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Star Trek: The Original Series #12
Mutiny on the Enterprise
The ship is crippled in orbit around a dangerous, living, breathing planet, and a desperate peace mission to the Orion Arm is stalled. Kirk has never needed his crew more. But a lithe, alien women is casting a spell of pacifism -- and now mutiny -- over the crew. Suddenly Captain Kirk's journey for peace has turned into terrifying war--to retake command of his ship!
189 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 21, 2017
“Mutiny on the Enterprise” by Robert E. Vardeman is one of the early Star Trek Original Series novels published by Pocket Books. The story follows the Enterprise which is sent on a mission to deliver a diplomatic team in the hope of halting hostilities between two worlds despite being long overdue a break for some maintenance actions. However, when Kirk rescues a stranded space-traveller called Lorelei on the way, he gets more than he bargained for as she appears to cast a spell of pacifism over the crew, risking both the mission and Kirk’s control of the Enterprise.
As with Vardeman’s other early Trek novel, “The Klingon Gambit” this book really wasn’t one of my favourites. Basically, the main characters don’t feel right and the story is at times overly complicated with far too much going on. The only passing marks the novel gets is that the premise of the story itself is quite interesting and Vardeman’s writing is acceptable enough but this wasn’t enough to make this an enjoyable read.
Another issue I had with the story is the way in which Lorelei is attempting to stop the Enterprise’s mission on the premise of pacifism. In my head, it was quite clear that if the Enterprise did not get involved there would be a war so whilst I appreciate there was the chance that violence could result from the Enterprise getting involved; it seemed there was more chance of this happening if the mission was abandoned. Therefore, sabotaging the mission to me was a form of passive aggression and therefore not pacifist.
Overall, this is a rather weak Star Trek novel which an interesting premise which is badly executed in a clumsy and overly contrived way. I would only recommend this novel for those of you out there like me who want to read every Trek novel.
As with Vardeman’s other early Trek novel, “The Klingon Gambit” this book really wasn’t one of my favourites. Basically, the main characters don’t feel right and the story is at times overly complicated with far too much going on. The only passing marks the novel gets is that the premise of the story itself is quite interesting and Vardeman’s writing is acceptable enough but this wasn’t enough to make this an enjoyable read.
Another issue I had with the story is the way in which Lorelei is attempting to stop the Enterprise’s mission on the premise of pacifism. In my head, it was quite clear that if the Enterprise did not get involved there would be a war so whilst I appreciate there was the chance that violence could result from the Enterprise getting involved; it seemed there was more chance of this happening if the mission was abandoned. Therefore, sabotaging the mission to me was a form of passive aggression and therefore not pacifist.
Overall, this is a rather weak Star Trek novel which an interesting premise which is badly executed in a clumsy and overly contrived way. I would only recommend this novel for those of you out there like me who want to read every Trek novel.
June 9, 2022
One of the most prevalent tropes of the Star Trek franchise is the disruptive effect of the outsider to the smoothly-functioning operations of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The ship picks up a person or small group of people, these people introduce some foreign values to the crew, and then a few leaders (usually, but not always the captain) address the disruption caused and reassert Starfleet order. It's a recurrent trope in part because of its versatility and the number of variations possible, but that doesn't make it any less of a trope.
It's no surprise that the trope would appear eventually in a Star Trek novel, and Robert Vardeman's book seems to be the first employment of it in print. Yet for the first use in a novel with all of the greater possibilities the medium entails, his use of it is surprisingly unimaginative. Picking up after the events of his previous contribution to the series, The Klingon Gambit, Kirk and company are assigned to transport a small team of ambassadors to a system where two planets are on the verge of conflict. Along the way they rescue Lorelai, a woman of an unknown species from her disabled craft. Once on board her pacifist philosophy and powers of persuasion quickly sow dissent among the crew. Though Kirk and Spock attempt to battle her influence, they soon find their mission in jeopardy in the face of the resistance of the crew, who are following Lorelai's siren song (get it?) instead of the orders of their superiors.
