn't have internet and social media back then, that some of these events went unnoticed.
Except as noted, it was still a petty good book.
April 29, 2024
These two books were the Star Trek novels at the top of my list for a long time. As Strange New Worlds has begun to deftly retcon The Eugenics Wars these novels also cleverly rework Kahn’s narrative into our own history while staying admirably consistent with The Original Series. I’ll admit I was a tad disappointed we didn’t get the “Third World War” that I always imagined when watching the original episode. That aside, the way the war is turned into a shadow conflict involving Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln was pretty cool.
November 16, 2019
More focused than its predecessor. This documents the “secret history” of the title conflict. Since it was only written in 2002, it interestingly portrays the 1990s as another tumultuous period of history, so the story is refreshingly free of nostalgia. I just wish the author had spent a bit more time on the other “genetic super being” characters aside from Khan and dived more deeply into their various plots and conflicts. The somewhat sparse detail leaves the story feeling unfinished.
May 2, 2022
I recently read the first installment. Although I liked this book, I did not like it as well. It did feel like a ST episode or movie. I really appreciated the references to ST4, which was my fav of the lot. The inclusion of the transparent aluminum guy was great. I wish he had a bigger role. Pop culture references were well used and provided humor. I will plan to read the third book in the series.
January 16, 2019
Ambitious look at how Khan ruled his small empire. The hatred for Kirk is examined as well as Khan's strengths as a ruler and his humanity as a super human. How he is affected by his relationship with his wife whose Star Fleet training is an asset for the colony's survival is also highlighted. Overall I enjoyed this novel.
February 4, 2019
A fascinating and entertaining story that uses the "secret history" genre to explain why the Eugenics Wars never made the news reports in the 1990s, as Khan Noonien Singh and his genetically engineered supermen battled for supremacy of earth. Tying in elements from TOS, TNG, DS9, and Enterprise, this is. STAR trek fan's delight.
August 12, 2021
I enjoyed this volume more than the first volume in the trilogy. The silent/hidden battle of the 'Eugenics Wars' waged by the super babies, now the adults, was cleverly presented. I enjoyed how the battles were woven into public events. I also enjoyed how the weakness of the 'supermen' was displayed. Their inability to operate as equals, either subordinate or master.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2018
The second volume of his series comes off a little less clever and a bit more formulaic, certainly in part due to the inevitable end most fans must be expecting. Nonetheless I enjoyed this bit of fandom and thought the audiobook rendering of Khan was great.
August 3, 2019
Closer to what I expected but still fairly inventive, Volume 2 of The Eugenics Wars is an ambitious, epic and yet tightly constructed prequel that sheds light on a classic villain while also embracing the franchise’s later mythos.
May 19, 2020
Somehow, I didn't post a review the first time I read this. Good follow-up to the first in the series. Seems to bring you to where the original Star Trek series episode begins, but wait.... there is a third in the series.
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