It's fair to note that just because a trope isn't terrible just because it's a trope, and the subsequent use of it in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Enterprise, and other franchise media demonstrate some of the creative possibilities still possible with it. This is why Vardeman's novel is so disappointing; rather than take it in rich new directions possible thanks to the freedom inherent in a novel, he prefers to deliver instead what could have been just another warmed-over episode of the original series. There is little development of the plot and even less of the characters, as Vardeman relies upon the work of the series and what limited effort he put into his previous contribution to coast through. Even his main antagonist is defined more by her powers rather than any inherent motivation beyond "It's her job," and her employment in the story's resolution is predictable from the moment her abilities are defined. To be fair it's an improvement over his previous novel, but that reflects more the very low bar set by his earlier effort than a dramatic improvement in quality between the two books. Perhaps a subsequent novel would have been even better, but I can't say that I'm regretting that he never wrote another one for the franchise.
It's no surprise that the trope would appear eventually in a Star Trek novel, and Robert Vardeman's book seems to be the first employment of it in print. Yet for the first use in a novel with all of the greater possibilities the medium entails, his use of it is surprisingly unimaginative. Picking up after the events of his previous contribution to the series, The Klingon Gambit, Kirk and company are assigned to transport a small team of ambassadors to a system where two planets are on the verge of conflict. Along the way they rescue Lorelai, a woman of an unknown species from her disabled craft. Once on board her pacifist philosophy and powers of persuasion quickly sow dissent among the crew. Though Kirk and Spock attempt to battle her influence, they soon find their mission in jeopardy in the face of the resistance of the crew, who are following Lorelai's siren song (get it?) instead of the orders of their superiors.
It's fair to note that just because a trope isn't terrible just because it's a trope, and the subsequent use of it in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Enterprise, and other franchise media demonstrate some of the creative possibilities still possible with it. This is why Vardeman's novel is so disappointing; rather than take it in rich new directions possible thanks to the freedom inherent in a novel, he prefers to deliver instead what could have been just another warmed-over episode of the original series. There is little development of the plot and even less of the characters, as Vardeman relies upon the work of the series and what limited effort he put into his previous contribution to coast through. Even his main antagonist is defined more by her powers rather than any inherent motivation beyond "It's her job," and her employment in the story's resolution is predictable from the moment her abilities are defined. To be fair it's an improvement over his previous novel, but that reflects more the very low bar set by his earlier effort than a dramatic improvement in quality between the two books. Perhaps a subsequent novel would have been even better, but I can't say that I'm regretting that he never wrote another one for the franchise.
March 14, 2012
Forgettable, unpalatable, non-Mike-canonical.
The explanation for everyone being out of character is exhaustion, since they just finished enduring Vardeman's other story: 'The Klingon Gambit'
His crew trapped in a roofless wooden pen- Kirk doesn't even TRY the transporter before the phasers? Spock's FIRST attempt at communication with the unknown is now the private and dangerous mind meld? McCoy is so tired he thinks spoiling for a fist fight with Spock makes sense?
The villain Lorelei, Speaker of Hyla, vocally forces the crew into pacifism so intense several of them let themselves be eaten by plants. Having escaped her, Kirk sics her on the local yokels to enforce peace. OUR HERO, ladies and gentlemen!
Finally, the useless Federation Ambassadors. Tantrum-throwing Tellarite, TOTALLY MUTE plant man, and their fashion plate apologist. I hate to say their deaths were only to be expected. Did they get their Ambassador status by collecting cereal box tops?
The explanation for everyone being out of character is exhaustion, since they just finished enduring Vardeman's other story: 'The Klingon Gambit'
His crew trapped in a roofless wooden pen- Kirk doesn't even TRY the transporter before the phasers? Spock's FIRST attempt at communication with the unknown is now the private and dangerous mind meld? McCoy is so tired he thinks spoiling for a fist fight with Spock makes sense?
The villain Lorelei, Speaker of Hyla, vocally forces the crew into pacifism so intense several of them let themselves be eaten by plants. Having escaped her, Kirk sics her on the local yokels to enforce peace. OUR HERO, ladies and gentlemen!
Finally, the useless Federation Ambassadors. Tantrum-throwing Tellarite, TOTALLY MUTE plant man, and their fashion plate apologist. I hate to say their deaths were only to be expected. Did they get their Ambassador status by collecting cereal box tops?
September 23, 2015
The Enterprise, long over-due for repair and relaxation, is unexpectedly sent on a mission to the fringe of the Federation world to deliver a diplomat intent on halting hostilities in two far worlds and preventing a Romulan take-over. Not only is the Enterprise under-powered and over-strained, but the diplomat's abrasive manner lends serious doubts to the efficacy of his mission. Things turn dangerous when Kirk rescues a stranded space-traveler - a woman who casts a curious spell of pacifism over his crew. Suddenly, Kirk is facing not only Romulans and hostile natives - but his own mutinous crew!
Mutiny on the Enterprise is a good, solid addition to Star Trek. The characters are well portrayed, the pacing is good, and the story line feels like an episode for the original series. I loved the fact that, though Captain Kirk is never really fooled by the woman he's taken on board, he is nevertheless susceptible to her powers of argument - a touch of smart humanity that more careless writers wouldn't add.
The only draw back (which isn't really a negative, so much as an observation) is that the author doesn't do much more with the story than present it. This is a fun adventure and not much more. The Star Trek morality-play hallmark is missing - or perhaps I just missed it. (Totally possible - I was overly charmed by the single-entity planet that Kirk and loyal crew are marooned on.)
Summary: A good entry into the Star Trek series, with the cast and crew well represented. This book won't rock your world, but it's an enjoyable way to get your weekly Trek fix.
Character ratings: All As and Bs.
Mutiny on the Enterprise is a good, solid addition to Star Trek. The characters are well portrayed, the pacing is good, and the story line feels like an episode for the original series. I loved the fact that, though Captain Kirk is never really fooled by the woman he's taken on board, he is nevertheless susceptible to her powers of argument - a touch of smart humanity that more careless writers wouldn't add.
The only draw back (which isn't really a negative, so much as an observation) is that the author doesn't do much more with the story than present it. This is a fun adventure and not much more. The Star Trek morality-play hallmark is missing - or perhaps I just missed it. (Totally possible - I was overly charmed by the single-entity planet that Kirk and loyal crew are marooned on.)
Summary: A good entry into the Star Trek series, with the cast and crew well represented. This book won't rock your world, but it's an enjoyable way to get your weekly Trek fix.
Character ratings: All As and Bs.
May 3, 2018
My, that was bad. Could have been a nice piece about the consequences of extreme pacifism (but you could do that with the Vulcans anytime), but deteriorated fast into a nonsensical mess on all fronts.
January 30, 2017
I liked the planet they got stranded near. There could've been an entire book about that place.
March 26, 2019
It's not "bad" per se, but I would categorize it as mostly forgettable. There is nothing here that really "wows" me, and the overall story came across as fairly mediocre. Well-worn Star Trek tropes are employed liberally and mostly competently, but the novel can't escape the feeling that everything is fairly routine.
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/03/tos12...
Full review: https://www.treklit.com/2019/03/tos12...
February 27, 2023
Бомба е!
August 10, 2021
More 2.5 stars. I kept reading and it was a quick read. But not the best TOS novel I ever have read but not the worst one I have ever read either
January 25, 2021
2.5 stars if I had the option.
The best thing about this novel is the fascinating planet that the crew ends up trying to mine. The entire book should have been about that planet; it would have been a much better book!
The original character started off a bit wrong (we're never informed as to why she suddenly picked the name she picked, after stating that her people do not have personal names), got vaguely interesting, then went way off the rails. Though the plot could have been much better handled, I still enjoyed the general idea of Kirk and Spock running around trying to save their ship while their crew turned against them one by one.
It's odd that the idea of "peace at all costs" was not more fully explored, because this, strictly speaking, was not actually pacifism. Our "pacifist" was willing to kill to avoid violence. There was no good explanation as to why she believed so strongly that the mission the Enterprise was on was going to lead to war when its purpose was to mediate a peace.
And the ending. Oh, goodness me, the ending is a problem! There is nothing right or sensible about letting this psychotic faux-pacifist loose with free rein and total leverage over the situation she was dropped into. It made no sense at all that Kirk would agree to this extreme form of manipulation. If nothing else, she deserved to be tried for her crimes against the Enterprise that lead to multiple crew deaths.
That said, the story was very easy to read and zoomed by in a few hours. While I can't recommend it, I've definitely read worse Star Trek novels.
The best thing about this novel is the fascinating planet that the crew ends up trying to mine. The entire book should have been about that planet; it would have been a much better book!
The original character started off a bit wrong (we're never informed as to why she suddenly picked the name she picked, after stating that her people do not have personal names), got vaguely interesting, then went way off the rails. Though the plot could have been much better handled, I still enjoyed the general idea of Kirk and Spock running around trying to save their ship while their crew turned against them one by one.
It's odd that the idea of "peace at all costs" was not more fully explored, because this, strictly speaking, was not actually pacifism. Our "pacifist" was willing to kill to avoid violence. There was no good explanation as to why she believed so strongly that the mission the Enterprise was on was going to lead to war when its purpose was to mediate a peace.
And the ending. Oh, goodness me, the ending is a problem! There is nothing right or sensible about letting this psychotic faux-pacifist loose with free rein and total leverage over the situation she was dropped into. It made no sense at all that Kirk would agree to this extreme form of manipulation. If nothing else, she deserved to be tried for her crimes against the Enterprise that lead to multiple crew deaths.
That said, the story was very easy to read and zoomed by in a few hours. While I can't recommend it, I've definitely read worse Star Trek novels.
October 4, 2017
I have read a number of reviews for this book and I have to agree with most that this book is missing something. Lorelei is part of the problem. I don't think a rational pacifist would allow anyone to be killed just to get their way. I know that most pacifist would die before killing anyone. The other problem is that the characters aren't acting like themselves. Most don't speak the way they have in the series or any of the books I have read. It is like they all had their personalities altered. Scotty is the only one that really continues to speak in his scottish burr. The book just doesn't seem to hold true to what the series was all about. I hate giving any book only two stars and I tried hard to find enough in this story to give it three it just wasn't there.
August 9, 2016
The Enterprise is assigned to take ambassadors to negotiate a peace between two warring planets threatened by the Romulans. En route, they rescue a woman who believes in peace at all costs. She is able to strongly influence the crew to follow her -- to the point that they refuse to follow Captain Kirk's orders and strand him on an alien world where all life acts strangely in concert. The alien world was an interesting science fictional concept. The plot has interesting echoes of "Mutiny on the Bounty." The woman, Lorelei, in this 1983 Star Trek novel almost anticipates the Sybok character from 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. All in all, this was a fun read.
December 22, 2021
It takes Kirk and crew so long to understand what’s happening in the ship with the alien Lorelei that the audience has already figured out the solution to this average story before the characters have started to understand it. Add to that three diplomats and various side stories that don’t amount to anything and you get this…something that would be at home in S3 of the original series.
The writing style leaves some things to be desired as well, since every chapter opens with a captain’s log, Sulu is referred to as “the Oriental” at least twice and no one outside the Big Three get much to do.
This is an easy read, but any fan will be left shaking their head at how the story unfolds.
The writing style leaves some things to be desired as well, since every chapter opens with a captain’s log, Sulu is referred to as “the Oriental” at least twice and no one outside the Big Three get much to do.
This is an easy read, but any fan will be left shaking their head at how the story unfolds.
June 25, 2015
Oh dear...what happened to the Robert Vardeman who wrote the enjoyable TOS novel "The Klingon Gambit"? The regular characters feel very off compared to their usual selves, the plot takes a very strange detour halfway through, and there's a rather big white arrow pointing at the direction of the novel's climax. "Mutiny on the Enterprise" earns its second star for having an intriguing premise, and my curiosity as to the fate of its antagonist...but reading this short novel felt too much like hard work.
August 29, 2016
Enjoyable, but not all that great.
November 15, 2016
Great Star Trek book!
November 30, 2018
This wasn't the most original plot line. It was also dated and the thing that stood out the most is the writer referring to Mr. Sulu as an oriental. I guess that terminology was still, at least, partially acceptable in 1983. Today it pulls you right out of the story, makes you stop reading and start writing on Goodreads. At least it did that to me.
Fortunately, I'm not reading this book for it's originality or political correctness. I'm reading it to get me back to reading books. Since my diagnosis with PTSD and anxiety, I just haven't had the attention span to pull off reading a book. It has been really frustrating because I used to read at least a book a week. I have been able to listen to some audio books, but it's not the same. So, Star Trek, with its familiar cast of characters seemed a good place to start. The ground work is already done.
I'm in the last couple of chapters and I've found what seems like a mistake. I know there were episodes where the Enterprise came under fire and the landing party couldn't beam back up because they couldn't lower the shields to use the transporter. Well, in the second to last chapter the enterprise comes under fire while Kirk, Spock, Uhura and McCoy are off ship. There's a gap and the next thing you know they're all heading for the bridge to handle the situation. I'm not buying it and that convenient gap in the text tells me the author didn't know what to do with it either. I decided to take a star away for this and lower it to 2 and then, in retrospect 3 was probably too high to begin with. This is probably the worst of the Trek novels I've read.
Fortunately, I'm not reading this book for it's originality or political correctness. I'm reading it to get me back to reading books. Since my diagnosis with PTSD and anxiety, I just haven't had the attention span to pull off reading a book. It has been really frustrating because I used to read at least a book a week. I have been able to listen to some audio books, but it's not the same. So, Star Trek, with its familiar cast of characters seemed a good place to start. The ground work is already done.
I'm in the last couple of chapters and I've found what seems like a mistake. I know there were episodes where the Enterprise came under fire and the landing party couldn't beam back up because they couldn't lower the shields to use the transporter. Well, in the second to last chapter the enterprise comes under fire while Kirk, Spock, Uhura and McCoy are off ship. There's a gap and the next thing you know they're all heading for the bridge to handle the situation. I'm not buying it and that convenient gap in the text tells me the author didn't know what to do with it either. I decided to take a star away for this and lower it to 2 and then, in retrospect 3 was probably too high to begin with. This is probably the worst of the Trek novels I've read.
May 23, 2020
This would definitely be a budget saving third season episode from the original series.
The crew of the Enterprise, desperate for shore leave as well as engine repairs, is ordered to take three ambassadors to a pair of distant warring worlds that are close to the Orion arm of space that's being frequented by Romulans. The ambassadors are led by a Tellarite, and what you're imagining is exactly as you would expect. However, the trouble comes from a humanoid alien named Lorelei who's rescued from a damaged ship. I'm surprised her name didn't set off Kirk, McCoy, or Spock immediately. She is a woman of peace and her words are enough to convince even the most loyal Starfleet officers to believe that their mission is wrong because it could lead to violence or war.
You can predict what happens given the title of this book. The only minor surprise is a visit to a new world that's not as anyone predicted. The solution to Lorelei and her words is based on a classic mythological tale and the solution to the warring worlds is obvious.
No surprises at all, but worth reading because Kirk's lines would have been moments of gold for Shatner to say and act. The book is under 200 hundred pages, so it's at least a quick read.
The crew of the Enterprise, desperate for shore leave as well as engine repairs, is ordered to take three ambassadors to a pair of distant warring worlds that are close to the Orion arm of space that's being frequented by Romulans. The ambassadors are led by a Tellarite, and what you're imagining is exactly as you would expect. However, the trouble comes from a humanoid alien named Lorelei who's rescued from a damaged ship. I'm surprised her name didn't set off Kirk, McCoy, or Spock immediately. She is a woman of peace and her words are enough to convince even the most loyal Starfleet officers to believe that their mission is wrong because it could lead to violence or war.
You can predict what happens given the title of this book. The only minor surprise is a visit to a new world that's not as anyone predicted. The solution to Lorelei and her words is based on a classic mythological tale and the solution to the warring worlds is obvious.
No surprises at all, but worth reading because Kirk's lines would have been moments of gold for Shatner to say and act. The book is under 200 hundred pages, so it's at least a quick read.
Read
April 24, 2022Yeah so I’m a sucker for Star Trek and I’m a sucker for mutiny type stories so I was probably the perfect audience for this one. For the most part the flow of the books works well and felt engaging to me. It was a good opportunity to put Kirk’s leadership on center stage as he is presented with challenges on so many sides as the visitor which the ship rescues proceeds to start attacking the loyalties of his entire crew. There are some great moments of action featuring Kirk practically running around the entire ship, doing nearly everything on his own as his crew grows more and more uncooperative.
I would have liked to have gotten more backstory for the Lorelei character and maybe more of her motivations. And considering how much of the setup for the mutiny is driven by her words and rhetoric, I kind of wished that Kirk’s ultimate approach to her had been a little more nuanced but I’ll take what we got. The character of the ambassador that the Enterprise is escorting comes off as a bit trope-y and cliche but he ends up sort of serving a more heartfelt role to the story.
In all - worth the read.
I would have liked to have gotten more backstory for the Lorelei character and maybe more of her motivations. And considering how much of the setup for the mutiny is driven by her words and rhetoric, I kind of wished that Kirk’s ultimate approach to her had been a little more nuanced but I’ll take what we got. The character of the ambassador that the Enterprise is escorting comes off as a bit trope-y and cliche but he ends up sort of serving a more heartfelt role to the story.
In all - worth the read.
June 16, 2018
The crew of the Enterprise gets brainwashed and mutinies. With a description like that it should be exciting, but my reaction is pretty much "eh". There's nothing terribly wrong with this, and to be fair there are some interesting parts. I particularly liked the planet that was a single living organism - that's a concept compelling enough to build an entire story around, and not just a relatively isolated excursion. But for the most part I found this book pretty unconvincing. I don't find Lorelei that believable, nor do I think it credible how very easy her takeover was. I think perhaps this story suffers a little from loss of focus - it seems like it should have been a tightly focused psychological piece, concentrated by a sense of claustrophobia slowly growing aboard the ship. Instead it wavers off to the interesting planet, and spends too much time on the travelling ambassadors, who seemed fairly unbelievable themselves. A case of trying to fit too much into a relatively short novel and not really doing any of it justice, I think.
March 30, 2024
The Enterprise is sent on a mission of peace.
Carrying delegates to negotiate a treaty. Between two worlds, ready to go to war.
Even worse, it is near the neutral zone with the romulans.
If war breaks fully out. They may sweep in to pick up the pieces.
On the way, they save a lone woman. Of unknown alien heritage.
She is completely against anything that robs peace.
This would include her beliefs. That Enterprise mixing into the already unstable political region.
Would help bring an even wider war into being.
The Romulans, and Federation each siding, with one planet.
Unknown to the captain and crew. Like mythic sirens of old.
Her voice, has the ability to cloud men's minds.
Soon she has them ready to mutiny, and take over the ship.
Doing her bidding to promote total peace.
Even when, encountering a deadly, living world.
The Enterprise is soon dead in space. Can the captain complete the mission?
Will Enterprise be lost for good?
Nice set ups, and even though I could see some of the events coming.
It was still nice reading how they unfold.
Carrying delegates to negotiate a treaty. Between two worlds, ready to go to war.
Even worse, it is near the neutral zone with the romulans.
If war breaks fully out. They may sweep in to pick up the pieces.
On the way, they save a lone woman. Of unknown alien heritage.
She is completely against anything that robs peace.
This would include her beliefs. That Enterprise mixing into the already unstable political region.
Would help bring an even wider war into being.
The Romulans, and Federation each siding, with one planet.
Unknown to the captain and crew. Like mythic sirens of old.
Her voice, has the ability to cloud men's minds.
Soon she has them ready to mutiny, and take over the ship.
Doing her bidding to promote total peace.
Even when, encountering a deadly, living world.
The Enterprise is soon dead in space. Can the captain complete the mission?
Will Enterprise be lost for good?
Nice set ups, and even though I could see some of the events coming.
It was still nice reading how they unfold.
January 17, 2020
A so-so Star Trek Original Series novel, the title kind of says most of it. There's a Mutiny on the Enterprise and Kirk has to deal with it with his friendos. The reasons for that mutiny are somewhat interesting, as they involve an alien with hypnotic powers who influences the crew to kind of desert their mission.
What's interesting is the idea that the alien actually has pretty good intentions, she's a pacifist and as she can predict that the course of action in which the Enterprise is involved is going to lead to war she uses her persuasive powers to set off the mutiny in the title. Thing is... she's right.
So then we get Kirk and Spock trying to solve the problem, while at the same time sympathizing with the alien woman, or in the case of Kirk having the hots for her, as is de rigueur for his character. Not amazingly well written, but readable enough as is usually the case in these tie-ins.
What's interesting is the idea that the alien actually has pretty good intentions, she's a pacifist and as she can predict that the course of action in which the Enterprise is involved is going to lead to war she uses her persuasive powers to set off the mutiny in the title. Thing is... she's right.
So then we get Kirk and Spock trying to solve the problem, while at the same time sympathizing with the alien woman, or in the case of Kirk having the hots for her, as is de rigueur for his character. Not amazingly well written, but readable enough as is usually the case in these tie-ins.
May 19, 2024
1.5 (generously rounded up to 2)
Lemme copy/paste the last time I read a Varderman trek book:
"I think I'm over crew acts out of the norm/ indulges in excessive traits tropes. "
Still am, and boy this was a rough one. not as bad as the most of 70s trek novels but still several instances of "he would not say that" (especially at Spock)
Mutiny on the Enterprise actually made me think "Star Trek V's 'we're all following Sybok routine was written better than MotE's we're all siding with Lorelei routine" which....I've rarely said anything good abt Trek V's writing.
Space Siren, earplugs, tropes galore and single pov (Kirk's). And the ending left a sour note in my mouth.
Lemme copy/paste the last time I read a Varderman trek book:
"I think I'm over crew acts out of the norm/ indulges in excessive traits tropes. "
Still am, and boy this was a rough one. not as bad as the most of 70s trek novels but still several instances of "he would not say that" (especially at Spock)
Mutiny on the Enterprise actually made me think "Star Trek V's 'we're all following Sybok routine was written better than MotE's we're all siding with Lorelei routine" which....I've rarely said anything good abt Trek V's writing.
Space Siren, earplugs, tropes galore and single pov (Kirk's). And the ending left a sour note in my mouth.
September 15, 2019
A so-so early entry in the Pocket Books run based on the original series. Largely it suffered from the page count limits of the time and poor editing to adjust for it. A whole lot of set up and a real cruncher of climax left the book feeling terribly unbalanced. Another downside is that the presentation of our regular protagonists feels off and the characters who originate with this novel fall flat. Despite an ending that encourages the thought of an oncoming sequel, none appeared to my knowledge.
May 12, 2023
It’s ridiculous how few authors manage to successfully recreate the feel of a television episode but Vardeman pretty much nails it. He gets that Kirk is loyal to the Enterprise and Starfleet, but also manages to tease the reader by having him twist logic into circles until you almost think that he is going to lose out. My only niggle is that the antagonist of the story has contributed to the deaths of quite a few crew and an entire diplomatic mission which makes the ending feel a little horrible.
June 6, 2017
This book was just okay A bit on the bland side. A alien woman named Lorelei believes in pacifism so much so she uses her gifts to persuade the Crew . This in turn causes most of the crew to Mutiny. All of this while Kirk is trying to get Ambassador Zarv and his team to Ammdon for a Peace conference. I did like the ending which that was the best possible way and one she should have thought about herself instead of making trouble.
March 10, 2017
The Enterprise is sent on a peaceful mission, but the ship is in need of serious repairs. They pick up an alien woman via answering her distress call. At first this feels like a typical Mary Sue storyline but it does become something more. She is so persuasive that the crew start disagreeing with everything, with only Spock being immune. A good read.
September 1, 2017
Kirk was kind of an idiot to start out - otherwise the plot wouldn't work but because he was the story goes on!... Into insanity! Some cool ideas in this book and the singular minded planet was one of the coolest parts that was slipped in late in the game and could have made its own story on its own. I enjoyed it, wasn't anything GREAT though.
October 11, 2018
On an urgent diplomatic mission, the 'Enterprise' diverts to answer a distress call. They rescue a Speaker of the planet Hyla, a woman who calls herself Lorelei.
Slowly, but surely, she turns the crew against Captain Kirk, convincing them that peace is the only answer to the galaxy's problems.
Vardeman creates an interesting alien who proves a worthy adversary for Kirk.
Slowly, but surely, she turns the crew against Captain Kirk, convincing them that peace is the only answer to the galaxy's problems.
Vardeman creates an interesting alien who proves a worthy adversary for Kirk.
December 4, 2019
The story made me suffer for almost 150 pages, because it took way too long for Kirk to get a grasp on his own theory (and to communicate it with Spock). Even if we take into credit that his state of mind was altered, he behaved exceedingly stupid.
But the end was - though expected - redeeming the book in parts. It lacked a deeper level of moral and legal discussions, but it was fine altogether.
But the end was - though expected - redeeming the book in parts. It lacked a deeper level of moral and legal discussions, but it was fine altogether.
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